How pathetically we resist God's grace!

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first post, dated November 12, 2008, in the archives, where I introduce myself and the blog.

Monday, June 29, 2009
Devotions: Ps 106; 1 Sam 10:17-27; Acts 7:44-8:1a; Lk 22:52-62

Let us praise and thank YHWH, for He is good! His steadfast love endures forever. No one can recount His mighty acts of love and power; remember me, O Lord, when You show favor to Your people. I am a sinner, from a sinful race. Yet You have loved and redeemed me. You delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt, despite their recurring rebellions—how soon we forget Your acts of kindness and power when things are going well for us, and how we cry to You when we are in trouble. The history of Israel and of the church repeat this pattern of unfaithfulness again and again. Gather us to Yourself, great Lord; let all people bless and praise YHWH!

Samuel assembled Israel at Mizpah. He spoke for God: ‘I brought you up from the hand of the Egyptians; I have delivered you from every kingdom that has oppressed you. But you have rejected your God and Savior and demanded that I set a human king over you. So be it! Present yourselves by tribes and by thousands.’ By lot, successively, the tribe of Benjamin and the Matrite family were chosen, and finally the line of Kish and his firstborn Saul. Saul was nowhere to be seen, but YHWH told Samuel, ‘He has hidden himself among the baggage.’ So they crowd drew Saul forward; he was head and shoulders above all others in the multitude. And all the people shouted, ‘Long live the king!’ So Samuel instructed the people concerning the rights and duties of the kingship; he wrote these out for them and laid the document before the Lord for safekeeping. Samuel dismissed the people to their homes; Saul returned home to Gibeah, accompanied by brave men whom God had touched. Others, worthless fellows, despised Saul and did not acknowledge him—but Saul held his peace.

Stephen’s testimony before the council came to its climax: ‘Our ancestors had the tent of witness with them in the wilderness, just as God had directed Moses in its detailed construction. The Israelites brought it with them into Canaan when, under Joshua, they began to dispossess the nations which God thrust out from before our ancestors. In time, David found favor in God’s eyes, and asked permission to build a permanent house for YHWH, and Solomon carried out this project. Yet the Most High doesn’t live in man-made houses. The prophet has correctly written God’s position: “Heaven is My throne and earth my footstool. I made everything—so you, My creations, cannot build a house for Me.”’ And Stephen concluded, directly addressing the council: ‘You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears: you always resist the Holy Spirit. You are the same as your ancestors. They persecuted every true prophet; they killed those who announced in advance the coming of God’s Anointed, the Righteous One—and now you have betrayed and murdered Messiah Himself—you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.’ The hearers were enraged; they ground their teeth against Stephen. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven; he perceived God’s glory and Jesus, standing at God’s right hand. And he said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing at God’s right hand.’ But the council cried out with a loud voice, covered their ears, and rushed together upon Stephen. They cast him out of the city and stoned him; those who witnessed against him and were stoning him laid their garments at the feet of the young man Saul of Tarsus. Even as they stoned him to death, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ He knelt and cried loudly, ‘Lord, do not hold this against them.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep—biological death took him. And Saul was consenting to his death.

Facing the hostile crowd led to Gethsemane by Judas, Jesus said to the chief priests and temple officers and elders, ‘Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you, day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.’ They seized Jesus and led Him away to the high priest’s house. Peter followed, and joined a group sitting around a fire in the midst of the courtyard. A maid among them saw Peter, and said, ‘This man also was with Him’ Peter denied it: ‘Woman, I do not know Him.’ A bit later, someone else said to Peter, ‘You also are one of them.’ But Peter replied, ‘Man, I am not.’ An hour or so later, still another person insisted, ‘Certainly this man was with Him; for he is a Galilean.’ But Peter said, ‘Man I do not know what you are saying.’ While he was still speaking, the cock crowed, and the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him: ‘Before the cock crows today, you will deny Me three times.’ And he went outside, and wept bitterly.