June 2021 – Church, Discipleship, and Missions

Beware: Year One Day 181 Devotional

Passage: 2 Samuel 15-16
Psalm and Proverbs: Proverbs 27

2 Samuel 15:1-6

Now it came about after this that Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run ahead of him. ²And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the road to the gate; and when any man who had a lawsuit was to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call out to him and say, “From what city are you?” And he would say, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” ³Then Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but you have no one to listen to you on the part of the king.” ⁴Moreover, Absalom would say, “Oh that someone would appoint me judge in the land, then every man who has a lawsuit or claim could come to me, and I would give him justice!” ⁵And whenever a man approached to prostrate himself before him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. ⁶Absalom dealt this way with all Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel.

Beware of people who confirm all of your thoughts, ideas, and prejudices. The one who quickly takes your side could be the one trying to manipulate you. Absalom won over the people by being everyone’s friend. Be cautious of where such a person might take you.

Father, I pray You give Your people discernment. May we not follow those who tickle our ears and never challenge our perspective. May we follow those who stand on Your word and genuinely love others.

Proverbs 27:6 (NASB)

Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.

Remember the Innocent One: Year One Day 180 Devotional

Passage: 2 Samuel 13-14
Psalm and Proverbs: Proverbs 26

2 Samuel 13:19

Tamar took ashes and put them on her head, and tore her long-sleeved garment which was on her; and she put her hand on her head and went on her way, crying out as she went.

The historical narrative beginning with 2 Samuel 13:1 has many characters. Amnon is lust-filled to the point of sickness and, ultimately, a rapist. Absalom is the vengeful murder and, ultimately, a conspirator and usurper. Joab is the conniver and, ultimately, his usual self, a violent defier of his king. David is the king who, because of his sin, has no moral authority to do anything.

With all these men in the situation, it is easy to forget the only innocent one in the story. Tamar was the victim. She was the one told to keep silent, like so many other abused women and children. Let’s not forget Tamar. Let’s not forget those like her.

Father, may Your church not forget the innocent and vulnerable victims of sexual abuse. May we stand with them for justice.

Proverbs 26:12 (NASB)

Do you see a person wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

We Need to Hear Our Nathan: Year One Day 179 Devotional

Passage: 2 Samuel 12
Psalm and Proverbs: Proverbs 25

2 Samuel 12:5-10

⁵Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this certainly deserves to die! ⁶So he must make restitution for the lamb four times over, since he did this thing and had no compassion.”

⁷Nathan then said to David, “You yourself are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘It is I who anointed you as king over Israel, and it is I who rescued you from the hand of Saul. ⁸I also gave you your master’s house and put your master’s wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these! ⁹Why have you despised the word of the Lord, by doing evil in His sight? You have struck and killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, you have taken his wife as your wife, and you have slaughtered him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. ¹⁰Now then, the sword shall never leave your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’

Like David, we easily express our outrage for the sin of others. That a person can recoil at another’s sin while carrying unconfessed sin reveals a calloused heart. As I write this, I am at the Southern Baptist Convention. We have many Davids in our denomination. I am thankful for the growing number of Nathans among us as well.

God has given us the Holy Spirit to be His voice in our lives. May we listen and be convicted of our sin. May we come to repentance—true transformative repentance.

Father, may I not be deaf to the Spirit convicting me of sin. May I repent, and may Your power transform me.

Proverbs 25:6-7 (NASB)

Do not boast in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the same place as great people;
For it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,”
Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.

We Don’t Just “Fall” Into Sin: Year One Day 178 Devotional

Passage: 2 Samuel 10-11
Psalm and Proverbs: Proverbs 24:23-34

2 Samuel 11:1-5

Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they brought destruction on the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed in Jerusalem.

²Now at evening time David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. ³So David sent servants and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” ⁴Then David sent messengers and had her brought, and when she came to him, he slept with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house. ⁵But the woman conceived; so she sent word and informed David, and said, “I am pregnant.”

David’s fall began when he was not where he should have been. He then looked where he should not have looked and ignored the warning he should have heeded. In his mind, he made a woman created in God’s image as an object for his pleasure. In the end, he used her. If one looks at the text, the responsibility is not placed on Bathsheba. It is reasonable to interpret the passage to imply that David violated her.

David didn’t just fall into sin. He walked through a door that he opened by the prior choices that he made. We fight the battle with sin best when we consistently choose to obey God in the little things. We must walk in His power daily.

Father, I know that apart from walking closely with You and in Your power, I can fall as easily as anyone else. Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil. Help me to stay close to You and honor You as I should.

Proverbs 24:23-25 (NASB)

These also are sayings of the wise:
To show partiality in judgment is not good.
One who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
Peoples will curse him, nations will scold him;
But for those who rebuke the wicked there will be delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.

Showing the Kindness of God: Year One Day 176 Devotional

Passage: 2 Samuel 8-9
Psalm and Proverbs: Proverbs 24:1-22

2 Samuel 9:1-3

“And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.””
‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭9:1-3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

A covenant is a powerful thing. David did not turn his back on his covenant with Jonathan. Though he could have killed all Saul’s descendants to eliminate competing claimants to the throne, he did not. Instead, David showed the “kindness of God” to Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son.

Two things stand out to me in this passage. One is that a covenant is binding. God will not turn His back on the covenant He has made with those who have turned to Jesus for salvation. He will not abandon us.

Also, I should live each day asking, “To whom can I show the kindness of God?” God loves me. To whom will I shall His love?

Father, I thank You for Your love for me in and through Christ. Help me to share that love with someone today.

Proverbs 24:11-12 (NASB)

Rescue those who are being taken away to death,
And those who are staggering to the slaughter, Oh hold them back!
If you say, “See, we did not know this,”
Does He who weighs the hearts not consider it?
And does He who watches over your soul not know it?
And will He not repay a person according to his work?