For a description of the (Y2) reading plan, see the “About” page.
Mark 10
Look closely at Jesus’ answer to the question about divorce. What does He base His answer upon? How does this affect your thinking about Marriage? I get the sense that committing adultery is something deeper than simply being unfaithful to a spouse. There is a covenant involved; a covenant made before God. Also, the Bible makes it clear that the marriage relationship – the covenantal bonding of a man and a woman – is an image of Christ’s relationship with His Church. I think that is why God uses adultery to describe Israel’s unfaithfulness to Him. God made a covenant with them that united them to Him and Him to them. They broke that covenant, separating what God had joined together. So when we are unfaithful to our spouse, even in divorce, we dishonor God. We break a vow, defile a covenant relationship, and stand in opposition to God’s uniting work.
2 Sam. 3-4
Abner was clearly aware of God’s promise to David. Yet he fought for the house of Saul for a long time. It took being falsely accused by Ish-Bosheth for Abner to be moved to turn the kingdom over to David. What did Abner think he was going to gain in opposing God’s word? Even when he finally decided to align himself with God’s promise, it was for personal reasons. He was getting back at Ish-Bosheth for insulting his loyalty while still jockeying for position in the kingdom. “Make an agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you:, he said to David. (2 Sam. 3:12).
Abner’s heart was clearly not in the right place and, though David was willing to receive him, his plan for his own gain failed. God’s plan, of course, stood fast. We shouldn’t need a vendetta to align ourselves with God. And we shouldn’t need an “agreement” to do the right thing. We need to examine ourselves and make sure that our loyalty to God stems from a humble, surrendered heart rather than a desire for personal gain. Abner may well be a sign that those who try to enter God’s kingdom for the wrong reasons will have no place in it.
Ps. 58
Compare David’s prayer for vengeance with the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:43-48. When is it ok to express these feelings to God? David was good to those who mistreated him. But he struck down God’s enemies and prayed for God’s vengeance on the wicked. He trusted God to fulfill His promises and patiently waited for Him to act. David did not seek to take such matters into his own hands. Maybe that’s part of the purpose in persistent prayer – it reminds us that God is faithful to fulfill what He has promised so that we can wait patiently. “Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surly there is a God who judges the earth.” (Ps. 58:11b). We don’t need to take our concerns into our own hands. We just need to hand them over to God.