“Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. [He] used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say,.. ‘See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you… Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.’ And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him…
“Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, ‘As soon as you hear the trumpet, say, “Absalom is king at Hebron!..”’
“A messenger came to David, saying, ‘The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.’ David said to all his servants.., ‘Arise, and let us flee,.. lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword… Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place.’
“They pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel… The Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so [he] might bring harm upon Absalom… They took Absalom and threw him into a great pit and raised over him a very great heap of stones… Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself the pillar that is in the King’s Valley…’to keep my name in remembrance…’
And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, ‘O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!'” 2 Samuel 15:1-5,10,13-14,25; 16:22; 17:14; 18:17-18,33
Two sin-soaked men, father and son, ambitious and errant save for God’s grace. David made poor choices in not disciplining his royal offspring and sadly reaped the consequences. Son Absalom took it upon himself to make things right in every wrong way. David’s heart after God’s quickened at sin, mourned and repented, where Absalom’s bore out revenge, violence, anger, deception, greed, and pride. The Lord corrects ambition by conviction or destruction, and will always ultimately have His way. (2 Samuel 13:22-29,37)
Innate ambition drives either self-constructed, ego-fulfilling endeavors or God’s work and plans. The natural heart is inclined toward promotion and things of the flesh, while the heart for God seeks after His will and glory. God can redirect and redeem every determination. (Isaiah 43:7; Romans 8:5-10)
Are we controlled by self-serving passions, our own ends and way? Or do we trust God’s sovereignty and yield to His methods and timing? What can we do to align our ambition with the Lord’s for us? (Psalm 32:8; Proverbs 3:3-7)
“True ambition is the profound desire to live usefully and walk humbly under the grace of God.” ~Charles Spurgeon
Lord, extricate all errant and selfish ambition and give me a tender heart wholly surrendered to You, Your purposes and glory.
As the rain and snow 