Praying the Psalms

Readings for today: Psalms 7, 27, 31, 34, 52

The longer we live in crisis, the more we find ourselves wrestling with despair. How long, O Lord? How long do we have to wait? How long do we have to suffer? How long does this pain have to last? We are desperate for answers. We look for people to blame. It may be another country. It may be another culture. It may be our political leaders. It may be that person at the grocery store who refuses to wear a mask or that neighbor who’s hoarded all the toilet paper. Our hearts fill with anger and frustration. Why don’t these people get it right? Why didn’t our leaders act sooner? Why don’t they re-open the economy? Why doesn’t the world do something about wet markets? Maybe it’s all one big conspiracy? Still no answers come. All we’re left with are the opinions of talking heads and spin doctors on cable news. Finally, we come to the end of ourselves. We realize there are really no answers to be had. No one person to blame. No enemy to fight. Life is just hard. Pandemics are not new. There actually is no way to protect ourselves from every bad thing that happens in this world. That’s when we turn to God. We surrender to Him. We submit to His will and His way. We praise Him even in the midst of the storm.

Does any of that sound familiar? Any of that ring a bell as you read the Psalms? Of course it does! The Psalms are the prayer book of the Bible. They are full of the songs of God’s people as they processed all they were going through in their lives. The Psalms are honest. Real. And very raw at times. They register the full range of emotions. They hit every note on the scale. There is joy. There is sadness. There is happiness. There is anger. There is success. There is failure. There is praise. There is despair. There is peace. There is anxiety. Over and over again, the Psalmist shares his heart with God. Almost every Psalm containing peaks and valleys. Spiritual highs and lows. And throughout the centuries God’s people have found solace in them in their time of need.

You and I are living in such a time. A time of great crisis and uncertainty. People are getting sick. People are dying. People are losing jobs. People are suffering in all sorts of ways. The immediate future looks bleak. It’s tough to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Tough to imagine what life looks like in a post-COVID world. That’s why I love the reading for today. I love reading these words over and over again…

“I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.” ‭‭(Psalm‬ ‭7:17‬)

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” ‭‭(Psalm‬ ‭27:1‬)

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” ‭‭(Psalm‬ ‭27:14‬)

“In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me!” (Psalm‬ ‭31:1-2‬)

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” ‭‭(Psalm‬ ‭34:17-19‬)

“I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.” ‭‭(Psalm‬ ‭52:8‬)

May these words bring comfort to you today. May they be your lifeline in the days to come when things get hard. May they give you strength when you feel overwhelmed or anxious or afraid. May they give you hope when all seems lost. God is with us. He loves us. He will never abandon us. May you find your refuge in Him!

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 56, 120, 140, 141, 142

The Shelter of the Most High

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 21-24, Psalms 91

What a beautiful Psalm! So on point for the crisis we find ourselves in. Written by a man who was no stranger to hardship and struggle. A man who suffered for years in the wilderness as he was unjustly pursued by his enemies. A man who knew pain. A man who knew poverty. A man who knew fear and anxiety. But a man who looked to God in faith for deliverance and rescue. David was truly a man after God’s own heart. He looked to God for His provision and protection. He refused to take matters into his own hands but constantly sought the Lord’s will for his life. Even as he fled from hideout to hideout. Taking refuge in caves and forests. In desert places and barren lands. He was seeking shelter in the shadow of the Most High, trusting God to keep his life every step of the way.

What about us? We are living in dark times. For the first time in history, the entire world has been shut down. The viral pandemic continues to spread and it hasn’t even penetrated some of the most vulnerable places. It is dangerous. It is infectious. It represents on some level a perfect storm. By now, most of us probably know someone who’s been infected. We may even know someone who’s succumbed to the disease. We all know healthcare professionals who are working long hours to fight the battle. We all know first responders who are engaged on the front lines. Some of us work in essential sectors of society like defense, childcare, grocery stores, and gasoline stations. Some of us have been furloughed or laid off as our businesses closed. The economy has taken a massive hit. And what started out for many as an “extended spring break” has now settled into the long, hard reality that life is not going back to normal anytime soon. Calls to mental health hotlines have dramatically increased. Social distancing has given way to social isolation as human beings - social creatures by nature - struggle to adapt to this new world. The stress and pressure has increased and we are not responding well. When they tried to close down liquor stores and pot dispensaries in my state, people almost rioted. These drugs are “essential” in helping us numb our pain. But the pain isn’t just personal. It’s societal as well. This crisis has exposed the cracks in our foundation as a nation. As the virus disproportionately impacts communities of color, historic injustices are exacerbated. As the virus disproportionately impacts the poor and most vulnerable, the gaps in income equality and our social safety nets are revealed. And perhaps most tragically, this viral pandemic has unmasked the corruption and narcissism of many of our political leaders on both sides of the aisle.

So where can we turn for hope? When all seems lost? When it seems like our resources are simply not enough to meet the challenge of this particular moment? When it seems our leadership is not trustworthy enough to depend on in this cultural moment? When it seems like so much information coming from the media these days is carefully filtered to support an already pre-determined narrative? We turn to God. We turn to the one constant in our lives. The One who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The One who never changes. The One who is always faithful. Listen to these words again, dear friends…

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge— no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. "Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation." ‭‭(Psalm‬ ‭91)

God alone is strong enough to lean on during this pandemic. God alone can be trusted to tell us the truth about what is really taking place. God alone has the power to deliver us from plague and sickness and even death. God alone can give us what we so desperately need. Eternal life. A life that transcends the brokenness and chaos and crisis of this world. A life that is safe and secure because it is sheltered by the Almighty Himself. Make God your dwelling place, friends! Make God your refuge! He will command His angels concerning you! Does this mean we will never suffer? Never experience pain? Never have to go through hardship? Of course not. God has never promised such things! What it means is that even in the midst of the fallenness of this ruined world, God is with us. He will never leave us or forsake us. And He is at work even now preparing a place for us in His eternal home.

Trusting God

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 17-20, Psalms 59

What does it mean to trust God? As Christians, we talk about it all the time. But then crisis hits. Pandemics rage. Conflict boils over. And our words are put to the test. Do we really trust God? Or are we simply paying lip service to an idea? David trusted God. In our reading today, we discover David was a strong young man. A man entrusted with protecting the wealth of his family. A man who spent his days and nights out in the fields. Through all kinds of weather. Suffering all kinds of hardship. Fighting off lions and bears and other wild animals. David is no novice to conflict. No fearful young boy. His confidence has been forged in the fires of hardship and struggle. 

Now he stands next to his brother as Goliath taunts the armies of Israel. David has as much right to be there as anyone. He may be a little younger but he’s just as qualified. There were no standing professional armies in those days so most of the warriors who had gathered to fight for Saul were much like him. Farmers. Sheepherders. Men of the fields. Men of the forge. Men who spent most of their lives in other professions. Goliath was an exception. He truly was a professional warrior. Someone who had trained for battle since his youth. A man of imposing size who the Philistines used to strike fear in their enemies. He challenges Israel. More importantly, he challenges the God of Israel..  

David trusts God. When asked why he can meet the Philistine with such confidence, David testifies of what the Lord has already done for him. “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." (1 Samuel‬ ‭17:37‬) David has faced incredible odds before. Fighting off lions and bears is no joke! It required courage to track those animals down and save his sheep. And it will require courage to go out and face this Philistine. David doesn’t blink. Not because he believes in himself but because of his deep and abiding faith in the God who has protected him and guided him thus far. So he grabs his sling and a few stones and off he goes. 

It’s one thing to say you trust God. It’s another to actually place yourself in a situation where that trust is put to the test. “Trusting God” for David meant defending his flocks against lions and bears. “Trusting God” for David meant going out to face the Philistine giant. “Trusting God” for David meant refusing to retaliate when Saul became jealous and sought to kill him. “Trusting God” for David meant continuing to serve Saul even though he was being treated unjustly. Over and over again, David trusts God with his life. His reputation. His relationships. His future. Remember, he’s already been anointed the next king! One would think he might try to grasp after what is rightfully his. Manipulate things in his favor. Use Saul’s mental instability to his own advantage. Imagine him standing on the field of battle, having just cut off Goliath’s head. Is there a better time to claim your throne? David does none of these things because David trusts God to work things out according to His will and His way and in His time.  

