“He used to be…”

Saturday 4-18-15 (Las Grutas, Argentina)

Scripture reading:  1 Sam 20-21   Ps 34   Matt 5

S.  1 Sam 20:13-15 May the LORD be with you as he used to be with my father. And may you treat me with the faithful love of the LORD as long as I live. But if I die, treat my family with this faithful love, even when the LORD destroys all your enemies." NLT

O.  I can hear the pathos in the parting words of Saul’s son, Jonathan, with his covenant-friend, David.  Jonathan in his youth had doubtless been proud of his father who had the blessing of God upon his life and his kingdom.  But he had witnessed his father’s decline as his attitude became proud and the Spirit of the living God had departed from him.  Now Saul was so overcome with jealousy that he even cast a spear at his son, Jonathan, attempting to murder him for defending David.  Jonathan soon died in the same battle where his father committed suicide.  But David, who inherited the kingdom, never forgot his promise to treat Jonathan’s family with kindness.

A.  I am not an airplane pilot, but I understand that if you climb too rapidly in an aircraft you are in danger of a stall and can easily fall into a deadly tailspin.

Oh!  How tragic it is to see someone who has once been a humble Christian, willing to scrub floors in the bathrooms if necessary… and see them rise in God’s blessing and power only to become proud of their success and position and begin a spiritual tailspin, losing their humble spirit of dependence upon God.  Jonathan had to say to David, “May the LORD be with you as He used to be with my father” for it was a thing of the distant past.

P.  Oh Lord, my heart goes out to a dear friend right now that seems to me to be in this very danger.  You know that brother better than I do.  I pray for him.  His climb with Your blessing has taken him to high places, but I fear that his attitude may be changing and he may be in danger of a tailspin.  Dear Lord, please alert him and pull him out of all danger… so that no one would have to refer to what “used to be”. 

And precious Lord, if it is me in need of humbling, help me to accept Your loving discipline.  My relationship with You is more precious than the fresh air I breathe.  I cannot live a day or an hour without Your presence.  Amen.

Ralph