Faith under Pressure

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

“Better a day in your courts than a thousand anywhere else. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than live in the tents of wicked people.” (Psalms‬ ‭84‬:‭10‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

There is nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. No place we can go to be safe. The world is full of sin and corruption. Injustice and oppression come in all kinds of forms. Human beings pursue power and pleasure at all costs. We say in our hearts, “there is no God.” Each of us does what is right in our own eyes. All of us are like sheep who have gone astray. Recently, I had a conversation with a good friend. They are looking to relocate out of our state. They simply cannot fathom the depths to which we have fallen. We are a haven for abortion on demand. We are considering criminalizing any dissent against the transgender movement. We are overspending to the tune of billions and are looking to reform, or perhaps even take away, the main guardrail (TABOR) that restrains the state government. As our state continues to move further and further left politically, many people of faith (not just Christians) feel they are being forgotten, left behind, left out, and marginalized. And I understand those feelings. It’s why I can’t in good faith discourage my friend from leaving, especially as they look to raise their children in a safer place. At the same time, I am not sure there is a “safer” place. I’ve lived all over the United States and, in my experience, every place has it’s issues. Every place deals with injustice, corruption, unrighteousness, and oppression. Every place faces the same root challenge of sin.

Israel faced these same challenges. It’s why they looked beyond the horizons of this world to the Lord. They understood they would not find a refuge in this world. They would not find a sanctuary in this world. There was no safe place to run to from sin. There only home was with God. He would be their protector. He would be their provider. No matter where they lived, He would be with them. “For the Lord God is a sun and shield. The Lord grants favor and honor; he does not withhold the good from those who live with integrity.” (Psalms‬ ‭84‬:‭11‬ ‭CSB‬) At the end of the day, Israel understood herself to be an “alien and stranger” in this world. A people just passing through. They did not cling to the things of this world but instead sought to live open-heartedly and open-handedly. They didn’t expect the ungodly people who surrounded them to act in godly ways. Instead, they sought to live as faithfully as they could. They trusted God to use them as light to pierce the darkness. The world may make our faith illegal. They may seek to harass and persecute us for what we believe. The world may make it difficult to live as Christians. But at the end of the day, the government can’t legislate what happens in the heart. They can’t govern what we think, do, or say. Yes, it may become more costly to be a Christian in the years ahead. My friends around the globe would say, “welcome to the club.” They would point us to Jesus, who was crucified for what He believed in and stood for and humbly call us to follow His example. As we look to Him, we will discover the truth that the Psalmist sings about, “Faithful love and truth will join together; righteousness and peace will embrace. Truth will spring up from the earth, and righteousness will look down from heaven. Also, the Lord will provide what is good, and our land will yield its crops. Righteousness will go before him to prepare the way for his steps.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭85‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ ‭CSB‬)

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 3-5

Story

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

Many years ago, a friend of mine introduced me to the “Three Story” method of evangelism. It’s simple and natural and easy to use. Basically, you start by asking another person about their story. By showing genuine curiosity in who they are and how they got here and where they feel they are headed, you get to learn all about another human being. Another creature made in God’s own image. You get to hear all about their hopes and dreams and, depending on their level of vulnerability, their heartbreaks and pain. It’s incredible what people will tell you if you are willing to listen. After sharing their story, the most natural thing for them to do is ask you about your story. I don’t know about you but I can’t share my story without sharing about the day Jesus Christ saved me. He literally changed the course of my life. And this brings us into the final story…God’s story…which is the story all of us are wrapped up in on some level. I have to tell you I’ve probably had thousands of conversations about Jesus over the years. I’ve not had one negative reaction when I used this method to tell His story. It doesn’t mean everyone gave their life to Jesus. Far from it. But it does get people thinking in new ways about the story of their life and what role God may have to play in it.

