2 Samuel 15:31-37: a reflection

31Someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” David said, “LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.” 32When David had come to the top, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his tunic torn and earth on his head. 33David said to him, “If you pass on with me, then you will be a burden to me; 34but if you return to the city, and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king. As I have been your father’s servant in time past, so I will now be your servant; then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.’ 35Don’t you have Zadok and Abiathar the priests there with you? Therefore whatever you hear out of the king’s house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son. Send to me everything that you shall hear by them.” 37So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city; and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

When David learns that his trusted counselor Ahithophel has joined Absalom's rebellion, he does two things together. First, he prays: LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. And then he acts, sending his friend Hushai back to Absalom's court to counter Ahithophel's counsel from within. David did not only pray and then passively wait, nor only scheme without prayer; he joined earnest prayer with prudent action, asking God to thwart the counsel and also working through Hushai to that end. His prayer and his action went together, each part of trusting God to deliver him.

Notice how David joined prayer with prudent action. Learning of the danger, he prayed that God would turn Ahithophel's counsel to foolishness; and he also sent Hushai to work against that counsel from within Absalom's court. He did not treat prayer and action as opposites, choosing one over the other; he did both, praying earnestly and acting prudently, trusting God to work through both. The prayer was real trust; the action was real prudence; and they went together, neither replacing the other. David asked God to thwart the counsel, and also did what he could to that end. His prayer and his prudent action were both part of his trusting God for deliverance, joined rather than opposed.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can join prayer with prudent action, not treating them as opposites. We can be tempted to think that prayer means doing nothing but waiting, or that acting means we are not really trusting God; but David joined earnest prayer with prudent action, praying that God would thwart the counsel and also sending Hushai to work against it. Prayer and prudent action are not opposed; both can be part of trusting God. Do not treat prayer and action as opposites, choosing one and neglecting the other; join earnest prayer with prudent action, as David did against Ahithophel. Join earnest prayer with prudent action, trusting God through both rather than treating them as opposites, as David prayed that Ahithophel's counsel be turned to foolishness and also sent Hushai to counter it; for prayer and prudent action are not opposed but can go together, and we can both ask God to act and do what we wisely can, trusting him to work through both.

Lord, when David learns that his trusted counselor Ahithophel has joined Absalom's rebellion, he does two things together. First, he prays: LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. And then he acts, sending his friend Hushai back to Absalom's court to counter Ahithophel's counsel from within. David did not only pray and then passively wait, nor only scheme without prayer; he joined earnest prayer with prudent action. Show me how David joined prayer with prudent action. Learning of the danger, he prayed that you would turn Ahithophel's counsel to foolishness; and he also sent Hushai to work against that counsel. He did not treat prayer and action as opposites; he did both, praying earnestly and acting prudently, trusting you to work through both. The prayer was real trust; the action was real prudence; and they went together. David asked you to thwart the counsel, and also did what he could to that end. Take that to my heart, for I can join prayer with prudent action, not treating them as opposites. I can be tempted to think that prayer means doing nothing but waiting, or that acting means I am not really trusting you; but David joined earnest prayer with prudent action. Prayer and prudent action are not opposed; both can be part of trusting you. Keep me from treating prayer and action as opposites, choosing one and neglecting the other; help me join earnest prayer with prudent action, Lord, as David prayed and also sent Hushai, trusting you to work through both.