Psalm 23:1-6
Sitting quietly. I can see why this message is here, and what the Lord would like us to understand. After yesterday's bitterness and anguish; today we have a message of peace. Are we ready to hear?
All the times when the warnings were clear and the promises of faithfulness so full of hope, and yet we turn away. I do not use the past tense, we do this still, but do we have to? Is there an alternative? Today we see David's prayer, and it is one we can sit with again and again.
The Lord told Israel do not be afraid, only follow me and I will be your champion.
The Lord will protect you: The Lord is my shepherd.
Sheep aren't very bright: He makes me lie down in green pastures-not in brambles or quicksand that will kill me and consume me.
When I am thirsty he will bring me to places where I can be refreshed, where there is not danger of being swept away: He leads me beside still waters.
Ahh, rest, my spirit is at peace and I am in a right relationship with the Lord my God: He restores my soul.
Now I see His plan: He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. And for my own.
I can be courageous and live unafraid: I will fear no evil for You are with me.
Your strong arm and outstretched hand will guide and direct and protect me: Your rod and your staff they comfort me.
No one can come between me and my rest, You will provide for me and I will not be in need: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Come and be nourished, come and be at peace, come and be loved: Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Amen.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
The Fall of Jerusalem
2 Kings 25:1-25:30
Oh Weeping. when will Jerusalem listen to the Lord and to His prophets? Why must we continue to do what is evil in his sight? Look at the hardships this brings on the people. what will be the outcome of this captivity? Israel-Judah scattered and killed. The people and the king in exile.
How then can Israel be a light to the nations? That is our call, and how can we do it when all around us is death and darkness? What does this mean that Jehoiachin is released from prison and put off his prison garments? Is he to be kept as a pet? This sounds more like house arrest than freedom. To be given an allowance and to dine with the king; this is not to be king or to live as one of the chosen people of God.
Do I look for comfort when I should look to be a witness? Do I follow the Lord's commands?
This is what I will ponder today.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Oh Weeping. when will Jerusalem listen to the Lord and to His prophets? Why must we continue to do what is evil in his sight? Look at the hardships this brings on the people. what will be the outcome of this captivity? Israel-Judah scattered and killed. The people and the king in exile.
How then can Israel be a light to the nations? That is our call, and how can we do it when all around us is death and darkness? What does this mean that Jehoiachin is released from prison and put off his prison garments? Is he to be kept as a pet? This sounds more like house arrest than freedom. To be given an allowance and to dine with the king; this is not to be king or to live as one of the chosen people of God.
Do I look for comfort when I should look to be a witness? Do I follow the Lord's commands?
This is what I will ponder today.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Elijah and the Prophets of Baal
1 Kings 16:29-19:18
Oh Yuk! What happened to Solomon's warning from yesterday's reading? Why would it be "a light thing" for Ahab to go so out of his way to anger and provoke the Lord? Starting right off with the first commandment? No other God's; no, that wouldn't apply to Ahab, would it? He did his own thing at the expense of his own children. That is just not good.
Poor Elijah. Now he gets to be the one to go and tell this king what God has to say. Famine in the land. Obedience, faith and the gift of new life against odds. Elijah stays with the widow and her son, and the Lord watches over them.
Oh Yuk! What happened to Solomon's warning from yesterday's reading? Why would it be "a light thing" for Ahab to go so out of his way to anger and provoke the Lord? Starting right off with the first commandment? No other God's; no, that wouldn't apply to Ahab, would it? He did his own thing at the expense of his own children. That is just not good.
Poor Elijah. Now he gets to be the one to go and tell this king what God has to say. Famine in the land. Obedience, faith and the gift of new life against odds. Elijah stays with the widow and her son, and the Lord watches over them.
And Elijah said, "See, your son lives." And the woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth."
Now I know that you are a man of God, and the Word of the Lord in your mouth is true...
Now I think, poor Obadiah. Here he is barely keeping his own skin, and Elijah says -go tell Ahab Elijah is here. Nope. Not me-not going-you go. Oh ok I will if I must. Obadiah does tell Ahab and Elijah is there waiting for Ahab. What does Ahab say? Oh you troubler of Israel-and Elijah returns nope not me-but you. You Ahab have forsaken the commandments of the Lord.
So go get those prophets of Baal and lets see whose God is real-eh? Wow. This is sad-and funny. The Lord is faithful when Elijah is faithful. What will happen next to Ahab? What will happen to Israel? I remember what the Lord said to Solomon-it seems like yesterday-and what Ahab has done was not according to God's plan or in fulfillment of Solomon's promises. I'm afraid that it is too soon forgotten. Do we do this still? Yes.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Now I know that you are a man of God, and the Word of the Lord in your mouth is true...
Now I think, poor Obadiah. Here he is barely keeping his own skin, and Elijah says -go tell Ahab Elijah is here. Nope. Not me-not going-you go. Oh ok I will if I must. Obadiah does tell Ahab and Elijah is there waiting for Ahab. What does Ahab say? Oh you troubler of Israel-and Elijah returns nope not me-but you. You Ahab have forsaken the commandments of the Lord.
