Devotion
A house divided and father burying his son
David Jacobs
My grandfather was a strict and quiet man. He was a good man and cared deeply for his family, but he rarely shared or showed his emotions. He had 6 children: 4 sons and 2 daughters. The sons, my father and uncles, all had a unique relationship with their father. All of the sons respected their father so much, some trying to follow in his footsteps in their professional choices, others with the way they raised their families. Not much was shared between the father and the sons until my grandfather was diagnosed with a rare neurological disease in his last years.
Suddenly, a lifetime of regret for not saying how he felt came flowing out because he knew he would not have much time left. In the final 2 years of his life, he became closer to his family than the previous 86 years, barely having enough time to share things that he had held deeply for so long.
King David and his son, Absalom, had been fighting for years. Absalom had similar ambitions to his father, wanting the throne for himself. Absalom was charismatic, handsome, and much of the population was willing to fight on his side. In these verses, a large battle draws near, with the armies of David and Absalom meeting to see who will win the throne. However, it seems David's primary concern is that his son should not be harmed in the fray. He has already lost his son, Amnon, at the hands of Absalom, who killed his half-brother for raping his sister. David seems that he cannot bear to lose another, and presumably blames himself for the relationship problems that he has faced in his family. It turns out to be too late: Absalom gets stuck in a tree and one of David's most fearsome soldiers, Joab, kills him. In the final verses, David breaks down, realizing his son is dead, his failures as a father, and that he will not get the chance to share how he felt with Absalom.
Prayer
Learn from these passages! As devotees of Christ, we should bring light into the world. Would you light a lamp and put it under a bowl (Matthew 5:15, Luke 8:16)? Of course not! Share your light with the world, especially with those you love the most. David never got the chance; do not lose yours.
Devotion
Abraham is Father of All
Frances Taylor
There are questions in every age about the importance of the Old Testament for Christians. Abraham is considered to be the Father of Faith for Jews, Christians and Muslims. We forget that it was Abraham who believed in the doctrine of only one God. It is through him and his descendants that this tradition comes down to us. Another fact that we can overlook is that Jesus was Jewish. He was born a Jew, lived as a Jew, died, rose and ascended into heaven as a Jew. Because we believe that he was the Messiah, the Christ, and we follow him, we are called Christian. Without the Old Testament, we wouldn't understand the promise of salvation; we wouldn't understand why it was important for Jesus to be of the family of King David. We would not understand his teaching either, because Jesus quoted from Scripture – the Old Testament – frequently. He told us that he came to fulfill the Scriptures, not to abolish them. In the same way, we can ...
Morning Prayer
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Inspiration
We have a responsibility, as Christians, to abstain from the sinful practices we partook in before we became saved. While it may be a gradual process of change, we should ensure that we are putting in our best to play our part in resisting temptation. God enables us to resist temptation, but it is up to us to actually resist.
Prayer
Dear God, I pray that I will always be a person of action. Father, I take delight in my new life in you and I do not desire otherwise. I pray that in times of temptation, may I act on the strength you have given me to flee and/or resist. May I never rely on excuses or procrastination, Lord. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Night Prayer
Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.
Inspiration
We have chosen to surrender our lives and serve the Lord. We serve Him by witnessing, completing missionary projects, and ministering to those in need. There is always work to do and a world full of people to help. We will look for opportunities to provide for our brothers and sisters in Christ by any means necessary. We are servants to one another as a service to the Lord; He will never forsake us.
Prayer
Dear God, Help us see the world through Your eyes. We desire to serve those around us by reflecting Your love through our actions. You will never forsake us, and we will continually lift praises of thanksgiving to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
