Hey all! Thanks for being awesome!!!
2nd Samuel chapter 21.
There was a famine in the land for three years and David could not figure out why. The Lord said because of Saul shedding innocent blood of the Gibeonites. So David asked the Gibeonites what he could do to make amends. They asked that 7 male descendants of Saul be given to them to be killed. So David gave seven males and they were killed and rain finally came upon the Earth. The fact that God allowed the bloodshed of Saul's people is bewildering to me. But I have come to the conclusion that God is not happy when we mistreat other people. Each person is precious in God's sight. Therefore we must treat each other with utmost respect. We break God's heart when we ridicule the weak, or make fun of the poorly dressed, or reject the lonely or even ignore the unpopular. I'm reminded that we will stand before a Just God who gives us what we deserve. I'm also reminded how I must invest into the lives of others. Romans 12:10 says we must honor others above ourselves. We cannot forget the widows and orphans. May I be more conscious of what I say and do around others. Might I be more aware of how I treat others. May I never forget to love the lonely and hurting.
Verse 17 stood out to me today.
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his (David’s) aid and attacked the Philistine and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, “You shall no longer go out with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.”
We read in verse 15 that David grew weary and then we see how his men didn’t want him to get killed. David had some very loyal followers like Abishai who always seemed to be ready to do whatever he could to help David.
I was thinking back to 1 Samuel 26:6.
Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab’s brother Abishai the son of Zeruiah, “Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”
Abishai seems to me to be a good example of being a passionate servant who was always eager to volunteer to serve wherever there was a need. I get the idea that protecting David was more important to him than anything else in the world. It was good for David to have friends like this. May we be good friends who show love to all and honor others above ourselves just as Pastor Blair has shared from Romans 12:10.
I was reminded today about how Jesus is our best friend of all.
Check out Proverbs 18:24.
“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
The Bible doesn’t record Saul’s act of vengeance against the Gibeonites but whatever it was, it seriously went against the vow and covenant made by Joshua with the Gibeonites many years before (Joshua 9:16-20). The Lord wants us to take covenants and vows very seriously. 40 years later, Saul’s grandsons paid for his sin. Sin catches up with us eventually.
Notice that David waited 3 years before asking God about the famine. How many dry spells do I go through before I take it to the Lord? The Lord was waiting for David to ask – when he did, the Lord answered. Thank you, Lord, for all your lessons. Search my heart, Lord.