For those of you who read this blog regularly - you probably know about the house fire last June and the fact that it is still unresolved. The problem with keeping track of these companies is that they are all tied together, and they change their names.
SO
Homesite of the Midwest is the company that insured our home.
They now call themselves 21st century insurance, and they underwrite Progressive insurance policies, Esurance policies, and AIG.
As much as people may not like the "front" company - like AIG - the real culprit is the company behind that front - that refuses to pay claims. Progressive, Esurance, 21st Century - all of these are like insurance dealers - they do not underwrite their own policies, their policies are backed up, and paid by - Homesite.
If you have anyof these insurers, beware! I would strongly advise you to change to an insurance company that pays claims appropriately!
**"In 2008, the American Association for Justice released a 29-page report entitled “The Ten Worst Insurance Companies In America.”
The report was the result of a comprehensive investigation of a blizzard of court documents, FBI records, state insurance department complaints and investigations, news stories from around the nation, and testimony and depositions from former insurance agents and adjusters. The final list includes companies that insure cars, homes, disability, health and life.
One thing that the report shows is that Allstate, State Farm and Liberty Mutual all hired famous management consultant McKinsey and Company to study how they could be more profitable. McKinsey came back with a strategy known as “The Three Ds...Deny, Delay and Defend.” All three companies have used this strategy aggressively to boost profits for their shareholders.
To read the report, go to: http://www.justice.org/docs/tenworstinsurancecompanies.pdf
The list is as follows:
10. Liberty Mutual
Not only has Liberty Mutual pulled out of Coastal states like Florida and Louisiana, but also Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maryland and big parts of New York.
9. Torchmark
A variety of company subsidiaries sell burial insurance, cancer insurance, and life insurance. The company has been accused of selling minority customers higher priced products than white customers. Its sales tactics have attracted frequent lawsuits from regulators and policyholders.
8. United Health
This health insurer has a reputation for health care reimbursement rates that are so low and so delayed that doctors report patient health is at risk.
7. Farmers
Owned by Swiss insurance giant Zurich Insurance, Farmers is consistently near the bottom of homeowners and auto satisfaction surveys conducted by JD Power and Consumer Reports. As an example of their “profits over people” attitude, note that after the 1994 Northridge CA earthquake, Farmers instituted an employee program called “Bring Back a Billion.” This was an effort to save the company a billion dollars in claims settlements.
6. Wellpoint
Wellpoint is the nation’s largest health insurer, covering over 28 million people. They have been found to routinely cancel policies on pregnant women and chronically ill patients. In 2007, the California Department of Insurance assessed a $12.6 million fine against Wellpoint for “serious violations” in their claims procedures. Wellpoint was also sued by 800,000 doctors for underpaying claims.
5. Conseco
Long-term care insurance is Conseco’s forte. And that usually affects the elderly most. Conseco takes advantage of the calendar, knowing that if it waits long enough, many policyholders submitting claims will die before their claim is paid.
4. State Farm
The largest property casualty insurer in America, who has a long reputation for delaying and denying claims. State Farm has recently announced that it has pulled out of the Mississippi and Florida markets entirely. In 1999, after a giant Oklahoma tornado event, homeowners file a class action lawsuit against State Farm, alleging that the insurer widely undervalued homes. The jury ruled that State Farm had acted “recklessly” and “with malice” toward its own policyholders. And don’t get me started on how State Farm acted after Katrina.
3. AIG
The world’s largest insurer has had massive financial problems of late, with the Congress negotiating a Federal bailout of the insurer in Fall 2008. But besides that, AIG has developed a reputation over the years as a company that fights claims aggressively.
2. UNUM
This Chattanooga, TN based company is one of the nation’s leaders in disability insurance. UNUM has a long reputation for delaying and denying claims. If you want to read an infuriating book about this subject, read “Insult to Injury,” by Ray Bourhis. The author is an attorney that took on UNUM in court. UNUM is regularly the target of insurance department and media investigations for their claims handling tactics.
