Dec. 16 - Taken in
Contributed by
Jon Kauffmann-Kennel, assistant professor of communication, WGCS general manager on Sunday December 15
Scripture
2 Samuel 7:1-11 - Now when the king was settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, "See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent." Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that you have in mind; for the Lord is with you."
But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?"
Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.
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Devotion
The Lord God gave King David a significant reminder: I took you from following the sheep in the pastures, I have been with you everywhere you wandered and I will give you your own place and rest from your enemies.
What wondrous love! What a profound promise! And what does God want but our loving embrace. The joy of our salvation is the Prince of Peace, one who comes as a tiny infant in the humblest of circumstances, yet poised to set the world astir.
Amidst the growing commercialism of Christmas contrasted with the severe economic conditions of many needy people around the world - the bustle of shopping and year-end deadlines against the quiet cold and still, frozen landscape - we must find the time and space to take Christ in.
Pause for a few minutes during the busiest part of your day today and think about how God has taken you from the pastures and journeyed with you wherever you went. Then consider the ways that you can share God?s love with others. Sharing doesn?t just take financial form. It could be the gift of music, of friendship, of childcare, or just listening. It might be down the hall or across the street, good friends or an unknown family, a simple gesture or a gift that stretches your resources.
Take Christ in by extending God?s love. Receive the greatest joy by responding with a loving embrace!
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