Thoughts for another day

May 23, 2012

Today's verse: 1 Sam. 26:24. As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and deliver me from all trouble.  (NIV – copyright acknowledged)

(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Jesus said, 'love your enemies and pray for them.'  For any Christian, this may come as a surprise because – 'how can you love your enemies and pray for them'; for don't we remember the harm they do to us?  Don't we remember the malicious tales they spread about us and the evil they plan against us?  And then the Lord says, love them and pray for them! 

But think awhile upon our Scripture; and read what David did with Saul; remember he didn't expect Saul to value his life but the LORD to do that for him!  Why?  Because David knew the principles on which God operates: whatever good we do for others, God notes it as if it were doing good to Him.  Doesn't Jesus say, 'whatsoever you do unto the least of your brothers, you do it unto Me.' And if you live according to God's ways, whenever you give something to someone in his distress, you can be sure it will be accounted by God as if it were being done to Him and He will account it as a loan you gave Him to be repaid, not in the life hereafter but now in this very one.  God doesn't keep any of our debts but repays us a hundred fold, a thousand fold or even a million fold.

In the context of our Scripture, we know how God so valued David's life and never allowed any harm to come to him, but note that when David quoted this Scripture, he didn't know what was in store for him.  All he knew was to trust the God of Israel who had helped him so much even as he tended his father's flock at night.  David trusted God and God rendered to him according to his trust.  David did good to others and God rewarded him a kingdom.  I would urge you my friend, if you have the opportunity to do a little good, even it's for your enemy or if it hurts you a little, go ahead and do it. Your mind may insist you shouldn't, as would I'm sure, David's mind did, when he had the chance to harm Saul.  But David focused on God's way and saved him.  So too, go ahead and tell the Lord what you've done and He will reward you.  Time may pass and many winters may go by, amnesia may set in and you may forget and reconcile to your pathetic condition.  But the Maker of time doesn't forget and He will reward you, and like I said, not in the next life but here and now.  Praise Him.