The Daily Dose

Finish Well, Follow Faithfully

“And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.” ~ 1 Kings 2:3 

 Have you ever received advice from someone who has already lived through what you were about to face? Maybe it was a parent telling you something you didn’t want to hear, a mentor warning you about a mistake they had already made, or a friend saying, “Trust me, I’ve been there.” Sometimes we listen. Sometimes we nod politely while our brain is already planning to do exactly what they recommended against.

David’s final words to Solomon in today’s scripture reading were more than a father’s farewell. David was passing wisdom to the son who would carry the responsibility of leading God’s people. He knew Solomon would face decisions, pressure, opposition, and opportunities that would test his character. David’s greatest concern wasn’t simply whether Solomon would become a successful king. He wanted Solomon to remain faithful to God.

That’s a message we need today. Our culture often measures success by position, money, influence, accomplishments, or recognition. God measures it differently. He cares about whether we’re walking faithfully with Him. The reason is because God has already designed the successful plan for this life and preserved it in His Word. His heart is for you to live your life in agreement with those ways to release His blessings, not to figure out your own way.

Here are three truths about finishing well, choosing to follow God’s ways, and building a life that honors God.

1. Make walking with God your first priority.

David didn’t begin by giving Solomon political advice. He didn’t tell him how to become more powerful or how to impress the people. His first instruction was to keep the charge of the Lord and walk in His ways.

That tells us something important. Before you worry about what you’re going to accomplish, make sure you’re paying attention to who you’re becoming. You can have a successful career and still be spiritually empty. You can build a beautiful home and still have a broken heart. You can have a full calendar and an empty soul.

God doesn’t want to be squeezed into whatever time is left over after everything else gets done. Make Him your priority. That can look very practical. Start your morning with Scripture before scrolling through your phone. Pray before making an important decision instead of asking everyone else first. Choose obedience when you know what God’s Word says, even when it’s inconvenient. Make church, worship, prayer, and Christian community a priority of the rhythm of your life.

You don’t have to make your spiritual life complicated. Faithfulness is often built through simple choices repeated over time.

2. Character matters more than position.

Solomon was about to become king. He was stepping into a position of tremendous authority, but David knew that leadership without character could become dangerous.

Position can give you influence, but character determines what you do with it. That’s true whether you’re leading a company, raising children, serving in ministry, managing a team, or simply influencing the people around you. You don’t have to have a title to be a leader. People are watching how you handle pressure. They’re watching how you treat people who can’t do anything for you. They’re watching whether your private life matches your public words.

Your character is being formed in the ordinary moments. It’s choosing honesty when nobody would know if you weren’t honest. It’s apologizing when you’re wrong instead of explaining why you were actually right. It’s treating someone with kindness when they haven’t treated you kindly. It’s keeping your word when keeping it becomes inconvenient.

And let’s be honest, sometimes the hardest spiritual discipline isn’t fasting or prayer. It’s keeping your mouth shut when you have a really good comeback. Ask God to help you become the kind of person who can be trusted with whatever He places in your hands.

3. Finish what God has called you to do with faithfulness.

David’s life wasn’t perfect. He made serious mistakes, experienced tremendous loss, and walked through seasons that tested him deeply. Yet as he came to the end of his life, he had wisdom to pass on to the next generation.

That should encourage us, too. You don’t have to have a perfect past to finish well. Maybe you’ve made decisions in the past that you wish you could change. Maybe you’ve wasted time, missed opportunities, or taken a few wrong turns. Don’t allow regret to convince you that your story is over.

God can still use you. Whether you’re raising children who need your wisdom or mentoring someone younger in the faith. Maybe there’s a ministry assignment God has placed on your heart that you’ve been putting off or maybe you simply need to become more intentional about sharing what you’ve learned with the people around you. Whatever the case is, don’t underestimate the value of your experience. The things God has taught you through difficult seasons may become exactly what someone else needs to hear in their struggle today.

David understood that his life wasn’t only about what he accomplished. It was also about what he passed on. We all will leave something behind. The question is, what will it be? This passage reminds us that a life of faith isn’t measured by one great moment. It’s built through thousands of daily decisions to trust God, obey His Word, choose integrity, and keep moving forward. David’s final words to Solomon show us that the greatest legacy we can leave isn’t a title, a bank account, or a list of accomplishments. It’s a life that points people toward God.

Today I want to encourage you to make faithfulness your definition of success. You don’t have to be the most accomplished person in the room, have the biggest platform, or have everything figured out. You simply need to keep walking with God, choosing His ways, and being faithful with what He’s placed in your hands. If you’ve made mistakes, receive His grace and keep going. If you’re in a season of waiting, stay faithful. If God has given you influence, use it to encourage others and point them toward Him. Your life is leaving a legacy, whether you realize it or not. Make it one that tells the next generation, “I learned to trust God, I learned to follow His ways, and I discovered that He was faithful every step of the way.”

Today’s scripture reading: 1 Kings 2

1 Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying: 

2 “I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. 

3 And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; 

4 that the Lord may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, ‘you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’

5 “Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet. 

6 Therefore do according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace.

7 “But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.

8 “And see, you have with you Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a malicious curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’

9 Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.”

Death of David

10 So David rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David. 

11 The period that David reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years he reigned in Hebron, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years. 

12 Then Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established.

Solomon Executes Adonijah

13 Now Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. So she said, “Do you come peaceably?” And he said, “Peaceably.” 

14 Moreover he said, “I have something to say to you.” And she said, “Say it.”

15 Then he said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and all Israel had set their expectations on me, that I should reign. However, the kingdom has been turned over, and has become my brother’s; for it was his from the Lord. 

16 Now I ask one petition of you; do not deny me.” And she said to him, “Say it.”

17 Then he said, “Please speak to King Solomon, for he will not refuse you, that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife.”

18 So Bathsheba said, “Very well, I will speak for you to the king.”

19 Bathsheba therefore went to King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her and bowed down to her, and sat down on his throne and had a throne set for the king’s mother; so she sat at his right hand. 

20 Then she said, “I desire one small petition of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Ask it, my mother, for I will not refuse you.”

21 So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as wife.”

22 And King Solomon answered and said to his mother, “Now why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also—for he is my older brother—for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.” 

23Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “May God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life! 

24 Now therefore, as the Lord lives, who has confirmed me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has established a house for me, as He promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today!”

25 So King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he struck him down, and he died.

Abiathar Exiled, Joab Executed

26 And to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you are deserving of death; but I will not put you to death at this time, because you carried the ark of the Lord God before my father David, and because you were afflicted every time my father was afflicted.” 

27 So Solomon removed Abiathar from being priest to the Lord, that he might fulfill the word of the Lord which He spoke concerning the house of Eli at Shiloh.

28 Then news came to Joab, for Joab had defected to Adonijah, though he had not defected to Absalom. So Joab fled to the tabernacle of the Lord, and took hold of the horns of the altar. 

29 And King Solomon was told, “Joab has fled to the tabernacle of the Lord; there he is, by the altar.” Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down.” 

30 So Benaiah went to the tabernacle of the Lord, and said to him, “Thus says the king, ‘Come out!’ ” And he said, “No, but I will die here.” And Benaiah brought back word to the king, saying, “Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.”

31 Then the king said to him, “Do as he has said, and strike him down and bury him, that you may take away from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood which Joab shed. 

32 So the Lord will return his blood on his head, because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword—Abner the son of Ner, the commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, the commander of the army of Judah—though my father David did not know it. 

33 Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab and upon the head of his descendants forever. But upon David and his descendants, upon his house and his throne, there shall be peace forever from the Lord.”

34 So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck and killed him; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness. 

35 The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his place over the army, and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.

36 Then the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there anywhere. 

37 For it shall be, on the day you go out and cross the Brook Kidron, know for certain you shall surely die; your blood shall be on your own head.”

38 And Shimei said to the king, “The saying is good. As my lord the king has said, so your servant will do.” So Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.

39 Now it happened at the end of three years, that two slaves of Shimei ran away to Achish the son of Maachah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, “Look, your slaves are in Gath!” 

40 So Shimei arose, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish at Gath to seek his slaves. And Shimei went and brought his slaves from Gath. 

41 And Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had come back. 

42 Then the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord, and warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and travel anywhere, you shall surely die’? And you said to me, ‘The word I have heard is good.’ 

43 Why then have you not kept the oath of the Lord and the commandment that I gave you?” 

44 The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know, as your heart acknowledges, all the wickedness that you did to my father David; therefore the Lord will return your wickedness on your own head. 

