Scripture

Our verse for today comes from 2 Samuel 16:5, ” Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continually as he came. ” 

Background

” Here we go again. ” You’ve said or thought that more times than you can count, I’ll wager. And anything can prompt it. A particular situation, a certain person, perhaps a location or environment, maybe the subject matter of a conversation, or your infuriatingly beloved sports team. Whatever it is, past frustrations or disappointments are there, bubbling underneath the surface, pressing and pushing to influence you to expect another unpleasant outcome. And they are a powerful force. Somehow, they use the passage of time to strengthen their case while also diminishing the effects and afterglow of the pleasing moments that have occurred as well. I despise driving through certain sections of certain towns, for I know I will sit through one red light after another, regardless of my timing or the traffic flow. There are a few folks I cross paths with who invariably seem to always have something to complain about, regardless of the company or the gathering. When King David came to Bahurim, it was not his first time. No, for him, Bahurim evoked intense and deep emotions. For it was there that he faced one last time the realization that his wife, Michal, had been given to another man by her father, King Saul. And now, upon David’s arrival, a man from Saul’s family saw fit to continually curse him and throw rocks at him for his decisions and behavior. To be sure, David would have no love lost for the town of Bahurim. 

Application

Except, things were not as bad as one might think. David’s wife had been given away, but it was here that he made a deal to get her back. He might remember the shame of a dispossessed wife, or the tears of the other man, but he could also recall the joyful reunion. And it was also here that the cursings of a stranger opened David’s heart to what God might have been trying to tell him. David’s viewpoint could have been one of dread, of ” here we go again. ” But he chose a perspective of faith and hope, and by all accounts, that’s the path that our Lord wants you and me to choose

Charge

As we seek Him today, resist the urge to expect the worst. Let God show you how He has worked through your past, and ask Him to do the same for your future.

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words