2 Samuel 3:17-21: a reflection

17Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past, you sought for David to be king over you. 18Now then do it! For the LORD has spoken of David, saying, ‘By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.’” 19Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin; and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin. 20So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast. 21Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires.” David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

Abner, having turned to David, sets about bringing all Israel to make David king, according to the word God had spoken. He reminds the elders that they had long wanted David as king, and that God had promised, By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel; and he goes to work to gather all Israel to David, to make him king over all. Abner labored to bring about what God had declared, working to unite the people under the king God had chosen. He did not merely wait for God's purpose to happen; he set himself to advance it, working toward the fulfillment of what God had promised.

Notice Abner's working to advance God's declared purpose. God had spoken of David as the one who would save Israel; and Abner, rather than merely waiting for it to come about, set himself to advance it, going to the elders, gathering the people, working to bring all Israel under David as king. He cooperated with God's purpose, laboring toward its fulfillment, using his own effort to help bring about what God had declared. God's purpose did not exclude human effort to advance it; Abner worked to bring about what God had promised. There is a place for laboring toward the fulfillment of what God has declared, for cooperating with his purposes by our own effort, as Abner worked to make David king.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can work to advance the purposes God has declared, cooperating with them by our effort. We can treat God's purposes as something to wait for passively, as though our effort had no part in them; but Abner worked to advance what God had declared about David, laboring to bring it about. There is a place for cooperating with God's purposes, for setting ourselves to advance what he has said, working toward its fulfillment. Do not treat God's declared purposes as something merely to wait for passively; where you can, work to advance them, as Abner worked to bring Israel to David. Work to advance the purposes God has declared, cooperating with them by your own effort rather than merely waiting passively, as Abner labored to bring all Israel to David whom God had chosen; for there is a place for laboring toward the fulfillment of what God has promised, and we can cooperate with his purposes by setting ourselves to advance them.

Lord, Abner, having turned to David, sets about bringing all Israel to make David king, according to the word you had spoken. He reminds the elders that they had long wanted David as king, and that you had promised, by the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel; and he goes to work to gather all Israel to David. Abner labored to bring about what you had declared, working to unite the people under the king you had chosen. He did not merely wait for your purpose to happen; he set himself to advance it. Show me Abner's working to advance your declared purpose. You had spoken of David as the one who would save Israel; and Abner, rather than merely waiting for it to come about, set himself to advance it, going to the elders, gathering the people. He cooperated with your purpose, laboring toward its fulfillment, using his own effort to help bring about what you had declared. Your purpose did not exclude human effort to advance it. There is a place for laboring toward the fulfillment of what you have declared. Take that to my heart, for I can work to advance the purposes you have declared, cooperating with them by my effort. I can treat your purposes as something to wait for passively, as though my effort had no part in them; but Abner worked to advance what you had declared about David. There is a place for cooperating with your purposes, for setting myself to advance what you have said. Keep me from treating your declared purposes as something merely to wait for passively; where I can, help me work to advance them, Lord, as Abner worked to bring Israel to David whom you had chosen.