The Prayer of Jabez

Readings for today: 1 Chronicles 3-5

Almost twenty years ago, a best-selling book was published on the prayer offered by a rather obscure Old Testament figure named Jabez. He shows up in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 but no specific mention is made of how he fits into the family tree of Judah. He is described as a man of honor who was birthed in pain by his mother and who prayed a prayer God answered. That’s it. Two verses total. Not much to go on. Not much to draw any conclusions from and yet the book written about him became an instant best-seller, selling millions of copies, launching an entire cottage industry.

Why the popularity? I think it has to do with the fact that Jabez’ prayer fits the prevailing self-centered, “health and wealth” theology of so many Americans, Christian or not. “Jabez was a better man than his brothers, a man of honor. His mother had named him Jabez (Oh, the pain!), saying, “A painful birth! I bore him in great pain!” Jabez prayed to the God of Israel: “Bless me, O bless me! Give me land, large tracts of land. And provide your personal protection—don’t let evil hurt me.” God gave him what he asked.” (1 Chronicles‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭MSG‬‬) Fundamentally, we believe we are worthy of God’s blessing. Fundamentally, we believe we have earned the right to have our territory expanded. Fundamentally, we believe we should never experience evil or pain or suffering. Fundamentally, we believe life is about us and our comfort and the prayer of Jabez only reinforces this idea.

I was in seminary when the book came out and I remember church after church teaching on it. All kinds of miracles were attributed to this prayer. Entire congregations would commit to praying this prayer for thirty, sixty, or ninety days and then report back on the ways God answered their prayers. Preachers, even from evangelical and mainline church contexts, would preach entire sermon series on this prayer and encourage people to memorize it and pray it daily. It seemed utterly crazy to me. After all, this was a verse ripped completely out of it’s Old Testament context. It comes from a figure in the Old Testament we know almost nothing about. If we’re going to memorize one prayer from the Bible and pray it fervently and daily, shouldn’t it be the Lord’s Prayer?

This highlights a danger for us as we read through the Scriptures. The Bible is not a magic book. It is not a book full of mantras that we can pray to get what we want. The Bible is not a self-help book meant to teach us how to have a better life. The Bible has one primary purpose and that is to reveal the character and nature of God. It tells the story of God’s mission to reach His people with the gospel. As one rabbi famously put it, “The Bible is not the story of humanity’s search for God but God’s search for humanity.” God is on a rescue mission to deliver us from the powers of sin and death and evil. His goals are far greater than material blessings or expanding our territory or giving us more influence in this world. He wants to save a people for Himself. He is growing His family through the conversion of women and men. He is building His Kingdom here on earth through His church made up of Jews and Gentiles together. This is His plan and this is what should be the focus of our prayers.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 6, Psalms 36, 39, 77, 78

Spiritual Renewal

Readings for today: Psalms 49, 84, 85, 87

If you are like me, you long for the spiritual renewal of our country. The spiritual renewal of every single person in our country. You long for that spiritual renewal to spill beyond the borders into the nations around us. You long for the United States to live up to the calling to be a “city on a hill” and a “light to the world.” At the same time, if you are like me, while you celebrate the many ways we have succeeded in this venture over the centuries, you are also deeply aware of how far we have fallen short. You know the many ways we have failed throughout our history and you grieve over the challenges we are facing even now as a country. This is why I love these words from the Psalmist so much…

“I can’t wait to hear what he’ll say. God’s about to pronounce his people well, The holy people he loves so much, so they’ll never again live like fools. See how close his salvation is to those who fear him? Our country is home base for Glory! Love and Truth meet in the street, Right Living and Whole Living embrace and kiss! Truth sprouts green from the ground, Right Living pours down from the skies! Oh yes! God gives Goodness and Beauty; our land responds with Bounty and Blessing. Right Living strides out before him, and clears a path for his passage.” (Psalms‬ ‭85‬:‭8‬-‭13‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

You see, the nation of Israel faced some of the same challenges we face today. In fact, every nation throughout history has faced similar challenges. What begins with a glorious vision soon fades as the pressures of this world begin to force their way in on us. It doesn’t seem to matter whether one is talking about a Christian vision or not. Human society simply has this innate tendency to move from order to chaos. From unity to disunity. From passion to distraction. Israel started out so well under the leadership of David and Solomon though both had their issues but soon declined under a series of kings and rulers who sought their own well-being over that of the people and that of the Lord. However, all was not lost as revival did break out when certain kings returned to the Lord and sought Him with their whole hearts, minds, and strength. When that happened, the land was given rest from war. Blessings flowed. The people rejoiced. Righteousness and justice were restored. Love and truth reigned.

No matter how dark things get, friends, there is always hope. Jesus is the light of the world whom the darkness cannot overcome. If we seek His face and walk in His love and cling to His truth, we will find blessing and joy. If we fight for righteousness and advocate for justice and walk in His ways, we will find goodness and beauty. This is how God designed human life to respond and it is what we were truly made for so do not grow weary in your labor for the Lord! Know He fighting for you and with you to bring salvation to all who would call on His name and renewal to any nation that would humble itself before Him.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 3-5

Family Systems

Readings for today: 1 Chronicles 1-2, Psalms 43-44

The genogram is a tool that has become very popular in recent years. Invented by American psychiatrist Murray Bowen in the 1970’s, it is designed to illuminate hereditary family patterns that are passed down to each generation. Those patterns can be positive or negative but they are often extremely helpful for individuals who want to grow in their self-understanding as to why they think and feel and react the way they do. Families are emotional systems in which each individual plays a particular role. The more one understands the role they are called to play and why they are called to play it, the more they can help the system move towards greater health and wholeness. The less one understands about the role they play, the more apt they are to perpetuate it.

One can only imagine what might be revealed if we did a genogram of the first two chapters of 1 Chronicles! If you’ve been tracking with us through the Bible in a Year this year, you know the stories. They’re not always pretty. It’s one of the things I appreciate most about the Bible. It never seeks to white-wash any of the Old Testament saints. Their sinful tendencies are put on full display for all to see. Deception. Abuse. Violence. Suffering. Pain. Abandonment. Polygamy. Incest. It’s all right there in the family tree. And yet God remains faithful. He chooses this particular people, despite their deep brokenness, to be His very own. They will bear the weight of His glory. They will be entrusted with His Word. They will inherit the promises. They will be His covenant partners as He seeks to make Himself known to the world.

