“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.
Moving scripture, message and prayer, today. We are ever blessed by God’s Word. His blessings be upon you, fellow saints in the Lord. Amen.
No matter our struggles,
Nor depths of despair,
What our Saviour sacrificed
On the cross for us,
Cannot be compared.
© ~Beverlee Kay~
What a Savior, Laura Story (with lyrics)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n9BCuuH8TI
Amen Beverlee🌸🌺
David was like a brother to Jonathan and he still considered Saul to be anointed so it took a battle to eliminate he and his heir which opened wide the door for the obvious replacement,David.David was son of Jesse and scripture calls Jesus ‘son of Jesse’ also.The promise unfolds through his line instead of Saul’s.
This just came to me but what I wanted to share is below it.Give thanks and may God bless
……..His Holy Whim
Oh righteous Father from on high,
Grant us favour in Your eye,
As we praise You from lowly place
We desire the day we see your face.
You sent Your Son to die for us,
The One all know as Jesus,
Who taught and lived as You would do
So we would know just how to be true.
Alone He died upon the tree,
He would do this just for me,
So I must ever live for Him
And share the truth of His holy whim.
GW (Bill) Marshall / 3 April 2021
A Kiss By Love
The vastness of the sins we wrought
Was cancelled by one wooden cross,
For there alone forgiveness was bought
By the Gift of His Son who took our loss.
What caused this Man of holy reign
To take our sins of unholy shame
And with His blood give hope again,
When He was least of all to blame?
This King of kings who rose above,
Broke the serpent’s strangle hold,
For hate was given a kiss by Love
In the greatest story ever told.
G W(Bill) Marshall / June 08, 2013
Amen Bill
👀 Looking forward to tomorrow and celebrating Easter Sunday. I had an unusual day yesterday. on Wednesday afternoon an Eurasian Dove (looks much like a Mourning Dove) landed on my balcony railing and sang his heart out for some time. I tried not to distract him. He eventually left. Thursday – no sign or sound of him. Friday, he appeared again & stayed for 3/4 of an hour walking back & forth but not cooing. Later he jumped down onto the balcony floor & even pecked @ my windows. I went to another room & returned to see him lying in the sun peacefully. After a while, I wondered if he was okay. I opened the balcony door slightly & played a recorded cooing but he didn’t react. He was dead. This was upsetting to me. I don’t know what to think about it. He seemed to be young & vibrant & then died.
He might have known he was dying and came to a peaceful place to have his final rest, Doreen. Spirits are in birds. Maybe it was someone who wanted to come say goodbye to you. See it as a blessing. 🕊️
Thanks Beverlee
Thank you Beverly for your recollection of the dove…very touching. May God richly bless you in every way and always .
I think Beverlee may be right about the dove bless you Doreen.🤗❤️
Lord God, thank You for Your Word made flesh for us, Your promises, Your faithfulness to death and beyond – thank You that You live and are an ever-present help even in times of deepest trouble. Help all Your children trust and rest in You today, in Jesus’s great name, amen
Amen Rob.
Amen Rob
Amen!
Amen Rob
Today I am so grateful for Jesus’ sacrificial death in order that we, you and I and the whole wide world could live freely, with sins forgiven…He made it possible, by His resurrection three days later! I praise Him. I also praise and thank him for the Mainse’ family, and to our dear friend David Mainse, (DM to my study friends and me) who provides this amazing, and life-giving “fresh bread” to us every day, posthumously.!!! Thank you dear Mainse family…thank you Norma Jean who stood with and by your beloved through the ups and downs all those years. I am eternally grateful to you and to your whole family.. Today’s reading reminded me of our visit, my husband was still living in 2005, and DM pointed out Mt. Gilboa on which Saul and his sons were slain. 2Samuel 1:21 states the curse David placed on that mountain and even today we can see there’s little greenery on it versus Mt. Tabor near it, green and lush. Blessed Easter to you dear Norma Jean and to your family and to all you dear bloggers.
Amen Alice❤️
Happy Easter to the Mainse family and you fellow bloggers.