A Thought from the Word

A brief thought based on Romans 12:10 - Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself.

Bible Readings for May 28, 2019

Today our passages are 2 Samuel 13:1-39; John 17:1-26; Psalm 119:81-96; and Proverbs 16:6-7. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.

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2 Samuel 13:1-39 (Contemporary English Version)

2 Samuel 13

Amnon Disgraces Tamar

 ¹David had a beautiful daughter named Tamar, who was the sister of Absalom. She was also the half sister of Amnon, ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[]} who fell in love with her. ²But Tamar was a virgin, and Amnon could not think of a way to be alone with her. He was so upset about it that he made himself sick. ³Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, who was the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab always knew how to get what he wanted, ⁴and he said to Amnon, "What's the matter? You're the king's son! You shouldn't have to go around feeling sorry for yourself every morning."    Amnon said, "I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister." 
    ⁵Jonadab told him, "Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, ask him to send Tamar, so you can watch her cook something for you. Then she can serve you the food." 
    ⁶So Amnon went to bed and pretended to be sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said, "Please, ask Tamar to come over. She can make some special bread ^[b<="">] while I watch, and then she can serve me the bread." ⁷David told Tamar, "Go over to Amnon's house and fix him some food." ⁸When she got there, he was lying in bed. She mixed the dough, made the loaves, and baked them while he watched. ⁹Then she took the bread out of the pan and put it on his plate, but he refused to eat it. 
   Amnon said, "Send the servants out of the house." After they had gone, ¹⁰he said to Tamar, "Serve the food in my bedroom." 
   Tamar picked up the bread that she had made and brought it into Amnon's bedroom. ¹¹But as she was taking it over to him, he grabbed her and said, "Come to bed with me!" 
    ¹²She answered, "No! Please don't force me! This sort of thing isn't done in Israel. It's too disgusting! ¹³Think of me. I'll be disgraced forever! And think of yourself. Everyone in Israel will say you're nothing but trash! Just ask the king, and he will let you marry me." 
    ¹⁴But Amnon would not listen to what she said. He was stronger than she was, so he overpowered her and raped her. ¹⁵Then Amnon hated her even more than he had loved her before. So he told her, "Get up and get out!" 
    ¹⁶She said, "Don't send me away! That would be worse than what you have already done." 
   But Amnon would not listen. ¹⁷He called in his servant and said, "Throw this woman out and lock the door!" 
    ¹⁸The servant made her leave, and he locked the door behind her. 
   The king's unmarried daughters used to wear long robes with sleeves. ^[c<="">] 19Tamar tore the robe she was wearing and put ashes on her head. Then she covered her face with her hands and cried loudly as she walked away. 

