The Worth of a Soul - Day 178 Through the Bible

A "Trashformation" birdhouse outside our public library in Burnsville, NC - using found and discarded objects to create art - near Mt. Celo Church

My Gleanings from Today's Readings

Good Repaid With Evil - 1 Chronicles 19 and 20 - Nahash, king of Ammon and friend of David has died.  David sends messengers to comfort Nahash's son, Hanum, as a kindness and tribute to his friendship with the father.  Hanum has surrounded himself with counselors who see the kind act of David as treachery.  "Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you?  Did his servants not come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?"  Hanum despises the offer and humiliates "the messengers by shaving them and cutting off their garments, exposing their buttocks."  David hears about this, and tells the men to wait at Jericho until their beards have grown out.  The response of the people of Ammon is to prepare for war when they realize "they have made themselves repulsive to David."  The Ammonites gather 4 nations to prepare for war.  David, likewise, has his army battle-ready and routs all the opposing forces - killing 7,000 charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers of the recruited Syrian forces alone.  

My Lessons and Applications - This is one of those moments that are almost surreal to the reader. Proverbs 27:10:  "Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not." Perhaps the people of Ammon knew David well enough to know that he would retaliate.  But, what I see here, I have seen in my own relationships and in those of others.  There is so much pride in some of us, that we would rather destroy relationships, marriages, families, than humbly and honestly admit our fault, our humiliation of, our disrespect of, our evil to others - and seek to make amends when possible.  Human sin nature never changes.  We just saw this in the NT readings with the stoning of Stephen and the preaching of Peter.  The hearers were "cut to the heart" - knew they were guilty - but their reaction was rage, not repentance.  What is the underlying cause of my ill treatment of others?  What is my response to those who treat me unjustly?

The Worth of a Soul - Acts 8:26-40 - An angel of the Lord tells Philip to take a certain road into the desert.  There he encounters the eunuch of Ethiopia (modern-day Sudan), who is in charge of all the treasury of Queen Candace.  The eunuch is reading from Isaiah 53, and the Spirit prompts Philip to ask him if he understands what he is reading.  Philip is invited into the chariot and "beginning at this Scripture, preaches Jesus to him."  Then the eunuch believes in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and asks to be baptized.  Immediately after this, the Spirit of the Lord "caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing."

My Lessons and Applications - The prompting of the Spirit, the intercession of the angel of the Lord was for the salvation of this one soul.  "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."  Luke 15:7  What is our focus in our churches today?  Is it numbers in attendance or tithing, or is it still the salvation worth of each soul for Christ?  One of the most poignant messages I have heard in a long time was by a local layman.  He said that our churches often do a much better job at evangelism than at discipleship.  Are we taking the time as believers and as a church to disciple those who have expressed belief in Jesus?  Are we faithfully expounding the Word of God?

"Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. (Acts 8:30) 

"The Holy Spirit is the Author of the Scriptures, and it is He alone who can enlighten us to understand them correctly.  Thus, we should constantly ask for His guidance 'unto all truth.' (John 16:13)...remember that prayer is your best means of 'study'...use the hammer of diligence and employ the knees of prayer to unlock God's truth...prayer is the lever that forces the iron chest of sacred mystery wide open so you may discover its hidden treasury.

Charles Spurgeon:  Morning and Evening