Abundance Mentality!
Psalm 116:8-14
8 For you, Lord, have delivered me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,
9 that I may walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
10 I trusted in the Lord when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
11 in my alarm I said,
“Everyone is a liar.”
12 What shall I return to the Lord
for all his goodness to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord.
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.
Reflection: David proclaims God deliverance when he was at his low point. And his deliverance led to him being able to further magnify who God was in the presence of everyone. Anything good that happened in David’s life, he ascribed to the Lord being with him and delivering him. We can see why David was a man after God’s own heart, because he did not let pride take credit from God. As the Chronicles says, “God’s eyes look to and fro for those whose hearts are committed to him.”
God still looks today for those whose hearts He can trust! Number one quality he looks for, “Those who are willing to let God glorify himself through them.” David was always willing to call on, completely trust in and then commend himself to God’s grace. He is a great model of a servant’s heart that we would do well to emulate.
1 Samuel 26,27
David Again Spares Saul’s Life
26 The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?” 2 So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand select Israelite troops, to search there for David. 3 Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul had followed him there, 4 he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived. 5 Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him. 6 David then asked Ahimelek the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?” “I’ll go with you,” said Abishai. 7 So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him. 8 Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t strike him twice.” 9 But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? 10 As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. 11 But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go.” 12 So David took the spear and water jug near Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep. 13 Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them. 14 He called out to the army and to Abner son of Ner, “Aren’t you going to answer me, Abner?” Abner replied, “Who are you who calls to the king?” 15 David said, “You’re a man, aren’t you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn’t you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king. 16 What you have done is not good. As surely as the Lord lives, you and your men must die, because you did not guard your master, the Lord’s anointed. Look around you. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?” 17 Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is that your voice, David my son?” David replied, “Yes it is, my lord the king.” 18 And he added, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of? 19 Now let my lord the king listen to his servant’s words. If the Lord has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. If, however, people have done it, may they be cursed before the Lord! They have driven me today from my share in the Lord’s inheritance and have said, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20 Now do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the Lord. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea—as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.” 21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have been terribly wrong.” 22 “Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of your young men come over and get it. 23 The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness. The Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. 24 As surely as I valued your life today, so may the Lord value my life and deliver me from all trouble.” 25 Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, David my son; you will do great things and surely triumph.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.
Reflection: In an almost identical situation to the previous story, David and his partner Abishai sneak into Saul’s camp as Saul and his men are sleeping. Notice the Lord caused them to fall into a deep sleep. (I wish he would do that for me sometime!) Abishai offered to take out Saul with one thrust of the spear, but David again defers because he could not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. When Saul recognizes David’s voice, he again expresses remorse and promises to not harm him but to bless him.
David realizes that this will only be a temporary thing and Saul’s pride will overcome him, so he withdraws to the land of the Philistines and forms a pact with Achish. From there, he continues to be successful in whatever he does, and does not leave a man or woman alive for fear they will come back to seek revenge on him.
David continues to be characterized by restraint as God’s honor is more important to him that personal revenge. He takes the high road and is blessed because of it. Where do you need to take the high road in a relationship that will result in showing that God is control of your life?
John 6:1-15
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
6 Sometime after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near. 5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. 14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
Reflection: One of the things Jesus needs to negotiate is a constant balance between the crowds who are following him, his time to teach the disciples what the signs mean, and his time to get away for retreat to be with His Father. We would do well if we choose to follow him to closely to observe how Jesus interacts in all three realms. This story of the feeding of the five thousand is one of the only stories included in all four gospels. John adds his own particular details such as the boy with the barley and fish, and the 12 basketfuls left over, possibly with theological significance to the twelve tribes of Israel.
As God provided manna in the wilderness for the Jews, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life.” Like all his signs, the provision of the food is pointing to the provision God has made in His Son. The significance of the leftovers shows how when God supplies there is an abundance, and we will have to be wary to collective the overflow. A lot of us live with a “scarcity mentality”, always wondering if there will be enough to go around. But, Jesus teaches the disciples and us that with him there is always an abundance if we will but give what we have to him and allow him to multiply it.
As Paul explained in Philippians 4:19, as he learned to be content in the Lord’s provision, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the glorious riches in Christ.” What need can you give to Jesus today? What loaves and fish do you have so you give to him?
Declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it, send it forth to the end of the earth; say, “The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob!” Isaiah 48:20
God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1:19-20 (NIV)
Great and loving God, you bring us redemption and reconciliation and we respond in joy to your great faithfulness. Thousand, thousand thanks to thee, dear Lord. Amen.
