Love vs. lust, lust vs. love--the subject of novels, movies, songs, and stories--and the topic of today's passages of scripture in this historical journey through God's Word.
The promise that The Lord made to David after he confessed his sin with Bathsheba comes to fruition in 2 Samuel chapters 13 through 15. David's son Amnon fell in lust (he claimed it was love) with his half sister, and with the help of his cousin Jonadab, he devised a scheme that would ensure the opportunity to be alone with her.
The plan included lies and deceit that culminated with the rape of David's beautiful virgin daughter Tamar, after which, Amnon totally rejected her.
If this story was made into a movie, I think the big takeaway (for young women at least) would have to be a reminder to beware of the young man who flatters you, showers you with attention, treats you with kindness and does all the right things to get you to notice him.
Rare is the fellow who hasn't confused lust with love. Amnon told his cousin that he loved Tamar, but if he had truly been in love with her he would never have forced himself on her sexually or treated her with such contempt after the rape. He was like thousands of other young men who want sex because they are in lust--and Tamar's life was altered dramatically as a result of his selfishness.
If you read the entire passage, you will discover that Absalom, another of Tamar's brothers, killed Amnon, and then also turned against his father, David. The numerous tragedies of these stories all point back to a time when David made a choice to turn his back on God and follow his own lust.
God's Word does not conceal ugly details or difficult passages, and it is through these stories that we can learn so much about what not to do. God does not give us boundaries in order to rob our joy or steal our fun--he gives us boundaries in order to protect and guard our hearts--and I pray that we all gratefully allow Him to do just that.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Confession: It really is good for the soul!
Why is it difficult to confess when we do what we shouldn't, or don't do what we should? Sometimes even very young children are adept deceivers, manipulators and connivers--just ask a school teacher.
When we learn at an early age that we can spin, stretch or conceal the truth just enough to stay out of trouble, patterns may develop that do serious harm later.
King David learned this lesson the hard way after his sin with Bathsheba. The Psalms he wrote that are today's scriptures (Psalm 32, 51, 86, and 122)remind us that it is a beautiful thing to come clean with God by confessing and turning from the things we've done that are wrong.
If you feel that God is not hearing your prayers--or you are experiencing a sense of a loss of intimacy in your spiritual life--ask yourself if there is ANY unconfessed sin that could be hindering your relationship with the Father.
Each of these chapters is inspiring to read, but listen to David's words from Psalm 51 as you consider the importance of confession and repentance:
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.
2 Wash me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.
3 For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.
4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
7 Purify me from my sins,and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Oh, give me back my joy again;
you have broken me—
now let me rejoice.
9 Don’t keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
13 Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
and they will return to you.
There really is joy in the journey when we are confessed and clean!
When we learn at an early age that we can spin, stretch or conceal the truth just enough to stay out of trouble, patterns may develop that do serious harm later.
King David learned this lesson the hard way after his sin with Bathsheba. The Psalms he wrote that are today's scriptures (Psalm 32, 51, 86, and 122)remind us that it is a beautiful thing to come clean with God by confessing and turning from the things we've done that are wrong.
If you feel that God is not hearing your prayers--or you are experiencing a sense of a loss of intimacy in your spiritual life--ask yourself if there is ANY unconfessed sin that could be hindering your relationship with the Father.
Each of these chapters is inspiring to read, but listen to David's words from Psalm 51 as you consider the importance of confession and repentance:
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.
2 Wash me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.
3 For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.
4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
7 Purify me from my sins,and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Oh, give me back my joy again;
you have broken me—
now let me rejoice.
9 Don’t keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
13 Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
and they will return to you.
There really is joy in the journey when we are confessed and clean!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Counting the Cost First...
"Well, well, well," as the old lady once said, "deep subject." In the historical order of Biblical events, today's reading brings me to a passage that I believe is the most difficult in all of the Old Testament. So tragic is this account that it almost brought me to tears as I read this morning in much the same way that watching "The Notebook" always does--it just gets me, plain and simple.
2 Samuel 11 and 12 and 1 Chronicles 20 are the day's scriptures, and in these verses the story of David's sin with Bathsheba is told.
There are so many things that could be mentioned about this tragedy--but I think I will focus on the potential perils of yielding to temptation. David had many wives, yet when he saw Bathsheba (an interesting name for a woman who was taking a bath in view of the palace, huh?--I wonder if that is the origin of our word Bath?~)he didn't look away. He stared, then he inquired, then he summoned, then he slept with her. As a side note, no mention is made of her having resisted, but then again, he was the King.