45 But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.”

46 So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out and struck him down, and he died. Thus the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

Journal:

• What is one area of my life where God is asking me to make walking with Him a greater priority?
• What does my current character reveal about what is happening in my heart?
• Is there an area where I need to choose obedience even though it’s difficult or inconvenient?
• What has God taught me through my past that I could use to encourage someone else?
• What kind of spiritual legacy do I want to leave for the people who come after me?

Distracted

“But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” ~ Mark 14:28

Have you ever received a gift that was so meaningful you couldn’t throw away the card it came with? The value wasn’t in the paper or the wrapping. It was in the love behind the gift. Every time you looked at it, you remembered the person who gave it and why they gave it.

Communion is much like that. The bread and the cup are not ordinary elements. They are powerful reminders of the greatest act of love the world has ever known.

Since I grew up in church, I’ve heard the account of the Last Supper hundreds of times. I’ve taken communion more times than I could possibly count. But, as I read this passage again, the Lord showed me something I hadn’t noticed before.

When Jesus handed the bread to His disciples, they had no idea what the next twenty-four hours would bring. They couldn’t fully understand what He meant when He said, “This is My body.”

To them, it was another Passover meal. To Jesus, it was the beginning of the greatest demonstration of love in history.

The bread represented His body that would soon be beaten, bruised, and broken for them and for us.

For years, when I read this passage, my attention was usually drawn to Jesus’ obedience. I marveled at His willingness to fulfill the Father’s plan even though it meant unimaginable suffering.

While that is certainly true, there was an even greater motivation behind His obedience. Love. Jesus didn’t go to the cross simply because He had to. He went because He wanted to rescue us.

He wasn’t satisfied with leaving people separated from the Father so He willingly laid down His life so every person would have the opportunity to receive forgiveness, experience God’s love, and spend eternity with Him.

Love was the reason He paid that price. Everything Jesus endured was motivated by love. That truth changes the way I see communion.

Communion isn’t simply a memorial of the Lord Jesus’ suffering. It’s a celebration of His amazing love. Every time we receive the bread and the cup, we’re reminded that we are deeply loved by the Savior who gave everything so we could have everything that truly matters.

That love should never stop with us. It should overflow into the lives of those around us. If we’re only sharing the Gospel because we know we’re supposed to, people will notice. But when we share because our hearts genuinely ache for others to experience the love of Jesus, they notice that more. People may argue with our opinions, but it’s much harder to argue with genuine love.

Here are some ways to live out this passage in your life:

• Approach communion with gratitude. The next time you receive communion, don’t rush through the moment. Thank Jesus for His sacrifice, but also thank Him for His incredible love that made the sacrifice possible.
• Receive His love personally. Don’t simply believe Jesus loves the world. Believe He loves you. Spend time thanking Him for the forgiveness, mercy, and grace He has freely given.
• Let His love shape your relationships. Ask yourself each morning, “Lord, who can I encourage today?” A kind word, a listening ear, or an unexpected act of kindness may be exactly how someone experiences God’s love through you.
• Share the Gospel because you care. Instead of feeling pressured to witness, ask God to fill your heart with compassion. Love is the greatest motivation for telling others about Jesus.

One of the things I’ve learned is that the more I understand God’s love for me, the easier it becomes to love difficult people. That doesn’t mean everyone suddenly becomes easy to deal with. Some people still require extra prayer, and maybe an extra cup of coffee! But when I remember how patient Jesus has been with me, it becomes much easier to extend that same patience to others.

I’ve also realized that communion isn’t meant to leave us looking backward only. It reminds us of what Jesus has done, but it also sends us forward with His love. Every time we receive it, we’re reminded that His body was broken so broken people could be made whole. That includes us, and it includes everyone we’ll meet today.

Today I want to encourage you to never let communion become just another church tradition. Every time you receive the bread and the cup, remember the abundant love that led Jesus to the cross. Receive that love deeply, thank Him for His sacrifice, and then carry His love into the lives of others. The greatest testimony we have is not simply what we know about Jesus, but how faithfully we demonstrate His love to a world that desperately needs Him. As you remember His broken body, let your heart be filled with gratitude, compassion, and a renewed desire to share His love wherever He leads you.

Today’s scripture reading: Mark 14:27-31

27 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’

28 “But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”

29 Peter said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be.”

30 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.”

31 But he spoke more vehemently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!”

And they all said likewise.

Journal:

• When I take communion, do I focus more on Jesus’ suffering or on His incredible love for me?
• Have I fully received God’s love, or do I still struggle to believe He delights in me?
• Who in my life needs to experience the love of Jesus through my words or actions this week?
• Am I sharing my faith out of obligation, or because I genuinely love people?
• What is one practical way I can demonstrate Christ’s love to someone today?

His Body

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” ~ Mark 14:22

Have you ever heard something so many times that you thought you knew everything there was to know about it, only to suddenly see it from a completely different perspective? That’s what happened to me with this passage. Sometimes a familiar Scripture becomes so familiar that we can almost read right past the treasure hiding inside it.

Since I grew up in church, I’ve probably heard and read the communion passages hundreds of times. I knew the words Jesus spoke to His disciples during His last supper with them. I knew the bread represented His body and the cup represented His blood. But as I considered what to write about this passage, I began to see something I hadn’t fully considered before.

Jesus wasn’t simply explaining what the bread and cup represented. He was preparing His disciples to understand the depth of what He was about to do. He took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. He told them as they ate, “This is My body, that will be broken for each of you.”

Can you imagine sitting at that table and hearing those words? The disciples didn’t understand what was coming. They didn’t know that Jesus would soon be arrested, beaten, crucified, and separated from them. They didn’t understand the full weight of what He was telling them. But Jesus did. He knew exactly what was ahead and He chose it anyway. Why? Because of love.

We often focus on Jesus’ obedience when we think about the cross, and His obedience was absolutely part of it. Jesus came to fulfill the Father’s plan and willingly gave Himself up for us. But underneath His obedience was something even more personal. Love was His motivation.

One of the first verses many of us learned as children says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8, NKJV

Jesus didn’t go to the cross because we had earned His love. He went because He loved us when we were still sinners.

He wasn’t willing to leave us separated from Him for eternity. His love moved Him to lay down His life so that we could have the opportunity to receive forgiveness, experience His love, and spend eternity with Him and our heavenly Father.

That changes the way we think about sharing the Gospel. When we tell others about Jesus, our motivation shouldn’t simply be that we’re supposed to. We don’t share our testimony because we’ve checked “evangelism” off our Christian responsibility list. We share because we’ve experienced a love that we want others to know too.

Love changes the reason behind what we do. When we serve, we serve because we love. When we encourage, we encourage because we love. When we forgive, we forgive because we’ve experienced forgiveness. When we tell someone about Jesus, we do it because we genuinely want them to know the One who gave everything for them.

We don’t have to hang on a cross to demonstrate love. Thankfully, that job has already been taken. But we can lay down our pride, our preferences, our schedules, and sometimes even our right to be offended.

Here are some ways to begin living this kind of love in your everyday lives?

1. Look for one person who needs encouragement. Maybe it’s a coworker who’s having a difficult week, a neighbor who’s struggling, or someone at church who seems to be carrying a heavy load. Send a text, make a phone call, or simply tell them you’re praying for them.
2. Let love change how you respond. Before reacting to an irritating comment, take a breath and ask, “What would love look like right now?” This could save you from sending the text you might later wish you could magically retrieve. Unfortunately, there’s no spiritual undo button.
3. Share what Jesus has done for you. You don’t need a theological degree or a perfectly prepared speech. Simply tell someone how God has worked in your life. Your story may be exactly what someone needs to hear.
4. Serve when nobody is watching. Look for opportunities to help without needing recognition. Love isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s quietly doing something for someone because you know it will make their day a little easier.
5. Practice forgiveness. Ask God to help you release offenses instead of carrying them around. Forgiveness doesn’t mean ignoring healthy boundaries or pretending something didn’t happen. It means refusing to let someone else’s actions control your heart.
6. Make communion personal. The next time you receive communion, don’t simply remember that Jesus died. Remember why He willingly gave Himself. Remember His love for you. Let the bread remind you that His body was broken because He loved you enough to give everything.

When we truly understand the love demonstrated through the cross, it should change the way we love the people around us. We aren’t simply following a list of Christian rules. We’re responding to a Savior who loved us first.

Jesus didn’t just tell us to love. He showed us what love looks like. He took the bread, He blessed it, He broke it and then He gave it. That same pattern challenges us today. God has given His love to us so freely, and now we have the opportunity to give that love freely to others.

