Personal Devotions
Notes from Mark's personal Bible reading and meditation
With a goal to apply one truth from each day's reading to my life that day
Feb 18, 2026, 1:59 PM
Passage Read: 2 Samuel 6-9
Meditation Verses: 6:21-22
Thought
David didn't think of the people around him and what they thought of him as he worshiped the Lord. David thought of the Lord and all He meant to him and all He'd done for him. David worshiped the Lord alone; he wasn't putting on a show for the people to see and judge him. He didn't care what the people thought; he was fixed on God.
Feb 17, 2026, 10:05 AM
Passage Read: 2 Samuel 2-5
Meditation Verses: 3:9-10
Thought
Abner knew what the Lord intended, but he made Ish-bosheth king anyway. His decision, with the support of the other tribes of Israel, brought much suffering to the nation, to Joab and his family, and ultimately the death of Saul's son. He knew what God wanted but went against it anyway.
Feb 13, 2025, 9:06 AM
Passage Read: 2 Samuel 18-21
Meditation Verses: 18:14-15
Thought
Joab is a hard man, and he is wise in his own eyes. For the most part, he is loyal to David, but when he thinks his idea is better than David's, he will follow his own thoughts.
Feb 12, 2025, 8:08 AM
Passage Read: 2 Samuel 14-17
Meditation Verse: 17:23
Thought
For all his wisdom, Ahithophel didn't see a problem with joining the son in rebellion against his father? Does he not know how greatly God hates rebellion? David's own life is a testimony to that.
Feb 11, 2025, 8:07 AM
Passage Read: 2 Samuel 10-13
Best Verse: 10:12
Thought
Joab's job was to lead the army in battle, wherever the king desired. And because David honored the Lord so greatly, the Lord was pleased to bless the army in all they went to do.
Feb 10, 2025, 8:15 AM
Passage Read: 2 Samuel 6-9
Meditation Verses: 6:5-7
Thought
David loved the Lord and desired Him to be with him in Jerusalem. But there was only one right way to transport the ark: on the shoulders of priests. David put it on a cart, like Philistines who once had captured it and sent it back by cart.
Feb 9, 2025, 8:22 AM
Passage Read: 2 Samuel 2-5
Meditation Verses: 5:1-2
Thought
It seems everyone knew of God's promise to David! So why the ruse of putting Saul's son on the throne and fighting David for two years?
Feb 8, 2024, 7:34 PM
Passage Read: 2 Samuel 22 - 1 Kings 1
Meditation Verses: 2 Samuel 22:17-20
Thought
It's interesting how David sees his own life, especially in contrast to Jacob. Jacob endured a number of hard things, some because of his own choices, though not necessarily because he did wrong. Yet at age 130, he told Pharaoh that his days were few and evil. David lived about half as long, and suffered many things, some because of his own sin, yet he rejoices in God's graciousness, kindness and deliverance.
Feb 7, 2024, 7:36 PM
Passage Read: 2 Samuel 18-21
Meditation Verses: 19:6-7
Thought
Joab warned David that he was shaming his servants by weeping over Absalom. If he didn't speak kindly to those who risked their lives for him and his household, they would all be gone by morning and he would be left alone. He had sent them out and they did do his bidding. They loved him more than their own lives, so he owed them gratitude. He owed them his life, though it seems he would rather be dead than Absalom.
Feb 6, 2024, 7:37 PM
Passage Read: 2 Samuel 14-17
Meditation Verse: 16:8
Thought
This is a great example that people see what they want to see and freely ascribe to the Lord what they want to be true. The text tells us why these things happened to David, and it had nothing to do with the house of Saul, whom David had only honored, not attacked. But people see what they want to see, Shimei's bitterness blinded him. He hates David and saw this as punishment from the Lord for David's rebellion and usurping of Saul's throne.