OUR DAILY BREAD : THE WOUNDS OF A FRIEND

[cimi]

February 11
Monday


THE WOUNDS
OF A FRIEND

READ:
2 Samuel 12:1-13
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Faithful are the wounds
of a friend.
__Proverbs 27:6
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Not everyone appreciates correction, but David did. He felt indebted to those who corrected him and realized how much he owed them. "Let the righteous strike me; it shall be a kindness. Let him rebuke me; it shall be as excellent oil; let my head not refuse it" )Ps. 141:5).

Correction is a kindness, David insists, a word that suggests an act of loyalty. Loyal friends will correct one another, even when it's painful and disruptive to relationships to do so. It's one of the ways we show love and help one another to grow stronger. As Proverbs 27:6 states: "Faithful are the wounds of a friend."

It takes grace to give godly correction; it takes greater grace to receive it. Unlike David, who accepted Nathan's correction (2 Sam. 12:13), we're inclined to refuse it. We resent the interference; we do not want to be found out. But if we accept the reproof, we will find that it does indeed become "excellent oil" on our heads, an anointing that makes our lives a sweet aroma wehrever we go.

Growth in grace sometimes comes through the kind but unpleasant correction of a loyal friend. Do not refuse it, for "he who receives correction is prudent" (Prov. 15:5) and "wise" (9:8-9). __David Roper
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```````````````When others give us compliments,`````````````````
``````````````````They are so easy to believe;```````````````````
``````````````and though it's wise to take rebukes,````````````````
````````````We find them harder to receive. __Sper````````````````
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Correctioin from a loyal friend can help us
change for the better.

***************Today's Bible Reading __ 2 Samuel 12:1-13**********

1 Then the LORD sent
Nathan to David. And he
...said to him: "There
were two men in one city,
one rich and the other poor.

2 The rich man had
exceedingly many flocks
and herds. 3 But the poor
man had nothing, except
one little ewe lamb....

4 "And a traveler came to
the rich man, who refused
to take from his own flock
and from his own herd to
prepare one for the
wayfaring man...: but he
took the poor man's lamb
...."

5 So David's anger was
greatly aroused against the
man, and he said to Nathan,
"As the LORD lives, the man
who has done this shall
surely die! 6 And he shall
restore fourfold for the
lamb, because he did this
thing and because he had no
pity."

7 Then Nathan said to
David, "you are the man!
Thus says the LORD God of
Israel:.... 9 'Why have you
despised the commandment
of the LORD, to do evil in
His sight? You have killed
Uriah the Hittite with the
sword; you have taken his
wife to be your wife....

10 Now therefore, the sword
shall never depart from your
house, because you have
despised Me....' 1 Thus
says the LORD: 'Behold, I
will raise up adversity
against you from your own
house; and I will take your
wives before your eyes and
give them to your neighbor,
and he shall lie with your
wives in the sight of the
sun. 13 For you did it
secretly, but I wil do this
thing before all Israel,
before the sun.' "

13 So David said to Nathan,
"I have sinned against the
LORD." And Nathan said to
David, "The LORD also has
put away your sin; you shall
not die."