Today I want to encourage you to remember His love the next time you celebrate communion. Yes, we remember His death until He comes again, but don’t stop there. Remember the love that took Him to the cross. Remember that He willingly laid down His life for people who hadn’t earned it and couldn’t repay Him. Then allow that love to become the motivation behind the way you live, serve, forgive, encourage, and share Jesus with others. You don’t have to change the whole world today. Start with one person, one conversation, one act of kindness or one opportunity to show someone the love you’ve received from the Lord Jesus. His body was broken so that we could be made whole, and His love was given so that we could give it away.

Today’s scripture reading: Mark 14:22-26

22 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”

23 Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 

24 And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. 

25Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

26And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Journal:

• When I think about communion, do I primarily think about Jesus’ death, or do I also recognize the depth of His love behind His sacrifice?
• How has God’s love personally changed my life?
• Is there someone in my life who needs to experience God’s love through my words or actions?
• What is one practical way I can show Christ’s love to someone this week?
• Is there someone I need to forgive or show grace toward because of the love I’ve received from Jesus?

The Right Plan

 “Then Nathan said to Bathsheba, ‘Do you not know that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it?’” ~ 1 Kings 1:11

Have you ever watched something happening and thought, “How in the world did this happen without anyone noticing?” Sometimes life can change direction while we’re busy doing something else. One minute everything seems normal, and the next minute you discover that someone has been making plans, doors have been opening, and decisions have been made without you even knowing about them.

That’s what happened in today’s scripture reading. David was old and near the end of his life. While he was physically weak, his son Adonijah decided he would make himself king. He gathered chariots, horsemen, influential people, and even prepared a celebration. The problem was that God had already established Solomon as the one who would succeed David.

Adonijah had a plan, but his plan wasn’t God’s plan. That distinction matters for us today because we can sometimes mistake activity for assignment. Just because something is gaining momentum doesn’t mean God is behind it. Just because people are gathering around it doesn’t mean it’s His direction. Sometimes something can look very successful while being completely outside God’s purpose. Remember this, God doesn’t need us to manipulate circumstances to accomplish what He has planned. He does ask us to listen, obey, and participate when He gives us a part to play.

Below are three truths for this passage that we implement in our everyday lives:

1. Don’t confuse opportunity with God’s assignment

Adonijah saw an opportunity and decided to take it. He didn’t wait for David to appoint him nor did he seek God’s direction, he simply announced himself as king. He had the appearance of success because people were following him, there was a celebration and influential people were supporting him. But none of that meant he was in God’s will.

We can fall into the same trap. A door opens, someone compliments us, an opportunity comes along, and suddenly we’re thinking, “This must be God!” It may be the truth in some cases, but an open door isn’t automatically a God door. Sometimes we need to slow down long enough to ask, “Lord, is this something You are asking me to walk through?”

Here are some guidelines to keep you from that trap:

• Before saying yes to a major opportunity, pray about it and seek God’s direction.
• Don’t let other people’s excitement become your confirmation.
• Ask whether the opportunity agrees with God’s Word and His direction for your life.
• Give yourself permission to wait when you’re unsure.

Maybe someone offers you a promotion that would bring more money but would require you to sacrifice the things God has clearly told you to prioritize. Maybe you’re invited into a ministry opportunity that sounds impressive but doesn’t fit what God has asked you to do in this season. Not every good opportunity is your opportunity. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can say is, “Let me pray about that first.”

2. God can use the right people to help protect His purpose

One of my favorite parts of this chapter is the way God used Nathan and Bathsheba to bring the situation to David’s attention. Nathan recognized what was happening and acted. Bathsheba went before David and reminded him of his promise concerning Solomon. Then Nathan came and confirmed what she had said. God moved through people working together to make sure His purpose wasn’t overlooked.

This is an important reminder that we aren’t supposed to walk through life completely on our own. God brings others to bring clarity when we’re too close to a situation to see it clearly. He may use a friend to ask a question we don’t want to answer. He may send a pastor, coach, spouse, or trusted believer to say, “Have you prayed about this?” Sometimes God’s direction comes through a quiet prompting in your spirit. Sometimes it comes through a conversation with someone who loves you enough to tell you the truth. And let’s be honest, sometimes we don’t want the truth. We want someone to agree with us.

Here are some ways to apply thing in your everyday life:

• Keep trusted, godly people close to you.
• Give people permission to speak honestly into your life.
• Don’t dismiss wise counsel simply because it challenges your plans.
• Ask yourself, “Who has God placed around me who can help me hear clearly?”

If you’re considering a major decision, don’t just ask someone who will tell you what you want to hear. Find someone who loves God, knows you well, and isn’t afraid to tell you when you’re getting off track.

3. God can establish His plan even when things look chaotic

By the end of the chapter, everything changed quickly. David acted and Solomon was anointed king. The people celebrated and Adonijah’s followers heard what had happened and scattered. What looked like a crisis suddenly turned into confirmation.

That’s encouraging because sometimes we see circumstances moving in a direction that seems completely opposite from what God has told us. You may have prayed about something for years, and suddenly it looks like someone else is getting the opportunity you thought was yours. You may have watched someone else get the position, the recognition, the relationship, or the opportunity. You may even think, “Lord, did I misunderstand You?” Don’t panic because something is moving before you can see how God is going to work it out. Adonijah’s celebration didn’t cancel God’s plan for Solomon. And someone else’s activity doesn’t cancel what God has spoken to you.

You can apply this today by following the steps below:

• Don’t make permanent decisions based on temporary circumstances.
• When something unexpected happens, take it to God before reacting.
• Remind yourself of what God has already spoken through His Word.
• Keep doing the things God has clearly asked you to do while you wait for the next step.
• Celebrate what God is doing in someone else’s life without assuming their blessing means you’ve been forgotten.

Sometimes we’re so busy watching someone else’s parade that we miss what God is preparing for us. This passage in 1 Kings reminds us that God’s plan doesn’t depend on everything looking peaceful and orderly. There were competing agendas, political maneuvering, confusion, and people trying to make things happen for themselves, but God was still working.

That’s good news for us. Your circumstances don’t have to look perfect for God to be working. You don’t have to control every outcome and you don’t have to force every door open. You don’t have to convince everyone that you’re called and you don’t have to compete with someone else’s assignment. Your job is to stay close enough to God to hear His direction and humble enough to follow it.

Today I want to encourage you to stop and ask God what His plan is for this season of your life. Don’t let an exciting opportunity, someone else’s success, or a sudden change in circumstances cause you to run ahead of Him. Take time to listen, seek wise counsel, trust the people God has placed around you and when things don’t make sense, remember that God isn’t confused just because you are.

If God has called you to something, you don’t have to manipulate it into existence. He knows how to establish His purpose at the right time and in the right way. Your part isn’t to make yourself king. Your part is to hear the King and follow Him.

Today’s Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 1

1 Now King David was old, advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could not get warm. 

2 Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for our lord the king, and let her stand before the king, and let her care for him; and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm.” 

3 So they sought for a lovely young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 

4 The young woman was very lovely; and she cared for the king, and served him; but the king did not know her.

5 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king”; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 

6 (And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, “Why have you done so?” He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom.) 

7 Then he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed and helped Adonijah. 

8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David were not with Adonijah.

9 And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fattened cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En Rogel; he also invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants. 

10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or Solomon his brother.

11 So Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it? 

12 Come, please, let me now give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. 

13 Go immediately to King David and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your maidservant, saying, “Assuredly your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne“? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 

14 Then, while you are still talking there with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.”

15 So Bathsheba went into the chamber to the king. (Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.) 

16 And Bathsheba bowed and did homage to the king. Then the king said, “What is your wish?”

17 Then she said to him, “My lord, you swore by the Lord your God to your maidservant, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’ 

18 So now, look! Adonijah has become king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know about it. 

19 He has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army; but Solomon your servant he has not invited. 

20 And as for you, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 

21 Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted as offenders.”

22 And just then, while she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. 

23 So they told the king, saying, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the king, he bowed down before the king with his face to the ground. 

24 And Nathan said, “My lord, O king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne’? 

25 For he has gone down today, and has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, and the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and look! They are eating and drinking before him; and they say, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 

26 But he has not invited me—me your servant—nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon. 

27 Has this thing been done by my lord the king, and you have not told your servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”

28 Then King David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king. 

29 And the king took an oath and said, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress, 

30 just as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ so I certainly will do this day.”

31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and paid homage to the king, and said, “Let my lord King David live forever!”

32 And King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king. 

33 The king also said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon. 

34 There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel; and blow the horn, and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 

35 Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, and he shall be king in my place. For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.”

36 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen! May the Lord God of my lord the king say so too. 

37 As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may He be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”

38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and took him to Gihon. 

39 Then Zadok the priest took a horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew the horn, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” 

40 And all the people went up after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth seemed to split with their sound.

41 Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the horn, he said, “Why is the city in such a noisy uproar?” 

