Keep up the Good Work!!

David's life now becomes interesting, on the one hand Ziba, Mephibosheth's (Jonathan's son) steward comes to bless David with food and supplies for his journey and on the other hand there is Shemei from Saul's clan come out to curse David. However David goes on with his journey and reaches his destination.

In the meanwhile, Absalom has gathered up his people at Jerusalem. Now a word about Ahithophel "23 Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel's advice."(2 Samuel 16:23) . Yet when God had decided to thwart Ahithophel's plan nothing in his status remained and Ahithophel's plan wasn't considered by Absalom. Later on we read Ahithophel committed suicide because no one honoured his plan. Then there was a battle between David's men and Absalom's followers and Absalom was struck down by David's men even when David had asked them not to kill him and David mourned.

When David returned to the City, all the people who had left him came to meet him, Shimei who had cursed David when he was fleeing, Mephibosheth who had hoped he would get the kingdom when David dies and the likes, David did not treat them as they deserved but forgave them and let them stay in the kingdom. Later on the people of Judah (who had given David refuge while he was fleeing) and the Israelites( who had been following Absalom when he was alive) had an argument and they split. People of Judah remained with David but the Israelites left him.

Lessons I learnt

1. It didn't matter to David who treated him how at his low times, he kept doing the right thing-If we read the account of David fleeing from his son Absalom for fear of being killed and the people who supported him and the people who didn't I find that David did not deal with the people in revenge or the way they treated him. He treated all of them with kindness, whether they deserved it or not."Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Our good deeds should not be dependent on how the other person behaves towards us, but on how our connection is with our Living Lord.
2. Forgiveness- Though we don't see David explicitly forgiving anyone who hurt him, we do see in his actions that his works showed that he had forgiven them and cared for them anyway."4Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.[c] And lead us not into temptation.[d]' " (Luke 11:4) Isn't this one of the main things our Lord Jesus taught us to pray?

Conclusion: Even David's life talks about things that our Lord Jesus wants us to learn, a message from New Testament. To love one another, to do good no matter what the weather condition at your surroundings. Dear God, help us to learn this lesson in our lives, to do good and forgive even as You did not deal with us the way we deserve, but died for us while we were yet sinners. How much more we need to learn from You Lord Jesus. Please teach us to become more and more like You. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.