2 Samuel
1-4; 2 Chronicles 1-6
When reading 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 &2 Chronicles we have to remember that they overlap the same time period, but for different purposes. The Chronicles are the records of the kings. As stated last week, 1 Samuel tells Saul’s story and 2 Samuel tells David’s. Woven into our reading this week are several Psalms that David wrote during this time when he was rising as king. Therefore, because much of what we are reading is strictly a historical recording, I want to focus on some of these Psalms so that we can get a glimpse into the relationship that David had with God. Hopefully, we will begin to see the kind of relationship that God desires to have with us. First, notice that David holds nothing back from God. He pours his heart out to Him. Even if how he feels isn’t actually true, he gives it to God. He is simply honest about what’s going on inside his heart and mind. Take a look at Psalm 6 and you will see David dumping his heart out to God. How was he able to have that kind of freedom and intimacy with God? There are three recurring themes throughout David’s psalms that answer this question for us. While we cannot reduce our relationship with God to three easy steps, we would be wise to learn from the “man after God’s own heart.”
The Center of his life
In Psalm 16, David says, “I keep the Lord in my mind always. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” This is not some unrealistic call to only think about God 24 hours a day. We have laundry and dishes and jobs and so forth that we must give thought to. What David was saying was that he allowed God to frame his thoughts; his frame of mind was on God. His perspective, the way he thought about things, the way he approached situations and relationships were from a God-centered standpoint. As women, we have the opportunity to have many differing “frames.” We tend to live in this comparison trap, but think about how different our lives would be if we simply centered our very existence on God, as a woman, as a wife or girlfriend, an employee, a friend, a wife, a mom, a daughter.
The Confidence of his life
Move on over to Psalm 21, “For the king relies on the Lord; through the faithful love of the Most High he is not shaken.” David, King David, is referring to himself here, declaring that his confidence is not in himself or his position of absolute authority. His is confident in God and God alone. You know, often as women, we struggle with confidence and we grasp as finding the feeling of safety. We search in relationships, things, careers. Oh how I long to exist in that place of the heart where I am not shaken. When life goes wrong and all the things I’ve tried to make perfect so that I can feel safe and secure go crashing down, I realize that there can be no confidence in anything but God. David had many battles to fight but his heart was at rest, not because he was a great warrior (and he was), but because of his God. Women, we are surrounded by battles; battles in our minds, hearts and homes. Put yourself here and begin to truly know God in this way; “I rely on the Lord; through the faithful love of the Most High I am not shaken.”
The Credit of his life
David takes his devotion to the next level. He claims no glory for himself. In Psalm 44:6-8, he says, “For I do not trust in my bow, and my sword does not bring me victory. But You give us victory over our foes…we boast in God all day long; we will praise your name forever.” As humans, we naturally seek credit for the things we accomplish. David, as a victorious king, had even earned the right to seek praise. Not even in his armor did he find strength. You see, we can have all the right tools, but if our heart is not right, victory will never be ours. We must never think of ourselves or things in this life too highly. David may have had the best armor of his day, but without his God, he would have suffered complete defeat. David recognized that reality. He rested in God’s faithful presence. Every victory we have is from God and God alone.
The Result of this Relationship
How I wish I could count the times I’ve heard the phrase, “I just want to be happy.” Well, I hate to break it to the women who are searching, but you probably won’t find it; not unless you are looking where David looked. Most seek happiness through relationships or status or approval or outward beauty. Sadly, when one thing fails we go to the next only to be let down time and time again. How about we stop searching? It really is simple. This is why it is so important for us to fall in love with God’s Word; it tells us what we need to know and keeps us from wasting precious time and energy. Look at Psalm 84. In this short, twelve verse Psalm, happy is said 3 times; “How happy is the one.” If we were to summarize this psalm, what you would find that the secret to happiness is to make God the center of your life, “How happya re those who reside in Your house;” the confidence of your life and the credit of your life, Happy are those whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set…;” and the credit of your life, “Happy is the person who trusts in You.”We must stop falling for so many lies about happiness and realize this one simple truth: Life is absolutely nothing without Him. Our hearts cry should be as David’s; “Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand anywhere else. I would rather be at the door of the house of my God, than to live in the tents of wicked people.” The wicked people being referred to here are those who have wealth but have rejected God; those who have put their confidence and centered their lives around their fortune and sought the glory for themselves. Sound familiar? The question is, have you let go of that false happiness of having everything that everyone else has and come to a place where you can honestly say that it truly better to be a servant of God rather than “somebody” among people? You won’t be happy until you do.