42 While he was still speaking, there came Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest. And Adonijah said to him, “Come in, for you are a prominent man, and bring good news.”

43 Then Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king. 

44 The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have made him ride on the king’s mule. 

45 So Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon; and they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you have heard. 

46 Also Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom. 

47 And moreover the king’s servants have gone to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne.’ Then the king bowed himself on the bed. 

48 Also the king said thus, ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, while my eyes see it!’ ”

49 So all the guests who were with Adonijah were afraid, and arose, and each one went his way.

50 Now Adonijah was afraid of Solomon; so he arose, and went and took hold of the horns of the altar. 

51 And it was told Solomon, saying, “Indeed Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; for look, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’ ”

52 Then Solomon said, “If he proves himself a worthy man, not one hair of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” 

53 So King Solomon sent them to bring him down from the altar. And he came and fell down before King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”

Journal:

• Is there an opportunity in my life right now that I need to pray about before moving forward?
• Have I ever mistaken an open door for God’s direction?
• Who are the trusted people God has placed in my life to help me hear clearly?
• Am I currently comparing my journey with someone else’s?
• Is there something I’m trying to force that I need to surrender to God?
• What has God already spoken to me that I need to continue trusting while I wait?

When success gets in the way

“And David’s heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the LORD, ‘I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing.’” ~ 2 Samuel 24:10

Have you ever done something that looked completely reasonable on the outside, only to realize later that your heart wasn’t in the right place? Sometimes the most dangerous decisions aren’t the ones that look obviously wrong. They’re the ones that look like good ideas, make perfect sense, and might even make us feel pretty important and impressive.

That’s what makes 2 Samuel 24 so interesting. David decided to number the people of Israel. At first glance, what’s wrong with counting your people? Kings need to know how many people they have, right? You might even call it good management. But God saw something deeper in David’s heart. David was beginning to put his confidence in what he could count rather than in the God who had given him the victory. Honestly, that’s easy for any of us to do.

We count our money, our accomplishments, our followers, our opportunities, our possessions, our influence, and even the people who support us. There’s nothing wrong with knowing what we have, but there’s a danger when what we can count becomes what we trust.

Here are three points to remind us that this chapter isn’t really about counting people. It’s about what happens inside our hearts when we begin trusting what we can see more than the God we can’t see.

1. Be careful what you put your confidence in

David had experienced incredible victories. God had established him as king and given him success against his enemies. Yet somewhere along the way, David wanted to know just how strong his kingdom had become. The problem wasn’t the number. The problem was what the number represented.

David could look at the size of his army and feel secure. He could look at his resources and feel confident. He could look at everything God had given him and begin trusting the gift more than the Giver.

It is so important that we be on guard and not do the same thing today. We might feel secure because we have money in the bank, a good job, a healthy retirement account, a successful ministry, a great family, or a long list of accomplishments. Those things can all be blessings, but none of them were designed to take God’s place as our source.

Here is how you can get started with this truth:

• Ask yourself, “What makes me feel secure?”
• Pay attention to where your confidence goes when life gets uncertain.
• Thank God for everything He has given you, but remember that He is your source.
• When you’re tempted to worry about what you don’t have, start thanking God for what you do have.

Maybe your bank account isn’t where you’d like it to be. Maybe your ministry isn’t growing as quickly as you’d hoped. Maybe your business is slow or your future feels uncertain. Instead of letting the numbers determine your peace, remind yourself that God isn’t limited by what you can count.

Sometimes we need to stop counting what we have and start remembering Who we have.

2. Listen when God corrects your heart

One of the things I love about David in this chapter is that when he realized he had sinned, he didn’t make excuses. David’s heart condemned him, and he immediately went to God. He didn’t say, “Well, everybody else does it.” or “I was just trying to be responsible.” He didn’t say, “You know, God, I think You might be overreacting here.” He simply said, “I have sinned greatly.” That’s humility. God’s correction isn’t rejection. It’s an invitation to get back on the right path.

There may be times when the Holy Spirit brings something to your attention that you would rather ignore. Maybe you’ve been talking about someone in a way you shouldn’t. Maybe you’ve been making decisions based on fear. Maybe you’ve become overly focused on money, success, recognition, or what other people think. When God puts His finger on something, don’t pull away. Let Him deal with it.

You can apply this principle you your life by:

• When you sense conviction, stop and ask God what He’s showing you.
• Don’t immediately defend yourself or explain away your behavior.
• Confess what you know is wrong and ask God to help you change.
• If you’ve hurt someone, be willing to make things right.
• Make repentance a doorway into restoration, not a reason to live under shame.

None of us gets everything right every time. If we did, we wouldn’t need Jesus nearly as much as we do.

3. Give God your best, not what’s convenient

After David sinned, he was instructed to build an altar to the Lord. He went to Araunah and wanted to purchase the threshing floor. Araunah generously offered to give David everything he needed, including the animals for the sacrifice. That would have made things easy. But David refused. He said, “Nor will I offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God with that which costs me nothing.” That statement gets right to the heart of worship. David understood that giving God something that cost him nothing wasn’t really sacrifice.

We live in a culture that constantly asks, “What’s the easiest way?” God asks a different question, “What’s the obedient way?” There are times when following God will cost you something. It may cost you time, comfort, money, pride, convenience, or even the approval of other people.

Maybe God is asking you to make time for someone who needs encouragement when your schedule is already full. Maybe He’s asking you to give when you were hoping to spend the money on yourself. Maybe He’s asking you to apologize first. Maybe He’s asking you to step into an opportunity that stretches your faith.

Start today by following these steps:

• Ask God where you’ve been choosing convenience over obedience.
• Look for one practical way to serve someone this week.
• Give generously when the Holy Spirit prompts you.
• Make time for God even when your schedule feels crowded.
• When obedience costs you something, remember Who you’re giving it to.

Real worship isn’t always convenient. Sometimes worship looks like getting up when you’d rather stay in bed, forgiving when you’d rather hold onto the offense, giving when you’d rather keep it, or saying yes when you’d rather say, “Maybe next year.”

The good news is that 2 Samuel 24 doesn’t end with David’s failure. It ends with worship. David built the altar, offered to God, and the Lord answered. That’s such an important reminder for us. Our mistakes don’t have to be the end of our story. God can take us from conviction to repentance, from repentance to obedience, and from obedience into restoration.

David’s greatest danger wasn’t that he counted the people. His greatest danger was forgetting that his security had never been in the people, the army, or the numbers. His security was always in God.

We need that same reminder today. We can count our blessings without trusting the blessings. We can build successful businesses without making success our identity. We can have healthy bank accounts without making money our security. We can serve in ministry without making ministry our source of significance. We can enjoy our families without expecting them to fulfill what only God can fulfill. Everything we have is a gift, but nothing we have should become our god.

Today I want to encourage you to take a look at what you’re counting. What numbers, accomplishments, possessions, relationships, or opportunities have started to make you feel secure? Thank God for every blessing, but make sure your confidence is still in Him. If the Holy Spirit shows you an area where you’ve gotten off course, don’t run from His correction. Run toward Him. Confess it, surrender it, and let Him restore what needs to be restored.

Your worth isn’t found in your numbers. Your security isn’t found in your circumstances. Your future isn’t determined by what you can see today. Your life is in the hands of a God who has already proven that He is faithful. So count your blessings, count your opportunities, count the people God has entrusted to you, but when it comes to your confidence, there is only One worth counting on.

Today’s Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 24

1 Again the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”

2 So the king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, “Now go throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people, that I may know the number of the people.”

3 And Joab said to the king, “Now may the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times more than there are, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king desire this thing?” 

4 Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the army. Therefore Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king to count the people of Israel.

5 And they crossed over the Jordan and camped in Aroer, on the right side of the town which is in the midst of the ravine of Gad, and toward Jazer. 

6 Then they came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi; they came to Dan Jaan and around to Sidon; 

7 and they came to the stronghold of Tyre and to all the cities of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Then they went out to South Judah as far as Beersheba. 

8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. 

9 Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king. And there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

10 And David’s heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O Lord, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”

11 Now when David arose in the morning, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying, 

12 “Go and tell David, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you.” ’ ” 

13 So Gad came to David and told him; and he said to him, “Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or shall you flee three months before your enemies, while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ plague in your land? Now consider and see what answer I should take back to Him who sent me.”

14 And David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”

15 So the Lord sent a plague upon Israel from the morning till the appointed time. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand men of the people died. 

16 And when the angel stretched out His hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the destruction, and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “It is enough; now restrain your hand.” And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

17 Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, “Surely I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father’s house.”

The Altar on the Threshing Floor

18 And Gad came that day to David and said to him, “Go up, erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” 

19 So David, according to the word of Gad, went up as the Lord commanded. 

20 Now Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming toward him. So Araunah went out and bowed before the king with his face to the ground.