Absalom Kills Amnon

 ²⁰Tamar's brother Absalom said to her, "How could Amnon have done such a terrible thing to you! But since he's your brother, don't tell anyone what happened. Just try not to think about it."    Tamar soon moved into Absalom's house, but she was always sad and lonely. ²¹When David heard what had happened to Tamar, he was very angry. But Amnon was his oldest son and also his favorite, and David would not do anything to make Amnon unhappy. ^[d<="">] 22Absalom treated Amnon as though nothing had happened, but he hated Amnon for what he had done to his sister Tamar. 
    ²³Two years later, Absalom's servants were cutting wool from his sheep in Baal-Hazor near the town of Ephraim, and Absalom invited all of the king's sons to be there. ^[e<="">] 24Then he went to David and said, "My servants are cutting the wool from my sheep. Please come and join us!" ²⁵David answered, "No, my son, we won't go. It would be too expensive for you." Absalom tried to get him to change his mind, but David did not want to go. He only said that he hoped they would have a good time. 
    ²⁶Absalom said, "If you won't go, at least let my brother Amnon come with us." 
   David asked, "Why should he go with you?" ²⁷But Absalom kept on insisting, and finally David let Amnon and all his other sons go with Absalom. 
   Absalom prepared a banquet fit for a king. ^[f<="">] 28But he told his servants, "Keep an eye on Amnon. When he gets a little drunk from the wine and is feeling good, I'll give the signal. Then kill him! I've commanded you to do it, so don't be afraid. Be strong and brave." ²⁹Absalom's servants killed Amnon, just as Absalom had told them. The rest of the king's sons quickly rode away on their mules to escape from Absalom. 
    ³⁰While they were on their way to Jerusalem, someone told David, "Absalom has killed all of your sons! Not even one is left." ³¹David got up, and in his sorrow he tore his clothes and lay down on the ground. His servants remained standing, but they tore their clothes too. 
    ³²Then David's nephew ^[g<="">] Jonadab said, "Your Majesty, not all of your sons were killed! Only Amnon is dead. On the day that Amnon raped Tamar, Absalom decided to kill him. ³³Don't worry about the report that all your sons were killed. Only Amnon is dead, ³⁴and Absalom has run away." One of the guards noticed a lot of people coming along the hillside on the road to Horonaim. ^[h<="">] He went and told the king, "I saw some men coming along Horonaim Road." ^[i<="">] 35Jonadab said, "Your Majesty, look! Here come your sons now, just as I told you." 
    ³⁶No sooner had he said it, than David's sons came in. They were weeping out loud, and David and all his officials cried just as loudly. ^37-38David was sad for a long time because Amnon was dead. 
   Absalom had run away to Geshur, where he stayed for three years with King Talmai ^[j<="">] the son of Ammihud. 

David Lets Absalom Come Home

 ³⁹David still felt so sad over the loss of Amnon that he wanted to take his army there and capture Absalom. ^[k<="">] 

Footnotes:

1. 2 Samuel 13:1 Tamar. . . Absalom. . . Amnon: David was their father, but Amnon had a different mother.
2. 2 Samuel 13:6 special bread: Or "heart-shaped bread" or "dumplings."
3. 2 Samuel 13:18 long. . . sleeves: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
4. 2 Samuel 13:21 But Amnon. . . unhappy: The Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation; these words are not in the Standard Hebrew Text.
5. 2 Samuel 13:23 invited. . . there: Cutting the wool from sheep was a time for celebrating as well as working.
6. 2 Samuel 13:27 Absalom prepared. . . king: One ancient translation; these words are not in the Hebrew text.
7. 2 Samuel 13:32 David's nephew: The Hebrew text has "the son of David's brother Shimeah."
8. 2 Samuel 13:34 the road to Horonaim: Or "the road behind him" or "the road to the west."
9. 2 Samuel 13:34 He. . . Road: One ancient translation; these words are not in the Hebrew text.
10. 2 Samuel 13:37 King Talmai: Absalom's grandfather (see 3.3).
11. 2 Samuel 13:39 David. . . Absalom: Or "David was comforted over the loss of Amnon, and he no longer wanted to take his army there to capture Absalom."

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John 17:1-26 (Contemporary English Version)

