Scripture:16 Then a wise woman cried out from the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come nearby, that I may speak with you.’ ” 17 When he had come near to her, the woman said, “Are you Joab?”

He answered, “I am.”

Then she said to him, “Hear the words of your maidservant.”

And he answered, “I am listening.”

18 So she spoke, saying, “They used to talk in former times, saying, ‘They shall surely seek guidance at Abel,’ and so they would end disputes. 19 I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?”

2 Samuel 20:16-19

"Wisdom is a Shelter"

Joab, one of David's commanders, is looking for a man named Sheba who has rebelled against the King, and Sheba has fled to Abel Beth-maacah, and Joab is about to destroy the whole city for the sake of this man, and that is where we find ourselves in today's scripture.  

One of the most important things when we read scripture is to ask questions.  Like in this story, why is this woman so significant that she should be told in this story?   What we discover is that it is her wisdom and faithfulness toward the Lord that saved that City.   She reminds Joab that this city is a "mother in Israel" and a place of peace and faithfulness.   

Wise people serve the Lord in faithfulness, and for Abel Beth-maacah, it was that faithfulness, obedience, and loyalty to the Lord that the Lord provided wisdom, and that saved them 

To seek the Lord, to be faithful to Him, and to seek His wisdom, so that in the day of our trouble, the Lord delivers us through it.   What you do today, how you serve the Lord now, what you sow now, that will be the harvest you reap later. The blessings you are seeing today are because of the things you sowed in the former days.  Be faithful, serve God, trust that He will deliver you.

Lord, let us all be wise, let us always be faithful to you, be a shield about us, let our trust and our salvation always be found in you, in Jesus' name, Amen!

Scripture:

Psalm 61:2-3

2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed; 

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For You have been a shelter for me,
A strong tower from the enemy.

"A Place of Security"

You can find rest in Him. Notice that David says from the ends of the earth, this is David reminding us that there is no place "too deep" that God cannot hear your cry.  Today, when you cry out in desperation for peace, He will hear you, no matter how deep that place is.  Something greater about this portion he says: "Lead me to the rock that is higher than I."    This is David acknowledging his need for the Lord's strength.   I am not sufficient, but the Lord is; His strength is, His power is, He can put me on "solid ground" when everything is shaking around me, stealing my peace.

Make the Lord your place of security, tell Him your struggles, trust that He hears you and is able to deliver you, and stay near Him.

Listen to it again:

The Rock that is Higher than I (Unshakable Ground, Stable, at Peace)

Maybe today you need the Lord to bring you to a place of peace, stability, to a rock that is higher than you.  Tell Him!

A Shelter For Me (Protection from the enemy)

You want to be protected from the enemy, stay close to the Lord, make Him your rock, your strong tower, a shelter. This speaks of being near to Him, and in your proximity, nothing can touch you.

Lord, we cried and you answered, you hear our prayers, like David reminded us that there is no place too far that you cannot hear our prayers, our supplications, our cries, you are the solid ground we need in our lives, you are the shelter we need, the strong tower, a place of refuge and strength, let us always be near, let us always keep pace with you, in your presence, in Jesus' name, Amen!

Scripture:

2 Samuel 16:10-12

10 But the king said, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why do you do this?’”
11 David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “My son, my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. 12 It may be that the Lord will look upon my misery and restore to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse today.

Shimei was a Benjamite, and they did not fully support David as King, so in our portion today we see this random Benjamite cursing David. It really is a bad day for David; his son has betrayed him and seeks not only his throne, but his life, and here we see that David recognizes that this is a fulfillment of what God spoke about the cause of his sin with Uriah and Bathsheeba. 

Something to gain from this portion is that God is always just, and that is what David saw, and David, even being a man of war, a mighty man, was still a humble man, who loved God and trusted God.  This is why the Bible says that David was a man after God's own heart, you see this in moments like this.

So, what to learn from this?   

• Embrace Humility Over Vengeance
• Trust God’s Sovereignty in Hardships  
• Allow God to be your Deliverer 

:

Lord, I thank you that above all you love us, that you are righteous, and just, and merciful, that even when things are not good, you still are good and working it out for our good.   Lord help us be humble, and expectant seeking you and your hand, your mercy in the difficult bits, in Jesus' name, Amen

Scripture

Psalm 28:6-7

Praise be to the Lord,
    for he has heard my cry for mercy.
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
    my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
    and with my song I praise him.

A Reason to Praise 

David reminds us that our prayers are heard and answered, that they become strength to our hearts and a shield for our lives, that there is this inward building up and this outward protection in prayer and in knowing that He hears us and answers.   Psalm 34:4 says I sought the Lord and He heard and He answered.   This is a reason to praise, that the God of the Universe hears "my prayer," out of all the billions of people on the planet, He takes the time to hear my prayers, they do not fall to the ground, but they are heard, and answered, that is praiseworthy.  

Make prayer your "Strength" (inward fortitude) and a "Shield" (outward protection) for you life, seek God for you, for your family, for you work, in the comings and goings of life, let prayer become the strength in your life and the shield that protects you, let your life be covered in it, may it produce praise.

Lord, may our lives be marked by praise, by prayer, may our hearts always trust in your way, you path, your direction, may you always be a strength in us, and a shield about us, may the meditations of our hearts and the words of our mouths be pleasing to you, may our prayers align with your will so that they have power to accomplish the work, in Jesus' name, Amen!

Scripture:

2 Samuel 11:1

  It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

"It is the Little Things"

2 Samuel 11, we know this portion as a terrible time for King David, a decision that would impact his life severely, but there is a great lesson to be learned.   Our failures, our falling away, our distance from the Lord don't happen all at once; it is the little things that we need to guard for David. 

He should have #1 been where he was supposed to be, "Out to War", when he saw Bathsheeba. He couldn't sleep because he was supposed to be at war with his men when he inquired of her. His servant said she was the wife of Uriah. He had an opportunity to move on, it was the little things, and this verse exposes that, that it is our desires that drag us away, the little decisions, the missed plots of the enemy, the enemy will drag you away with your desires. Still, he will do it subtly, so that by the time you realize it, you're already in trouble.

Beware of the little things, the bible says, "Be Alert," that the devil is looking for ways to devour you.  Guard your heart, guard your time, be where you are supposed to be, be aware of the time, don't allow your desires to rule your life, don't let your emotions dictate your decisions.  Be alert! 

Father, help us guard our lives, help us not be unaware of the enemy's schemes, reveal them to us, help us avoid them, steer clear of them, if we are not where we are meant to be, move us to where we are supposed to be, guide us, direct us, keep our hearts near you, in Jesus' name, Amen!