I have been using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study for almost a year. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I started writing this blog because the only way I can get myself to read the Bible everyday is to pretend that I am teaching someone about what it says to me. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.

     Saul once more brought his army out looking for David and his men. One night while Saul and his army were sleeping, David slipped into the camp with one of his men, Abishai. David and Abishai managed to get all the way to Saul’s side with no one waking up. Abishai offered to kill Saul for David, since the Lord had placed Saul in their power. David refused to allow Abishai to kill Saul, but he took Saul’s spear and his water jug. Once the two of them had left the camp, David called out to Abner, the commander of Saul’s army. David asked Abner why he had failed to protect the king. When Saul heard David’s voice, he apologized to David for seeking his life and invited him back (although David wisely did not take Saul up on this offer, as this was the second time Saul had felt remorse for attempting to kill David after David had spared his life). I meant to touch on a point that comes up again today. David did not kill Saul because Saul was God’s anointed king over Israel. I think this tells us something important about what our attitude should be towards government leaders. We should be respectful towards those who are in positions of government authority, since they are in that position because God put them there. I struggle with following this when I disagree with those in authority, but it is something I am working on with the Holy Spirit’s help.
     When Saul withdrew from hunting David this time, David realized that he would never be safe among the Israelites as long as Saul was king and that if he stayed, eventually Saul would catch him. So David went to live among the Philistines. He took his 600 men and joined Achish, the king of Gath. He convinced Gath that he and his men should stay in one of the country towns around Gath, rather than in the city itself. Achish gave David and his men Ziklag. From this base of operation, David and his men raided the towns of enemies of Israel. When they raided a town, they killed everyone there so that no one could report that they had attacked the town. After sacking a town, David would return and report to Achish. Achish would ask him where he had raided most recently and David would reply that he had raided Judah or allies of the Israelites. Achish became convinced that David was becoming hated by the Israelites and had no choice but remain loyal to him.
     After David had lived among the Philistines for a little over a year, the Philistines prepared to go to war against Saul. King Achish called David and required him to bring his men to join the attack. David replied that now Achish would see what he could do.

     Jesus was on the east side of the Jordan River when He received word that Lazarus was very sick. Jesus told His disciples that Lazarus’ sickness would bring glory to God and remained where He was for two more days. When He told His disciples that He was going back to Judea, they responded that only a few days earlier the people of Judea had been trying to stone Him. Jesus said that Lazarus has fallen asleep and He was going to wake Him. When the disciples demonstrated that they did not understand, Jesus told them that Lazarus had died. At that point Thomas (which means twin in Aramaic), said to the others, “Let us go and die with Him.”
     When Jesus got to Bethany, where Lazarus and his sisters lived, He was told that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was close to Jerusalem and many Jews had come out from Jerusalem to comfort Mary and Martha, Lazarus’ sisters. Martha came out to meet Jesus, but Mary stayed at home. When Martha greeted Jesus, she told Him that if He had been there, Lazarus would not have died. This does not appear to be an accusation, merely a statement of faith. Jesus replied that Lazarus would rise again. When Martha said that she knew he would rise on the last day, Jesus replied that He was the resurrection and the life and that everyone who believed in Him will live even after dying. He then asked Martha if she believed this. She replied that she did indeed believe that He was the Messiah.
     Martha then returned to her home and told her that Jesus had come and was looking for her. Mary went out to see Him at once. When those who had been with Mary comforting her saw her go out so hurriedly, they assumed she was going to Lazarus’ tomb to mourn for him there. So, they accompanied her. When Mary saw Jesus she threw herself at His feet and told Him that if only He had been there, Lazarus would not have died (this was closer to being an accusation then Martha’s greeting). When Jesus saw her weeping and those with her wailing, He was deeply moved and troubled. Jesus asked where they had put Lazarus. They took Jesus to Lazarus’ tomb and when Jesus got there He wept. Some of the mourners openly expressed the thought that Jesus could have kept Lazarus from dying in a manner that asked why He had not done so.
     Jesus asked them to roll aside the stone in front of the tomb. Martha protested that Lazarus had been dead for four days and by now the smell would be terrible. Jesus told her that He had said that if she believed she would see the glory of God. So the people rolled the stone aside. Jesus then loudly thanked God for hearing His requests, pointing out that He was speaking for the benefit of those listening, not because it was necessary. Jesus then called out to Lazarus and commanded him to come out of the tomb. When Lazarus emerged clothed in the traditional grave clothes, Jesus ordered those around to unwrap him and set him free. I think there is a lesson here that we do not need to pray out loud when asking for miracles from God. The only reason for praying out loud when we are requesting a miracle from God is as a witness to those who are close enough to hear what we say. This suggests that there is a time for openly praying for a miracle and a time for quietly praying for a miracle. We should be careful that when we pray out loud for a miracle, we are doing so to bring glory to God, not to ourselves.

     Praise the Lord for His faithfulness endures forever. A wonderful, although short, psalm of praise.

     When making plans, get advice from many sources. This is the best way to make sure that your plans will succeed (as long as you actually take the best of that advice). The second proverb tells us that saying the right word at the right time brings one happiness. But that does not just happen. It requires thinking about what others have said and considering one’s words carefully, and it requires being open to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.