2 Corinthians Sunday (4-5)
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ESV)
The aging process reeks havoc on our bodies; “our outer self is wasting away.” But the child of God who spends time with the Lord regularly (Bible reading, prayer, worship, reception of the Lord’s Body and Blood), finds himself/herself renewed daily. In fact, the child of God knows that we are being prepared for eternal life with Jesus. The hymn writer put it this way:
And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
(For All the Saints, The Lutheran Service Book, CPH, 2006, #677 stanza 5)
Link to hymn video clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OaBgaMcOvM
Dearest Lord Jesus, please strengthen my soul for the struggles of daily life, including the deterioration that comes with aging. In Your saving name, O Lord. Amen.
“See” you at the Communion table this morning!
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
Day 121 - Mark Sunday (chapters 11-12)
On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it. (Mark 11:12-14 ESV)
“The curse and destruction of the fig tree warns Jesus’ disciples of impending judgement against the temple and the unfaithful people.
● Works without faith are truly fruitless.
● True faith, and the life that flows from it, cannot be separated.
● They are the good and gracious gifts of our heavenly Father.”
(The Lutheran Study Bible, , Concordia Publishing House, 2009, page 1682)
James put it this way:
“So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:17 ESV)
Paul Speratus got it right back in the 1500's when he wrote:
Faith clings to Jesus’ cross alone
And rests in Him unceasing;
And by its fruits true faith is known,
With love and hope increasing.
For faith alone can justify;
Works serve our neighbor and supply
The proof that faith is living.
(Salvation unto Us Has Come, Lutheran Service Book, CPH, 2006, #555, stanza 9)
Lord, may my life show the fruit of my faith. Yes, may I live my life for Jesus who died and rose for me. Amen.
“See” you in church tomorrow!
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
Day 120 - Jeremiah Friday (chapters 22-26)
Thus says the Lord: “Do justice and righteousness... do no wrong or violence.” (Jeremiah 22:3 ESV)
(21:11-22:10) "God challenges His people in Jerusalem to keep His covenant by helping other people, protecting the weak and vulnerable, and keeping Him first in their worship and their lives.
Keeping the Law means not only avoiding the wrong thing but also includes doing the right thing, such as having mercy. Such compassion flows directly from a righteous relationship with God.
Today, call on the Lord in repentance and prayer.
Jesus redeemed you through His perfect life, death and resurrection and has promised to save you.
Father, lead us to treat other people as we want to be treated, loving them as You love us in Jesus Christ. Amen.” (The Lutheran Study Bible, Concordia Publishing House, 2009, page 1242)
Called by worship to Your service
Forth in Your dear name we go,
To the child, the youth, the aged,
Love in living deeds to show;
Hope and health, goodwill and comfort,
Counsel, aid, and peace we give,
That Your servants, Lord in freedom
May Your mercy know and live.
(Lutheran Service Book, CPH, 2006, #848)
May your know and live God’s gift of mercy today!
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
Day 119 - Job Thursday (chapters 33-34)
On June 9, 1946 Joe Louis, considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, was asked, "If he (Billy Conn) runs, will you chase him?" Joe responded, “He can run, but he can’t hide.”
Ever since Adam and Eve fell into sin, people have been trying to hide from God. It didn’t work then, and it doesn’t work now, as Elihu reminds Job: “For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps. There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.” (Job 34:21-22 ESV)
While God’s omnipresence (His presence everywhere) is a warning to all sinners, it is also a comfort to all forgiven followers of Christ. Jesus put it this way:
“Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20 ESV)
Jesus and His forgiving mercy are with you wherever you go.
Lord, thank You for the warning and the comfort of Your Word. Help me to see the wisdom of not running from You, but running to You instead for forgiveness and peace. May the fact that You know every aspect of my life be a source of comfort as I trust You to lead and direct me today. Amen.
Don’t run from God. Run to Him!
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
Day 118 - Psalms Wednesday (chapters 48-50)
"If you need anything, just give me a call." Have you ever heard these words before? Perhaps you have shared them yourself. They are meant to show our care and concern for another person with some sort of need.
What comforting words God has for us sinners who so often find ourselves in trouble: “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” (Psalm 50:15 ESV)
Just think of it. When you get in a jam, God Himself is on call for you! You don’t have to go through an endless series of phone prompts. You don’t have to be frustrated by being put on hold. God simply says: When the going gets rough, just give me a call.
