Thursday, April 1, 2010
April 1 ... I Samuel 18 - 20 "Fear Settled into Hate"
I Samuel 18: 9 Saul said: "They credit David with 'ten thousands' and me with only 'thousands.' Before you know it they'll be giving him the kingdom!" From that moment on, Saul kept his eye on David." May I see in my heart when I am looking at people for approval. I Samuel 18:16 - As Saul saw David becoming more successful, he himself grew more fearful. He could see the handwriting on the wall. But everyone else in Israel and Judah loved David. They loved watching him in action. Isn't the beautiful word here "love." What do I want more than love? Saul wanted something more than Love. He wanted recognition, ambition, success, all eyes on him. While David was using words like: I Samuel 18:23 David held back. "What are you thinking of? I can't do that. I'm a nobody; I have nothing to offer." And Saul more and more realized that God was with David and how much his own children really loved David. I Samuel 18:29 says Saul's fear settled into hate because David's name was on everyone's lips, not his. I Samuel 20:16 says that Jonathan loved David more than his own soul! A true covenant friend who would stand up to his dad and say that what Saul was doing was not right with Jonathan and not right with God! My prayer for all of us this morning: Philippians 1:9 May our love abound more and more...
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It was one year ago today that I heard the words, "you have cancer." God is bringing me through this ordeal saving me from myself. He is my Healer, my Deliverer, my High Priest, my Good God who has been with me every step of the way this year! He has been the lifter of my head through you!
ReplyDeleteThanking Him for His faithfulness to you this past year Bev!
ReplyDeleteBev, to me you have shown His faithfulness and given Him the glory and the honor all this last year and before. The Lord has so blessed me in "knowing" you and I am being so blessed by 66 Love Letters as I read thru the Bible this year. Wow...there are no words. I am also doing a study Live a Praying Life by Jennifer Kennedy Dean....again God is so amazing...what I read in that, He is telling me the same things in 66 Love Letters and the scripture...they all fit together. brings me to my knees and tears. He used you to bring me to 66 Love Letters, thank you and may He bless you far more than I can pray or ask Him to give you. Your words always touch me in places I didn't know I had. Love you much in Him. Mary Lou
ReplyDeleteYou wear Christ so beautifully, Bev--a servant who washes the feet of God's people. Love you so, A
ReplyDeleteI have missed you all so much. Annette, I am praying for you as you reconsider exactly what God would have you do concerning this up and coming surgery schedule. I pray safety as you and Lauren spend special time together on this drive. May your family Easter experience have rich blessings from on High.
ReplyDeleteCici, I am thrilled to see the miraculous way God is showing HIMSELF to you with your Sister's visit. I know your Easter together will be blessed because of HIM who Rose from the GRAVE! Hallelujah! Amen.
Bev, words are inadequate to describe the blessing you are and have been to me as I have journeyed on line with you this past year. Thank you for allowing yourself to be vunerable that others find strength to face major trials in their lives as well, whether it is health issues or family issues, etc.
Ang, I pray your week alone with your man was a blessed one. I know your scriptures carried with you were a huge blessings as you could recognize God and His Presence in the middle of everything. I continue to pray for your family that God will make himself known in a mighty way. Thanks for blessing me.
Twinkle (Deborah) you amaze me with the power of your ability to write. I am so honored to get to know you as we met not knowing each other at the SMTC in January. Blessings to you, my precious Siesta Friend. You are a wonderful Siesta Sister to me, thanks.
Nise', Mary Lou, Abba's Girl, Something Special, and Wonder Woman a.k.a JHPainter even Anonomous, everyone of you have and are making a great difference in my life.
You have not heard much from me recently as I have been writing additions to Larry Crabb's Lenten Devotional e-mail that I forward to a large group God has called me to serve.
I am so grateful for this Holy Week and the JOY of a Risen Savior, Jesus Christ in my life today.
A song of Love I must sing to my preicous String of Pearls.
Sylvia
...."the life of Jonathan was bound up with the life of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul." This is how 18:1b reads, according to an explanatory note in the NKJV. The depth of this love caused them to enter into a covenant with one another. They would now share their possessions, take on each other's enemies, and each other's weaknessess. This was a covenant based on a love that issued from the heart of the God they both knew and loved. They were willing to lay down their lives for one another.
ReplyDeleteSaul was such a contrast. He only loved himself. His mood changed with the moment...fickle, eratic,unstable. "Saul eyed David from that day forward." (1 Sam. 18:9) Why? Bev said he wanted "all eyes on him."