We are living in difficult times. And difficult times require a deeper level of trust in God because our own resources are not enough. How many parents are coming to the end of themselves as they both try to work from home and guide their kids through school? How many healthcare professionals and first responders are putting themselves at risk because they lack the PPE they need to safely fight this virus? How many people are shuttering their businesses or losing jobs as a result of the shutdown in place? What are you turning to for comfort in this hour? Alcohol? (I’ve stopped laughing at the jokes on social media about the amount of wine being consumed.) Drugs? (The number of mental health calls to crisis lines has gone up over 800% in some places and pot sales are through the roof.) Pornography or some other form of lurid entertainment? (Porn sites have reported double digit increases in traffic and hours are being spent on video games.) Friends, crisis exposes character. It magnifies the pre-existing cracks in our spiritual foundation. It elevates the spiritual emptiness that too many of us have lived with for far too long. It shatters our weak and superficial commitment to our faith. Only by turning to Christ, will we find the comfort we need in this desperate hour. Only by turning to Christ, will we find healing for the trauma we are experiencing as a people. Only by turning to Christ, will we find the strength and the courage to make it through. On this Good Friday of all days, may you turn in confidence to the One who loved you so much He gave His life for you.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 21-24, Psalms 91

Whole-hearted Devotion

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 13-16

"Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature...for the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." (1 Sam. ‭16:7‬) 

What does it mean to love God with a “whole” heart? To be fully devoted to Him? To make Him our first love? Does it mean outward perfection? King Saul literally stood head and shoulders above his countrymen.  (1 Sam. 10:23) Eliab, David’s older brother, clearly was an impressive physical specimen. (1 Sam. 16:6) Does it mean achievement or success? I am sure God could easily have lined up a hundred other men who had accomplished a heck of a lot more than David. Is it based on wealth or privilege? Or perhaps great moral character? What kind of heart does God treasure in a man or woman? The key is found in 1 Sam. 15:22-23..."Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.” Humility. Submission. Obedience. These are the qualities on which God places supreme value. Are we willing to listen? Willing to follow? Willing to surrender our plans in favor of God’s plan for our lives? Are we willing to trust God even when our circumstances seem bleak? Are we willing to obey even when it’s hard? 

King Saul was a half-hearted man. Though he was chosen by God and instructed by Samuel in the “rights and duties” of godly kingship, his heart was divided. At times, Saul was faithful and found great success. At other times, he was unfaithful and found only heartbreak.  In times of conflict, Saul seemed to trust in God and therefore win victory after victory. In times of preparation or peace, Saul seemed to forget God and trust in his own understanding. The unlawful sacrifice at Gilgal. A rash vow during the heat of battle. A refusal to devote the Amalekites to destruction. These events illustrate the half-hearted devotion Saul paid to Yahweh and it eventually cost him everything. The kingdom was literally ripped from his hands. The Spirit of the Lord departed from him. And he ended up tormented and paranoid. 

King David was a whole-hearted man. As we will see as we keep reading, David was a man after God’s own heart. This doesn’t make him perfect. His failures are massive and significant and costly. But through it all, David keeps seeking after God. David keeps humbling himself before God. David keeps returning to God in repentance. And God loves David. Honors David. Promises to give the throne to his descendents for generations.  

We are living in difficult times. Times like these test us. Refine us. Cause us to step back and take stock of our lives. So let’s engage in a little self-examination. How’s your heart? Are you half-hearted or whole-hearted in your love for Jesus? Do you find yourself longing for the gathering of the saints? Missing the opportunity to worship alongside your brothers and sisters in Christ? Is your heart drawn to prayer and Scripture during this season? Are you talking to God more or less? Are you spending more time with Him or less time? Do you find yourself searching for ways to serve? The lost and wandering? The least resourced and under privileged? Those who are most vulnerable to this pandemic? What’s the state of your emotions? Are you anxious and afraid? Are you weighed down by the burdens of this world? Do you find yourself struggling to get out of bed each morning? Jesus invites you to come to Him to find rest. Have you accepted His invitation? Jesus invites you to cast all your anxieties on Him because He cares for you. Are you willing to let go? Jesus promises to be with you always. In the midst of dark valleys. In the midst of all the pain and suffering of this life. He is near the broken-hearted and crushed in spirit, reaching out His hand. Are you reaching back? Friends, in this time of crisis, we’ve been forcibly reminded of how little control we have in this life. Our strength is not enough. Our wisdom has thus far failed. Our power and wealth afford us no protections. We can’t count on these things to save us. Instead we must turn to God. With our whole hearts. Trusting His grace to carry us through.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 17-20, Psalms 59

The Spirit of God

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 9-12

”Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. Now when these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you.” (1 Samuel 10:6-7)

The people of Israel found themselves in a time of crisis. Samuel, the faithful judge who had led them for so many years, was failing. His sons did not possess the character of their father. It would not be much longer and Israel would have no leader. No spiritual authority. No one to point them to God and protect them from their enemies. So they called for a king. Giving into their fears and anxiety, they asked Samuel to anoint someone to take his place. Someone who would reign and rule over them like the other nations. Someone who would guide and protect them. Someone they could look to in difficult times. Samuel is crestfallen, of course. He takes it as a rejection of his own leadership. God, however, reminds Samuel that it is not him they are rejecting but God Himself. Out of grace, God grants Israel’s request. He gives them a king named Saul. A man with great leadership potential. A charismatic leader who can rally Israel and deliver them from their enemies. However, what truly sets Saul apart is the Spirit of the Living God. After Saul meets Samuel and is anointed king, Samuel tells him to expect something miraculous to happen. Saul will actually be changed into a different man by the Holy Spirit. God Himself will rush upon Saul, giving him all he needs to be successful. All Saul has to do is walk in obedience and Israel will be saved.

God is still in the salvation business. God is still at work through His people in times of great crisis like the one we are currently facing. When we come to faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit rushes upon us and we are reborn. We are changed into different men and women. We are given new hearts. We are transformed from the inside out. God empowering and strengthening us for the work of ministry He’s called us to in this world. Unlike in the Old Testament where the Spirit of God would come and go on a person, in the New Testament the gift of the Spirit is permanent. God coming to take up actual residence in our hearts. God coming to dwell with us on a regular basis. God filling us eternally with His very presence. As such, we are given gifts and graces. The gifts are manifold. Wisdom. Knowledge. Understanding. Discernment. Boldness. Evangelistic zeal. Tongues. Prophecy. Miracles. The list is endless because God is endless. The graces are also manifold and perhaps even more important. They are the fruit of a life lived in humble submission to God. Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Gentleness. Faithfulness. Self-discipline. Taken together, these gifts and graces become the resources a believer draws on as she/he seeks to serve the world in Jesus’ name.

So far in our reading we’ve encountered some amazing spiritual leaders. Moses. Joshua. Judges like Deborah and Gideon. Samuel. All of them filled with God’s Spirit. All of them called to lead God’s people in times of great crisis. All of them given the gifts and graces necessary to do the work God has called them to do. It is tempting as we read the stories of these spiritual heroes and heroines to believe that could never be us. We’re too ordinary. Too weak. Too frail in our faith. It’s tempting to believe our calling is far more mundane. But nothing could be further from the truth! The same Spirit that empowered Moses to split a sea and Joshua to tear down walls and gave Deborah a song of victory to sing is the same Spirit that lives and dwells inside the heart of every true Christian! So in this time of great crisis…as so many live in fear and anxiety of contracting a deadly disease…as so many struggle with lost jobs and lost hopes and lost dreams…as so many feel the isolating effects of social distancing and depression…as so many wrestle with deep grief over those they’ve lost…we have an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ! To offer a comforting word or comforting shoulder in the name of Christ! To point people to the eternal hope they too can have if they place their trust in Christ!

Don’t worry about having all the answers! Don’t worry about getting everything right! Don’t worry about making mistakes! Trust the Spirit to lead you! Trust the Spirit to guide you! Simply “do what your hand finds to do for God is with you!”