The same holds true for us today. I love how the Apostle Paul describes it in 2 Corinthians 4:7, “For we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” We are all jars of clay. Cracked and chipped in many places by the things we’ve experienced in this world. Into our hearts, God has deposited the treasure of the gospel and His desire is to make Himself known in us and through us despite our deep brokenness. It is through the cracks of our lives that God’s light shines. It is in the mess of our lives that God meets us. He is not afraid to call His own. He is not afraid to adopt us as His sons and daughters. He is not afraid to make us covenant partners in the great work He is doing to reach the world with His message of grace, hope, and love.

All of us are products of the family system that produced us. All of us are shaped - good, bad, and otherwise - by the interactions we have with the generations who’ve gone before us and the ones who come after us. All of us have a role to play in our family system and the more we allow Christ to transform us in that role, the more we can leverage it to help our family system become a greater reflection of the gospel.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 49, 84, 85, 87

Personal God

Readings for today: Psalms 6, 9, 10, 14, 16, 21

One of the great dangers of studying theology is that God often becomes less of a Person and more of a philosophical construct. Take, for example, the theological idea that God is “impassible.” The doctrine of impassibility states that God is without “feelings or emotions” and that it’s impossible for Him to suffer. This is an idea based more in Greek philosophy than Biblical theology as God refers to Himself throughout the Scriptures as having emotions. In fact, one of His most enduring traits is His compassion which literally means “to suffer with.” If the Bible is God’s supreme and unique and authoritative revelation of Himself then one cannot help but conclude that God is “passible” and capable of feelings, emotions, and yes, even suffering.

At the same time, we know God is the “same yesterday, today, and forever” and that there is no “shadow or turning with Him.” He is immovable and unchanging so His emotions do not “force” Him into actions He has not already freely embraced. Suffering is not something enacted upon God from the outside. He is not at the mercy of anything in this world. He is not a victim nor is He helpless. He is not driven by His feelings. He is not overcome by His emotions. They do not enact a change in His being. He remains perfect in every way and He has freely chosen to be a personal God. A God engaged in intimate relationship with human beings. A God who loves and draws near the broken-hearted and crushed in spirit and shares in their pain. A God who binds Himself in everlasting covenant to His people.

This is why the Psalmist is so confident and so honest when he prays to God. He knows God personally. He knows God intimately. He knows God sees his broken condition. He knows God hears his cries. He knows God answers his prayers. This is why he thanks God in advance for all the wonderful things He has done and will do. He knows God is a refuge for those who are in trouble. A stronghold for those who are weak. A sanctuary for those in desperate need. He knows God opposes the proud and lifts up the humble. He knows God judges the unrighteous and fights against the wicked. He knows God acts within human history to save His people. Deliver them out of trouble. He knows God is his strength which is why he sings a new song.

The Psalms keep us from falling into the heresy of deism. The heresy of keeping God at a distance. The heresy of treating Him like an abstract idea. God has revealed Himself fully in the Person of Jesus Christ. He left heaven and came to earth to introduce Himself to us. He wanted us to see Him face to face. Hear His voice. Feel His touch. God refused to remain distant. He refused to keep Himself apart. He refused to let any walls or barriers stand in the way of a relationship with us. Re-read the Psalms for today and let them lead you to a deeper understanding of the relationship you have with God through Jesus Christ.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 1-2, Psalms 43-44

Raw Material

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 1-4

Human beings are the raw material God has to work with to bring about His will. Perhaps nothing illustrates that truth more than today’s reading. Political intrigue. Civil war. Assassinations. Israel was in chaos as different parties jockeyed for influence and power. An Amalekite lies about killing Saul in order to curry favor with David and ends up being executed. Abner tries to preserve Saul’s legacy by marshaling Israel on Ish-Bosheth’s behalf only to split with his master over a perceived offense. Joab and his brothers have it out for Abner, perhaps seeing him as a potential rival for position and power in the new kingdom. The sons of Rimmon take matters into their own hands to bring about the end of the civil war and gain favor with David only to suffer the same result as the Amalekite who killed Saul. It’s a brutally honest account of the politics of the day and the only silver lining is that God is using even this sinful raw material to fashion His will for His people.

The same is true today. Our politics aren’t much different. Human beings haven’t made much progress. The intrigue and jockeying for power and influence and position continues. The civil war between Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and progressives is as brutal and hateful as it has ever been. Thankfully, mass violence has yet to break out in our country but we certainly see it in different parts of the world. Last evening, I was supposed to board a plane for Ethiopia. We were heading to the northern region to a city called Dessie to train church planters but violent protests broke out as one particular tribe pushes back against the decisions of the national government. Two aid workers were killed. All US State Department personnel were evacuated from the area as fears of a resumption of hostilities in the area grows. Our only hope is that the same God who was at work in ancient Israel bringing about His will through the sinful choices of human beings is still at work in our world today.

I love the line from Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭28‬ ‭ESV‬‬) All things. The good. The bad. The ugliness of life. God uses it all according to His sovereign power and wisdom to bring about His will for you, for me, for the world in which we live. No matter what circumstances you find yourself in. No matter what choices you made that brought you to this place. No matter what forces you find arrayed against you. No matter what lies in your control or outside your control. Trust that God is taking the raw material of your life to make you more and more into the image of His Son and prepare you to spend eternity with Him.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 6, 9, 10, 14, 16, 21

True Confidence

Readings for today: Psalms 121, 123-125, 128-130

Perhaps it’s because I’m preparing to kick off a new series on Sunday on the “Spirit-filled” life but I loved reading these Psalms today. I love the confidence the Psalmist expresses in God. I love that the Psalmist looks to God for his strength and help and hope in time of need. I love that the Psalmist trusts God to answer his prayers and come to his side no matter how dark the circumstances. I find myself reciting his words over and over again.