21 Then Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?”

And David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, to build an altar to the Lord, that the plague may be withdrawn from the people.”

22 Now Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up whatever seems good to him. Look, here are oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing implements and the yokes of the oxen for wood. 

23 All these, O king, Araunah has given to the king.”

And Araunah said to the king, “May the Lord your God accept you.”

24Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 

25And David built there an altar to the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord heeded the prayers for the land, and the plague was withdrawn from Israel.

Journal:

• What am I currently counting on to make me feel secure?
• Is there anything good in my life that has begun to take God’s place as my source?
• When the Holy Spirit corrects me, how do I usually respond?
• Is there an area where I’ve been choosing convenience over obedience?
• What is one thing God may be asking me to surrender today?
• What blessing can I thank God for today while remembering that He is the source of it?

A life that leaves a legacy

The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. ~ 2 Samuel 23:3

 What would people say about the way you lived your life if they had to describe it after you were gone? Not your accomplishments, your job title, your bank account, or how many things you managed to squeeze into one day. What would they say about the person you became and the people you helped along the way?

That question comes to mind as we read today’s scripture passage. David is near the end of his life, and this chapter gives us his final words and then introduces us to the mighty men who stood with him through some of his greatest battles. David had experienced incredible victories, terrible failures, celebrations, loss, and everything in between. Now, near the end, we get a glimpse of what mattered to him.

He talks about righteous leadership, God’s covenant, and the men who helped him accomplish what God had called him to do. His story reminds us that our lives aren’t simply about what we accomplish for ourselves. They’re about what God can accomplish through us and the people we influence and care for along the way.

As we look at this chapter, three truths stand out about the kind of life God wants us to live and the kind of legacy we can leave.

Here are three truths to help you remember that you don’t have to be famous, powerful, or standing on a platform to make a difference. Some of the greatest kingdom work happens in ordinary places, through ordinary people who simply say yes to God.

1. Let God shape the way you lead

David’s final words include an important description of the person who leads well. He says that the one who rules over people should do so justly and in the fear of God.

You may not consider yourself a leader, but if you have children, grandchildren, coworkers, friends, neighbors, ministry responsibilities, or even people who simply watch how you live, you’re influencing someone.

Leadership isn’t always standing in front of a crowd. Sometimes it’s sitting across the kitchen table. Sometimes it’s answering a difficult question from your child. Sometimes it’s encouraging someone at church. Sometimes it’s choosing patience when everyone else is losing theirs. People are watching how we live and respond in life.

Begin today:

• Ask God to show you where your influence is greatest right now.
• Before making an important decision, ask, “What would honor God in this situation?”
• Choose integrity when nobody would know if you chose differently.

If you’re leading a ministry team and someone disappoints you, you have an opportunity to respond with grace instead of frustration. If you’re raising children or influencing grandchildren, they may not remember every instruction you gave them, but they will remember how you treated people and how you responded when life didn’t go your way.

You don’t have to be perfect to lead well. Thank goodness, because that would eliminate all of us! You simply need to be willing to let God shape the way you lead.

2. You weren’t designed to do it all alone

One of the most encouraging parts of this chapter is the list of David’s mighty men. These weren’t people who stood on the sidelines cheering while David did everything. They fought with him. They protected him. They stood with him when the odds were against them.

Some of these men performed incredible acts of courage. One man stood in the middle of a field and defended it when everyone else had run away. Another defeated enemies when everyone around him was fleeing. Another stood against overwhelming odds and fought until his hand became stuck to his sword. Now that’s commitment!

David’s victories weren’t accomplished by David alone. God had surrounded him with people who were willing to stand with him.

The same is true for us. God never intended for us to walk through life completely isolated. We need people who will pray with us, encourage us, challenge us, celebrate with us, and occasionally tell us, “You might want to rethink that.”

Start by:

• Identify the people God has placed around you who strengthen your faith.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you’re struggling.
• Look for someone else who needs encouragement and become part of their support system.

Maybe you’re facing a difficult season in your family. Don’t disappear and try to handle everything yourself. Call someone you trust and ask them to pray with you.

Maybe God has given you a ministry assignment that feels bigger than you. Don’t assume that because God gave you the vision, you’re supposed to do every part of it yourself. Ask Him to show you who your “mighty men and women” are.

Sometimes the answer to “How am I going to do this?” is not more strength. It’s more people.

3. Live for something that will outlast you

David’s life was bigger than the battles he fought. His final words point toward God’s faithfulness and the covenant God had made with him. David’s life was not perfect. In fact, there were some chapters he probably wished he could edit out completely. But God still worked mightily through him. That should give all of us hope.

Your legacy isn’t built by having a perfect life. It’s built by consistently choosing God’s way, getting back up when you fall, loving people, and continuing to follow Him. The question isn’t whether you’ll make mistakes, because you will. The question is what you’ll do with them.

Will you allow your failures to become the end of your story, or will you allow God to redeem them and use what you’ve learned to help someone else?

Start today:

• Ask yourself what you want people closest to you to remember about your life.
• Invest intentionally in people instead of only investing in accomplishments.
• Share what God has taught you with the next generation.
• Look for opportunities to encourage someone who is just beginning a journey you’ve already traveled.

Maybe you’ve learned how to trust God through financial difficulty. Tell someone who is struggling. Maybe you’ve learned how to forgive. Encourage someone who is carrying an offense. Maybe you’ve learned to hear God’s voice and follow His direction. Share what you’ve learned with someone who is just beginning to recognize His leading. What you’ve walked through can become someone else’s roadmap. That’s legacy.

When we come to the end of this chapter in 2 Samuel, we’re left with a picture of David surrounded by people who helped him fulfill his assignment. His life reminds us that God can use one surrendered person to influence generations, but He often does it through relationships.

You don’t have to conquer a kingdom to make a difference. You simply need to follow God’s plan today. You need to encourage someone, pray for someone, forgive and take the next step God has placed in front of you, today. Those small acts of obedience can become much bigger than you realize.

Today I want to encourage you to live with your legacy in mind. Ask God to make you the kind of person who brings His goodness into every room you enter. Lead with integrity, surround yourself with people who strengthen your faith, and invest in those coming behind you. Don’t get so focused on what you’re trying to accomplish that you miss the people God has placed right beside you.

The greatest legacy you can leave isn’t a list of things you accomplished. It’s people who know God better because they walked with you. Let God work through your life today. Your story isn’t finished, and there are still people who need what God has placed inside of you.

Today’s scripture reading: 2 Samuel 23

1 Now these are the last words of David. Thus says David the son of Jesse; Thus says the man raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel:

2 “The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue.

3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

4 And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises, A morning without clouds, like the tender grass springing out of the earth, by clear shining after rain.’

5 “Although my house is not so with God, yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For this is all my salvation and all my desire; Will He not make it increase?

6 But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands.

7 But the man who touches them must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.”

8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time. 

9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated.

10 He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder. 

11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. 

12 But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

13 Then three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 

14 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 

15 And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” 

16 So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord. 

17 And he said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it.

These things were done by the three mighty men.

18 Now Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of another three. He lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three. 

19 Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the first three.

20 Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. 

21 And he killed an Egyptian, a spectacular man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; so he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. 

22 These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men. 

23 He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him over his guard.

24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 

25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 

26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 

27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 

28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 

29 Heleb the son of Baanah (the Netophathite), Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 

30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of Gaash, 

31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 

32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite (of the sons of Jashen), Jonathan, 

33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 

34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 

35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 

36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 

37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah), 

38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 

39 and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

Journal:

• What kind of person do I want to become known as?
• Who has God placed in my life that I need to encourage or invest in?
• Where is God asking me to lead with greater integrity and courage?
• Am I trying to accomplish something God gave me without allowing others to help?
• What lesson has God taught me that I could pass on to someone else?
• What is one thing I can do today that could make a lasting difference in someone else’s life?

My Rock in Every Storm

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer.” ~ 2 Samuel 22:2

 Have you ever been through a season when you weren’t sure how you were going to make it to the other side? You may have prayed, “God, I know You’re with me,” while another part of you was thinking, “Okay, but could You please explain the plan?” Sometimes faith looks confident on the outside while your questions are doing laps on the inside.

David understood this. By the time we get to the season of life he was in that we read about in today’s scripture reading, he had lived through years of danger, betrayal, battles, rejection, and uncertainty. He had been hunted by Saul, surrounded by enemies, and forced to make decisions that could have cost him his life. Yet when he finally looked back, he didn’t focus on how strong he had been. He focused on how faithful God had been.

