Clear Vision!
Psalm 119:73-80
Yodh
73 Your hands made me and formed me;
give me understanding to learn your commands.
74 May those who fear you rejoice when they see me,
for I have put my hope in your word.
75 I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous,
and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
76 May your unfailing love be my comfort,
according to your promise to your servant.
77 Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.
78 May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause;
but I will meditate on your precepts.
79 May those who fear you turn to me,
those who understand your statutes.
80 May I wholeheartedly follow your decrees,
that I may not be put to shame.
Reflection: David realized since He was created by God and formed in His hands, that He was God’s representative. In the Law he saw God’s design for how he should live his life. Even when His life took many twists and turns often not as a result of his choices but others, he vowed to trust in the God who had made Him and in the Word God had given him as a guide for His life. Importantly he prayed that he could wholeheartedly follow God’s commands. What a great prayer! As you realize you are created by God by His good pleasure and Your purpose is to serve God, may you/me also wholeheartedly agree to follow God according to His Word. We know that if this is our hearts desires we will never be put to shame!
2 Samuel 17
17 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “I would[a] choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. 2 I would attack him while he is weary and weak. I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king 3 and bring all the people back to you. The death of the man you seek will mean the return of all; all the people will be unharmed.” 4 This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.
5 But Absalom said, “Summon also Hushai the Arkite, so we can hear what he has to say as well.” 6 When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, “Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion.”
7 Hushai replied to Absalom, “The advice Ahithophel has given is not good this time. 8 You know your father and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Besides, your father is an experienced fighter; he will not spend the night with the troops. 9 Even now, he is hidden in a cave or some other place. If he should attack your troops first,[b] whoever hears about it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’ 10 Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave.
11 “So I advise you: Let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba—as numerous as the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, with you yourself leading them into battle. 12 Then we will attack him wherever he may be found, and we will fall on him as dew settles on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. 13 If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not so much as a pebble is left.”
14 Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.
Reflection: Here again we see the drama happening in David’s house as his advisors try various means to abrogate the conspiracy Absalom has created through his lust for power. David has tried to mitigate this circumstance through his trusted advisors, but we see just how out of control things get when human lust for power and self-glorification rule the day. It was exactly what the Lord wanted to spare Israel from when they wanted an earthly king but now it is coming back to bite them.
We know today that God calls us to support, pray for and obey our governing authorities. Though we all tend to have a disdain for politics especially this part of the year, re-read Romans 13 to see how Christians are to be in relation to the governing authorities. Pray for our leaders and potential leaders that they would be governed by God first it at all possible.
John 9:35-41
Spiritual Blindness
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”
37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” 38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” 40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” 41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
Reflection: Jesus goes full circle with the blind man to make sure he understood the nature of the healing and his sight. He also wanted to make sure the man could see who He was as the Son of God which gave him the power to give the man back his sight. We see that the man was able to realize the purpose of the sign. The sign not only showed Jesus’ compassion for the man but also the identity of Jesus and the man came to faith.
And the same is true today as we minister in Jesus’ name and in His power and authority Jesus has given us as His disciples which will lead people to Him. He said in the gospel of John, “Greater things will you do than these!” Meaning collectively as we take up the authority and power Jesus has given us we pray and there will be healing as a result of the kingdom coming through us and the Church, the purpose being leading people back to God through Christ. We will see this very clearly in the book of ACTS!!
The Israelites will return and seek the Lord their God. They will come trembling to the Lord and to his blessings in the last days. Hosea 3:5 (NIV)
Paul wrote: I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6
Jesus, Prince of Peace, be near us; fix in all our hearts your home; with your gracious presence cheer us; let your sacred kingdom come; raise to heav’n our prayers, Amen.
Yodh
73 Your hands made me and formed me;
give me understanding to learn your commands.
74 May those who fear you rejoice when they see me,
for I have put my hope in your word.
75 I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous,
and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
76 May your unfailing love be my comfort,
according to your promise to your servant.
77 Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.
78 May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause;
but I will meditate on your precepts.
79 May those who fear you turn to me,
those who understand your statutes.
80 May I wholeheartedly follow your decrees,
that I may not be put to shame.
Reflection: David realized since He was created by God and formed in His hands, that He was God’s representative. In the Law he saw God’s design for how he should live his life. Even when His life took many twists and turns often not as a result of his choices but others, he vowed to trust in the God who had made Him and in the Word God had given him as a guide for His life. Importantly he prayed that he could wholeheartedly follow God’s commands. What a great prayer! As you realize you are created by God by His good pleasure and Your purpose is to serve God, may you/me also wholeheartedly agree to follow God according to His Word. We know that if this is our hearts desires we will never be put to shame!
2 Samuel 17
17 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “I would[a] choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. 2 I would attack him while he is weary and weak. I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king 3 and bring all the people back to you. The death of the man you seek will mean the return of all; all the people will be unharmed.” 4 This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.
5 But Absalom said, “Summon also Hushai the Arkite, so we can hear what he has to say as well.” 6 When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, “Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion.”
7 Hushai replied to Absalom, “The advice Ahithophel has given is not good this time. 8 You know your father and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Besides, your father is an experienced fighter; he will not spend the night with the troops. 9 Even now, he is hidden in a cave or some other place. If he should attack your troops first,[b] whoever hears about it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’ 10 Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave.
11 “So I advise you: Let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba—as numerous as the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, with you yourself leading them into battle. 12 Then we will attack him wherever he may be found, and we will fall on him as dew settles on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. 13 If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not so much as a pebble is left.”
14 Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.
Reflection: Here again we see the drama happening in David’s house as his advisors try various means to abrogate the conspiracy Absalom has created through his lust for power. David has tried to mitigate this circumstance through his trusted advisors, but we see just how out of control things get when human lust for power and self-glorification rule the day. It was exactly what the Lord wanted to spare Israel from when they wanted an earthly king but now it is coming back to bite them.
We know today that God calls us to support, pray for and obey our governing authorities. Though we all tend to have a disdain for politics especially this part of the year, re-read Romans 13 to see how Christians are to be in relation to the governing authorities. Pray for our leaders and potential leaders that they would be governed by God first it at all possible.
John 9:35-41
Spiritual Blindness
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”
37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” 38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” 40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” 41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
Reflection: Jesus goes full circle with the blind man to make sure he understood the nature of the healing and his sight. He also wanted to make sure the man could see who He was as the Son of God which gave him the power to give the man back his sight. We see that the man was able to realize the purpose of the sign. The sign not only showed Jesus’ compassion for the man but also the identity of Jesus and the man came to faith.
And the same is true today as we minister in Jesus’ name and in His power and authority Jesus has given us as His disciples which will lead people to Him. He said in the gospel of John, “Greater things will you do than these!” Meaning collectively as we take up the authority and power Jesus has given us we pray and there will be healing as a result of the kingdom coming through us and the Church, the purpose being leading people back to God through Christ. We will see this very clearly in the book of ACTS!!
The Israelites will return and seek the Lord their God. They will come trembling to the Lord and to his blessings in the last days. Hosea 3:5 (NIV)
Paul wrote: I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6
Jesus, Prince of Peace, be near us; fix in all our hearts your home; with your gracious presence cheer us; let your sacred kingdom come; raise to heav’n our prayers, Amen.
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