DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the palace and put them in a house under guard. He provided for them, but did not lie with them. They were kept in confinement till the day of their death, living as widows.

Then the king said to Amasa, "Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself." But when Amasa went to summon Judah, he took longer than the time the king had set for him.

David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba son of Bicri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your master's men and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and escape from us." So Joab's men and the Kerethites and Pelethites and all the mighty warriors went out under the command of Abishai. They marched out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bicri.

While they were at the great rock in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing his military tunic, and strapped over it at his waist was a belt with a dagger in its sheath. As he stepped forward, it dropped out of its sheath.

Joab said to Amasa, "How are you, my brother?" Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger in Joab's hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. Without being stabbed again, Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bicri.

One of Joab's men stood beside Amasa and said, "Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!" Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road, and the man saw that all the troops came to a halt there. When he realized that everyone who came up to Amasa stopped, he dragged him from the road into a field and threw a garment over him. After Amasa had been removed from the road, all the men went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bicri.

2 Samuel 20:3-13

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Have you ever known of anyone who was so desperate for something that they were willing to do whatever it took to get it, even if it meant killing someone?

I hate to have to say this but it does happen…and not just once a day but many times over throughout this world we live in...a world created by and watched by God.

Unfortunately those who are so blinded by their own selfish ambitions that they disregard anyone or anything that gets in their way fail to see that God is watching every single thing they do…and taking notes. And in our scripture today, I can’t help but think he was filling up His holy notebook after observing the actions of Joab, David’s deposed army commander.

You’ll remember that it was Joab who had disregarded David’s plea to be gentle with his son Absalom, instead choosing to kill him with three javelins as Absalom was trapped and hanging by his hair in the branches of a large oak tree. (2 Samuel 18:9-15) This would lead to David losing confidence in Joab’s leadership and appointing Amasa, Absalom’s former army commander, in his place. (2 Samuel 17:25, 19:13)

Well, as Chapter 20 opens, we see where David seeks to send his army after Sheba who had caused a disruption in the midst of David’s people by calling the Israelites to follow him instead of David. (2 Samuel 20:1-2) We read where David said to Amasa, "Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself." And so Amasa did as David requested and “went to summon Judah”.

After three days, Amasa had not returned and was taking “longer than the time the king had set for him”. And so David turned to Abishai and said, "Now Sheba son of Bicri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your master's men and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and escape from us." David felt he could wait no longer for Amasa to come at the risk of losing his opportunity to capture Sheba but note he decided not to turn to Joab but instead turned “Joab's men and the Kerethites and Pelethites and all the mighty warriors” over to the “command of Abishai”. And Abishai marched the forces “out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba”.

Now, these turn of events had to have rankled Joab as he saw an army that was once his placed under yet another man’s leadership, even if it was his brother. But we see where Joab didn’t stay behind and not go to battle. Instead, he was in the midst of the forces when they arrived at a “great rock in Gibeon” when “Amasa came to meet them”.

Scripture tells us that “Joab was wearing his military tunic” with a “belt with a dagger in its sheath” which was strapped on his waist. And as Joab stepped forward to greet Amasa, his dagger “dropped out of its sheath”. It seemed innocent enough but there was definitely evil intent behind the drop.

For as Joab greeted Amasa as his brother and took him by the beard with his right had as if to kiss him, he took his dagger and “plunged it into his belly”, killing him while causing his intestines to spill out on the ground. And that’s where Joab and his brother left Amasa as they moved forward to pursue Sheba.

So would Joab get what he wanted? Did he achieve his goal of regaining command by murdering his competition?

Well, scripture shows us he was successful. For as Joab and Abishai moved forward, we read where “one of Joab's men stood beside Amasa” and said, "Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!" And with that, Joab regained control of the army, unbeknownst to David.

Meanwhile, the body of Amasa still was in the “middle of the road” and “wallowing in his blood”. This was causing a distraction for the advancing forces who stopped as they reached him to see what had happened. So Joab’s man dragged Amasa “from the road into a field and threw a garment over him”. And with his body off the road, “all the men went on with Joab to pursue Sheba”.

In Joab, we see the sinful approach to doing whatever it takes. For all he wished to do was do whatever it took to get what he wanted.

Thank goodness that as Christians, we are given a different approach to the “whatever it takes” principle.

For we have Jesus Christ, the One through which we are to have our identity as Christians. For to truly be a Christian, we must strive to be Christ-like…and as we do, we find that doing whatever it takes assumes a whole new meaning.

For in Jesus, we saw One who was willing to do whatever it takes, not for His own gain, but for the gain of all mankind. He came to teach and to heal and to guide…but most of all to save and to love…a love that knew no boundaries…a love that would lead Him to die for all our sins on Calvary’s cross and thus pay our debts with His shed blood.

Why did Jesus do this?

Because He was willing to do whatever it took to save a dying world in need…and He fully expects us to do the same. This is why He gave us the clearest instruction possible before He ascended into Heaven to sit at the Father’s right hand saying:

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

Indeed, as Jesus departed this world and left us here to carry on His work until He returns again, He gave us words of action that fully reflect His selfless attitude. For He called us to go forth to serve others…to make disciples and baptize and teach obedience to what He commanded. And we have a great comfort and assurance in knowing we don’t go alone for He promised us that He would be with us until the end of the age.

Yes, Jesus called us to go forth and to serve…just as He served…and as we do, He walks along with us…to lead us…to guide us…and to help us do whatever it takes to ensure His will be done.

Thanks be to God for sending us His Son…our blessed Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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