June 6- Growing Old

June 6, 2011

Scripture Readings:
I Kings 1:1-53; Acts 4:1-37;
Psalm 124:1-8; Proverbs 16:24

Don't worry about avoiding temptation as you grow older, it starts avoiding you.  
~Anonymous

I Kings 1:1-53

Do you think much about growing old?  Perhaps you have an elderly grandparent or an elderly parent that has caused you to contemplate the process of aging.  Here are five facts about aging that have been concluded based on recent studies:

• You get happier as you get older.  This if from a Gallup poll of 340,000 Americans.
• A bad childhood shortens your life.  People who were abused as children or had other trauma age more quickly.  There is talk that inflammation and cell aging is tied to negative emotions and stress.
• Staying in school lessens dementia as you age.  Every additional year of school one attends reduces dementia by 11 percent. Being an independent life long learner is good for your brain.  Keep reading and thinking.
• Drinking soda prematurely ages you.  Mice who were on a high phosphate diet died much earlier than mice who were fed a phosphate free diet.  A host of maladies are connected to phosphates including brittle bones, pancreatic cancer, and paralysis.
• Thinking about falling over makes you fall over.  A study found that elderly people who worried about collapsing actually fell more often.

Aging is inevitable, unless you die.  Today, we see that King David is old, very old.  He no longer can stay warm and is given a beautiful virgin girl to be his attending nurse and companion.  The Bible tells us that David did not have sexual relations with her.  This tells us that his better days physically are behind him. 

As predicted by God, David has turmoil in his household as punishment from God for David's murder of Uriah.  This time, David's son, Adonijah, attempts to take David's throne without David's consent.  He sacrifices animals, throws a large feast and conveniently does not invite his half brother, Solomon.  Nathan, the prophet, and Zadok, the priest, are also uninvited.  It is interesting to see that Joab, David's faithful military commander, has decided to support Adonijah as the new king.  This tells us that David really is past his prime.

Nathan encourages Bathsheba, who is Solomon's mother, to go to David and tell him of the backhanded attempt to take the kingdom.  The Bible makes it clear that David never disciplined his children and the results of his lackadaisical parenting are now haunting him.  Bathsheba speaks to the king, reminding him that God chose Solomon to take David's throne. Nathan goes in separately to confirm Bathsheba's story.  David commands that  Zadok and Nathan have Solomon ride on David's donkey to be anointed the king of Israel in place of David.  Notice that kings ride a donkey, the animal of peace, when they are being anointed.  Jesus rode a donkey when he entered Jerusalem as king of the Jews. After Solomon's anointing, he is officially the king of Israel, even though David is still alive.  When Adonijah hears of this, he goes to Solomon in humility and declares his loyalty to Solomon as king.

David's act is an act of obedience to God in his old age.  Although his flawed parenting and the sin of murder have brought negative consequences onto his family, God is able to work His will for David's family and the nation of Israel, in spite of David's sin.

God can work His will in your life and my life, also, in spite of our sin.  Do you correct yourself with humility when your sin displeases God?  Think of ways that you can correct habitual sin in your life.

Acts 4:1-37

Peter is a new creature in Christ.  He is a preacher-creature.  The man is on fire.  After healing the man who had been lame for forty years, Peter is taking the opportunity to preach about resurrection to the crowds.  This angers the Sadducees, who do not believe in resurrection.  They decide to arrest Peter and John.  According to the Bible, the believer count is now up to 5000 men, not including women and children.  This is just within a day or two of the arrival of the Holy Spirit.  It should be noted that Jesus predicted in John 15 and 16 that the disciples would be persecuted by the Jewish leaders and hated by many for believing in Jesus.

The next scene is Peter and John in front of Annas, Caiaphas, and other relatives of the high priest.  They demand to know through what power or in whose name Peter and John healed this man.  Look out.  Here comes another opportunity for preacher-creature to speak.  The rock on which the church is founded stays faithful.  Peter boldly proclaims that the man named Jesus Christ whom they crucified has been raised from the dead by God.  Peter quotes Psalm 118:22 about the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.  Peter cries out that there is salvation through no one else!

The council is stunned that these uneducated men are capable of quoting Scripture and prophecy with accuracy and confidence. Remember that when Jesus came back to earth he went through the Old Testament Scriptures and taught the disciples about all of the references to himself.  They had been educated by the Master, God Himself.  After a conference, the High Council decides to admonish the disciples to never speak or teach about Jesus again.  Peter and John reply that they will obey God rather than men.  They also confess that they will not be able to stop talking about the wonderful things Jesus did.

After being released, we see Peter and John go back to the body of believers and testify to their ordeal.  The group is united as one in prayer. As a group, they pray Psalm 2 back to the Lord.  This is a fulfillment of Jesus' priestly prayer in John 17:20-21.  God answers Jesus' prayer that He will unify the Church and make them one.  It should be noted that the early church is giving us a wonderful example of how to pray to God.  Take a psalm and pray it back to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ.

Has the Holy Spirit ever prompted you to share the good news of Jesus with anyone?  Do you reflect on what God has done in your life and for the world, and then feel compelled to tell someone?  Pray for the Holy Spirit to inspire you in this way.

Psalm 124:1-8

This psalm reflects on how having God on your side changes everything.  Do you realize that God is on YOUR side, too?  Pray this prayer to Him.

Proverbs 16:24

Kind words are sweet and good for the soul.  Remember this today.  Become a person who freely shares kind words.

What did you notice today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton
© 2011