All of the above happened while her husband was fighting bravely for Israel. In fact, he (Uriah) was one of David's "mighty men," and yet David apparently gave little thought to his sinful actions.
Scripture says that Bathsheba became pregnant from the illicit encounter, so something had to be done--and what better option than a cover up? David would send for Uriah and allow him a little furlough so that he would believe the child was his. But this extraordinary man refused to take advantage of the opportunity while his fellow soldiers were still in battle, so Plan A was foiled.
As a result, despicable Plan B was devised. It involved Uriah being moved to the front lines of battle so that he would be killed. This terrible plan was successful, so David and Bathsheba concealed their sin from everyone-- except God.
God sent Nathan, a prophet, to tell a story to David so that he could see how heinous his actions were. After listening to the "tale," David said that the person who would do such a thing deserved death. At that point, he realized that he was the guilty man and recognized the gravity of his sinful choices.
Make no mistake my precious ones, there IS pleasure in sin for a season. (see Hebrews 11:25.) But there are consequences when we choose to disobey the Lord, and he always knows what we have done even if we successfully keep it from others.
I have witnessed the benefit of confession in my own life and the lives of those I love. I have also endured the agony of concealed sin and learned as a result that it is only when we come clean before God and ask His forgiveness that we are able to experience intimacy with Him.
At the time of his temptation, David did not consider the cost of his choice. I am confident that he never imagined he'd be facing an unplanned pregnancy, the murder of an honorable soldier, a dead child, a daughter who was raped by one of his sons, a son who was murdered by his brother, and family discord the likes of which are terrifying to imagine.
Here are God's words to David about his sin:
2 Samuel 12:
11 “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. 12 You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”
God also asked David why he despised His Word. In our Father's sight, it is as if we loathe his word when we ignore its tenets. Any loving parent understands the tremendous disappointment that accompanies a child's rebellion. The agony associated with rejection of a parent's devotion and sacrifice is enormous.
I pray that this reminder from scripture helps us all count the cost first--before our actions suggest that we despise his Word.
Father, help us regard your Word as a treasure that we may not sin against you--and forgive us our many failures by the blood of our Savior Jesus who died in our place on the cross of suffering. Thank you for mercy. Praise you for grace. Help us remember, let us count the cost first, teach us to think, and make us holy.
2 Samuel 11 and 12 and 1 Chronicles 20 are the day's scriptures, and in these verses the story of David's sin with Bathsheba is told.
There are so many things that could be mentioned about this tragedy--but I think I will focus on the potential perils of yielding to temptation. David had many wives, yet when he saw Bathsheba (an interesting name for a woman who was taking a bath in view of the palace, huh?--I wonder if that is the origin of our word Bath?~)he didn't look away. He stared, then he inquired, then he summoned, then he slept with her. As a side note, no mention is made of her having resisted, but then again, he was the King.
All of the above happened while her husband was fighting bravely for Israel. In fact, he (Uriah) was one of David's "mighty men," and yet David apparently gave little thought to his sinful actions.
Scripture says that Bathsheba became pregnant from the illicit encounter, so something had to be done--and what better option than a cover up? David would send for Uriah and allow him a little furlough so that he would believe the child was his. But this extraordinary man refused to take advantage of the opportunity while his fellow soldiers were still in battle, so Plan A was foiled.
As a result, despicable Plan B was devised. It involved Uriah being moved to the front lines of battle so that he would be killed. This terrible plan was successful, so David and Bathsheba concealed their sin from everyone-- except God.
God sent Nathan, a prophet, to tell a story to David so that he could see how heinous his actions were. After listening to the "tale," David said that the person who would do such a thing deserved death. At that point, he realized that he was the guilty man and recognized the gravity of his sinful choices.
Make no mistake my precious ones, there IS pleasure in sin for a season. (see Hebrews 11:25.) But there are consequences when we choose to disobey the Lord, and he always knows what we have done even if we successfully keep it from others.
I have witnessed the benefit of confession in my own life and the lives of those I love. I have also endured the agony of concealed sin and learned as a result that it is only when we come clean before God and ask His forgiveness that we are able to experience intimacy with Him.
At the time of his temptation, David did not consider the cost of his choice. I am confident that he never imagined he'd be facing an unplanned pregnancy, the murder of an honorable soldier, a dead child, a daughter who was raped by one of his sons, a son who was murdered by his brother, and family discord the likes of which are terrifying to imagine.
