2 Samuel 24:21 - Threshing Floor

Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?”  “To buy your threshing floor,” David answered, “so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped.”

God was punishing the Israelites with a plague. 70 thousand had died. David was told by God through a prophet to build an alter at this certain location. When I had envisioned a threshing floor, I had always thought of an indoor wooden floor so I looked up Threshing Floor and found it can also be a flat area outside. A threshing floor is a place where grain is walked on or agitated until the grain comes out of its hull. The "chaff" is blown away by the wind and all that is left is the good grain. It is a symbol for judgement, so there was significance in where the alter was to be made.

Lord, please help me to recognize when you are in the process of "threshing" my life and not hang on to tightly to the chaff. Amen.

2 Samuel 22:50 - Therefore

Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
     I will sing the praises of your name.

I'm not sure where I heard this, but someone once said, "When the bible says 'therefore', you need to find out what it is there for." That resonated with me as I read David's Song of Praise in Chapter 22. David was faced with huge problems. Problems involving nations. His response to these problems was to go to the Lord. That is why he was a successful leader and probably why God put him in this position of leadership. David praised God, asked God for guidance, followed the guidance, then praised the Lord again. No wonder he was a man after God's own heart.

Lord, We praise you, among the nations, we will sing the praises of your name. Amen.

2 Samuel 20:22 - A wise woman stops a war

2 Samuel 20:22  Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri and threw it to Joab. So he sounded the trumpet, and his men dispersed from the city, each returning to his home. And Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.

One woman was able to stop a war. David had returned to Jerusalem and was again on the throne. Another threat arises and his men go out to destroy this man. They lay siege to a city to get to this man and a wise woman goes to talk to the leader of David's army. She is able to solve the problem with only the loss of one life.

Lord, thank you for this example of a wise, strong, peace loving woman. Please help us to give and listen to wise, Godly advice. Amen

2 Samuel 19:6 - A leader who listened

You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead.

David was not perfect. David knew it and his trusted advisors knew it. Joab, the leader of David's army, was willing to tell him the truth and David would listen. King David's son, Absalom, had been trying to overthrow his father. They went to battle and his son was killed. Even though his son acted as his enemy he still loved his son and was devastated when he was killed. This was unfair to his armies who had just put their lives at risk for David to defeat his son. Joab pointed this out to David and he listened.

Lord, thank you for giving us people who are willing to tell us when we need to make a correction in our lives. Please help us to listen to these people and help us to be the advisor when needed. Amen

2 Samuel 17:14 - Understanding the ways of the Lord

Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.

Ahithophel had been an advisor to King David and now he was advisor to Davis's son, who was trying to overthrow David. His advice was given after praying to God. In this case God was using Ahithophel as a part of a bigger plan to return David to the throne. From the outside it looked like Ahithophel had failed and he killed himself. We never know the bigger plan. Our job is to always rely on God and cling to his hand even when it seems we have made the biggest mistake of our life or had a huge tragedy occur. God can use all things to his glory.

Lord, thank you for using us, and even what we see as failure, to your glory. Please help us to continue to rely on you even when it seems the worst has happened. Amen

2 Samuel 16:11 - God's tool

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.

David is fleeing his city from his son and his men. A man along the way throws rocks at David and his men and yells curses at him. His men want to kill the man, but David has a deep insight into the ways of the Lord God. He understands that the Lord's ways are not our ways. David generally does not do things unless he feels directed by the Lord. He understands that within God's plans and purposes, one day he may be King, the next a pauper. He is merely God's tool. He will not fight for his position unless it is God's will.

Lord, thank you for guiding us and having a plan for us. Please help us to be sensitive to your will and understand what you are guiding us to do. Amen.

2 Samuel 15:21 - New loyalty

But Ittai replied to the king, “As surely as the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be.”

David's son was conspiring against him, so he decides to leave his city. Hundreds of soldiers and people go with him, even a group of 600 people who had just recently arrived from another country. David tells the group to stay, they "didn't have a dog in this fight," but the group was loyal to David regardless of what happened. When we are a new Christian, we may not understand everything, but new loyalty can be strong loyalty.

Lord, thank you for knowing what is right for us. Please help us to trust you, no matter of how long we have been your follower. Amen.

2 Samuel 14:14 - Returning to God

Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him.

One of David's son killed his brother for an atrocious act. This son flees from David and is essentially banished. After mourning the son who was dead, one of David's men shows him it is ok for his son to return. God desires reconciliation. He knows of our sins, but he wants us to return to him and will create a path for us. The great path was the death of his son so that our sins could be forgiven, but he also devises a personal path for each of us to return to him if we will follow it.

Lord, thank you for making a way for us to return to you. Please help the lost to open their eyes and see your plan for them. Amen.

2 Samuel 13:3 - Bad advice

Now Amnon had an adviser named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Jonadab was a very shrewd man.

We have to be careful about the people we get advice from. Are they living the kind of life God wants them to live? David's son Amnon was getting advice from his uncle. We get the idea this man was not the most upright guy, but shrewd and street wise. It sounds like he knew how to get what he wanted, and he advised Amnon how to go about raping his sister who he was lusting after. We all have sinful desires, but who are we surrounding ourselves with, people who will encourage our sin our guide us away from it?

Lord, thank you for including this difficult topic in your word, so many have suffered because of rape. Please help us to surround ourselves with your people who will help us and give us good advice. Amen.

PS-On the flip side, give good, Godly advice. Be the kind of friend or mentor who gives wise council and pulls people away from sin.

2 Samuel 12:5 - Righteous indignation

David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die!

Nathan told David a story of injustice. David was angry, but Nathan tells him, "You are the man!" (v.7) because of his affair with Bathsheba and murder of her husband. Sometimes we get so angry at something we think is wrong, when the truth is we have done so much worse. Righteous indignation is rarely right.

