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In Christ, Mark
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The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, "You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off." They thought, "David cannot get in here." Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, the City of David.
On that day, David said, "Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft to reach those 'lame and blind' who are David's enemies. " That is why they say, "The 'blind and lame' will not enter the palace."
David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the supporting terraces inward. And he became more and more powerful because the Lord God Almighty was with him.
Now Hiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers to David along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. And David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted His kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.
After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem and more sons and daughters were born to him. These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
2 Samuel 5:6-16
This ends our reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Once anointed and recognized as king over all of Israel, David wasted little time flexing his military muscle and establishing himself on the throne. For we read in our passage where he and his men “marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there”.
Now the Jebusites were a very confident adversary and mocked David saying:
"You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.”
Unfortunately, the Jebusites were forgetting one very important point for they weren’t just up against David but the Lord as well who would lead His anointed king to victory. For we read that David and his forces “captured the fortress of Zion” and ”took up residence” in it, naming it “the City of David”. And after establishing his throne in Jerusalem, David “built up the area around it, from the supporting terraces inward”, all the while becoming “more and more powerful”…not by his own might…but “because the Lord God Almighty was with him”.
Now, it’s estimated that some 20 years later, “Hiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers to David along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons”. The materials were used to build “a palace for David” and after this, we see where Israel’s king didn’t glorify himself but instead “knew that the Lord had established him” and his reign, exalting “His kingdom for the sake of His people Israel”.
Through his words, we see where David was certainly a stark contrast to his predecessor Saul. For you’ll recall that Saul built a monument to honor himself at Carmel during a rule that the Lord had established (1 Samuel 15). It seems that Saul never fully grasped that it was the Lord who was in control and not him…that it was God who brought exaltation on His kingdom for the sake of His people Israel. Therefore, it was the Lord and Him alone who deserved to receive all the glory and praise.
We see where David did just that. He gave credit where credit was due…wholly to the Lord Almighty. In doing so, he affirmed that he was indeed a God’s own heart.
So what about us today?
Do we give the Lord credit where His credit is due?
Do we exalt, glorify, and praise Him in any and all circumstances…or do we seek to steal His honor away from him and embrace recognition for what we do which is so often done using the gifts that He has granted?
I think we all could look to David and seek to model his humble and praiseworthy attitude toward God…a thankful mindset that was maybe reflected best in these words he wrote in the 86th Psalm:
Hear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
Guard my life, for I am devoted to You. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in You.
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to You.
Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry for mercy.
In the day of my trouble, I will call to You for You will answer me.
Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord; no deeds can compare with Yours.
All the nations You have made will come and worship before You, O Lord; they will bring glory to Your name.
For You are great and do marvelous deeds; You alone are God.
Teach me Your way, O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.
I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify Your name forever.
For great is Your love toward me; You have delivered me from the depths of the grave.
The arrogant are attacking me, O God; a band of ruthless men seeks my life — men without regard for You.
But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
Turn to me and have mercy on me; grant Your strength to Your servant and save the son of Your maidservant.
Give me a sign of Your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for You, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
Friends, let us use the words within this Psalm to form the following prayer that closes today’s message:
Dear Lord, grant us Your provision and protection…Your mercy and forgiveness and compassion and grace…Your joy and peace and love and comfort…Your forgiveness and goodness and faithfulness and greatness…Your wisdom and good works.
For Lord, nothing compares to the greatness of knowing You fully in our lives…and understanding that without you, we are nothing and without hope. So to You, O God, we give all the glory, honor and praise…all the credit where credit is due…fully to You, now and forever. Amen.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.
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