Here are God's words to David about his sin:
2 Samuel 12:
11 “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. 12 You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”
God also asked David why he despised His Word. In our Father's sight, it is as if we loathe his word when we ignore its tenets. Any loving parent understands the tremendous disappointment that accompanies a child's rebellion. The agony associated with rejection of a parent's devotion and sacrifice is enormous.
I pray that this reminder from scripture helps us all count the cost first--before our actions suggest that we despise his Word.
Father, help us regard your Word as a treasure that we may not sin against you--and forgive us our many failures by the blood of our Savior Jesus who died in our place on the cross of suffering. Thank you for mercy. Praise you for grace. Help us remember, let us count the cost first, teach us to think, and make us holy.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Trustworthy Father, Mighty to Save!
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Alone? Bruised? Beaten up on by the world? To whom do you turn? Have you already learned life's hard lesson that there are very few genuinely trustworthy people with whom you can share your deepest wounds and sorrows?
Some people seem to have an easy time sharing their struggles and difficulties, while others, like me, don't. The existence of this year long Bible journey's public format is, in fact, quite a departure from my normal M.O. because in it I have disclosed many very personal ponderings and failures.
The truth is though, I realize that we all have junk--stuff in our lives that causes us to doubt ourselves, distrust others, and sometimes even doubt God. So what does God think about us when we find ourselves flailing and failing as we struggle to make sense of the things that seem senseless? His love endures forever. (Psalm 136)
Much can be learned from King David, who although he held the highest position in all of Israel and is regarded to this day as one of history's greatest figures, struggled with personal doubt, confusion, persecution, and pain that probably makes much of what most people endure pale in comparison.
Today's scriptures are all Psalms. In chapters 65,66,67,69, and 70 David praises God and also transparently expresses the sort of raw emotion that one who has been run through a ringer backward might feel.
What a blessing to know by virtue of the example he provides that we can confide in God, trusting that he will never betray us and that his forgiveness and mercy is available to all who cry out to him in their time of turmoil. Like King David, we can talk openly, honestly, boldly to the One who understands and comforts knowing that His unfailing love guards even our deepest secrets and fears.
Hear the cry of a man after God's own heart and learn of a Lord who is Mighty to Save!
Psalm 69:
1 Save me, O God,
for the floodwaters are up to my neck.
2 Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire;
I can’t find a foothold.
I am in deep water,
and the floods overwhelm me.
3 I am exhausted from crying for help;
my throat is parched.
My eyes are swollen with weeping,
waiting for my God to help me.
4 Those who hate me without cause
outnumber the hairs on my head.
Many enemies try to destroy me with lies,
demanding that I give back what I didn’t steal.
5 O God, you know how foolish I am;
my sins cannot be hidden from you.
6 Don’t let those who trust in you be ashamed because of me,
O Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
Don’t let me cause them to be humiliated,
O God of Israel.
Psalm 66:
16 Come and listen, all you who fear God,
and I will tell you what he did for me.
17 For I cried out to him for help,
praising him as I spoke.
18 If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
19 But God did listen!
He paid attention to my prayer.
20 Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer
or withdraw his unfailing love from me.
Some people seem to have an easy time sharing their struggles and difficulties, while others, like me, don't. The existence of this year long Bible journey's public format is, in fact, quite a departure from my normal M.O. because in it I have disclosed many very personal ponderings and failures.
The truth is though, I realize that we all have junk--stuff in our lives that causes us to doubt ourselves, distrust others, and sometimes even doubt God. So what does God think about us when we find ourselves flailing and failing as we struggle to make sense of the things that seem senseless? His love endures forever. (Psalm 136)
Much can be learned from King David, who although he held the highest position in all of Israel and is regarded to this day as one of history's greatest figures, struggled with personal doubt, confusion, persecution, and pain that probably makes much of what most people endure pale in comparison.
Today's scriptures are all Psalms. In chapters 65,66,67,69, and 70 David praises God and also transparently expresses the sort of raw emotion that one who has been run through a ringer backward might feel.
What a blessing to know by virtue of the example he provides that we can confide in God, trusting that he will never betray us and that his forgiveness and mercy is available to all who cry out to him in their time of turmoil. Like King David, we can talk openly, honestly, boldly to the One who understands and comforts knowing that His unfailing love guards even our deepest secrets and fears.
