Tuesday, July 17, 2012

2012 July 17 - Morning Manna

And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem. Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood. Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel: And of all my sons, (for the LORD hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day. (
1 Chronicles 28:1-7)
Today's Morsel: The term "Preferential Treatment" literally refers to the giving of job or employment preference to someone who is of the right race, ethnicity, or gender. In many ways, we can say that King Solomon was given preferential treatment. Not only by his father King David, but also by God. God told David, "Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. Moreover I will establish his kingdom forever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day." Some say that God isn't fair, and they are totally correct. God isn't fair, God is just. Even David's other sons felt shorted because Solomon was chosen to be king and to rule. Esau felt shorted by Jacob and Ishmael felt shorted by Isaac. When we become sons of God, whether Jew or Gentile, it changes our current ethnicity and culture, and we take on God's distinctiveness, we become a group of people whose shared beliefs and practices identify us with a particular people, place, class, or time to which we belong. Peter informs us, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy" (1 Peter 2:9-10). We aren't given preferential treatment because of our current race or gender. We are given preferential treatment because of our Jesus ethnicity and culture.
Sing: O' yes! O' yes! I'm a child of the King. His Royal blood, now flows through my veins. I who was wretched, and blind now can say, "Praise God! Praise God! I'm a child of the King."

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