Wed.’s Devo - Judging Ourselves

Read: 1 Chronicles 16:37-18:17; Romans 2:1-24; Psalm 10:16-18; Proverbs 19:8-9 David left the Ark in Gibeon in the tent he had set up. He appointed gate keepers to watch over it, priests to do regular burnt offerings each morning and evening and musicians to praise and worship the Lord. Then David went back to his palace. David decided he wanted to build the Lord a house of wood since he lived in a beautiful house of cedar. He told Nathan his plans and Nathan blessed them. As Nathan was leaving his meeting with David, the Lord spoke to Nathan and gave him a word for David. He said that He had never lived in a house of wood or asked to have one built. God said that he would defeat all of David’s enemies for him but one of his sons would build a temple for Him. This son would be the king over God’s house and kingdom for all time and his throne would be secure forever. (We know this to be Solomon, but Solomon’s kingdom was a type of the kingdom that Jesus would reign over in the last millennium.) David responded to the Lord in worship. He praised the Lord for taking him from nothing and making him king. He accepted everything the Lord said and didn’t attempt to build a Temple himself. David spent the rest of his life defeating all of his enemies with the Lord’s help. Those he didn’t kill, he made them subject to him. Everyone gave him tribute and he put the gifts in the treasury for the Lord. He spent his life accumulating the wealth it would take to build the Temple. He defeated Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek. He reigned our all Israel doing what was just and right for all the people. In Romans, Paul starts and ends with the same thought: you cannot judge others without first judging yourself. It is God that is going to judge everyone’s secret sins and open sins in the end. That should keep us from wanting to sin. Everyone will be judged because even those who have not heard God’s law have his law written in their hearts. God has given us a conscience that knows what is right and what is wrong. This puts the Jews and Gentiles on the same level. Our actions reveal our hearts. Lord, help us to walk in love and kindness. Thank you for the conviction of the Holy Spirit.