What struck me in today’s reading is that David laments over his sin.  The start of healing is admitting our brokenness.  Step 1 in Celebrate Recovery is:

We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable.I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.Romans 7:18. 

David clearly is lamenting over his sin and understands that he can’t fix himself, and that only God can deliver him from his hurts, habits, and hang-ups (death) vs. 5). 

Abram and Sarai in Egypt

10 Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance,12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live.13 Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.”14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.15 And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.16 And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

17 But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.18 So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and go.”20 And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had.

Abraham took advantage of Sarai, his wife, when they went to Egypt to find provision during the famine in Canaan.  He knew that the Pharoah would find Sarai beautiful in appearance. To save his own skin, he “pimped her out”.  Through this, he put her life in danger.

God protected Sarai by bringing plagues to the Egyptions.  

Sometimes we hurt others when we only think about saving our own skin.  As faithful as Abraham was, he still was a sinner, and caused great calamity both in his own household (Sarai), and in Egypt (plagues).

Today, I again start another diet and exercise program.  I am going to be doing what my doctor ordered, which is low carb, low fat, low calorie diet.  Also doing high intensity-low impact cardio on the elliptical trainer.  We shall see how it goes this week. 

Real change happens when someone surrenders their life to God, and lives a surrendered life day by day.  I got to hear a testimony at CR on Thursday night of a woman, who like me finds comfort in food.  God has changed her life when “she gave it all up to him”.  For it says in Luke 14:33:

³³In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

It also says in John 12 that:

²⁴I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Again, Jesus is talking about a surrendered life.  Dying to self on a daily basis is hard to do, but the rewards are there and the blessings as well.

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Quote of the Day: "In returning[a] and rest you shall be saved;   in quietness and in trust shall be your strength." (part of Isaiah 30:15)