[The Mayor]

September 27, 2005

David's Lament

Read:
2 Samuel 12:1-14

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. —Psalm 51:7

Bible In One Year: Daniel 4-6

You may already know the story. King David, Israel's most illustrious ruler, the man after God's own heart, became the seducer, the adulterer, the liar, the murderer—utterly pitiless and unmoved by his monstrous misdeeds. Israel's ruler was now ruled by sin.

A year had passed since David committed adultery with Bathsheba and orchestrated the murder of her husband. David deteriorated physically and emotionally. His gnawing conscience kept him restless and melancholy. At night he tossed and turned.

When David was brought face to face with his corruption, his defenses crumbled. He cried, "I have sinned against the Lord" (2 Samuel 12:13). And Nathan the prophet replied, "The Lord also has put away your sin." Despite the devastating consequences of David's sin, he was assured of God's forgiveness.

After realizing the extent of his sin and its consequences, David penned Psalm 51, a song of repentance and pleading for God's forgiveness. "I acknowledge my transgressions . . . . Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" (vv.3,7).

Are you suffering the consequences of sin? Admit your wrongs and ask God to cleanse your heart. He will show mercy and restore your joy if you turn to Him. —David Roper

Our sinfulness can sap our joy
And make us feel far from the Lord;
Confession and repentance, though,
Provide the way to be restored. —Sper

Repentance means hating sin enough to turn from it.

FOR FURTHER STUDY
The Forgiveness Of God
Resisting The Lure

[dutchess]

'morning rus. Hmmm, need both the coffee AND devotional this morning. Have a great day!

[Billie]

Good morning, Mr. Mayor.

[luvie]

Thank you for the lesson in God's Word.....hopefully we will all realize when we need to be remorseful and when we need to admit to the Father that we were wrong and ask for His forgiveness.

God bless you, Rus, and your family!

[Dubya]

GOOD READ
Even scarier than a Cat 6

With its helicopters, airplanes, boats, trucks and thousands of employees who follow orders, the military can provide invaluable help during natural disasters. But in a free country, the military must always remain under civilian authority, not in charge.

That’s one of the bedrock principles of our Constitution and our freedoms.

The armed forces’ responsibility is to protect us from foreign enemies, not from homegrown criminals – and certainly not from criminals as defined by some colonel or general.

Surely most members of Congress understand that and surely most will reject President Bush’s suggestion that the Pentagon be put in charge after bad natural disasters.

For that to happen, Congress would have to repeal a 1878 law that forbids the military from engaging in domestic law enforcement without Congressional approval.

It’s doubtful that even many military officers would want such a responsibility. They are trained to fight, not to oversee huge bureaucracies charged with rescuing people and then feeding and sheltering them.

National Guard troops are traditionally sent to help local law-enforcement officers maintain order after natural disasters. But troops on such duty are under the command of state governors, not the secretary of defense.

Mr. Bush’s frustration with the failures of civilian authorities is understandable and widely shared.

But the appropriate response is to put qualified civilians in charge and give them the resources to make and carry out effective plans.
It is not to ask the Pentagon to try to take on a civilian responsibility – and in the process, get Americans accustomed to the idea that the way to solve domestic problems is with uniformed people carrying guns.

[tuliptree76]

Hi Mayor. Thank you for the Our Daily Bread post.