I thought about this method when I read through the genealogies at the beginning of Chronicles. It’s easy to brush past all these names. They don’t mean much to us because we don’t feel any kind of connection to them. They are names of people and places we have never encountered which is why they feel so distant to us. Irrelevant to our lives. But what if we engaged the reading using the “Three Story” method I shared above? What if this is Israel telling us her story? Telling us how she got to where she is today? Telling us about all the important people and places in her life? What if instead of just reading through the chapters, we envisioned a person telling us all about their family tree and what it meant to them? Would that change how we received it? I think it would. Now imagine that same person asking us about our family tree. What would we share? Could we point to names and places where our family had been? Do we see all the different connections that brought us to where we are today? Now think about God’s story. Where’s His hand in all of this? Where do we see Him at work in the lives of those who are listed? What story is God working out in and through His people for the world?

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

Humanity

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

The good news of the gospel is that God became a human being. He took on human flesh. He took on human nature. He experienced everything you and I experience. He knows hunger and thirst. He knows hardship and poverty. He knows pain and suffering. He knows what it’s like to feel tired and overwhelmed. He knows what it’s like to be abandoned, betrayed, and denied. He has suffered injustice. He has been falsely accused and falsely tried and falsely convicted and falsely condemned. He knows what death feels like. He knows what it’s like to be laid to rest in on a cold slab in a tomb.

I try to read the Psalms backwards. In fact, I try to read the entire Old Testament backwards. What do I mean by that? What I mean is I try to read it through the lens of Jesus Christ. With Jesus as my “hermeneutical key” - as my professors in seminary might have said - it all makes sense. A whole new world of meaning opens up. My understanding deepens. My connection to the people of the Old Testament becomes stronger. Take King David. Imagine all he must be experiencing as he expresses himself through prayer set to music. “Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am weak; heal me, Lord, for my bones are shaking; my whole being is shaken with terror. And you, Lord, how long?” (Psalms‬ ‭6‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Is he suffering from disease? Depression? Adverse life circumstances? Is he fearful of the future? Afraid of his enemies? Is he having a hard time being patient for God’s will to come about? Or the flip side, what happened that caused David to write, “When my enemies retreat, they stumble and perish before you. For you have upheld my just cause; you are seated on your throne as a righteous judge. You have rebuked the nations: You have destroyed the wicked; you have erased their name forever and ever. The enemy has come to eternal ruin; you have uprooted the cities, and the very memory of them has perished.” (Psalms‬ ‭9‬:‭3‬-‭6‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Had he just won another victory? Had he just put his enemies to flight? Is he referring here to the Philistines or to the people who were still following the house of Saul in Israel? Can he sense the fulfillment of God’s promises are near? And as always, I love David’s honesty and transparency...“Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide in times of trouble?” (Psalms‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬ ‭CSB‬‬) He’s not afraid to cry out to God from the depths of his heart. 

Throughout history, the people of God have returned over and over again to the Psalms to learn how to pray. They have used them as a guide for prayer. They have prayed these words back to God. Made them their own. Prayer can be difficult. It’s challenging to move beyond the rote prayers we learned in our youth. It’s challenging to be honest and real with God. Frequently it can feel like our words are inadequate. Self-centered. Foolish. Like they bounce off the ceiling back into our laps. So many Christians I know and love struggle with prayer. Often when they ask me how they should pray, I will point them to the Psalms. Not just to repeat the words but to reflect on them and make them their own. Reflect on the feelings and emotions. Reflect on the heart of what David is saying. Let his heart’s cry resonate with your heart’s cry and lead you to express your deepest thoughts to God. And most of all, remember God has felt every feeling you feel as well.

Our God is safe. He is a refuge. A stronghold. Our deliverer. We are the apple of His eye and He hides us in the shadow of His wings. He is our protector. Our comforter. Our friend. We can tell Him anything. The deepest desires of our hearts are not hidden from Him. Nor are the wounds. The hurts. The disappointments. The fears. The failures. God rejoices with us when we experience success. When the victories come in our lives. God weeps with us when we struggle. When we grieve. God fights our battles for us. We may not always understand His ways. We may not always agree with His timing. His answer can be “No” just as easily as it can be “Yes.” It can even be “Not Yet.” Through it all, God is God and we are not and prayer reminds us the best place to be is at His feet. 

