SOLO Day 38 - 2 Samuel 24:13-25

I extended the passage to include the final 13 verses of the chapter.

I did this because of my own conviction found in the last few verses of chapter 24. David has sinned against God and thousands of people have died due to his error. God has called off the angel delivering the destruction but then tells David to build an alter to him at a specific location. The man who owns the location is Araunah, and he offers to give the land and the sacrifice to David for free. David's response: No way! I'm not going to sacrifice anything that hasn't cost something.

It isn't just the thought that counts-it's the action.

Personally, I probably would have accepted what was offered freely and then chalked it up to God's provision. "God is favoring me because I'm doing what he asked!" But not David. He demands to pay a "good price"-he doesn't even demand a discount. In short, he refuses to give the minimum, because he understands that this represents what he's willing to give to God.

I wonder how this would change our world if we acted the same way. It's not that hard to give something we have plenty of. Ad truthfully, it's pretty easy to give leftovers rather than our best.

Maybe you remember the story of Cain and Abel. Cain killed his brother Abel because God accepted Abel's offering, but rejected his own. But do you know why Cain's offering was rejected? Cain's offering wasn't his best, or his first. His gift didn't honor God and exposed the true nature of his heart! He offered a sacrifice, but it cost him so little. God judged the heart of the offering, and it was rejected. Cain's response was intense bitterness and hatred, when the solution was to simply confess he didn't give his best.

God needs nothing from us and he's not interested in our half-hearted offerings. Our generosity and sacrifice show him our gratitude and the condition of our heart. David understood this, and demanded to give an offering that cost him something-it was important to give God his best!

By the way, this is in no way exclusive to money! What about our time? What about our talents and abilities? What about our very lives? Are we being generous with those things?

Is there any area where you're being stingy with God? Are you withholding your best or what's right in order to get by with the minimum of what's asked of you? May you see that God wants you, wholeheartedly. And may you see that when you give the minimum, it exposes the true condition of your heart.

SOLO Day 37 - 2 Samuel 19:1-8

Take some time and read the passage here

Nothing but questions today: I regularly hear people talking about "balance" in their lives-Is this a biblical principle? Was Jesus balanced? Was Joab out of line with his request? Was David out of line with his emotions? When are we to care for our own emotions and when are we to look to the needs of others? Can they be independent from each other? Do they have to coincide? Are they synonymous?

Wrestling with these questions and more today!

SOLO Day 36 - 2 Samuel 15:3-6

Here's the passage for today!

My life has been a collision of goals, desires and callings intersecting truths, beliefs and convictions. I'm not sure what I've learned along the journey, but there are several principles that come to mind. Here are a few:

-I rarely get to where I want to go on the first path that comes to mind.
-Accomplishment is almost always more difficult than what I originally planned.
-I rarely can predict my emotions when something comes to fruition.
-There are no finish lines, only new opportunities.
-The end never justifies the means.

Two other thoughts are demonstrated in the life of David and came to mind as I was reading this story today.

The first thought that I had about this passage is this: more was written about David's life prior to him becoming king than after. It would be a natural assumption that much more would be written after he takes over the kingdom, because that's where he can make maximum impact. But that's not how the Bible tells his story.

The application for me is simple: Live fully in the moment I'm in. I know that I'm tempted to always be looking ahead, looking for the next big thing. I think that's human nature. But David's kingship is simply a part of his story. It's not the end, just a section. It's not even the pinnacle of his life. Could it be that the greatest moment of David's life was when he was a shepherd and no one knew his name but God? After all, that's when he got to know God and developed into a man after God's own heart. I need to learn to seize the day I'm in, and not solely be focused on what lies ahead.

The second observation I had was this: David had great power, privilege, and prestige, but he was immediately faced with greater struggles as well. It seems almost immediately after David takes the throne, he's forced to deal with major personal issues. David's life was harder after his taking over the kingdom than when he was running for his life. He endured more pain and more hardship after "success" than before!

Too frequently we look with biased eyes at situations and scenarios, unwilling to come face-to-face with reality. We strive for accomplishment and position, but are blind to the responsibilities and challenges that came with it. Remember, the grass is greener where you water it, not on the other side!

So live in the moment and strive to be content. Your life is now!