Gospel Reflections #1128: Daily Opportunities for God to use

2 Samuel 17:22 ‘The king and all the soldiers with him crossed the Jordan immediately. By the time the first light of dawn appeared, not a single man remained who had not crossed the Jordan.’

This scripture depicts a tense moment when King David and his entourage, fleeing the rebellion led by his son Absalom, all safely crossed the River Jordan during the night.

Having received a life-or-death message from Hushai, David’s military adviser, instructing them to ‘cross the River Jordan tonight before Absalom’s pursuit catches up with you’, David and his party marched through the night.

The description that ‘not a single man was left by dawn’ conveys the desperate situation they faced and the sense of urgency in which even the slightest delay was unforgivable.

Ahithophel, Absalom’s other brilliant military strategist, had made a spot-on suggestion: ‘We should launch a night raid on the exhausted David immediately with 12,000 men.’

Had this been carried out, David would surely have been utterly destroyed.

However, because God moved Absalom’s heart to choose Hushai’s proposal—which would buy them time—David was granted ‘one night’s respite’ to cross the River Jordan.

Verse 22 marks the decisive moment when God answered David’s prayer.

‘Crossing the River Jordan’ often signifies an escape from crisis or a transition to a new phase (crossing a boundary).

On the other side of the River Jordan (at Mahanaim, for example), David received generous support from his allies and succeeded in reorganising his forces.

In other words, this verse 22 marked the turning point where David’s ‘flight (rock bottom)’ came to an end and he set out on the path to ‘recovery and victory’.

 Even when we find ourselves in a desperate crisis, God will outwit our enemies and will certainly prepare a way of escape ‘before dawn’.

After receiving the warning, David took action that very night without hesitation.

To receive God’s help, it is essential to be ready to follow the path He has shown us immediately.

Our daily relationship with God has a significant influence on our ability to receive His help and respond swiftly.

Our times of crisis are opportunities for God to work.

It is precisely at such times that we should put our daily faith into full practice.

　AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.