Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

September 15
Saturday


THE
PHARMACIST

READ:
2 Samuel 12:1-14
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Nathan said to David,
"You are the man!"
__2 Samuel 12:7
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The pharmacist had a good reputation. He was a family man and a good businessman. News reports listed his worth in the millions. Yet, to increase his profits, this trusted professional began to dilute the strength of the chemotherapy drugs he was dispensing. He was caught and convicted of the crime. He left many health-care workers asking, "How could this happen?"

Some of the same questions must have been asked about King David. Known as a man after God's own heart, he used the power of his office to take another man's wife (2 Sam. 11). Then he conspired to take her husband's life. The man who died was one of David's own military officers who was away from home fighting the King's battles.

We could look at the failures of well-known people to feel better about ourselves. But if we feel good about the wrongs of others, we don't know ourselves. The Bible doesn't tell us about the sins of David to weaken our sense of moral alarm, but to put all of us on notice.

The failures of others should cause us to be more aware of our own weaknesses and need for the grace of Christ. Only in the knowledge of our weakness will we be dependent on the strength of our God. __ Hess
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~~~~~~~~~~~~The Bible, O Lord, is just like a mirror~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~That shows me the need of my heart,~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~For in it I see an accurate image,~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~A portrait of me__every part. __ Hess~~~~~~~~~~
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The Bible is a mirror
that reflects how God sees us.

**************Today's Bible Reading __ 2 Samuel 12:1-14**********

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. 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....' 11 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 this 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. 14 However, because
by this deed you have given
great occasion to the
enemies of the LORD to
blaspheme, the child also
who is born to you shall
surely die."