Seize the Moment – Day 798
Pursue the Counsel of God’s Will!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, May 24.
Have you ever felt your advice was disregarded? If so, don’t fret, God may be doing something bigger than you can imagine. Pray for God’s will to be done.
Absalom seized Jerusalem and sought separate counsel for his next steps from two men, Ahithophel and Hushai. The former was willing to personally lead a strike force of 12,000 men to strike down David, who was weary and his army was in disarray. The latter, who was still loyal to David, advised against such a quick attack. Hushai seized the moment and wisely played against Absalom’s fears and pride.
While Absalom was manipulated by a master politician, the reality of the situation is revealed in 2 Samuel 17:14, “Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, ‘The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.’ For the Lord had ordained to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring calamity on Absalom.” In response to David’s prayer in 2 Samuel 15:31, “O Lord, I pray, make the counsel of Ahithophel foolishness,” God used Hushai to thwart Absalom’s rebellion. In fact, David had sent Hushai into Absalom’s ranks for this very reason (34).
Tragically, Ahithophel committed suicide soon after Absalom’s rejection of his counsel. The shame would have been too great, and certain judgment would befall him upon David’s victorious return to Jerusalem. Don’t follow his example. Remember that when situations don’t work out the way you think they should, that is a reason to trust God and surrender to His will. Your choice is to either submit to God’s will or to seek after your own will – one leads to life and freedom, the other to death and slavery.
Seize the moment and pursue the counsel of God to walk in His will for your life.