May 19 A Wise Woman’s Rescue

Photo by Julie Ayers

1 Samuel 24:1-25:44; John 10:22-42; Psalm 116:1-19;  Proverbs 15:20-21

“Then David moved down into the desert of Maon.  A certain man in Maon who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy.  He had a thousand sheep which he was shearing in Carmel.  His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail.  Se was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was surly and mean in his dealings.”

* * * * *

“One of the servants told Nabal’s wife Abigail: “David sent messengers from the desert to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them.  Yet, these men were good to us.  They did not mistreat us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing.  Night and day they were a wall around us all the time we were herding our sheep near them.  Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household.  He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him.”

* * * * *

“Abigail lost no time…”

Armed with loads of food and an apology Abigail sought out David.

To David she said,

“And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my master be given to the men who followed you.  Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the Lord will make a lasting dynasty for my master, because he fight’s the Lord’s battles.”

* * * * *

“David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you today to meet me.  May you be blessed for your good judgement and for keeping me from bloodshed this day.

Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace.  I have heard your words and granted your request.”

1 Samuel 25

Lord, thank you for the wise woman, Abigail whose words and generous actions averted certain doom for both her husband and for David.  She was quick thinking and quick acting–and she feared you more than she feared her husband whom she knew was ill-tempered and foolish.  She trust you above all.  You worked something good out the wrong done to David and his men.  May this story be one of encouragement–that you equip us as needed with words and actions that overcome evil with good.  Open our eyes Lord to opportunities to do just that when we encounter wrongs and injustices.  May we serve others just as Abigail served; just as you came not to be served, but to serve and to give your very life as a ransom for our sins.  Nabal didn’t deserve his wife’s timely intervention.  And neither did we deserve your merciful intervention, but because of your great love and your promise to send a Savior, we are indeed rescued; we are saved!  Thank you Jesus!  In your Name we pray, Amen.

“Do not be overcome with evil,

but overcome evil with good.”

Romans 12:21

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May 14 Stone Hurlers

Photo by suzie gallagher

1 Samuel 15:1-16:23;  John 8:1-20;  Psalm 110:1-7;  Proverbs 15:8-10

“Early in the morning he [Jesus] came again to the temple.  All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them.  The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.  Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.  So what do you say?”

“This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him.  Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.  And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them,

“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground.  But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.

Jesus stood up and said to her,

“Woman, where are they?  Has no one condemned you?”

She said, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go and from now on sin no more.”

John 8:1-11

* * * * *

Lord, have mercy

on those in the church

who want to hurl stones

at the gays and lesbians.

Help them see that they themselves

are guilty of rebelling against you.

Hurlers, too, sin daily

as they pass judgement on those

“different”.

Lord, your grace and mercy

freely flowing from your pierced

hands, feet and side

covered all our sins,

the hurlers and the gays.

You bid each one of us to kneel

before the Cross

confess our sins and receive your merciful

pardon and life

in your name.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  Romans 3:23

“For if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just

will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

1 John 1:9

You desire the hearts of hurlers and homosexuals.

Lord, may they all see their names written by your hand in the Book of Life

at the end of time.

For Jesus’ sake I pray,

Amen.

November 28 Handwriting On The Wall

Image by Amy Aldworth

Daniel 5:1-31;  2 Peter 2:1-22;  Psalm 119:113-138;  Proverbs 28:18-20

“Suddenly fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall near the lampstand in the royal palace.  The king watched the hand as it wrote.  His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his knees knocked together and his legs gave way.”  Daniel 5:5-6

Yes, the handwriting is on the wall–

In fact, God’s handwriting splashes across the universe

in the worlds He has created,

galaxies far, far away

down to the smallest particles we humans

attempt to see and understand.

*

God has looked into my heart and found

it wanting.

He has numbered my days

and knows their end.

*

But God in His great mercy 

and faithful to the promise He made

to redeem His wayward creation

has written anew on my heart,

“Your sins are forgiven.  My Son

paid the price.

Your name is written in 

the Book of Life.”

*

Believe on the Lord Jesus

and you will be saved,

saved from the

Handwriting on the wall,

from eternal judgement

and separation from the One

who loves you and gave

His life for you.

Lord God, from the book of Daniel we see your judgement of those who do not honor you and acknowledge you as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Thank you for Daniel’s faith in you and for his proclamation of the truth.  Thank you for sending your Son to pay the price for our unbelief, our pride, our self-justification. We no longer have to fear the handwriting on the wall–by faith we believe that our days are in your hands.  To You and You alone we give our devotion, thanks and praise.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

December 19 Still To Come

Image by Lianne T

Zephaniah 1:1-3:20;  Revelation 10:1-11;  Psalm 138:1-8;  Proverbs 30:11-14

I’ve never had my “fortune” told, but I imagine I would only want to hear of nothing but “good” things to come.  Who wants to look forward to “bad” news?

Same with us when it comes to hearing God’s word.  Our sinful selves want only to hear that God loves, loves, loves no matter what.  And wants peace, peace, peace for all the world.  We don’t want to hear anything negative that would destroy our illusion of goodwill to all.  We really don’t want to admit that we are sinners if the truth be known. (We live good lives, right?)

But God loves us too much to leave us with that simple vision of His relationship with mankind.

As one of the Old Testament prophets speaking God’s word writes:

“The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast, the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter;  the mighty man cries aloud there.  I will bring distress on mankind so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord.”  Zephaniah 1: 14, 17

God is coming again to seek those who truly believe in Him, follow Him, and live their lives for Him.  Left on our own we would be joining the “mighty man” crying aloud in distress because on our own we cannot please God.

And God knew that.  At Christmas we are reminded once again of the answer to our dilemma–we see the Christ child born in a manger in Bethlehem (something that the ancient prophets also foretold).  We see a Savior who makes a way for us.  Through faith given to us in the waters of Baptism God sees Jesus in us–the Son whom he loves.

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save;  he will rejoice over you with gladness;  he will quiet you with his love;  he will exult over you with loud singing!”  Zephaniah 3:16-17

Lord God Heavenly Father, we acknowledge that on our own we can not live a life pleasing to you, that we are indeed sinners. Forgive us.  Through your son, Jesus, we have hope, we have faith, we have life.  We have confidence and peace.  At this special time of year may we boldly proclaim the reason for our joy–the Lord has come!  He’s coming again!  We praise you for your saving grace, in Jesus’ name, Amen.