Tag: King

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Wisdom Prayer

Palm Sunday: He Comes in the Name of the Lord!

Palm Sunday: He Comes in the Name of the Lord!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who say, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” In Jesus’ name, amen.

Psalm 118:26 (ESV) says,

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
We bless you from the house of the Lord.”

The words in the first part of the verse appear several times in the New Testament. Palm Sunday the phrase was used together with shouts of “Hosanna.” (See Matthew 21:9 and Mark 11:9).

Luke 19:38 (ESV) says,

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

John 12:13 and Luke 13:35 also use Psalm 118:26.

Imagine being on the road into Jerusalem when Jesus is welcomed by the crowds shouting the words of Psalm 118:26. Join with them now, and say, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

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Wisdom Prayer

How Should You Act Toward Others?

How Should We Act Toward Others?

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who are in a position to do harm, yet do not. In Jesus’ name, amen.

In 1 Samuel 26 we learn that David is once again pursued by King Saul and three thousand of his chosen men.

David goes on a mission to infiltrate Saul’s camp at night. Everyone in Saul’s camp was asleep, and the Lord had made sure they would not wake up.

David got close enough to kill the King, but David would not kill God’s anointed.

Instead, he takes the king’s spear and a jar of water that had been near Saul’s head.

Once safe on the side of his own camp, David calls out and had a conversation with Abner, the head of Saul’s army, and King Saul.

In 1 Samuel 26:22-25 we join in toward the end of the conversation with King Saul.

“And David answered and said, ‘Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and take it. The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the Lord gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. Behold, as your life was precious this day in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation.’ Then Saul said to David, Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them.’ So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.”

King Saul and David appear to reconcile, at least for now.

David had the opportunity to kill Saul this second time, yet he refrained.

If given an opportunity to retaliate against an opponent, would you be willing to forgo returning evil for evil?

Take time to reflect on how David’s actions offer a model for how we can act toward others.

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Wisdom Prayer

Blessed with Special Gifts!

Blessed with Special Gifts!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those are blessed with special gifts. In Jesus’ name, amen.

David was anointed by Samuel and destined to be the next king.

In 1 Samuel 16:14-23 (ESV) we learn how the Lord orchestrated it so David’s special gifts opened the door to allow him to meet and serve King Saul.

“Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him. And Saul’s servants said to him, ’Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.’ So Saul said to his servants, ‘Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.’ One of the young men answered, ‘Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.’ Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, ‘Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.’ And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul. And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, ‘Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.’ And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.”

The hand of God was on David.

David’s ability to play the lyre opened the door, so David’s God-given gift of music could calm King Saul.

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Wisdom Prayer

An Enemy of Superior Strength!

An Enemy of Superior Strength!

I pray for wisdom for those who face an enemy of superior strength. In Jesus’ name, amen.

What response do you have when you feel outnumbered?

Do you panic? Would it be rational to hide?

In 1 Samuel 13:1-4 (ESV) we learn Saul becomes king and soon thereafter chooses three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand went with Saul and a thousand went with Jonathan. The rest Saul sent home. Jonathan defeated the garrison of the Philistines that was at Geba. Saul blew a trumpet, and it was said that Saul had defeated the garrison and this made it so “Israel had become a stench to the Philistines.”

1 Samuel 13:5-7 (ESV) tells us how the Philistines responded and how the people of Israel reacted.

“And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and troops like the sand on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth-aven. When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns, and some Hebrews crossed the fords of the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.”

Outnumbered, the people of Israel hide.

Yet, we learn later in Scripture, others would prepare to fight.

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Wisdom Prayer

Serve the Lord with All Your Heart!

Serve the Lord with All Your Heart!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who do not turn aside from following the Lord, and serve the Lord with all their heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.

At the conclusion of Samuel’s so-called Farewell Address, the people plead with Samuel to pray for them.

His words of wisdom in Samuel 12:19-25 (ESV) offer important guidance and a warning.

“And all the people said to Samuel, ‘Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.’ And Samuel said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way. Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”

The people of Israel knew they had done wrong, yet Samuel tells them to “Do not be afraid.” Even with all of the sin, the Lord was not willing to forsake his people.

Are you a situation where you feel you are beyond forgiveness?

Ask the Lord to forgive. If there was hope for the people of Israel, there is hope for the sinner through faith in Christ.

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Wisdom Prayer

Follow the Lord!

Follow the Lord!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who follow the Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

As part of Samuel’s Farewell Address, Samuel lets the people of Israel and their new king know what was expected of them.

In 1 Samuel 12:12-14 (ESV) are told what the people of Israel were to do to assure things went well.

“And when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the Lord your God was your king. And now behold the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; behold, the Lord has set a king over you. If you will fear the Lord and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well.”

In the passage above, the people of Israel received specific instructions.

In a later passage they will be warned what would happen if they were disobedient.

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