Hear the cry of a man after God's own heart and learn of a Lord who is Mighty to Save!
Psalm 69:
1 Save me, O God,
for the floodwaters are up to my neck.
2 Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire;
I can’t find a foothold.
I am in deep water,
and the floods overwhelm me.
3 I am exhausted from crying for help;
my throat is parched.
My eyes are swollen with weeping,
waiting for my God to help me.
4 Those who hate me without cause
outnumber the hairs on my head.
Many enemies try to destroy me with lies,
demanding that I give back what I didn’t steal.
5 O God, you know how foolish I am;
my sins cannot be hidden from you.
6 Don’t let those who trust in you be ashamed because of me,
O Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
Don’t let me cause them to be humiliated,
O God of Israel.
Psalm 66:
16 Come and listen, all you who fear God,
and I will tell you what he did for me.
17 For I cried out to him for help,
praising him as I spoke.
18 If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
19 But God did listen!
He paid attention to my prayer.
20 Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer
or withdraw his unfailing love from me.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Righting Wrongs...
One of the most difficult things about motherhood has been resisting the urge to fight battles for my children when life seemed to treat them unfairly. It's also challenging to avoid taking matters into my own hands when I've been the victim of mistreatment.
In today's scripture passage, life takes an unfair turn for Israel. Chapter 10 of 2nd Samuel and chapter 19 of 1st Chronicles detail the same events, and Psalm 20 records David's thoughts about God's gracious help when we face such situations.
The Bible explains that after the Ammonite King, Nahash, died, David decided that the right thing to do was to show kindness and loyalty to the king's son and successor, Hanun.
Unfortunately, when David sent some of his men there as ambassadors to express condolences and extend an olive branch, some of King Hanun's advisors convinced him that David's men were probably not sincere, and that they'd likely come to spy on the city so that they could conquer it.
What they proceeded to do to David's ambassadors was atrociously humiliating to these Jewish men, so David advised them to stay in Jericho until they had healed from the unprovoked, unfair, hateful lies and mistreatment of the Ammonites.
Why did King Hanun's advisors make up lies about David's intentions? I imagine that they hoped to seem shrewd and smart in the eyes of their new king. But the truth is, those who tell lies typically suspect that everyone else is a liar. For that reason, they probably anticipated that David would be as dishonest as they were, so they devised a preemptive strike of sorts.
Sometimes, people may say things about us that are untrue for reasons we may never understand. Accepting that it's often necessary to wait on God for the truth to be revealed has allowed me to learn that He delights in righting wrongs in ways that are much better than anything we could mastermind.
In today's passage of scripture, David again trusted that God would fight his battles, and as a result, miraculous things happened. Our flesh often cries out for vengeance, but as I've said before, vengeance belongs to the Lord alone.
When the day comes that someone speaks dishonestly about you--and it will very likely happen--remember that there is One who knows the truth and He can be trusted to make all wrongs right--in His time, on His terms, with His truth!
In today's scripture passage, life takes an unfair turn for Israel. Chapter 10 of 2nd Samuel and chapter 19 of 1st Chronicles detail the same events, and Psalm 20 records David's thoughts about God's gracious help when we face such situations.
The Bible explains that after the Ammonite King, Nahash, died, David decided that the right thing to do was to show kindness and loyalty to the king's son and successor, Hanun.
Unfortunately, when David sent some of his men there as ambassadors to express condolences and extend an olive branch, some of King Hanun's advisors convinced him that David's men were probably not sincere, and that they'd likely come to spy on the city so that they could conquer it.
What they proceeded to do to David's ambassadors was atrociously humiliating to these Jewish men, so David advised them to stay in Jericho until they had healed from the unprovoked, unfair, hateful lies and mistreatment of the Ammonites.
Why did King Hanun's advisors make up lies about David's intentions? I imagine that they hoped to seem shrewd and smart in the eyes of their new king. But the truth is, those who tell lies typically suspect that everyone else is a liar. For that reason, they probably anticipated that David would be as dishonest as they were, so they devised a preemptive strike of sorts.
Sometimes, people may say things about us that are untrue for reasons we may never understand. Accepting that it's often necessary to wait on God for the truth to be revealed has allowed me to learn that He delights in righting wrongs in ways that are much better than anything we could mastermind.
In today's passage of scripture, David again trusted that God would fight his battles, and as a result, miraculous things happened. Our flesh often cries out for vengeance, but as I've said before, vengeance belongs to the Lord alone.
