June 14 Day 21; 1 Sam16:1-1 Sam 27

The story of David is always one of great encouragement for me. To see how God placed a calling on his life so early and how that calling was lived out and fulfilled. As I read about how the spirit of the Lord was upon him and how we can see the Lord working even in David's young life to defeat Goliath and the enemies of Israel long before he was even King, I find myself wondering - does God still place his call on people like this today and His is Spirit still working with them? I know intellectually the answer is "yes" but practically it is much more difficult to believe. I wish I had the narration that the Bible provides that as I walk through my daily life, I would hear this small voice in the background saying... "and Jim was able to accomplish this huge task because the Spirit of the Lord was upon him." Then I wouldn't be so inclined to let my pride creep in and take credit for His accomplishments in my life.

Of all the applications in David's life, I find myself thinking the most today about how he chose to extend grace to Saul on multiple occasions. He knew Saul was out to kill him. He'd been warned and at least once Saul physically came after him when they were in the same room. It was no secret that Saul had become a madman possessed by jealousy and the Spirit of the Lord had left him. Yet out of respect for the Lord's anointed, (regardless of Saul's irresponsibility to use that anointing for God's glory) David did not kill Saul 2 time when he could have. Surely we know that Murder is wrong... and we could easily say that David did not want to sin. And I'm sure this was some of it. Yet in that day, if an enemy had already tried to kill you - it probably would have been considered self defense for David to take care of it once and for all. The application in my life is this... I know that I'm not likely to kill anyone in today's culture. Yet I'm reminded that in Scripture God warns that anyone who is angry with his brother in his heart has already committed murder. So essentially I kill people every day... at least I kill the potential for them to see God in me because of my anger. If David could out of respect for God, extend grace to someone who was literally trying to off him, then why is it so difficult for me to forgive those who hurt me? Forgiveness is one thing... but restoring the relationship is something else. For example, recently a friendship of mine was violated. Not in a major way but some confidences were broken. It's very easy for me to get hurt and upset in a situation like this. The first thing I did was to go and tell someone else how this other friend had hurt me. Why didn't I try to restore the relationship rather than going and acting in my hurt? I didn't extend grace, rather I sought to have my anger validated from someone else and ultimately the relationship was damaged. You see, every day I have the opportunity to either murder or return good in the place of evil. I must confess that this an area that is very difficult for me... but I'm trying.

And on this topic of friendship, I'm so impressed with the friendship between David and Jonathon. There are so many examples here but for me I've got a fresh example. One of my closest friends is moving away. He and his family are moving about 2 hours from us. I know that friendship can endure miles, but for the last 2 years he has been the closest thing to Jonathon to me and now our regular conversations will not be so regular. Yet rather than wallow in self-pity, I praise God that I have gotten to know what a Jonathon-like relationship is like in this world.

June13, Day 20; 1 Sam 2:12-1 Sam 2:15

In today's reading these things popped out at me. I must admit I'm not sure I received the full revelation of what God is telling me but I highlighted these passages:

1. If a man sins against another man, God may mediate for him; but if a man sins against the Lord, whil will intercede for him? (1 Sam 2: 25). It is dangerous stuff to stand opposing the Lord. What sin is truly against man and what is against God??
2. Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord. The word of the Lord has not yet been revealed to Him. (1 Sam 3:7) How many of us don't yet know the Lord? So many people today play Christian... not everyone truly can hear the Lord because they've not opened their hearts to Jesus yet. Do my friends and family know Him? Am I doing my job to introduce them to Him?
3. The Lord contiued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through His word. (1 Sam 3:21) God still reveals himself to us through His word. I'm blessed to be hearing Him again in a whle new way as I read daily. However, just like Samuel, we must know Him first to receive the true revelation of His word.
4. But God struck down some of the men of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy of them to death because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. (1 Sam 6:19) This is a warning to me that God is so Holy that on my own I cannot even approach him. He cannot tolerate our sin. Yet in the days of the ark, there was nothing to stand in atonement for the sins of the people other than the animal sacrifies. Today, we should never stop praising Jesus because HE is our atonement that enables me to see God every day without fear of death.
5. Throughout Samuel's lifetime, the hand of the Lod was against the Philistines. (1 Sam 7:13b) When I read this passage, I sribbled in the margin of my bible, "one Godly man can still make a difference." This gives me hope in today's darkening world, that God will continue to reward faithfulness and perhaps use this faithfulness to bless even the wicked around him.
6. So Saul asked God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel's hand?" But God did not answer him that day. (1 Sam 14:37) This seems kind of harsh considering God chose Saul. Yet it reminds us that with our calling comes responsibility. God did answer Saul for quite some time... yet in this instance it follows a repeated pattern of irresponsibility. Saul was disobedient to God in several instances and therefore it was time for God to help Saul realize accountability for his actions. Where have I been disobedient and how is that hindering my ability to hear God answer???
7. Does the lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? (1 Sam 15:22) Saul was only focused on the action... and not the heart attitude. He was relying on a burnt offering to deliver some sort of magical power of deliverance. He was not even the one authorized to offer burnt sacrifices. Therefore it is only about action and not relationship. How am I acting Christian without having the depth of relationship that I need? How is the world caught up in religious traditions and completely missed the relationship with Christ? Look around... it is everywhere! Wake up oh sleeper!
8. He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind. (1 Sam 15:29) And to this, I only have to say... THANK YOU! Thank you that in this world of uncertainty there is one thing that is always certain!!!
9. And Samuel put Agag to death before the Lord at Gilgal. (1 Sam 15:33b) This is hard for me to interpret in modern terms. Surely it was out of righteous anger that Samuel acted. And was enacting judgement on Agag for the ungodly acts he'd committed. Yet in today's world this is totally unacceptable. However, there are a lot of ungodly and unrighteous acts going on in the world today... and even perhaps in my home from time to time. I should take this warning at minimum to put my "Agag's" to death before the Lord this day.