“I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.” (Psalms‬ ‭121‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

“I look to you, heaven-dwelling God, look up to you for help. Like servants, alert to their master’s commands, like a maiden attending her lady, We’re watching and waiting, holding our breath, awaiting your word of mercy. ” (Psalms‬ ‭123‬:‭1‬-‭3 ‭MSG‬‬)

“God’s strong name is our help, the same God who made heaven and earth.” (Psalms‬ ‭124‬:‭8‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

“Those who trust in God are like Zion Mountain: Nothing can move it, a rock-solid mountain you can always depend on. Mountains encircle Jerusalem, and God encircles his people— always has and always will.” (Psalms‬ ‭125‬:‭1‬‬-2 ‭MSG‬‬)

“All you who fear God, how blessed you are! how happily you walk on his smooth straight road! You worked hard and deserve all you’ve got coming. Enjoy the blessing! Soak in the goodness!” (Psalms‬ ‭128‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

“O Israel, wait and watch for God— with God’s arrival comes love, with God’s arrival comes generous redemption. No doubt about it—he’ll redeem Israel, buy back Israel from captivity to sin.” (Psalms‬ ‭130‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

When the Risen Christ ascended bodily into heaven, He left us a precious gift. The gift of the Holy Spirit. And with that gift comes divine power and authority. Power to overcome any adversity the evil one might bring your way. Authority to command even the demons to flee. It is the power to advance His Kingdom here on earth. The power to preach the gospel to all who do not yet believe. The power to be His witnesses - literally, his “martyrs” - in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

What does this mean for us? It means He has given us power to serve as His ambassadors wherever we find ourselves today. At work. At home. In our neighborhoods or schools. On vacation or enjoying retirement. Wherever you are, God has put you there. Wherever you are going, God has sent you there. He has given you His power and authority to accomplish all the work He has for you in that place. Believe this as the Psalmist did! Look to Him as the Psalmist did! Lift your eyes above your circumstances! Above your struggles! Above your challenges! Above your heartaches and heartbreaks! Trust in His grace, love, and power!

Readings for tomorrow: None

Importance of Waiting on God

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 28-31, 1 Chronicles 10

Why do we wait on God? Why is it important to wait for God to move? God to speak? God to act? What does the fruit of a life look like when one waits on God? Today, we see it played out in stark terms. On the one hand, Saul refuses to wait on God and loses his life as a result. On the other hand, David does wait on God and is given a great victory. What a contrast!

Listen again to their stories. “Saul prayed to God, but God didn’t answer—neither by dream nor by sign nor by prophet. So Saul ordered his officials, “Find me someone who can call up spirits so I may go and seek counsel from those spirits.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭28‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭MSG)‬‬ This isn’t the first time Saul has gotten impatient. In fact, impatience seems to be the theme of his life. He will only wait for God so long. He will only wait for God while it’s convenient. He will only wait for God as long as he gets the answer he’s looking for. This is why the kingdom has been torn from his grasp. He didn’t wait for God but made an unlawful sacrifice. He didn’t obey God when He gave him the victory over his enemies. Over and over again, Saul compromises and now it will cost him his life, the life of his sons, and lives of many of those who followed him. “The Philistines made war on Israel. The men of Israel were in full retreat from the Philistines, falling left and right, wounded on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines caught up with Saul and his sons. They killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua, Saul’s sons. The battle was hot and heavy around Saul. The archers got his range and wounded him badly. Saul said to his weapon bearer, “Draw your sword and put me out of my misery, lest these pagan pigs come and make a game out of killing me.” But his weapon bearer wouldn’t do it. He was terrified. So Saul took the sword himself and fell on it. When the weapon bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. So Saul, his three sons, and his weapon bearer—the men closest to him—died together that day.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭31‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

David, on the other hand, patiently waited on God. He trusted God for His provision and protection. Believed God would prove faithful no matter what. Think of the challenge David faces in our reading today. His city has been raided and destroyed. His family and the families of those he loves have been captured and perhaps killed. He could have given into fear and the infighting among his own men. David’s life hangs on the edge here and still he waits on God. “David and his men burst out in loud wails—wept and wept until they were exhausted with weeping. David’s two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail widow of Nabal of Carmel, had been taken prisoner along with the rest. And suddenly David was in even worse trouble. There was talk among the men, bitter over the loss of their families, of stoning him. David strengthened himself with trust in his God. He ordered Abiathar the priest, son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the Ephod so I can consult God.” Abiathar brought it to David. Then David prayed to God, “Shall I go after these raiders? Can I catch them?” The answer came, “Go after them! Yes, you’ll catch them! Yes, you’ll make the rescue!” (1 Samuel‬ ‭30‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭MSG‬‬) What a powerful testimony! What a faithful witness! Is it any wonder David’s men were so inspired by his leadership? So willing to follow him and lay their lives down for him? They knew David’s heart. They could see David’s faith. They trusted David because he trusted God.

This is the key to godly leadership. The key to godly living. Wait on God. Wait for Him to speak. Wait for Him to act. Wait for Him to show you the way. Resist the temptation to take matters into your own hands. Resist the temptation to place conditions on God. Resist the temptation to try to force God’s hand or make Him work according to your timeline. Don’t limit God! Instead, open your heart and your mind and your hands to the wonders He will do in you and through you. After all, He has promised to do far more than you can ever ask or imagine!

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 121, 123-125, 128-130

God our Helper

Readings for today: Psalms 35, 54, 63, 18

One of the more disappointing moments in my seminary career came during a preaching class. We were practicing delivering children’s sermons and during the course of my presentation I made the statement that I believed God protects His children. The professor stopped the class. She asked me if I truly believed what I had just said. I told her I did. She asked how in the world I could believe that or make such a statement in a world where there is so much pain and suffering. Where children are abused and bullied. Where children are diagnosed with terminal diseases like cancer. Where children often die tragically. She asked me what I thought would happen if I told a child, “God would protect them” and then something bad happened. What would happen to that little child’s faith? I have to admit I didn’t have much to say. The whole conversation caught me completely off guard.

I have been in ministry now for over twenty years. I have walked with families through all kinds of pain and suffering. I have seen death up close. I have witnessed tragedy. I have experienced it myself. I am not blind to the reality of abuse. I am not blind to the reality of hardship. I am not blind to the struggles so many face. Nor was David when he penned these words in the Psalms, “Oh, look! God’s right here helping! God’s on my side, Evil is looping back on my enemies. Don’t let up! Finish them off! I’m ready now to worship, so ready. I thank you, God—you’re so good. You got me out of every scrape, and I saw my enemies get it.” (Psalms‬ ‭54‬:‭4‬-‭7‬ ‭MSG‬‬) David knew pain intimately. Suffering was a constant companion. Death visited him regularly. This was the world he lived in and yet he still looked to God for help. Still looked to God for protection and strength. Somehow, someway David was able to see beyond the horizons of this life to the life to come. He knew God intimately. He knew God could be trusted. He knew God was good. He knew God loved His people. And so He trusted God for His vindication even if it didn’t happen in this life. Now it’s important to note that David knew nothing of resurrection. Heaven and the afterlife were not categories he would have thought in. But there was an instinct deep within his heart that drew him to God and caused him to trust in His great faithfulness. 

