DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- TRUSTING GOD IN TIMES OF CONFLICT

 TRUSTING GOD IN TIMES OF CONFLICT
II Samuel 15:19, 24a, 25-26
 
"Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, 'Why are you going with us? Return and remain with the king. For you are a foreigner and also an exile from your own place.'.... There was Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God .... Then the king said to Zadok, 'Carry the ark of God back to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and show me both it and His dwelling place, But if He says thus, "I have no delight in you," here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.' "
 
The natural response to conflict is to enlist as many people as possible to support me and my position. But David discouraged people like Ittai and Zadok, who really had no part in the conflict, to return to Jerusalem. He put His trust in the LORD, and not in the number of his supporters. This is a lesson for me. Instead of enlisting people to support and defend me, I need to put myself in God's hands. If I find favor with Him, He will resolve the conflict. If not, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Trusting God to resolve conflict is better than gathering supporters to defend my position.
 
[end]
 
Have a trusting day.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- REFUGEES

 REFUGEES
II Samuel 15:16a, 17a
 
"Then the king went out with all his household after him ... And the king went out with all the people after him...."
 
Often in Hebrew literature, repetition is used for emphasis. I think this sentence is repeated to magnify the situation. It is easy to read this without feeling the pathos of the situation. It was not a ho-hum day. Today in our world there are hundreds of thousands of displaced people, families who have left the security and comfort of their homes because of war, living in deprived, desperate, unsanitary conditions. It is easy to read about them, even see them on television, without feeling compassion for them. It is sad to leave home, but being forced to leave must be dreadful, whatever the reason, such as foreclosure. I don't know what it is like to have to leave my home because of war, but it must be horrible – the fear, the uncertainty about the future, the sadness, not knowing how I would exist. I am thankful that I don't have to abandon my home, but I feel for those who do.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Refugees, whether Christians or non-Christians, deserve compassion.
 
[end]
 
Have a compassionate day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A SERVANT OF THE KING

 A SERVANT OF THE KING
II Samuel 15:15, 16a, 18
 
"And the king's servants said to the king, 'We are your servants, ready to do whatever my lord the king commands.' " Then the king went out with all his household after him .... Then all his servants passed before him...six hundred men who had followed him from Gath passed before the king."
 
This is the test of a true servant – ready to do whatever the king commands. They had served the king for many years, and their loyalty was strong. They were ready to do whatever the king commanded, and ready to go with the king wherever he went. This is commitment. I am a servant the King, and have followed Him for many years. As the hymn says, "I'll go where You want me to go, Dear Lord, o'er mountain, o'er plain, o'er sea. I'll say what you want to me to say, Dear Lord, I'll be what you want me to be." I am committed to my Lord, King Jesus, and I "serve the Lord with gladness" (Psalm 100:2).
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Being a servant of the King requires a commitment to do whatever He says.
 
[end]
 
Have a "servant" day. Love you.

COLLATERAL DAMAGE

 COLLATERAL DAMAGE
II Samuel 15:13-14
 
"Now a messenger came to David, saying, 'The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.' So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, 'Arise, and let us flee, or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.' "
 
There is a time to take a stand and fight, and there is a time to flee. So how do I know when to fight and when to flee? David knew that innocent bystanders would be harmed if he fought Absalom. War always has collateral damage. I have to ask myself, "Is the issue worth hurting innocent people who are not a part of the conflict?" If the conflict is only to defend my own position, my personal rights, and my reputation, then I need to turn and run. If it is to defend righteousness, then I need to take a stand and fight. May God help me to discern the difference.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Knowing when to fight and when to flee demands God's wisdom.
 
[end]
 
Have a discerning day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SUCKED IN!

 SUCKED IN!
II Samuel 15:10-12
 
"Then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, 'As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, "Absalom reigns in Hebron." ' And with Absalom went two hundred men invited from Jerusalem, and they went along innocently and did not know anything. Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from the city – from Giloh – while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom continually increased in numbers."
 
There were people – even a priest and counselor of David, Ahithophel – who were innocently and unwittingly caught up in Absalom's rebellion. Absalom had to make it appear that his movement had legitimacy, so he sucked in innocent people. I think people who are rebellious often use people for their own purposes. In 1965 while teaching in Garretson, S.D., I was invited to attend a meeting of other teachers with the superintendent and the school board. I did not know it was a protest against the superintendent, and I attended the meeting only to discover at the meeting the conspiracy that was taking place. My involvement in that meeting came back to bite me later on in the school year. I learned from that experience to be careful to check out the facts and the motives of people. A few years later, a group of dissatisfied members of the church I attended tried to get me to join them in a rebellion against the pastor. I am so glad that I refused to be sucked into that conspiracy. It pays to beware of rebellious people.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: People can be unwittingly sucked into a rebellion if they are not aware of the situation.
 
[end]
 
Have an aware day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE ART OF LYING

 THE ART OF LYING
II Samuel 15:7-9
 
"Now it came to pass after forty years [some manuscripts say four years] that Absalom said to the king, 'Please let me go to Hebron and pay the vow which I made to the LORD. For your servant took a vow while I dwelt in Geshur in Syria, saying, "If the LORD indeed brings me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD." ' And the king said, 'Go in peace.' So he arose and went to Hebron."
 