John 17

Jesus Prays

 ¹After Jesus had finished speaking to his disciples, he looked up toward heaven and prayed:    Father, the time has come for you to bring glory to your Son, in order that he may bring glory to you. ²And you gave him power over all people, so that he would give eternal life to everyone you give him. ³Eternal life is to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, the one you sent. ⁴I have brought glory to you here on earth by doing everything you gave me to do. ⁵Now, Father, give me back the glory that I had with you before the world was created. 
    ⁶You have given me some followers from this world, and I have shown them what you are like. They were yours, but you gave them to me, and they have obeyed you. ⁷They know that you gave me everything I have. ⁸I told my followers what you told me, and they accepted it. They know that I came from you, and they believe that you are the one who sent me. ⁹I am praying for them, but not for those who belong to this world. ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[]} My followers belong to you, and I am praying for them. ¹⁰All that I have is yours, and all that you have is mine, and they will bring glory to me. ¹¹Holy Father, I am no longer in the world. I am coming to you, but my followers are still in the world. So keep them safe by the power of the name that you have given me. Then they will be one with each other, just as you and I are one. ¹²While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost, except the one who had to be lost. This happened so that what the Scriptures say would come true. 
    ¹³I am on my way to you. But I say these things while I am still in the world, so that my followers will have the same complete joy that I do. ¹⁴I have told them your message. But the people of this world hate them, because they don't belong to this world, just as I don't. 
    ¹⁵Father, I don't ask you to take my followers out of the world, but keep them safe from the evil one. ¹⁶They don't belong to this world, and neither do I. ¹⁷Your word is the truth. So let this truth make them completely yours. ¹⁸I am sending them into the world, just as you sent me. ¹⁹I have given myself completely for their sake, so that they may belong completely to the truth. 
    ²⁰I am not praying just for these followers. I am also praying for everyone else who will have faith because of what my followers will say about me. ²¹I want all of them to be one with each other, just as I am one with you and you are one with me. I also want them to be one with us. Then the people of this world will believe that you sent me. 
    ²²I have honored my followers in the same way that you honored me, in order that they may be one with each other, just as we are one. ²³I am one with them, and you are one with me, so that they may become completely one. Then this world's people will know that you sent me. They will know that you love my followers as much as you love me. 
    ²⁴Father, I want everyone you have given me to be with me, wherever I am. Then they will see the glory that you have given me, because you loved me before the world was created. ²⁵Good Father, the people of this world don't know you. But I know you, and my followers know that you sent me. ²⁶I told them what you are like, and I will tell them even more. Then the love that you have for me will become part of them, and I will be one with them. 
    

Footnotes:

1. John 17:9 world: See the note at 12.31.

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Psalm 119:81-96 (Contemporary English Version)

⁸¹I long for you to rescue me! 
   Your word is my only hope. 
    ⁸²I am worn out from waiting 
   for you to keep your word. 
   When will you have mercy? 
    ⁸³My life is wasting away 
   like a dried-up wineskin, ^{a<="" value="[a]" >[]} but I have not forgotten 
   your teachings. 
    ⁸⁴I am your servant! 
   How long must I suffer? 
   When will you punish 
   those troublemakers? 
    ⁸⁵Those proud people reject 
   your teachings, 
   and they dig pits 
   for me to fall in. 
    ⁸⁶Your laws can be trusted! 
   Protect me from cruel liars. 
    ⁸⁷They have almost killed me, 
   but I have been faithful 
   to your teachings. 
    ⁸⁸Show that you love me 
   and let me live, 
   so that I may obey all 
   of your commands. 
    ⁸⁹Our LORD, you are eternal! 
   Your word will last as long 
   as the heavens. ^[b<="">] 90You remain faithful 
   in every generation, 
   and the earth you created 
   will keep standing firm. 
    ⁹¹All things are your servants, 
   and the laws you made 
   are still in effect today. 
    ⁹²If I had not found happiness 
   in obeying your Law, 
   I would have died in misery. 
    ⁹³I won't ever forget 
   your teachings, 
   because you give me new life 
   by following them. 
    ⁹⁴I belong to you, 
   and I have respected your laws, 
   so keep me safe. 
    ⁹⁵Brutal enemies are waiting 
   to ambush and destroy me, 
   but I obey your rules. 
    ⁹⁶Nothing is completely perfect, 
   except your teachings. 
    

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 119:83 a dried-up wineskin: The Hebrew text has " a wineskin in the smoke." In ancient times bags were made from animal skins to hold wine, but when the bags dried up they cracked and could no longer be used.
2. Psalm 119:89 Our. . . heavens: Or " Our LORD, your word is eternal. It will last as long as the heavens."

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Proverbs 16:6-7 (Contemporary English Version)

⁶If we truly love God, 
   our sins will be forgiven; 
   if we show him respect, 
   we will keep away from sin. 
    ⁷When we please the LORD, 
   even our enemies 
   make friends with us.

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Verse of the Day

“When others are happy, be happy with them, and when they are sad, be sad.” - Romans 12:15 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

Irish poet, singer, songwriter, and entertainer, Thomas Moore wrote, “No, there's nothing half so sweet in life as love's young dream.”

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A Joke for Today

A man and an ostrich walk into a restaurant. The waitress asks, "What will it be?"

