Few people today are familiar with the
story of Abner. As a leader of the army during the reign of King Saul, Abner
coordinated military efforts to manage the Philistines. He was a relative and a
trusted confidante of Saul. After the Battle of Gilboa, where Saul was killed,
Abner knew what was needed and facilitated the transfer of power; he had Saul's son Ish-bosheth crowned
as King of Israel. David was crowned as king elsewhere, creating a civil
war. Abner continued to counsel Ish-bosheth until the King accused Abner of taking
one of the royal concubines. Realizing what was involved in the accusation,
Abner fled to David, where regrettably he was killed by one of David's military
chieftains.
Abner's tragic story is filled with
irony, betrayal, and the dangers of life in the royal service in ancient
Israel. While I obviously do not approve of all his choices in life, I realize
that Abner was a wise adviser and mentor who would have been an experienced Elder had he
been a member of Ohio Yearly Meeting. What came to my attention today is the
gravity of the mistake that Ish-bosheth made.
Ish-bosheth faced an identity crisis
throughout life. As one of the younger sons of Saul, he would have grown up
with no thought that he would become king. It was a quirk of history that he
was crowned. After his coronation, however, Ish-bosheth still faced something
that seemed always just outside his reach - a peaceful reign. He was unable
to appreciate the Lord's provision for him (his counselor Abner). Ish-bosheth
was so blinded by trying to get what he could not have that he was willing to
sacrifice what the Lord had given him. In the end, Ish-bosheth lost both Abner
and his crown.
Appreciating what Christ
Jesus has given us
In modern American culture, we too
often find ourselves (like Ish-bosheth) unable
to appreciate what we have. Many of us have beautiful families: a loving
spouse, children, perhaps pets, our book collection (!?), economic
mobility/stability, or other things. Maybe it is just part of human nature that
sometimes we desire something until we obtain it and then take it for granted.
For example, I have a lot of books that I have not read. We are tempted to
forget to appreciate our parents, our family, our worshipping community, or
other people we care about.
The things that the Lord has given me
contribute to the overall trajectory of my life and help me discern when I face
a choice. If He has brought me on a given path, it seems I should appreciate
where I am, value the Lord's provision, and be mindful not to throw people or
things away. I can't discern wisely if I become blinded into pursuing a wrong
course. To me, God's sovereignty includes my acceptance of my current state in
life: what He has given and what He has kept away from me. I can find comfort
even if I wish that things were otherwise.
Lusting for things that I
will not likely obtain
God warns us about lust over and over
(such as Commandment #10). Lust is a powerful motivator. Sometimes the wrong
voice says that the Lord is holding back something that we rightfully deserve,
and we start to do what we can to get it. Look at the list given in Exodus
20:17 - we are warned not to covet our neighbor's house, spouse, employees,
livestock, or things. The word "house" here (bayith) has many
meanings: a dwelling (but at that time Israel was living in tents in the
wilderness), one's extended family, a royal dynasty (the house of David).
It is instructive to consider the
breadth of what we are told not to lust after (covet). It is more than lust
after an object or person that we might see. God is telling us also not to lust
after another lifestyle (such as that found in a royal palace), not to lust
after a more pleasing setting for our lives, not to lust after someone else's
job (such as coveting another's employees), and in general not to lust after
things that we are not likely to obtain anyway.
Of course, we all fall prey to forms
of lust. This is not necessarily bad - when thee is reaching the end of a
chapter in thy life, it is obvious to look forward to new experiences with
anticipation that thy life will improve. This type of yearning is helpful, as
often the Lord places things in thy heart to help thee discern how to enter the
next chapter of thy life. This type of yearning does not involve hurting others
for thy personal gain; it brings an understanding of what thee needs to be
doing or learning to prepare thyself for new parameters in life.
In my own life, I sometimes regret
choices that I made many years ago. If I had made other choices, I would have a
different range of options today. Did I make a mistake then? Perhaps so, but
some of those choices cannot be revisited. The job in life that I am most
suited for is not, and never will be, available to me. I regret my choices that
made it so, and on occasion I have tried to get back on that track for my life.
What has been impressed on me is that that if I try to force it, lusting after
something that is not part of the current trajectory of my life, I will have to
sacrifice a lot of things that I hold dear.
I want to avoid the mistake that
Ish-bosheth made. I am incredibly thankful for the current setting of my life,
including especially my wife and our puppy. Some course corrections in my life are
warranted, and I want to be true to any new direction for service. My life will
not always be as it is now, but for now, in His wisdom, it is this way. In my
current situation, in the early stages of a chapter in my life, I need to plow
ahead in my current trajectory. I still need to learn to appreciate more, and I need to covet less, and I understand that faithfulness to Christ Jesus in
these things will play a major role in my overall happiness and satisfaction in
life.
