2 Samuel 15:25-26 Then the king ordered Zadok, “Take the Chest back to the city. If I get back in God’s good graces, he’ll bring me back and show me where the Chest has been set down. But if he says, ‘I’m not pleased with you’—well, he can then do with me whatever he pleases.”

This was probably the most difficult time in David’s life. His son had revolted against him, taking a large number of David’s followers with him. Jerusalem was no longer a safe place, and David had to take his belongings and flee.

However, the priests Zadok and Abiathar still supported David and took the ark of the covenant with them. They wanted God’s presence to go with David. But David did something very special and told Zadok to take the ark back to Jerusalem.

It’s quite strange, because it seems as if David didn’t want God with him, but there’s actually a great deal of wisdom in this gesture. David didn’t want to use the ark as a lucky charm. You see, David knew that God’s presence was not confined to the ark. He didn’t need to have the ark with him to know that God was with him and could help him.

David opened everything, loosened it and surrendered it into God’s hands. “If God doesn’t want me anymore, I accept it. I am in His hands, and He can do with me whatever He wants.” As my friend always says, “It is what it is.” It means leaving everything in the hands of the Lord and accepting His will, no matter which way the coin falls.

David did not try to manipulate God. He certainly wanted to return to his throne, but it was much more important to him that God’s will be done than his own.

It is only within an intimate relationship with God that such a shift can take place. The driving force behind our lives is no longer what I want, but a quiet trust in God, no matter what comes. We surrender to His will and live at peace with the outcome He determines.

David could lose everything: his throne, his house, his kingdom and even his life. Yet, he could put everything in God’s hands. And perhaps this is exactly what we need to do now: to trust, to place everything in God’s hands, and to submit to His decision about our lives. And it’s not that easy to leave everything in His hands just like that.

Prayer
Father, I’m trembling, but I don’t want to and cannot do otherwise. I put everything in Your hands and trust only in Your will for the outcome …

Questions
Is there anything in my life that I am still trying to control instead of surrendering it to God?
Do I trust God only when things are going well, or also when I don’t understand the outcome?
Is God’s will more important to me than my own plans and dreams?

Do this now
Write down the one thing you want to surrender to God today.
Pray about it and say, “Lord, it’s in Your hands now. I trust You with the outcome.”
Every time you find yourself worrying about it again, remind yourself, “It’s in God’s hands.”