May 9 Edify Devotional

Today’s Devotional Theme      You're the One!   Daily Scripture 2 Samuel 12:3-7a “The poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” Nathan said to David, “You are the man!” Encouragement  When I was growing up we used to get our Thanksgiving turkeys at a family friend’s farm. One memorable year I got to help pick out our turkey from the flock. I spotted one particular bird, pointed and said, “That’s the one!” That year I was invited to come into the slaughterhouse and watch our turkey being executed. I was a fairly normal, un-squeamish kid, but little was I prepared for the sight before me. I’ll spare us the bloody and gory details, but I think the scene taught me a little respect for life at my tender age. I watched for a little while, then went back outside. I’d had enough! I lost a little of the “innocence of childhood” that day. Apply God’s Word God teaches David a life-changing lesson through the prophet Nathan’s confrontation. It is a perfect parable. David doesn’t see the punch line, “you’re the man!” coming. The story is actually an account of David’s role in taking Uriah’s wife Bathsheba and having her husband killed. As his ire is being aroused by the rich man’s callous slaughter of the poor man, Nathan says, you David are the rich man who snatched away the poor man’s pet lamb and sacrificed it! Read the 51st Psalm, David’s prayer of repentance to see how profoundly Nathan’s rebuke built on David’s character. Come into His Presence Lord God, forgive me for times of not responding readily to the needs of others. Teach me to give to those, especially my fellow believers, on whom life has been less than kind. In Jesus’ name, amen. Mark Bacon Teacher & Mentor Email Mark

Victory Christian Center 18180 US Highway 150 Bloomington, Illinois 61705 309.663.7233 www.VictoryPeople.org www.Facebook.com/VictoryPeople.org