Time with Abba, Singing Praising 親親爸父，唱詩歌頌 : OT DAY 463 - You Are The Man! (Please click here for English podcast)

Sunday, April 24, 2016

OT DAY 463 - You Are The Man! (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

For you save a humble people,
but the haughty eyes you bring down.

Psalm 18:27

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 12:1-15)

English(ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=撒+母+耳+記+下+12&version=ESV

   And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds, 3 but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. 4 Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” 5 Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, 6 and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”
7 Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. 8 And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. 9 Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’” 13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die.” 15 Then Nathan went to his house.
  And the Lord afflicted the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he became sick.

  2 Samuel 12:1-15

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

Today's passage is one of a few passages in the Bible causes readers to tremble. It clearly describes we as human so easily neglect our sinfulness or even do not admit when we have made a big mistake. It also describes the difficult job of a prophet to use a parable instead of a direct confrontation. It is sure the gift of wisdom God gives to Nathan. And, it describes when God decides to punish someone, no one can escape.

Let's see how Professor John Goldingay tells us:

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

Both David and God act and speak in jaw-droppingly mysterious ways in this story. The first enigma is articulated in God's question to David. David has so much. Why on earth did he do what he did? The second question is raised by his reaction to Nathan: "I have done wrong against Yahweh." As Western readers with our stress on emotions, we think David should say how deeply sorry he is, and we wonder if this acknowledgment is enough.

John Goldingay. 1 and 2 Samuel for Everyone. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011, p.145.

If you have sinned, how can you acknowledge and not hide or escape from that? How can you see what God wants you to see and not act like a blind man?

Dear Lord Jesus,

Help us to be able to see our weakness and sins and have the courage to admit our sins, repent and ask for your forgiveness. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Reflect on these questions:

1. Have you been in similar situation as David not to acknowledge your own sins?

2. How can you see what you need to see?

3. What have you got from Jesus today?