And...drumroll please...the AAJ choice for number one worst insurance company in America is....
1. ALLSTATE
The AAJ stated that the “good hands” of Allstate should be shown inside boxing gloves. According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), complaints filed against Allstate were greater in number than most all of its major competitors.
After Hurricane Katrina, the Louisiana Department of Insurance received over 1,200 complaints against Allstate, which is more than any other company. State Farm had over 700 complaints, and State Farm has the biggest share of the homeowners insurance market in Louisiana. Allstate embraces the McKinsey philosophy, “Delay, Deny and Defend.”Allstate’s CEO Thomas Wilson summed up the strategies of all the companies when he said, “Our obligation is to earn a return for our shareholders.”
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
The Most Holy Place
Exodus 26:33b
The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.God has differations on holiness.
Many people look at holiness as how much sin can I have and still be called holy. How far away from God can I get and still be a "Christian"? I used to have that view. I looked at myself as being on a chain like a dog in the yard. If I started getting to the end it/He would pull me back. Thus I knew where my boundaries were and I didn't have to be in control of myself. I expected Him to do it. What if our spouses were that way.
What if Amanda said let me see how far away from Drason I can be and let him still know I love him. My love language is quality time so it would really bother me. I mean what if she said well I love you but I am going to sleep in another bedroom? Another house? Another road? Another city? Another state? Another country? At what point would it be to far? I know the other room would be too far for me. She might even promise to see me once a week. I promise to spend 2 hours with you on Sunday. Would that be okay? Definitely not. What if your love language is acts of service? I promise to do one thing for you this week. I will go to work one day or I will do one dish or I will rub one foot for one minute or I will live in Texas and call and listen to you for one hour every week. Would that make you feel loved?When we are of the attitude, how far away can I get and still go to heaven then we are telling God the same things. It shouldn't be how far away but how close can I get. Only one person ever got it completely right. Only one person ever got as close as possible. But we can get closer than we are now. Sin separates us from God. The more sin, the larger the sin, the more separation. So how far can I get?
I don't want to know. God makes distinctions in holiness. Only certain people, certain priests were allowed behind the curtain, into the most holy place. That was the old testament. Jesus broke down that barrier. He made it possible for us to be in the most holy place. He made it possible, not a guarantee. As Christians we are in the holy place. We get to heaven. But are we in the most holy place? Probably not. We should desire that closeness, that intimacy, with God. But too many times were are content the just be where we are. We are in the temple and so that is enough. No it isn't. We should be striving to get behind the curtain. "Don't mind the man behind the curtain." We all want to know what is going to happen. Why this is this way or that. Go behind the curtain. It is easier to see how things work back there. Mind the man behind the curtain. He can tell you how and why things work the way they do. We went to a concert Thursday night. One of the lead singers for a band there was telling about him and some others going to see people after their town was devastated by tornados. He said they were asked why. His response is that he didn't know. And that we don't know why sometimes. Wrong.
We may not always know the specifics for everybody, but we can find out about ourselves. If we commit ourselves to residing in the most holy place and not just the holy place then we can talk to God. That is what the most holy place was. It was where God would talk face to face with the Israelites. That is why only a certain person(s) was allowed in there. The had to be the most purified. Jesus took away those rules for that. He made us that purified, the Holy Spirit makes us that purified, but we don't go in. If you want to know why, or how, or when, or where, or how come, or what if, or blah blah blah, then go into the most holy place, be as holy as you can be, not as unholy as possible and still be able to go to heaven. It's not how far can I be but how close can I be. Am I being as close as I can be?
Lord, Thank you for today. Thank you for this time I get to spend with you. Not time I have to but that I get to. Thank you for the blessing you have seen fit to give me. Thank you for making it possible to be in the most holy place. Help me to live there. Help me to stay in the most holy place the rest of my life. Help me to shown my kids and my wife where it is and how to get there. Thank you for wanting to be close to me and letting me be close to you. Help to get closer everyday Lord. Everyday. Amen.
Drason
The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.God has differations on holiness.
