Daily Devotional

“So it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him, that he would put out his hand and take him and kiss him. In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So, Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel” (2 Samuel 15:5, 6). 

One of the oldest forms of crime in the world is pickpocketing. It is an appealing form of stealing since it is done without confrontation. A skilled pickpocket can often make off with just about as much money as an armed robber but without the risk. By the time a victim realizes he has lost his wallet, the pickpocket is long gone. 

Pickpockets look for vulnerable people with backpacks or purses wide open. But if a wallet is close to the victim’s body, the pickpocket has to make contact with the person without arousing suspicion. So, he will “accidentally” bump into the victim and apologize while the partner lifts the goods. 

Absalom, son of King David, was a master at stealing. When people came to Jerusalem with a lawsuit, he would sympathize with their case. As David became more reclusive and his administration grew sluggish, Absalom pressed himself forward and gained popular favour with the people. Promising to bring justice quickly and quietly, he “stole the hearts of the men of Israel” (2 Samuel 15:6). 

David loved Absalom, causing him to overlook his son’s true intentions. David thought the people’s praise of Absalom was a compliment to himself. He was unaware of the artful scheming of this renegade within his own family until it was too late. 

When Lucifer, the highest angel, began to jealousy eye the throne of God, he worked like a pickpocket. Quietly mingling with the angels of heaven, this subtle worker of iniquity stirred up discontent in the hearts of his fellow angels until they believed God was unfair. Satan stole the hearts of the angels and eventually won a third to his cause. 

It’s worth your time to be wary of the manoeuvres of the devil before he steals your heart. 

Dear God, today I place my life in the only safe place—in Your hands.