Prince Charming
Opening Prayer
Father, You are the joy of my heart and I will love You forever. Thank you for making me Your child.
Read 2 Samuel 15:1-12
[1] In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him. [2] He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?” He would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” [3] Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.” [4] And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.” [5] Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. [6] Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel. [7] At the end of four years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the LORD. [8] While your servant was living at Geshur in Aram, I made this vow: ‘If the LORD takes me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron.'” [9] The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he went to Hebron. [10] Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, then say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.'” [11] Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter. [12] While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from Giloh, his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
How was Absalom unlike David when David was under Saul?Behind Absalom’s growing fame was a cunning plan. He spent four years charming the people to win their hearts (10) but with questionable motives. He wanted to steal his father’s throne. Unlike his father, David, who had been loyal to Saul as God’s appointed leader, Absalom made himself king while his father was still on the throne. The family infighting was a direct result of David’s sin with Bathsheba and had been prophesied by Nathan (12:11).Absalom’s popularity perhaps stemmed from David’s own lapse of leadership. Absalom’s comment in verse 3 implies that there was no justice mechanism, a sign of David neglecting his kingly duties as he had neglected his military duties (ch. 11). Perhaps the public acclamation he had received at the start of his leadership was allowing David to become complacent, forgetting that the people’s ongoing support depended on his continued efforts as king. This is a challenge for all of us involved in ministry of any sort. Are we always looking to improve, or do we become complacent too easily? Do we rest too much on past successes, forgetting that there is still work to be done?
Apply
Ask God to refresh you with his Spirit and reinvigorate you for the service to which he has called you.
Closing prayer
Father, thank You that You are a God who has drawn near and has entered our world and our lives without reservation.
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