Call To Peace Making
BRD REFLECTIONS:
Judges 19:1-30, 20:1-48 and Psalm 40 (NIV)
(Frances Lim, SGM PC Zone Leader)
READ:
The story in Judges 19 must surely be one of the strangest in the Bible. It’s a horrific tale of misogyny, violence, and depravity. In Judges 20, the Levite who tells his sordid story bends the truth by failing to confess that he pushed his concubine out of the door to save himself. From verses 18 to 48 we read graphic descriptions of the battles that ensued between the tribe of Benjamin and the rest of the Israelites. Towns and every single living thing in them were totally destroyed and many died.
OBSERVE:
Judges 19 starts off by saying that Israel had no King. Chapter 21 concludes by observing that everyone did as they saw fit. Humans left to their own devices cannot be trusted. We see this even today with awful situations in Israel, Ukraine and Myanmar.
In contrast, Psalm 40 paints a picture of King David who waited patiently for the Lord (v1) and desired to do His will, keeping God’s law within his heart (v8). Although David was King, he prayed to the Lord in verse 17, “But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay.” King David did not take matters into his own hands but trusted the Lord to intervene.
APPLY:
When I chose to be a Christian I chose to put myself under the authority of King Jesus. I have a King and can no longer do as I see fit. Along with the privileges of belonging to the Kingdom of God comes rules to follow and commandments to keep. Without the Lord I am likely to be thoroughly mean, cruel, greedy, unforgiving and selfish. But, as a Christian, I ask God to help me to choose His way and extend grace and mercy to promote peace and care for the ones Jesus cares for …the weak, sick, poor and marginalised.
Recently, Wesley Methodist Church hosted a Christmas party for 50 Female Domestic Workers from a shelter run by HOME ( Humanitarian Organization For Migration Economics). The girls laughed merrily as they played games and enjoyed the event. But every girl has a sad story. One ran away because her lady boss was completely dissatisfied with her, blaming her for everything. The lady boss also screamed at her all the time. Their stories were like a checklist for me! Do I do those things? Have I been showing appreciation towards my helper? Do I blame her when things go wrong? Do I give her enough rest?
DO:
- Every day I will choose to be gracious, kind and forgiving to all who make my life easier like my helper, the garbage collectors, petrol pump attendants, and security guards.
- I will not close my eyes to the many needs around me but will donate or do a kind deed whenever I can.
- I will appreciate what God has done for me and extend grace and mercy to others.
- I will try to live my life in a way that honours God and not bring His name into ill repute.
PRAY:
Dear God, I want to glorify Your name and declare that You are worthy to be praised and worshiped. Help me to live in a way that honours You! I pray I will grow to be more like Jesus and bear the fruit of the Spirit. Please help me to love others with the love that You have poured into my heart, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
