“THE BEAUTY OF ISRAEL”
Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 1
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Barren mountains rise above the ruins of Delphi in central Greece.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: 2 Samuel 1:19
The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, please grant that I may respond, as Jesus did, to those who have wronged me. Jesus said, as He hung on the cross, “Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” David’s response to the death of Saul, the man who sought to kill him, is a challenge to me. I pray for grace and power to be more gracious in my words. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
As I read today of David’s order to kill the Amalekite who brought Saul’s crown to David and lied about his role in Saul’s death, a story that no doubt he thought would curry favour for himself with David, I thought of the tribal societies in parts of Africa today. For example, the brutal, bloody terror of the regime of Idi Amin in Uganda was overturned by the present leader, Museveni. His strong rule has reduced the incidence of AIDS more than in any other country in Africa. The story is told that in his first cabinet meeting, Museveni took out his revolver, pointed it at each of his cabinet members, and said, “If any of you are unfaithful to your wives, I will personally shoot you dead.” He took other measures also, but the point I want to make is that in our culture here in most of the rest of the world, this kind of action is so foreign that I find it hard to understand that the cabinet members actually believed that they would be shot if they were unfaithful. I try to think back 3,000 years and the culture and practises are far more foreign to me than that of modern Uganda. Our son, David Reynold (blog photographer), and his wife, Kathy, are missionaries there. I know that I cannot do anything to help change the ancient cultures, but I’m working in my small way on the modern cultures. I must do my part to share the grace and mercy revealed in Jesus. God willing, tomorrow I’ll share more about the Ugandan leader.
Yours, trying my best to communicate information that is helpful,
David
P.S. Have you watched my video version of 100 Words lately? My son, Ron, has been filling in a lot lately, as I have not been well enough to record them. However, I felt strong enough to tape some with Ron last week, and you can see them online as of April 1st. HERE is the link to access the videos.
This Ugandan grandmother would have lived through the brutal regime of Idi Amin. The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) ravaged Northern Uganda for the last 20 years, causing the population of the north to live in IDP (internally displaced persons) Camps. In the last few years, people have begun returning to their villages.
Protection for Ron and Kathy in Jesus name. May there ministry prosper. Bless them Lord for all they require. In Jesus name amen.
Yes Dale, I pray for the same for Ron and Kathy.
Countries do need strong leaders like Museveni but hopefully guided by the Spirit of our heavenly Father.
Dr. Jim Denison:
“The good news is that if the Holy Spirit is controlling and empowering us, others will be drawn to the change they see in us.
My favorite witness in the New Testament is the man born blind whose eyes were healed by Jesus. When asked to explain what had happened to him, the man said simply, “One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25).”
God bless all believers this beautiful Spring day.
Thank you David and Reynold. May the Lord Bless you mightily today!!! I love you both so much!
Reynold …have never met you ; however , David, and I met in Wallmart on Wellington Rd in London Ont when I was a very young mother. ( I am now 77) with my my babe in tow…… Looking for something on the floor that I had lost. David….you gently put your dear arm around my shoulder , introduced yourself , and asked if you could pray for me.
Did I find what I had lost?….. Not sure, …..probably????
Thank you!
You are a precious soul..
Yes many celebrations; we praise and thank the Lord for Reynold & Kathy as they share the Gospel with the people in Uganda…..I had to chuckle at the way one person was going, the incident of the hand gun……but…….I pray for marriages and children daily and sometimes I must admit; I just can;t understand why people disrespect marriages and disrespect God….
some good news:
prayers of thankfulness for my Pastor;s wife Carol, she is now well, had been ill for many years. some sort of bug in her system they believe it came from well water; so we praise and thank the Lord for her healing;
also; praise and thank the Lord as Pastor and Carol celebrate the arrival of another very healthy grand daughter; parents live in Victoria, B.C. thank you Lord
this is the last year for my Pastor, he is retiring end of June and a call has gone out for another Pastor; we pray the Lord will bring us the “right” type of Pastor;
we’ve been very happy for all the Pastors we have had, so we pray the Lord will send us the right person, thank you Lord
100 Huntley Street should close down; their phone lines do not work and haven’t done so for many months; very frustrating; Lord straighten this mess out so people can phone for prayer Thank you Lord in Jesus name we Pray amen
thank you Ron and Ann for this daily blog and the photos too Reynold;
It was good to see David and Ron together on TV Blog!
How blessed we are not to have such harsh culture rules!