Tag Archives: David

May 2
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“The LORD rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness.  The LORD delivered you (Saul) into my (David’s) hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed.  As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and deliver me from all trouble.”  (I Samuel 26:23-24, NIV)

David had many good reasons — and opportunities — to reward Saul for all of the evil that Saul had done to him, but David had no excuse to avenge himself.

Being a faithful disciple of Jesus means forgoing the exercise of our human “rights” in order to grasp divine peace.

David reminds us that the grace we extend to others is multiplied and returned to us, not by the recipient (it is a bridge too far for some people to return kindness and mercy in any measure); but by the Lord God!

While our neighbors may be the beneficiaries of our restraint, it is the Lord God who sees all; and “rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness.”   Always live for the audience of One!  – Luther

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February 10
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Ash Wednesday

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”  (Psalm 51:10, NIV)

We frequently refer to David, who wrote Psalm 51, as “a man after God’s own heart”; but David was a world-class sinner: Lying, adultery, and murder were a few of his notorious misdeeds.

Yes, David was focused like a laser beam on pleasing God — when he wasn’t distracted, that is.  But when David found himself in the wrong, he always repented of his sin and ran the path of righteousness as one runs to make up for lost time.

By way of illustration (not by imitation), it is said that we can sin like David — if we are willing to repent like David.  David’s prayer of repentance was a plea for a clean heart; a pure heart; a heart that is unalloyed in its devotion to God.

David also prayed for a steadfast spirit.  Proverbs tells us: “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” (Proverbs 16:32)  A steadfast spirit will keep us free of many of the heartaches of life.

Today, as we remember the fact that from dust we came and to dust we shall return; redeem every day for good — and give God the glory!  – Luther

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July 31
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“I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.” (Psalm 37:25, NIV)

David saw in his history the total faithfulness of God, both to him — and to his offspring.  God is sometimes faithful to us “because of,” and sometimes God is faithful to us “in spite of,” but God is always faithful.

In His faithfulness, He cares for us. He seeks our highest good, even through trial or in tears.  He gives each of us reasons to love Him and to trust Him that are as countless as they are compelling.

Each of us has lived long enough to have made “history” with God.  When you look back on your particular, personal history, what is it you see?  What is your testimony?  – Luther

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