Today's Devotion: Psalm 139:17 (New International Version) - How precious to [a] me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!

David is giving praise to the Lord.

Today's Comments: This passage makes me think of a parallel passage in the book of Job. See Job 42: 1 - Then Job replied to the LORD : 2 "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. 3 You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

There are so many things that we know about God, We find those things out by reading scripture and by discussing philosophy, history, and theology. Yet, even in today's society, there is so much that we can find out, but there is so little we know. Or, if we do know, we do not put into practice those things that God expects of us.

Today's Devotion: 1 Chronicles 17:20 (New International Version): There is no one like you, O LORD, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.

David is praying to God, after God speaks through Nathan to tell David that through him a mighty nation will be conceived and through his son (Solomon) will His temple be built.

Today's Comments: I am taking a distance learning class (as part of my preparation for ordination to the Diaconate) in understanding the New Testament. At the end of each series of lessons, we are supposed to post our comments on a discussion forum. This weeks's comments are appropriate to the passage above.

As part of salvation history, God's plan included David. Not only was David's kingship a part of God's plan for the Nation Israel, it was also part of God's plan for us, because through David's line God brings up a Messiah, Jesus Christ, who is the salvation for all mankind. The question in the forum, therefore was:

What is the greatest misunderstanding of the Old Testament concept of salvation? Briefly, how would you respond?

My answer is:
I think that the greatest misunderstanding of the Old Testament concept of salvation is that it is viewed only in a historical sense, instead of an active-dynamic concept that influences today's church just as much as it influenced Israel in Old Testament times.

• We are still living in a covenant relationship with God. That covenant is the promise of salvation through Jesus Christ.
• As a nation, we are facing the same issues as the people of Israel. We started out being a nation of God and have let ourselves slide into apostasy, thereby endangering our status as a continuing nation.
• We have failed to recognize and make use of the lessons that the Old Testament has taught us.