David and Saul!!
Psalm 115:9-18
9 All you Israelites, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
10 House of Aaron, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
11 You who fear him, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us:
He will bless his people Israel,
he will bless the house of Aaron,
13 he will bless those who fear the Lord—
small and great alike.
14 May the Lord cause you to flourish,
both you and your children.
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
16 The highest heavens belong to the Lord,
but the earth he has given to mankind.
17 It is not the dead who praise the Lord,
those who go down to the place of silence;
18 it is we who extol the Lord,
both now and forevermore.
Praise the Lord.
Reflection: This psalm calls for the people to trust in God for all their provisions and the promise that God will bless them his people and always remember them. God’s blessing brings all kinds of happiness, peace and contentment. Jesus in the “Beatittudes” says the words, “Blessed are those…” Are you experiencing God’s blessing today? If not, are you seeking Him and is He in the center of your life? We call that worship! God bless all the people reading this as they put their trust in you for whatever concerns them! As we are blessed may we be a blessing in other’s lives as well.
1 Samuel 24:1-25:17
David Spares Saul’s Life
24 After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” 2 So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats. 3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4 The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way. 8 Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 9 He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? 10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. 12 May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13 As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you. 14 “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? 15 May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.” 16 When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud. 17 “You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. 18 You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the Lord delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. 19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today. 20 I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. 21 Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.” 22 So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
Reflection: Again I say, Hollywood cannot improve on this story! We see the character of David exposed again as he has a chance to take out King Saul, and even gets a piece of Saul’s robe to prove he had the unmitigated chance. But David’s calling is to something higher than just knocking off Saul to get more power. David recognizes that technically Saul is still king, and he bows down before God’s anointed again showing that David’s main audience is God. When Saul learns of this act of bravery and chivalry he breaks down and cries realizing what a man of God David is. Unfortunately his remorse won’t last for long and his addiction to power will overcome him shortly. David meanwhile rebukes his men who want to take this opportunity to gain power as well. The men learn that their leader is a man after God’s own heart and this will not fail to have effect on them.
Where is God calling you to humble yourself and give up possible gain in the world’s eyes to serve a higher master?
John 5:16-30
The Authority of the Son
16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. 19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. 24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. 28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.”
Reflection: As Jesus answers the anger of the Pharisees at the healing of the invalid by the pool who had been there for 38 years, he begins to reveal His true identity and why He does such things. Like David but in a much deeper way, Jesus shows that He is completely dependent on the Father for all He does. God the Father shows the Son all that He is doing, and that is what the Son focuses on. He too has an “Audience of One”. And we see the unique interplay of Jesus being God, but also His reliance on the person of the Father. John’s gospel is more theological and importantly is bringing out Jesus both being man and being God. This is partly to counter the heresy that creeps into the church at the end of the 1st century called “Gnosticism”, which will have many forms and still today creeps into the church. Gnosticism creates a dualism between spirit and flesh, and falsely states that God could never come into a human body because the body is evil. Jesus redeems the body by being in one, and when he rises from the dead we see a vision of what a resurrected body looks like. At the end of time God will redeem all of Creation and that is part of what the “new heaven and new earth” are all about.
But for now the Pharisees will only get madder at Jesus for associating himself with God and putting himself on the same plane. Inevitably this is what will bring Him to the cross that he a mere mortal claimed to be God! As we seek to give an answer for our faith at the heart of it is that Jesus our Savior both was a human being, but was also God! Therefore, he could die on the cross for our sins since he was sinless, but also be raised again because He was and is the Son of God!
“The Lord was with Joseph; and whatever he did, the Lord made prosper.” Genesis 39:23
“Paul wrote, I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” 1 Corinthians 3:6
Prayer: “You are with us, Lord, and again this day we pledge our love and commitment to you. We pray our service may bear fruit to your name’s glory.” Amen.
9 All you Israelites, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
10 House of Aaron, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
11 You who fear him, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us:
He will bless his people Israel,
he will bless the house of Aaron,
13 he will bless those who fear the Lord—
small and great alike.
14 May the Lord cause you to flourish,
both you and your children.
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
16 The highest heavens belong to the Lord,
but the earth he has given to mankind.
17 It is not the dead who praise the Lord,
those who go down to the place of silence;
18 it is we who extol the Lord,
both now and forevermore.
Praise the Lord.
Reflection: This psalm calls for the people to trust in God for all their provisions and the promise that God will bless them his people and always remember them. God’s blessing brings all kinds of happiness, peace and contentment. Jesus in the “Beatittudes” says the words, “Blessed are those…” Are you experiencing God’s blessing today? If not, are you seeking Him and is He in the center of your life? We call that worship! God bless all the people reading this as they put their trust in you for whatever concerns them! As we are blessed may we be a blessing in other’s lives as well.
1 Samuel 24:1-25:17
David Spares Saul’s Life
24 After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” 2 So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats. 3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4 The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way. 8 Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 9 He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? 10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. 12 May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13 As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you. 14 “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? 15 May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.” 16 When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud. 17 “You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. 18 You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the Lord delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. 19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today. 20 I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. 21 Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.” 22 So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
Reflection: Again I say, Hollywood cannot improve on this story! We see the character of David exposed again as he has a chance to take out King Saul, and even gets a piece of Saul’s robe to prove he had the unmitigated chance. But David’s calling is to something higher than just knocking off Saul to get more power. David recognizes that technically Saul is still king, and he bows down before God’s anointed again showing that David’s main audience is God. When Saul learns of this act of bravery and chivalry he breaks down and cries realizing what a man of God David is. Unfortunately his remorse won’t last for long and his addiction to power will overcome him shortly. David meanwhile rebukes his men who want to take this opportunity to gain power as well. The men learn that their leader is a man after God’s own heart and this will not fail to have effect on them.
Where is God calling you to humble yourself and give up possible gain in the world’s eyes to serve a higher master?
John 5:16-30
The Authority of the Son
16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. 19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. 24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. 28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.”
Reflection: As Jesus answers the anger of the Pharisees at the healing of the invalid by the pool who had been there for 38 years, he begins to reveal His true identity and why He does such things. Like David but in a much deeper way, Jesus shows that He is completely dependent on the Father for all He does. God the Father shows the Son all that He is doing, and that is what the Son focuses on. He too has an “Audience of One”. And we see the unique interplay of Jesus being God, but also His reliance on the person of the Father. John’s gospel is more theological and importantly is bringing out Jesus both being man and being God. This is partly to counter the heresy that creeps into the church at the end of the 1st century called “Gnosticism”, which will have many forms and still today creeps into the church. Gnosticism creates a dualism between spirit and flesh, and falsely states that God could never come into a human body because the body is evil. Jesus redeems the body by being in one, and when he rises from the dead we see a vision of what a resurrected body looks like. At the end of time God will redeem all of Creation and that is part of what the “new heaven and new earth” are all about.
But for now the Pharisees will only get madder at Jesus for associating himself with God and putting himself on the same plane. Inevitably this is what will bring Him to the cross that he a mere mortal claimed to be God! As we seek to give an answer for our faith at the heart of it is that Jesus our Savior both was a human being, but was also God! Therefore, he could die on the cross for our sins since he was sinless, but also be raised again because He was and is the Son of God!
“The Lord was with Joseph; and whatever he did, the Lord made prosper.” Genesis 39:23
“Paul wrote, I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” 1 Corinthians 3:6
Prayer: “You are with us, Lord, and again this day we pledge our love and commitment to you. We pray our service may bear fruit to your name’s glory.” Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment