We All Want the Shortcut

Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul . . . 2 Samuel 4:8

My son and I are planning on running a long race this fall, which requires us to start preparing now. I long to know the fulfilment that will come from training for the next five months. I just don’t want to wait five months to experience that gratification. It was in this state of waiting, that I encountered a box of donuts at work yesterday, which I knew would bring me pleasure and satisfaction . . . right now.

This is my life problem. My flaw isn’t that I desire affirmation, pleasure and joy, but that I pursue those appetites in the wrong way. I do not want to diet, exercise, or practice self-control. I just want gratification now. The flaw of course, is that immediate gratification always means some painful payment later.

Two brothers, Rechab and Baanah, found this out in today’s passage. After Saul’s death, one of his sons, Ish-bosheth, was crowned king. These two brothers knew that David was God’s anointed king and sought to accelerate His plan. Their flaw was not that they wanted David to be their king. Their flaw was that they murdered Ish-bosheth in his sleep and brought his head to David. We did this for you. Your welcome!

 David immediately had the two brothers put to death. He understood that God wanted him to be king, but he was willing to wait. He did not kill Saul when he had the chance and he did not want his son murdered. He wanted to be king the right way, which is why he deserved to be king.

This is where we all find ourselves. We all long to experience peace, joy, pleasure and satisfaction. This is not wrong, but there is a right and a wrong way to find those things. When we pursue fulfillment in our flawed appetites, we sow the seeds of our own misery. It is only when we patiently wait on God, following His will, that we find true purpose meaning, peace and joy.