Many of the narratives from David’s life humble me. What can I do to be more like this person who often displayed a heart that was totally committed to God and to living in a way that brought honour to his Lord.
In this text we see David making much ado about something many of us might miss. He was a busy person. He was the king of the nation. He was the commander of the army.
Read More commitment, faithfulness, honour
If this life is the final offer, then my quest should be to experience it all and not hold back. I should take from others anything I find useful, and taste all that tempts my palate. If this world is a house where there is no master, no one can stop me from laying claim to the position.
Sadly not a single one of us has the grace required of a true master. When we take on the role we are more likely to mistreat others, be reckless with the land and slide into gluttony of all sorts.
Read More service, faithfulness, responsibility, future time
When I’m reading the Bible I often imagine the characters mentioned as the real life women and men they were. Historical people who lived daily lives far beyond the scope of their write-ups in the Bible. I wonder what they looked like. How did their voices sound? I even think, if I was going to paint one of them, who amongst the people I know would l ask to model for a particular Bible personality?
Read More praise, faithfulness, God’s promisesEveryone has a life story. It is interesting that at the end of David’s life story we read the people were happy and they celebrated at the altar of God. Every life story includes the passing of time as it did with David but it is not the years that matter as much as what happened in those years. David, despite his failures, lived a life which was a tribute to the faithfulness of God and his service and obedience to God. If he could have put his own title on his life story, I wonder what it might have been?
Read More life story, repentance, faithfulness, end of life“But you promised!” My daughter wailed those accusing words and stomped from the room. My heart sank. She was right. I had promised, and to her it looked like the fulfillment of that promise would never happen. It wasn’t until she had grown and matured that she realized I had kept my promise to her that day. It just took a while for her to see how.
Read More promises, faithfulness, integrityMy family and I visited the ancient ruins of Hazor in Israel. We discovered what was left of Solomon’s three thousand year old buildings located in the fortified city mentioned in the Bible reading. What an experience!
Read More obedience, priorities, faithfulnessThe Lord had set before Solomon the path of blessing and the path of disfavour. Solomon did not choose the path of blessing, and God put his plan into action before Solomon’s death. God had foreseen that Jeroboam would be king over ten of the tribes of Israel. He now sent the prophet Ahijah to prepare Jeroboam.
Read More salvation, faithfulnessOut of love for his people, God intervened in this difficult political situation in order to avoid a civil war. Rehoboam did not understand that the Lord had caused the division of his people and he himself, could do nothing about it. Through the ages, humans have been too quick to wage war and their motives are almost always selfish.
After hearing the message of the prophet Shemaiah, all the Israelites and Rehoboam accepted the division of the kingdom.
Read More faithfulness, abundance, idolatrySometimes life is reduced to the simplest of common denominators.
For instance, there was this day – a long grey day in a long grey week, week six of chemotherapy. The new drug they had said would be easier wasn’t. It knocked me to the ground and stomped on me until every bone ached. I was seriously thinking about cancelling the next dose. I just didn’t think I could do it.
Read More light, hope, faithfulness
The decisions made in the first days set the trajectory for a new leader and send a signal to all. Hezekiah’s priorities were proclaimed in the first month of his reign. He opened and restored the doors to the temple and called on the priests and Levites to make it functional once again.
Read More direction, faithfulness, leadership, reform