Lies, lies, all of it lies!!! Absalom feigned allegiance to David and worship to God, all the while plotting to overthrow the king. A person has to be pretty far down the track to lie to his own father. But lying is a small thing when that person is intent on rebellion. The deception of his father, and using God and spiritual observance, seemed insignificant if they could help him realize his goal to be king. He would use any tool available to accomplish his insurrection. What an evil person Absalom had become. Being raised in a household of faith is no guarantee that a son or daughter will love God. We might think that David's actions contributed to Absalom's downward spiral, but ultimately, each person is responsible for his or her own sin.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Deception is an integral part of rebellion.
 
[end]
 
Have a truthful day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE ULTIMATE POLITICIAN

 THE ULTIMATE POLITICIAN
II Samuel 15:1, 4-6
 
"After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him .... Moreover Absalom, would say, 'Oh that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.' And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him, that he would put out his hand and take him and kiss him. In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel."
 
In his pride, Absalom's agenda was to depose David and make himself king. His plan was to exalt himself by self-promotion, and by glad-handing the people and giving them what they wanted. His "justice" would be tailored to fulfill the person's desire, even if he had to speak out of both sides of his mouth to make everyone happy – "a chicken in every pot." Does this sound like a politician, or what? I am skeptical of people who elevate themselves and try to gain my loyalty by ingratiating themselves to me, especially if they are in rebellion against authority. They do not have my interest at heart – only their own. They are untrustworthy.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: People who exalt themselves and speak with words dripping with honey cannot be trusted and should not be followed.
 
[end]
 
Have a discerning day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLING -- BLIND LOVE

 BLIND LOVE
II Samuel 14:1, 33
 
"So Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the kings' heart was concerned about Absalom.... So Joab went to the king and told him. And when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king. Then the king kissed Absalom."
 
David had 19 sons born to his wives, plus other sons born to his concubines (I Chronicles 3:3-9). Amnon, the first-born, was murdered by Absalom, the third-born. Between them was the second-born Chileab (or Daniel). But it seems that of all his sons, Absalom was his favorite. So I question: Why did David love Absalom so much? Absalom (like Amnon) was undisciplined, unruly, and conniving. Absalom murdered his half-brother and set fire to Joab's field in a pique simply because Joab did not do what he wanted (vs. 30). David allowed Absalom to return to Jerusalem, but did not allow him to come to the palace to see David. Finally, after two years and through Joab's intervention, David allowed Absalom to meet with him. This proved to be a mistake, because Absalom "stole the hearts of the men of Israel" (15:6), and caused insurrection as "the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom continually increased in number" (15:12). But even then, David did not take control. Instead of putting down the rebellious son, he fled from Jerusalem, allowing a coup by Absalom. David's love for his son may have been understandable and commendable, but David was blinded by his affection for his son, and the entire nation suffered. It may not be easy, but true love is tough love.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Love is sometimes blind to reality and allows wrong behavior go unchallenged to the detriment of all those involved.
 
[end]
 
Have a tough-love day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY

 A DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY
II Samuel 13:1, 21
 
"After this Absolom the son of David had a lovely sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her .... But when King David heard all these things, he was very angry."
 
David's family was a textbook case of a dysfunctional family. Chapter 13 is a sordid story of rape, incest, and murder. It sounds like the plot of a soap opera on TV, and I don't want to dwell on the story. Part of the problem stems from the fact that David had married so many wives in violation of God's plan for marriage, and the children had issues because they were half-brothers and sisters. After Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar, Absolom took revenge for his sister by murdering Amnon. What strikes me is David's role in the drama. Where is David? Other than getting angry, he is absent. He took no leadership in reprimanding Amon. And when Absolom killed his brother Amnon and then fled to live with his grandfather on his mom's side [note: Absolom was the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur, II Samuel 3:3], instead of bringing Absolom to justice, David's response was to mourn for Absolom and to desire to go to him (vss. 37, 39). David was a hands-off father who refused to discipline his sons. No wonder his house was a mess. David had abdicated his role as a father. We see the same thing in America today – absentee dads. It is not an easy task, but it is necessary. Looking back, I can see times when I was not faithful to my responsibilities of leadership. Lord, forgive me for not always fulfilling the task as the father you called me to be. God, give us men who will take their God-given position as leaders in their families.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God has given fathers the responsibility of leadership to bring order into their families, but many fathers have abdicated their position.
 
[end]
 
Have a "functional" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- REDEMPTION

 REDEMPTION
II Samuel 12:24-25
 
"Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Now the LORD loved him, and he sent word by the hand of Nathan the prophet: So he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD."
 