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

Wilderness

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 1-4

In my sermon yesterday, I said, “Humanity has always wandered in a moral and ethical wilderness.” Despite all the technological and medical and scientific advances, we have no idea of where we’re going or why or what we’d do when we get there. We are ethical and moral adolescents, constantly fighting against God’s created order. I think the root of the problem is that we want to be gods ourselves but that’s probably another post for another day. However, today’s reading felt very familiar to me. Probably because I see many of the same dynamics playing out in our world today. Humanity seems just as prone to violence, greed, power, selfishness, hatred, and anger as ever.

Today’s reading includes political intrigue, civil war, and 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.

Our politics aren’t much different. 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. About a year ago, I was supposed to board a plane for Ethiopia. We were heading to a northern region of the country to a city called Dessie to train church planters but violent protests broke out as one particular tribe pushed 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 grew. It was so heartbreaking. And yet, it served as a great reminder that our only hope is the same God who was at work in ancient Israel bringing about His will through the sinful choices of human beings was 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 ‭CSB‬‬) 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

Intimacy with God

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

Most people I talk to experience a significant, if not insurmountable, gap between themselves and God. They believe God is distant. Far away. Looking down from heaven “up there” somewhere. When I probe a little, I usually find it’s because they also experience a significant, perhaps equally insurmountable, gap between the people they are and the people they believe God has created and called them to be. They read passages like “be holy as I am holy” and immediately assume it is impossible. They read the stories of the faith of people like Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Joshua, Deborah, etc. and immediately assume “that could never be me.” They believe they have to reach a certain level - always left undefined - of “goodness” in their life to be accepted by God. But the lack of definition always keeps them guessing and the doubt gnaws at their soul. They read the Psalms and they marvel at the intimacy displayed by David and the other writers. They can’t fathom what that might feel like or look like in their lives.

What if I told you that the gap between us and God was a myth? What if I further told you that the gap between the person you are and the person God created you to be was a lie? What if, by God’s grace, He has already closed the gap that once existed between us? What if what we’re feeling is echoes of a time and a reality that no longer exists? This is what the ancients understood. Our forefathers and foremothers in the faith truly believed God when He said, “I have become your God and you have become my people.” They believed God closed the gap between heaven and earth to come to dwell with them. First in a Tabernacle. Later in a Temple. Furthermore, what if, by God’s grace, the gap we all feel between the person we are and the person God has called us to be is a lie? What if, by God’s grace, we already are who God created us to be and are simply learning to live it out? Yes, we will make mistakes. Yes, we will sin and fall short. But what if, by God’s grace, the gap has been closed by the death of Jesus Christ on a cross? What if we already are righteous in God’s sight and are just learning to live in light of this new reality?

I think one of the devil’s greatest schemes is to get us to believe in a “gap.” And not just any gap but a chasm that is insurmountable, unbridgeable, uncrossable, inaccessible. And this makes God seem so distant and unreachable which makes intimacy with Him impossible. But this is not true! This is a lie! There is no gap between us and God. Not anymore. Not with the Word becoming flesh and making His dwelling place among us. Not with the Holy Spirit coming to take up residence in our hearts when we come to saving faith. There is no gap because God has closed the gap. God bridged the gap. God crossed the divide. God tore down the dividing wall that separated us from Him. And we are now set free to live as children of light. Children of joy. Children of love and mercy and blessing. Saved by grace, we get to live by grace. Saved by unconditional love, we get to extend that love out to others. Saved by God’s unending mercy, we get to be merciful ourselves to those around us. This is the beauty and the glory of the gospel. Will we do it perfectly? Of course not. But that’s not the point. God has not left it up to us to bridge the gap. God has not put the burden of creating intimacy with Him on our shoulders. He doesn’t expect us to make our way to Him. He comes to us. Just like He did to all those who came before us.