David’s song in this chapter gives us three important truths about living as God’s people today. When life gets shaky, we don’t need a stronger version of ourselves. We need to remember who our God is, trust His way, and make Him our place of safety.

Below are three of the truths David discovered through all those difficult years. God wasn’t simply waiting for David to survive his circumstances. He was showing David where his strength really came from.

1. God can be your safe place when life doesn’t feel safe.

David began in this chapter by calling God his rock, fortress, deliverer, shield, stronghold, refuge, and Savior. That’s quite a list! Apparently, David had been through enough trouble to know that one description wasn’t going to cover it.

The beautiful thing is that David wasn’t describing a God who simply watches from a distance. He was sending the message about a God who had personally been his protection through some very difficult circumstances.

We need this reminder today because our world can feel uncertain. News headlines can change before you’ve even finished your morning coffee. Relationships can change. Jobs can change. Finances can change. Our plans can change. Sometimes it seems like the only thing that doesn’t change is the fact that something else is changing!

But God remains steady and our salvation in His Son Jesus, is sure. That doesn’t mean we won’t experience trouble. David certainly did. It means we don’t have to face trouble alone.

• When you’re anxious about something, stop and tell God specifically what you’re afraid of. Don’t just carry the weight around in your head.
• When circumstances are changing, remind yourself of what hasn’t changed. God is still faithful, He is still good, and He is still with you.
• When you don’t know what to do next, make prayer your first response instead of your emergency backup plan.

If you’re facing a difficult conversation with someone you love, don’t spend the entire night rehearsing every possible response. Take it to God first. Ask Him for wisdom, grace, and the right words. Then trust Him to help you walk into the conversation with peace.

2. God’s way is better than your way.

David said in verse 31, “As for God, His way is perfect.” That statement is powerful because David had plenty of opportunities to choose his own way.

There were times when David could have taken matters into his own hands. He could have killed Saul when he had the opportunity. He could have responded to enemies out of anger. He could have tried to force God’s promises to happen on his own timetable.

But David knew that God’s way was worth trusting, even when it wasn’t the easiest way.

That’s a lesson we need today. We often want God’s plan, but preferably with a detailed itinerary, estimated arrival times, and maybe a tracking number. But God rarely give us that. Sometimes He simply says, “Trust Me and take the next step.”

We may not understand why a door closed, why an opportunity hasn’t happened yet, why a relationship changed, or why God seems to be taking us through a longer process than we expected. But not understanding God’s way doesn’t mean God’s way isn’t good.

• Before making a major decision, ask God what the plan is and what He wants to do through the situation instead of asking Him to bless what you’ve already decided.
• When a door closes, don’t immediately assume you’ve failed. Ask God what He may be protecting you from or where He may be leading you next.
• When God’s timing feels slow, resist the temptation to rush ahead simply because you’re tired of waiting.  Don’t move until you have His “Word” on the matter.

Maybe you’ve been praying for a particular opportunity and it hasn’t happened yet. Instead of forcing the door open, ask, “Lord, what do You want me to do today?” Your assignment may not be to make the opportunity happen. It may simply be to prepare yourself for what He is already preparing for you.

3. Remember what God has already brought you through.

One of my favorite things about this chapter is that David is looking backward while praising God. He remembers the trouble, but he also remembers God’s faithfulness through it. There is power in praise and in remembering.

When you’re in the middle of a new battle, it’s easy to forget the victories you’ve already experienced. The problem you’re facing today can suddenly feel like the biggest problem that has ever existed.

But it isn’t the first time God has helped you. Think about it. There were things you once thought you couldn’t survive that you’re now looking back on and saying, “God brought me through that.”

You may not have known how He would do it at the time. You may have cried, prayed, questioned, waited, and probably had a few conversations with God that included, “Lord, I really don’t understand what You’re doing here.” Yet somehow, you made it through. And if God was faithful then, He is faithful now.

• Make a list of times God has answered your prayers or carried you through difficult seasons.
• When fear tries to come, read that list and thank God for His faithfulness.
• Share your testimony with someone who is currently walking through something similar.

For example, if you’re facing a financial challenge today, remember the times God provided for you before. If you’re facing a family struggle, remember the relationships He has helped you through. If you’re waiting for direction, remember the times He led you when you didn’t know where you were going. Your history with God can become fuel for your faith.

David’s song wasn’t simply about what God had done. It was a declaration of who God was in every season. He was David’s rock, his fortress, his deliverer, his shield, his refuge, and his Savior.

That same God is available to us today. He hasn’t changed, and His character hasn’t changed. The world around us may shake, but our foundation doesn’t have to.

Today I want to encourage you to make God your rock in every season. When life feels uncertain, run to Him instead of running to fear. When you don’t understand His plan, trust His character. When you’re tempted to believe that this current problem is bigger than anything you’ve faced before, remember what He has already brought you through.

You don’t have to know everything that’s coming next to know that God will be there when you get there. Take some time today to thank Him for the victories He has already brought you through and surrender the struggles you’re facing right now. Let His faithfulness become bigger in your heart than the circumstances surrounding you. You may not know what tomorrow holds, but you know who holds tomorrow.

Today’s scripture reading: 2 Samuel 22

1 Then David spoke to the Lord the words of this song, on the day when the Lord had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. 

2 And he said: “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;

3 The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, My stronghold and my refuge; My Savior, You save me from violence.

4 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.

5 “When the waves of death surrounded me, The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.

6 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me.

7 In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple,

And my cry entered His ears.

8 “Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, Because He was angry.

9 Smoke went up from His nostrils, And devouring fire from His mouth; Coals were kindled by it.

10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down With darkness under His feet.

11 He rode upon a cherub, and flew; And He was seen upon the wings of the wind.

12 He made darkness canopies around Him, Dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

13 From the brightness before Him Coals of fire were kindled.

14 “The Lord thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered His voice.

15 He sent out arrows and scattered them; Lightning bolts, and He vanquished them.

16 Then the channels of the sea were seen, The foundations of the world were uncovered, At the rebuke of the Lord, At the blast of the breath of His nostrils.

17 “He sent from above, He took me, He drew me out of many waters.

18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me; For they were too strong for me.

19 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the Lord was my support.

20 He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.

21 “The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.

22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, And have not wickedly departed from my God.

23 For all His judgments were before me; And as for His statutes, I did not depart from them.

24 I was also blameless before Him, And I kept myself from my iniquity.

25 Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in His eyes.

26 “With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;

27 With the pure You will show Yourself pure; And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.

28 You will save the humble people; But Your eyes are on the haughty, that You may bring them down.

29 “For You are my lamp, O Lord; The Lord shall enlighten my darkness.

30 For by You I can run against a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall.

31 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

32 “For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?

33 God is my strength and power, And He makes my way perfect.

34 He makes my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places.

35 He teaches my hands to make war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

36 “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your gentleness has made me great.

37 You enlarged my path under me; So my feet did not slip.

38 “I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.

39 And I have destroyed them and wounded them, So that they could not rise; They have fallen under my feet.

40 For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose against me.

41 You have also given me the necks of my enemies, So that I destroyed those who hated me.

42 They looked, but there was none to save; Even to the Lord, but He did not answer them.

43 Then I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth; I trod them like dirt in the streets, And I spread them out.

44 “You have also delivered me from the strivings of my people; You have kept me as the head of the nations. A people I have not known shall serve me.

45 The foreigners submit to me; As soon as they hear, they obey me.

46 The foreigners fade away, And come frightened from their hideouts.

47 “The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let God be exalted, The Rock of my salvation!

48 It is God who avenges me, And subdues the peoples under me;

49 He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who rise against me; You have delivered me from the violent man.

50 Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name.

51 “He is the tower of salvation to His king, And shows mercy to His anointed, To David and his descendants forevermore.”

Journal:

• What situation in my life feels uncertain or unsafe right now?
• Am I running to God first, or am I trying to figure everything out on my own?
• What has God already brought me through that I need to remember today?
• Is there an area where I’m trying to make my own plan instead of trusting God’s way?
• What is one step I believe God is asking me to take today?
• How can I become more aware of God’s faithfulness in my everyday life?

 Famine to Light

Then David spoke to the LORD, and the LORD answered him. ~ 2 Samuel 21:1

Have you ever had one of those seasons when you couldn’t quite put your finger on what was wrong? Everything seemed to be going along, but something just wasn’t right. You prayed, you pushed through, you tried to fix what you could, and still there was a sense that something needed attention. Sometimes the problem isn’t where we’re looking.

In 2 Samuel 21, David experienced a three year famine. Three years is a long time to wonder, “Lord, what is going on?” David finally went before God, and God revealed that the famine was connected to something that had happened years earlier. Saul had broken an agreement with the Gibeonites and had tried to destroy them. The consequences of that injustice had continued into David’s reign.

