365 Reflections

There's a very short story in 2 Samuel 2 that you may miss because of its brevity and the number of strange names it contains. Three brothers are part of David's army. Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now, these three men just won a hard-fought battle against the insurgent forces of Ish-Bosheth who has been thrust to the kingship by Abner, Saul's right-hand man. The text lets us know that after the battle, Abner flees. But here's where the story gets interesting. Asahel has a particular gift. He's fast. Look at the unfolding drama. 2 Samuel 2:18–22 (ESV) And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle. 19 And Asahel pursued Abner, and as he went, he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. 20 Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is it you, Asahel?” And he answered, “It is I.” 21 Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and seize one of the ...

Two of the 7 churches in Revelation 2-3 are found without fault in the message from Jesus. And they both share one thing in common: They both don't look that impressive to themselves. The Lord describes the first church in Smyrna like this: Revelation 2:9 (ESV) ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. To the Church in Philadelphia, the Lord says: Revelation 3:8 (ESV) ‘I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. These two churches held in common the first Beatitude listed by the Lord's great Sermon on the Mount: They were both poor in spirit. That is they both understood that to stay humble and needful of the Lord is the greatest and most powerful place to live, because you shall have Him. It is those who begin to feel they've made it, that they've acquired enough knowledge, reputation, ...