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a Friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness -
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
(What A Friend We Have In Jesus, Lutheran Service Book, CPH, 2006, #770 vs 2)
Lord, I have many earthly needs that I bring before You today. Please grant them according to Your will. But I have far greater needs. Please grant the needs of my soul (forgiveness, peace, and heaven) as I repent of my sin and seek Your strength for the day. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
2 Samuel Tuesday (chapters 1-4)
WITNESS, MERCY, LIFE TOGETHER is the threefold emphasis of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. The last one, LIFE TOGETHER, has always been a challenge ever since Cain killed Abel. But, oh, what a blessing our LIFE TOGETHER can be when we humbly serve the Lord and others by sharing His MERCY and GRACE and PEACE!
“Competition at Gibeon leads to a fierce battle. The Benjaminites are defeated, but David’s nephew Asahel is slain by Abner. Sadly, those fighting and killing one another are all members of God’s people, Israel. May God prevent us from quarreling unnecessarily with fellow Christians, especially those of our own congregation or family.
‘We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Romans 5:1), so let us be ‘eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace’ (Ephesians 4:3).
Lord Jesus, grant me peace with all people, especially those who confess the same faith. Amen.” (The Lutheran Study Bible, Concordia Publishing House, 2009, page 490)
May God bless our LIFE TOGETHER today and forever!
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
Exodus Monday (chapters 13-16)
“Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians.” (Exodus 14:12 ESV)
That was the fearful response of the Israelites as they saw the chariots of Egypt charging in their direction, prompting Moses’ response:
“Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord.” (Exodus 14:13b ESV)
What excellent advice for you and me as we begin another week in this fear-filled world! But can we really trust God to be there for us when the going gets rough? Does He really have your back?
The Israelites were protected by a cloud and darkness separating them from Pharaoh’s army (14:20). And once they were safely on the opposite shore, and the enemy army was pursuing them on the same miraculously dry path through the middle of the Red Sea.... “The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained.” (Exodus 14:13b ESV)
God has your back too! The best proof of this is the promise of forgiveness and heaven to all repentant believers in Christ.
“Heavenly Father, thank You for assuring me that, just as you protected Your children in the reading for today, so You also have my back today. Grant me faith to believe Your promises and to live a life that shows my complete trust in You. Amen.”
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
April 24, 2016 - Day 115 - 2 Corinthians Sunday (chapters 1-3)
COMFORT SHARED
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Corinthians 1:1-4 ESV)
Paul is attempting to build the Corinthian church up by comforting them. The comfort he is talking about has been given by God as an antidote to the afflictions of life. And what is God’s great source of comfort? It is our Good Shepherd, Jesus, and the good news that we find in His cross and resurrection.
You can take great comfort in the fact that anyone who repents and believes in Jesus as his/her Savior is forgiven and guaranteed heaven!
I know that my Redeemer lives;
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, He lives, who once was dead;
He lives, my ever-living head.
(Lutheran Service Book, Concordia Publishing House, 2006, #461)
Dear heavenly Father, in a world filled with terrorists and all manner of earthly afflictions, grant me the comfort of Jesus’ death and resurrection. And then please use me to share Your comfort with others. I ask this in the name of my great Comforter, Jesus. Amen.
“See” you at the Communion rail this morning.
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
Day 114 - Mark Saturday (chapters 11-12)
“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-32 ESV)
Do you love God? Really? He commands and demands that we love Him completely. And then He gives us the big test and perhaps the toughest command of all. Love others just like you love yourself. While this is difficult for the imperfect person we each see looking back at us in the mirror, love for others is perfectly reflected in Jesus’ earthly life.
● He taught the confused.
● He fed the hungry.
● He healed the sick.
● He comforted the lonely.
● He defended the vulnerable.
● He forgave sinners.
● He died and rose.
● He raises the dead.
Dearest Lord Jesus, thank You for all that You have done for sinners like me. Please help me to love You by loving others too. Amen.
“See” you in church tomorrow.
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
April 22, 2016 - Day 113 - Jeremiah Friday (chapters 17-21)
CURSED or BLESSED?
“Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.” (Jeremiah 17:5 ESV)
These are serious words of warning to all. Do not trust in yourself. Do not turn away from God and try to live your life without Jesus!
Most of you who are reading these devotional thoughts have picked up a certain response to the question “how are you today?” What does it mean to be “blessed by the Lord?”
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.” (Jeremiah 17:7 ESV)
Jeremiah is teaching us that to be blessed by the Lord means to be trusting in God. In fact, he states that our trust is to be the Lord! This means that it is all about Jesus, and not us. He has done it all for us, securing our forgiveness, promising to be with us now, and guaranteeing heaven to all who do trust in Him.
So, which will it be, cursed or blessed by the Lord?
I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, Trusting only Thee;
Trusting Thee for full salvation, Great and free.
(Lutheran Service Book, CPH, 2006, #728)
Lord, please bless me with a deep and abiding trust in You as my Savior and my Lord. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
Job Thursday (chapters 31-32)
“Martin Luther believed God allowed Job’s suffering to test his faith. When we feel such trials, we, too, can be comforted knowing that God is not punishing us because of our sin, but is strengthening our faith through testing.” (The Lutheran Study Bible, Concordia Publishing House, 2009, page 822)
This is precisely what Peter explains in his first epistle:
“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith - more precious than gold that perishes though tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:6-7 ESV)
Lord, when my faith is tested, please give me the strength to withstand it. No matter what I may face in life, may I bring honor to Your name, and thereby pass the test. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
April 20, 2016 - Day 111 - Psalms Wednesday (chapters 45-47)
A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD
1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
10 “Be still, and know that I am God...”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah (Psalm 46 ESV)
At the Imperial Diet held in Worms, Germany on April 18, 1521, Martin Luther declared God to be his refuge and strength: "Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason - I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other - my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen."
You also have a mighty fortress! You, too, can take refuge in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
A mighty Fortress is our God, A trusty Shield and Weapon;
He helps us free from ev'ry need That hath us now o'ertaken.
The old evil Foe Now means deadly woe; Deep guild and great might
Are his dread arms in fight; On earth is not his equal.
(A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, The Lutheran Service Book, CPH, #656-1)
Lord God, thank You for being my mighty fortress and my trusty shield and weapon. Please continue to protect this penitent sinner. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Dave Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
1 Samuel Tuesday (chapters 26-31)
“The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go.” (1 Samuel 26:11 ESV)
David has another chance to take out the man who is making his life miserable, but he does not. Instead, he forgives his enemy and then goes on to prove it by his actions. How are you doing with the “forgive your enemy command” as you deal with folks who most likely don’t even come close to having murder in their hearts toward you?
“Saul again pursues David, who demonstrates that he is a faithful forgiving servant. Jesus, the Son of David (David’s descendant), directs us to forgive ‘seventy times seven’ (Matthew 18:22; without limit). He teaches this also by example, demonstrating His limitless forgiveness toward us.” (The Lutheran Study Bible, Concordia Publishing House, 2009, page 479)
Dearest Jesus, we pray: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Help me to be patient and forgiving with those who sin against me, just as You are with me. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
Exodus Monday (chapters 9-12)
Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and select lambs for yourselves according to your clans, and kill the Passover lamb. Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. (Exodus 12:21-22 ESV)
Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, has resisted the first nine plagues sent by almighty God in order to encourage the freedom of the Israelites. The tenth plague is about to come upon the land of Egypt. But first God must protect His chosen people. He tells them to slaughter a perfect lamb, one per household. They are to make it their source of protein in the meal of haste. (There would not be even enough time to allow bread to rise.) But first they must use the blood of these lambs as a sign for the death angel to pass over their dwellings.
Every house in the entire land of Egypt that did not have lamb’s blood on their doors would lose their firstborn child that night, along with the firstborn of their livestock.
While there was wailing and mourning throughout the land because of so much death, in the homes covered with lamb’s blood, there was instead peace and a sense that God was working powerfully among His people. The blood had delivered them. The same is true for you and me today. The Lord delivers us from our enemies of sin, death and the devil by means of Jesus, the lamb of God who shed His blood for us that first Good Friday.
Lord, I believe Thy precious blood,
Which at the mercy seat of God
Pleads for the captives' liberty,
Was also shed in love for me.
(Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness, The Lutheran Service Book, CPH 2006, #563-3)
Lord, thank You for covering me in Your blood and thereby redeeming me, buying me back from sin, death and the devil. Please use me this week to share the story of Your love and mercy with someone else. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
1 Corinthians Sunday (chapters 15-16)
“For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am.” (1 Corinthians 15:9-10 ESV)
“I am what I am, and that's all that I am.” So says the cartoon character Popeye. His bravado is based on his assessment of his own strength, enhanced by spinach. Many people feel the same way. Their credo is “you have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps.”
While Paul’s words sound similar to Popeye’s, there is one huge difference. “By the grace of God I am what I am.” Paul gives all credit for the good in his life to the grace of God. It started when Saul, an effective persecutor of the followers of Jesus, was confronted by the risen Savior on the road to Damascus. Jesus changed Paul into a committed follower and one of the most effective evangelists of all time. And, once again, for Paul it was all about God’s grace, His undeserved blessings showered upon him through Jesus.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV)
By grace I'm saved, grace free and boundless;
My soul, believe and doubt it not.
Why stagger at this word of promise?
Hath Scripture ever falsehood taught?
No! Then this word must true remain;
By grace you too will life obtain.
(By Graced I’m Saved, The Lutheran Service Book, CPH 2006, #566)
Lord, thank You for making me what I am in Jesus. Yes, thank You for making me Your precious, blood-bought, baptized, forgiven, heaven-bound child. Amen.
“See” you at the Communion table this morning!
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
Mark Saturday (chapters 9-10)
“20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.... (Mark 9:20-1b ESV)
In today’s reading, Jesus is teaching us to always trust Him. The father of a boy possessed by an evil spirit is about to learn that all things are possible for those who believe in Jesus. “If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
The truth is that Jesus can do anything. He is God. There is nothing He cannot do. 23 And Jesus said to him, “If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”
The father shows us how to respond to God. 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
Jesus answers the father’s tenuous request in a dramatic manner.
25...“You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out.”
What do you do when you have doubts? Cry out to the Lord to “help your unbelief,” and He will!
If thou but suffer God to guide thee,
And hope in Him through all thy ways,
He’ll give thee strength whate’er betide thee,
And bear thee through the evil days.
Who trusts in God’s unchanging love
Builds on the rock that nought can move.
(If Thou but Suffer God to Guide Thee, The Lutheran Service Book, CPH 2006, #750)
Teach me to trust You, O Lord, especially when I have my doubts. Remind me that You have already taken care of my biggest need when You died in my place on the cross. Amen.
“See” you in church tomorrow!
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
Jeremiah Friday (chapters 12-16)
“Why does the way of the wicked prosper?” (Jeremiah 12:1b ESV)
“Jeremiah struggles to understand how a righteous God can tolerate the wicked and even allow them to prosper. Often we are unable to understand God’s justice or reconcile God’s providence with the evil we experience. (We wonder what has happened to our ‘Christian’ nation.)
We do not see the big picture, and our own sense of right and wrong gets terribly twisted by sin. Yet take heart, God continually works in the world for justice and for the salvation of people, something He guarantees by the cross of Christ.” (The Lutheran Study Bible, Concordia Publishing House, 2009, page 1228)
Jesus, lead Thou on till our rest is won;
And although the way be cheerless,
We will follow calm and fearless.
Guide us by Thy hand to our fatherland.
(Lutheran Service Book, CPH, 2006, #718)
Teach us to be patient, Lord, when we do not understand ‘why.’ Protect us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
Job Thursday (chapters 29-30)
“And now my soul is poured out within me; days of affliction have taken hold of me.” (Job 30:16 ESV)
Are you going through a rough time in your life? Do you feel like God has forsaken you? Job would say, “Join the club.” Job was God-fearing, guiltless, and faithful. Then why did God allow the tragedies to come into his life? We find the answer in the letter to the Hebrews:
“For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” (Hebrews 12:6 ESV) You may want to check out the rest of this section, Hebrews 12:4-12.
So what do those who are loved by God do in the middle of their Job-like struggles? We take Paul’s advice:
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12 ESV)
Lord, please help me to be hopeful and patient in the midst of my tribulations. May my hope be grounded in all that You have done for me. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
Psalms Wednesday (chapters 42-44)
“All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you.” (Psalm 44:17 ESV)
In Psalm 44 “the psalmist recounts God’s past faithfulness but complains that God is now against His people, letting them suffer defeat despite their faithfulness to Him. They petition Him to help them once more.
● As we undergo affliction, we are tempted to believe that God has deserted us or is unfairly punishing us.
● But God is always ‘for you’ despite everything you see, feel, or think to the contrary.
● God is not sleeping but helps, redeems, and loves
- indeed ‘He ... did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all’”
(The Lutheran Study Bible, Concordia Publishing House, 2009, page 889)
Paul encourages you to focus your heart and your mind on Jesus:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
You can make it through life’s toughest times with the peace that only Jesus, your Savior can give you. He died for your sins, rose from the dead, and promises to always be with you – no matter what!
Always remind me, O Lord, that You are with, even when I have my doubts. Grant me the peace that comes only through faith in my Savior. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
1 Samuel Tuesday (chapters 21-25)
He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil.” (1 Samuel 24:17 ESV)
David finds himself in the position to exact revenge on his tormentor, King Saul. However David is not interested in pay back.
“Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord's anointed.’” (1 Samuel 24:10 ESV)
An amazed Saul responds to David’s mercy and respect by saying, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil.”
The key to David’s honorable lack of returning evil with evil was his faith, trust and obedience directed to God. He knew what Peter would later write is absolutely true. Blessings do not flow from evil.
“Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:9 ESV)
May you and I, as followers of Jesus, always respond to evil with His goodness!
Father in heaven, thank You for Your goodness and mercy showered upon me in spite of the evil ways I have treated you. As you have responded to my sin with the goodness of Jesus, so may I respond to evil done to me with Your love showered on me from His cross. In Jesus’ good and saving name. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based. http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf
