the angels wanted to carry *petition baskets,” for those who bare the containers designated for praise often came back empty. Thus infre quently are men given to offer thanksgiving to the Lord; more of ten they for things. What a graphic picture of our hearts! Surrounded by defeat and defeated people, David is asked in his cave hide out, “What shall we do?” The answer comes in Psalm 34:1, “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall con tinually be in my mouth.” Whether David was in exile, a wanderer across the plains, or on the throne appointed by God, his heart was filled with praise to the Lord. Martin Luther declared, “As it is LIK E GOD ? M y little boy came to me one day, Placed his tiny hand in mine And said: "Daddy, what is God like?" And I said: "God is like love, and sunshine, And all the good things you know." He smiled into my eyes and said: "Then, Daddy, God must be just like you!" And I had to bow my head in shame That I, a father, was so unlike God! — George Turner the job of the shoemaker to make shoes, and the tailor to make clothes, so it is the supreme business of the Christian to offer continual praise to the Lord.” This is what Paul meant in exhorting us “to give thanks always for all things, unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:20). A certain woman kept what she called her “pleasure book.” In this daily diary she wrote down all the happy occurrences which took place. Then, whenever she became discour aged or downcast, she simply re sorted to her “pleasure book,” re- Continued on page H I remember how Jesus said That God is like a father;
brought before the king, Abimelech, whose given name was Achish. (Abimelech was the title given to the Philistine kings, as was Pharaoh for the Egyptians.) What a predicament for David. During a time of war fare, however, any strategy is per missible. Cleverly he feigned insani ty. (This is what the heading means when it states that he “changed his behaviour.”) Abimelech believed that David had lost his mind, and was offended that such an obviously de ranged individual should have been brought into his presence. He or dered his soldiers to drive David out of the city immediately. David thankfully fled to the cave of Adul- lam, about half way between Gath and Bethlehem. What a pathetic sight David must have been! When word reached Is rael that he was yet alive, people began heading for his cave retreat, 400 of them according to Scripture. In New York City there is the social register which lists all the distin guished 400 of the community, those who have made their mark in the world financially, politically, and so cially. Not so with David’s group. Listen to what the Bible says, “And everyone that was in distress, and everyone that was in debt, and dis contented.” There are groups of peo ple like that in most churches. Some times these words describe our lives, too. Would “in debt, distressed, or discontented,” ever describe you? If so, then join yourself to the Psalmist David! See the way by which he lifted up his heart and the hearts of his followers through the simple and yet blessed means of praising the Lord. An old legend states that in the long ago angels were divided into two groups. Each was supplied with a basket. The first contingent was to go about collecting all of the people’s petitions while others were assigned the job of gathering up all of their praise. According to legend, all of
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