Have you ever noticed this tremendous oddity in life as people deal with God? As good happens in their life, they credit God with the good. But as bad happens in that same life, they are ever so quick to blame God. Is it not possible that God caused both to happen? Why then do we only allow credit and praise to be given to God when the circumstances please us? As soon as something arises in life that we must bear as a burden, we disapprove and blame God for what we consider bad. But you must consider what is truly bad in life. Unless I can see the entire path before me, I cannot judge or perceive what the correct steps will be to arrive safely at my destination. What if a large branch has fallen and blocks my path? I could easily see this as an obstacle that blocks my progress and is therefore bad. But what I don’t know is that the limb has fallen perfectly to block a dangerous hole that was directly in my path. God had allowed the limb to be there to protect me, but I only saw it as a useless obstacle that hinders my forward progress. You see, there are many burdens in this life that we will not understand, but they are none the less allowed by God for our good. The key is seeing all burdens as being delivered by God for a reason that we might not understand in the moment they are given. The key is to bear them. To bear all burdens as good.
Poor David. His son Absalom has waged an amazing one sided campaign and “stolen the hearts of the men of Israel.” (2 Sam 15:6) He looked good, talked good, made good promises, and the people bought it all at face value. A truth of life...people will hear the message their heart desires clearer than any other. With the support of the people, Absalom invades Jerusalem and King David flees. He grabs what he can and leaves the city he loves. This will be the first of many burdens that David will bear in his exile. But with a “heart after God’s” David will see the burdens in a way that will be foreign to many that read this today. The way of the world today is to blame. To cast the stone of blame at those around us that we see as a cause for our burdens. The world cannot perceive that burdens can in any way bring about good. David leaves the very throne that God had given, knowing that God could take it away. David knew that God was in control…always. David, if anything, believed all burdens came from God. And to walk with God was to confront the trials that God placed before him. David had seen countless highs and lows and with God, he overcame them all. But his experience in this arena is far from over, David will continue to bear numerous burdens. And he will bear them all as good.
Our chapter opens with David and his band of exiles fleeing through the countryside of Israel. They come upon the village where Mephibosheth lived. Recall that Mephibosheth was Jonathan’s son that David restored. As part of the reparations, David gave his servant Ziba to the household of Mephibosheth to handle and care for his estate. As David enters the village of Mephibosheth, he encounters Ziba. Ziba was a soldier of Saul and continues to hold a grudge against David. He concocts a lie that involves Mephibosheth and, in this moment, takes advantage of David’s harried state. He tells David that Mephibosheth has turned against both David and Absalom and after they destroy each other, he is ready to take the throne that truly belongs to him. A bold lie that tears at David’s heart. He has been betrayed by his own son, forced from his home, and now learns that the man he had brought to his table in reconciliation, hated him. Just when David thought his burden couldn’t become heavier, more weight is added.
As David moves on, he comes to the next village and encounters a man by the name of Shimei. Shimei was what we would call a radical supporter of Saul. Even though Saul has been dead for years, this man would not easily forget his political support of Saul. As David passes through the village Shimei hurls a vicious barrage upon him. He curses him, he accuses him, and he physically throws stones at David. This man holds great hate for David, not truly because of who he is or what is in his heart, but simply because he took office from Saul. We see this in droves today in the world around us. People that spew hate, anger, and venom at one political candidate, not because of who they are, but because they are simply a member of the "wrong" party. Somehow, we become oblivious to the golden rule. That they are people, with a heart, with emotions, with real feelings...just like us. We cast blame, accusations, curses and throw verbal stones at these men and women not ever thinking of what if the shoe was on the other foot. Apparently for millions today, the command of God to “love as you want to be loved” only applies to compartmentalized portions of life. One of them obviously not being their political beliefs. Just as David is juggling one too many balls of burden, another is tossed into the air.
By now Absalom has moved into Jerusalem, his eyes on the palace. He and his followers move into the royal home and set up shop. Their immediate goal? Not to set up ruling order but to do damage. Folks an evil heart has only one goal, to create and spread more evil. David had left behind 10 concubines to care for the palace and Absalom quickly sets his sights on them. In this era of circa 950 BC, there was no greater way to shame a king than to violate his concubines. So that is exactly what Absalom does. On the rooftop of the very palace. In broad daylight. For all the city to behold. Absalom had a heart that could not have been more different than his fathers.
Throughout this chapter, David sees one burden after another placed upon his shoulders. The weight was moving beyond what was capable for a man to carry. But folks, that is the beauty of the heart that beat within the chest of David. It had moved beyond just being a mere human heart. After giving that heart to God, it became like God. And a heart for God can handle the burdens of this world, not in its own strength, but the strength of God. David did not see good and bad, just that all was given by God, for a reason and a purpose. And so, David bore it all as good.
Friends, today we will struggle with discerning good and bad in this life. We will assume that what is good came from God and what is bad is some type of cosmic punishment. But think deeply about this as you reason how bad could ever be considered good. Think about a man that hung on a Cross 2,000 years ago. He had been falsely accused, denied a proper trial, mocked, and ridiculed. He had then been imprisoned, beaten, flogged and tortured. Ultimately, He was forced to carry the very tool upon His shoulders on which He would die. He carried the burden of His own death. I think it’s obvious to say that none of this is remotely good. In that moment, anyone that watched this would think that God had forsaken Him. That He was being punished and tortured for some bad committed in his life. Yet there was no bad in this life. The Son of Man was sin free, a perfect life lived. But folks, out of that bad came the single biggest good that has ever existed. Out of that death and resurrection came the salvation of the world.
Today, carry your burdens to the glory of God. Don’t see them or label them as good or bad…just as necessary. God will never aimlessly present you with difficulties. They are carefully and predictavely placed in your life at just the perfect moments. To strengthen you, to prepare you, and to increase you. To build your faith in God. For you see, you cannot carry the burdens yourself, but only through that growing faith, can you allow God to shoulder the very burdens He gives you.
May God bless you with great faith as you carry the burdens He has given you today.
“And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3-5
“My dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful test you are suffering, as though something unusual were happening to you. Rather be glad that you are sharing Christ's sufferings, so that you may be full of joy when his glory is revealed.” 1 Peter 4:12-13
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