Day5
Week19
2 Samuel
“Now Joab the son of Zeruiah recognized that the king’s mind was on Absalom. So Joab sent a request to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He instructed her, “Act as if you are observing mourning rites. Put on mourning garments, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has been mourning over the dead like this for many days. Then come to the king and speak to him in this manner.” Thus Joab put the words in her mouth. As the Tekoan woman spoke to the king, she fell on her face toward the ground and bowed low. Then she said, “Help me, O king.” The king said to her, “What troubles you?” She responded, “Alas, I am a widow, and my husband is dead. Furthermore, your servant had two sons. The two of them were fighting in the field, but there was no one to separate them. One struck the other and killed him. Now the entire family has risen up against your maidservant, and they said, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, so that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and we will destroy the heir also.’ So they will extinguish my remaining ember, and leave my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth.” Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.” The Tekoan woman responded to the king, “May guilt rest upon me and the house of my father, my Lord the king, and may the king and his throne be blameless.” The king said, “Whoever speaks to you, bring him to me, and he will not cause you harm again.” Then she said, “May the king remember the Lord your God so that the avenger of blood will not continue to destroy, lest they exterminate my son.” He said, “As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son will fall to the ground.””
2 Samuel 14:1-11 MEV
Cross references
2 Samuel 2:18;
2 Samuel 13:39;
2 Chronicles 11:6;
Amos 1:1;
Exodus 4:15;
2 Samuel 14:19;
Numbers 35:19;
1 Kings2:33;
2 Samuel 12:7;
Numbers 35:15-35
A Tangled Web
Once again David is caught in a tangled web of his own making.
Have you ever been caught in a tangled web, justifying yours or a loved ones foolish behavior?
It is amazing how easy it is for all of us to pour out judgement on others not recognizing that we are guilty of the same thing.
Rational reasoning goes out the window when we or our loved ones are guilty.
God’s ways are not our ways. He is a perfect Father. He has the ability to judge impartially never weighing in emotion.
Justice is not justifying bad behavior, but rather holding each other accountable for said behavior.
Joab and the prophet Nathan used a parable to show David the truth about his own actions.
God, in His mercy left us these examples to hold a mirror of truth in front of us.
Action Step
Ask Holy Spirit to point out times where you have justified wrong doing or behavior because of…
Ask Him to bring it to your attention if you do it again.
Pray this prayer:
God, thank you that your love is perfect, that you are kind, and that you are good. I cannot love others well without your power. Help me to face the areas of my life that aren’t marked by Love. When I choose justification or manipulation point it out to me. Please help me to take bold steps towards forgiveness and healing. In Jesus name amen.
Comments