When reading 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 &2 Chronicles we have to remember that they overlap the same time period, but for different purposes. The Chronicles are the records of the kings. As stated last week, 1 Samuel tells Saul’s story and 2 Samuel tells David’s. Woven into our reading this week are several Psalms that David wrote during this time when he was rising as king. Therefore, because much of what we are reading is strictly a historical recording, I want to focus on some of these Psalms so that we can get a glimpse into the relationship that David had with God. Hopefully, we will begin to see the kind of relationship that God desires to have with us. First, notice that David holds nothing back from God. He pours his heart out to Him. Even if how he feels isn’t actually true, he gives it to God. He is simply honest about what’s going on inside his heart and mind. Take a look at Psalm 6 and you will see David dumping his heart out to God. How was he able to have that kind of freedom and intimacy with God? There are three recurring themes throughout David’s psalms that answer this question for us. While we cannot reduce our relationship with God to three easy steps, we would be wise to learn from the “man after God’s own heart.”
The Center of his life
In Psalm 16, David says, “I keep the Lord in my mind always. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” This is not some unrealistic call to only think about God 24 hours a day. We have laundry and dishes and jobs and so forth that we must give thought to. What David was saying was that he allowed God to frame his thoughts; his frame of mind was on God. His perspective, the way he thought about things, the way he approached situations and relationships were from a God-centered standpoint. As women, we have the opportunity to have many differing “frames.” We tend to live in this comparison trap, but think about how different our lives would be if we simply centered our very existence on God, as a woman, as a wife or girlfriend, an employee, a friend, a wife, a mom, a daughter.
The Confidence of his life
Move on over to Psalm 21, “For the king relies on the Lord; through the faithful love of the Most High he is not shaken.” David, King David, is referring to himself here, declaring that his confidence is not in himself or his position of absolute authority. His is confident in God and God alone. You know, often as women, we struggle with confidence and we grasp as finding the feeling of safety. We search in relationships, things, careers. Oh how I long to exist in that place of the heart where I am not shaken. When life goes wrong and all the things I’ve tried to make perfect so that I can feel safe and secure go crashing down, I realize that there can be no confidence in anything but God. David had many battles to fight but his heart was at rest, not because he was a great warrior (and he was), but because of his God. Women, we are surrounded by battles; battles in our minds, hearts and homes. Put yourself here and begin to truly know God in this way; “I rely on the Lord; through the faithful love of the Most High I am not shaken.”
The Credit of his life
David takes his devotion to the next level. He claims no glory for himself. In Psalm 44:6-8, he says, “For I do not trust in my bow, and my sword does not bring me victory. But You give us victory over our foes…we boast in God all day long; we will praise your name forever.” As humans, we naturally seek credit for the things we accomplish. David, as a victorious king, had even earned the right to seek praise. Not even in his armor did he find strength. You see, we can have all the right tools, but if our heart is not right, victory will never be ours. We must never think of ourselves or things in this life too highly. David may have had the best armor of his day, but without his God, he would have suffered complete defeat. David recognized that reality. He rested in God’s faithful presence. Every victory we have is from God and God alone.
The Result of this Relationship
How I wish I could count the times I’ve heard the phrase, “I just want to be happy.” Well, I hate to break it to the women who are searching, but you probably won’t find it; not unless you are looking where David looked. Most seek happiness through relationships or status or approval or outward beauty. Sadly, when one thing fails we go to the next only to be let down time and time again. How about we stop searching? It really is simple. This is why it is so important for us to fall in love with God’s Word; it tells us what we need to know and keeps us from wasting precious time and energy. Look at Psalm 84. In this short, twelve verse Psalm, happy is said 3 times; “How happy is the one.” If we were to summarize this psalm, what you would find that the secret to happiness is to make God the center of your life, “How happya re those who reside in Your house;” the confidence of your life and the credit of your life, Happy are those whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set…;” and the credit of your life, “Happy is the person who trusts in You.”We must stop falling for so many lies about happiness and realize this one simple truth: Life is absolutely nothing without Him. Our hearts cry should be as David’s; “Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand anywhere else. I would rather be at the door of the house of my God, than to live in the tents of wicked people.” The wicked people being referred to here are those who have wealth but have rejected God; those who have put their confidence and centered their lives around their fortune and sought the glory for themselves. Sound familiar? The question is, have you let go of that false happiness of having everything that everyone else has and come to a place where you can honestly say that it truly better to be a servant of God rather than “somebody” among people? You won’t be happy until you do.
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