May our eyes be "fixed on Jesus" today..."the guarantee of a better covenant." (Heb. 12:2; Heb. 7:22)
All eyes on Him because He gave His life for us. May your life be bound up in His today. He says to each of us,"YOU ARE MINE!"
Bev, you are covered by so many in prayer..they make up a healing community. I appreciate you allowing me to be a part of it. Praying too!
FG Forever Grateful
Bev - thank you for the way you share your life as you follow God. Harry and I continue to pray for God's healing hand on you. You and the rest of these ladies have been such a blessing. God is doing a mighty work in me, and your invitation to this blog was a catalyst in that journey. Thank you for that.
ReplyDeleteToday's reading spoke to me about the sin of comparison and where it can lead. God had given so much to Saul, entrusting him with the kingdom, yet Saul trusted in himself more than in God. Rather than looking deeply within himself, Saul compared himself to David, and he didn't measure up. Saul followed a path from jealousy to fear to hatred to murderous actions.
I pray that I will not be so concerned with and focused on others that I don't see the depth of my own sin or accurately evaluate the condition of my own heart.
I imagine it would have been pleasing to God had Saul stopped and realized how his own lack of obedience and his pride was the cause of God removing His Spirit from Saul. Did Saul not have anyone from whom he would receive truth?
I was very touched by the faithful friendship of Jonathon. He managed to be faithful to David yet he remained in relationship with his father and was loyal to him as well. He didn't ignore Saul's sin, he spoke to him about it and challenged him, yet he continued to honor his father. Jonathon is a beautiful example of a loving and faithful friend.
I'm thanking God today for His incredible sacrifice on our behalf. What a beautiful and loving God we serve!
One more thing...Larry Crabb was on Midday Connection.org yesterday, talking about 66 Love Letters. Thought you might want to go to their website and listen when you get a chance.
ReplyDeleteFG
Bev, I know it's too early to do the happy dance about your cancer, but I am definitely thankful that God has brought you through this year. You have impacted my life in a way that I am so very grateful for. The writings on your blog and the very thought-provoking comments here on this site have been a part of my pilgrimage towards really trying to peel away layers of right-living armor and develop a sense of holiness. I have a need to allow suffering in my life to have it's progress lead me towards Jesus in a new and richer way. All of you are sweet companions on this pilgrimage. I can see why Jesus felt compelled to have 12 disciples. Each disciple had a unique and gifted plan in God's purpose of building His Kingdom. I feel that about each of you. God has brought you here for His purpose.
ReplyDeleteAs I read through this day's reading, I was completely flabbergasted at the way Saul was dealing with God's Spirit moving away from him.
No repentance.
No washing away his evil deeds and allowing God to cleanse him.
No heart changed to give God glory.
All I see is death, depression and lack of sound reasoning.
Fear, hate and jealousy are feelings...but Saul took his feelings one step further and acted on them.
Spears through the wall to "nail" David. Sweet, God-fearing David. Who loved God more than he loved success. Who respected Saul for his position of authority given to him by God.
Cunning assignments to get David killed in battle.
Attacks against his own son, Jonathan, for helping David at the risk of his own future kingdom authority.
All of these ACTIONS are what you get when you reject God as your King and demand a human king. Even David will fail. As perfect a heart as David had for God, he still fell to sin.
But, as Dr. Larry Crabb reminds us, there is another king...the Christ King. This King adores God, always does things God's way--and has a kingdom of people who have the power to NEVER say "Give us another king."
This kingdom of people (us) have the capacity to value God's agenda of holiness over their own agendas of things working as they want.
Dr. Crabb asks this question:
Now that you belong to Him, do you hear yourself weeping over how you demand that God cooperate with your agenda? Do you hear the cry for holiness arising from your deepest center?
Dr. Crabb states that the scalpel must cut deeper before the medicine will heal. Many more Love Letters from the Old Testament will prepare our hearts for those in the New Testament.
Come King Jesus!
Prepare my heart to be a dwelling place for you.
Cut deeply so that Your medicine will heal me.
Prepare me so that I can prepare the way for Your coming.
You rise higher than Saul.
Your Glory ascends over David.
I demand a King, The One True King, Jesus Christ...forevermore.
Thank you to all of you who shared a word with me. It's a beautiful day of celebration. There is a cry for holiness that I didn't have last year. That's God! Thank you for the encouragement you have been to me!
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