Comfort

Returning From Lo Debar – Part One

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Returning From Lo-Debar – Part One

And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” 2 Samuel 9:3-4 ESV

Before David was the king of Israel, he served in King Saul’s army and became a well-loved figure in the king’s court (That is well loved by everyone except Saul.) Not long after David killed Goliath, Saul’s son Jonathan became David’s closest friend. Then when things fell apart and David found himself running for his life, Jonathan came to his defense. That is when they made promises to each other to always be friends, though sadly, things didn’t work out as they had planned. They never had the chance to be best men at each other’s weddings or to do any of the things that friends do, because Jonathan was killed in battle, trying to defend his father when a neighboring nation invaded. In fact, the situation was worse than just a defeat in battle. The invaders also killed every one of Jonathan’s family members they could find.  But, after David had mourned, he remembered his promise to always take care of Jonathan’s family. That is how we come upon the scene of today’s conversation. David discovered that there was one child left, a young man named Mephibosheth who lived in the Biblical boondocks, in a town named Lo Debar.

Now might say, “That’s sort of interesting, but what does it have to do with me?” And the answer is, “Everything!” You see Lo Debar was not just a town in Hicksville. Lo Debar was also the scene of the defeat of Saul’s once mighty army and the place of Jonathan’s death. Talk about being in a depressing, hopeless and bitter spot: well Lo Debar sure fits the bill. Now it just might be that as we are entering a New Year that you look back and can only remember the loss of a loved one, a broken relationship or a moral failure. In fact, that place of pain may still be so powerful that you have bought a house there and moved in!

But the good news in that You are not forgotten by the King! Not content just to hear about you, God is sending you an invitation to return. Lo Debar is not your home. Last year might have been a horrible mess, but God has something way better for the future. He has sent you an invitation, but you have to open the envelope and read His promise. Are you ready to start packing? Lo Debar might be your address today, but Jesus has a place prepared for you that is better than anything you can possibly imagine!

Remembering

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Remembering

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.          Luke 22:19 ESV

At His table in Springtime
He comes as seed for open hearts 
Remembering that He gave Himself 
 While we lay still and cold and dark

Then in Summer we remember
He’s the true Vine growing strong
Grafted in Him we are branches
Through His blood we each belong

 We remember when the Fall comes
That He brings our Harvest in
By His kindness and His loving hands
He gathers us to Him

Now in Wintertime remembering
That His promises still stand
Forever at His table 
We will feast with Him again 

Remembering by Peter Caligiuri © 2021 All rights reserved

Eternal Election

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In case anyone has missed it there will be among other things an election tomorrow determining who controls two of the three branches of our government. So I thought that today we need a reminder of who is in charge of the three branches of government in Heaven.

First we have seated as the Supreme Court Justice of the universe a judge whose appointment is for eternity. He never grows old or retires from office.

Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. James 5:9

Secondly, unlike our representative who runs every two years we have a legislator who term of office began before the begining of time and whose decrees remain in effect for eternity.

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
Isaiah 40:8

Last of all but certainly not least we have a king, a CEO and supreme ruler whose term of office never expires and who is not running for reelection! Jesus Christ our Sovereign King of Kings and He shall reign forever and ever!