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 13-16

Miracles vs. Magic

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 4-8

Today’s reading is critical for us to understand in light of our current cultural moment. Far too many Christians are treating their faith like magic. They are treating Jesus like some kind of magic talisman that will save them from the virus. Over the weekend, I saw interviews with Christians attending church in large numbers in Louisiana which is now one of the epicenters of the disease. When the reporters asked them why they felt safe attending worship, the answer was almost always some variation of “I’m covered in the blood of Jesus so I’m protected.” In addition, I’ve seen post after post on Twitter of scamvangelists claiming to “defeat” the coronavirus with a prayer or a declaration or some other weird act that makes no sense. (I even saw a guy pretend to “spit” on the virus! Smh.) I think God must be doing facepalms on His throne in heaven.

Consider this story from our reading for today. “And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies." So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. As soon as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded. And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, "What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?" And when they learned that the ark of the Lord had come to the camp, the Philistines were afraid, for they said, "A god has come into the camp." And they said, "Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness. Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been to you; be men and fight." So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭4:3-11‬)

The people of Israel were unwilling to confront their own sin. Unwilling to reflect on their own unfaithfulness. They were unwilling to confront the real reason for their defeat at the hands of the Philistines. Instead, they attempted to turn the ark of God into some kind of magical totem to strike terror into their enemies. They tried to use the ark of God for their own purposes. To further their own agenda. Hophni and Phinehas were corrupt priests. Ungodly leaders for Israel who disdained the worship of the Living God. They had no fear of the Lord so when they brought the ark into battle, they were utterly defeated. It was an empty shell without the Lord’s presence. It held no power of its own. God refuses to let His name be abused. He refuses to let His power be co-opted for human ends. He refuses to share His glory with another.

Every time we treat our faith like magic, it will fail. Every time we attribute some power to the “blood of Jesus” rather than Jesus Himself, we will be let down. Every time we try to make prayer an incantation of some kind or claim some sort of special power for our words simply because we say them in the “name of Jesus”, we are committing a grave sin. We are taking the Lord’s name in vain. We are declaring things in His name He has not declared. We are refusing to humble ourselves under His mighty hand. We are refusing to repent and fall on our faces before the Lord. We are trying to use God for our own ends. For our own purposes. To further our own plans. And God will not be mocked. He refuses to allow His name to be abused in such ways. He refuses to let His power be co-opted by religious charlatans. He refuses to share His glory with another. Including you. Including me.

So what should we do? Does this mean we shouldn’t pray for a cure? Ask God for a miracle? Cry out Hosanna…Save us, O Son of David? Of course not! God invites His people to pray for all these things and more! God delights when His people approach His throne of grace with confidence, trusting Him to work according to His divine purposes. God engages His people in their pain and suffering, bringing comfort as only he can bring. God draws near the broken-hearted and crushed in spirit. God is with us. God never leaves us or forsakes us. God promises He will protect us - whether in this world or the next. He has us in the palm of His hand. As long as we pray in faith. Faith that God is for us. God is with us. God knows what’s best for us. We can trust God to answer according to His will and ways which are always perfect. But always keep in mind this world is not our home. This life is not what God intends. God has something far better prepared for us in eternity and that is what He is working towards in each of our individual lives. So we must trust Him. Even if He withholds healing in this world, we know it’s because He has something better prepared for us in the world to come. Even if He doesn’t put an end to this plague on our timeline, we know it’s because He allows suffering for a season in order to draw all people to Himself. So keep praying for a miracle and resist the temptation to turn your faith into magic!

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 9-12

Revival

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 1-3

Today’s reading represents a transition point in salvation history. As we’ve already seen, things are really bad in Israel. The people do not honor God. They do not have leaders who honor God. They are simply going through the motions of worship. Saying all the right things. Making all the right sacrifices. But in their hearts, they reject God. The rebel against His Law. Their priests are a disaster, engaging in sexual immorality. Making a mockery of the sacrificial system. Abusing their spiritual authority. Eli and his sons are the last in the line of the judges. A corrupt time in Israel’s history that heartens back to the days of the Great Flood, the Tower of Babel, and slavery in Egypt. And it reminds me of our own time as well. I think of the “scamvangelists” I see on television promising all kinds of miracles and blessings to those who will send in money right now. I think of many preachers who abuse their spiritual power and authority to engage in all sorts of sexual abuse and immorality. I think of the pastors who are trying to leverage this moment for their fifteen minutes of fame while placing their congregations in real danger. It’s scary.

Thankfully, God never abandons us. At each point in salvation history when things seem darkest, God Himself brings forth a new light. A new leader. Godly leaders who would seek Him with all their hearts and be “blameless” (not perfect) in their generation. Noah. Abraham. Moses. Now it’s Samuel’s turn to take up the mantle of leadership and lead Israel back to Yahweh. Samuel is really a bridge from the time of the Judges to the time of the Kings. He will oversee a major transition in the life of Israel as they go from a bunch of tribes, each with their own identity, to one nation under a strong, centralized monarchy. It’s also striking to note Samuel’s age when he receives this call. Noah, Abraham, and Moses were all old men. Well beyond their prime. Samuel is a young boy. Not yet come into his own. The message here? God can use anyone at anytime to accomplish His purposes.  

“Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭3:1-3‬)

Several things stand out in this passage. The Word of the Lord was rare. There was no vision. Eli, the current judge and spiritual leader of Israel, was going blind. All of these are connected. Israel was so mired in sin that God had gone almost silent. Throughout the Bible we see this dynamic in play.  

• “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)

• “For My eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from Me, nor is their iniquity concealed from My eyes.” (Jeremiah 16:17)

• “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” ‭(Hebrews‬ ‭4:13‬)

God will not be mocked. When God’s people continue to turn to sin instead of turning to Him in faithfulness, He will withdraw His presence. He will withhold His Word. He will give “them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity...give them up to dishonorable passions...give them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.” (Romans 1:24, 26, 28) And that is exactly what had taken place in Israel and in Eli’s own family. Eli failed to discipline and restrain his sons. Hophni and Phineas are the very definition of corrupt religious leaders who manipulate the faith for their own benefit. And though things look okay on the outside - i.e. sacrifices are being made, prayers are being said, worship is taking place - the people of God are spiritually dying.

Thankfully, all hope is not lost! The lamp of God had not yet gone out! A young boy lies down in the temple of the Lord ready to receive His Word anew! Note the differences between Eli and Samuel. Eli is old. Infirm. Going blind. Samuel is young. Strong. His eyesight is clear. Eli is alone. Lying down in his own place. Samuel is also alone but makes his bed in the temple to be near the ark of God. Eli is associated in this passage with the rarity of God’s Word and a lack of vision. Samuel is associated with hope because light still flickered in the lamp of God.  

“The world has yet to see what God can do with a man (or woman) fully consecrated to him.” (Attributed to Dwight L. Moody) Spiritual revival always begins with one person fully devoting themselves to God. Samuel was set apart from conception to be such a man. His mother gave him to the Lord to be raised in the temple. He was open to hear God’s call when it came. As a result, revival did come to Israel. “And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭3:19-21‬) 

Where do you find yourself today? In the midst of our current crisis? In the midst of all the social isolation and quarantine? Are you like Eli, Hophi, and Phineas? Enslaved to your sinful desires? Pursuing a life apart from God? Is the Word of the Lord rare in your life? Let me strongly encourage you to go before the Lord in honest, even ruthless, self-examination. Ask God to show you the areas of your life that need to be surrendered. Or are you more like Samuel? Do you have a heart for God? Let me encourage you to dig deep into His Word. Dedicate daily time in prayer. Listen for God’s voice as it comes to you through His Word or through other believers or through your own personal prayer time. And when He speaks, may you answer with Samuel, “Speak Lord! Your servant is listening.”

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 4-8

Always Hope

Readings for today: Ruth 1-4

Years ago, I found myself white-water canoeing down the Snake River in Wyoming as part of a Boy Scout High Adventure experience. The weather was beautiful. The scenery was gorgeous. All the hard work of paddling and portaging our canoes was well-worth it. However, part way through the trip, my partner and I got distracted. We were goofing around like teenagers are wont to do and weren’t paying attention. Suddenly, our canoe came up against a logjam in the river and flipped over. My partner was able to scramble to shore but I went under. Now logjams are dangerous for all sorts of reasons. Mostly, you can get caught on the branches underneath and drown. I have no idea how long I was under but I remember feeling panicked beyond belief. Fighting, clawing my way to the surface only to be dragged back down. It felt like an eternity. And just when I reached the point of giving up that’s when I finally popped to the surface. I can still remember taking that first breath of fresh air. Filling my lungs with oxygen. Expelling all the carbon dioxide that had built up. It was glorious.

