For lunch I ate a large salad and some whole wheat bread at Intermezzo. It's a cheap and healthy, yet extremely filling, meal. Our small group was moved from wednesday to today because the leaders wanted to figure out a way to free up an extra weekday for us to use for things like studying for classes.

In the evening after prayer meeting, a group of us went to the main stacks to study. We stayed there until midnight before walking home.

Devotion time questions:

I've trimmed a lot of question and answer material from this set of questions, since many of them were personal. That should explain why it seems short.

2 Samuel 10

What did the Ammonite nobles’ misinterpretation of David cost them?

Everything.

In what ways do people of this world respond like Hanun did to those who try to share the message of God’s love?

People believe that Christians have some sort of ulterior motive in sharing the gospel, either political or based on prejudices and intolerance. The truth, however, is that Christians are trying to share a message of hope and not hate.

What can I learn from the way David takes care of those “who were greatly humiliated”?

We can learn to be gentle and compassionate towards people who are suffering.

What can I learn about human nature from the fact that the Ammonites prepare for war when they “realized that they had become a stench in David’s nostrils”?

Rather than seek peace and apologize for their wrong, their pride forces them to defend themselves through physical means. They would rather give their lives than their pride.

What things could they have done differently at this point?

They could have apologized, attempted to create peace, or even surrendered.

How is vv.11-12 a beautiful picture of how we are to function in the body of Christ?

We are to support one another in mutually beneficial relationships, offering our lives to one another when there is any need.

Reflect on Joab’s statement in v. 12. What is the relationship between Joab’s pledge to “fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God” and his confidence that “the Lord will do what is good in his sight.”

Whether they live or die, their purpose was the serve God and be obedient to his will.

Although the sending of the delegation could have been interpreted as a poor decision by David, given their humiliation, it proved to be the trigger for Israel’s domination of the region. What does this reveal about how God can work good out of painful situations, or out of decisions that initially result in a bad outcome? What perspective does this give me regarding my decisions and the way I view setbacks?

The road God puts before you is ultimately for your good, but might pass through many trials, setbacks, and hard times.