Tag: Morning Musings

Morning Musing: 2 Samuel 19:7

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“Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.”  (ESV – Read the chapter) ‬‬

The emotions and politics of this chapter are complex. It is filled with grace and also tension. David is rebuilding his kingship after Absalom had done much damage to it in his rebellion. We’d like to think this was a nice, neat little endeavor since that’s how so many of our stories today are written, but it was not. Whereas so many of our stories stop with the victory, this gives us a glimpse of what comes after the victory has been won. 

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Morning Musing: 2 Samuel 18:9

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“And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on.”  (ESV – Read the chapter)‬‬

What an ignominious end for a man of such potential. Absalom had the leadership gifts that could have made him a great king. He was able to inspire and motivate large groups of people and to unite them under a single banner. He became convinced that he would make a better king than his father had been and rebelled against him in order to claim the throne for himself. Had he been patient he would likely have received the crown anyway, but he wasn’t and so he didn’t. 

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Morning Musing: 2 Samuel 17:7

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“Then Hushai said to Absalom, “This time the counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good.””  (CSB – Read the chapter) ‬‬

Good counsel is hard to find. The best counsel is rooted in reality, not what we wish would happen. It cares little for our heart’s desire, but understands fully the facts of the situation we are in or facing. It isn’t always going to lead us in the easiest or most convenient direction, but it will always point us toward the quickest way to our desired outcome. Indeed, good counsel is hard to find. It’s even harder to distinguish from counsel that’s merely flattering. Read the rest…

Morning Musing: 2 Samuel 16:3

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“And the king said, ‘And where is your master’s son?’ Ziba said to the king, ‘Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, “Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.”’”  (CSB – Read the chapter) ‬‬

Mephibosheth was delusional. It perhaps wasn’t obvious to anyone who saw him or interacted with him on a daily basis, but there was a delusion in his heart all the same. As long as it stayed there things were pretty good for him, but now that it had shown itself, the walls of reality were going to come crashing in on him. Hard.  

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Morning Musing: 2 Samuel 15:25-26

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“Then the king instructed Zadok, ‘Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor with the Lord, he will bring me back and allow me to see both it and its dwelling place. However, if he should say, “I do not delight in you,” then here I am — he can do with me whatever pleases him.’”  (CSB – Read the chapter)

Have you ever tried to squeeze a goldfish? Or how about a wet bar of soap? Or it could be just about anything else small and slippery. It’s not an easy thing to do. The tighter you get, the more likely the thing is to slip out of your hand. There are things and positions in our lives that are like this too. The tighter we try and hold on to them, the more likely they are to slip away from us. Read the rest…