That’s how I feel when I finally get to Ruth each year. After almost drowning in the chaos and madness of the Book of Judges, I feel like the Bible brings us up for a breath of fresh air. It reminds us that even in the darkest of times there is always hope. Despite all of the rape and murder and violence of the time of the Judges, God was still at work. Behind the scenes. Under the radar. In ways we often cannot see. While the nations raged and the tribes fought and the world descended into darkness, God’s light shines through an ordinary woman meeting an ordinary man with the result being an extraordinary love story.

There’s actually no way the Book of Ruth makes any logical sense. Ruth is a foreigner. A Moabite. When her first husband dies, she should have done what her sister-in-law did and gone back to her family. Instead, she makes this incredibly courageous and faithful decision to remain with Naomi. To leave her family and community and culture and religion behind. In short, she’s leaving her former identity and adopting a new one. With no guarantees. No guarantee she will be accepted. No guarantee she will get married again. No guarantee that she won’t spend the rest of her life in abject poverty. For all she knows, when Naomi returns home, Ruth could be rejected and thrown out onto the street. Still she remains faithful. She follows her mother-in-law home.

And of course we know the rest of the story. In seeking to care for her mother-in-law and ward off starvation, she gleans fields, meaning she picks up the leftovers of the harvest. These are the scraps they will survive on. However, one day she happens to catch the eye of Boaz. The owner of the fields. A distant relative of Naomi’s who can serve as a “kinsman-redeemer.” Someone who can actually bring Ruth and Naomi into his household and provide for them. Boaz and Ruth meet. Sparks fly. Ruth makes the bold request - for a woman in those days - to essentially marry Boaz and he accepts. The result is a son named Obed who will become the grandfather of David.

Remember this whole episode started because a famine hit the land. That natural disaster set in motion a chain of events that led to Boaz and Ruth coming together as the next link in the line of King David which is really the line of King Jesus, our Messiah. And if this is how God worked in the past, can we not have confidence He is working even now? In the midst of our national crisis? In the midst of a pandemic that spans the globe? Is He not working in the ordinary lives of human beings just like you and me, bringing forth redemption? This is why Christians always cling to hope. Not because we have confidence in the plans of human beings, no matter how well-conceived and well-laid. It’s because we have confidence in God. And no matter how dark things may get, we trust God to be our light and lead us through.

Madness

Readings for today: Judges 19-21

Today we encounter some of the most difficult material in all of Scripture. We see Israel at her lowest point. She has forgotten Yahweh. She has become like all the pagan tribes around her. She is more focused on her own gratification than she is on serving and honoring the Lord. Her world is full of idols and sexual perversion and violence. Yes, she still goes through the motions. She still makes her sacrifices. She still prays. Fasts. Appears before the Lord at the appointed times. But it’s all empty at this point. Everyone is doing what seems right to them. They are all following their own ways. They are plumbing the depths of sin. They are pushing the boundaries of evil. Unspeakable atrocities are taking place in Israel such as the gang rape of a woman whose body is dismembered resulting in a genocidal war that basically annihilates an entire tribe. It’s madness.  

One of my favorite books is the Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. With penetrating insight, he describes the nature of man. Given the right conditions. Given the right set of circumstances. We will all succumb to temptation. In the book, Kurtz sets himself up as a god to be worshipped. He exploits those around him. He uses them for his own personal gratification and enjoyment. He is evil and selfish and insane. Towards the end of the story, he finds himself dying as he “returns” to civilization. His life flashes before his eyes. He reflects back on all he has done. And his final words are, “The horror! The horror!” 

Horror. It’s a good word to describe what we read today from the book of Judges. There simply is nothing redemptive in the story. Nothing good. Nothing godly. Man’s inhumanity to man is on full display. It’s dark. It’s evil. It’s terrifying. Sadly, we see some of the same dynamics in play in our world today. Even amidst a global pandemic, some of our political leaders can’t stop lying. Can’t stop attacking one another. Can’t stop trying to tear each other down in order to make themselves look good. It’s horrifying. But it’s not just them. It’s us as well. Twitter is still full of rage and anger and hate. Racism is alive and well as people target Asian-Americans simply because the virus happened to originate in China. Ignorant and foolish people are being charged with assault for purposefully spitting on others. Greedy, self-serving opportunists try to make a quick buck by purchasing needed supplies in bulk to sell off at a profit. Hoarders strip the shelves bare of necessities leaving the most vulnerable among us to fend for themselves. And we haven’t even begun to see the worst. The next three weeks promise to be among the most difficult we’ve ever faced as a nation. People will get sick. Loved ones will die. Jobs will be lost. Businesses will close. Fear and anxiety will only increase. And that’s just here in the United States. What about those nations where the crisis is just beginning? Nations who do not have the benefit of first world resources? A national healthcare system? Access to technology? Doctors? Medicine? I shudder think of what this virus might do to the slums of Addis Ababa and others like it. Horror, indeed.

If we’re totally honest, we know all of us are guilty on some level. I give into fear. I give into anxiety. As the stress builds, it can bring out the worst in me. Darkness that I’ve tried very hard to bury deep starts to emerge. As I read our passage today, I realize all of us are perpetrators. All of us are victims. We are the Levite. We are the concubine. We’ve sacrificed others and we’ve been sacrificed for the sake of self-protection and self-gratification. In the Bible’s judgment, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes." (Romans‬ ‭3:10-18‬)

Perhaps it’s providential that we read this section of Judges as we enter Holy Week. A period of time where we reflect on the Cross. On the death of God. The most horrific act in human history. We reflect on the price Jesus paid. The blood He shed. The penalty He bore. This week we will reflect on the suffering He endured. The pain He experienced. The heartbreak of betrayal. We will reflect on the depth of our sin. The depravity of our nature. The darkness of our hearts. We will reflect on the cost of our salvation. On what it took to redeem us from sin and death. To deliver us from all evil. And as we reflect we also remember our salvation! God plunging Himself into the horror of our condition! Plumbing the depth of our darkness! Immersing Himself in the breadth of our madness! And embracing us as His own! Today we declare there is hope for the Levite and his concubine! Today we declare there is hope for the Kurtz’s of our world! Today we declare there is hope for the fearful and afflicted and anxious and afraid! Today we declare there is hope even for us! And that hope is found in Jesus!

Readings for tomorrow: Ruth 1-4

Holy Despair

Readings for today: Judges 14-18

I grew up in church. Sunday school every weekend. Learning the Bible stories via flannel board. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Noah on his ark. Moses parting the Red Sea. Joshua and the battle of Jericho. One of my favorites was Samson. For a young boy, what’s not to like? Strength. Power. One man winning victory after victory culminating in a final heroic act of self-sacrifice where Samson literally brings the roof down on his enemies!  

As I got older, I began to learn about all the stuff my Sunday school teachers left out. (Rightfully, by the way, as I was too young to understand.) Adam and Eve’s rebellion and descent into sin. Noah and his family being saved but at incredible cost. Moses parting the Red Sea but often ending up in these violent clashes that would end in entire families being wiped out. Joshua devoting entire cities to destruction. And Samson. Morally compromised. Selfish. Immature. A man who seems to use his God-given gifts for his own gain and self-gratification. What are we to make of such unlikely heroes? Men and women who are subsequently enshrined in the great “Hall of Fame” of faith in the New Testament Book of Hebrews? 

First and foremost, we are to see them as they are...not as we wish they would be. They are men. They are women. As such, they are sinners just like us. People whom God chooses to use despite their shortcomings, failings, and immorality. This is one of the best arguments FOR the trustworthiness of Scripture. It paints an honest picture of God’s chosen people. Putting their weaknesses on display right alongside their strengths. Compare that to the sacred writings of other major world religions where heroes are whitewashed to perfection.  