Every good story need a climax and a resolution. The resolution to this episode came when David comforted Bathsheba and together they had another son. David was able to comfort Bathsheba because he himself had experienced God's comfort (see II Corinthians 1:3-4) through God's grace and forgiveness. So David was at peace with God and named the child Solomon, which is derived from the Hebrew shalom, which means "peace." But God had another name for the child, Jedidiah, which mean "beloved of the LORD." It is a continual amazement to me that God redeems our human failures to accomplish His good. It is a great God who takes a messy picture and transforms it into something beautiful. We see this in the lineage of the Lord Jesus. The record says, "David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah" (Matthew 1:6). God did not gloss over David's failure, but used it as an example of how He can take a bad situation and bring good from it. What a story of redepmtion. God takes us, sinful as we are, and gives us peace with Himself and makes us His beloved (Ephesians 1:6-7). Bill Gaither caught the mysterious glory of this when he wrote, "Something beautiful, something good, all my confusion He understood. All I had to offer Him was brokenness an strife, but He made something beautiful of my life." What a wonderful God we serve!!!
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The story of redemption is God taking something ugly and transforming it into something beautiful.
 
[end]
 
Have a "redemption" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- CLOSURE

 CLOSURE
II Samuel 12:19a, 20
 
"When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead .... So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, the set food before him and he ate."
 
David fasted in the hope that God would heal the child. But in God's providence, it was not to be. When the child died, it was a time of closure – for his sin and for the consequences of that sin. It closed the book on a sordid time in David's life. It was time to get on with life.   Mourning is good because it shows a tender heart toward God and toward life. But there must come a time of closure, when there is nothing more I can do to change the situation. When his servants asked why he stopped fasting, he replied, "Now that the child is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again?" (vs. 23). In other words, what's done is done and I can't change it. Hanging onto past grief does not accomplish anything, except cause turmoil in my own spirit. There must come a time when I close the book and get on with life. Then I can go into the house of the LORD and worship with a free spirit.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Hanging on to the past accomplishes nothing, and hinders my relationship with God.
 
[end]
 
Have a "closure" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- ANGER CONTROL

 ANGER
II Samuel 12:18b
 
"And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, 'Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm.' "
 
There is a part of David's nature  that surfaces once in a while – his anger. Most often we see David's grace, as with Saul and Mephibosheth. But there is a dark side of David. His servants had seen his anger explode when he ordered the execution of the men who killed Saul (II Samuel 1:15) and Ishobosheth (II Samuel 4:12). They had probably observed David's anger at other times. No wonder the servants were afraid for their own lives. Considering David's temper, who knows how he will react to the news of the death of his son? He may lose it and do something drastic to them. Thankfully, he didn't. I'm so glad that God does not require perfection. Yes, David was a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22). But he had an imperfect character. This is encouragement to me. This does not excuse my failures and my character flaws. But it does demonstrate God's grace.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: For the man who loves God, there is grace in spite of his character flaws.
 
[end]
 
Have a peace-filled day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLNGS -- GOD'S GRACIOUS PURPOSES

 GOD'S GRACIOUS PURPOSES
II Samuel 12:15b-16, 18a
 
"And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it became ill. David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground....Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died."
 
When the child of David's sin became sick, David fasted and prayed for it to be healed. But healing did not come, because God had other purposes. I believe it was it was God's grace that allowed the baby to die. Otherwise, David would have been reminded of his sin every time he saw the child, and lived in continual condemnation for sin that he had repented of and that God had forgiven. It is hard enough for me to forget my sin, let alone be confronted with it daily. God is gracious and I need to bury my sin just as God has. I also need to remember that not all of the bad things that happen are a result of sin. In fact, Jesus encountered a blind man and his disciples asked who had sinned to cause this blindness. Jesus answered that no one had sinned but that God had other purposes for the illness (John 9:2-3). I need to look for God's gracious plan in all the issues of life – both good and bad.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God does not always answer my prayers  because He has greater plans.
 
[end]
 
Have a trusting day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- FORGIVEN, BUT ......

 FORGIVEN, BUT ....
II Samuel 12:13b-15
 
"And Nathan said to David, 'Put away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child who is born to you shall surely die.' Then Nathan departed to his house."
 
It is a sad refrain that I get tired of singing, but the Scriptures keep repeating  it  over and over again: Even though God forgives sin, there are consequences that follow. The results of sin are not confined just to the spiritual realm; they play out in this world also. In this account, God puts his finger on the issue. Sin by a child of God gives opportunity for the ungodly to discredit God. It's not just my reputation that is harmed, but sin brings dishonor to the Savior. Lord Jesus, I don't want to give occasion to Your enemies to throw mud on Your holy name.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Sin gives occasion to God's enemies to discredit God's character.
 
[end]
 
Have a careful day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- OFFENDING GOD

 OFFENDING GOD
II Samuel 12:13a
 
"So David said to Nathan, 'I have sinned against the LORD.' "
 
Even though David had sinned against Bathsheba and Uriah, he recognized that his real sin was against God because he had violated God's commandments forbidding murder, adultery, stealing, and coveting (Exodus 20:13-17). In his prayer of repentance, David confessed, "Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight" (Psalm 51:4). I need to keep this focus — that I am accountable first to God, and then to my neighbor. Sin is serious because when I sin, I am offending God's holiness.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: Sin is much more than violating myself or other people; it is offending God's holiness.
 
[end]
 
Have a focused day. Love you.

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