promise of God – Be Still…

1 Chronicles 17:16-27 – David Responds in Prayer

Read 1 Chronicles 17:16-27

After receiving the promise from God in our last reading, what was David’s response? Prayer. David was moved and spoke to God in this humble prayer of thanks.

David begins with such humility. “Who am I, O Lord God?” Have you ever felt that way? Perhaps God has revealed to you a plan for your life, and you don’t feel anywhere close to being worthy of such a mission. There is no greater honor, I can tell you, than to be used by God! But how often do we ever feel “ready?”

Obadiah 17-21 – Promised Restoration

Read Obadiah 17-21

I learned today the Edomites were taken down in the 5^th century B.C. God used a people called the Nabateans to defeat the Edomites and force them from their main city of Petra. The interval between prediction and fulfillment would, therefore, have been very short, assuming Obadiah was writing following the Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem. When Obadiah prophesied this promise, it was probably thought to be crazy. Judah was the more likely candidate to not survive (that’s only when you take God’s will out of the equation)! The Edomites would later disappear from history completely, marking the total destruction of one of Israel’s enemies.

It always helps me to understand the context of a story to aid in understanding. The Negev region was very dry and hot in the southern part of Judah. The foothills would be found in western Judah. Phoenicia would be an ancient civilization along the Mediterranean, primarily located in modern-day Lebanon.

Joel 2:18-27 – Restoration

Read Joel 2:18-27

What divine intervention! If Joel’s earlier words led his audience to believe they would be the laughingstock for belonging to the one true God, this passage lessens the distress. Can we assume that the people did repent and pray and this is God’s response?

Have you ever feared or experienced mockery for your faith? How did that make you feel? Did you realize God was there all the time?

Hebrews 13:4-6 – Sex & Money

Read Hebrews 13:4-6

Keep in mind that our reading today comes from the Preacher’s closing remarks. As such, we encounter those important “last-minute details” we mustn’t overlook. These few verses handle three hot-button items: Marriage, Sex, and Money.

Times haven’t changed that much because we could agree those are highly relevant topics still today. What wisdom can we glean for ourselves?

Hebrews 12:5-13 – Divine Discipline

Read Hebrews 12:5-13

I was spanked as a child, were you? It was “for my own good,” I was told. Take a step back in time and think about how your parents disciplined you while growing up. I apologize if you were the “perfect” child who never riled anger or correction from your parents. I was not. Not even close! I spent many nights “grounded.”

When we become parents ourselves, our perspective on the whole idea of discipline abruptly changes. If not a parent, think of a time when you were put in charge of a room full of children and felt totally out of your element. (That’s what being a parent can feel like sometimes!)