APRIL 24, 2023

“God desires to reveal His heart to us and to build His heart into us as we seek His face.” 

― Bill Mills, Adequate: How God Empowers Ordinary People to Serve

2 SAMUEL 10-12

11The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. 2The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, 3but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.

4“Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”

5David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! 6He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”

7Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. 9Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. (12:1-9)

LUKE 19:29-48

41As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

Jesus at the Temple

45When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. 46“It is written,” he said to them, “ ‘My house will be a house of prayer’^c ; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’^d ”

47Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. 48Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.

JOURNAL 

As humans we are so blinded by our fears and our pride. I still struggle to wrap my head around how David could have fallen so far, so fast.  I guess the answer is that when reliance on God ceases, anyone can fall prey to sin in ways that we could never fathom. What's crazy though is that David didn't seem to turn from God as much as he just stopped seeking and needing him in the way he had before.  As a result he misused his power and did something awful. He broke up a marriage and murdered one of his own men. 

It is interesting though that this happened as a result of boredom...David had stayed home from the battle and was on his rooftop...no doubt admiring his kingdom when he saw Bathsheba. Even though he had pretty much any wife or concubine he wanted...he got greedy and lustful and wanted Bathsheba. He wanted what was forbidden..hmmm sounds familiar. 

I think this is the meaning behind Jesus words that "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace-". Success, riches, leisure...those are obviously, not the source of peace. It is true in my own life that when I am working through problems and actively dealing with struggle is when I truly find the most joy. I've definitely had moments on vacation that were peaceful, restful and wonderful but they didn't grow my soul. Those moments weren't markers on my journey of great revelation or profound growth and change. Peace with God is found in seeking him...which happens most often when I am struggling to solve a problem...when I am outside of my own wisdom etc.      

4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. 

PHILIPPIANS 4:4-9