Some of the pressure we experience is the result of our own decisions and the consequences of those decisions. Some pressure is from things that are external to our lives and beyond our control. God may allow us to experience differing pressure situations to teach us dependency on him and to have faith in him. There is also Satan who quite likes to disrupt our lives. For us to think that we can float through our Christian life to heaven is quite false, our lives are best described as being in the refiner’s fire. What is God teaching you at the moment about pressure?
We are remaining in 2 Samuel chapters 19 and 20. The rebellion David is facing should never have happened. It begins with a stupid quarrel taken out of all proportion (2 Samuel 19:41-43). The Israelites criticise the Judeans, the Judeans claim to have a relationship with David. The Israelites then claim they have a special relationship with David, a better relationship. The Judeans reply harshly and there we have it a church leadership meeting! Before you know it, it’s got out all of proportion and Sheba is also stirring up a rebellion (2 Samuel 20:1-2). When there are preferences, squabbles and not thinking of the whole we end up dealing with events that should never have happened. My dad used to say to me, the biggest person is the one who can get down off his high horse.
David is also still facing the consequences of his past. Absalom had taken the concubines of David. He had slept with some and maybe others had slept with them as well. We don’t know fully, but what we do know is that they had been used and abused and because of that their shame meant they could no longer be part of David’s royal household. Most likely a more ruthless king would have just kicked them out, but not David. He honoured their shame and met their needs. He cared for them for the rest of their lives. David is kind but he is also living with the consequences of his sin.
I have known many people who have repented of their sin, have not fallen again into that sin but have had to, for the rest of their lives, live with the consequences of their sin whilst also demonstrating kindness. Let’s not judge them.
David faces a repetition of his past and his past surfaces again. Isn’t that so true? As we saw before, in the previous blog, he sends a man called Amasa to put down the rebellion, but Amasa takes his time (2 Samuel 20:3-4). All the memories from the past surface in David and he panics.
And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom” 2 Samuel 20:6
This is not true at all but when you have been through painful situations it can leave an emotional scar or an emotional weakness. Anything that reminds you of it, or them, causes you to react with fear “oh no not again.” It’s then that we have to learn to trust God and people again and to not lean on our own understanding.
David has to lead with a person he has never learned how to handle. I think there are many Pastors that will give a nod to this one. Again and again Joab thinks he knows better than David. In this case he has simply ignored David and there was not much David could do about it. Joab had a certain amount of influence and power and would not tolerate being replaced by Amasa and consequently murders him (2 Samuel 20:7-10). Can you serve your Pastor without conditions, or wanting to lead the church from the back row?
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. Hebrews 13:17
David is under pressure again. He knows that God has delivered him from bigger situations in the past and yet negative emotions are surfacing and affecting him deeply. What he doesn’t know yet is that Sheba’s rebellion will be put down without a battle. The battle for his mind is intense as he has to learn to trust God again. Sometimes we want God to deliver us from the pressure, we ask him to take it away. But God wants to give us peace in the pressure, to give us intimacy with him in the pressure. We need to learn to give over our anxiety and fears.
casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
They are His to carry and not ours and He is better able to carry them than us. It’s in this pressure and in this cauldron that we all call life that we work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Learn to pray and trust. The product being that we become more Christ-like and certainly more able to be a soldier for Christ.
Very true; we will always have to deal with “pressures” in life and in our walk of faith – after the similitude of the many patriarchs before us and the many that will come after us.
Someone once likened our God-given treasures in “Earthen Vessels” to oranges. To get the juice and to know exactly how an orange tastes or what it holds (hopefully, it’s organic and not seedless ;-)), you’ve got to squeeze (pressurise or even crush) it. Our hidden treasures, natures and personalities are often brought to bear whenever circumstances, people and several other things we may encounter in our different walks squeeze or pressurise us.
I have always loved the story of Deacon Stephen, a man full of the Holy Spirit, faith, wisdom and power. Yet, he served tables and came under a heavy “pressure” that would eventually make him a martyr. God performed great wonders and signs among the people through him. I’d like to think Deacon Stephen was on his duty of serving tables when many of these great wonders and signs were performed through him.
When he (Deacon Stephen) came under the “pressure” of being accused of blasphemy, it was during this time that his face glowed like an angel (after the similitude of Moses), he delivered a powerful message, he saw the glory of God, he saw Christ Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he died asking God to forgive his killers and to receive his spirit (after the similitude of Christ).
May our anchors hold in the face of the many pressures we are bound to encounter or face in our walk of faith. Amen.
Thanks a lot for sharing.
God bless.