Unfortunately, the horizons of our world have shrunk to the point where they only include the boundaries of this life. Even Christians have lost sight of eternity. So focused are we on what happens to us in this life, we lose sight of the bigger picture and greater glory God is working to reveal in us. We lose perspective. We want more from this world than it can actually give. We expect more from this world than it can actually deliver. And because our expectations go unmet. Because our desires go largely unrequited. Because our hopes and dreams fail. We get disappointed. Disillusioned. And we blame God. O that we would learn from David! Rather than blame God, we would look to Him for strength. Rather than rage at God, we would see Him as our helper. Rather than accuse God of not being fair, not being just, not being true to His Word; we would look beyond our circumstances, beyond our feelings, and see the eternity God is preparing for us in His Kingdom. 

Psalm 18 is one of my favorites. I love the imagery of smoke and thunder and hail and God literally “bending the heavens” to come to our rescue. When things were at their worst, God was at His best. When David teetered on the brink of death and destruction, God was there to pull Him back. And yet, we didn’t read any of this in 1 Samuel, did we? I don’t remember earthquakes and fire and God showing up in His chariot. What I remember is David faithfully placing His trust in God. What I remember is David literally making God His refuge. What I remember is David in prayer. David seeking God’s face. David worshipping God even in the midst of His struggle. And because David did these things, his eyes pierced the veil of this world and God gave him a glimpse of what actually happened when he escaped from Saul. 

In the midst of your struggles, do you seek God? When life is at its most difficult, do you lean ever deeper on Christ? The disciplines of prayer, reading Scripture, and corporate worship become lifelines as we seek God’s face. Daily submission to the will of God as revealed in His Word is essential for the believer who makes God her/his help. Daily discernment between good and evil, truth and error, is essential for the believer who makes God her/his refuge. Daily self-denial and taking up our cross is essential for the believer who seeks to follow Jesus.  

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 28-31, 1 Chronicles 10

Seeking After God

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 25-27, Psalms 17, 73

The hardest thing I have ever set my mind and heart to is seeking after God. Even as a Christian. Even as a pastor. I get so easily distracted. My fears and anxieties sometimes get the best of me. My selfish and greedy desires sometimes push me off course. Even my desire to serve God can get in the way of me seeking after God. That is why it’s so critically important for me to spend time with God every day and invite the Holy Spirit to search my heart. Check my motives. Reorient my desires. Restrain my passions. Refine my thoughts and attitudes. Judge my words and actions.

I love how David describes this process in one of the Psalms we read today…“Go ahead, examine me from inside out, surprise me in the middle of the night— You’ll find I’m just what I say I am. My words don’t run loose. I’m not trying to get my way in the world’s way. I’m trying to get your way, your Word’s way. I’m staying on your trail; I’m putting one foot in front of the other. I’m not giving up.” (Psalms‬ ‭17‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭MSG‬‬) Perhaps it’s because I’m getting older or my bladder’s getting smaller but I often find myself awake in the middle of the night. I used to get frustrated by it but I’ve learned over the years to turn that time to prayer. I seek the Lord in the quietness of my home when everyone else is asleep. There’s no one clamoring for my attention. No texts or emails to return. No phone calls to make. No demands on my time. It’s just me and my Lord and that seems to be when I hear Him best. In silence and solitude. In the peace and quiet. In the stillness when the noise of my life is at it’s lowest ebb.

I think of how much pressure David faced in his life when he was on the run. I think of the stress he must have felt as he did his best to care for those who followed him and their families. I think of the fears he must have fought along the way. The temptations he faced to take matters into his own hands. How many sleepless nights did he face? And still he sought God. He took it day by day. He put one foot in front of the other. He never gave up. That sounds about right. That’s how I’ve experienced prayer over the years.

The most important thing to remember in prayer is that it is less about getting an answer and more about spending time in the presence of the One who loves you most. It’s less about getting what you want in the time that you want it and more about cultivating a deep trust in God. It’s less about the content of our prayers - though God wants to hear everything that has us concerned - and more about the consistency of coming before Him with open hands and an open heart.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 35, 54, 63, 18

Take Refuge in God

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

It’s a powerful thing to read the Psalms within the context of the person’s life who wrote them. David is not in a good place. He is running for his life. He is living in the wilderness. He has gathered a pretty motley crew of people around him. He can never rest. He is never safe. He is never fully secure. Anxiety and fear are constant companions. This is not his fault. It’s not something he brought on himself. He is not facing the consequences of his choices. No, it’s the opposite. He is being unfairly treated. Falsely accused of crimes he did not commit. All David has ever done is try to serve his king faithfully and well. He has fought for Saul. Bled for Saul. Won victory after victory for Saul. When Saul was troubled, it was David who played the harp to calm his soul. All that for what? Betrayal? And now he’s being hunted like an animal.  

But how does David respond? Does he play the victim? No. He turns to God. “Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me; my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?...This I know, that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Psalms‬ ‭56:1-4, 9-11‬) This is what I love about David. He honestly acknowledges his fears. He doesn’t try to pretend like his life is going well. He’s being trampled. He’s being oppressed. He’s being attacked by his enemies. However, rather than respond in kind. Rather than give into his fear. Rather than play the victim and rail against the betrayal and injustice of it all, David places his trust in God. He praises God. He keeps his eyes fixed on God. What happens as a result? David is filled with incredible confidence. What can man do to me? Take my life? Take my future? Take my possessions? Big deal. I trust in God. I place my faith in God. I know God is for me so who can stand against me? 

We live in a world where it is common to play the victim. We seem to be unable to handle disappointment. We avoid responsibility. We blame-shift. We get wounded. We are hurt. We feel betrayed. And we believe this gives us license to end relationships. Avoid hard conversations. Escape the Biblical call for forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration. Someone lets us down? We cut them off. We get confronted at work? We find another job. Someone holds us accountable? We stop talking to them. A friend hurts our feelings? We move on. Such behaviors are rampant both in our society and in the church. Study after study has been done on the lack of “resiliency” in our culture. We seem to be unable to handle suffering. Pain. Heartbreak. Disappointment. We seem to be ill-equipped to have hard, honest conversations. We seem to be too scared to face our own internal demons so we project them onto those around us. Especially those we are closest to. So marriages fail. Families break apart. Friendships end. All we are doing is perpetuating a cycle of brokenness.

Would that we would follow David’s example! In the face of all the hardship and suffering and injustice and pain and disappointment and betrayal...David looked to God. He took refuge in God. He cried out to God. He asked God to search his own heart so that he may not sin. Most of all, he praised God for he recognized that it is often in the “wilderness” when we are “on the run” from our enemies that God does His best work in us. Shaping. Forming. Forging our character. Making us into the people He created and called us to be.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 25-27, Psalms 17, 73

Learning to Pray

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

The Psalms are the prayer book of the Bible. 150 prayers written by God’s people. Written in times of celebration to commemorate great victories and triumphs. Written in times of grief to chronicle despair and exile and defeat. Written for use in worship like the Psalms of Ascent. Written for very specific occasions like when David sinned with Bathsheba. They are authentic and raw and real because they reflect real people bringing their deepest longings and questions and heartaches before God.

