Word of Encouragement (11/07/2023)

Then the king said to Zadok, "Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place. ²⁶ But if he says, 'I have no pleasure in you,' behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him." (2 Sam. 15:25-26)

Even though this is not a prayer, it reflects what David prayed in his heart. He uttered these words when he was fleeing from Absalom, who raised a coup d’état against his father. David had come face to face with death before on many occasions, but this was the closest he came to death and, understandably, in the most painful way. We can’t imagine what it feels like to be hated so much by your son that he tries to humiliate you and kill you.

We can see how low David had sunk in his spirit by these words. What we sense here is his total resignation. Zadok the priest suggested to David that he bring the Ark of the Covenant with him. The ark symbolized God’s presence. As such, its presence in David’s camp would testify to the legitimacy of David’s kingship as God’s chosen servant. That might have been a good PR move to influence public opinion in some way. (But, remember, this was way before the days of cell phones and social media.)

David did not go along with Zadok’s suggestion. He knew that the ark was not his personal property to take with him wherever he went. He knew that it was not right for him to embroil the sacred ark in this political turmoil. Jerusalem was Israel’s capital, and “his dwelling place” was there: the ark should remain there.

David also knew that bringing the ark with him would not do anything for him if the LORD had abandoned him: “...if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.” The ark was not a magical tool that guaranteed God’s presence no matter who possessed it; without God’s presence, it was just an ark, no more than just a piece of furniture. He also knew that, if God intended to rescue him, He could do so without the ark: “If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and let me see both [the ark] and his dwelling place.”

We can see that David had wholly resigned himself to God’s mercy. This didn’t mean that he did not just plop down and refuse to do anything. He was still running away. He was still giving various directions to his allies. But he also knew that all these things were in vain if God did not bless his efforts.

But David did not have to wait till he was rescued to enjoy God’s mercy. By surrendering wholly to God, he experienced a deep sense of serenity. Because of that serenity, he did not have to clutch onto anything and everything for a sense of security. That’s why he could tell Zadok (and Abiathar) to take the ark back to Jerusalem. He also told Ittai the Gittite to remain in Jerusalem because he was a foreigner who “came [to David] only yesterday” (v. 20).

What are you struggling with these days? Are there things you can do? If so, do them without putting them off. But are you looking to anything and anyone to be your savior and rescuer and clutching onto them with your dear life? I hope that you will only look to God as your faithful Helper, without whom even the ark of the covenant will not be any help to you. May you learn to surrender yourself to God wholly so you can have the serenity to do what is right in looking to God as your Help and Shield.