The man replied "a burger and a coke." "And you?" "I'll have the same," the ostrich replies. They finish their meal and pay. "That will be $4.50," The man reached into his pocket and pulled out the exact amount. They do this every day till Friday.

"The usual?" she asked. "No, today is Friday. I'll have steak and a coke."

"Me too." says the ostrich. They finish and pay. "That will be $10.95"

The man reached in and pulls out the exact amount again just like all week.

The waitress was dumb-founded. "How is it that you always have the exact amount?"

"Well," says the man. "I was cleaning my attic and I found a dusty lamp. I rubbed it and a genie appeared." Wow!" said the waitress. "What did you wish for?"

"I asked that when I needed to pay for something, the exact amount would appear in my pocket." "Amazing! Most people would ask for a million dollars. But what's with the ostrich?" 

"Well," said the man. "I also asked for a chick with long legs."

Bible Readings for May 27, 2019

Today our passages are 2 Samuel 12:1–31; John 16:1-33; Psalm 119:65-80; and Proverbs 16:4-5. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below. 

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2 Samuel 12:1-31 (Contemporary English Version)

2 Samuel 12

The LORD's Message for David

 ¹and he sent Nathan the prophet to tell this story to David:    A rich man and a poor man lived in the same town. ²The rich man owned a lot of sheep and cattle, ³but the poor man had only one little lamb that he had bought and raised. The lamb became a pet for him and his children. He even let it eat from his plate and drink from his cup and sleep on his lap. The lamb was like one of his own children.
    ⁴One day someone came to visit the rich man, but the rich man didn't want to kill any of his own sheep or cattle and serve it to the visitor. So he stole the poor man's little lamb and served it instead.
    ⁵David was furious with the rich man and said to Nathan, "I swear by the living LORD that the man who did this deserves to die! ⁶And because he didn't have any pity on the poor man, he will have to pay four times what the lamb was worth."
    ⁷Then Nathan told David:
   You are that rich man! Now listen to what the LORD God of Israel says to you: "I chose you to be the king of Israel. I kept you safe from Saul ⁸and even gave you his house and his wives. I let you rule Israel and Judah, and if that had not been enough, I would have given you much more. ⁹Why did you disobey me and do such a horrible thing? You murdered Uriah the Hittite by having the Ammonites kill him, so you could take his wife.
    ¹⁰"Because you wouldn't obey me and took Uriah's wife for yourself, your family will never live in peace. ¹¹Someone from your own family will cause you a lot of trouble, and I will take your wives and give them to another man before your very eyes. He will go to bed with them while everyone looks on. ¹²What you did was in secret, but I will do this in the open for everyone in Israel to see."
    ^13-14David said, "I have disobeyed the LORD."
   "Yes, you have!" Nathan answered. "You showed you didn't care what the LORD wanted. ^[a] He has forgiven you, and you won't die. But your newborn son will." ¹⁵Then Nathan went back home. The LORD made David's young son very sick.     

David's Young Son Dies

 ¹⁶So David went without eating to show his sorrow, and he begged God to make the boy well. David would not sleep on his bed, but spent each night lying on the floor. ¹⁷His officials stood beside him and tried to talk him into getting up. But he would not get up or eat with them.     ¹⁸After the child had been sick for seven days, he died, but the officials were afraid to tell David. They said to each other, "Even when the boy was alive, David wouldn't listen to us. How can we tell him his son is dead? He might do something terrible!"
    ¹⁹David noticed his servants whispering, and he knew the boy was dead. "Did my son die?" he asked his servants.
   "Yes, he did," they answered.
    ²⁰David got up off the floor; he took a bath, combed his hair, and dressed. He went into the LORD's tent and worshiped, then he went back home. David asked for something to eat, and when his servants brought him some food, he ate it.
    ²¹His officials said, "What are you doing? You went without eating and cried for your son while he was alive! But now that he's dead, you're up and eating."
    ²²David answered:
   While he was still alive, I went without food and cried because there was still hope. I said to myself, "Who knows? Maybe the LORD will have pity on me and let the child live." ²³But now that he's dead, why should I go without eating? I can't bring him back! Someday I will join him in death, but he can't return to me.     

