Choose: Godly awe or prideful desolation?

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.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Devotions: Ps 119:145-76; 128-30; 1 Sam 12; Acts 8:14-25; Lk 23:1-12

Lord, I cry out to You with all my might and all my heart. Hear me and answer, my Lord. Deliver me from affliction, for I remember and seek to follow Your law. I separate myself from the faithless, and seek the blessings of obedience to You. Show me Your favor, as I rejoice in You! They have great peace who love Your law; nothing can make them stumble! My soul is healed by following Your ways. Hear my prayers, as I praise You and laud Your word. I am a sheep of Your flock, Father; keep me near You! You feed me and my household with the fruits of my labor under Your grace. My wife is fruitful; my children and grandchildren flourish. May I live to enjoy my grandchildren, in the peace of YHWH. God has cut the cords of the wicked and set me free. May God put to shame all enemies and bless all friends in the faith. I cry out from the depths to God on high; Lord, hear my supplications. Let all people of good will fear YHWH, the God of steadfast love and redemption.

Samuel addressed the people of Israel: ‘Look! I have heard all you have requested, and have made a king over you. He reigns and I am diminishing in old age. I have walked among you from my youth; let any testify against me, if I have stolen or defrauded or oppressed anyone, or taken a bribe.’ And the people responded, ‘You are innocent in every way.’ Samuel responded, ‘YHWH is Witness that you have not found anything untoward in my hand.’ And the people affirmed, ‘HE is Witness.’ Samuel continued: ‘YHWH is Witness, Who appointed Moses and Aaron and Who led our ancestors up from Egypt. When your ancestors went into Egypt and fell into bondage, they cried out to YHWH, and He sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your ancestors forth to this land. But those ancestors forgot their God YHWH; so He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of King Jabin of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines, and the hands of the king of Moab. And the Israelites struggled with all of them. Then they cried out to YHWH, acknowledging their sins in forsaking the Lord and in serving the Baals and Ashtaroth; and they begged YHWH to deliver them from their enemies, promising again to serve only Him. ‘So the Lord sent leaders to help them: Jerubbaal and Barak, Jephthah and Samuel; and through these judges, YHWH delivered you people from enemies on every side, and you lived in the land in safety. But when you saw Nahash of Ammon coming against you, you insisted on having a human king—and behold, YHWH has provided a king who now rules over you! If you will fear YHWH and serve Him, hearken to Him and not rebel against His commands, and if you and your king follow YHWH your God, it will be well. If not, YHWH’s hand will be against you and your king! Pay attention: isn’t it wheat harvest day? I will call upon YHWH to send thunder and rain; that sign will demonstrate that your wickedness is great, in your asking YHWH for a human king.’ Samuel prayed, and YHWH sent thunder and rain that day, in the midst of the dry season in Canaan! And the people were in awe of YHWH and Samuel. They begged Samuel, ‘Intercede for us to YHWH your God, that we may not die for all our sins, including our demand for a human king.’ And Samuel said to the people, ‘Don’t be afraid. You have done many evils; but don’t turn from following YHWH; serve Him with all your heart, and leave vanities aside. YHWH will care for His people, whom He has freely chosen for Himself. And far be it from me that I should sin by ceasing to pray for you; and I will also teach you how to live in God’s good and right way. Just fear YHWH and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; just consider the amazing things He has done for you! But if you persist in doing evil, you and your king will be swept away.’

When the apostles in Jerusalem heard about Philip’s fruitful mission in Samaria, they sent Peter and John there; they arrived, prayed that the Samaritan converts might receive the Holy Spirit, laid hands on them—and they did receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Simon Magus saw all this and offered money to Peter and John: ‘Give me also this power, that any one on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ But Peter rebuked him: ‘May your silver perish with you! You plotted to obtain the gift of God for money! You have no share in this matter; your heart is not right before God! Repent of your wickedness; pray to God that your heart’s sinful intent may be forgiven. I see that you are captive to the gall of bitterness and bond-slave to iniquity.’ Simon replied, ‘Pray for me to the Lord, that none of the awful things you have mentioned may come upon me!’ After the apostles had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many Samaritan villages along their way.

The Jewish council brought Jesus before Pilate and began to accuse Him: ‘This man is perverting our nation, forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar and saying he himself is Messiah, a king.’ Pilate asked Jesus, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ And Jesus answered, ‘You have said so.’ Pilate said to the chief priests and the mob with them, ‘I find no crime in this man.’ They urgently replied, ‘He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee to this place.’ When Pilate heard Jesus was Galilean, he sent Jesus to Herod, who was in Jerusalem at the time. Herod was glad to see Jesus, since he had heard about Him; he was hoping to see Jesus do a miracle. So Herod questioned Jesus at length, but Jesus made no answer; the chief priests and scribes, on the other hand, continued to accuse Jesus vehemently. Herod and his soldiers treated Jesus with contempt; they mocked Him, and sent Him back to Pilate arrayed in gorgeous apparel as a jest. That day, Herod and Pilate became friends, though there had been enmity between them previously.