Second, we are to look beyond them to the true source of their strength. The true source of their wisdom. The true source of their miracles and great victories. It is the Spirit of the Lord that rushes on Samson and gives him the ability to tear a lion apart. Kill a bunch of Philistines with the jawbone of an ass. Trap and tie torches to hundreds of foxes. Tear off a city gate. Bring an entire building down around him. This is not Samson’s doing. It has very little to do with the length of his hair. That’s superstitious nonsense! No, not cutting his hair was simply an outward sign of the Nazirite Vow his parents had taken on his behalf before he was even conceived. (Judges 13:2-5) Keeping the vow was a sign of his devotion and dedication to the Lord, the true source of his strength. When he treated his vow casually or flippantly by allowing his wife to nag him to death, his strength left him. Again, not because he cut his hair but because in so doing, he despised the Lord.

Finally, the entire book of Judges is meant to lead us to despair. Each judge over Israel seems less and less capable of leading well. They are increasingly morally compromised. Increasingly losing sight of the One True God. Increasingly abandoning the ways of the Lord and following their own paths. In fact, the city of Dan - a major city in the Northern Kingdom of Israel - will continue to be a city known for its idolatry. Jeroboam will put one of his golden calves here in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. So what begins with violence and idolatry by the tribe of Dan will continue until the day God sends the Assyrians to wipe out the northern kingdom altogether. 

Why drive us to such despair? To teach us yet again of our need for God. Over and over again, the same narrative is reinforced. Humanity is hopeless. From Adam and Eve to the Great Flood. From Noah to the Tower of Babel. From Abraham to slavery in Egypt. From Moses to the end of Judges. With each generation, man’s inhumanity to man only grows. Only increases. Only becomes more pervasive. And we would be lost except for God. He continues to pursue us. He continues to reach out to us. He continues to be faithful even in the face of our unfaithfulness. The climax of this story is, of course, something we celebrate this Holy Week. Jesus’ suffering. Jesus’ death on a cross. Jesus’ burial in a grave. Jesus’ resurrection. God’s ultimate and final victory over sin and death.  

Readings for tomorrow: Judges 19-21

Living Sacrifice

Readings for today: Judges 10-13

The other night I had a conversation with my kids about sacrifice. We talked about how the greatest sacrifice one can make in our culture is to lay one’s life down for someone else. This ethic, of course, comes from Jesus who Himself said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John‬ ‭15:13‬) Now, we tend to read this individually. We celebrate the individual hero who makes the sacrifice play. It is the basis of every great movie. The basis of every great story. I think of the narrative arc of the recent Avengers series in which a completely self-centered, self-absorbed person (Tony Stark) becomes the hero in the end who gives his life to save the world. It’s the same narrative that underlies the Matrix trilogy. The Lord of the Rings. Star Wars. You name it.

However, Jesus would have understood this differently. Jesus lived in an “honor/shame” society. As such, He didn’t think in individualistic terms. He thought more in terms of community. Nation. Covenant people. When Jesus talks about laying one’s life down for his friends, He’s talking about sacrificing for the sake of the whole. Preserving the honor - not just the life - of the community. Not only that but Jesus’ own sacrifice preserves the honor of God Himself who promised to lay down His life for the sake of His covenant with His people way back in Genesis 15! One simply cannot overstate how important honor would have been in first century culture. And as we rewind back through the centuries. Back to the time of the Judges. Back to the time when Jephthah led Israel, the “honor/shame” dynamic would have been even stronger. This is critically important context to know if we are to understand the story.

Here’s a second piece of context as well. When we travel to Ethiopia, we often head into the rural areas to visit village churches. As we walk along the dirt paths, we pass home after home. Most of them are mud huts surrounded by a little brush fence. In the evenings, we see children driving whatever livestock (donkeys, chickens, goats, etc.) the family owns into the enclosure. This keeps the animals safe and the house warm. It’s a common custom all over the Middle East even to this day. So when Jephthah made his rash vow, he fully expected the first thing to greet him when he returned home to be a goat or a sheep or some other animal. He most certainly did NOT expect it to be his daughter! So when she comes dancing out of the home with her tambourine, he tears his clothes. He instantly regrets the vow he made. But he feels trapped. After all, his honor is now on the line. The honor of his family. And in his own limited understanding, the honor of his God. His daughter understands this as well which is why she willingly lays down her life to preserve her family’s honor! She willingly gives her life to help her father save face! She willingly accepts her fate and believes her family’s reputation - and her God’s reputation - is worth her sacrifice.

It’s a story that baffles us on a lot of levels. How could Jephthah go through with it? How could he sacrifice his own flesh and blood? How could Jephthah’s daughter willingly lay down her life? And where is God in all of this? Is He pleased? The cultural distance between this world and our own is almost insurmountable. However, a key to understanding is provided from the letter Jephthah sends the king of the Ammonites in Judges 11:23-24, “So then the Lord, the God of Israel, dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel; and are you to take possession of them? Will you not possess what Chemosh your god gives you to possess? And all that the Lord our God has dispossessed before us, we will possess.” You see, everyone in the ancient near east believed in the gods. Dagon for the Philistines. Chemosh for the Amorites. Molech for the Ammonites. Every tribe had their own deity. And every deity demanded honor. Demanded worship. Demanded sacrifice. If you made the right sacrifices, you were rewarded with great wealth, military might, and political power. If you honored your god, he would, in turn, honor you. However, make the wrong sacrifices or bring dishonor to your god in some way and you would face judgment. Defeat. Plague. Famine. Drought. Death. Sadly, as Jephthah’s letter suggests, Israel had begun to buy into this way of thinking. They began to adopt the ways of the Canaanites - just as Yahweh said they would - and so Yahweh ceased, in their eyes, to be the One True God and became just another petty tribal deity. Thus, Jepthah’s tragic choice to sacrifice his daughter and her tragic choice to accept her fate.

The most important takeaway for me today is God’s silence. Nowhere does the Bible say God is pleased with Jephthah’s decision. And just because something appears in the Bible doesn’t make it good or godly or honoring. In fact, one of the things I love most about the Scriptures is its raw honesty about the character of the people God chooses to love. Gives me hope for myself! So how then should we respond to this text? What does it mean to give God…the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob…the God revealed fully and completely in Jesus Christ…the honor He deserves and demands? Does it require human sacrifice? Not in the way Jephthah believed. Instead, it requires us to become “living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, this is our spiritual act of worship.” (Romans 12:1) We honor God with the lives we lead. We honor God with the words we say. We honor God by how we treat others. Particularly those who are lost or struggling or lonely or afraid. In this particular cultural moment, we bring honor to God by the loving our neighbor. Remaining indoors. Submitting to the governing authorities. Praying for God to make Himself known in the midst of our national and international pain and suffering.

Readings for tomorrow: Judges 14-17

Humility

Readings for today: Judges 6-9

One of my favorite books is by Andrew Murray. It’s a classic titled Humility. A short little read with insights packed into every page. Here is how he defines humility. “Humility is nothing but the disappearance of self in the vision that God is all...The highest glory of the creature is in being only a vessel, to receive and enjoy and show forth the glory of God. It can do this only as it is willing to be nothing in itself, that God may be all. Water always fills first the lowest places. The lower, the emptier a man lies before God, the speedier and the fuller will be the inflow of the diving glory.”

I think we can all agree humility is a virtue sorely lacking in our world today. Even in the face of a life-threatening pandemic, too many of us still cling to our pride, arrogance, entitlement, and self-indulgence. I think of the young kids ignoring the danger to party on the beaches of Florida during spring break. I think of the politicians who simply cannot help themselves and use this crisis to score political points against the opposition. I think of the blame game the media engages in as it attempts to stoke our fears and outrage. I think of the pastors who still gather their churches in defiance of the best advice our public health officials have to offer. It’s heartbreaking. It’s sinful. It’s the spirit of self-righteousness that God hates so much. And none of us are immune. Sure, we know how to say the right things. “God is first in my life!” “I love God the most!” “God is my all in all!” We sing songs that declare these truths. We sit through sermons where these truths are proclaimed. We tell these things to our Christian friends. But one look at our schedule. One look at our bank account. A glance at our Twitter feed, Instagram, or Facebook account. A moment of honest self-reflection. All these conspire to reveal what we really believe. We are our own gods. 

