David lived much of his life getting hunted down and fleeing for his life. While just a young boy he was concerned for God’s reputation and went against the giant who defied God. His brothers criticized him for even being there at the war site. Later he was attacked again and again by King Saul, who was jealous of him and tried many times to kill him. He hated David for David was good and did what was right. Even when David was almost pinned to the wall by the king, he would not harm the Lord’s anointed king. Perhaps David’s goodness exposed Saul’s sinful heart.

Even in the midst of being the recipient of Saul’s jealous assaults, God gave David a special friendship in Saul’s son Jonathan. They made a covenant together and David was helped to overcome his circumstances with Saul. Instead of each of them thinking how the other person could aid them, they willingly gave what the other was in need of. They believed the best in one another and had a deep trust. For Jonathan, it meant giving up the throne. We also see that David grew stronger in his trust of the Lord, even in the attempts on his life by Saul. The evil and jealousy in Saul didn’t get inside of David and neither should it get inside of us when evil is done to us.

David, like us, did many things wrong and yet he never quit. He knew to go to God and ask forgiveness, just as we must. Let us get up again when we are knocked down by the evil of others and the evil in our own hearts and go the way of forgiveness and love.

Some fathers just want to rest from their responsibilities, their jobs, other’s expectations and simply take a guilt-free break. They might want to sleep in, relax, and set the agenda for the day, but they get to decide. Instead of a house full of company, that they have to cook a dozen burgers for on the grill, they may choose a quiet day with only family and time to watch sports.

Some dads may want simply to spend quality time with family and to have a relaxed day like going fishing, watching a movie with family, going out for ice cream, biking on the Paul Bunyan trail, and playing board games etc. Dads can just be carefree and enjoy relaxing surrounded by family.

Jennifer also mentions that dads like recognition and appreciation for their role as dad and all he does for the family. Often, we fail to put it into words, but we not only can say it with a card but speak affirming words of our love and admiration for the sacrifices he makes.  We need to make it a habit to give him recognition, as we show appreciation for the big and small things he does.

Lastly, we can give a gift that encourages his strengths and interests. If he is into jogging, maybe give a devotional book for athletes, or if he is into old cars, buy him a ticket to a vintage car show etc. Whatever it is he enjoys, give something in line with his interests.

I will close with the prayer by Jennifer: “Lord God, please let this Father’s Day be special for every dad. No matter what gifts they receive, help them to feel loved and celebrated for the amazing men they are. Provide time for families to rest and be together, to appreciate one another, and to exchange meaningful gifts their dads will truly enjoy. I pray these things in Jesus’ name, amen.”

In a similar way, we are not just to read the Word but digest it, let it read us and respond with obedience and prayer and ways of love. That means we don’t read it in a hurry but freely taste it, chew it, swallow it and digest it.   As we assimilate it, our hearts will be affected but not like propaganda that attempts to manipulate us.

Eugene Peterson writes how we are formed by the Spirit as the Scriptures are implanted in us. We don’t work ourselves up into an emotional state as we attempt to get in touch with God for that only puts self at the forefront. Rather we read the Word and let it shape our souls. Peterson says, ”What I want to call your attention to is that the Bible, all of it, is livable; it is the text for living our lives. It reveals a God-created, God-ordered God-blessed world in which we find ourselves at home and whole.” He goes on to tell us not only to read the Bible but eat his book by taking it into our lives in such a way that it gets metabolized with acts of love.

It’s fine to take notes on the sermon Sunday mornings, but what about letting that word get into us and become what we read and then expressed in our lives. It’s not all about just reading with warm feelings but let it do in us what God intends.

May you wake to a day filled with the assurance that the Lord is always waiting to hear from you and his ear is open to your cry. Today is our 59th Wedding Anniversary and we are thankful for each day the Lord has given us together. We are invited to friends today and tomorrow we plan to go out for steak dinner and celebrate.

After thinking more about Jonah, early the next morning I was awakened about 3 a.m. to pray for someone that is in a tight situation, you might call it the “Jonah hold”. He is floundering and much like one being thrown into the sea of chaos. I got on my knees and prayed and later went to the second chapter of Jonah for it says in Jonah 2:2, “I called to the Lord in my distress, and He answered me. From the depths of my watery grave I called for help, and you heard my cry.” Jonah was desperate and his life was slipping away but when he called to the Lord, He brought him back from the pit. Like many today, if you are now reading this and also in a desperate place and feel like you have no place to go, look up to the Lord and cry out for help. Quit striving to get out of the fix on your own and be like Jonah who asked for God’s help. Jonah concludes his prayer by saying, “But I’m worshiping you, God, calling out in thanksgiving! And I’ll do what I promised I’d do!  Salvation belongs to God.”

When we live life in selfish ways on our own terms, we get into big messes. But let us not run from the Lord and go on our own, but cry to the Lord and run to Him! He will hear and answer us and take our messes and give us a message to share with others where they may also go. Then like Jonah, we will be filled with praise and thanksgiving instead of watching our life slip away. His obedience also ended up saving a whole city from destruction.

I was reading about Abigail who was a beautiful woman but married to a wealthy man, named Nabal, who was a fool. He had huge flocks of sheep and for a time David and his men provided protection for the herdsmen from rustlers. When it was Harvest time for sheering of the sheep, there was great celebration with much food and drink. David sent 10 men to Nabal, to ask for some share in the food for his men. But Nabal responded rudely and not only refused but insulted them. I don’t read in scripture of David being angry often, but he was livid and got armed and ready with his men to go kill Nabal. Eugene Peterson writes about how God used Abigail’s beauty, inward and outward, to save David from exacting vengeance, which is the Lord’s business, not ours.

Abigail gets together a feast for David’s men and when she sees them approaching, she gets down on her knees and bows with respect and tells David not to murder Nabal for it isn’t worthy of the prince of Israel to do such a thing and it is God’s battle. David listens and her beauty is matched by her words, saving David from taking things into his own hands. He gets in touch again with the beauty of God’s holiness and no longer takes vengeance. Like Peterson wrote, ”Abigail’s beauty—her double-edged beauty of character and countenance, recovered the beauty of the Lord for him.” As you know if you have read the story in II Sam. 25, Nabal died 10 days after, and later Abigail became David’s wife. God used beauty of a woman on her knees to help David to remember the Lord’s holiness.