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Fear

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

Fear does funny things to people. It closes doors that otherwise remain open. It limits options unnecessarily. It puts blinders on our eyes and gives us tunnel vision so we see the worst case scenarios. A few months ago, I was talking to my daughter about her college choices. I encouraged her to apply to several different colleges so we could have as many options as possible. She received it as a lack of support for the one college she wanted to go to. Her fear caused her to think the worst of me rather than the best. After we talked it out, she understood and more doors have opened for her. A friend of mine is trying to kick an addiction. The biggest challenge he faces is how to manage his anxiety and fear. He’s gotten so used to numbing himself on marijuana that he doesn’t know how he’ll be able to cope. We’ve talked about a lot of healthier options like exercise, taking a walk outside, hanging out with friends, etc. but he can’t seem to take the blinders off. It’s making an already difficult situation even more challenging. I think about what’s happening in the stock market over the last week or so. Fear and anxiety and uncertainty are creating all kinds of volatility. People are responding to worst case scenarios rather than remaining calm and looking at all their options.

Saul too experienced fear. Fear is what drove him to seek out the help of a medium. Fear is what drove him to try to call up the dead. Fear is what drove him to abandon God and try to find a way out of the mess he’d made on his own. However, the more he tried, the worse things got. All because of fear. Fear is what drove the Philistine leaders to kick David out of their army. Their fear of what he might do, given the right opportunity, cost them a valuable ally. Fear is what drove Saul to take his own life. He was afraid of what might happen to him should he be captured. He was afraid of the torture and the shame. But when his armor-bearer refused to take his life, he fell on his own sword. Fear is what caused Israel to run from battle. After the death of Saul and his sons, Israel lost the will to fight and fled to the countryside.

What is the antidote to fear? It’s not courage. Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage doesn’t prevent you from being afraid. Courage is working through the fear to do what needs to be done. Courage is moving forward despite the fear. Courage is facing your fears and not letting them limit you in any way. Courage is important but it’s not the antidote to fear. Faith is the only thing that can protect us from fear. Faith in God. Faith in those we love. Faith gives us the ability to believe God is more than able to do all we ask for or imagine. Faith is the confidence that God will deliver on His promises. Faith is assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen. When we walk by faith, we don’t need to walk by sight. When we live by faith, we won’t place our trust in the temporary things of this world. Faith gives us the eyes to see beyond the horizon of this world to the world to come. It opens our eyes to all the options that lie before us, including the ones that only God can see right now. As powerful as motivator as fear can be, faith is even more powerful.

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

Victory from Defeat

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

At fifty-two years old, I can look back over the course of my life and think of several times where my future teetered on the edge of a knife. If not for the intervention of the Lord, I would have fallen. I would have failed. I would have lost everything. I remember being in high school and our family being on the verge of homelessness. We were down to our final month before foreclosure and eviction. We had no money left. The house needed to sell and God came through at the 11th hour. I remember being in college and not doing well. I was in the process of flunking out. I was drinking heavily. I could easily have dropped out and become an alcoholic but God intervened. Literally saved my life. Plucked me out of the pit and set my feet on the rock. I remember losing our first child at 22 weeks. The divorce rate for couples who lose children is extremely high and we could easily have become another statistic but God drew us close to Himself and our marriage only got stronger. I can think of several critical moments in the different churches and ministries I’ve been part of over the years which could easily have gone south. Moments of significant conflict. Moments where I was personally attacked. Moments where I felt betrayed. If not for God, my ministry career would have looked a lot different but He preserved me through each and every trial. He made me stronger and more resilient and most of all, more dependent on Him.