Many people look at holiness as how much sin can I have and still be called holy. How far away from God can I get and still be a "Christian"? I used to have that view. I looked at myself as being on a chain like a dog in the yard. If I started getting to the end it/He would pull me back. Thus I knew where my boundaries were and I didn't have to be in control of myself. I expected Him to do it. What if our spouses were that way.
What if Amanda said let me see how far away from Drason I can be and let him still know I love him. My love language is quality time so it would really bother me. I mean what if she said well I love you but I am going to sleep in another bedroom? Another house? Another road? Another city? Another state? Another country? At what point would it be to far? I know the other room would be too far for me. She might even promise to see me once a week. I promise to spend 2 hours with you on Sunday. Would that be okay? Definitely not. What if your love language is acts of service? I promise to do one thing for you this week. I will go to work one day or I will do one dish or I will rub one foot for one minute or I will live in Texas and call and listen to you for one hour every week. Would that make you feel loved?When we are of the attitude, how far away can I get and still go to heaven then we are telling God the same things. It shouldn't be how far away but how close can I get. Only one person ever got it completely right. Only one person ever got as close as possible. But we can get closer than we are now. Sin separates us from God. The more sin, the larger the sin, the more separation. So how far can I get?
I don't want to know. God makes distinctions in holiness. Only certain people, certain priests were allowed behind the curtain, into the most holy place. That was the old testament. Jesus broke down that barrier. He made it possible for us to be in the most holy place. He made it possible, not a guarantee. As Christians we are in the holy place. We get to heaven. But are we in the most holy place? Probably not. We should desire that closeness, that intimacy, with God. But too many times were are content the just be where we are. We are in the temple and so that is enough. No it isn't. We should be striving to get behind the curtain. "Don't mind the man behind the curtain." We all want to know what is going to happen. Why this is this way or that. Go behind the curtain. It is easier to see how things work back there. Mind the man behind the curtain. He can tell you how and why things work the way they do. We went to a concert Thursday night. One of the lead singers for a band there was telling about him and some others going to see people after their town was devastated by tornados. He said they were asked why. His response is that he didn't know. And that we don't know why sometimes. Wrong.
We may not always know the specifics for everybody, but we can find out about ourselves. If we commit ourselves to residing in the most holy place and not just the holy place then we can talk to God. That is what the most holy place was. It was where God would talk face to face with the Israelites. That is why only a certain person(s) was allowed in there. The had to be the most purified. Jesus took away those rules for that. He made us that purified, the Holy Spirit makes us that purified, but we don't go in. If you want to know why, or how, or when, or where, or how come, or what if, or blah blah blah, then go into the most holy place, be as holy as you can be, not as unholy as possible and still be able to go to heaven. It's not how far can I be but how close can I be. Am I being as close as I can be?
Lord, Thank you for today. Thank you for this time I get to spend with you. Not time I have to but that I get to. Thank you for the blessing you have seen fit to give me. Thank you for making it possible to be in the most holy place. Help me to live there. Help me to stay in the most holy place the rest of my life. Help me to shown my kids and my wife where it is and how to get there. Thank you for wanting to be close to me and letting me be close to you. Help to get closer everyday Lord. Everyday. Amen.
Drason
Monday, April 13, 2009
How it happens
Ever wonder how it is that Christians go from the peaceful majority to the persecuted minority? Stupid propaganda films like this one might do it. Pause the music player first.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Grace came first
So the last few days have been hard quiet times for me - looking at today's quiet time I can understand why - You can't just say - Well I have grace so it doesn't matter what I do, you have to realize first that sin is evil and that God hates sin, and that sin has consequences.
I heard about a 'health and wealth" teaching that said that if you have trials in your life you either aren't saved, or you are saved and just living in sin - that you will not have trials if you are saved and not living in sin. This is absolutely wrong. I almost think the way to tell if someone is a Christian is to look at their life and see trials - the devil doesn't come after the lost and God corrects those he counts as sons and daughters.
