Growin' Up Gregory

2 Samuel 9:13 - "And tell Amasa, 'Aren't you my flesh and blood?  May God punish me and do so severely if you don't become commander of my arm from now on instead of Joab!'" The setting:  David's kingdom has begun to crumble.  His son Absalom who has nearly overtaken his kingdom has now been killed.  However, there is still a threat of civil war in the country with many more lives than the 20,000 already lost at risk.  Trust on all sides is broken and there is great disunity in the country.  Sound familiar? How can a leader attempt to rectify this situation?  You're grieving the loss of a son, people are hurting, and trust and life is hanging by a delicate thread. David made a bold move in his attempt to restore trust and order to the land.  He replaced one of his longest tenured and closest allies, Joab, with Amasa, a former ally of his rival and son, Absalom.  This maneuver "sent a message of reconciliation to those who had supported ...

Most of us probably did this when we younger before reality seemed to set in and life got hard.  But let's step back from today's tough reality and take a few minutes to dream.  Imagine this situation:  You've just been reminded of your many great accomplishments and victories in life, all the obstacles you've overcome and the battles you've won.  You're the CEO of your business or the king of your empire, well respected in all that you do.  You have a home where you and your family can live comfortably.  And you have rest or peace, physically from enemies, as well as mentally and emotionally.  Then to top it all off, you've been assured that your children will have a good life and your legacy will be one of great respect.  Nice day, huh.   Well that's precisely the situation that David found himself in in 2 Samuel 7.  He was the undisputed king of Israel, he had begun building a great palace, planned to build a temple, and was cons...