DAY 120 Read 2 Samuel 13 and 14.
Today's reading: David, apparently as a result of his own sins, seems to have lost control over his sons. This dark period is brightened by a remarkable example of human concern.
Memory gem: "Neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished by not expelled from him" (2 Samuel 14:14).
Thought for today:
Notice the story of the pretended widow of Tekoah. We go first to the royal court of King David in Jerusalem. A woman stands before the throne and says, "Help, O king...I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead." She tells the sad story of the fight between her sons, in which one was killed. She expresses her fear that the other son will be executed and the family name forever destroyed. The king promises to give an order concerning her case.
The woman, having been coached by the king's general, Joab, in a clever attempt to induce David to bring back his own son, Absalom, from voluntary exile, suggests that the king himself was really at fault in not bringing home again his banished. Then she adds, "Neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him."
As the result of this appeal, Prince Absalom did return.
We are reminded by this that God has devised means whereby those who are banished from His presence by rebellion and sin may be brought home again. Think here of the patience of God toward sinners. His law has been broken, but He does not immediately take away the life of those who break it. He does not strike them dead in the act of sin, as He might justly do, but waits to be gracious
"God has suffered Absalom to live," the woman argued; "then why shouldn't David permit him to return?" And so with our heavenly Father. The unclean leper was banished from the presence of the people and sent away from civilization, but provision was made for his cleansing that he might not be expelled. The state of the sinner is really banishment from God, but atonement has been made for him by sacrifice. Christ's atoning sacrifice is God's means of the wrongdoer's deliverance; so it is the inner's own fault if he is cast off. God is "not willing that any should perish" (2 Peter 3:9).
Today's reading: David, apparently as a result of his own sins, seems to have lost control over his sons. This dark period is brightened by a remarkable example of human concern.
Memory gem: "Neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished by not expelled from him" (2 Samuel 14:14).
Thought for today:
Notice the story of the pretended widow of Tekoah. We go first to the royal court of King David in Jerusalem. A woman stands before the throne and says, "Help, O king...I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead." She tells the sad story of the fight between her sons, in which one was killed. She expresses her fear that the other son will be executed and the family name forever destroyed. The king promises to give an order concerning her case.
The woman, having been coached by the king's general, Joab, in a clever attempt to induce David to bring back his own son, Absalom, from voluntary exile, suggests that the king himself was really at fault in not bringing home again his banished. Then she adds, "Neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him."
As the result of this appeal, Prince Absalom did return.
We are reminded by this that God has devised means whereby those who are banished from His presence by rebellion and sin may be brought home again. Think here of the patience of God toward sinners. His law has been broken, but He does not immediately take away the life of those who break it. He does not strike them dead in the act of sin, as He might justly do, but waits to be gracious
"God has suffered Absalom to live," the woman argued; "then why shouldn't David permit him to return?" And so with our heavenly Father. The unclean leper was banished from the presence of the people and sent away from civilization, but provision was made for his cleansing that he might not be expelled. The state of the sinner is really banishment from God, but atonement has been made for him by sacrifice. Christ's atoning sacrifice is God's means of the wrongdoer's deliverance; so it is the inner's own fault if he is cast off. God is "not willing that any should perish" (2 Peter 3:9).
RSS Feed