In today’s selection, David is on the run. He is being pursued by his own people. Betrayed by his own king. Unjustly accused. He has lost his position. His home. His family. One would think such circumstances would lead to bitterness and despair. Anger and frustration. Fear and uncertainty. These are honest feelings and David doesn’t shy away from acknowledging them. “”O Lord my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it into pieces, with none to deliver. (Ps. 7:1-2) “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also. For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.” (Psalms‬ ‭31:9-10) One can hear in his words the anguish and heartbreak. He is afraid. He doesn’t know what the future holds. There are no guarantees he will escape. So he brings these feelings authentically before the Lord. He humbles himself before his God. He knows the Lord sees his afflictions. 

At the same time, David prays in faith for his very real needs. He prays for God’s protection. “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!” (Psalms‬ ‭31:1-2‬)

He prays for God’s guidance and wisdom. “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.” (Psalms‬ ‭27:4-5‬)

He prays for God’s comfort and provision. “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.” (Psalms‬ ‭34:17-19‬)

Most of all, David lifts his eyes above his current circumstances to praise God for who He is! God is worthy of praise even when we find ourselves in the middle of the most difficult times of our lives. “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!” (Psalms‬ ‭34:1-3‬)

One of the greatest lies the enemy tries to tell us is that our needs don’t matter to God. They are too small. Too insignificant to demand His attention. The enemy tries to convince us that we are a burden to our Heavenly Father and praying authentically somehow makes us unholy or unworthy. The Psalms teach us otherwise. They are raw. They are real. They are emotional. They are bold. The Psalmist - in this case King David - enjoys such intimate fellowship with God that he can literally tell God anything. And that is what God desires from everyone of His children.  

So what is your prayer life like? Is it real? Is it authentic? Or are there things you are afraid to share with your Heavenly Father? Areas of your life you try to hide? Do you fear coming into His presence? Afraid of what He might do? What He might say? What He might think? Do you trust God’s gracious character? His unconditional love? Do you believe His mercies are new every morning? Do you believe God is generous towards you? Having an inexhaustible supply of time and attention? Do you know nothing is insignificant to God? Not one need. Not one desire. Do you bring your requests humbly before Him, trusting He knows best what you need? I’d encourage you to use the Psalms as a model, a guide, for your prayers. Let the Psalmist lead you to a deeper understanding of your relationship with God.  

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

Waiting on God

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

Imagine having everything you ever wanted within your grasp? Position. Power. Peace. You have the opportunity with a single stroke to bring it about. Imagine spending your life defending yourself against injustice. On the run for crimes you did not commit. Falsely accused by your enemy. And now you have the chance to end it. All you have to do is take matters into your own hands. A sudden strike in the darkness and you could lay hold of all God had promised. 

The temptation to bring about the will of God in our own way and own time is very real. David faced it in the cave when Saul came in to relieve himself. Jesus faced it in the wilderness when the enemy offered him all the kingdoms of the world without the cross. You and I face it everyday as well in big and small ways. Yes, we know the will of God for our lives. We know His Word. We know His Truth. We know His Law. We know what He desires for us. But we get impatient. We get frustrated. We get anxious. We get afraid. And in our fear, we take matters into our own hands. 

I remember vividly sitting down at a coffee shop one morning in Sun Prairie, WI. Kristi and I had been seeking God’s will for many months. God had led us to resign from a difficult and painful ministry position. He had led us to a great church family who welcomed us in to help us heal. He had provided a sixty day severance package that we lived on while we waited for Him to reveal what was next. Through a mutual friend, God had connected us to a church in Parker, CO that was just beginning their search for a new senior pastor. But these things take time and I was growing anxious. I was afraid. The church in Parker was literally my only job prospect. I had no other options. How would I feed my family if it fell through? How would I pay the rent? Was my career in ministry over? Was it time to go do something else? All these thoughts ran through my head as the weeks passed and the wheels of the search process slowly turned. I was getting about two to three hours of sleep a night. I would pace the hours away praying and crying out to God. 

One Saturday evening, I made up my mind. Enough was enough. I needed to expand my search. I needed to look at other ministry positions. I needed more options. So I told Kristi I would start looking the next morning. She and I went to bed. She tossed and turned all night, suffering from the sudden onset of a migraine. I did my normal pacing routine. We were both deeply unsettled. Eventually, morning dawned. I showered. Got dressed. Headed over to the coffee shop, laptop in hand to begin my day. I ordered my regular cup of black coffee. Sat down at my favorite table. Opened up the browser on my computer. Just as I went to type, I heard the word “NO” in my mind. It was clear. It was loud. It was startling. I looked around. Shook my head. Went to type. Again came the word...”NO!” This time I jumped a little. I looked around again. No one else was in the shop. Just me and the barista who was in the back. So I tried a third time to type. “NO!” I sat back. I looked out the window. I knew it was the Lord. Calling me to trust. Calling me to be patient. Calling me to wait on Him to reveal His will rather than make my own plans. I called Kristi. Told her what had happened. Told her God wasn’t allowing me to apply to any other positions and that we just needed to wait for Him to reveal what would happen with the church in Parker. Immediately she felt the pain from her migraine lift and relief flood her body. It was frankly one of the most incredible moments in our lives. 

In today’s reading, we run across these beautiful verses from Psalm 91…“If you’ll hold on to Me for dear life,” says God, “I’ll get you out of any trouble. I’ll give you the best of care if you’ll only get to know and trust Me. Call Me and I’ll answer, be at your side in bad times; I’ll rescue you, then throw you a party. I’ll give you a long life, give you a long drink of salvation!” (Psalms‬ ‭91‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭MSG‬‬) Friends, God can be trusted. God is always faithful. He will not let you go nor let you down. At the same time, we have to remember God’s ways are not our ways. All of us would have counseled David to take Saul’s life in the cave that day. Put an end to the running. Put an end to the civil war. Kill your enemy and take your rightful place on the throne of Israel. All of us would have counseled Jesus to avoid the cross. To accept the deal the devil was offering. Accomplish all the Father has sent You to do without the suffering and pain. We all compromise. We all rationalize. We all have our excuses for why we don’t follow the will of God. Why we don’t walk in His ways. Why we don’t wait on His timing. The reality is we are always looking out for number one. We are always looking out for our own interests first before we look to the interests of others, even the interests of God! But David was a man after God’s own heart. He refused to take matters into his own hands. He refused to lift his hand against the Lord’s anointed even though Saul was an evil and corrupt king. He trusted all God had promised would be fulfilled in God’s time and in God’s way. Just like Jesus did in the wilderness. Just like Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane. Just like Jesus did on the cross.

