Patience and Faith

2 Samuel 3-5:5

A fairly long passage today but the story naturally flows and it would have been awkward to stop inbetween.

In summary..
-Abner switches sides and helps David gain control of all of Israel
-Joab, brother of Ashael, murders Abner. This death causes David to mourn as David notes of Abner's unjust death.
-Ish-Bosheth, king over Israel and a part of Saul's house, is murdered by two men in his sleep. These two men report to David and face a more severe punishment than that of the man who killed Saul.
-David becomes king over all of Israel just as God promised.

Here's what I find interesting. Again, David knows that the Lord promised him the throne over all of Israel. David did not grow impatient or anxious with the Lord and trusted in His timing. What strikes me most is David's character through it all. While he is waiting, he is continually acting justly and honoring God through his actions. In no way did David do things to dishonor the Lord. Others did but David refused to condone such behavior as noted by the punishment that such men received. Opportunities came up where David could have just said "Yeah thanks man for doing that. He was an obstacle to taking the throne. Now that he's gone, it's all mine!" but David acted justly.

Another thing to note is how little sense this all must have made while it was going on. David knows that he is supposed to inherit the throne. Earlier in 2nd Samuel, he took the throne over Judah. Then Ish-Bosheth took the throne over Israel. After that Abner, a well renowned leader of Saul's army, joins David's side. Right after he joins David's side, he is murdered by one of David's men. Then after that, Ish-Bosheth is murdered. All of this time, I would have lost focused on God's promise and questioned God for everything going on around me. David did not do this. He held on patiently knowing full-well that God would keep His promise. And He did.

While God never promised that I would be ruler over Israel, a well renowned pharmacist, a loving husband and father, He has promised me something so much greater than the aforementioned. He has promised me a relationship with Him and a spot in His kingdom. Despite these ever present troubles and hardships, let's keep our eyes on what God has in store for us! I can say with confidence and conviction that what God has promised is so much greater than anything that is going on in our lives right now. Set your eyes upon His glory and His kingdom and fix them there.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)