This is a difficult chapter because it deals with justice, consequences, and the actions of one generation affecting another. It isn’t an easy passage to read, but there are some important truths we can carry into our own lives today. We don’t want to miss the lessons simply because the circumstances are uncomfortable.

Before we look at these three points, remember this, God is not interested in simply making our lives comfortable. He wants to bring truth into the places that need His attention so He can lead us into what is right and good.

1.Ask God what you may be missing

David didn’t simply accept the famine as something he had to live with. He went to God and asked why it was happening. That was an important step.

Sometimes we spend so much time and energy trying to solve the symptoms that we never stop to ask God what is happening underneath them. We try a new strategy, make another plan, have another conversation, and maybe even buy another organizational notebook, because apparently the right notebook is going to fix everything. David finally went to the One who knew the whole story, which should have been where to start.

There may be situations in your life where you need to stop trying to figure everything out yourself and simply ask God for wisdom. Ask Him to show you how to line up your life with the truth He designed for success in the situation.

Maybe you’ve been struggling with the same conflict in a relationship over and over. Maybe you’ve been frustrated because an opportunity keeps falling apart. Maybe you keep finding yourself in the same unhealthy pattern. Instead of immediately asking, “How do I fix this?” try asking, “Lord, what do You want me to see and how do I get in agreement with Your blessed plan?”

• Set aside a few quiet minutes and ask God to show you anything you need to know.
• Don’t assume every difficult circumstance is God’s punishment. Ask Him for wisdom rather than jumping to conclusions.
• Write down what comes to mind and compare it with Scripture before acting on it.
• Be willing to hear something you weren’t expecting and remember that His blessings are on the other side of your obedience.

Sometimes the answer isn’t comfortable, but knowing the truth is better than wandering around in the dark. 

2.Deal with what God brings to your attention

Once David understood what had happened, he didn’t ignore it. He took action to address the injustice. This is an important part of hearing from God. It’s not enough to ask Him for direction if we’re only willing to follow when the answer is convenient.

There are times when God will put His finger on something in our lives that needs to change. Maybe it’s an attitude, a relationship, a habit, an unresolved offense, or something we’ve justified for far too long.

We can say, “Lord, show me what needs to change,” and then suddenly become very busy when He answers.

I’ve done that before. “Lord, please show me what’s wrong.” Then God shows me, and I’m thinking, “Well, maybe let’s pray about that again.”

God’s correction isn’t meant to shame us. It’s meant to help us move forward and release the blessings that are being blocked by being out of line with His plan.

• If the Holy Spirit brings something to your attention, don’t immediately explain it away.
• If you’ve hurt someone, take responsibility and make things right when possible.
• If you’ve been holding onto an offense, ask God what forgiveness should look like.
• If you’ve recognized a habit that’s pulling you away from God, make a practical plan to change it.
• If you don’t know what to do next, take the next right step you do know to take.

Remember, if it feels hard to take a step, He will strengthen and empower you when you ask for His help to take it.  Obedience often begins with one simple response.

3.Don’t underestimate the impact of your choices

One of the sobering lessons in this chapter is that Saul’s actions affected people beyond his own lifetime. His decision to attack the Gibeonites didn’t simply disappear when his life ended. The consequences continued.

That should make all of us stop and think about the influence our choices have on other people. We may never become kings like David or make decisions that affect an entire nation, but every one of us influences someone. Our children watch us, friends listen to us, people at work observe us and people in our churches experience how we treat them. Even our casual conversations can leave an impression.

That doesn’t mean we should walk around terrified that every imperfect decision is going to ruin someone’s life. We are not that powerful, and thankfully, God is bigger than our mistakes. But it does mean we should take our influence seriously.

Maybe your children are learning how to handle conflict by watching how you handle conflict. Maybe someone at work is watching how you respond when you’re treated unfairly or maybe a younger believer is watching how you handle disappointment. Your life is teaching something, even when you aren’t standing behind a pulpit.

• Ask yourself, “What am I teaching the people closest to me by the way I live?”
• Choose integrity when nobody is watching.
• Apologize when you get it wrong instead of defending yourself.
• Let your children and those around you see you turn to God when life gets difficult.
• Make decisions today that you won’t have to apologize for tomorrow.

The good news is that the story doesn’t end with Saul’s mistakes. David sought God, confronted the problem, and worked toward restoration. That gives us hope because God can bring healing even when we are dealing with consequences from the past.

There is also something else I don’t want us to miss. At the end of this chapter, David’s men continued fighting against the Philistines, and David became exhausted. His men recognized that they couldn’t allow him to continue fighting alone.

That gives us another important picture of God’s people. We aren’t designed to fight every battle by ourselves. There may be times when you’re the one encouraging someone else, and there will be times when you need someone to encourage you. Both are part of walking together as God’s people.

You may be strong in one season and exhausted in another. That’s not failure,that’s life. Even David, the mighty king, eventually needed someone to step in and say, “That’s enough for today.”

Don’t be afraid to tell someone when you’re tired.  Stay connected to people who will encourage you and speak truth into your life. Be willing to step in and help someone else when you see they’re struggling. Don’t confuse being faithful with doing everything yourself. Most of all, ask God who He has placed around you for this season to help and encourage.

2 Samuel 21 reminds us that God sees what we can’t see. He knows the whole story, including the things that happened before we arrived on the scene. He cares about justice, He cares about restoration, and He cares about the condition of our hearts.

We don’t have to understand everything before we trust Him. We simply need to be willing to ask, listen, obey, and keep moving forward.

Today I want to encourage you to bring the confusing places of your life before God. If something doesn’t make sense, ask Him for wisdom. If He shows you something that needs to change, don’t run from it. If you’ve made mistakes, own them and allow Him to lead you toward restoration and if you’re tired from carrying the battle, don’t be ashamed to let someone help you.

You don’t have to have every answer today. You just need to stay close to the One who does. God sees the whole picture when we can only see one room of the house. He knows what’s behind every door, understands every circumstance, and knows exactly what needs to happen next. Trust His voice, follow His direction, and remember that His grace is greater than anything in your past.

Today’s Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 21

1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, “It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites.” 

2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; the children of Israel had sworn protection to them, but Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah.

3 Therefore David said to the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of the Lord?”

4 And the Gibeonites said to him, “We will have no silver or gold from Saul or from his house, nor shall you kill any man in Israel for us.”

So he said, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”

5 Then they answered the king, “As for the man who consumed us and plotted against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the territories of Israel, 

6 let seven men of his descendants be delivered to us, and we will hang them before the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, whom the Lord chose.” And the king said, “I will give them.”

7 But the king spared Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the Lord’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. 

8 So the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite;

9 and he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the Lord. So they fell, all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.

10 Now Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until the late rains poured on them from heaven. And she did not allow the birds of the air to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night.

11 And David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. 

12 Then David went and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, from the men of Jabesh Gilead who had stolen them from the street of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them up, after the Philistines had struck down Saul in Gilboa. 

13 So he brought up the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from there; and they gathered the bones of those who had been hanged. 

14 They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the tomb of Kish his father. So they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God heeded the prayer for the land.

Philistine Giants Destroyed

15 When the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David and his servants with him went down and fought against the Philistines; and David grew faint. 

16 Then Ishbi-Benob, who was one of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose bronze spear was three hundred shekels, who was bearing a new sword, thought he could kill David. 

17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, “You shall go out no more with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.”

18 Now it happened afterward that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbechai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the sons of the giant. 

19 Again there was war at Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

20 Yet again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also was born to the giant. 

21 So when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.

22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

Journal:

• Is there an area of my life where I’ve been trying to fix the symptoms instead of asking God what He wants me to see?
• Is there something God has been bringing to my attention that I’ve been avoiding?
• What choices am I making today that could influence the people around me?
• Is there someone God may be asking me to encourage or help right now?
• Where am I tired or overwhelmed, and who could I invite to walk alongside me?
• What is one step of obedience I can take today?

He knows

 ^{He answered and said to them, “It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish. ~ Mark 14:20}

Have you ever seen someone try to hide something from someone who already knew? Maybe it was a child hiding a cookie behind their back while chocolate was still all over their face. We smile because we know the hiding isn’t fooling anyone. Sometimes we do the same thing with God. We convince ourselves that if we don’t talk about something, maybe it isn’t really an issue. But God already knows. He doesn’t know so He can condemn us. He knows so He can set us free.

If we’re honest, most of us can identify something in our lives that the Holy Spirit has gently been talking to us about. Maybe it’s an unhealthy habit, an attitude, a relationship that’s pulling us away from God, an unforgiveness we’ve been carrying, or something we’ve simply refused to surrender. It may not seem like a major issue, but if the Holy Spirit keeps putting His finger on it, there’s a reason.

