TODAY’S SCRIPTURE 2 Samuel 12:19-20
In diametric opposition to yesterday’s thought, God doesn’t expect us to worship Him solely in the good times. He desires our worship in the bad times as well.
But this can be quite difficult, can’t it? How do we worship when the money is gone? When we’ve been given 30 days to live? When our friends have abandoned us? How do we praise the Almighty when our spouse has cheated on us and shattered our heart?
I love King David’s example in 2 Samuel 12. The “man after God’s own heart” reaches deep and reminds us to be faithful, even when we want to be faithless.
David is in a terrible situation because of his own choices. He has not only committed adultery, but he has planned a murder and tried to cover it up with lies.
Bathsheba is about to give birth. Uriah is dead. So God gives David the punishment — the child he conceived out of wedlock would also die. For an entire week, David pleads with God to change His mind, but God goes through with the plan.
Yet once the child has died — and once David has finished his fasting and has dried his tears — Scripture says, “Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped.”
Did you catch that? David worships (2 Samuel 12:20).
He gives honor to whom honor is due, even when his life is consumed by sorrow.
But that sweet worship jolts David to higher ground. He finishes his kingship with honor, serving the true King with love and admiration.
Today, I will…refuse to allow any burden to betray my worship. I will acknowledge who God is and I will acknowledge who I am. In the good and in the bad I will say, “Blessed be the name of the Lord.”