Best Stories

The Best Stories As a master story teller, Jesus often used stories to communicate truth, particularly about his Kingdom. In Matthew 13 alone, there are seven parables recorded. The advantage of parables is they require the listeners/readers to engage their brains. We have to know about what’s been said; evaluate it on several levels. And occasionally, as in the parable of the sower and parable of the weeds, Jesus explains things for us after we’ve failed to understand. Prayer: Thank you Lord, for giving us your Word in stories and illustrations rather than lengthy lectures. I love your Word, Lord. It’s down to earth; it speaks to me where I live. Thank you for the writers who faithfully recorded your amazing ministry on earth. Help me apply your principles to my life and work today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 20

REFRESHER TIME

[Scheduled Reading: 1 Chronicles 6-23]

After a genealogy review, we’re back into the accounts of King David. In Bible reading, I always welcome the chance to revisit previous time periods (I need the refresher).

1 Chronicles covers the same events of 2 Samuel, but gives greater attention to King David.

Remember, everything about David was BIG. His entourage, his military, and size of government. His three mighty men were impressive.

And the 30 were like his secret service – but more like Rambo characters. He had over 1 million warriors. There were 38,000 Levites (think of congress - their functions, not their size :) And 4,000 of them were dedicated to music – that’s some choir to offer fitting praises to the Lord.

For the reader, on one hand it’s raw data… not so exciting. On the other hand, putting this data in context helps to appreciate what kind of kingdom David had.Yes, BIG. Impressive.

The other theme that jumped out to me in today’s reading is how serious God treated sin (1 Chron 21.)

David’s sin of ordering the census cost the lives of 70,000 men. God was actually prepared to wipe out all of Jerusalem (UNBELIEVABLE), but then changed his mind and stopped the angel from further destruction (v15).

This happened before... when God wanted to wipe out the Israelites when Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments, but Moses pleaded for, and received, God’s mercy.