Lord, thank you for helping us to see our flaws. Please help us to remember our own sin before pointing out the sin of another. Amen.

2 Samuel 11:27 - Displeasing the Lord

After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.

The story of David and Bathsheba is an important one for us to hear. David seems almost perfect, always pleasing the Lord, but here he sins as we all do. In the first verse of the story, it seems as though David is not where he ought to be. From there it gets worse. He commits adultery and eventually has her husband killed. The phrase, "But the thing David had done displeased the Lord," really caught my attention. If I put my name in for David's, it is heartbreaking to me. I think of all of my sins and how I have displeased the Lord. If we are Christians, we are forgiven, but maybe this thought will help us to avoid future sin.

Lord, thank you for the example of your servant David. Please help us to not displease you. Amen.

2 Samuel 10:12 - The Lord's will

Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”

In this chapter, David sent a group of men to express condolences to the son of an enemy who has died. The gesture is not well received and the group of men are humiliated. This started a battle. Before going into battle, the leader of the David's army makes the above statement. I think these men realized they were God's tools. They were not assured victory. They wanted the Lord's will to be done. We are expected to be strong and brave, but the outcome is up to the Lord.

Lord, thank you for giving us strength and bravery. Please help us to seek your will in every situation. Amen.

2 Samuel 9:3 - Showing kindness

The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?”  Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.”

Giving to a good cause or donating to an organization are great things to do, but have you ever sought out someone to show kindness to? David took the time to seek out a relative of his good friend Jonathan to whom he could show God's kindness. This may be something we think of doing at Christmas or Thanksgiving, but there are always those around us in need, we just have to open our eyes to see them.

Lord, thank you for your loving kindness to us. Please show us someone to whom we can show your kindness. Amen

2 Samuel 8:11 - Success

King David dedicated these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued:

God was with David and helped him be successful in conquering many nations. David knew, without a doubt, God was the reason for his success and he gave the Lord the valuable thing he acquired. Do we attribute our successes to God? Do we dedicate to him the plunder, the results of the success?

Lord, thank you for allowing us to be successful. Please help us to give you the glory and return the plunder to you. Amen.

2 Samuel 7:21 - Sometimes we get a no

For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.

In this chapter, David decides to build a permanent home for the Ark of  God. God speaks to David though the Nathan and says no, David's son will be the one to build a temple. David accepts this from God and praises Him. We (or someone close to us) may not hear an audible answer from God today, but he has his ways to make his will known. If we pray for an answer to be made clear, it will.

Lord, thank you for your guidance. Please help us to accept your answers. Amen.

2 Samuel 6:5 - Pray, then plan

David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.

David has a great plan. He wants to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem and make it a huge celebration for all the people. Everything starts out well, then Uzziah touched the ark and is instantly killed. David was doing all this for the Lord. Why did God bring this celebration to a halt? Why didn't God overlook this mistake?

A few weeks ago I heard a sermon by Paul Cartwright about Uzziah.. (This is the sermon where we were challenged to read 2 Samuel.) In this lesson, Paul talked about how there were several things wrong here, mostly, David did not make sure the Ark was being moved as God specifically required it to be moved. It should not have been on an cart, but carried by poles. David was usually so good at praying to God before doing things like going to battle, but in this case, maybe he planned this big celebration to move the Ark without going to God first.

Lord, than you for being clear with us about what you want from our lives. Please help us to always go to you before making plans. Amen.

2 Samuel 5:19 - Guidance

so David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”
  The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”

David sought after God's will. He did not trust in his own strength or mind. The Philistines were attacking David. Common sense would dictate fighting back, if not to conquer then at least to defend yourself. But David went to as secure place and prayed. How many times to we rush in to a new project or commitment without praying first? We may not hear an audible voice like David did, but if we ask for guidance, the answer will be made clear.

Lord, thank you for being with us and guiding us. Please help us to remember to pray before we act. Amen.

2 Samuel 4:9-11 - Motivation

David answered Rekab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, when someone told me, ‘Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and put him to death in Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news! How much more—when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed—should I not now demand his blood from your hand and rid the earth of you!”

Rekab and Baanah were in the army of Saul, David's enemy. After Saul's death, they decided to kill Saul's son who was now king over Saul's people in order to pledge their allegiance to David. Bad idea. David was not one to reward senseless violence. David did not hate his enemy Saul or members of his family. The brothers were overzealous. They acted without knowing the whole story, with the ultimate motive of selfishness, in an effort to better their own position. They should have checked their PMS (Purpose, Motivation, Strategy).

Lord, thank you for delivering us out of every trouble. Please help us to carefully check our motivation before we take action. Amen.

2 Samuel 3:25 - Forgiveness

You know Abner son of Ner; he came to deceive you and observe your movements and find out everything you are doing.”

From what we know of Abner, he was deceitful. He would play whichever side would benefit him. After pledging allegiance to Saul's son, he goes to David and pledges allegiance. David was openly willing to forgive Abner, but some of David's men were not so forgiving. They killed Abner and David publicly chastises them and honors Abner as a fallen warrior. Forgiveness is always the right thing to do. God forgives us of our sins time after time after time.

Lord, thank you for forgiving us. Please help us to forgive others. Amen.

2 Samuel 2:26 - Mercy

Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?”

After the death of Saul, the army of Saul continued to fight David's army. David's army was stronger and was defeating Saul's army, but Abner (from Saul's army) called out and asked for mercy. David's army backs down. This is not the end of the war, but it demonstrates the kind of army David lead. Are we the kind of person who takes every advantage offered to us, or are we merciful?

Lord, thank you for being merciful to us. Please help us to be merciful to others. Amen.