SCRIP-BITS

1 Samuel 30:6b.   …but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

Well who would have thought it eh? That in these supposedly modern times the days of the Wild Wild West would reappear again, when killing each other was a more or less normal way of life. 

But it has resurfaced with numerous shootings all over, especially in the U.S. including the latest in Maryland where a man rampaged through a newspaper yesterday with a shotgun, killing five journalists. Apparently he had a feud with the newspaper, sued them in court and lost, so that was his way of getting even. 

Ah Lord eh! When are we going to learn eh, that if you live by the gun, you’ll most likely die by the gun? And unfortunately guns are proliferating all over the world now! No wonder there’s so much killing and mayhem. 

But as Christians we cannot afford to allow this negative state of affairs to bring us down. In fact we should be trying even harder to spread the word of God and His awesome LOVE, which mitigates such situations, bringing more togetherness, rather than the current separation we’re seeing in our turbulent world. 

And to bolster that fact, let’s remember that it’s Friday, a long weekend in Canada, where we celebrate Canada’s birthday on Monday, so celebrations are in the air everywhere, including the freed workingman’s song. ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday yes! I don’t know if I could have made it another day nuh! And thank God especially that this is the Canada Day long weekend! 

Mama Yo! Even though ah tired, I’m going to be celebrating we country birthday in fine fashion! How could I not eh, when I live in such a fine country! And who don’t like we celebrations…. yuh know where they could go eh…straight to where Lucifer and his boys live yes! Thank God for Fridays and weekends, especially the long ones and them!’ 

Yes friends, this is the Canada Day long weekend and obviously the celebrations will be plentiful, uproarious and somewhat overboard, but please let’s remember Granny’s words of wisdom as we celebrate: ‘Sonny boy, please, ah beg you, drunk or sober, please mind yuh business.’ 

And all we believers will do well to adhere to that bit of wise advice this long weekend. For, unlike the workingman, we can’t afford to let the enemy get even one toehold in our business. So let’s chant our Friday Chant and remind ourselves of our responsibilities this weekend. 

Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’ 

Yes precious people, serving Jehovah, improving His kingdom must always be at the forefront of our minds, though not in a severe and overly religious way. And I know that that is not always easy to do, what with the normal pressures of life and the constant bombardment of ungodly things and situations that the world enjoys firing at us. And it gets even more disheartening when we are alone to face the calamities coming against us. 

As Bruh Paul told Timothy: ‘At my first answer (defense) no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with me and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.’ (2 Tim.4:16-18) 

Ah mih breddren, we need to remember that we’re never alone, for even when no one is with us, God is always there. That brings us to another solitary situation, when Bruh David was living in Philistia, running from his enemies, and returned to his town of Ziklag and found it burned to the ground by the Amalekites, and all the women and children taken away captive, including his wives and children. 

But the Good Book says: ‘And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people were grieved (bitter), every man for his sons and daughters:’ (1 Sam.30a) Yuh see how we can be selfish and peeved when we’re suffering, and want to do others harm, even when they are suffering like us. 

Bruh David’s men apparently couldn’t care less that he had also lost his wives, his sons and daughters. They just wanted someone to blame, to take out their anger and grief on, and he was the most appropriate one at the time. They forgot all the times that they had endangered their lives for him, and how he had treated them well. But yuh know what friends, the Good Book continues: ‘…but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.’ 

Yeh mih people, when there’s no one around to encourage us, we have to find the necessary strength and energy to encourage ourselves in our God, who is always there for us. It’s not easy, but we know that when we call on Him with a sincere heart, He will answer and come to our rescue. That’s His promise, and He ALWAYS keeps them. 

So right now, if you’re in a situation somewhat like Bruh David’s, I encourage you to call out to your heavenly Father, and receive His divine encouragement, which no human’s can even approximate! Much LOVE!

…you’re NEVER alone…for the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit are ALWAYS with you…wherever you go…