Week 4
Today’s Readings:
Psalm 3 and 2 Samuel 15:13-23
The Real Husbands of Jerusalem
Imagine a tiny snowball rolling down an arctic hill, getting bigger and faster as it goes. It wouldn't have been unstoppable if someone had stopped it early. That's precisely where David finds himself this week. Let me catch you up!
David finally became king after Saul's death and made Jerusalem the capital. But his reign took a dark turn. David took another man's wife, Bathsheba, and had her husband killed to cover up a pregnancy. Though he repented, his actions led to chaos in his family.
David's son, Amnon, sexually assaulted his half-sister Tamar. Tamar's full brother, Absalom, took revenge and killed Amnon. David did nothing to stop it. Absalom fled but eventually returned. Over time, Absalom gained the people's favor, undermined David's authority, and forced David to flee from the palace.
In Psalm 3, we hear David's lament over the situation.
"Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him."" (Psalms 3:1-2)
Fleeing in Faith or Fear?
There is a debate around this passage. It all centers around the question: Was David's fleeing fueled by fear or faith? The "Faith argument" points out some situations where we must "let go and let God." There is merit in this lesson. The "Faith argument" points out that David wrote Psalm 3, proving his reliance on God.
Personally, I side more with the "fear argument" people. Here's why: David is king and father! He has the authority to end all these struggles. God anointed him and prepared him to deal with king-sized problems. When we choose to live our lives passively, our circumstances make decisions for us.
David's journey to the throne was challenging. He fought battles, made tough choices, and protected his people. He was destined there, but he still had to fight his way to get there. But when David finally gets to the palace, he pauses. David is tired! The palace became his escape—a place of comfort and indulgence. It's just like how we can fortify ourselves with pleasure to block out the hard things in life. Instead of returning to battle (2 Samuel 11:1), David's "treat yo-self" attitude leads him to sin against Bathsheba. It sets off the chain of events that led to the current Absalom problem.
Life isn't just about pleasure; it's about growth. God cares about our happiness but is more concerned with our progress. You can't just block out the challenging parts of life by surrounding yourself with things that look like you, sound like you, and agree with you. Resistance is the only way you can grow. David's decision to prioritize comfort over responsibility set off a snowball of consequences.
Daily Decisions
Don't allow the shine of the crown to distract from the weight of the responsibility! We all have the power to make decisions and set boundaries. Small choices today can grow into habits and realities we wrestle with later.
Absalom's choices ultimately led to his downfall. While fleeing from David's men on horseback, his mule ran under low-hanging trees, and his hair got caught, leaving him helpless. David's men struck him down with spears, and Absalom died (2 Samuel 18). But even in this tragic story, God was working to redeem. Many years later, another of David's descendants would hang on a tree—not because of His own mistakes, but because of ours. Jesus gave His life to redeem our pride and rebellion, offering us hope and restoration.
One thing the "faith argument" group gets right is that even when we make the wrong choice, we can still cry out to God. David writes in Psalm 3:4-5:
"I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me."
David finds peace enough to sleep in exile, utterly reliant on his faith in God. That doesn't excuse David from the authority in his hands, but it does acknowledge the ultimate authority in God's hands.
Dive Deeper
"In a dream, they were warned not to report back to Herod. So they worked out another route, left the territory without being seen, and returned to their own country." (Matthew 2:12)
Let's shift to another story—the Magi from the Christmas narrative. These weren't "three kings," as the carol suggests. They were Persian magicians and astrologers, outsiders to the Jewish faith.
One of the reasons I am so captured by this story is that the Magi weren't by any means the group that should have figured out that Christ was born. They practiced a different religion and were of a different nationality. It would have made more sense for a Jewish religious leader or scribe to be alerted that the Jewish Messiah had come. But, nope! A group of sorcerers were practicing divination and found a star that brought them into an encounter with Christ.
On their journey, they met King Herod, who, like Absalom, cared more about his position than his purpose. Herod saw Jesus as a threat and tried to manipulate the Magi. Still, God used even Herod's schemes to guide them in the right direction (Matthew 2:8). Sometimes, the negativity we experience can be used by God as a redirection.
Nothing in this story is conventional! And yet, when the Magi's caravan gets to Mary and Joseph's front door, all they can do at the sight of Jesus is bow down and worship. After their encounter, they returned home "by another route" (Matthew 2:12). Meeting Christ changed their lives, showing that God can use anyone to reveal His goodness. The Magi's encounter helped them lean on a message from God that protected the Christ Child from Herod.
The lesson is clear, whether it's David dealing with Absalom or the Magi deciding to return home differently: Our choices matter, but God's grace can redirect us when we fall. Every encounter with Christ leaves us changed, and every situation—even the hard ones—can be used for His purpose. We don’t serve a wasteful God. He will not leave you stranded in darkness.
