Author Archive for: meiling

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 2:1-11.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Samuel 2:1-4 (NIV)
1  In the course of time, David inquired of the LORD. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked. The LORD said, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go?” “To Hebron,” the LORD answered.
2  So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel.

On verse 1-4a:  David is considering what his first move should be after the death of Saul.  He does the wisest thing anyone can do: he inquires of the Lord.  The Lord tells David to go to Hebron.  Why Hebron?  We don’t know for sure, but reasons could include: (1) it was the largest city of refuge in the region; (2) it was a city that had belonged to Caleb, an ancestor of David’s wife Abigail; and (3) it was given to the priests of Israel, the sons of Aaron, and David’s pastor Abiathar the priest was a son of Aaron. 

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Samuel 31:1-13.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

1 Samuel 31:1-7 (NIV)
1  Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa.
2  The Philistines pressed hard after Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua.
3  The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him critically.

On verses 1-7:  These verses describe the tragic deaths of Saul and his sons Jonathan, Ahinadab and Malki-Shua at the hands of the Philistines.  Having lost his three sons, having been critically wounded and now fearing what the Philistines would do to him if he were alive, Saul loses all hope of living and takes his own life (v4). His armor bearer does the same (v5). This then leads to all the Israelites who live in the surrounding region to flee and the Philistines take over their towns (v7).

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Samuel 30:21-31.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 
 
1 Samuel 30:21-25 (NIV)
21  Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and who were left behind at the Besor Ravine. They came out to meet David and the people with him. As David and his men approached, he greeted them.
22  But all the evil men and troublemakers among David’s followers said, “Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children and go.”

On verses 21-25: The 400 who helped David with the rescue operation didn’t understand why David would allow the 200 who didn’t go with them to share in the plunder. What was going on in David’s mind? David was thinking about grace. Grace is showing people goodness that they don’t deserve. Before when Saul was chasing after David, David would say, “What have I done to deserve this?” He didn’t get why he was treated so badly. But at this moment David is especially aware of his own sinfulness and failures.  David was learning to look at the good things God had done in his life and say, “What have I done to deserve this?”