DAILY GUIDE DEVOTIONAL: Leave Vengeance For God

 Text: 2 Samuel 16:1-23

The text recounts the many troubles that David had to go through on his day of calamity. His own son had betrayed him. Absalom had conspired and deliberately executed his bloody plan to overthrow his own father and become king. To the extent that the king had to leave the comfort of his house and run into the wilderness to save his life. He didn't wait to see if Absalom really meant his threats, he just left the scene and at the end God saved his life and restored him back. The lesson here is that it takes wisdom and humility to know when to quit. We should not undermine our enemies but do the needful to remain safe, even if it means leaving the scene for a moment.

Shimei's curses would be likened to what Jesus suffered in the hands of his accusers the priests , the scribes and the soldiers. (John 18-19) yet like a sheep being taken to the sharers he uttered not a word. He committed everything into God's hands. Sometimes, like the sons of Zeruiah  or Peter in John 18:10, we are drawn towards vengeance, but Jesus would have none of it and neither would David. They both would say, "it is my cup to drink since God allowed it". Seeing our afflictions in this perspective helps us to give glory to God even in the midst of our travails and depend solely on him for vengeance. 

Absalom, Ziba, Shimei, Ahitophel and  Hushai are all examples of the various shades humans can take in every given situation. One thing remains true, it is our reactions or inactions to the behaviour of people towards us, especially, in our moments of difficulty that determines what happens to us. If we refuse to allow people's wrong opinions and wrong perception of us to affect us then we have succeeded in reducing the power they have over us. The confidence to do this comes only from knowing whom we have believed and the promises he's made to us.

PRAYER: father we thank you for we know that you have everything under control. No matter what happens keep us focused on this one fact that you will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear and that you will always make a way of escape for us. This way we will trust you and not look for revenge on those who despise us. This we submit in Jesus name. Amen!

Read also: Victory All the Way