So go get those prophets of Baal and lets see whose God is real-eh? Wow. This is sad-and funny. The Lord is faithful when Elijah is faithful. What will happen next to Ahab? What will happen to Israel? I remember what the Lord said to Solomon-it seems like yesterday-and what Ahab has done was not according to God's plan or in fulfillment of Solomon's promises. I'm afraid that it is too soon forgotten. Do we do this still? Yes.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Monday, April 11, 2011
Solomon's Temple
1 Kings 8:1-9:9
The Ark of the Lord is brought into the Temple and Solomon prays this incredible prayer of dedication and benediction. This is where I need to focus for a while. It is certainly for me to attend to.
Who we are: we are the Lord's people, Why we are: we are to be a light to the nations. What we are: we are to be a people of prayer and of obedience. Why are we to do these things: because through these actions we will be a blessing and receive mercy and grace from God.
Will the Lord God dwell here on earth? The maker of the heavens and the whole earth? No it is too small a place to contain him. BUT He will place His name here. He will cause His mercy to dwell there, and He will hear the prayers of the people who call upon His name and keep His commands.
This seems to me to have captured all of the essence of what has gone before-and includes the explanation of the consequences of not following these commands-death and separation.
How beautiful to see that this news is not just for Israel, but for the foreigner who dwells among them as well. This good news, this blessing, extends beyond the chosen people if they call upon the name of the Lord.
Why? "...in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name."
This is the message for us today. Let us write this on the tablet of our hearts.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
The Ark of the Lord is brought into the Temple and Solomon prays this incredible prayer of dedication and benediction. This is where I need to focus for a while. It is certainly for me to attend to.
Who we are: we are the Lord's people, Why we are: we are to be a light to the nations. What we are: we are to be a people of prayer and of obedience. Why are we to do these things: because through these actions we will be a blessing and receive mercy and grace from God.
Will the Lord God dwell here on earth? The maker of the heavens and the whole earth? No it is too small a place to contain him. BUT He will place His name here. He will cause His mercy to dwell there, and He will hear the prayers of the people who call upon His name and keep His commands.
This seems to me to have captured all of the essence of what has gone before-and includes the explanation of the consequences of not following these commands-death and separation.
How beautiful to see that this news is not just for Israel, but for the foreigner who dwells among them as well. This good news, this blessing, extends beyond the chosen people if they call upon the name of the Lord.
Why? "...in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name."
This is the message for us today. Let us write this on the tablet of our hearts.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Sunday, April 10, 2011
King Solomon
1 Kings 2:1-3:28
King David says: "I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, ...that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'"
Be strong, and show yourself a man, and walk in the way of the your Lord God. David gives good advice-and reminds his son of his relationship with the Lord. It is Solomon's Lord as well as David's. How funny it is after so many of these fathers and sons did not walk together in the way of the Lord. We even get a hint of family issues in the rest of David's talk about Solomon's brothers, and those who tried to scheme against the King. Solomon is the same son we read about at the end of yesterday's reading-the second son after David's failure to follow the Lord according to how he had done previously.
Next we can see a way to pray that pleases God - when we don't pray for our own sake, and when we pray for wisdom to follow the Lord's directions and to do His will. This prayer of Solomon's, we read prompts God to say: "Because you have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. ... I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you....And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days."
Not asking for ourselves, but rather that we might do the Lord's will; this is something to emulate.
It was a dream. Or was it? The story of two children; one alive and one dead, and two mother's one lamenting her loss, one loving a living child, one jealous of a mother who has something she does not...who is whom in this story? King Solomon is called to arbitrate. And in dealing shrewdly with the two women he finds one cares more about the child and one cares only that she not be alone in her loss. The King does discern the difference and the truth, and in the end we find a child restored to its loving mother, safe. It was a dream? Perhaps not.
Pray for the sons and daughters in our lives; that they may follow the way of the Lord. Pray for a discerning mind, that we might follow the Lord all our days, and act according to His ways-and by doing so, bring about new life in our lives and the lives of those around us.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
King David says: "I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, ...that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'"
Be strong, and show yourself a man, and walk in the way of the your Lord God. David gives good advice-and reminds his son of his relationship with the Lord. It is Solomon's Lord as well as David's. How funny it is after so many of these fathers and sons did not walk together in the way of the Lord. We even get a hint of family issues in the rest of David's talk about Solomon's brothers, and those who tried to scheme against the King. Solomon is the same son we read about at the end of yesterday's reading-the second son after David's failure to follow the Lord according to how he had done previously.
Next we can see a way to pray that pleases God - when we don't pray for our own sake, and when we pray for wisdom to follow the Lord's directions and to do His will. This prayer of Solomon's, we read prompts God to say: "Because you have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. ... I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you....And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days."
Not asking for ourselves, but rather that we might do the Lord's will; this is something to emulate.
It was a dream. Or was it? The story of two children; one alive and one dead, and two mother's one lamenting her loss, one loving a living child, one jealous of a mother who has something she does not...who is whom in this story? King Solomon is called to arbitrate. And in dealing shrewdly with the two women he finds one cares more about the child and one cares only that she not be alone in her loss. The King does discern the difference and the truth, and in the end we find a child restored to its loving mother, safe. It was a dream? Perhaps not.