David has experienced a lot in his life at this point. He’s been on top of the mountain like when he defeated Goliath and he’s been in the lowest of valleys like when he’s being chased by Saul. He’s experienced a lot of victory in his life and he’s been on the run from his enemies. He’s had moments when he could have taken matters into his own hands and claimed the throne of Israel by killing Saul. He’s had other moments where Saul almost captures him to put him to death. Through it all, David continues to look to the Lord. He continues to give God all the credit for his life and his success and his deliverance. “I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good. For He has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.” (Psalms 54:6-7 CSB) He refuses to let those who attack him get him down. He refuses to give into despair when he is betrayed or falsely accused. He knows the Lord sees his heart and he trusts God to vindicate him in the end. “Vindicate me, O Lord, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me.” (Psalms 35:24 CSB) Most of all, David continues to seek God with all his heart. He never wavers in his faith. “I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Psalms 18:1-2 CSB)

How do you respond to adversity? How do you respond when you feel attacked or betrayed of falsely accused? How do you respond when things don’t go your way or take a turn for the worse? Do you look to the Lord when you find yourself wandering in the wilderness? In a dry and thirsty land? What about when things are good? Do you give God the praise? Do you give God the credit for the good things in your life? For His intervention and His provision and His blessing? When you look back over the course of your life, can you see where the Lord has brought victory in your life? Perhaps even from the jaws of defeat?

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

Humility

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

I am convinced humility is a super-power. I believe it was former President Harry Truman who once said, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.” I believe him. It’s certainly squares with my experience. When I have been willing to lay aside pride and ego, the impact of whatever is accomplished grows exponentially. When I have been willing to relinquish my rights for the sake of others, especially those in less powerful positions, all kinds of new opportunities emerge. When I have been willing to let go of control and work collaboratively and share authority and extend freedom, we reach heights I’ve never dreamed possible.

Imagine what could have happened if Nabal had welcomed David’s servants? Imagine instead of cursing David and acting a fool, if he blessed David and thanked him for the many ways he protected his shepherds in the wilderness? Imagine if Nabal had not looked down on David, calling him a slave, but instead treated him honorably and welcomed him to his feast? Tragically, Nabal hardened his heart and fell under God’s judgment. Abigail, on the other hand, is the perfect picture of humility. When she hears what her husband had done, she rushes out to make up for it. She intercedes for his life and is able to avert a war. She shows us what grace looks like in action and David is so impressed, he takes her for his wife after Nabal dies. One even wonders if Abigail’s example rubs off on David? In the very next chapter, David has the opportunity to kill Saul and bring an end to the civil war in Israel, he stays his hand. He refuses to take Saul’s life, trusting God to make it happen in His perfect time. In this way, David will know it is the Lord who fights his battles and gives him the victory. As Abigail says so well, “And when the Lord has done to my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince over Israel, my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord working salvation himself.” (1 Samuel 25:30-31 CSB)

In my experience, you can choose to live life in one of two directions. Either you will say to God, “Thy will be done” or God will say to you, “thy will be done.” You will either humble yourself before the Lord and live generously and open-handedly or you will harden your heart and live pridefully and selfishly. There really is no middle ground. Those who choose the latter path find themselves on the same trajectory as Nabal or Saul. Their hearts eventually turn to stone and they die with no one to mourn their passing. Those who choose the former path find themselves on the same trajectory as Abigail. Their lives are rich and full and when they pass, many come to mourn them. Which path do you find yourself on today?

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

Deliverance

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

The Psalms are known as “the prayer book of the Bible” and for good reason. They are the literal prayers of the people of Israel. People like David and Solomon and Asaph. They teach us how to pray when times are hard and tough. They teach us how to pray when we are anxious and afraid. They teach us how to pray when we are poor and powerless. They teach us how to pray when times are good. When victory is within our grasp. When life has taken an upward turn. Most of all, they direct us to God. They teach us how to cry out to God in times of need and how to praise God in times of blessing.

In this particular season of his life, David is on the run. He has yet to assume his rightful place on the throne. He’s even had to leave Israel and take refuge among the Philistines who are his mortal enemies. Think about that for a minute. David literally has made his name defeating Goliath and the Philistine armies over and over again but now it is safer for him to live among them than his own people! No wonder David cries out to God. You have probably noted that many of the Psalms provide a brief description at the beginning before the actual verses begin. It gives a bit of the context for that particular prayer. Two of today’s Psalms were written when David was held captive by the Philistines or hiding out in a cave. The others suggest he was also facing adversity, perhaps around the same time. The themes of these Psalms focus on protection, deliverance, and rescue from his enemies. Each of the Psalms is also a declaration of trust. A profession of faith. David prays in confidence, believing the Lord will hear and answer his prayers.