Solomon Is Born

 ²⁴David comforted his wife Bathsheba and slept with her. Later on, she gave birth to another son and named him Solomon. The LORD loved Solomon ²⁵and sent Nathan the prophet to tell David, "The LORD will call him Jedidiah." ^[b]

The End of the War with Ammon

(1 Chronicles 20.1b-3)

 ²⁶Meanwhile, Joab had been in the country of Ammon, attacking the city of Rabbah. He captured the royal fortress ²⁷and sent a messenger to tell David:    I have attacked Rabbah and captured the fortress guarding the city water supply. ²⁸Call the rest of the army together. Then surround the city, and capture it yourself. If you don't, everyone will remember that I captured the city.
    ²⁹David called the rest of the army together and attacked Rabbah. He captured the city ³⁰and took the crown from the statue of their god Milcom. ^[c] The crown was made of seventy-five pounds of gold, and there was a valuable jewel on it. David put the jewel on his own crown. ^[d] He also carried off everything else of value. ³¹David made the people of Rabbah tear down the city walls ^[e] with iron picks and axes, and then he put them to work making bricks. He did the same thing with all the other Ammonite cities. David went back to Jerusalem, and the people of Israel returned to their homes.
    

Footnotes:

1. 2 Samuel 12:13 what. . . wanted: One manuscript of one ancient translation; one Hebrew manuscript "what the LORD had said"; most Hebrew manuscripts "what the enemies of the LORD would think."
2. 2 Samuel 12:25 Jedidiah: In Hebrew this name means "Loved by the LORD."
3. 2 Samuel 12:30 the statue of their god Milcom: Or "their king."
4. 2 Samuel 12:30 David. . . crown: Or "and David wore the crown."
5. 2 Samuel 12:31 tear. . . walls: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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John 16:1-33 (Contemporary English Version)

John 16

 ¹I am telling you this to keep you from being afraid. ²You will be chased out of the Jewish meeting places. And the time will come when people will kill you and think they are doing God a favor. ³They will do these things because they don't know either the Father or me. ⁴I am saying this to you now, so that when the time comes, you will remember what I have said.    I was with you at the first, and so I didn't tell you these things. 

The Work of the Holy Spirit

 ⁵But now I am going back to the Father who sent me, and none of you asks me where I am going. ⁶You are very sad from hearing all of this. ⁷But I tell you that I am going to do what is best for you. That is why I am going away. The Holy Spirit cannot come to help you until I leave. But after I am gone, I will send the Spirit to you.     ⁸The Spirit will come and show the people of this world the truth about sin and God's justice and the judgment. ⁹The Spirit will show them that they are wrong about sin, because they didn't have faith in me. ¹⁰They are wrong about God's justice, because I am going to the Father, and you won't see me again. ¹¹And they are wrong about the judgment, because God has already judged the ruler of this world.
    ¹²I have much more to say to you, but right now it would be more than you could understand. ¹³The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn't speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen. ¹⁴The Spirit will bring glory to me by taking my message and telling it to you. ¹⁵Everything that the Father has is mine. That is why I have said that the Spirit takes my message and tells it to you.     