Readings for tomorrow: None

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

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

Everyone loves the story of David and Goliath. David is the ultimate underdog going up against an overwhelming opponent. David represents the powerless overthrowing the powerful. The oppressed rising up against their oppressor. The weak and vulnerable finding the courage to fight back against the strong and tyrannical. He represents anyone who’s ever felt marginalized, ostracized, persecuted or put down. And that’s why we love it so much. It’s also why we use it to describe upsets in sports or elections or even the clash of nation states in global diplomacy.

Of course, as is so often the case, we miss the main point of the story. The story is not about David. It’s not about “slaying our giants.” It’s not about overcoming obstacles or adversity. It’s about God intervening to make His name known and bring glory to Himself. Listen to how David describes it again, “You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel’s troops, whom you curse and mock. This very day God is handing you over to me. I’m about to kill you, cut off your head, and serve up your body and the bodies of your Philistine buddies to the crows and coyotes. The whole earth will know that there’s an extraordinary God in Israel. And everyone gathered here will learn that God doesn’t save by means of sword or spear. The battle belongs to God—he’s handing you to us on a platter!” (1 Samuel‬ ‭17‬:‭45‬-‭47‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

The battle belongs to the Lord. God is handing you over to me. I fight you in the name of the Lord of hosts. David clearly understands this fight has nothing to do with him. He’s just the instrument God will use to bring about a victory. David doesn’t need Saul’s armor. Doesn’t need a sword or shield. He fights using the same tools of the trade that preserved him in the wilderness as he watched over his father’s flocks. A shepherd’s staff. A sling. Some stones. David’s confidence is not in his accuracy. Not in his agility. Not in his strength. David has complete confidence in God as he goes out to fight his enemy. And he is confident God will bring about the victory so the whole earth will know there’s an extraordinary God in Israel.

Fast forward several hundred years. David’s descendent fights a battle in a garden called Gethsemane. His fight is not against flesh and blood. It’s against an enemy far more powerful and malevolent than a ten foot giant. Jesus is contending with the devil himself. Battling through prayer and anxiety as He begins His journey towards Golgotha. Like his forefather, David, Jesus doesn’t place His trust in Himself but in His Heavenly Father. He knows His sacrifice is necessary to save the world from the tyranny of sin and death. He knows His victory will bring glory to His Father and the whole world will marvel at the great thing God has done in sending His only begotten Son. Today is Good Friday and this is what we celebrate. The victory of God Himself over the principalities and powers of this dark world.

Friends, God is still fighting on our behalf. Though the victory has been won and the decisive blow has been struck, the enemy will not go quietly in defeat. He still prowls around like a lion looking to devour everyone he can before he finally falls. Thankfully, we do not need to be afraid. We do not need to be anxious for the Lord of hosts is on our side! The great God of Israel is still fighting our battles and bringing glory to His great name!

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

The Cost of Unfaithfulness

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 13-16

When we left off yesterday, Samuel tells the people to “fear God and worship Him honestly and heartily.” (1 Samuel 12:24 MSG) Essentially, give God your whole heart. King or no king. Judge or no judge. Ruler or no ruler. Give God the worship He deserves and the worship He demands and things will go well with you. Samuel was speaking as much to the new king, Saul, as he was to everyone else. But Saul was a half-hearted man. He refused to take God seriously. He didn’t fear the Lord or worship Him honestly from the heart. He compromised. He let the king of Amalek and the best of the livestock live rather than devote them to destruction as God commanded. He acted out of fear rather than faith. He refused to wait on God at Gilgal and, as a result, placed his kingdom in jeopardy. He was rash rather than wise. He took a vow to not eat rather than sustain his men with food after a hard day of fighting.

Saul never did grasp the key to holy living. It’s found in 1 Samuel 15:22-23 MSG. “Do you think all God wants are sacrifices - empty rituals just for show? He wants you to listen to Him! Plain listening is the thing, not staging a lavish religious production. Not doing what God tells you is far worse than fooling around in the occult. Getting self-important around God is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors. Because you said “no” to God’s command, He says “no” to your kingship.” We would do well to learn from Saul’s poor example.

I can’t tell you the number of Christians I know who worship him only occasionally. Usually when they have nothing “better” to do. I can’t tell you the number of Christians I know who go through the motions in worship. They’ve told me they don’t really believe but attend worship out of some kind of feeling of existential guilt. I can’t tell you the number of Christians who merge pagan or occult or cultural religious traditions with their worship, creating a syncretized religion that is sub-Christian at best. And then there are the many Christians I know who have merged their faith with their politics or social leanings. I don’t say these things in judgment but simply as data points collected over almost thirty years of ministry. And the truly tragic part is that so many of these people that I love have to eventually face the consequences of their unfaithfulness and it is costly. Sometimes it costs them their marriages. Sometimes it’s their family. Sometimes it’s their friendships or community. In almost every case it costs them their integrity. It’s heartbreaking.

What about us? In what ways have we broken faith with God? Remember, He doesn’t just look on the outward appearance. He looks to the heart. What does He see when He looks into your heart?

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

The Danger of Politics

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 9-12

We want a king. We want to be just like the nations around us. We want to play the world’s game by the world’s rules. We cannot break ourselves of our dependence on temporal power and wealth and influence. God delivers us. God saves us. God works miracles on our behalf. He provides for us. He protects us. He guides us. He nurtures us. But it is not enough. It wasn’t enough for Israel and it’s not enough for many Christians living in America today. Instead, we pursue political power. We chase wealth and influence. We place our trust in human beings or political parties or the next election cycle. We compromise our witness by supporting those of questionable character and selfish motives. We believe the ends justify the means. And the results are tragic. Society descends into chaos and confusion. Every one does what is right in their own eyes. We sacrifice freedom for tyranny. Truth for lies. Peace for violence. Grace and love for vengeance and hatred.