Gideon was different. Not perfect. Not blameless in his generation. Not powerful and mighty among men. No, what marked him was his humility. The angel of the Lord found him treading out grain in a winepress. Providing for his family at great risk to himself. When the Lord called him to become the next judge over Israel, Gideon echoes Moses at the burning bush. “Who am I that you would send me?” So unsure of himself, he puts God to the test by laying out a fleece not once but twice! God honors his humble heart. Gideon was humble enough to place his faith and trust into action. He tears down the altar of Baal. He sends home his entire army before battle. And then, when confronted at the beginning of Judges 8 by the Ephraimites who wanted to claim the glory, he humbled himself before them and honored them. It’s a stunning display. Finally, when it is all said and done, the people want to make him king. He refuses the crown. He refuses to take God’s rightful place in their lives. In the words of Murray, Gideon understood “the highest glory of the creature is in being only a vessel, to receive and enjoy and show forth the glory of God.” 

What about us? What does humility look like in our own lives? Surely, it is more than words. It is life lived intentionally under the sovereign authority of God. A life lost in the vision that God is all. A life lived before God, submitted to God, surrendered to God. What does such a life look like in the 21st century in the midst of a global pandemic? It is a life of worship. Daily. Weekly. It is a life of Sabbath rest as we shelter in place. It is a life of prayer. It is a life of reflection on the Scriptures. It’s a life spent serving those we love. Our families. Our friends. Our neighbors. Ultimately, it’s a life of service to the Kingdom. It’s a life of devotion to our Lord. It’s a life that intentionally directs all its resources - time, talent, treasure - towards God. It is a life that engages the world while remaining set apart. A life of risk where safety and comfort are sacrificed for the sake of the gospel. 

Readings for tomorrow: Judges 10-13

Testing

Readings for today: Judges 2-5

The Bible talks a lot about how God uses the circumstances of our lives to test the veracity of our faith. Do we believe God is who He says He is? Not just in the good times but in the bad as well? Do we praise God only when times are calm or are we able to praise Him in the storm? Do we consider it all joy - as James 1 says - when we face trials of various kinds? Do we understand in those moments that God is up to something in our lives? Can we see how He uses all things - even worldwide pandemics - for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose? Do we trust God enough to let the testing of our faith produce in us a steadfastness that actually leads to a deeper, fully, richer, more complete faith?

The beginning of the Book of Judges makes it clear that Israel has failed. She has not followed through. She has not driven out the nations who occupied the Promised Land. This will become a massive problem for her in the years ahead but God is faithful. He will use even their disobedience for His sovereign purposes. Yes, their presence will become a thorn in Israel’s side. Yes, their gods will seek to ensnare Israel along the way. But rather than break faith with Israel. Rather than abandon the covenant He had made. God turns what they meant for evil for their good. He uses the pagan nations of the earth to test His people. Refine them. Strengthen them. Bring them to repentance. “These nations were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.” ‭‭(Judges‬ ‭3:4‬)

I do not believe God created COVID-19. I do not believe God sent COVID-19 to punish our country for our sins any more than He’s sent it to any other country to punish them for their sins. There is plenty of sin to go around. The world is full of disobedience. In what will become a common refrain in the Book of Judges, “everyone does what is right in their own eyes.” However, I do believe God is sovereign. I do believe God is omnipotent. I do believe God is omniscient. I do believe God is using this cultural moment as means of drawing the world back to Himself. The more we repent. The more we cry out to God. The more we reach out for Him in the midst of our grief and suffering and pain, the more He will make Himself known to us. After all, He promises He is with the “broken-hearted and those crushed in spirit.” (Psalms 34:18)

So the question for us today is this…will we allow God to use this testing to shape us more into the image of Christ? Or will we stubbornly cling to our self-sufficient ways? Will we trust God to use even our pain for His purposes? Or will we accuse God of falling down on the job? Will we believe God when He says He is with us always even to the end of the age and that our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will one day be revealed in us? Or will we cling to the things of this world with all our might? Will we have faith to walk with open hands before the Lord? Or will we clench our fists in fear and frustration?

Readings for tomorrow: Judges 6-9

Love and Obedience

Readings for today: Joshua 23-24, Judges 1

“Be very careful, therefore, to love the Lord your God.” ‭‭(Joshua‬ ‭23:11‬)

These are among the final words Joshua spoke to the people of Israel. Love the Lord your God. With all your heart. All your mind. All your strength. All your soul. Love the Lord your God in all you say and do. Love the Lord your God in your worship. Love the Lord your God in your life. Love the Lord your God in your relationships. Love the Lord your God in your home. In your neighborhood. At your work. Love the Lord your God.

We get so confused about love. We think it has to do with a feeling. An emotion. A physical, hormonal response to another human being. We falsely equate love with physical attraction. We falsely equate love to the complex interactions of neurochemicals in our brains. This is why people fall “in” and “out” of love. It’s how people justify cheating on their spouses or getting a divorce and breaking up their family. It’s why people see no problem with having multiple sexual partners over the course of their lives or perhaps even at the same time.

The Bible defines love differently. Love is a choice. It’s a conscious decision we make to live in covenant faithfulness with God and with each other. It’s not dependent on emotions. It’s transcends our feelings. It’s a commitment that overrides our hormones. This love is not selfish but selfless. It takes as its highest good the needs of the other. It considers others more important than oneself. It takes commitment seriously. Even eternally. It is modeled after and flows from the love God has for us. God’s love never fails. God’s love is not capricious. It is steadfast. Loyal. True. God’s commitment to His people never ends. God’s faithfulness to His people knows no bounds. He is with them forever and as such, He has every right to expect the same kind of commitment from us.

What does such commitment look like? Obedience. Keeping God’s commandments. Just as God kept every word of His promise to us so we should endeavor to keep every word of our promise to Him. Listen to how Joshua puts it, “Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left…” (Joshua‬ ‭23:6‬) Or as Jesus will later put it, “"If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John‬ ‭14:15‬) Keeping God’s commands is not optional for the Christian. It is part and parcel of our love for God. One cannot say we love God and ignore what He says. One cannot claim to love God and do the opposite of His commands. One’s love for God is intrinsically wrapped up in one’s obedience.

Now does this mean we will obey perfectly? Of course not. Nor can we love perfectly. There is only one perfect love and that is the love of God made incarnate in Jesus Christ. In Christ, perfect love and perfect obedience meet. In Christ, perfect love finds perfect form in a perfect life lived on our behalf. Loving Christ means placing our faith in His finished work or complete obedience even unto death on a cross for our sins. It means trusting His love to be sufficient in our weakness. His faith to be sufficient in the face of our fears. His grace to be sufficient for our doubts. His mercy to be sufficient for our failings. Loving Christ means surrendering to Him over and over again. Each and every day. For as long as we are given breath on this earth.

Witness

Readings for today: Joshua 19-22

“The people of Reuben and the people of Gad called the altar Witness, "For," they said, "it is a witness between us that the Lord is God." (Josh. ‭22:34‬) 

What does it mean to be a witness? And what are we “witnessing” to? For the tribes of Israel, the altar by the Jordan was built to remind them they were all part of one large family. Deeply connected by their common kinship with Abraham but also their covenant with God Himself. The tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh were concerned that future generations might forget this connection and start to see the Jordan River as the boundary between God’s people and the rest of the world. They didn’t want to be left out so before they crossed the Jordan to take possession of their inheritance, they built a monument of “imposing size.” Not for burnt offerings. Not for sacrifices. But a witness to all of Israel that they were one people under Yahweh. Every time an Israelite would pass by the monument, it would “witness” to their shared history and deep connection. 

In the Book of Acts, Jesus calls us “His witnesses.” We are witnesses in our neighborhoods, cities, nations, and to the very ends of the earth. In this way, we are living memorials to all God has done. We are living monuments to a shared history. A common heritage. The deep connection we share as God’s chosen people. We “witness” to the glory and goodness of God. We “witness” to the unity we share as the family of God. Anytime someone “passes us by” or interacts with us on any level, they should leave having “witnessed” the mercy and grace of God and having felt the deep love we have for one another.

Ultimately, the Bible itself is the pre-eminent witness. I love what Joshua 21:45 says, “Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.” The only reason we know this statement is true is because we have an accurate record of what took place. This is why we read the Old Testament. Within its pages, God “witnesses” to us over and over again of His great faithfulness and love. Even in the face of our sin. Even in the face of our rebellion. Even in the face of our evil. Even in the face of all our brokenness, God pursues us. God relentlessly chases us. God never lets us go.

