On the road God’s placed you, Do the next thing…….

I was talking to a friend this morning about roads we travel, and how God meets us in the middle of our “sameness”….. just doing the things we’re supposed to be doing that day, in the rhythm of our lives. He meets us there and takes us on. But what about those times when we take a different road than the one He’s placed us on?

2 Samuel 11:1

In the spring of the year, the time when Kings go out to battle, David sent Joab……

Let’s stop there— 

The story starts off like a “good read”— poetic even ….”In the spring of the year when King’s go out to battle….”

If you don’t read it too fast, perhaps your mind has time to garner up all kinds of mental pictures —

It’s spring

The hard, cold, barrenness of winter has passed 

It’s time (some things just seem to have “their season”, if you will. Winter is over, spring has come, now back to work— back to the task at hand.)

And for King David (and for all kings within that day and time and culture), being King meant that you led your people. You did what was right. And for them in that day, and time, and culture what was right was to maintain their borders (we hear a lot about that in our news today, don’t we!!) Well, they, too, had the job of protecting their nation’s people… of keeping them safe. And for King David, as the king of the nation of Israel.. God’s own chosen people,… he had the responsibility to do what he must do to keep them protected spiritually — protected from the pagan influences of the surrounding ungodly nations… the enemies of God, if you will.

But this spring….. when it was time for Kings to go out to battle, David sent Joab……

Humph….. we see a shift in the narrative! Suspense arises in our minds! (don’t be a fast reader— allow the words to come in, give time for ponderment!!) What’s this mean David? If you are supposed to go, why are you not! Why are you sending another? What will this mean? Can this be good?

Let’s read on…. David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

Those last 5 words — But David remained at Jerusalem…..  these 5 words will stand as a marker for what will turn out to be a turning point in David’s life. 

Some choices and decisions we make will have ramifications and consequences that will actually altar our course, so to speak! (Kinda like GPS used to say…. we are re-calculating your route, when you made a wrong turn!!) You can still get there, but the journey may just be a whole lot tougher!