Jump Start # 3703

2 Samuel 24:16 “When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the calamity and said to the angel who destroyed the people, ‘It is enough! Now relax your hand.’”

Our passage today brings an interesting story and a fascinating expression to us. I like the words, “relax your hand.” I’ve had lab techs and nurses tell me to relax my arm before they put a needle in me. Here, the words are directed to an angel.

King David decided that he wanted to take a census of the people. We are not told why. Pride? Future plans? His own commander tried to talk him out of it, but David wouldn’t listen. And, God wasn’t happy. God gave David a choice: War, famine, or disease. Seven years…three months…three days. Which will it be. David, couldn’t or wouldn’t decide. It was his sin, but now others were going to suffer because of him. Some would die because of his foolish decision to number the  people. Since he wouldn’t decide, God made the decision for him. An angel bringing pestilence inflicted the nation. Seventy thousand died—does that number register with you? The angel wasn’t done. He turned his attention to Jerusalem. The capital, the city of David, was going to be destroyed. It is here that our verse is found. God said, enough. Relax your hand. The angel obeyed and the city was spared.

What great lessons are found here for us:

First, there is a time to relax our hand when it comes to punishment. Parents need to understand this. Shepherds in the kingdom need to understand this.  Biblical punishment is intended to turn our feet and hearts back to God. It is not intended to destroy, crush and ruin someone forever. Relax your hand and show compassion. Relax your hand and extend grace. Relax your hand and come running with open arms as the prodigal’s father did.

Our anger can cause us to cross the line. For some, punishment quickly becomes abuse. For others, punishment becomes estrangement and alienation. For some, punishment falls from a bitter and revengeful heart. And, out of that, more harm and damage is created.

There are times to relax the hand.

Second, there is a time to relax the hand and open your ears. Listen. Understand. Allow a person to explain. Some will lie. Some will hide behind excuses. Some will be humble, honest and sorrowful. Each has to be dealt with in what you know. Getting caught up in emotion can allow a person to only hear one side of the story. Off we go, ready to battle, when we need to sit down and first have a conversation.

Third, there is a lesson of relaxing our hand and resting. The weary worker becomes tired. This is especially true of us preachers. Sunday ends, and immediately there begins the thought, “What will I preach on next Sunday.” Another article to write. Another blog. Another podcast. Another class. Ideas. Ideas. Ideas. Sometimes the well runs dry. Leaders who are on the ball recognize this. They realize letting the preacher have some breaks only helps the church. A tired, worn out preacher is just a block away from becoming a burned out preacher. So many of us when we leave our jobs on Friday, we don’t pick it up again until Monday. Doesn’t work that way for the preacher. More than just a vacation now and then, give your preacher a rest from teaching all the time. Allow others to fill in, even when he is there. And, send him away with a few books to read. He’ll come back relaxed, sharp, and ready to hop on the horse and ride it.

Relax your hand. Holding something tight for a long time, can hurt the hand. The same is true of our hearts. The same is true of our work ethics.

We also see in this that God is a just God. Don’t play with breaking God’s commands. Don’t be so shallow to think that because God loves you, He’ll never get upset with you. That may work with your grandma, but grandma isn’t the Lord. David found out.

I wonder, late in David’s life, if he had more tears than joy. It was because of his sin that Bathsheba’s baby died. It was because of his lack of involvement that his son killed another son. It was because of his sin that 70,000 in Israel died. These things  happened because of him. Our choices, our attitudes, our pride may leave a trail of destruction, like a tornado path. While we continue on, there are those around us who have been hurt because of us. It was too late for David to undo what he had done. It’s not too late for you.

Do you need to apologize? Relax your hand and do it.  Do you need to forgive someone? Relax your hand and extend grace. Do you need to have a deep conversation with someone? Relax your hand and make it happen.

It is enough, God said. Relax your  hand. Great lessons for us.

Roger