Today's Readings and Stuff -- Tuesday, 22 May 2018

Getting late in what is, actually, my favorite month of the whole year, and one of the very few periods of the year that I like at all.  Oh, well.

Wife and I had some time today with just us two.  We both had a bad night, and she slept fitfully which didn't help me at all.  So when she slept in real late, I let her.  But when she was up and around, I looked outside and saw next-door-niece with her husband and their 11 month old son, out playing on the swings.  So we went out and did the great-uncle/aunt ooh and ahhh thing. 
Despite everything else going on, those injections in the knee that Wife recently underwent have been a wonderful improvement.  She can now walk without  horrid pain every step, so she stands straighter, which removes a good bit of the back strain and pain.  Her Disability check went into the account this morning, so we went off to pick up some of the monthly stuff using it.   For the last several years, the pain she suffered every step meant that I'd usually go  on these grocery runs by myself.  This time, she was able to go with me, and we spent time together.  We miss those little things like that, the things so many people are able to take for granted.  It was wonderful, and good for both of us.

Then we came home.  We'll have a very light dinner (it is already after 7 p.m.) before an early night.  She has a doctor appointment at 08:30 tomorrow, it's not terribly far but it's not next door, so we'll set an 06:00 alarm (or so).  She has one more day of the super-duty antibiotics and another day of the prednisone that contributes to letting her breathe more or less normally.  We shall see if the doctor will relent and reauthorize the refills of what she's been taking for more than 30 years.

And spending some time in deep thought, not very complimentary to me.
I've fallen into the trap of anger, bitterness, and an unforgiving attitude.  Yes, over too many years, I've been cheated, lied to, lied about, treated with contempt, and had too many hopes and dreams dashed, seen too much damage to those I love (and to me as well) by too many.   All true, every bit of it.  So?  I can't undo the past.  And I know with a certainty that the Lord is aware of all of it, knew every bit of it a million years ago.  Yet He permitted it, and I have to believe that it is part of His plan.  I don't know that plan, but I have to trust Him.  And part of that trust absolutely requires me to, with His help, let go of all that anger, bitterness, and unforgiving attitude.  That is one of those things that absolutely requires His empowerment, as it is in obedience to His will and direction.  He has forgiven me quite a lot.  If I would follow Him, as is the call on all who call upon the name of Jesus, then I must follow His example.  Day by day.

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Today, chapters 13 and 14 in 2nd Samuel.
David was many things.  A good father was not one of them.

2nd Samuel 13

1  And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

2  And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.

3  But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.

4  And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.

5  And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.

6  So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.

7  Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and dress him meat.

8  So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes.

9  And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him.

10  And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

11  And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister.

12  And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.

13  And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.

14  Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.

15  Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.

16  And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her.

17  Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.

18  And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

19  And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.

20  And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.

21  But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.

22  And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

23  And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal–hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons.

24  And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with thy servant.

25  And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him.

26  Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?

27  But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.

28  Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.

29  And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.

30  And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.

31  Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.

32  And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar

33  Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead.

34  But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind him.

35  And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king's sons come: as thy servant said, so it is.

36  And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very sore.

37  But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

38  So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

39  And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

2nd Samuel 14

1  Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.

2  And Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:

3  And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.

4  And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

5  And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.

6  And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and slew him.

7  And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth.

8  And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee.

9  And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king, My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house: and the king and his throne be guiltless.

10  And the king said, Whosoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

11  Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the Lord thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.

12  Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

13  And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? for the king doth speak this thing as one which is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished.

14  For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.

15  Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing unto my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and thy handmaid said, I will now speak unto the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his handmaid.

16  For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

17  Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the Lord thy God will be with thee.

18  Then the king answered and said unto the woman, Hide not from me, I pray thee, the thing that I shall ask thee. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak.

19  And the king said, Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, As thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from ought that my lord the king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thine handmaid:

20  To fetch about this form of speech hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.

21  And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.

22  And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself, and thanked the king: and Joab said, To day thy servant knoweth that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath fulfilled the request of his servant.

23  So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

24  And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.

25  But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

26  And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year's end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight.

27  And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.

28  So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.

29  Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king; but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come.

30  Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire.

31  Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?

32  And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me.

33  So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.

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Psalm 102

A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord.

 

1  Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee

2  Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.

3  For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.

4  My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.

5  By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.

6  I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.

7I   watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.

8  Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.

9  For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,

10  Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.

11  My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.

12  But thou, O Lord, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.

13  Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.

14  For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.

15  So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.

16  When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.

17  He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.

18  This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord.

19  For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth;

20  To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;

21  To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;

22  When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.

23  He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.

24  I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.

25  Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

26  They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:

27  But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

28  The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.

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Acts 13

1  Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

2  As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

3  And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

4  So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

5  And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.

6  And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar–jesus:

7  Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.

8  But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

9  Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,

10  And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

11  And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

12  Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

13  Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

14  But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.

15  And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.

16  Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.

17  The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.

18  And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.

19  And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he divided their land to them by lot.

20  And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

21  And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.

22  And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

23  Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:

24  When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

25  And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.

26  Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.

27  For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.

28  And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.

29  And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.

30  But God raised him from the dead:

31  And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.

32  And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,

33  God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

34  And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.

35  Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

36  For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

37  But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.

38  Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:

39  And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

40  Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;

41  Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.

42  And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

43  Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

44  And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

45  But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

46  Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

47  For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

48  And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

49  And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.

50  But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

51  But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.

52  And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.