Wed.’s Devo - True Repentance Brings Restoration

Read: 1 Chronicles 19:1-21:30; Romans 2:25-3:8; Psalm 11:1-7; Proverbs 19:10-12 David’s friend, Nahash died. He was the king of the Ammonites. David sent his ambassadors with a letter of condolence to Hanun, Nahash’s son but Hanun’s friends sowed fear and distrust in his heart. They told Hanun that David’s men were there to spy out the land to take it, so Hanun had David’s men shaved and cut their robes of up to their rear and sent them home in shame. This meant war to David and when Hanun realized what he had done, he hired the Armeans to come and help him fight against David. Twice, David and his army defeated them until the Armean’s surrendered and became David’s subjects. In the time when the kings went to war, David decided to stay home in Jerusalem. He sent Joab to Rabbah, an Ammonite chief city to destroy it. Joab brought back the crown of the king and placed it on David’s head. Joab fought the Philistines and the descendants of Goliath. David’s kingdom was at its greatest and pride convinced David to number the people. Joab pled with David not to do it but David could not be swayed. Joab went throughout the kingdom counting the people but didn’t count the Levites or the Benjamites because it sickened him so much to do so. It also sickened God. He sent Gad, David’s seer to give him three choices for his punishment: 3 years of famine, 3 months of war or 3 days of severe plague from the Lord. He chose to fall into the hands of God and chose the 3 days. His census count went down by 70,000 as the plague killed this many people. David cried out to God and he stoped it right at the threshing floor of Araunah. David bought that place for 600 pieces of gold from Araunah and that is where the temple was built years later. Araunah means “shout for joy”. God does turn our sorrow into joy and forgives our sins. In Romans, Paul was arguing the point of circumcism. He told them that circumcism or being born a Jew didn’t make them entitled to God’s salvation… anymore than being born into a Christian family does for us. Salvation is individual and should produce the fruits of righteousness or it is in vain. Sin doesn’t glorify God, righteousness does. Lord, help us to walk in humility and grace. May you restore the fear of the Lord upon our nation and our hearts as your children.