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THE COST

2 Kingdoms 24:24 (2 Samuel 24:24)

Then the king said to Orna, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with something that costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

Personal Challenge

This verse comes from a story in the Old Testament where Orna, a Jebusite, is offering to David a piece of property, a threshing floor, as a gift for David to use as a place to build an altar on which to make a sacrifice to God. David shows his commitment to God by insisting that he pay for the property. He believed that the sacrifice was not complete unless it cost him something. So many of us who proclaim to be Christians have forgotten this mindset. Jesus paid the full price for our salvation and there is nothing that we can do to earn this. Thanks be to God for this. However our salvation came at a very expensive price and if we are to be sincere followers of Christ, we will be willing to respond out of love and gratitude with our own personal sacrifices, Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

OUR LORD

2 Kingdoms 22:2-3 (2 Samuel 22:2-3)

And he sang:
“O Lord, my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
My God will be my guardian, in whom I will trust;
My defender and the horn of my salvation,
My protector and the refuge of my salvation;
You will save me from unrighteousness.”

Encouraging Words

David was deemed a man after God’s own heart. Here we have the beginning of a song that he wrote after he was rescued from Saul and other enemies that were trying to kill him. Having this depth of relationship with God always leads us to this place of worship and appreciation. God is our solid rock and fortress. He is our deliverer and guardian. We can put our trust in Him. He does defend us and save us. He is our refuge, protector, and savior. Praise be to God!

IF ONLY…

1 Kingdoms 15:22 (1 Samuel 15:22)

Then Samuel said, “If only the desired whole burnt offerings and desired sacrifices were equal to the Lord, as compared to one who heeds the voice of the Lord! Behold! Hearing is better than a good sacrifice and obedience than the fat of rams.”

Personal Challenge

Throughou the Old Testament there are accounts where God rejects the sacrifices and rubrics of worship from His people. Why? It is so easy to get caught up in the trappings of religiosity and fail to have a heart that is alive and vibrant for God. He wants us to be doing His work, which is loving our neighbor, and not just acting like we are His followers. Feeding the hungry, welcoming the foreigner, clothing the naked and the poor, showing His love and compassion to others are the “if only…” things that He wants us to do. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me the sinner!

INWARD APPEARANCE

1 Kingdoms 16:7 (1 Samuel 16:7)

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Have no regard for his outward appearance, nor for the maturity of his stature, because I have refused him. For man does not see as God sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord sees into the heart.”

Personal Challenge

In the passage leading up to this verse, Samuel has been charged to go to the family of Jesse and select one of his eight sons to be the new king of Israel. As most of us would do, Samuel started selecting the strongest and most kingly looking man to be that king. But God said, “No!”. Samuel went through seven of the brothers with God rejecting each one. The eighth was David, a small, ruddy, young boy. God had selected him to be the king, not because of how he looked, but because of what God knew was in his heart. The lesson is for us to stop looking at outward appearances but at the person’s heart. We cannot see that like God does but we can see it in the fruit of the person’s life, which reveals the state of their heart. Glory be to God!

Saint of the Week

St. Clare of Assisi

WITH ALL OUR HEARTS

1 Kingdoms 7:3 (1 Samuel 7:3)

Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the Lord with all your hearts, if you put away the foreign gods and the sacred groves from among you, and if you prepare your hearts for the Lord and serve Him alone, He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”

Personal Challenge

Being a follower of Christ has nothing to do with wearing a cross or a WWJD bracelet. It is not about bumper stickers or license plate brackets. And, believe it or not, it has nothing to do with saying a one time, one-and-done, prayer and then continuing to act like everyone else in the world. As Samuel told the people of Israel, God expects us to turn to Him with our whole hearts and to serve Him alone. This means loving our neighbor, whether red, yellow, black, or white. It means getting righteously angry at the things that God abhors, such as lying, stealing from the poor, pedophilia, being a bully, and the list goes on. You cannot proclaim to love Christ and behave like the rest of the world. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

DO NOT BOAST

1 Kingdoms 2:3 (1 Samuel 2:3)

Do not boast nor speak of high things;
Let no arrogance come from your mouth,
For the Lord is the God of knowledge;
And God is preparing His actions.

Personal Challenge

One of the characteristics of a true follower of Christ is their desire to be humble. This humility comes from submitting to God and humbly loving our neighbor. This is also shown by boasting in God alone and not one’s abilities, talents, and possessions, for these all come from God and not our own endeavors. God alone has knowledge above all. God alone is our provider. Glory be to God!

REJOICING IN THE LORD

1 Kingdoms 2:1-2 (1 Samuel 2:1-2)

And she said:
“My heart is strengthened in the Lord;
My horn is exalted in my God.
I smile at my enemies;
I rejoice in Your salvation.
Because no one is holy like the Lord,
No one is righteous like our God,
No one is holy but You.”

Encouraging Words

These verses are the beginning of Hannah’s prayer. Hannah lived in Old Testament times when having a child was recognized as God’s blessing upon a woman. Hannah was barren. Late in her life, past the time when a woman was typically able to have children, she went to the temple and pleaded silently with God for His blessing to be bestowed upon her. The priest of the temple saw her lips moving but heard no words. He accused her of drunkeness. After telling her story to the priest he blessed her and asked that her prayers might be heard and answered, sending her on her way. And God responded. Samuel, a great leader and prophet, was born to her and dedicated to the Lord. god hears our prayers and it is up to us to respond with rejoicing and praise. Glory be to God!

THE LORD HAD DEPARTED

Judges 16:20

And Delilah said, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” So he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as before, and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.

Personal Challenge

In Old Testament times, prior to the incarnation, death and resurrection of Christ, the Holy Spirit would be sent to dwell within certain people in order to empower them to do God’s work. Samson was one of these people. However, he abused this power and ultimately it deported from him. His life was devastated after that. With the work that Jesus did, God sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within every follower of Christ. Through His power, we, too, can do God’s work. Our challenge is to not quench the Holy Spirit in our lives. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercyl

IF YOU ARE AFRAID

Judges 7:9-11

On that same night the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand. But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant. Listen to what they shall say, and afterward your hands shall be strong and you shall then go down into the camp.” And he went down with Purah his servant to the edge of the camp of the fifty.

Encouraging Words

All too often, people portray God as some angry, judgmental, cosmic being that demands our worship and complicity. This could not be farther from the truth. He is compassionate and loving. Upon the first creation of man and women, he walked with them in the Garden of Eden, conversing with them regularly. In His great love for us. He created us with free will and the ability to follow Him or reject Him. In this passage He is giving Gideon instructions on how to defeat His enemies. He does not force Gideon to do His work but instead gives him an opportunity to address his human fears. This comes from love for us. We have this kind of choice all the time as followers of Christ. Glory be to God!