From: May 24, 2024
“…I will celebrate before the Lord. I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes…” (2 Samuel 6:21-22 ESV).
When David came leaping and dancing as he led the procession that brought the Ark into Jerusalem, his wife, Michal despised him for it. She spoke sarcastically to him as he arrived, saying, “How the king of Israel has honored himself today,” accusing him of acting “shamelessly” as one of the “vulgar” common people. In other words, she didn’t think his behavior was befitting a member of the upper class, much less a king. David’s response to her was revealing of his heart. He explained that he was celebrating “before the Lord,” not for men and certainly not for her. He further stated his intent to humble himself even more when it came to worshiping the Lord.
For whom do you celebrate? Who gets your unhindered, unselfconscious worship and praise? David’s worship was for God, not men. He didn’t care what men thought of him, only what God thought of him.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we worship You above all others. We offer You our highest praise. Forgive us when we forget to give You thanks, or when we feel hindered to express our worship because we worry what others might think. Help us to shine brightly in this dark world for You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: May 24, 2023
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:34-35 NLT).
The greatest proof to the world that we are disciples of Jesus is that we love one another. While logical arguments, philosophical proofs, and existential questions may be helpful to open their minds. The most powerful persuasion is love. Loving one another will “prove to the world” that we are truly disciples of Jesus.
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for the great love You have shown us in Jesus, Your Son. For He is love incarnate. Now pour out Your love in us this day by Your Spirit. Help us to love one another so that the world might recognize that we are Your disciples. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: May 24, 2017
There are ears that don’t hear. Not because they are physically deaf, but because they refuse to listen to correction. The ears of the fool filter out rebuke, but the wise are teachable, listening to constructive criticism. Those who are hearers and doers of the Word, will abide with the wise.
From: May 24, 2016
When David came leaping and dancing as he led the procession that brought the Ark into Jerusalem, his wife, Michal despised him for it. She spoke sarcastically to him as he arrived, saying, “How the king of Israel has honored himself today,” accusing him of acting “shamelessly” as one of the “vulgar” common people. In other words, she didn’t think his behavior was befitting a member of the upper class, much less a king. David’s response to her was revealing of his heart. He explained that he was “celebrating before the Lord,” not for men and certainly not for her. He further stated his intent to become even “more contemptible,” more undignified than this, when it came to worshiping the Lord. David’s worship was for God, not men. He didn’t care what men thought of him, only what God thought of him.
From: May 24, 2015
Our greatest apologetic is that we love one another. Intellectual arguments for creation, philosophical proofs for truth, and existential equations of reason are all helpful. But our most powerful persuasion is love. Seeing that we love one another as Jesus loved us, “all will know” that we are disciples of Christ.