God is Listening

Based on 2 Samuel 19-21, Psalm 61

Our prayers ARE being answered by God. Even if we don't understand the timing. Even if we don't see a miracle right away. God is bringing things together exactly as they should be, but we have to join with Him and be a part of His plan. We can't force it, but it's faith-filled prayers that will help us see the promises unfold! God is listening, and we can tell by these examples with David of scenarios where the prophecies or consequences from past situations come back as either blessings or a cursings. God honors the things we speak, so we have to be careful with our tongues sometimes!

Shimei was a man who, in times past, spoke angry and hurtful words to David. David did nothing to this man, and God honored that. Now, out of nowhere, this man came humbling himself in sorrow before David:

"And said unto the king, Let not my Lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my Lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my Lord the king."
2 Samuel 19:19‭-‬20

At this point, better to gain a friend than an enemy! People remember the good we do, and God sometimes uses them to come back at appointed times to help us out or encourage us, just like we encouraged them. People remembered David, and David remembered others who did good to him too:

"Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man. And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem. And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?" 2 Samuel 19:32-34

Barzillai showed kindness unto David in the past, and David wanted to do the same for him. He was in his senior years, so he could not go as far as David wanted him to. But, he went as far as he could, then another servant went the rest of the way. We need to go as far as we can for others, and go as far as we can with God! We cannot stop short on our walk. It all starts in prayer. In our belief that God IS listening, and He has an abundant life ahead of us, even if we can't see it right now.

"Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites."
2 Samuel 21:1

In good times AND in bad, David knew God would listen. He enquired and asked God why they were going through this famine...honestly, David probably had a lot of "why" questions for God! But as we can see in Scripture, God always has a reason! We get so angry because we can't see the full story yet like we can while reading the Bible...but that's because God is not done yet! Just wait and see all the good ahead, even in the bad times...and that's what David received from The Lord. The reason they were in a famine was due to a choice Saul made. He broke the oath with the Gibeonites. He slew them instead of spared them. So, David had to repay the Gibeonites:

"Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, whom the Lord did choose. And the king said, I will give them. But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the Lord's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul."
2 Samuel 21:6‭-‬7

Even still, David remembered Mephibosheth Saul's son and spared him. Two of the sons hanged by the Gibeonites were from a woman named Rizpah. She still desired to mourn & intercede for her dead sons. David even received word of this. She mourned in sackloth. She still wanted the best for them as a mother. Remember Moms, God is listening, and we can't wait until it's too late to pray in depth for our children!

"And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night." 2 Samuel 21:10

There were still giants to kill for David because Saul did not finish them off during his reign. There were many past things which had repercussions in the future. But it's just more evidence that God sees. God listens. God honors. And God is just! Many good relationships spring up for David from the past as well. Let's remember this and walk through life intentionally!