Now, more than ever, the world needs a witness. The world needs the church to stand forth as a witness to God’s continued grace and mercy and miraculous strength. The world needs a witness from the church that is humble and servant-hearted. The world needs to experience the witness of the church as kind and generous. Perhaps most of all, the world needs to see the courage and boldness of the church in this time of fear and anxiety. They need to see a group of people over whom fear has no hold for their confidence is in the perfect love of God revealed in Jesus Christ. Friends, in times like these throughout history the church has shined like stars in the nighttime sky. My prayer for you. My prayer for us. My prayer for PEPC. My prayer for all the churches I have the privilege of partnering with in our community, in our denomination, and around the world is that we would be witnesses of “imposing size” during this challenging time not for our sake but for the glory of God!

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 23-34, Judges 1

Has God’s Promise Failed?

Readings for today: Joshua 15-18

Today’s reading highlights a very important reality as we read Scripture. God’s promises are always sure. Always true. Always good. God’s great desire for His people is that they would dwell securely in the land He had promised them. At the same time, God’s people are not perfect. They are not faithful. They are not whole-hearted in their devotion. Their strength fails. Their resolve weakens. Their obedience is not complete. The result is an incomplete conquest. A delay in the fulfillment of God’s promise. Does this mean God has failed? Absolutely not! It means God has remained true to Himself. True to His plan and purpose for the world. True to the creature He first made in His image.

In the beginning, God gave human beings dominion over all He had made. We were created to work the “garden” that is this world. We were created to cultivate and help it flourish. We were entrusted with this responsibility. We were given agency so we might freely choose to serve God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. We were given a will that was free which means our choices are real and result in real-life consequences. So when human beings in China withhold information on a growing epidemic in their own country, it breaks out into a worldwide pandemic that is difficult to stop. When human beings in America live beyond their means in unsustainable ways, it disproportionately impacts the global poor. When human beings in Africa funnel money intended for development into their personal coffers, it destroys families and lives for generations.

Israel was entrusted with the Promised Land. Each tribe allotted a specific portion by lot. They were to conquer that territory and drive out the pagan inhabitants. But Israel failed in her mission. They were unsuccessful in their attempts to fully subdue the land. They allowed certain Canaanite tribes to co-exist. And even though they forced them to do hard labor, they were setting the stage for future uprisings and conflict. From this point forward, Israel would struggle to remain faithful to Yahweh. Struggle to resist the temptation to worship other gods. Struggle to maintain their control over the land. Struggle to rest in the promise of God. Again, this is not because God somehow failed! Not at all! It is Israel who failed to remain faithful thus setting the stage for generations to come.

You and I are no different. Created in God’s image. Given dominion over all God has entrusted into our hands. Our time. Our talent. Our treasure. Our influence. How are we stewarding all God has given us? How are we laying hold of the promise of God for today? How are we walking in obedience even in the midst of our current cultural crisis? The choices we make in this cultural moment carry real consequences for good or for ill. The agency we exercise is real as is the responsibility we bear for ourselves, our families, our neighbors, and the human race as a whole. What tone are we setting for future generations? What legacy are we leaving to our children and grandchildren? When they look back at this moment in history, what will they say? Will they see Christians responding with faith over fear? Peace amidst all the anxiety? Grace in the face of all the outrage and judgment? Sacrificial love in a world full of selfishness and greed? You and I will be held personally and corporately responsible for how we respond in this moment. May we respond like Christ!

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 19-22

Perspective

Readings for today: Joshua 11-14

It’s about this time every year in my Bible reading that I start to get weary. Worn down by all the bloodshed and violence. Worn down by all the God-sanctioned religious warfare. Worn down by the thoughts of men, women, and children dying in these cities as Israel conquers the Promised Land. I am worn down by a world I do not understand. Worn down by the brutality of it all. Worn down trying to understand how God is driving it all. I come to the end of my finite mind. I come the end of my understanding. I come to the end of my ability to reason my way through. And I just sit with the horror of it all. Overwhelmed.  

I had dinner a few years ago with some friends. One of them does a lot of work in Rwanda with the mountain gorillas. He and his family have been engaged over there for decades helping with the research. He was there during the genocide. He saw the bodies piled up in the streets. Stacks upon stacks. It was horrifying. He can never get the images out of his head. If there’s anything history has taught us, it is that man’s inhumanity to man knows no bounds. The Killing Fields in Cambodia. The purges in Maoist China and Stalinist Russia. The Holocaust. And those are just the 20th century examples! The Mongolian conquest. The Crusades. The African slave trade. British occupation of India. Rome’s brutal conquest of the Germanic tribes. For as long as human beings have walked this earth, there has been war. There has been violence. There has been suffering. In fact, some historians calculate that in the history of the human race, we’ve experienced four years of peace. FOUR! Can you imagine?  

When human beings engage in such violence, they tend to pull on a common thread. God. God has ordained this war. God has sanctioned this violence. God is on our side. God commands us to fight these battles and destroy these enemies. But is this really true? I readily admit I have to struggle through the histories of the Old Testament more so than I do even Leviticus. I can make some sense of the law code but I cannot rationalize the death and destruction. So what’s a faithful, Bible-believing Christian to do?   

Three things help get me through this part of the reading every single year...

1. Joshua 5:13-15. At the beginning of the conquest, before the fall of Jericho, the commander of the Lord’s Armies appears to Joshua. Joshua falls on his face before him and asks him if He is for Israel or for their adversaries. It’s a great question. It’s a common question. Essentially, he’s asking the angel, “Are you for us or against us?” Are you on our side or their side? Are you team Israel or team Canaanite? I love the angel’s response. “No, I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” Basically, the only “side” I’m on is my own! I am no tribal deity. I am not like the other gods. I reign and rule according to my own sovereign purposes and plan. 

2. My finite mind. My understanding of the world is shaped by time, culture, space, nation, etc. I am not an “objective” observer of history. There is no such thing. I have built in biases and assumptions that I bring to the table when I read the Word of God that act as “filters.” These filters can be helpful or harmful depending on the text and will shape how I “receive” the Word of God in any situation. 

3. Ancient Near East writings. The Biblical authors were not “objective” either. They were believers. They were fervent and devoted to their faith. They believed they were on God’s side and justified in their actions. They also wrote in typical ancient near east style which involved lots of hyperbole. It was a common rhetorical device in their day. In fact, we know from the Biblical text itself that the Israelites did NOT actually kill everything that breathed because at the end of Joshua God will warn them against making any alliances with the people who are left. Most likely, the Israelites “devoted to destruction” all the males of a particular city along with their buildings and religious icons. Furthermore, the numbers reported are almost certainly estimations, perhaps even exaggerations, more than an actual body count and were meant to communicate the overwhelming nature of their victories. So we cannot get lost in the details. What’s important and true is that God’s people conquered the Promised Land in fulfillment of God’s ancient promise to Abraham and that their battles against the tribes they drove out were an act of divine judgment for the horrific idolatries those tribes practiced which often included child sacrifice.

4. Humility. I need to read with humility because I do not know all the answers. Nor will I ever. There is much that is lost in translation due to my inability to see and understand things from an ancient near east context. Having said that, my questions and fears and doubts are real but I may not find satisfaction this side of heaven. That’s okay. If there is a God who rules and reigns over the universe and if this God is good then I can ultimately trust Him. I can trust He sees things I cannot and He is orchestrating things to His own ends which ultimately are just and holy and righteous.  

There is one more thing I always try to keep in mind. My own sinfulness. The evil I carry in my own heart. Like the Apostle Paul, I do things I know I should not do. I don’t do things I know I should do. Every day is full of sins of “commission” and sins of “omission” that negatively impact the lives of those I love and the lives of those I am around. The evil in the world is not just “out there” but inside of me as well. So I read with the understanding that but for the grace of God, I too deserve the ban. I too deserve the Herem.   I too deserve death and destruction. And that moves my heart to praise and thanksgiving for what God has done in Jesus Christ.  

