Monday Yr B Sunday between Aug 7-13
Memory Verse: Psalm 97:9 For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.
Whom Do You Exalt?
Toni looked around her friend’s bedroom, full of posters and mementos about her favorite star. Every surface had something about him. The first thing Eve did was check her computer. The desktop screen flickered; it was a full photo of the star.
“Mr. Knox told us to work on chapter 10 definitions.” Toni pulled her history homework out of her bag.
Eve hadn’t touched her backpack but called up the latest social media site and began reading posts from her friends.
“We’ve got to study.” Toni ventured.
“Not yet, I want to see what my friends say when I tell them I’ve sent away for his latest. I used last month’s allowance pay for it.”
“Our home is due.” Toni frowned as she watched Eve clicked her mouse and the star’s website filled the screen. “Eve, please, we have a lot to do.”
Reluctantly, Eve studied with Toni until they finished and agreed to walk to Youth Group together that night.
At church, Pastor Ron said. “Let’s write down the ways we exalted God this week.”
As others commented on the things they had done, Eve hung her head.
“Psalm 97 talks about the proper attention God deserves. God is above everything else in the world, including our favorite passions or ‘idols.’ There is nothing wrong with spending time doing fun things, as long as God is above everything else.” Ron looked around. “Who needs to put God first?”
Eve smiled at Toni, raising her hand along with the others.
Application: How about you? Are you putting God first? In what ways? In what areas do you struggle to put God first? Ask for help in putting God above all else.
Prayer: Almighty God, you are above all other gods and idols. Forgive me for putting other things ahead of you. Help me to honor you in what I say and do. Bless my work and play that others will praise you. In Jesus name, Amen.
Extra reading:
Psalm 97
1 The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad;
let the distant shores rejoice.
2 Clouds and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire goes before him
and consumes his foes on every side.
4 His lightning lights up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the Lord of all the earth.
6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory.
7 All who worship images are put to shame,
those who boast in idols—
worship him, all you gods!
8 Zion hears and rejoices
and the villages of Judah are glad
because of your judgments, O LORD.
9 For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.
10 Let those who love the LORD hate evil,
for he guards the lives of his faithful ones
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light is shed upon the righteous
and joy on the upright in heart.
12 Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous,
and praise his holy name.
Ephesians 5:1-14 (New International Version)
Ephesians 5
1Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[a] 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be partners with them.
8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
“Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
2 Samuel 15:13-31 (New International Version)
David Flees
13 A messenger came and told David, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”
14 Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin upon us and put the city to the sword.”
15 The king’s officials answered him, “Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses.”
16 The king set out, with his entire household following him; but he left ten concubines to take care of the palace. 17 So the king set out, with all the people following him, and they halted at a place some distance away. 18 All his men marched past him, along with all the Kerethites and Pelethites; and all the six hundred Gittites who had accompanied him from Gath marched before the king.
19 The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come along with us? Go back and stay with King Absalom. You are a foreigner, an exile from your homeland. 20 You came only yesterday. And today shall I make you wander about with us, when I do not know where I am going? Go back, and take your countrymen. May kindness and faithfulness be with you.”
21 But Ittai replied to the king, “As surely as the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be.”
22 David said to Ittai, “Go ahead, march on.” So Ittai the Gittite marched on with all his men and the families that were with him.
23 The whole countryside wept aloud as all the people passed by. The king also crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the people moved on toward the desert.
24 Zadok was there, too, and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices [a] until all the people had finished leaving the city.
25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the LORD’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again. 26 But if he says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him.”
27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Aren’t you a seer? Go back to the city in peace, with your son Ahimaaz and Jonathan son of Abiathar. You and Abiathar take your two sons with you. 28 I will wait at the fords in the desert until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there.
30 But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up. 31 Now David had been told, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “O LORD, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.”
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. We tend to give our time and energy to those things that mean the most. So if I am honest and count the time I spend on the different parts of my life, I would quickly identify what means most to me. Do I have the courage to face the reality that my priorities may be skewed?
God help me get on the right track.
Lynne