God's grace came first - for a modern day Christian we obviously think God's grace came first - Jesus came and died before we were even born, so of course, God's grace came first. But we need to stop thinking of grace as a one time event that happens when you get saved and start thinking of it as a gift, God's favor poured out over us because of His love for us, which is continual and ongoing.
(Do we sin so that grace may abound? Absolutely not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?- Romans 6:1-2)
I have been studying about David and I learned something new today - it takes a minute to get there - so stay with me
2Samuel 12:7-10
"7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. 9 Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. 10 From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own."
v13-14
"Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the Lord by doing this, your child will die.”
v18
" Then on the seventh day the child died. David’s advisers were afraid to tell him. “He wouldn’t listen to reason while the child was ill,” they said. “What drastic thing will he do when we tell him the child is dead?”
v23-25
"But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.” Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife, and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The Lord loved the child and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means “beloved of the Lord”), as the Lord had commanded."
This is definitely the cliff notes - David sinned with Bathsheba, David gets called out on it, the punishment for sin is death - the child born to them dies - but God is merciful and blesses them with Solomon
1 Chronicles 22:1-13
"So David gave orders to call together the foreigners living in Israel, and he assigned them the task of preparing finished stone for building the Temple of God. 3 David provided large amounts of iron for the nails that would be needed for the doors in the gates and for the clamps, and he gave more bronze than could be weighed. 4 He also provided innumerable cedar logs, for the men of Tyre and Sidon had brought vast amounts of cedar to David. 5 David said, “My son Solomon is still young and inexperienced. And since the Temple to be built for the Lord must be a magnificent structure, famous and glorious throughout the world, I will begin making preparations for it now.” So David collected vast amounts of building materials before his death. 6 Then David sent for his son Solomon and instructed him to build a Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel. 7 “My son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God,” David told him. 8 “But the Lord said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name. 9 But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon,[a] and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign. 10 He is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will secure the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ 11 “Now, my son, may the Lord be with you and give you success as you follow his directions in building the Temple of the Lord your God. 12 And may the Lord give you wisdom and understanding, that you may obey the Law of the Lord your God as you rule over Israel. 13 For you will be successful if you carefully obey the decrees and regulations that the Lord gave to Israel through Moses. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart!"
Instructions from a father to a son - very good - hold on - you're about to see it
2 Samuel 7:1-16
"1 When King David was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies, 2 the king summoned Nathan the prophet. “Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace,but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!” 3 Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.” 4 But that same night the Lord said to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? 6 I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling. 7 Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?”’ 8 “Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! 10 And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, 11 starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. “‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! 12 For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. 13 He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. 15 But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. 16 Your house and your kingdom will continue before me[b] for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”
Take the time to get this. Grace came first.
God knew in 2 Samuel 7 that David would sin with Bathsheba - He knew the consequences of that sin, he knew the look on David's face when confronted with sin, God knew the schemes, the affair, the plotting, the murder and even the death of that first child - all the way back in 2 Samuel 7 - Where he blesses David beyond his wildest dreams - He gives David a covenant that is recognized though out Christianity today - even the New Testament references this covenant several times. ALL of this - BEFORE David even laid eyes on Bathsheba in Chapter 11. And David knows this - and recalls it to his son in 1 Chronicles 22:7-10
"7 “My son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God,” David told him. 8 “But the Lord said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name. 9 But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign. 10 He is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will secure the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’"
David marvels at God's grace, I am also amazed to see it this way. Grace isn't a one time event that saves us, it is an ongoing event.
This week is Easter and it is a great time to refocus on Christ and the gift of grace that He poured out for us. It is also important to remember that this wasn't a one time thing, that while we celebrate our deliverance - we can still be delivered day by day - Grace still comes first, walk in that. No matter what you have done, even as a Christian, there is still grace for you. If you are alive, there is a future, there is hope because there is God.
I heard about a 'health and wealth" teaching that said that if you have trials in your life you either aren't saved, or you are saved and just living in sin - that you will not have trials if you are saved and not living in sin. This is absolutely wrong. I almost think the way to tell if someone is a Christian is to look at their life and see trials - the devil doesn't come after the lost and God corrects those he counts as sons and daughters.
