The Well
The Well |
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Connecting Hope to the Hurting | |
Friday
June 6, 2008
Ahithophel told him, "Go and sleep with your father's concubines, for he has
left them here to keep the house. Then all Israel will know that you have
insulted him beyond hope of reconciliation, and they will give you their
support." So they set up a tent on the palace roof where everyone could see it,
and Absalom went into the tent to sleep with his father's concubines.
Absalom
followed Ahithophel's advice, just as David had done. For every word Ahithophel
spoke seemed as wise as though it had come directly from the mouth of God.
2
Samuel 16:21-23
No one knows how it breaks a parent's heart when a child rebels, but a parent who has been there. It is bad enough when mere acquaintances speak against you or try to destroy you, but when it is a child of your own ¾ it literally breaks your heart.
It is sad that more of us don't understand what rebellion is. When King Saul, the king before David, was still on the throne, walking in the mercy of God, he was given an assignment by God to destroy the Amalekites ¾ everything and everyone. Saul started out in obedience, but decided it would be a greater benefit for the kingdom if he simply captured their king and keep the best of the livestock. God then told Samuel that he was displeased with Saul and that He was sorry that he ever made Saul King.
Before these words were out of the mouth of the Lord, Saul was on his way to build a monument to himself. The Lord sent Samuel to confront Saul in his wrong actions and attitudes, but Saul became defensive and tried to justify his actions by saying he saved the livestock to offer a sacrifice to the Lord.
Please hear the words Samuel spoke to Saul that day from 1 Samuel 15:22-23, "But Samuel replied, 'What is more pleasing to the Lord; your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Obedience is far better than sacrifice. Listening to him is much better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as bad witchcraft, and stubbornness is as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you from being king.'"
Hear me today, GOD KNOWS YOUR PAIN ¾ HE KNOWS WHAT YOU HAVE LIVED THROUGH. He will right the wrongs in your life if you will just turn to Jesus in complete obedience and learn to "trust and obey." When we rebel against what God wants for our lives we are walking in witchcraft and nothing but condemnation surrounds us.
Satan will get a foothold if we don't adhere to the Lord's marvelous counsel in James 4:7, "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you." We first must humble ourselves and submit to God ¾ first step then and remains so to this day.
Father God, I have not always submitted myself to you. I recognize that my wrong choices were actually the bad advice of Satan through another human being. Lord, I want to make right decisions and walk with you. Open my eyes Lord. I will follow You.