Recently, I finally surrendered one such area in my own life. It wasn’t something that people would consider a big deal, but it was something I was quietly holding onto and not surrendering to the Lord. I found myself having all kinds of internal conversations trying to convince myself that it wasn’t a big deal. I had every reason ready to defend it.

Finally, I lifted my hands and said, “Okay, Lord. You win.” What surprised me was realizing that God wasn’t trying to take something good away from me. He was trying to make room for something even better.

That’s the heart of our Father. He doesn’t ask us to surrender things because He’s controlling. He asks because He loves us. He sees what we cannot see, and He knows what is keeping us from experiencing His very best.

In today’s passage, Jesus was sharing the Passover meal with His disciples when He announced that one of them would betray Him. The disciples were stunned. One by one they asked, “Is it I?” But Jesus already knew. Judas may have thought he was keeping his plans hidden, but nothing escapes the eyes of God.

In another Gospel account, Jesus tells Judas, “What you do, do quickly.” It almost sounds as though Jesus is giving permission, but that wasn’t the case. Jesus wasn’t dependent on Judas to fulfill God’s plan. The cross was always God’s plan. Judas simply chose to become part of the wrong side of the story.

That reminds me of an important truth. God never needs our disobedience to accomplish His purposes, but He delights in using our obedience. The beautiful thing is that while Jesus knew Judas would betray Him, He also knew Peter would deny Him. One ran away from grace. The other ran back to it. The difference wasn’t what they had done. The difference was what they did next.

Here are a few practical ways to respond when God puts His finger on an area of your lives.

• Be honest with God. Stop trying to justify what the Holy Spirit is already talking to you about. He already knows, and He still loves you. Begin your prayer by simply saying, “Lord, show me anything that’s keeping me from walking fully with You.”
• Surrender one area at a time. Don’t become overwhelmed trying to fix everything at once. Ask God what one area He wants you to release today, then trust Him enough to let it go.
• Believe God’s plans are better than your own. Every time God asks us to surrender something, He is making room for something greater. His goal isn’t to take away our joy. His goal is to increase it.
• Respond quickly to conviction. The longer we argue with the Holy Spirit, the easier it becomes to ignore His voice. Obedience becomes much easier when we respond the first time He speaks.

I’ve noticed that the Holy Spirit is amazingly patient. He doesn’t usually shout. He gently whispers, nudges, and lovingly reminds us. Looking back, every time I’ve finally surrendered something He had been speaking to me about, I’ve wondered why I waited so long. On the other side of surrender, I’ve always found greater freedom, greater peace, greater joy and the breakthrough that my disobedience had been holding back.

I’ve also noticed that I’m a pretty good lawyer when I’m arguing my own case. I can come up with reasons why something isn’t really that bad, why I’ll deal with it later, or why it’s different for me. Then the Holy Spirit quietly speaks one simple sentence, and suddenly all my carefully prepared arguments disappear. Thankfully, He doesn’t win the argument to prove He’s right. He wins it so He can lead me into something better.

Today I want to encourage you to stop hiding from the God who already knows everything about you. Open every room of your heart to Him and invite Him to search every corner. Whatever He’s asking you to surrender today is not because He’s trying to take something away from you. He’s preparing you for something greater. Trust His love, respond quickly to His voice, and remove every obstacle that stands between you and His best. The God who knows your deepest secrets is also the God who loves you the most. As you surrender every area of your life to Him, you’ll discover that His plans are always better, His peace is always deeper, and His blessings are always worth trusting.

Today’s scripture reading: Mark 14:12-21

12 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?”

13 And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him. 

14 Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’ 

15 Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us.”

16So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.

17 In the evening He came with the twelve. 

18 Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me.”

19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, “Is it I?” And another said, “Is it I?”

20He answered and said to them, “It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish. 

21 The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.”

Journal Questions:

• Is there an area of my life that the Holy Spirit has been gently asking me to surrender?
• Have I been making excuses instead of responding in obedience?
• What fear is keeping me from fully trusting God with every part of my life?
• How has God blessed me in the past when I surrendered something to Him?
• What is one practical step I can take today to remove a roadblock between me and God’s best?

Point Break

_{Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them. ~ Mark 14:10}

Have you ever had one of those days when you thought, “If one more thing goes wrong, I might just lose it?” The coffee spills, the phone won’t stop ringing, someone disappoints you, your schedule falls apart, and then the dog decides today is the perfect day to eat your favorite shoe. Most of us have experienced moments when life seems to pile on all at once. The real question isn’t whether we’ll face pressure. The question is, where will we run when we reach our breaking point?

In today’s reading, Mark places two very different people side by side. First, there is a woman who pours out an expensive flask of fragrant oil on Jesus. It was probably the most valuable possession she owned, yet she gladly gave it because of her love and devotion to Him. While others criticized her, Jesus defended her. He said her act of worship would be remembered wherever the Gospel was preached.

Then, immediately afterward, we read about Judas. The contrast couldn’t be greater. One person surrendered everything to Jesus. The other walked away from Him.

I don’t believe Judas’ betrayal happened overnight. Long before he betrayed Jesus with a kiss, he had allowed other things to take root in his heart. Scripture tells us he had been stealing from the ministry’s money bag. Greed had quietly become more important than his relationship with the Lord.

Then came the moment that seems to push him over the edge. As he watched the woman pour out what he considered a waste of money, something inside of him snapped. Instead of softening his heart toward Jesus, he hardened it even more. He left that gathering and went directly to the chief priests to negotiate Jesus’ betrayal.

It makes me wonder. Was it really about the money? Or had Judas slowly allowed disappointment, offense, selfish ambition, and unbelief to build until he finally reached his breaking point? Most people don’t make life changing decisions in a single moment. They make them one compromise at a time.

The same is true for us. When pressure builds, whatever has been growing inside our hearts will eventually come out.

Here are three points we can take away from this passage.

1. Guard your heart before you reach your breaking point. Breaking points don’t usually begin during a crisis. They begin long before the crisis arrives. Small offenses, disappointments, jealousy, or unconfessed sin can quietly grow if we don’t bring them to the Lord. Spend time with God every day, allowing Him to search your heart before those things take root.

2. Run to Jesus, not away from Him. Judas experienced overwhelming guilt after his betrayal, but instead of running to Jesus, he ran away from Him. Peter also failed Jesus, but Peter ran back to the Lord and was restored. When you fail, don’t allow shame to convince you that God no longer wants you. His grace is always available to those who turn back to Him.

3. Build healthy habits before the storm comes. Develop a lifestyle of prayer, worship, and time in God’s Word while life is going well. Surround yourself with mature believers who will encourage you and speak truth into your life. The habits you build in peaceful seasons will strengthen you when difficult seasons arrive.

One of the things I’ve seen in life is that no one plans to drift away from God. It usually begins with small decisions that seem insignificant at the time. A missed quiet time here, an offense left unresolved there, a little compromise that doesn’t seem like a big deal. Before long, the heart begins moving farther from the One who loves us most.

I’ve also discovered that the best time to strengthen my relationship with God isn’t when I’m already in a crisis. It’s before the crisis ever comes. It’s a lot like charging your phone. Most of us don’t wait until it completely dies before plugging it in. Somehow, we convince ourselves that one percent battery is plenty until it suddenly isn’t! Our spiritual lives work much the same way. Daily time with God keeps our hearts full long before we reach empty.

The beautiful difference between Judas and Peter wasn’t that one failed and the other didn’t. They both failed. The difference was where they ran afterward. Peter ran toward Jesus. Judas ran away from Him. That choice made all the difference.

Today I want to encourage you to decide now where you will run when life becomes overwhelming. Don’t wait until you’re standing at your breaking point to determine your response. Build your life on a daily relationship with Jesus. Bring Him your disappointments, your questions, your fears, and even your failures. Stay close to His Word, surround yourself with people who will strengthen your faith, and never allow shame to keep you from His presence. Whatever you’re facing today, Jesus is still the safest place to run. His grace is greater than your greatest failure, His peace is stronger than your deepest struggle, and His love is always waiting to welcome you home.

Today’s scripture reading: Mark 14:1-11

1 After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death. 

2 But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people.”

3 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. 

4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? 

5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply.

6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. 

7 For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. 

8 She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. 

9 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them. 

11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.

 Journal:

• What situations or pressures tend to push me toward my breaking point?
• Are there any small offenses or disappointments that I’ve allowed to remain in my heart?
• When I fail, do I naturally run toward Jesus or away from Him?
• What daily habits am I building now that will strengthen me during difficult seasons?
• Who are the people in my life that encourage me to stay close to God when life becomes challenging?