From: "Phil Rembleski" <PHIl@rescuechurchofchrist.org>

To: "1111RESCUEMEMBERS"

Cc:

Sent: Thu, Dec 22, 2022 at 5:57 AM

Subject: 12-22-22 THOUGHTS

12-22-22   THOUGHTS

Many lessons wait for us in the reading below.  From a passionate story told by Nathan, David was able to see sin in another as he failed to see it in himself.  It is the lesson of Jesus teaching!  Look inside at your own heart.  Examine the self!  We must never miss this.  It's “YOU ARE THE MAN!” lesson!  God reminded David that he was where he was,  because God  had placed him there.  The words  “and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these!”,   are set over against David stealing another man’s wife, and having the man killed in battle.   Our final lesson is that most kings would have been angry with God and the prophet for getting so personal.  It is to David’s credit that he says, “ "I have sinned against the LORD."  David had “given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme.”   There followed horrible consequences for this sin, but God forgave David.

2Sam 12:1-14    Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said, "There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor.  2  "The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. 3  "But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb Which he bought and nourished; And it grew up together with him and his children. It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom, And was like a daughter to him. 4  "Now a traveler came to the rich man, And he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd, To prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him;  Rather he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him." 5  Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan,  "As the LORD lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die. 6  "He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion."  7  Nathan then said to David, "You are the man!" Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8  ‘I also gave you your master’s house and 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! 9  ‘Why have you despised the word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. 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 from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. 12  ‘Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun.’" 13  Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die. 14  "However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die."

My Prayer:
O Lord,  keep us always from secret and presumptuous sins.  Show us your light and truth, that we may direct our lives in your way.  May your mind be in our mind.  Help us to apply your truths to our own lives.  We would abide in you continually, O God.   In Jesus name,      Amen.