Living In the Age of Grace

570 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 16:9-10a, “ Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!" 10 But the king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? (2 Sam 16:9,10a) David's right hand men have had enough of Shimei's yipping and they want to put an end to it, by killing him. It reminds me of the time that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem for the last time, and the Samaritans refused to extend hospitality to Him and His disciples. We read about it in Lu 9:54, “And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?" 55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 "For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." Now, pay attention here. David's reply of "What have I to do with you,” is the gist of Jesus' reply, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are.” As a baptized believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God dwells in you, and this Spirit desires life for men, not death. Joh 3:17 says, "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” and in Joh 12:47b we read, "for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.” And 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. If then, you and I have the Spirit of God dwelling in us, we too, ought to seek life for those who are on the wide road to destruction. Retaliation doesn't come into play until the Last Day, when God will deal with those who went to their grave cursing His Son by rejecting the Gospel. We are living in the age of grace until our Lord returns, and we should seek to live in the Spirit of Christ , “who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; (1 Pet 2:23) God, make our hearts more tender toward those who are on the path to destruction.