Sorrow Will Turn into Joy

 ¹⁶Jesus told his disciples, "For a little while you won't see me, but after a while you will see me. "     ¹⁷They said to each other, "What does Jesus mean by saying that for a little while we won't see him, but after a while we will see him? What does he mean by saying that he is going to the Father? ¹⁸What is this `little while' that he is talking about? We don't know what he means."
    ¹⁹Jesus knew that they had some questions, so he said:
   You are wondering what I meant when I said that for a little while you won't see me, but after a while you will see me. ²⁰I tell you for certain that you will cry and be sad, but the world will be happy. You will be sad, but later you will be happy.
    ²¹When a woman is about to give birth, she is in great pain. But after it is all over, she forgets the pain and is happy, because she has brought a child into the world. ²²You are now very sad. But later I will see you, and you will be so happy that no one will be able to change the way you feel. ²³When that time comes, you won't have to ask me about anything. I tell you for certain that the Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. ²⁴You have not asked for anything in this way before, but now you must ask in my name. ^[a] Then it will be given to you, so that you will be completely happy. ²⁵I have used examples to explain to you what I have been talking about. But the time will come when I will speak to you plainly about the Father and will no longer use examples like these. ²⁶You will ask the Father in my name, ^[b] and I won't have to ask him for you. ²⁷God the Father loves you because you love me, and you believe that I have come from him. ²⁸I came from the Father into the world, but I am leaving the world and returning to the Father. ²⁹The disciples said, "Now you are speaking plainly to us! You are not using examples. ³⁰At last we know that you understand everything, and we don't have any more questions. Now we believe that you truly have come from God."
    ³¹Jesus replied:
   Do you really believe me? ³²The time will come and is already here when all of you will be scattered. Each of you will go back home and leave me by myself. But the Father will be with me, and I won't be alone. ³³I have told you this, so that you might have peace in your hearts because of me. While you are in the world, you will have to suffer. But cheer up! I have defeated the world. ^[c] 

Footnotes:

1. John 16:24 in my name. . . in my name: Or " as my disciples. . . as my disciples."
2. John 16:26 in my name: Or " because you are my followers."
3. John 16:33 world: See the note at 12.31.

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Psalm 119:65-80 (Contemporary English Version)

⁶⁵I am your servant, LORD,
   and you have kept your promise
   to treat me with kindness.
    ⁶⁶Give me wisdom and good sense.
   I trust your commands.
    ⁶⁷Once you corrected me
   for not obeying you,
   but now I obey.
    ⁶⁸You are kindhearted,
   and you do good things,
   so teach me your laws.
    ⁶⁹My reputation is being ruined
   by conceited liars,
   but with all my heart
   I follow your teachings.
    ⁷⁰Those liars have no sense,
   but I find happiness
   in your Law.
    ⁷¹When you corrected me,
   it did me good
   because it taught me
   to study your laws.
    ⁷²I would rather obey you
   than to have a thousand pieces
   of silver and gold.
    ⁷³You created me
   and put me together.
   Make me wise enough to learn
   what you have commanded.
    ⁷⁴Your worshipers will see me,
   and they will be glad
   that I trust your word.
    ⁷⁵Your decisions are correct,
   and you were right
   to punish me.
    ⁷⁶I serve you, LORD.
   Comfort me with your love,
   just as you have promised.
    ⁷⁷I love to obey your Law!
   Have mercy and let me live.
    ⁷⁸Put down those proud people
   who hurt me with their lies,
   because I have chosen
   to study your teachings.
    ⁷⁹Let your worshipers come to me,
   so they will learn
   to obey your rules.
    ⁸⁰Let me truly respect your laws,
   so I won't be ashamed. 

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Proverbs 16:4-5 (Contemporary English Version)

⁴The LORD has a reason
   for everything he does,
   and he lets evil people live
   only to be punished.
    ⁵The LORD doesn't like
   anyone who is conceited--
   you can be sure
   they will be punished.

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Verse of the Day

“But I don't care what happens to me, as long as I finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do. And that work is to tell the good news about God's great kindness.” - Acts 20:24 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American politician and soldier who served as the first President of the United States from 1789 to 1797 and was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, George Washington wrote, “Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism.”

 

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A Joke for Today

 

Three police officers were standing in line at the Pearly Gates.Saint Peter asked the first officer, “What did you do with your life?”“I was a police officer,” he responded.“What kind of police officer?” Saint Peter asked.“I was a vice officer. I kept drugs off the streets and out of the hands of kids.”“Welcome to heaven. You may end the gates.”He asked the second man what he did as a police officer.“I was a traffic officer,” said the man. “I kept the roads and highways safe.”“Welcome to heaven. You may enter the gates.”He asked the third man what he did as a police officer.“I was a military policeman, sir,” replied the man.“Wonderful! I’ve been waiting for you all day!” replied Saint Peter. “I need to take a break! Watch the gate, will you?”