Read

2 Samuel 3:6-4:12

Think

2 Samuel 3:21, "Then Abner said to David, ‘Let me go at once and assemble all Israel for my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires.'"

Proverbs 14:4 says: "Where there are no oxen, the trough is clean; but increase comes by the strength of an ox." You might be thinking, "What does that have to do with today's reading?" Simply put: Life can be messy. King David certainly found that to be true.

Here's the backstory: King Saul was dead, and many people refused to believe that David was the rightful successor - even though God had chosen him to be the next king and he had been anointed by the prophet, Samuel. "Shouldn't the throne go to Saul's surviving son, Ishbosheth?" they argued. This debate led to a lot of controversy and Abner led the opposition.

Behind the scenes lay false accusations, jealousy, murderous revenge, and power-hungry alliances threatening to derail David's throne - and his public image. But through all the messiness, he trusted God and strived to do the right thing. He chose not to seek revenge on his former enemy, and, instead, called for people to mourn King Saul's untimely death. Eventually, Abner came to make peace. Due to David's wisdom and discernment, he escaped the messiness and came out clean, winning approval from both sides for his handling of such unfortunate events.

So, the next time your life gets messy, remember David, forge ahead, and trust that God has a plan no matter how muddy it gets along the way.

Pray

Lord, I surrender my life to You. Guide me and illuminate my path according to Your will. Use me as a vessel of Your love as I fulfill Your purpose, no matter how messy life gets. Amen.