Devos 365

Dear Readers, As you may have noticed yesterday, I didn't post a devotion yesterday. Not to worry. I will be back on Friday, as I am having a short break this week, Monday - Thursday, hanging out with Bethany in St. Louis. I promise to be back on Friday with something new for everyone. Blessings to all. Come back on Friday!

Again today, we have a two part story that bookends David’s flight from Jerusalem in the face of Absalom’s coup. This story deals with a man named Shimei who was a fellow Benjimite with the late King Saul. His story begins as David is leaving Jerusalem and concludes when David returns, just as with Ziba, whom we read about yesterday. 2 Samuel 16:5-14 5 When King David came to Bahurim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera, and as he came he cursed continually. 6 And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7 And Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! 8 The Lord has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood.” 9 T

Today's passage actually comes from two places in 2 Samuel. Our story returns to Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, grandson of Saul, and his servant Ziba. Ziba takes care of Mephibosheth’s land and resources as he is unable to do so himself due to his crippled legs. I have included both bookends of this story even though they appear a couple of chapters apart. The second reading comes from 2 Samuel 19 and concludes this story of court intrigue and the constant desire for power. 2 Samuel 16:1-4 1 When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, bearing two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a skin of wine. 2 And the king said to Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat and the wine for those who faint in the wilderness to drink.” 3 An

2 Samuel 15:13-37 It is very important that you read today’s passage for it is very detailed and more than a little interesting! The reason for the Daily Devotional is to get your head in the Word of God. It is far more important that you read His Words than mine. I’ve left you a link that will take you to an online Bible, or you can look it up in your own Bible, but READ IT! http://www.esvbible.org/2 Samuel 15:13-37 One of the problems that people have with reading the Old Testament is the names of the characters involved in the action. They are very unfamiliar to us and that causes us to become confused as to what’s going on in the story. If that isn’t true for you, skip over this next little part. I want to make note of the “who’s who” in this passage. As you are reading the passage refer to the list below. It will be a great deal more interesting if you know who’s doing what. David – Anointed King of Israel Absalom – David’s oldest son (after he murdered Amnon) Kerethites, Pel

2 Samuel 15:1-12 1   After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2   And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And when he said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,” 3   Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.” 4   Then Absalom would say, “Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.” 5   And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. 6   Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. 7   And at the end of four years Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I