Time with Abba, Singing Praising 親親爸父，唱詩歌頌 : OT DAY 470 - Decided Not to Take Revenge (Please click here for English podcast)

Monday, May 2, 2016

OT DAY 470 - Decided Not to Take Revenge (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

The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
and exalted be the God of my salvation—

the God who gave me vengeance

and subdued peoples under me,

who delivered me from my enemies;
yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me;
you rescued me from the man of violence.

Psalm 18:46-48

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 19:9-40)

English(ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=撒+母+耳+記+下+19&version=CUV

21 Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord's anointed?” 22 But David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be as an adversary to me? Shall anyone be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?” 23 And the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king gave him his oath.

24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. He had neither taken care of his feet nor trimmed his beard nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came back in safety. 25 And when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26 He answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me, for your servant said to him, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ For your servant is lame. 27 He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God; do therefore what seems good to you. 28 For all my father's house were but men doomed to death before my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to cry to the king?” 29 And the king said to him, “Why speak any more of your affairs? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land.”

2 Samuel 19:21-29

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

To revenge is always the theme of quite a lot of movies. David could have done that to revenge all those who hurt him badly. But he did not do so. If you were David, would you get that golden opportunity to revenge?

Let's see how Professor John Goldingay tells us:

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

So David gets his act together and receives his troops, and the people as a whole remind themselves of the reasons they were once glad to have him as king. David is thus able to encourage them to welcome him back. He resists any temptation or pressure to take redress from people who had rejected him but rewards people who supported him.

John Goldingay. 1 and 2 Samuel for Everyone. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011, p.162.

I am so moved to read what David told Mephibosheth, "Why say more?" It's somewhat like, "Don't talk about that again. I have forgotten that. Let's have a new start."

No revenge on those who hurt you but to reward those who support you is the message today. Just as today's Psalm 18:47 says, you do not need to take revenge to anyone because if it is needed, God will take revenge for you.

No revenge! That's how a great leader should do. Is it difficult for you to do that? Why?

Can you do that?

Dear Lord Jesus,

Change our lives that we won't think or act on revenge to anyone even though they hurt us badly. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Reflect on these questions:

1. Do you have anyone you have decided to revenge? Why?

2. How difficult it is for you not to revenge? How can you not to revenge but to reward those who have supported you?

3. What have you got from Jesus today?