Meditation

04/13/2021

“So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the Lord. ‘Far be it from me, O Lord, to do this!’ he said. ‘Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?’ And David would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.” (2^nd Samuel 23:16-17)

Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite was chief of the Three; Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, and Shammah, son of Agee the Hararite were their names. You can read more about them in 23:8-12. Beloved, David’s high-minded gesture was not a waste of the water, his pouring out of the water could only have suggested the drink offerings that accompanied the grain offings, which in turn were to be made in connection with the burnt offerings.

It is not unlike the figure of he drink offering which Paul used to describe the pouring out of his life (Philippians 2:17). David prayed a confession of commitment through his symbolic act. Such acts can speak more powerfully to God than do our words.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY:

Precious Abba, David’s symbol of a confession of commitment to God was received well and understood more fully that mere words could ever have been. Whether we know it or not, we make similar commitments in and through worship. Worship is a time for each of us to come together to pray, sing and to hear the Word of God, and then we are to take our worship and study and incorporate them into our daily lives. Every once in a while, we need to hear what we are saying to God and understand He takes them very seriously, and expects us to live into our commitments. Are we? In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

“Jesus…The one who would rather die than live without you. (John 3:16)”

KNOWING GOD:

“He said to them, ‘You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and you fellow Levites are to consecrate yourselves and bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. It was because you , the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke-out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.’ So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel.” (1^st Chronicles15:12-15)

The first attempt to bring up the ark had failed. The people did not ask God how He wanted it done. They had not observed God’s regulations for handling the holy ark (2^nd Samuel 6:6-7). Consciousness of the presence of God should demand strictest reverence and lead us to submission.

I AM:

“’We will give it back.’ they said.’ ‘And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.’ Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised. I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, ‘In this way may God shake out of his house and possessions every man who does not keep this promise. So may such a man be shaken out and emptied!’” (Nehemiah5:12–13)

Nehemiah heard the cries of the people who had lost their land, animals, and then subjected to extreme taxes. Every single part of Nehemiah’s reform was accompanied by prayer. An oath was appropriate for this commitment. It signified a commitment to God as well as Nehemiah to quit overcharging and underserving His people. A lesson that all elected officials ought to be taught and be held accountable to.

SECOND THOUGHT of the DAY:

“When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord: ‘a pair of doves or two young pigeons.’” (Luke2:22–24)

The firstborn was sparred in the tenth plague of Egypt (Exodus12:12-13); God then required that the firstborn be dedicated to Him (Exodus13:1-2, 12-13.) The Lord had allowed the tribe of Levi to become a substitute for the firstborn (Numbers 3:11-13). The consecration of Jesus is important, for He would become the High Priest (Hebrews 4:14; 5:4-6). The sacrificial ritual symbolized commitment. Acts of worship can be symbolic prayers even without times and words of prayer.