When the day comes that someone speaks dishonestly about you--and it will very likely happen--remember that there is One who knows the truth and He can be trusted to make all wrongs right--in His time, on His terms, with His truth!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Foolishness and Faith...
Again the chronology of scripture takes us to the Psalms chapters 50,53,60 and 75. Having just attended evening services at church where I experienced the presence of God as we worshipped with friends and family, I cannot pass up the opportunity to mention this verse from Psalm 53:
1 Only fools say in their hearts,
“There is no God.”
Sadly, it seems that those who are most highly educated are often the same who claim to be agnostic or atheist. The tragedy in this is that God will reveal himself to every person who wants to know the truth, but thinking themselves wise, they have become fools.
My great prayer is that each of you, my grandchildren, will wisely seek Him and trust Christ as Lord. Hear the truth of The Word:
Jeremiah 29: 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD...
Romans 1: 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
1 Corinthians 1: 26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord."
1 Only fools say in their hearts,
“There is no God.”
Sadly, it seems that those who are most highly educated are often the same who claim to be agnostic or atheist. The tragedy in this is that God will reveal himself to every person who wants to know the truth, but thinking themselves wise, they have become fools.
My great prayer is that each of you, my grandchildren, will wisely seek Him and trust Christ as Lord. Hear the truth of The Word:
Jeremiah 29: 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD...
Romans 1: 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
1 Corinthians 1: 26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord."
Friday, April 24, 2009
Who are we?
Who am I? It's a question everyone eventually asks, right? And it's usually followed by ponderings about purpose, priorities and principles. A beautiful story from today's reading gives us insights that help answer some of life's most significant questions.
2 Samuel 8 and 9 and 1 Chronicles 18 are the passages for today. They continue to explain events related to King David's reign, but chapter 9 of 2nd Samuel tells the story of Mephibosheth, one of my favorites in all of scripture.
Mephibosheth was the crippled grandson of King Saul. David sought him out and brought him to the palace so that he could show him kindness. He returned to him his rightful inheritance,and scripture says that Mephibosheth ate regularly at the king's table.
So, what does that have to do with who we are? We are like Mephibosheth before he met the king...we are in hiding, we are weak and we are lame. We are ignorant of all that the king offers, but like King David, Our King Jesus seeks us before we seek Him, offering an invitation for us to come and dine at His table!
When we accept His invitation, we are received as sons and daughters, enjoying unbroken fellowship with him. We aren't guaranteed total elimination of all our weaknesses or infirmities, but our relationship with The King paves the way for us to see ourselves in a new light that is truly transforming.
Pondering our purpose should also prompt us to consider David's actions. By all accounts, Mephibosheth was David's enemy--but he blessed him anyway.
God has given us the treasure of His Word. In it, he shows us pictures of who we are and who He is through accounts like this one that allow us to glimpse His merciful grace.
Thank you Father that you welcome us to your table and that your strength is perfected in our weaknesses. Your loving kindness is matchless and your generosity overwhelms.
2 Samuel 8 and 9 and 1 Chronicles 18 are the passages for today. They continue to explain events related to King David's reign, but chapter 9 of 2nd Samuel tells the story of Mephibosheth, one of my favorites in all of scripture.
Mephibosheth was the crippled grandson of King Saul. David sought him out and brought him to the palace so that he could show him kindness. He returned to him his rightful inheritance,and scripture says that Mephibosheth ate regularly at the king's table.
So, what does that have to do with who we are? We are like Mephibosheth before he met the king...we are in hiding, we are weak and we are lame. We are ignorant of all that the king offers, but like King David, Our King Jesus seeks us before we seek Him, offering an invitation for us to come and dine at His table!
When we accept His invitation, we are received as sons and daughters, enjoying unbroken fellowship with him. We aren't guaranteed total elimination of all our weaknesses or infirmities, but our relationship with The King paves the way for us to see ourselves in a new light that is truly transforming.
Pondering our purpose should also prompt us to consider David's actions. By all accounts, Mephibosheth was David's enemy--but he blessed him anyway.
God has given us the treasure of His Word. In it, he shows us pictures of who we are and who He is through accounts like this one that allow us to glimpse His merciful grace.
Thank you Father that you welcome us to your table and that your strength is perfected in our weaknesses. Your loving kindness is matchless and your generosity overwhelms.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)