The Psalms invite us to pray similar prayers. They invite us to express similar emotions. They give us permission to come before the Lord authentically and honestly, without fear of judgment. At the same time, the Psalms challenge us to believe. They challenge us to trust God. They challenge us to walk with open hands before Him and be willing to submit our will to His own. Deliverance may come from an unexpected place. Rescue may come when we least expect it. God does protect us but not always in the way we would think or according to our timing. We have to be willing to let God be in charge. This is what sets David apart. His prayers declare His trust in the almighty, sovereign power and plan of God.

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

Refuge

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

These words today hit different when you know David’s story. On the run. Hiding in the hills. Living out of caves in the wilderness. Constantly under threat. Always having to watch his back. This is where life finds David right now and what does he do? He sings. He composes songs to God. He sets his prayers to music. He hits on themes that will resonate among God’s people for centuries.

God is our refuge. We don’t place our hope in strongholds for they can be taken. We don’t place our hope in fortified cities for they can be overcome. We don’t place our hope in foreign kings and princes for they can be bought off. We don’t place our hope in our own strength or wisdom for we can falter and fall. God is our only sure refuge. He is the only one who can deliver us from those who pursue us, those who attack us, those who seek to do evil to us. At the same time, to take refuge in the Lord is a fearful thing. It means we will be exposed, vulnerable, and laid bare before Him. He will search our hearts to see if there is any wrong we have done. He will judge whether we have acted in righteousness towards those with whom we are at odds. David invites this judgment for he knows the Lord judges with righteousness. David has no fear for he has done nothing wrong. He has refused to take advantage of circumstances and situations to benefit himself. He is waiting on the Lord. He is confident God has good plans for him and will bring them to pass in His time.

Is God your refuge? Is God the one you run to when you are afraid? When feel under attack? When life is hard? When the future is uncertain? When you are experiencing conflict with those you love or those you serve? How does one make God a refuge? One follows the example of David. First and foremost, you pray. You pray honestly and openly. You pray not for your will but for the Lord’s will to be done in your life. You invite the Lord to scrutinize your life and judge the intentions of your heart. You draw close to the Lord. Wait on the Lord. Sit in silence and solitude before Him. No distractions. No alarms. No rush. You might even journal. Write down what’s on your heart. Perhaps even sing your prayers if you’re so inclined. Second, you trust. You believe. You cling to hope. Like David, you have faith the Lord hears the cries of the righteous and delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is near the brokenhearted and crushed in spirit. You may be facing many afflictions but the Lord’s promise is to deliver you from them all. Finally, you act. You act righteously and justly. You act graciously and mercifully. You act lovingly and compassionately. You humble yourself under God’s mighty hand and surrender your will and your way to Him. Walking with the Lord is what gives the godly their confidence.

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

Godly Confidence

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

Over the years, I have had the opportunity to speak to different groups of leaders within my denomination. Different churches in different communities than my own, sometimes from different cultures than my own. One thing they all hold in common is a deep love for God and a passion to seek Him for the future of their life together. Often, the way forward is not easy. It can be unclear. It can be full of challenges. There can be a lot of conflict to navigate. Major decisions and major risks have to be taken in order to move forward. Those first few steps of faith are the hardest to take, at least in my experience. I try to share vulnerably from my own life when I speak. I share the stories of the challenges I’ve had to face and my many failures along the way. I share the stories of the conflicts I’ve had to manage and the anxieties I’ve felt. I share the stories of the pivotal moments when major decisions had to be made and the incredible risks taken for the Kingdom of God and how those worked out. Like everyone, I have had my ups and downs. I’ve had my successes and failures. But through it all, I’ve learned to lean on God for my confidence.