The same thing happened in Samuel’s day. Though Samuel had led them well over the course of his lifetime and though God had provided victory after victory under his leadership, it was not enough. Though God had been faithful to raise up deliverer after deliverer throughout her history, the people still turned back to their sinful ways. They refused to remain faithful to God. They refused to trust God and walk in His ways. They refused to obey God and His commands. The result was continual cycles of fear and anxiety and injustice and oppression. Now a new threat appears on the horizon and Samuel is old. Rather than turn to God, the people call for a king. A strongman to save them. A warlord to lead them into battle and deliver them. They want to be just like the nations around them. Playing the world’s games by the world’s rules. It’s heartbreaking.

Thankfully, God is gracious. Though His people have rejected Him, He will not reject them. Samuel says, “When you saw Nahash, king of the Ammonites, you said to me, ‘No more of this. We want a king to lead us.’ And God was already your king! So here’s the king you wanted, the king you asked for. God has let you have your own way, given you a king. If you fear God, worship and obey Him, and don’t rebel against what He tells you. If both you and your king follow God, no problem. God will be sure to save you. But if you don’t obey Him and rebel against what He tells you, king or no king, you will fare no better than your fathers.” (1 Samuel 12:12-15 MSG) God does what He consistently does throughout the Scriptures. He speaks to us in a language we can understand. He uses the cultural forms and norms of our day to bring about His will and His way. Yes, the people of the ancient near east all had kings and though God wanted Israel to look to Him as king, He was gracious and condescends to their weakness. He gives them what they want and promises to work through this new political/social structure as long as they remain faithful.

There is an important lesson here for us. Notice where Samuel lands his sermon. He continues to challenge the people of God to worship Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. This is the great Shema that Moses taught them so long ago and it remains relevant in our day as well. We cannot place our trust in human leaders. We cannot expect the right politics to save us. The right laws to save us. The right social and economic policies to saves us. Yes, we need to be engaged in each of these areas and work to align them with God’s Word but, at the end of the day, only God can bring about the transformation our society so desperately needs.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 13-16

Putting God First

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 4-8

Imagine you are living in ancient Israel during the time of the judges. You have no Bible. You have no synagogue. You have no centralized system of government. Every now and again, a charismatic leader rises up and for a time you have peace. For a time you seek after God. But pretty soon you lapse back into your old ways. You live in a very tribal culture. Every tribe around you has its own gods and goddesses and its own way of worship that seems to have been working for them. As you build your house and plant your crops and grow your family, you grow complacent. The incredible miracles God worked on your behalf recede further and further. You are preoccupied with the present. What you will eat. What you will wear. Will your wife get pregnant this year? How many lambs will be born this spring? What will the harvest yield? Sure, you go up each year to Shiloh to make your sacrifices but then it’s back to normal. And “normal” doesn’t really include God. 

It’s actually not hard to imagine, is it? This is familiar territory for all of us. How many of us own a Bible but rarely open it? How many of us belong to a church but rarely go to worship? We too live in a “tribal” culture whether it’s our family, social group, political party, etc. Everyone of those tribes has its own “gods” and “goddesses” and different ways of worship. And if we aren’t careful, we can get sucked in. We buy our homes. We grow our families. We work hard. We play hard. And we too can get complacent. The miracles and blessings of God can become commonplace in our lives as well. We too are preoccupied with the present. What we will eat. What we will wear. What kind of home we will live in. Will I get a raise this year? A promotion? Will my child make the team? Will I get into my dream college? Will I get my dream job? Will I meet the man or woman of my dreams? Sure, we go to worship on Christmas and Easter just in case but then it’s quickly back to normal. And “normal” doesn’t really include God. 

Enter Samuel. A man sent by God to bring Israel back. To remind her of her covenant commitments. To have no other gods before God. To worship no idols. To honor God’s name and keep the Sabbath. “Then Samuel addressed the house of Israel: “If you are truly serious about coming back to God, clean house. Get rid of the foreign gods and fertility goddesses, ground yourselves firmly in God, worship him and him alone, and he’ll save you from Philistine oppression.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭7‬:‭3‬ ‭MSG‬‬) Samuel led Israel during a very difficult period in her history. She had suffered a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of the Philistines. The ark of God had been captured. Her priests had been killed. All hope seemed lost. And then along came Samuel to remind her of God. To challenge her to return to God with her whole heart. To put aside all the other gods and goddesses. To cleanse herself of all the false worship she had engaged in. To come back to God and watch Him work yet another miracle on her behalf. This is exactly what happened. God brought them a great victory over their enemies. The Philistines were subdued. Territory was reclaimed. Hope was restored. 

What enemies are you facing today? What battles are you fighting? Anxiety? Depression? Grief? Chronic pain? Is your marriage failing? Your family crumbling? Your work suffering? Are you facing a scary diagnosis? A terminal illness? Are you struggling with loneliness? A lack of deep friendships? Do you feel overwhelmed? Too busy? Under too much pressure? What enemies do you face? And are you willing to make the sacrifices necessary to reorient your heart towards God in the midst of it all? Are you ready for the radical shift you will need to put aside the “gods” you’ve been worshipping and return to the Lord with your whole heart? Are you ready to put God first in your life?

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 9-12

Heartfelt Prayer

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 1-3

Have you ever prayed a prayer from a place so deep it felt like it was wrenched from the depths of your soul? A prayer you prayed night after night? Day after day? Maybe even hour by hour? A prayer you prayed for years? A prayer you prayed through tears? A prayer you prayed with everything in you?

Hannah prayed such a prayer. Listen to how Eugene Peterson translates it in The Message…”Oh, God-of-the-Angel-Armies (literally Lord of hosts), if you’ll take a good, hard look at my pain, if you’ll quit neglecting me and go into action for me by giving me a son, I’ll give him completely , unreservedly to you. I’ll set him apart for a life of holy discipline.” (1 Samuel 1:11) Hannah had endured so much pain over the years. She was tormented and abused by her rival Peninnah. She was ashamed of her barrenness. She felt cursed by God for not being able to bear children. Her suffering was so great she often lost her appetite. She constantly felt like she was letting her husband down. She was “crushed in soul” according to the account we read today. Thankfully, in her despair, she sought God. She cried out to Him. She brought her tears and broken heart and laid it at His feet. So distraught was she in prayer that Eli, the high priest, thought she was drunk!

Hannah’s pain and Hannah’s prayer were both real and authentic. “I’m a woman broken-hearted. I haven’t been drinking. Not a drop of wine or beer. The only thing I’ve been pouring out is my heart, pouring it out to God. Don’t for a minute think I’m a bad woman. It’s because I’m desperately unhappy and in such pain that I’ve stayed here so long.” (1 Samuel 1: 15-16) Clearly, Hannah holds nothing back and Eli honors her with his blessing and this changes everything for her. Her appetite returns. Her sadness lifted. She seems ready for whatever God has in store.

This is truly the purpose of prayer. Yes, Hannah will conceive and bear a son. Yes, Hannah will dedicate him to the Lord just as she promised. Yes, God will use Samuel in a powerful way to accomplish His will for His people. But the biggest answer to prayer was the change in Hannah’s heart. In seeking the Lord, she exchanged sadness for joy. In honestly and authentically coming before Him, she exchanged despair for hope. In holding nothing back, not even her deepest pain and heartbreak, she exchanged anxiety and fear for peace. How was she able to do this? She kept her heart focused on God not just the answer God might provide. She trusted His will above her own. She surrendered her life into His sovereign hands.

What about you? What prayers do you pray? Do they come from the heart? From the place of deepest brokenness in your life? Are you willing to lay everything before the Lord, holding nothing back? Are you willing to relinquish your will into His hands? Trust Him for the answer He may provide? This is the essence of true prayer.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 4-8

All is not Lost

Readings for today: Ruth 1-4

I love the book of Ruth. It upends so many expectations and helps us understand the heart of God. Ruth is a Moabite. A foreigner. A sojourner. She married an Israelite named Chilion and became part of his extended family. This was forbidden by the Law of God but it took place during the time of the judges when everyone was doing right in their own eyes. Tragedy strikes. Her father-in-law, Elimelech, dies. Ten years later both her husband and his brother die as well. This puts the whole family in dire straights. There are no men to work. No men to protect them. So Naomi makes the decision to return home. She encourages her Moabite daughters-in-law to do the same. Start over. See if they have better luck with a new family because hers has brought them only grief. Ruth refuses. She makes this extraordinary declaration, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” (Ruth‬ ‭1:16‬) So powerful is her statement that we often hear it read at weddings thousands of years later! 

Ruth not only returns with Naomi to Bethlehem, she cares faithfully for her mother-in-law. She puts her life at risk by going out to the fields to glean what was left after the reapers had made their way through. It was backbreaking, painstaking work. Women who did this were often molested, harassed, and abused. They were the poorest of the poor in the land. Completely without hope. In the providence of God, the field she chose belonged to a man named Boaz. A righteous man. A man who left the gleanings for the poor as the Law of God demands. (Lev. 19:9-10) A man who protected her from the men who worked for him. A man who included her among his own young women so she woudn’t be alone. Even invited her to sit and eat at his table. Boaz is a man who clearly honors the Lord. I love what he says to Ruth when she asks him why she has found favor in his eyes. “The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!" (Ruth‬ ‭2:12‬) 

Naomi cannot believe their good fortune! Ruth has been led by God to the very fields of the man who can redeem them! (Lev. 25) A man who is a close enough relative to bring them into his family and continue the family line! Thus unfolds this beautiful courtship in chapter three where Ruth goes and lies at Boaz’s feet to ask him to take them in. Boaz is humbled by the request and makes the necessary arrangements to become their kinsman-redeemer. They get married. Conceive a son. The family line continues which is important since her great-grandson is King David! Furthermore, many generations hence, her descendent Joseph will marry a young pregnant woman named Mary and they will have a son named Jesus. The Great Redeemer who will save His people from their sins! 

After all the bloodshed and violence and suffering and pain, it is good to read that not all was lost in Israel. Even in the time of the judges, there were still faithful men and women who followed the Lord. It is a great reminder to us in our own time that the night is always darkest right before the dawn. No matter how bad things get, God is still at work. Sometimes in the most obscure places through some of the most ordinary women and men you know.

Readings for tomorrow: None

Dividing Line through Every Human Heart

Readings for today: Judges 19-21

Today we encounter some of the most difficult material in all of Scripture. We see Israel at one of her lowest points. 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 then 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!” Reminds me of the great Russian novelist and dissident, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who spent years in the Russian gulag for criticizing the Soviet Union, once said, “The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either - but right through every human heart - and through all human hearts. This line shifts. Inside us, it oscillates with the years. And even within hearts overwhelmed by evil, one small bridgehead of good is retained.” Of course he noted the opposite is also true. Even in hearts overwhelmed by good, small bridgeheads of evil are retained. Basically, all of us have the capacity within us for both great good and terrible evil.

There simply is nothing redemptive in the story we read today. Nothing good. Nothing godly. Man’s inhumanity to man is on full display. It’s dark. It’s evil. It’s terrifying. “Horror” is a good word to describe what’s going on in our world today. One only has to scroll through a Twitter newsfeed to see the hate that leads to violence that leads to death and then return the next day to watch the cycle repeat itself. Consider yet another shooting at yet another school involving children. If we’re totally honest, all of us are perpetrators on some level. 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." (Romans‬ ‭3:10‬)

Perhaps it’s providential that we read this section of Judges on the cusp of Holy Week. Over the next week, we will reflect on the most significant events in Jesus’ life. The most significant events in human history. God Himself riding into Jerusalem to the adoration of the crowd only to find betrayal, torture, and death at the hands of some of those same people a few days later. We will reflect on the cross a week from today. A day we call Good Friday. A day we spend intentional time prayerfully thinking over 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. We will reflect on the depth of our sin. The depravity of our nature. The darkness of our hearts. We reflect on the cost of our salvation. On what it took to redeem us from sin and death. To deliver us from evil.

But Holy Week ends not with despair but celebration! It ends not in defeat but in victory! Jesus is alive! And on Easter morning, we will gather with those we love to rejoice over 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 even for us! And that hope is found in Jesus!

Readings for tomorrow: Ruth 1-4

Clay Feet

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. Adam and Eve’s rebellion and descent into sin. Noah and his family being saved but at an incredible cost. Moses parting the Red Sea but often getting into violent clashes with others that would end in entire families being wiped out. Joshua devoting entire cities to destruction. And Samson. Morally compromised. Selfish. Immature. A man who seemed 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 Hebrews 11? 

First and foremost, we are to see them as they are...not as we wish them to be. They are just ordinary men and women. 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 by the way. 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 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. Not cutting his hair was simply an outward sign of the Nazirite Vow his parents had taken on his behalf before he was 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 a sense of holy despair. Each judge seems less and less capable of leading well. They are increasingly morally compromised. They increasingly lose sight of God. They increasingly abandon 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? And what makes such despair holy? The goal here is to teach us yet again of our desperate need for God. Over and over again, the same narrative is reinforced. Humanity is helpless to save themselves. 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, humanity’s inhumanity only grows and 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 the story is, of course, something we celebrate during 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