Post by Les on Aug 21, 2023 11:34:46 GMT -5
The Gift of Encouragement By: James Banks
Click here for the Audio Message
Encourage one another and build each other up.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Today's Scripture & Insight:
1 Samuel 23:14–23
“Your bees are swarming!” My wife stuck her head inside the door and gave me news no beekeeper wants to hear. I ran outside to see thousands of bees flying up from the hive to the top of a tall pine, never to return.
I was a little behind in reading the clues that the hive was about to swarm; more than a week of storms had hampered my inspections. The morning the storms ended, the bees left. The colony was new and healthy, and the bees were actually dividing the colony to start a new one. “Don’t be hard on yourself,” an experienced beekeeper told me cheerfully after seeing my disappointment. “This can happen to anyone!”
Encouragement is a winsome gift. When David was disheartened because Saul was pursuing him to take his life, Saul’s son Jonathan encouraged David. “Don’t be afraid,” Jonathan said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this” (1 Samuel 23:17).
Those are surprisingly selfless words from someone next in line to the throne. It’s highly likely that Jonathan recognised God was with David, so he spoke out of a humble heart of faith.
All around us are people who need encouragement. God will help us help them as we humble ourselves before Him and ask Him to love them through us.
Reflect & Pray
Who do you know who needs encouragement? How might you humbly serve them today?
Dear God, You give me eternal encouragement and good hope. Help me to show Your love to someone today.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
The central feature of 1 Samuel 23:14–23 is the “Jonathan visit”—a friend-to-friend encounter at a very critical time. Though God can use casual, unplanned meetings with those we may or may not know, Jonathan’s visit was rooted in a deep, lasting friendship (see 18:1–4). This meeting is believed to have been their last. The depth of their relationship comes through in the lyrics of David’s lament for Jonathan (see 2 Samuel 1:25–27 ). Selfless, brief, timely visitations like these can be a real gift to those needing encouragement from God.
1 Samuel 23:14-23
King James Version
14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.
15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
16 And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
17 And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.
18 And they two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?
20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand.
21 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the Lord; for ye have compassion on me.
22 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly.
23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.
Click here for the Audio Message
Encourage one another and build each other up.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Today's Scripture & Insight:
1 Samuel 23:14–23
“Your bees are swarming!” My wife stuck her head inside the door and gave me news no beekeeper wants to hear. I ran outside to see thousands of bees flying up from the hive to the top of a tall pine, never to return.
I was a little behind in reading the clues that the hive was about to swarm; more than a week of storms had hampered my inspections. The morning the storms ended, the bees left. The colony was new and healthy, and the bees were actually dividing the colony to start a new one. “Don’t be hard on yourself,” an experienced beekeeper told me cheerfully after seeing my disappointment. “This can happen to anyone!”
Encouragement is a winsome gift. When David was disheartened because Saul was pursuing him to take his life, Saul’s son Jonathan encouraged David. “Don’t be afraid,” Jonathan said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this” (1 Samuel 23:17).
Those are surprisingly selfless words from someone next in line to the throne. It’s highly likely that Jonathan recognised God was with David, so he spoke out of a humble heart of faith.
All around us are people who need encouragement. God will help us help them as we humble ourselves before Him and ask Him to love them through us.
Reflect & Pray
Who do you know who needs encouragement? How might you humbly serve them today?
Dear God, You give me eternal encouragement and good hope. Help me to show Your love to someone today.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
The central feature of 1 Samuel 23:14–23 is the “Jonathan visit”—a friend-to-friend encounter at a very critical time. Though God can use casual, unplanned meetings with those we may or may not know, Jonathan’s visit was rooted in a deep, lasting friendship (see 18:1–4). This meeting is believed to have been their last. The depth of their relationship comes through in the lyrics of David’s lament for Jonathan (see 2 Samuel 1:25–27 ). Selfless, brief, timely visitations like these can be a real gift to those needing encouragement from God.
1 Samuel 23:14-23
King James Version
14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.
15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
16 And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
17 And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.
18 And they two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?
20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand.
21 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the Lord; for ye have compassion on me.
22 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly.
23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.