Pray for the sons and daughters in our lives; that they may follow the way of the Lord. Pray for a discerning mind, that we might follow the Lord all our days, and act according to His ways-and by doing so, bring about new life in our lives and the lives of those around us.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Saturday, April 9, 2011
David & Bathsheba
2 Samuel 11:1-12:25
I ask myself why did King David remain at home when the verses say that in the Spring of the year-kings go out to war? I wonder why there is a season for this? But I also wonder why up until this time we had read that David went out before the people and came back before the people so that the Lord was with them, and yet now he stayed at home to let others fight for him and his people? How did this come about?
When David should have been elsewhere doing what the Lord directed-this time he was idle. What has happened between yesterday's reading and today's that David isn't asking before he does anything whether the Lord wills it?
We see that good does not come of it-but rather death. When we seek to do our own will over the Lord's in comes death. Uriah the Hittite, though he was a righteous man, was killed; the child that was born, died. All of this from willful disobedience.
David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." And Nathan said to David, "The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
David recognizes his sin and the Lord "put away his sin." What is this, and what does it mean that the Lord puts away his sin, and he shall not die? David spoke truly when he said he deserved to die-when he didn't know he was speaking of himself, and yet it is still true, his actions were deserving of death: he sent a man to his death. And yet, the Lord does not kill him as he deserves. What shall be David's life in this new gift?
I wonder.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
I ask myself why did King David remain at home when the verses say that in the Spring of the year-kings go out to war? I wonder why there is a season for this? But I also wonder why up until this time we had read that David went out before the people and came back before the people so that the Lord was with them, and yet now he stayed at home to let others fight for him and his people? How did this come about?
When David should have been elsewhere doing what the Lord directed-this time he was idle. What has happened between yesterday's reading and today's that David isn't asking before he does anything whether the Lord wills it?
We see that good does not come of it-but rather death. When we seek to do our own will over the Lord's in comes death. Uriah the Hittite, though he was a righteous man, was killed; the child that was born, died. All of this from willful disobedience.
David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." And Nathan said to David, "The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
David recognizes his sin and the Lord "put away his sin." What is this, and what does it mean that the Lord puts away his sin, and he shall not die? David spoke truly when he said he deserved to die-when he didn't know he was speaking of himself, and yet it is still true, his actions were deserving of death: he sent a man to his death. And yet, the Lord does not kill him as he deserves. What shall be David's life in this new gift?
I wonder.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Friday, April 8, 2011
King David
2 Samuel 5:1-7:29
David is anointed King over Israel, and we see that in each instance he asks the Lord what he should do-before doing it-and he listens to the Lord. That would work for us today. Ask. Listen. Act. One other thing David does that we can do; he thanks the Lord-for all that happens. In fact, Saul's daughter Michal is beside herself to see David's wholehearted enthusiasm for the Lord. Poor Michal, who never lets go of her grievances and it says she never has a child all her days. I think that bitterness can prevent happiness and keep us away from others. This is something to think about; it is a short interlude in the overall story of David but it is there and I would think there is a reason for us to consider.
When David feels he has more blessing than he deserves; David has a house but the ark of God resides in a tent, David presumes to build the Lord a house-interesting that the Lord says wait; I'd ask for one if I wanted one. What does David do in response to Nathan's words? David is thankful from the bottom of his heart, He thanks the Lord for graciously letting him know of the blessings to come. This can be our response. We can thank the Lord for the blessings, instead of feeling uncomfortable for them, or that we earned them or merited them somehow. They are a gift. It is right that we are thankful.
There is one other thing for us here as we read the story of this relationship between God and His people, and that is that the Lord says he will establish the house of David and David's offspring shall be heir and King over Israel. We read the list of David's children. We need to keep this saying in mind as we read further.
Today: give thanks.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
David is anointed King over Israel, and we see that in each instance he asks the Lord what he should do-before doing it-and he listens to the Lord. That would work for us today. Ask. Listen. Act. One other thing David does that we can do; he thanks the Lord-for all that happens. In fact, Saul's daughter Michal is beside herself to see David's wholehearted enthusiasm for the Lord. Poor Michal, who never lets go of her grievances and it says she never has a child all her days. I think that bitterness can prevent happiness and keep us away from others. This is something to think about; it is a short interlude in the overall story of David but it is there and I would think there is a reason for us to consider.
When David feels he has more blessing than he deserves; David has a house but the ark of God resides in a tent, David presumes to build the Lord a house-interesting that the Lord says wait; I'd ask for one if I wanted one. What does David do in response to Nathan's words? David is thankful from the bottom of his heart, He thanks the Lord for graciously letting him know of the blessings to come. This can be our response. We can thank the Lord for the blessings, instead of feeling uncomfortable for them, or that we earned them or merited them somehow. They are a gift. It is right that we are thankful.
There is one other thing for us here as we read the story of this relationship between God and His people, and that is that the Lord says he will establish the house of David and David's offspring shall be heir and King over Israel. We read the list of David's children. We need to keep this saying in mind as we read further.
Today: give thanks.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
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