Title: Wait. Wait. Go! Date: 10.26.2014 Series: Stuck Series Text: Psalm 40:1-8 Synopsis: Be patient! That’s usually the last thing anyone wants to hear in the midst of hardship. We don’t want to be patient. We want the hardship to end. Period. But hardships don’t usually end quickly. If they did, they wouldn’t really be hardships would they? This is certainly the case with King David. After having been king over Israel for nearly three decades and having endured endless hardships in his life including exile, betrayal and war, David faces his greatest trial yet. His own son Absalom has conspired against him. Having raised a revolt of all the northern tribes he anoints himself king and amasses an army to march against Jerusalem. David, taken completely unawares, is forced to abandon Jerusalem with a handful of troops and servants. Although distraught from Absalom’s betrayal, David is not without cunning. He instructs his royal advisor Hushai to infiltrate Absalom’s court to subvert it. Hushai convinces Absalom to ignore the wise counsel of Ahithophel, a former chief advisor of David, and rather than pressing the attack on the vulnerable king, he takes time to resupply his troops allowing David to cross the Jordan River and gain the aid of his allies. Ahithophel, recognizing that David’s men are fierce, seasoned warriors and that the upper hand has been lost, puts his affairs in order and hangs himself. The battle is fought at the “Forest of Ephraim.” David has selected his ground wisely and though severely outnumbered, he soundly defeats Absalom’s army. As Absalom flees for his life, his long hair is snagged in a tree. Ignoring David’s orders to spare his life, Joab, the commander of David’s army, plunges three javelins into Absalom’s heart. So severely does David mourn the death of his son that Joab has to bring a strong rebuke to David saying, “Go out and encourage your men. I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, not a man will be left with you be nightfall.” David had a hard time taking his own advice. Years previous he had written about enduring hardship, “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him” (Psalm 40:1-3). As a young man David recognized that there was something redemptive in suffering and that God uses the hardship of his people to bring himself glory. But the young David also knew that when God brings deliverance, it’s time to move on. The old David had forgotten. And though God had once again “set his feet on a rock” he struggled to move forward. When you’re stuck, wait patiently for God. But when God sets you free…go be truly free. Don’t return to the slimy pit from which you’ve jut been delivered. Wait. Wait. Go! https://youtube/watch?v=Q0yL29ZNZsg
Posted on: Tue, 28 Oct 2014 15:03:59 +0000
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