Fast and Furious
Today’s Verse:
And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe. ~2 Samuel 2:18
I tend to like to do things fast. I like to walk fast, think fast, and get things out of the way as soon as I can. Being fast can be an asset, but it also can be a liability. Sometimes, we can talk too fast, and that doesn’t help the ones listening to us. Sometimes, we can be moving so quickly that we miss important details. Being fast and furious refers to being reckless due to the speed in which something is being done. This morning, let us see a man named Asahel, who was noted for his speed.
We see the rating.
Asahel was one of three brothers who were among David’s mighty men. David’s mighty men were equivalent to our men in the special forces. These were men who were noted for their courage, skill set, loyalty, and accomplishments. They were David’s inner circle of men whom he looked to in dealing with the enemy. Perhaps the greatest trait was that these men were very loyal to David. Asahel is an encouragement to us in being loyal and exceptional in our service.
We see the running.
“Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.” He was known to be very fast and quick. He was a fast runner. He probably won most of the races he was in. If he was pursuing you, he was likely to catch up with you because of his speed. Fast runners are possessed with confidence in their ability. We should run well. We should run to finish and win. We should run the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.
We see the risk.
Asahel was pursuing after Abner. Abner looked behind him and saw Asahel catching up with him. He warned Asahel that it would not be good for him to catch up and have a confrontation. Asahel kept running after him. The Bible says, “But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.” We must be careful to know when to slow down. We must be careful that we do not run too far ahead of other people so that we leave them in the dust. We must also be careful not to run recklessly and endanger ourselves or people we love. We must be careful of running so hard and fast that we ignore “stop” or “caution” signs that God places in our path. Asahel heard Abner, but he kept on pursuing.
We see the result.
Abner knew that he could not outrun Asahel. He watched closely, and as soon as he came within striking distance, he surprised him by thrusting the back part of his spear into his fifth rib. Asahel did not see it coming. He died while running. On one hand, someone might say that he died courageously while chasing a foe. On the other hand, one might say that he was warned to slow down and stop. It could be said that his confidence in his running did him in. Here are a few closing thoughts. We should not run to be rich. This always leads to loss and regrets. We should not run over other people to get our way. We should not run away in hopes of escaping authority or problems that we must face. We must not run from God. However, we should run from sin. “Flee also youthful lusts.” We should not run with the wrong crowd. We should run the way of God’s commandments. We should run to win the prize. Run, but know when to slow down.
Have an energized God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: 2 Kings 4-5