The resources God has given us to live a thriving life are His Word, Spirit, and People.
Read God’s Word:
2 Samuel 19-21, Psalms 5, 38, 42
Act 2: God’s Covenant People
Scene 5: Kings and Prophets: God shapes a kingdom people
Background Information: 2 Samuel 19-21, Psalms 5, 38, 42
David is a King whose son has attempted a coup and is now dead. Many of David’s own citizens took up arms against him, and now they are questioning how he can still be king. The narrative describes how David goes about clearing up the mess in the aftermath of the short-lived civil war. After David crosses the Jordan river from exile back into Canaan at the end of chapter 19, he has to deal with another attempted coup. Joab, a brutal man who has been demoted by David, murders Amasa, the man David put over him. The coup is ended by a wise woman who convinces her townspeople to deal with the traitor themselves. All this chaos and death is tied to David’s decision to obey his own desires rather than to lead the nation. Great privilege brings great responsibility, and David’s irresponsibility was terribly costly. The main narrative of David’s leadership comes to an end in chapter 20, followed by a summary of his reign that begins in the next chapter. Israel pinned their hopes on a king who would unite them and give them protection against their enemies. Their best king’s sin divided them and made them vulnerable. As we read the story of David, we can see hints of greatness in him. At the same time, we can see how he was surely not the promised King who would bring lasting peace.
As we read David’s Psalms it is important to keep in mind how difficult his life often was. As a king he spent as many nights sleeping outdoors in the elements as he had as a shepherd boy. It was during these times of great difficultly that his heart turned back to God. There are no Psalms recounting how wonderful his experience of sin with Bathsheba was. Sin’s pleasure is fleeting (Hebrews 11:25), and well David knew this. The great Psalms flow from his guilt, remorse, and suffering. They show that in spite of his sin, what made him a man after God’s own heart was that he continually returned to God in his heart. When we repent, God relents and gives us mercy, not the justice that we deserve.
Pray:
Praise God for…
Thank God for…
Confess your sins to God
Ask God to bless our church as we read through the bible together. Pray that we would be strengthened in the faith and grow in our love for Jesus through our time in the word.
Ask God for… (what else concerns you?)
Reflect:
Write down one passage of scripture that stood out to you today.
Write down why this passage stood out to you.
Engage Community:
Text or call someone now and tell them…
– What you are praying for.
– What stood out from God’s word today.