Today I opened up the Bible after a long while and I was glad that I did. My passage was in 2 Samuel 24, a passage that is about God's anger at David for numbering the people of the land.
At first I was intrigued by why did God punish Israel when, (1) He incited David to number the people, and (2) it was David who sinned and yet the innocent people of Israel died in the pestilence. I still don't have the answers to my 2 questions, but verse 1 of the passage, "the anger of the Lord burned against Israel" gave
some clues that it was for the sins of Israel, and He incited David to do the first steps.
Though I do not know the exact nature of the sins, I do know from the passage that God is merciful. He will relent from punishments when we pray. Three things stood out for me about God here.(1) He does punish - He is a God of justice. (2) When punishing He will relent from it - He is merciful. (3) God can be "moved by prayer" v25. It is important to pray as God does move and be moved when we pray.
This passage reminds me afresh that I should pray. It can and does work.
One question that I asked myself, 'Since prayers do work, what is ONE thing you want to ask for in 2012?'
I prayed for a turn around in attitudes for myself, my spouse and my children. A good turn around from the many inadequate attitudes that stumbled us in 2011, so that we can move anew in this coming new year.
Pray. It works!
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