WHITER THAN SNOW
Suggested Reading: 2 Samuel 11-12
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Mount Hermon is the only ski resort in Israel and is located in the north. Even in Summer a snow cap can still be seen. King David prayed, "Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow" (Psalm 51:7b).
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: 2 Samuel 12:7a
Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!…”
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I join King David in his prayer of repentance: “Have mercy upon me” (Psalm 51:1). “Cleanse me from my sin” (51:2b). “Create in me a clean heart” (51:10a). I pray this through Jesus who bore my sin on the cross and who washes me clean in the blood that He shed (1 John 1:7b – let’s read all of 1 John chapter one). Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I believe that “repentance” is a constant in my life. John the Baptist began his ministry with the word “repent” (Matthew 3:2). Jesus did the same (Matthew 4:17). Is this a top priority for a believer? That’s for sure! To me, “repentance” means a 180 degree turn! 179 degrees and I’m still moving away from God. Daily Bible reading and prayer keeps me focused like the worker I saw with a transit scope the other day. I must not look away from God’s will for my life. David did, and look what it cost him.
On one occasion, I had the joy of skiing at Whistler, British Columbia. The lifts were full and I found myself sharing a three-person chair with two young ladies from Quebec. The move to separate from Canada was big then. They told me they would vote for Quebec as an independent country. I said, in my best French, “Look around you. B.C. is your country now. It won’t be if you separate. How could you possibly give up all this beauty?” They answered, “We’ll think about that.” Then I asked them to think about someone else…God. I quoted Job 38:22 – “Have you considered the treasures of the snow?” (that’s my rough translation from French.) That opened the conversation for the next few minutes to talk about the Lord! Good seed was planted in their hearts. I saw them from a distance twice more that day, and they waved and gave me their biggest smiles. Perhaps they we’re laughing at my accent, but I think not! Je pense non! Oui?
Yours for “Whiter than snow,”
David
P.S. Over a three-year period some 50 years ago, I read the French Bible daily in my time of devotions. I suggest that this is a great way to learn a language, holding in one hand the English text and the French in the other. Here’s a link to a French and English parallel version of today’s reading (click here).
Psalm 119:11
Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against you.
As we turn 180 degrees into the true light, may darkness and sin be separated from us as far as the East from the West. This assurance granted by the blood of Christ and fear of God.
A wonderful reading today – good advice also. I am unable to read the French,however. I am having problems with English! I have no idea what a “transit scope” is! Very good Biblical study today though. Thanks
When you need to find out if something is level in your home, a hand held level can be the answer. However, if you need to make a level measurement outside and it involves making multiple readings over 100 feet from each other, that hand level is useless. You need a device that can provide you with uniformity and accuracy of multiple readings. The instrument you need is a transit level, which is a precision telescope used for land measurements.
So ture David and thank you for the explanation. This lesson today is a good one
for everyone.
Lianne Hogg
Good lesson today, David. I have a Gideon French New Testament and a French English dictionary on my desk beside me here. Helping a friend celebrate their 95th birthday today.
Right on Scott!! Excellent teaching today.
Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee.
Hi David and fellow bloggers, What a story this is,we read today! So many people suffered, Uriah, the men who were with him in the battle,who were also killed as they were deliberately placed in harms way, and also the death of the baby Bathsheba bore to David! We can clearly see from this account in the life of David, that God has no favourites. We all suffer as a consequence of sin. However, our wonderful Lord has made provision for us, and even back then,true repentance led to restoration of David’s relationship with his angered heavenly Father. God is so longsuffering with us that we must keep alert and examine our hearts and motives daily.incase we fall into the deception, that God doesn’t mind our little (to us)transgressions, after all he we do well in other areas of our life!
My favorite ps.51 was the ps. I always wet to when I was growing up ‘
especily create in me a clean heart o, God and renw a right Spirit with in me.
God Bless All you bloggers and Thank you David .M.for beng so faithful
doing this blog.R.
Once at a family gathering we were having a discussion about religion when a non-believing family member stated he was going to live his life the way that he wanted and when he died he would ask God for forgiveness and God will have to forgive him.
As a believer I knew what he was saying was in error, but didn’t know quite how to correct him, so instead I said something to the effect if you are willing to live God’s way for all eternity then why not start now and repent.
Later in prayer in my spirit it hit me that God doesn’t have to forgive us, and that is what my family member had wrong. God chooses to forgive us, but he is not bound to do so. If you do not grasp the weight of sin, if you do not grasp God forgiveness is not something we are entitled to– lasting repentance is hard to come by. As a believer I am assured that once forgiven, my sins are forgiven, but as a believer I never want to take God’s forgiveness for granted either.
Just to clarify I don’t fear God will not forgive me, just that as a believer I need to stay aware He could have chosen not to- and that is what I cannot take for granted- His Mercy.