8 For you, Lord, have delivered me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,
9 that I may walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
10 I trusted in the Lord when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
11 in my alarm I said,
“Everyone is a liar.”
12 What shall I return to the Lord
for all his goodness to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord.
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.
Reflection: David proclaims God deliverance when he was at his low point. And his deliverance led to him being able to further magnify who God was in the presence of everyone. Anything good that happened in David’s life, he ascribed to the Lord being with him and delivering him. We can see why David was a man after God’s own heart, because he did not let pride take credit from God. As the Chronicles says, “God’s eyes look to and fro for those whose hearts are committed to him.”
God still looks today for those whose hearts He can trust! Number one quality he looks for, “Those who are willing to let God glorify himself through them.” David was always willing to call on, completely trust in and then commend himself to God’s grace. He is a great model of a servant’s heart that we would do well to emulate.
1 Samuel 26,27
David Again Spares Saul’s Life
26 The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?” 2 So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand select Israelite troops, to search there for David. 3 Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul had followed him there, 4 he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived. 5 Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him. 6 David then asked Ahimelek the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?” “I’ll go with you,” said Abishai. 7 So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him. 8 Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t strike him twice.” 9 But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? 10 As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. 11 But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go.” 12 So David took the spear and water jug near Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep. 13 Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them. 14 He called out to the army and to Abner son of Ner, “Aren’t you going to answer me, Abner?” Abner replied, “Who are you who calls to the king?” 15 David said, “You’re a man, aren’t you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn’t you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king. 16 What you have done is not good. As surely as the Lord lives, you and your men must die, because you did not guard your master, the Lord’s anointed. Look around you. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?” 17 Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is that your voice, David my son?” David replied, “Yes it is, my lord the king.” 18 And he added, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of? 19 Now let my lord the king listen to his servant’s words. If the Lord has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. If, however, people have done it, may they be cursed before the Lord! They have driven me today from my share in the Lord’s inheritance and have said, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20 Now do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the Lord. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea—as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.” 21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have been terribly wrong.” 22 “Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of your young men come over and get it. 23 The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness. The Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. 24 As surely as I valued your life today, so may the Lord value my life and deliver me from all trouble.” 25 Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, David my son; you will do great things and surely triumph.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.
Reflection: In an almost identical situation to the previous story, David and his partner Abishai sneak into Saul’s camp as Saul and his men are sleeping. Notice the Lord caused them to fall into a deep sleep. (I wish he would do that for me sometime!) Abishai offered to take out Saul with one thrust of the spear, but David again defers because he could not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. When Saul recognizes David’s voice, he again expresses remorse and promises to not harm him but to bless him.
David realizes that this will only be a temporary thing and Saul’s pride will overcome him, so he withdraws to the land of the Philistines and forms a pact with Achish. From there, he continues to be successful in whatever he does, and does not leave a man or woman alive for fear they will come back to seek revenge on him.
David continues to be characterized by restraint as God’s honor is more important to him that personal revenge. He takes the high road and is blessed because of it. Where do you need to take the high road in a relationship that will result in showing that God is control of your life?
John 6:1-15
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
6 Sometime after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near. 5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. 14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
Reflection: One of the things Jesus needs to negotiate is a constant balance between the crowds who are following him, his time to teach the disciples what the signs mean, and his time to get away for retreat to be with His Father. We would do well if we choose to follow him to closely to observe how Jesus interacts in all three realms. This story of the feeding of the five thousand is one of the only stories included in all four gospels. John adds his own particular details such as the boy with the barley and fish, and the 12 basketfuls left over, possibly with theological significance to the twelve tribes of Israel.
As God provided manna in the wilderness for the Jews, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life.” Like all his signs, the provision of the food is pointing to the provision God has made in His Son. The significance of the leftovers shows how when God supplies there is an abundance, and we will have to be wary to collective the overflow. A lot of us live with a “scarcity mentality”, always wondering if there will be enough to go around. But, Jesus teaches the disciples and us that with him there is always an abundance if we will but give what we have to him and allow him to multiply it.
As Paul explained in Philippians 4:19, as he learned to be content in the Lord’s provision, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the glorious riches in Christ.” What need can you give to Jesus today? What loaves and fish do you have so you give to him?
Declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it, send it forth to the end of the earth; say, “The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob!” Isaiah 48:20
God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1:19-20 (NIV)
Great and loving God, you bring us redemption and reconciliation and we respond in joy to your great faithfulness. Thousand, thousand thanks to thee, dear Lord. Amen.
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