2 Samuel 15:13–18 ‘Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword.”’ (v14)
One constant challenge for Christians is when life takes a turn for the worse, no matter what we plan or do (2 Sam. 12:11). Within us there’s a deeply rooted survival instinct. Despite our internet age someone has remarked, ‘You can take the person out of the Stone Age, but you can’t take the Stone Age out of the person.’ Consequently, we may act more from instinct than either reason or faith.
Faith works on the basis of a trusted promise, whilst reason is a thought process by which a problem is identified, closely evaluated and then a solution chosen. Faith demands an active encounter with God, whilst reason requires a problem-solving brain. The former entrusts the outcome to God entirely, the latter waits with bated breath to see if the solution works. David’s decision is instinctive. He knows God’s promised to secure his lineage but astutely appreciates that he must now leave Jerusalem to avoid disaster.
Our life of discipleship has constantly moving parts within the overarching promises that nurture it. Therefore, there’s a critical reason why we must learn to recognise God’s voice and develop the sensitivity to respond as the Spirit leads. There’s a danger that we may become insensitive to the gentle leading of God if we fail daily to deepen our connectedness with God. Discipleship is always growing our friendship with God, and this is the primary purpose for our life this side of eternity, and which will realise its fullest expression after death.
SCRIPTURE TO CONSIDER: 2 Sam. 19:9–23; Ps. 3:1–6; Matt. 11:1–18; Luke 11:33–36.
AN ACTION TO TAKE: Where and when do you take time to notice God’s gentle leading? What impact has this had upon the shape your life has taken?
A PRAYER TO MAKE: ‘Lord, You are my peace and I am safe within Your house. I look to You in times of temptation and trouble. Amen.’
Photo by Javier Allegue Barros on Unsplash