God's grace came first - for a modern day Christian we obviously think God's grace came first - Jesus came and died before we were even born, so of course, God's grace came first. But we need to stop thinking of grace as a one time event that happens when you get saved and start thinking of it as a gift, God's favor poured out over us because of His love for us, which is continual and ongoing.
(Do we sin so that grace may abound? Absolutely not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?- Romans 6:1-2)
I have been studying about David and I learned something new today - it takes a minute to get there - so stay with me
2Samuel 12:7-10
"7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. 9 Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. 10 From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own."
v13-14
"Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the Lord by doing this, your child will die.”
v18
" Then on the seventh day the child died. David’s advisers were afraid to tell him. “He wouldn’t listen to reason while the child was ill,” they said. “What drastic thing will he do when we tell him the child is dead?”
v23-25
"But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.” Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife, and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The Lord loved the child and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means “beloved of the Lord”), as the Lord had commanded."
This is definitely the cliff notes - David sinned with Bathsheba, David gets called out on it, the punishment for sin is death - the child born to them dies - but God is merciful and blesses them with Solomon
1 Chronicles 22:1-13
"So David gave orders to call together the foreigners living in Israel, and he assigned them the task of preparing finished stone for building the Temple of God. 3 David provided large amounts of iron for the nails that would be needed for the doors in the gates and for the clamps, and he gave more bronze than could be weighed. 4 He also provided innumerable cedar logs, for the men of Tyre and Sidon had brought vast amounts of cedar to David. 5 David said, “My son Solomon is still young and inexperienced. And since the Temple to be built for the Lord must be a magnificent structure, famous and glorious throughout the world, I will begin making preparations for it now.” So David collected vast amounts of building materials before his death. 6 Then David sent for his son Solomon and instructed him to build a Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel. 7 “My son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God,” David told him. 8 “But the Lord said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name. 9 But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon,[a] and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign. 10 He is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will secure the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ 11 “Now, my son, may the Lord be with you and give you success as you follow his directions in building the Temple of the Lord your God. 12 And may the Lord give you wisdom and understanding, that you may obey the Law of the Lord your God as you rule over Israel. 13 For you will be successful if you carefully obey the decrees and regulations that the Lord gave to Israel through Moses. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart!"
Instructions from a father to a son - very good - hold on - you're about to see it
2 Samuel 7:1-16
"1 When King David was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies, 2 the king summoned Nathan the prophet. “Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace,but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!” 3 Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.” 4 But that same night the Lord said to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? 6 I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling. 7 Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?”’ 8 “Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! 10 And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, 11 starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. “‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! 12 For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. 13 He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. 15 But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. 16 Your house and your kingdom will continue before me[b] for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”
Take the time to get this. Grace came first.
God knew in 2 Samuel 7 that David would sin with Bathsheba - He knew the consequences of that sin, he knew the look on David's face when confronted with sin, God knew the schemes, the affair, the plotting, the murder and even the death of that first child - all the way back in 2 Samuel 7 - Where he blesses David beyond his wildest dreams - He gives David a covenant that is recognized though out Christianity today - even the New Testament references this covenant several times. ALL of this - BEFORE David even laid eyes on Bathsheba in Chapter 11. And David knows this - and recalls it to his son in 1 Chronicles 22:7-10
"7 “My son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God,” David told him. 8 “But the Lord said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name. 9 But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign. 10 He is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will secure the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’"
David marvels at God's grace, I am also amazed to see it this way. Grace isn't a one time event that saves us, it is an ongoing event.
This week is Easter and it is a great time to refocus on Christ and the gift of grace that He poured out for us. It is also important to remember that this wasn't a one time thing, that while we celebrate our deliverance - we can still be delivered day by day - Grace still comes first, walk in that. No matter what you have done, even as a Christian, there is still grace for you. If you are alive, there is a future, there is hope because there is God.
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