How Do You Receive Correction?

"And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man" - 2nd Samuel 12:17

David stopped listening to God or his conscience. He saw what he wanted and it ended with adultery and murder. Because he was king no one dared confront him - except Nathan, the prophet.

Though perhaps not with the same sin, we all have times of closing off our conscience and spiritual ears, requiring God to send someone like a Nathan.

God always does it - maybe by using a spouse, a friend, your pastor, even a Police officer - but how do we handle it?! By denial, anger, and self-righteousness -- or by soul searching, repentance, and kindness toward the messenger?

It doesn't have to end badly. King David penned his response in Psalm 51. He also named one of his children, Nathan, no doubt after the man whom God used to bring him back to life.

- fritz

Be Still A Moment!

"Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." - Psalm 46:10

While camping, sitting on the river bank with nothing to do and no one around, I began to chunk rocks. A patch of grass in the stream my target I fired away as the day went by.

I then realized king David of the Bible, keeping his father's sheep as a lad, was likewise alone for long periods of time with nothing to do but sling rocks, play a harp, watch sheep eat, and talk to God. His brothers were all busy doing man's work with no time or inclination to rest and when the king selection process began they were passed over.

The term, "still", in this verse doesn't mean unmoving but, rather, letting go, doing no purposeful activity, taking time off to be alone. Fresh ideas come to mind and a new resolve engages in the "stillness".

God says we need those times of being alone with nothing to do and no where to go to let life's clamour fade; he even commands it. He uses stillness to refocus our attention and get us refreshed with who he is.

Today stillness seldom just happens; take the time, get alone with no agenda other than being alone, let your mind wander, chunk some rocks, listen to some birds, and talk to God.

- fritz