May 17- Bosom Buddies

May 17, 2011

Scripture Readings:
I Samuel 20:1-21:15; John 9:1-41;
Psalm 113:1-114:8; Proverbs 15:15-17

Lucy! You got some 'splainin to do!  
~Ricky Ricardo

I Samuel 20:1-21:15

Did you ever watch I Love Lucy back in the day?  It was often the highlight of my day as a kid to sit back and have a good laugh.  My favorite characters were Lucy and Ethel.  Their friendship was the kind that any girl would want.  Ethel always had Lucy's back, no matter what insanity Lucy had gotten them into.  Do you remember the episode where Lucy gets them a job in the chocolate factory?  The conveyor belt is going so fast that they can't keep up and Lucy is stuffing her face with chocolates to hide their incompetency!  The key thing is Ethel was stuffing her face, too.  It is just like a good friend to do what you need done when you need it done. They were true bosom buddies.  Today, we read about one of the most unique real life friendships ever. 

David and Jonathan have a friendship and bond that is deep and wide. Both David and Jonathan know that either of them could be killed by the bi-polar nut job, Saul.  For some reason, God has placed this crazy man in both of their lives. Their friendship is a comfort and refuge for each young man. They share a bond of deep faith in God. David is perplexed at Saul's constant attempts to kill him.  Jonathan and David come up with a signaling method using shot arrows to warn David if Saul is plotting another attempt on his life. David hides in a field to wait for Jonathan's message.

Saul is back to his bi-polar ways.  The first day of the banquet for the Festival of the New Moon, David is absent, but Saul is not miffed.  On the second day of his absence, all hell breaks loose. Saul ridicules Jonathan for being so loyal to David, who Saul fears is going to eventually take the throne from Saul's family.  He calls Jonathan the son of a whore. Saul has another fit of anger and throws a spear at Jonathan, trying to kill him.

Jonathan, true to his pact with the person he considers to be his "real" family, warns David that Saul is out to get him.  They reaffirm their promise to one another to always care for each other's children if something should happen to either of them.  This is a big deal.  Usually, people have a brother care for their children.  This tells us that their friendship was like one between blood brothers. This is a friendship based on trust in each other and a mutual love of God. 

Do you have people in your family that are so crazy that you have to do what Jonathan is doing and find people of faith to adopt as a family for you?  Dysfunction is common in families.  Jonathan is an example of someone who deals with insanity in a godly fashion.

David flees to Nob.  He and his men are starving, so David asks the priest to allow them to eat the Show Bread in the Temple.  The priest agrees.  This incident is mentioned by Christ in the New Testament when the Pharisees challenge him and his disciples on gleaning grain on the Sabbath to eat.  Jesus uses David's actions as a defense for his own.  David was a godly man whose heart was right before the Lord.  His motives were pure and his desire is to please God.  Jesus is confirming that God judges our actions based on our motives towards God.

Are your friendships formed around a mutual love of God?  Think of ways that God has given you a refuge through good friendships.  What about your marriage?  Do you and your spouse both love God?  This is a key factor in having a deep and trusting relationship with another human being.

John 9:1-41

Today, people are trying to get the "why" on a man's illness from Jesus.  They ask Jesus if this man has been blind since birth because of his sins or his parents' sins.  Jesus answers that he was born blind so that the power of God could be seen in him.   Ding ding ding.  Did you hear this, people?  What do you think?  Someone is suffering so that God can be glorified.  Can you handle this concept?

Sometimes we endure hardships so that our reliance on God during the hardship will glorify our Creator.  God shows His strength through our weakness.  This is a spiritual truth. Are you humble enough to accept this?  It is His universe...

Jesus heals the man and the man testifies to everyone that Jesus healed him.  Meanwhile, the Pharisees are saying that Jesus is not from God because he is working his miracles on the Sabbath.  This is a sin in their minds, therefore, he is a sinner and cannot be from God.

There are several meetings with this man's parents and some controversy on whether or not he was ever truly blind.  Finally, the man is called in front of the Pharisees again.  They compel the man to tell the truth about Jesus, who they call "the sinner."  The man says that whether or not the man (Jesus) is a sinner, he does not know, but he can say that he was blind, but now he sees.  The healed man goes on to claim that no one has ever been able to heal someone who was blind from birth.  He states that he believes that Jesus is from God.

The Pharisees tell this healed man that he was born in sin.  In other words, they are claiming that he was born blind because of his sin.  We have learned from Jesus that this is not true!  The Pharisees throw the man out telling him that as a sinner, he has no right to try to teach them.

Jesus finds the man, confirms his faith in the Son of Man, and declares to this man that the Pharisees are the blind ones!

Are you spiritually blind or has God given you eyes to see the Truth?  If you can see, do you testify to others that Jesus has given you the ability to see Truth?

Psalm 113:1-114:8

This psalm indicates that the Lord is above both heaven and earth.  It says that God stoops down to lift poor people from the dirt and the needy out of the garbage cans.  His mighty works are recounted.


Has God lifted you out of the garbage can of your sins? How have you recounted the mighty works of God in your life?

Proverbs 15:15-17

This is very true...for the poor, every day brings trouble.  It is better to have little with a proper attitude about God, than to have great wealth in turmoil.  I like this, too.  "A bowl of soup with someone you love is better than a steak with someone you hate!"  Love it. : )

What did you notice today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton
@ 2011