R-E-S-P-E-C-T

461 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 7:8-10, "Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. 9 "And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth. 10 "Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, (2 Sam 7:8-10) What a contrast. God has taken David from a little boy tagging after the sheep in his father's house, to the position of king of an entire nation! He has been with David all along the way, cutting off or destroying his enemies before him. And now he is a well respected king among the nations of the earth. Then God makes another great promise for this nation that David now leads. Previously, as nomads, they were looked down upon by other nations, (The word afflict here means to browbeat) Now, they would have a land of their own, they would have the God-given respect of those around them! This promise of God is part of what is called the Davidic covenant. This covenant has not yet been fully realized, and is meant to be a picture of what is to come for the believer in the Son of David, Jesus Christ. Until the Lord returns, we are all indeed nomads, strangers and pilgrims on this sod. As the song goes, “I am but a stranger here, heaven is my home! In the meantime, with the help of God, we are to seek to live in such a way that will ultimately earn the respect of the unbeliever. 1Pe 2:11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.” In short, our kingdom is yet to come, but let's live in this life as if it is already here in the fullness foreshadowed by the promise of the Davidic covenant. Father, thank You for this promise. Help us to live today with our eyes on Your coming kingdom.