2 Samuel 3-4; Psalm 108; Romans 12

 June 8: David's unwillingness to execute his rivals and patience in awaiting God's promised exaltation give us such a good model: he's been criticized for allowing Abner to do his dirty-work, but most kings would've gladly done worse. He gives us hope that God will vindicate us without our having to manipulate a situation. Ultimately, Isaiah 63 shows us what "vengeance is mine; I will repay" really means; and we should be motivated to deliver people from such a fate. Let us overcome ruthless evil, not with more ruthlessness but with good.

2 Samuel 3-4: David is bold in executing the men who murder Ish-bosheth, but what about the murderers of Abner? Even if the guilt for the murders of Abner and Ish-bosheth is not on David’s hands, it seems that as civil authority, it’s his responsibility to punish those murders, and he’s inconsistent in his justice here, protesting his weakness and their severity in 3:39. He does command Solomon to deal with Joab in his last charge to him in 1 Kings 2:5-6, so it seems he felt some guilt about this.

Psalm 108: In about the middle of this Psalm, v. 6, it seems to shift: it speaks of deliverance, salvation, and God’s “right hand,” which usually implies Jesus. Is there prophetic significance in the progression from the sort of spiral in the center of Israel down to Moab and Edom? Especially when it speaks of God "treading down our enemies.” This is a Psalm of David—in what sense could he understand being “cast off” other than an end-times prophecy (Isaiah 63)?

Romans 12: Having made the case that salvation is so secure, is by faith in promise, is fulfilled in the sacrificial death, burial and resurrection of Christ, Paul asserts that it’s reasonable for us to present ourselves for His use. Such is the only way we’ll be able to test/judge experimentally, the perfect will of God. Spiritual gifts are then addressed, which should be exercised “according to the measure of faith” - does this mean each person has been “dealt the measure of faith” they will always have, and that amount of faith will be the limiting factor for how effectively your gifts may be used? I think faith may be increased, (Luke 17:5), and that it’s more of a practical sense how it limits the exercise of your gifts, in that it takes faith to venture out in teaching, exhortation, prophecy, etc. One thing is clear: although there are differing offices in the body, we aren’t to think of ourselves more highly than we ought, we’re to associate with the “lowly” and not to be conceited. Even in the context of submission to God, and venturing for Him, it’s so easy for us to compete, to wish to be seen in a better light than others, to rationalize our shortcomings and think critically of others. Christ wants His body to be a place of harmony and edification.