An Important Question

…How long have I to live?

II Samuel 19:34

David was returning to his capital city after an attempt to overthrow him had ended in disaster. One of his main supporters was a very wealthy man called Barzillai. As David was about to ascend to Jerusalem he offered to Barzillai a place in his court. Barzillai  graciously declined. As he did so, being some eighty years old, he made an interesting remark in the form of a rhetorical question. He asks, ‘How long have I to live?’ We want to consider this question carefully. There are things here that our worthy of our contemplation. First, this is an important question. If we have but a few days or weeks to live, that will drastically alter our plans and preparations. If we have many years, we can afford to relax and take a very casual approach to life. It is critical that we ask this question because if we do not, we will not lay emphasis upon what really matters. We may fritter away our time with scarcely a thought for the future. We can fill our lives with questions of far less importance. We may become consumed with what we are going to eat, where we are going to live, and what we are going to wear. Christ addressed the big questions. He asked, ‘what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?’ He would have us do the same. The question before us is of such magnitude that we ignore it at our own peril. Today, let us consider the question, ‘How long have I to live?’

Our Holy and Wise God,
we praise You that You bring us to consider
the important questions of life.
We rejoice that by Your Wisdom and by Your Grace,
You will lead us to right conclusions.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

‘His Mercies Are Great’

‘And David said… “I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”’

II Samuel 24:14

The best of men are but men, at best. David was the man after God’s Own Heart, however, he made some outstanding errors. In the particular instance out of which our text for today arises, David had sinned in numbering the armies which he had for the defense of Israel. God had forbade this practice years before in order to stop the Israelites from depending upon the size of their armies to guarantee them victory. They were to look to God for their success. Because David willfully ignored this injunction, God relayed to him, by the mouth of His prophet, that He would punish David for his sin. God offered him three choices for his chastisement. ‘So Gad came to David and told him; and he said to him, “Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or shall you flee three months before your enemies, while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ plague in your land? Now consider and see what answer I should take back to Him who sent me.” And David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.” David’s response, and the reasoning he offers as to what he chose, serves as our text today. Notice, he reasons, ‘Please let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercies are great….’ David understood the Character of God. He looked to the Mercy of Christ. We say that, because in Psalm 110 he remarks, ‘The LORD said unto my Lord…’ By that statement, he is drawing a distinction between God the Father and God the Son.  Beyond that, David had a vital relationship with Christ, His Greater Son.  David, when he had failed most specifically, and performed most poorly, relied utterly upon the Mercy of Christ. Here is where we must land ourselves. We fail utterly, and perform badly, time and again. We may expect that God will chastise us appropriately. Having said that, even when we do receive the chastisement which we deserve, let us, like David, rely upon the Abundant Mercy of the Living Christ.

Our most Gracious and Merciful God,
we praise You, that You are Good even when we fail.
We rejoice that Your Mercy is never failing,
and that by Your Gracious Hand,
You will both chastise us and lift us up.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning