Devotion
Two wrongs don’t make a right
David Jacobs
It is quite common for men and women in positions of power to commit adultery. The sanctity of marriage does not seem as important today as it once did, and many people view divorce as almost an inevitability. The collapse of the family structure and lack of good relationship examples can help explain the modern issues with marriage and divorce. How can we make sense of David's actions in these verses?
The Ten Commandments specifically prohibit coveting, committing adultery, and committing murder (Exodus 20). The King of Israel manages to commit all of these sins in these verses. Seeing the beautiful Bathsheba, King David abuses his power and sleeps with her. She gets pregnant, and David tries to get her husband, Uriah, to sleep with her so that he will not think about the pregnancy, but Uriah does not do it. In an attempt to correct two sins with an even bigger sin, David orders Uriah, a loyal and competent soldier, to be placed in the area where fighting will be heaviest in the next battle. Uriah dies and David takes Bathsheba, now widowed, to be his wife.
"Two wrongs don't make a right." David has more than two wrongs, but the more wrongs you add, the less right the result. In an attempt to correct his mistakes, David sins, making his wife less happy, himself less happy, and giving Uriah no option at all. We can learn from David's mistakes, realizing that all of the sins are prohibited in the Ten Commandments for a reason: committing these sins will hurt us and hurt others.
Prayer
Abba Father, grant me the wisdom to discern what is good and what is not. Lead me away from temptation, for I know that like Adam and Eve, doing what you have prohibited will hurt me and hurt you. I pray that you grant a sense of peace to relationships that may need mending, hoping that more love can be shared instead of sin. Amen.
Night Prayer
To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Inspiration
When multiple flocks of sheep become blended, there is no need to worry. The good shepherd will call out to his sheep, and they come directly to him because they know his voice and will not confuse it with others. As God's people, we often become mixed up in things of the world. Sin is tempting as we surround ourselves with the wrong crowd; God is always watching and calls us back to the fold. We find Him when we are lost because we know the sound of His voice; it's the only one we've chosen to follow, and we do not confuse it with others.
Prayer
Dear God, when we are lost, we listen for You. Your voice is precious and will guide us back to the fold where we belong. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
The Word of God
Frances Taylor
If there's one thing I know about Christians and the Bible, is that there is an ongoing debate about whether it is the word of God or the word of men, and what that means. We all agree that the Bible is the living revealed word of God, but! There are wide differences in how that is interpreted. There are some who believe that every word of the Bible was dictated to someone who wrote it down. For others it is purely men's thoughts. For others, men were inspired by God to write their experience of God. I don't know where you find yourself on this continuum.
For most people who believe that the Bible is inspired either word for word or as guided by God, the Bible tells God's truth. Unfortunately for those of us who speak English, we have to rely the sources we have had over the years as guides to how the Scriptures should be interpreted. I have had many people ask me which translation is correct, but there's no clear answer.
The Bible has been translated ...
Morning Prayer
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
Inspiration
Suffering will be a part of our lives as Christians. The New Testament is filled with warnings about the suffering Christians will incur because of their decision to follow Christ and not the ways of the world. Millions of Christians across the world are subjected to torture, isolation, and mockery just because they have chosen to follow Christ. But Christ has also assured us that we will not endure this suffering alone, and a reward lies ahead for all of those who suffer for the name of Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Dear God, I pray that in times of persecution and great tribulations, may you strengthen me and encourage me to keep going on. I also pray for my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who endure great pain and torture for choosing to follow you. May you comfort them in these trying times, Lord. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
