DAY 117 Read 1 Chronicles 18; 2 Samuel 8 and 9; Psalm 60 and 108.
Today's reading: David searches for some remnant of Saul's house. Why? For vengeance? No! He wants to honor that person--a cripple!
Memory gem: "Thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds" (Psalm 108:4).
Thought for today:
Before Louis XII became king of France, he suffered terrible cruelties and indignities at the hand of his cousin, Charles VIII. He was slandered, thrown into prison, and was in constant fear of death. However, when he became king himself and his close friends urged him to avenge himself for this shameful abuse, he would not heed any of their suggestions.
His friends were amazed to see him preparing a list of the names of all the men who had been guilty of crimes against him. They noticed that beside each name he placed a red cross. His enemies heard about this list, and they were filled with dread. They thought that the sign of the cross meant that they were sentenced to death on the gallows, so, one after another, they fled the court and even the country.
But when the king learned about it, he called a special session of the court. There he explained that the little red crosses on his list of names did not mean the execution of his enemies. No, indeed. "Be content," he said, "do not fear. The cross which I drew by your name is not a sign of punishment, but the pledge of forgiveness." And it is a seal for the sake of the crucified Saviour, who upon His cross forgave all His enemies, prayed for them, and blotted out the handwriting that was against them (see Colossians 2:14). It is through the blood of the cross that the enemies of God are forgiven.
Today's reading: David searches for some remnant of Saul's house. Why? For vengeance? No! He wants to honor that person--a cripple!
Memory gem: "Thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds" (Psalm 108:4).
Thought for today:
Before Louis XII became king of France, he suffered terrible cruelties and indignities at the hand of his cousin, Charles VIII. He was slandered, thrown into prison, and was in constant fear of death. However, when he became king himself and his close friends urged him to avenge himself for this shameful abuse, he would not heed any of their suggestions.
His friends were amazed to see him preparing a list of the names of all the men who had been guilty of crimes against him. They noticed that beside each name he placed a red cross. His enemies heard about this list, and they were filled with dread. They thought that the sign of the cross meant that they were sentenced to death on the gallows, so, one after another, they fled the court and even the country.
But when the king learned about it, he called a special session of the court. There he explained that the little red crosses on his list of names did not mean the execution of his enemies. No, indeed. "Be content," he said, "do not fear. The cross which I drew by your name is not a sign of punishment, but the pledge of forgiveness." And it is a seal for the sake of the crucified Saviour, who upon His cross forgave all His enemies, prayed for them, and blotted out the handwriting that was against them (see Colossians 2:14). It is through the blood of the cross that the enemies of God are forgiven.
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