18 January 2016

Scriptures:

• Psalm 17
• Genesis 18:1-15
• 1 Chronicles 18-20
• Luke 11:1-36

Observations:

In the psalm, we see David pleading with the Lord to shelter him and to fight on his behalf. We see him showing his heart and actions to God, as evidence that he is worthy of God's favour. We also see David's heart. He doesn't want God's protection for this particular instance. In verse 8, we see "Keep me as the apple of your eye." David is seeking intimacy with God and seeks to remain in intimacy with God.

In Genesis, we have the final promise to Abraham and Sarah that they will have a child, to which Sarah scoffs, because she is well past menopause. What's also interesting and very much worth noting is the urgency of Abraham's hospitality for the servants of the Lord, urging them into the shade, offering and making them food and drink. It brings to mind the passage in Matthew 25:35, "For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me." We never know when we might be entertaining messengers of God, so let us always be available and graciously hospitable. That being said, we should be doing so anyways, because of the love of God that dwells within us.

In 1 Chronicles, we have an account of a number of military and political events occurring through David's reign. In ch 18, we see his war victories and spoils as well as his administration. In ch 19, we see a new Ammonite king, the son of one who had been kindly towards David in his youth, spit at David's offer of consolation and friendship, bringing the Syrians to war against Israel. Israel routed them both and Syria became a vassal state. In ch 20, we see the capture of Rabbah from the Ammonites as well as the deeds in single combat of some of David's men. Clearly this period of David's rule was one blessed by God, as evidenced by his successes.

In the first segment of the Luke passage, we see the people gathered asking Jesus how to pray. In reply, he gives them two pieces of instruction. First, he gives them a skeleton prayer. Second, he tells them to pray boldly, asking for whatever they seek, because God loves us like a perfect father and desires to bless us with what we need. In the second segment, Jesus deals with accusations that he is in league with the devil to be able to cast out demons, giving the crowd two if-then statements on if he worked by the power of Satan and if he worked by the power of God. Third, Jesus talks about an unclean spirit that has been cast out, returning to find its old home clean and well-kept, and inviting more to dwell with it. To me, I understand this as attempting to remove our sin on our own. We might hold out for a time and get ourselves straightened up, but that sin comes back and with a vengeance, bringing us to new lows. Unless, of course, there is a different spirit residing in its place - the spirit of God. Jesus then continues, closing out this particular collection of verses with a woe to the crowds, lamenting their lack of faith, wanting to see greater miracles before they believed, and with an illustration on faith-filled living.

Application:

Well, from Chronicles, we can definitely see the effect of God's hand in physical affairs. In the psalm, we see David's example in his desire to never be removed from God's favour. In Genesis, we see how God will answer his promises, albeit in unlikely ways sometimes, and how we should be ready to serve God and others, with our very best and consideration for their well-being. Lastly, in Luke, we see we are to be bold in prayer, recognising that Jesus' power is of God, meaning that the kingdom of God is truly near, recognising that it is only through him that we are cleansed from our sins, and that we are to be bold in our faith, reflecting Christ, shining his light like a lamp on a stand, being aware of ourselves, checking that the light we reflect is indeed of Christ and not self.

That's still very wordy.

God answers his promises and has clear power. Recognising that it is Jesus who cleanses us and allows us to come into the presence of God, let us cleave to God and desire never to leave, petitioning him boldly for his favour and blessing, and allowing him to change us from the inside, that we would reflect in growing faith the character of God.

So, cling to God faster than a man does his wife, for God is sufficient, able, and willing to meet every one of our needs.