Psalm 26; 40; 58; 61-62; 64 These Psalms show the extremes that David faced…from saying that he was blameless in Psalm 26 to confessing that he was drowning in sin in Psalm 40. But reading Psalm 64 got me thinking about the importance of the words we choose to use.  In it, words are compared to sharpened arrows.  Isn’t that so true? 3 They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their words like deadly arrows. 4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent man; they shoot at him suddenly, without fear. 5 They encourage each other in evil plans, … Continue reading Words: the building blocks of life

2 Samuel 16-18 Absalom’s rebellion against his father’s reign was cut short — and King David mourned for the loss of the son who had tried to kill him. The love of a parent for a child is one of the greatest mysteries I’ve ever experienced, and it gives a clue into what the Lord feels for His children.  The depiction in today’s reading is vivid: David’s men defeated Absalom.  The battlefield was chaotic — more men died in the forest than by the sword.  Absolom got his head caught on a tree branch while his donkey kept walking…and David’s … Continue reading Rebellion thwarted

2 Samuel 13-15 David’s son Absalom begins conspiring to overthrow his father’s rule.  As a result, David and his followers fled Jerusalem. This passage reads like a modern day spy thriller! David sent one of his friends back into Jerusalem to report back to him about Absalom’s plans. It seems that the men in David’s family had a problem with sex.  David himself could not discipline himself to resist Bathsheba.  Then his son Amnon wanted his half sister Tamar — he wanted her so badly that he was literally ill.  Instead of marrying her, he raped her.  When he got … Continue reading The sin that just keeps going

Psalm 32, 51, 86, 122 The rain beating against the windows while I am safely snuggled up with a sweet doggy in my lap casts a peaceful light on my spirit.  The rain beating against my face while I wrestle with an umbrella and an overloaded shopping cart in the parking lot is another story! Today I got to experience both scenarios, and as I write this I notice something curious.  One event — wind and rain — leads to a completely different perspective depending on my location with respect to it.  When I was protected from its lashing downpour, … Continue reading Facing the rain