How Has Your Past Shaped You?

Looking at Michal: David's wife, ex-wife, back to wife


I Samuel 18:20-21; 19:11-17  Michal before  II Samuel 3:14-16

• She was in love and lied to protect her man from her own father

II Samuel 3:14-16

• After being separated from David, he demanded her back after Saul's death
• "Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim."  (Verse 16)
  

II Samuel 6:16-23  Michal after  II Samuel 3:14-16

• Judgmental, blunt, disheartening, critical
• "...she despised him in her heart." (verse 16)  

Why the change, here's what has been revealed to me:

Michal was in love, but she was used to hurt David by Saul.  It appears to be punishment, but Michal's marriage with David is ripped from her.  She remarries and has settled down to make her new husband very happy and pleased with her.  David demands her back, and rips from her another part of her heart she gave to her other husband.  After two rips from love (at least this is all that's recorded of her life), she turns into Michal from II Samuel 6. 


Does she have good reasons?  Does she have good defense?  Must not have, for her punishment was she "had no children to the day of her death."  She judged David's heart...when he was fully worshiping.  Do you do this?  Sometimes I do, but I am letting myself break from what people expect to see in worship and do what I am led to do, just like David did.  Now, my words fade.  Let the Spirit make connections in your own heart with what He has shown me. 


Getting Pride out of Prayer  (from a book Empowered to Pray by Woodrow Kroll)


Jesus' Prayer Luke 23:33-43


"Forgiveness is not an emotional response to sin... 

1)  Forgiveness is a choice
2)  Prayer is a choice
3)  Expect others to respond as the mob responded to Jesus' prayer. 

• Be prepared.  People haven't changed.  Do you have friends, neighbors, or coworkers for whom you consistently pray?  When they learn you are praying for their salvation, they may react as these did to Jesus' prayer for forgiveness.  Most will laugh, some will mock, but thank God, some will believe.  Keep on praying.   Some will believe."

"What does it mean to be empowered to pray?  It means feeling the peace of God's forgiveness and the joy of forgiving others." 


"Remember, forgiveness is a choice.  It's up to you.  Jesus chose to forgive; so can you." 


"When the crowd was at its worst, Jesus was at his best."


From the study Anointed Transformed Redeemed: A Study of David 

"Sin will take you farther than you ever expected to go; it will keep you longer than you ever intended to stay, and it will cost you more than you ever expected to pay."   



Paraphrase of part of Kay Arthur's message:  Stop questioning where God was in your hurt relationships, your broken marriages, your deaths, your abuse.  You are God's workmanship, so stop complaining about how you've been molded and let God use you because of it!  Don't question how God had to mold you...just use it.  


To close, these verses are needed in my life right now.  I pray God shows you what you need to see in your life through this blog that He put together.  (Really, it was cool to watch Him show me what to put and how it connected together)



Colossians 4:2 "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving."

Matthew 5:16 "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."




Amen....