"After this, David inquired of the Lord, saying, 'Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?' And the Lord said to him, 'Go up.' David said, 'To which shall I go up?' And (God) said 'to Hebron'... Now Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Ishbosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. And he made him King over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel..."But the house of Judah followed David."
Saul was dead. His three sons Jonathon (David's best friend), Abinadab and Machishua had also lost their lives in a futile battle with the Philistines. While years earlier, the prophet Samuel had anointed David to be the next king, one would imagine that David would immediately be elevated to the throne. This was God's will, not man's.
But if you and I were to believe the road to the throne was as smooth as could be for David, we would be sadly mistaken.
It seems the head of Saul's army, Abner, had other plans. Saul had another living son. An heir named Ishbosheth and Abner intended that this 40-year-old son of Saul's would be the next king.
Too bad if David was appointed by God. What did this fact matter to Abner? Obviously, nothing at all. And so Saul's son ruled part of the tribes while David ruled the rest.
In 2 Samuel 3:1, this bitter situation was put into
Things didn't happen just the way David thought they should. He didn't march off to the throne with flowers thrown in his path and women hollering at him. Instead 2 Samuel 3: 1 elaborates with these words: "But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker." Evidently, the battle between the two factions persisted for years. It was lengthy, but over time -- someone prevailed -- and it was David who prevailed.
As I pondered this story, I thought about all that David had gone through, running from place to place hiding from Saul. I thought about all the challenges he faced as well as the delays he endured. If I'd been in David's shoes, I would have asked God, "How much longer?" David was following God, but yet, he hit hurtle after hurtle. And I know one thing, I've experienced the same situation.
I think all my ducks are in a row. I've lined things up perfectly. Then from out of nowhere, something enters my space and turns everything upside down and inside out. And you look at God and wonder what He's doing and why He's doing it and maybe, just maybe - if He's forgotten who you are and just how much you can really handle.
What we find from David's life is that the "wilderness time" prepared him for the "waiting time." All he went through prior to arriving at the throne helped him develop the qualities he needed while sitting on the throne.
Maybe right now, things aren't going the way you think they should. David felt just like you are feeling right now. But he didn't let his feelings get him down. Instead, he kept marching to the beat of His Father - walking in His footsteps. He asked for His advice. He watched and listened and then He moved.
Even when the territory was unfamiliar, David kept marching. In the words of William Temple, "Contentment with the Divine will is the best remedy we can apply to misfortune."
"I can say from experience that 95% of knowing the will of God consists in being prepared to do it before you know what it is."
The tongue weighs practically nothing, But so few people can hold it. ~unknown
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