Restraint

1 Samuel 24:1-22

Sometimes, just occasionally I manage not to pass on a juicy bit of gossip which would have a detrimental effect on my listeners opinion of the subject of the piece of news.
David had the opportunity to actually assassinate Saul, not his character. He did not make the most Saul's vulnerability. He acted with restraint and respect.

Different circumstances

1 Samuel 22:1-23

Sometimes our circumstances change as we mature. David  refused a sword for his battle against the giant Goliath but as a fully grown man on the run from Saul he gladly accepted Goliath's over-sized sword.
What is good for me my not be the right thing for you and what was right for me yesterday might not be what I should do today.

Celebrate the Sabbath

Mark 2:23-3:6

They were laughing and having fun, obviously an after church party. They had not warned us; The hilarity travelled well through the thin walls of the student housing. What was worse it was one of the most Sacred Sundays of the church calendar, Easter Day. What a day to have a party.
I hope that over the intervening thirty-eight years our perception of Christian Celebration has changed somewhat now that we mix more with church people and learn about our party-loving Saviour.

David's idol

1 Samuel 19:1-18

I like Michal's devotion to her husband, rather than to her father but of all the times that I have read this story this is the first time that I have noticed the fact that David, that man devoted to God had idols in his house. I think previously I have always that that there were there because of Michal's dubious upbringing. But I think if David had not wanted them in his house he would have made that obvious. This set me wondering more about the nature of the idol.
The Hebrew word for the idol is "teraphim". The The Jewish Encyclopedia tells us that household idols were often in the shape of a human head, sometimes even a mummified head so it was an obvious choice to represent a sick David's head. My own spin on the article is that maybe the teraphim was a reminder of God's presence, you could chat to the head on the wall, ask his advice, just as we do with the invisible presence when we pray.
We have visible reminders of Christ's love for us. I saw a palm leaf cross in a friend's car. We have quite a few in our house too, I sometimes use one as a bookmark. I wear a gold cross. We have a cross at the front of our church. I like having reminders of God's presence, sometimes they jolt me into prayer.

Something important happened...

Mark1:14-28

Journalists have been waiting for two weeks outside St Mary's Hospital, Paddington. They are waiting for an event which is scheduled for mid-July. Each one of them wants to be the first to spread the news that Princess Kate has arrived and that the royal birth is imminent. The news will spread rapidly around the world. No doubt we shall each do our part ensuring that our friends know the news.

News of Jesus spread fast too. The mentally and physically sick arrived to be made whole. Other people arrived just to hear Jesus preaching, his style was different, he spoke as if he really knew what he was talking about.

With what fervour do I tell of Jesus' working in my life?

Godly Set-Up

Acts 10:17-33
Sometimes unrelated circumstances seem with hindsight to have possibly been orchestrated from above. Maybe for i,stance Naomi's longstanding ambition to attend a British university even though she was in Junior high School in Texas and David being offered a job in Belgium after Naomi had already completed her application for university.
Like Peter you can ask ¨Why?¨ Maybe, sooner or later, like Peter you will know the answer. Maybe you will just have to wait and see, never really knowing the definite answer but trusting in the words that Julian of Norwich heard ¨All shall be well¨.

I don't believe it.

Luke 23:56- 24 :11

Yesterday there was a news item on the BBC that many sub-postoffice  workers had been wrongly accused of stealing money, some had even been imprisoned.My heart ached for the injustice dealt to those misjudged men. What am I going to do about it? Probably nothing. At best I might have a discussion with God about the problems faced when little people are accused by big business. If I hear any small voices which might prompt action I will probably ignore them and continue with my own agenda for today.
The underdog women told their tale of the risen Lord to the important men who did not believe their incredible account.
Why do I believe the illogical story? The only way to attempt the agenda is with Jesus at my side.