Good Morning dear Victory Call sisters! Here is another devotional I’m choosing to share with you, written by another. When I read it recently, I must confess, I saw myself all too clearly over and over again and at the end I was so thankful for the God Whose mercy and grace have saved a sinner just like me. I’m forever grateful for the Cross which saved and sanctifies me. I’m thankful that Abba Father is faithful to complete the work He has begun in me. Dear ones, He’s committed to molding and shaping us into the image of His Son, so that, like David, we would be women who are after His own heart!-Stephanie P.
     
      Just Like David
“Aren’t you glad you’re not like David, such blazoned sin, how could he?
Aren’t you glad you’re not like Saul, making up his own rules, what was he thinking?
Aren’t you glad you’re not like Cain, violence against his own brother?
Aren’t you glad you’re not like Rebekah, such planned deceit?
Aren’t you glad you’re not like the Israelites, so easily seduced by idols?
Aren’t you glad you’re not like Absalom, how could he be so jealous?
Aren’t you glad you’re not like Elijah, how could he forget God, be so depressed?
Aren’t you glad you’re not like Nebuchadnezzar, how could he be so obsessed with power?
Aren’t you glad you’re not like Samson, how could he be so easily deceived?
Aren’t you glad you’re not like Jonah, how could he run from the Father’s call?
Aren’t you glad you’re not like the Pharisees, so religiously right, yet spiritually wrong?
Aren’t you glad you’re not like Judas, selling the Messiah for a little bit of silver?
Aren’t you glad you’re not like the Corinthians, so much better at division than at serving the Lord?

But wait.
You are like them, and so am I.
There’s simply no denying it. Their stories are a mirror into which we see ourselves.
We too are jealous and easily deceived.
We too are proud and obsessed with power.
We are better at division while we run from God.
We too get angry and get seduced by idols.
In sorrow we must say, we stand with David, and Saul, and Rebekah, and Jonah, and Elijah, and the rest.

These stories are for us to look into and see ourselves, so that we aren’t able to buy into the lie of our own righteousness.
But instead, run to His mercy, hold onto His unfailing love, and finally rest, in His great compassion.
Aren’t you glad you can step out of the darkness of self-deceit, and admit who you are?1″~~Paul David Tripp

Stephanie Paul

Stephanie Paul serves as part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America’s Keswick as Director of Women’s Addiction Ministry. She has been married for almost 30 years to Sesky Paul who is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy. Stephanie serves alongside him as Care Group leaders in their church. They have two grown children.
Her single focus in ministry at Keswick is to image Christ in grace and truth to wounded and hurting women, encouraging them to make Jesus the truest Lover of their soul and the One in whom all hope lies.

 1 http://paultripp.com/wednesdays-word/posts/just-like-david