Can earn my way into God’s favor

2 Samuel 22:21-51

There is a time when it is wise when reading Scripture to stop and ponder on what is said, who is saying it, and how I would apply that to my life?  I believe this is one such time as we reread verses 21-25, “The Lord dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands, he rewarded me.  For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God.  For all his rules were before me, and from his statutes, I did not turn aside.  I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from guilt.  And the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.”

First, we have to understand God is not a man, His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.  God looked at David’s heart and saw a man whose desire was to be righteous and He blessed David, not for his performance but for David’s relationship with God.  David's heart was to please God in the way he lived.  So to the best of His ability, David pleased God by obedience and to the best of his understanding keeping God’s ordinances and statutes.

As you reflect on this Scripture in 2 Samuel 22:21-25, you may have this thought come into your mind, “I can earn my way into God’s favor,” is that not how it comes across, and you would be oh so wrong.   Do you recall what we learned in James 2:10, “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.”  We might need the reminder from Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  David sinned, and we know he fell short of keeping all the laws of God, but God looked at David’s heart, and it was to please God.  So God extended grace, has He not also done that for you and me?  In the book of Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.“

Now you may be a hard charger, and if ask you will state, “I want all the grace God will give me” but what you will not say is my brother, have you been paying attention, God and I are in lockstep?  Have you not noticed how much money I give, have you not seen the reports with my name on them of how many mission trips I’ve been on?  Well you know my business has suffered for all I’ve been doing for God.  If that is close you missed the mark, it’s not what you can do for God, but what He wants to do through you.  As you read the remainder of 2 Samuel 22:29-51, David has no delusion about who is giving the victories, it is his faith in what God can do and is doing.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice