OT DAY 459 - Why Good People Have to Go through Suffering (Please click here for English podcast)

Silence

1.   Put on your “brakes” and stop for a moment of silence

2.   Wait for God. Breathe deep for God's peace and feel His presence. Exhale your worries.

Praise and Thanksgiving

1.   Think through your day, all the times that made you smile

2.   Thank God for all those moments, and for all those people

3.   Open your heart to praise the Lord

        I love you, O Lord, my strength.

                                     Psalm 18:1

Confession and Repentance (Subjective Shifting Devotion Method http://bishopsilas.blogspot.ca/2009/08/count-down-5-subject-shifting-devotion.html)

1.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to work in you:

     “Dear Holy Spirit, shine your light into the places of darkness in my life. Show me my sins, everything that blocks me from encountering God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

2.  Through the Holy Spirit, examine yourself for a short silence and then pray:

     "Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and being victorious over death and sin. I confess my sin to you(pause, to tell Jesus what the Holy Spirit has shown you). Forgive my sins by your blood and help me follow you. Holy Spirit, fill me that I may be able to receive your gift to love God and His people. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."

The Word (2 Samuel 6:1-23)

English(ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2 Samuel 6&version=ESV

       

       David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim. 3 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, 4 with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.
      5 And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. 6 And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. 8 And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day. 9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10 So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11 And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

      21 And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord. 22 I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” 23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.
          2   Samuel 6:1-11, 21-23

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmax47l2hLU

    My Listening

          Can you understand why Uzzah made just one mistake and he died right away? No second chance? Why God acted like that, so cruel? Why? Lots of people do not want to believe in God because they do not understand why God gives so much suffering to human beings all through centres.

          I know someone recently who left God and his church twelve years ago because his wife died even though he had one thousand Christians praying to God to save his wife's life. He asked, "I have done so much for you, God and now you do this to me." He has been angry with God for the past twelve years! If you were him, would you do the same thing leaving God and your church?Are you sure you won't? 

    Let's see how Professor John Goldingay tells us: 

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Goldingay) :

        I look forward with enthusiasm to the arrival later today of my son and daughter-in-law and grandchildren who are coming to stay, even while also being aware of some sadness at the fact that my wife's death nine months last Sunday means she will not be among us as we celebrate Easter together. Why should there be so much good in life, but yes, why do such bad things also happen? Who knows? 
          In varying ways, David and Obed-edom are the recipients of God's blessing, and Uzzah and Michal have their lives taken away or spoiled, and none of them deserves it any more than most other people.  

         

John Goldingay. 1 and 2 Samuel for Everyone. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011, p.130.

      We as human beings always intentionally or unintentionally sits on God's throne to judge other people, sometimes even God. You are not God, how can you understand why God does this and that?

       I would like you to pray for that man who has left God for twelve years starting today until I tell you he repents and returns to God's Kingdom and family. He needs lots of prayers, so as many other people who are angry with God for years! Please pray for him now! 

Dear Lord Jesus,

    Help us not to ask why but to be sure that no matter how you love us and there must be a reason for things to happen in our lives according to your will. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. 

Reflect on these questions:

    1. Do you have the same question wondering why good people sometimes suffer a lot but bad people flourish? Are you angry with God recently? Why?

2. What do you have to do today in order that you won't play God's role to be God judging other people, even God?

    3. What have you got from Jesus today?

Praise and Thanksgiving

10,000 Reasons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E

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Prayer sheet for our daily 6:30a.m. Copying the Bible to pray and 7a.m. Prayer Meeting this morning: