A Need to Persevere

9 Mar 2014
Hebrews 10:36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.
God is faithful and does not give up on His children. I imagine He expects parents not to give up on their children either, even a daughter who has no compassion on her mother who lost her father too suddenly and is left to share the care of her demented mother while struggling with household chores and no maid, work, silence and ministry demands.
Praying to be faithful to parent the children He has given us stewardship of, by the Spirit's enabling.

God speaking through a husband's and daughter's words

9 Mar 2014

2 Samuel 16:5-12

5 As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul's family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out.

6 He pelted David and all the king's officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David's right and left.

7 As he cursed, Shimei said, "Get out, get out, you man of blood, you scoundrel!

8 The LORD has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The LORD has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a man of blood!"

9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head."

10 But the king said, "What do you and I have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD said to him, 'Curse David,' who can ask, 'Why do you do this?' " cursing because the LORD said to him, 'Curse David,' who can ask, 'Why do you do this?' "

11 David then said to Abishai and all his officials, "My son, who is of my own flesh, is trying to take my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.

12 It may be that the LORD will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today."

Thanks be to God for His Word to me this Sunday morning and prayers of prayer partners after the words uttered by daughter in a barrage of 15 sms-es from her overseas university exchange in Switzerland in response to my objection to her wanting to travel to Spain then UK & Paris with friends and a housemate after already visiting Iceland before the start of the 4-month semester. And husband's response when I asked him to help me to reply to them. Refused even to read the messages and scolded me, "Don't start an argument...addicted to conflict."

Devotion from "A Gift from the Heart" by Sebastian Seet for 8 Mar which I had missed yesterday reading instead 9 Mar. Today's passage was from Ps 103:2-5 and the blessing prayer for parents was, "May God's healing power flow to heal your inner wounds, may He grant you strength when you're weak & weary and a calm spirit when you're frustrated."