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 15-18

In God We Trust

Readings for today: Joshua 7-10

“At that time Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the people of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, "an altar of uncut stones, upon which no man has wielded an iron tool." And they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord and sacrificed peace offerings. And there, in the presence of the people of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written. And all Israel, sojourner as well as native born, with their elders and officers and their judges, stood on opposite sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, half of them in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded at the first, to bless the people of Israel. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the sojourners who lived among them.” ‭‭(Joshua‬ ‭8:30-35‬)

Times of national crisis often lead to times of national repentance. Periods in history where the people of a nation come to the end of their own strength. The end of their own resources. The end of our their own abilities. And come face to face with God. It involves a recognition that unless the Lord is with them, their efforts will be in vain. Unless the Lord fights for them, their chances of victory are nil. Israel has experienced this truth over and over again. They have watched much larger and stronger tribes fall before the power of God. They have just seen the walls of one of the strongest cities in southern Israel fall with a shout. They realize they do not have the power to conquer the Promised Land. The people are too great. Their power too much. They feel like grasshoppers in the face of giants. (Numbers 13:33) But they also believe the Lord is with them. They believe the Lord has made them a promise. They will conquer and occupy this land. God will be faithful to the covenant He first made with Abraham to give him the Promised Land. So here they now stand. They’ve crossed the Jordan. They’ve won their first few battles. The generation who left Egypt and heard God’s voice at Sinai and wandered in the wilderness has fallen. A new generation rises. And before they begin the hard work of carving out a new nation, Joshua brings them face to face with Lord once again. To renew the covenant.

We are living in a time of national crisis. The hopes of an early end to the viral pandemic have faded and we are now facing really hard choices. The wave of infections is increasing exponentially, threatening to overwhelm our healthcare system. Our economy is tanking as more and more indefinite shelter-in-place orders are given. Businesses are failing. Jobs are being lost. People are getting sick. Some are dying. It’s a no-win scenario. There literally is no way for us to meet this crisis in our own strength. We are rapidly running out of resources. We are rapidly running out of time. We are in a battle against an unseen enemy that strikes fear in all our hearts. So how will we respond? Will we respond like Israel and seek the Lord? Will we stop worrying about whose political side wins and instead get on the Lord’s side? Will we trust in His promise to be with us? To give us the wisdom we need to fight this deadly disease? Most importantly, will we wake up and realize this world is not our home? America is not the Promised Land? This life is not all there is! In fact, God has promised us an eternal life with Him in a home He’s created with His own hands in preparation for His people.

Friends, here me clearly, I am not trying to diminish the very real sufferings of this life. The struggles of this world are real. Disease. Plague. Famine. Drought. Joblessness. Homelessness. Hardship of every kind. These are realities we are now coming face to face with each and every day. Sickness. Death. Despair. Depression. Hopelessness. These are signs we are coming to the end of ourselves. These are signs the harsh reality of this life is setting in. And such national grief and mourning hopefully leads us to repentance. Puts us on our knees before the Lord. Brings us to a place where we renew our cries to Him. One day this will be all over. The virus will pass. People will recover. The economy will come back. But there will be a significant cots. One that will be felt for years to come. My prayer is that in the midst of all our fear and anxiety, we will capture this moment to humble ourselves before the Lord as a people. As a community. As a state. As a nation. May the words of our national motto, “In God We Trust”, be more true now than ever!

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 11-14

Beauty from Ashes

Readings for today: Joshua 3-6

“And Joshua said to them, "Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, 'What do those stones mean to you?' then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever." (Josh. ‭4:5-7‬)

When you think back on your life, where have you seen God at work? Where have you seen His finger touch down? Where have you witnessed Him working a miracle on your behalf? How do you remember such things? How do you mark such occasions? Some nations build monuments. Consecrate hallowed ground. Celebrate an annual holiday. Israel built altars. They would take uncut stones and stack them together to remind themselves of God’s great faithfulness. As we get deeper into the Old Testament, it will soon feel like the landscape just gets dotted with these altars. It’s like you can’t travel anywhere in Israel without stumbling over an altar they’ve made! Altars were significant. Especially in an oral culture where many of the stories were not being written down as they happened but instead told from father to son, mother to daughter. Passing by an altar was an opportunity for the family to pause and remember and re-tell the tale of God’s great love and miraculous deliverance for His people. These altars formed something like a “scrapbook” or “Instagram” account for ancient Israel. A place they could go to be reminded of their most precious memories of God and His deliverance.

I wonder what “altars” we will build when this pandemic passes? Will we name the vaccination after the scientists who discover it? Will there be a wall with all the names of the healthcare workers who gave their lives carved in stone? Will there be special days or special seasons where we will step back to mark the time for future generations? And what about the young people living through this cultural moment? Will this be their version of the “Great Depression” or “World War 2?” Will it have that kind of profound effect on them and shape how they live their lives?

What about the church? How will she respond? Will this finally break us of our dependence on buildings and programs? Will we finally lay hold of the biblical pattern to carry out discipleship in every home? Will we stop investing so much in ourselves and instead seek to give all we have away for the sake of the world?

This feels like a paradigm-shifting moment for us all. As the days turn into weeks and the weeks turn into months, I don’t see us every going back to the way things were. Instead, I believe God is calling us to chart a new future. One where life truly is centered around community. Where relationships become the highest value and time the most precious currency. I believe God using this cultural moment to slow us down. To enforce a Sabbath rest. Please note, I did not say God created this virus or caused this plague to happen. COVID-19 is simply the product of a fallen world. I simply believe God’s promise from Romans 8 to use all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. That includes hardship and suffering and pain and yes, even death. For death is not the end to God but merely a new beginning. So let’s all commit to letting the old life die with all of its built in stress and anxiety and exhaustion and let’s look to God as He brings beauty from the ashes.

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 7-10

Waiting for Spring

Readings for today: Joshua 1-2, Psalms 105

March 19th marked the first day of spring. It was a surreal day in a lot of ways. Here in Colorado, snow was falling. Almost blizzard like conditions. Meanwhile, orders went out in New York and California requiring residents to “shelter in place” as the nations battles the coronavirus. The fight got personal for me as I got news that people I love in different parts of the world had contracted the disease. So what is normally a day of hope. A day of joy. A day to celebrate because winter has passed and new life is emerging fell flat for me. It feels like I’m caught in a bit of a time warp. Like I’m experiencing the same day over and over again. Like nature hit the “snooze” button and we’re in for a few more weeks of winter this year.

Winter is not all bad, of course. Despite appearances, winter is not a “dead time.” It is simply a time where life goes dormant for a while. Trees that may look dead on the outside are churning on the inside as life gets ready to burst forth again. I think the same is true for us. As we self-quarantine and socially distance, there is a churning inside. A growing hunger for connection. A growing desire for face to face relationship. And I imagine once the immediate danger of the virus passes, new life will burst forth more glorious than ever before!

So how can we best use the time we’ve been given? How can we prepare for that great and glorious day when the quarantine is lifted and restrictions are loosed and we are set free? I love what Joshua 1:8 says, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” The reality is we’ve all been given a kind of Sabbath. A rest from our normal activity. Like it or not, we’ve been forced off the hamster wheels on which we were running and now have plenty of time slow down. We have plenty of time to spend with those we love and this includes God. God is waiting for us in this time to turn to Him. To meditate on His Word. To talk to Him in prayer. To share all the fears and anxieties of this season with Him. This situation didn’t catch God by surprise. As “novel” as this virus may be to us, it is not new to God. God is still sovereign. God still reigns from His throne. God is at work even now through the creatures He made in His image to bring an end to this deadly strain.

How can we be sure of such things? Listen to Psalms 105. Look at what God has done! Remember His mighty acts! Remember His saving ways! God is deliverer. God is rescuer. God is savior. God will never leave or forsake His people. God will never distance Himself from our pain. God has a “Promised Land” ready for all those who call on His name. This is the truth of the gospel, friends! And it forms the foundation of our hope in these fearful and uncertain times.

You know, I imagine Joshua felt much the same way we do today. As he stared across the Jordan River into the Promised Land, he knew there were no guarantees. He knew the future would be hard. He knew the people of Israel simply didn’t have the strength or the fortitude to make it on their own. Their only hope was God. Their only path to victory was with God. Their only way forward was to trust God. So he pointed them to their history. Drew on the experiences of their forefathers and mothers. Encouraged them with the testimonies of God’s goodness from their past. And this gave them the courage to face the challenges of their day. As you consider the current challenges we face in our time, what brings you hope? What testimonies do you lean on during these difficult times? How are you turning to God’s Word to find courage and strength as we wait for spring?