(2 Sam. 3:39.)

Joab always had a strange influence over, or rather independence of king David. The expression we have quoted occurs in connection with David's lament over the murder of Abner by Joab. David had lately been anointed king at Hebron over Judah, and there were most hopeful signs of a complete reconciliation of the ten tribes with the two, and the turning over of the entire kingdom to David by Abner. Everything looked well for this, and after a most encouraging interview with David, Abner had departed to carry his promises into effect. Joab returning and finding what had been done, jealous no doubt, of the prestige which Abner would gain in this way, hating the man also for the death of his brother Asahel in battle, most treacherously killed him.

Joab was a man full of fleshly energy, with all the passions of a rough, unscrupulous soldier. He was apparently loyal to his master, and yet his heart was not right, as we see once and again through his history, and particularly in his failure to follow the mind of God in connection with Solomon as the successor of David. A study of his life will furnish many profitable lessons, but we wish to look a little at this confessed weakness on the part of David :"I am this day weak, though anointed king, and these sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me."

This is a most humiliating confession on the part of one of God's heroes, a man who had met and defeated Goliath; who had victoriously led the armies of Israel in their conflicts with the Philistines; who, with his little band of loyal followers, had held his own against all the malice and power of King Saul. Surely it was not faith in David to say this, and one strong, firm act then, at the beginning of his reign, would have freed him from many an after sorrow through this same man Joab.

It will be remembered that Joab was the tool who carried out the king's awful purpose in the death of Uriah the Hittite, and that later it was through him Absalom was restored to his opportunity for rebellion. There is a very striking connection between king David's relations to Joab and his glaring failures. Joab was a relative according to the flesh, and it would seem to remind us that fleshly ties have to be watched most carefully or they will prove not a help but a hindrance.

But leaving the historical connection, we may gather some profitable lessons in meditating upon these humbling words:"Too hard for me." Let us put alongside of them at the very beginning," Is any thing too hard for the Lord ? " and ask ourselves which is the language of faith.

The young believer starts out on his course, full of joy and liberty. The freshness of his first love is in his heart; he has had a glimpse into the land of promise. The shackles of Egypt have so lately dropped off that he has not forgotten that galling bondage; the groans of servitude and the terrors of judgment are too vivid to prevent a most lively sense of gratitude, while his rest in the finished work of Christ and his joy in the Lord are like an up-springing well. He indeed feels girded as a strong man, and in his prosperity he says:" I shall never be moved."

Nor can we say one word against this. Would to God it were an abiding experience of His people!
He surely intends that it should be. Let us remember that whatever our experiences of discouragement may be, they were never intended by God. He permits them and makes use of them to teach us humbling lessons as to ourselves, and to deepen in our souls great truths which we thought we had learned. If we will learn them by faith, He will never have us pass through painful experiences to learn them.

But to go on. The remembrance of past mercies grows fainter. The first strength has spent itself. A slight reaction sets in. The regular routine of life, with much of monotony, with many discouragements and difficulties, begins to loom up, and in many cases to overshadow the brightness of that joy that marked the morning of our Christian life. Let us look at this a little in detail.

Perhaps the first thing that proves " too hard " for the young believer is to find that mockery or neglect -in fact, persecution in a small way, hurts and disheartens him. There is a quiet scorn in the treatment of old friends. Those at home who do not know Christ, test the reality of his new found joy, and before he is aware of it, in answer to some bitter jest, hot words of resentment have been given. How humbling it is to him !And how he feels that he has lost what he cannot regain, a prestige in his home ! These relations of the flesh have proved "too hard " for him. He has not been able to go on quietly and simply and humbly with God; he has got down to their level, and of course has been overcome.

This leads, of course, to a searching of heart, being cast upon God, and to renewed effort to fresh faithfulness with, no doubt, fresh lessons of humbling failure. The sons of Zeruiah are still strong and hard. Then various trials come in. The reading of the Scriptures becomes a task. Some old temptation is yielded to; some carnal amusement is taken up, or an old association, broken off for Christ's sake, is renewed, and the once happy and bright Christian becomes utterly discouraged, thinks of giving up the idea of special devotedness, wants to drop down into the ordinary life of the average professor, and when reasoned with about it all, lays the blame upon whatever has come in-friends, or circumstances, or whatever it may be.

Do not some of our readers know the meaning of all this ? As their eyes follow these lines may it not be true of them ? They have lost the brightness; the flesh has proved too strong for them, the world too attractive, and as a matter of fact, instead of leading a victorious life " more than conquerors through Him that loved us," they are making the humiliating confession of King David:"These sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me."

Emphasize that last word, dear reader, and you will have it correct; they are too hard for you, and that has been your mistake all along. Did you think that you could confess Christ in your own strength, in the home, in business, or among old associates ? That you would be able to throw off good-naturedly the little jests and unkind words that might be said about you ? That you could stand the scorn and go sturdily forward in your own strength ? Ah, you had forgotten those words of our Lord Jesus, "Without Me ye can do nothing." Remember Peter's experience. Contrast his stout words:" I am ready to go with Thee both to prison and to death," his vainglorious brandishing of the sword, effecting nothing for his Lord, and finally the question of a servant girl overthrowing all his courage and leading him to absolute denial of his Lord and Master.

The lesson is obvious. It was "too hard" for Peter, because he was trusting in himself. He had to learn that there was nothing good in himself, and that even the will to be loyal to Christ could not be carried into effect without a power not his own. So let us look calmly at all our enemies and at our duties too, and as we take each one up in detail, let us acknowledge in all sincerity:This is "too hard for me." I must go to the Lord for help. Do you think you will fail if you do that ? Impossible. The moment we are convinced that we have no strength of our own and are cast upon the Lord, His strength comes in.

Apply this truth to all the varied details of our daily life. Enlarge upon it; meditate upon it. Let us get something practical out of it as a result. We too are kings, "kings and priests unto God." Let us not have to make the continued and humiliating confession of King David:"These sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me," and yet allow them to go on in their self-will. Let us have done with them. Let us turn from them in all the consciousness of our weakness unto Him who has said:"Sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under law, but under grace."

Let us take courage, then, not in ourselves, but for the very opposite reason. We have reached the end of our resources. We are perfectly conscious of our own weakness; we will not seek to do any duty or overcome any evil in our own strength. It is "too hard " for us. We will turn to One who has asked the question which has never yet been answered save in one way:"Is anything too hard for the Lord? " and we can with each detail say:" Lord, this is not too hard for Thee."