Christian Daily Word (4)
Daily Word for Christians...Here's the scripture to meditate on!
2 Samuel 22:36 (NLT)
"You have given me your shield of victory; your humility has made me great."
Analysis of the Daily Word
Can we really say that God is humble? Today's text makes it clear that it does. (Psalm 18:35) As he wrote these words, David may have been thinking of the day the prophet Samuel went to his father's house to anoint Israel's future king. Although David was the youngest of eight sons, God chose him to replace King Saul. (1 Samuel 16:1, and 10-13) Surely, David agreed with what he said about God the writer of a Psalm: "He stoops down to observe the heaven and the earth, to lift up the lowly from the dust. He lifts the poor [...] to sit with nobles". (Psalm 113:6-8) One thing that shows that God is humble is the way he treats his imperfect human servants. He not only accepts that we worship him, but also considers us his friends. (Psalm 25:14) This friendship is possible because he took the initiative to give his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. What a great display of compassion!
How does God teach us lessons?
Since God is our "Great Instructor," he has included examples in his Word from which we can learn lessons. We can ponder biblical characters who displayed qualities that please God, such as modesty, and what happened to others who did not.
What do we learn from Saul's bad example?
Let's think about what happened to King Saul. When he was young, he was so modest and felt so insignificant that it was difficult for him to even accept greater responsibilities. (1 Samuel 9:21 | 10:20-22) Soon after he was made King, he became arrogant and did things that he had no right to do. On one occasion, he lost patience while waiting for the prophet Samuel to arrive. Instead of being modest and trusting that God would help his people, he offered a burnt sacrifice even though he was not authorized to do so. As a result, God withdrew his approval and, later, the throne. (1 Samuel 13:8-14) We do well to learn the lesson and not go beyond what corresponds to us.
What good example of modesty did Daniel leave us?
Unlike Saul, the prophet Daniel left us a good example. Throughout his life, he was always a humble and unassuming man who looked to God for guidance. For example, when God used him to interpret Nebuchadnezzar's dream, Daniel took no credit for himself, but rather he was modest and gave all honor to God. (Daniel 2:26-28) From this we learn that if we give talks that please the brother and sisters or if we are successful in our ministry, we should give all the credit to God. Let us be modest and recognize that we could not do any of this without his help. In this way, we also follow the excellent example of Jesus. (Philippians 4:13)
2 Samuel 22:36 (NLT)
"You have given me your shield of victory; your humility has made me great."
Analysis of the Daily Word
Can we really say that God is humble? Today's text makes it clear that it does. (Psalm 18:35) As he wrote these words, David may have been thinking of the day the prophet Samuel went to his father's house to anoint Israel's future king. Although David was the youngest of eight sons, God chose him to replace King Saul. (1 Samuel 16:1, and 10-13) Surely, David agreed with what he said about God the writer of a Psalm: "He stoops down to observe the heaven and the earth, to lift up the lowly from the dust. He lifts the poor [...] to sit with nobles". (Psalm 113:6-8) One thing that shows that God is humble is the way he treats his imperfect human servants. He not only accepts that we worship him, but also considers us his friends. (Psalm 25:14) This friendship is possible because he took the initiative to give his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. What a great display of compassion!
How does God teach us lessons?
Since God is our "Great Instructor," he has included examples in his Word from which we can learn lessons. We can ponder biblical characters who displayed qualities that please God, such as modesty, and what happened to others who did not.
What do we learn from Saul's bad example?
Let's think about what happened to King Saul. When he was young, he was so modest and felt so insignificant that it was difficult for him to even accept greater responsibilities. (1 Samuel 9:21 | 10:20-22) Soon after he was made King, he became arrogant and did things that he had no right to do. On one occasion, he lost patience while waiting for the prophet Samuel to arrive. Instead of being modest and trusting that God would help his people, he offered a burnt sacrifice even though he was not authorized to do so. As a result, God withdrew his approval and, later, the throne. (1 Samuel 13:8-14) We do well to learn the lesson and not go beyond what corresponds to us.
What good example of modesty did Daniel leave us?
Unlike Saul, the prophet Daniel left us a good example. Throughout his life, he was always a humble and unassuming man who looked to God for guidance. For example, when God used him to interpret Nebuchadnezzar's dream, Daniel took no credit for himself, but rather he was modest and gave all honor to God. (Daniel 2:26-28) From this we learn that if we give talks that please the brother and sisters or if we are successful in our ministry, we should give all the credit to God. Let us be modest and recognize that we could not do any of this without his help. In this way, we also follow the excellent example of Jesus. (Philippians 4:13)
26-30, M