Godly confidence is not something we are born with. It is something we earn over a lifetime. Primarily through hardship and struggle. It is forged in the fires of adversity. It is tempered in times of trial. It is refined through seasons of suffering. As I said, I’ve had my share. When my life was at it’s lowest possible point and I was in danger of losing everything and everyone I loved, God met me in a powerful way. He lifted me up out of the pit and set my feet on solid ground. I learned the truth of David’s words from Psalm 91, “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.” David also had a godly confidence. It’s what led him into the valley to meet Goliath. It’s what won him victory after victory against the Philistines. It’s what sustained him when he was falsely accused and hunted down by King Saul. David knew God was with him. He trusted God to lead and guide him. He took great risks and leveraged everything he had over and over again in service of the Lord. And he never lost sight of God’s protection. He never took advantage of his position. Even when he had King Saul at his mercy, he refused to lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. He knew his time would come and it would be by God’s hand not his that he would become king.

Once you hit rock bottom and find God waiting for you there, there isn’t much that will shake you. Once you’ve been through the fires of adversity and God leads you to the other side, there isn’t much that can break you. Once God takes your life down to the studs and begins building you back again, you find yourself no longer placing your trust in the things of this world. Success. Wealth. Power. Position. None of it matters except that it put to use to expand and grow the Kingdom of God. I’ve staked my life on this truth. I’ve watched God do His miraculous work through His people time and time again. I’ve been privileged to have a front row seat to the movement of the Holy Spirit as He transforms so many lives. I’ve experienced the sufficiency of the gospel over and over again in my own life despite my foolishness and failures. God is able, friends! God is MORE than able to do MORE than we can ever ask or imagine. Trust Him with your life today!

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals for today

Future

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

I hate uncertainty. I struggle with not knowing the future. I do all I can to predict and prepare for what’s next. I don’t like surprises. I don’t like it when life takes an unexpected turn. These things make me feel insecure. At the same time, I believe in the sovereignty of God. I trust God holds my future in His capable hands. I believe God will use all things in my life for my good and for His glory. I just wish sometimes He would give me a glimpse of what’s to come.

David had no idea what the future held for him. One day, he’s tending sheep. The next, he’s fighting a giant. One day, he’s laboring in obscurity, a complete unknown. The next, he’s famous for delivering Israel from the Philistines. One day, he’s outdoors, in the fields, hunting for his food, living with smelly, dirty sheep. The next, he’s in Jerusalem, living at the king’s court, eating at the king’s table, making a name for himself as he wins battle after battle. How did David get from here to there? It’s actually pretty simple. “So David got up early in the morning, left the flock with someone to keep it, loaded up, and set out as Jesse had charged him.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭17‬:‭20‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Nothing extraordinary. No voices from heaven. No miraculous signs. Just following his father’s request to check on his brothers. This ordinary, mundane decision literally changes the course of his life as well as the future of Israel.

How many times can we look back on our lives and say the same? How many times did a simple, ordinary, mundane decision lead us to an opportunity that changed our lives? Can we see God’s hand in it? Using the ordinary to accomplish the extraordinary? Using our everyday decisions to accomplish His will? I certainly can see this dynamic in play in my life. My choice of a college coming out of high school led me to an opportunity to accept Christ and meet my future wife. My choice of a church in Boulder led me to an opportunity to attend Princeton Seminary. My choice to serve a small church in Mobile, AL prepared me to lead the church I currently serve in Parker, CO. My choice to apply for a fellowship program at Columbia Seminary led me to an opportunity to be mentored by Steve Hayner. My connection to Steve gave me the opportunity to get my doctorate which has opened all kinds of doors professionally for me over the years. The list goes on and on. It’s astounding to see and nothing I could ever have planned. Not in my wildest dreams.

Someone once famously said, “We may not know the future but we know the One who holds the future in His hands.” We do have a sure and certain hope. Not because we know the future. Not because we can predict what’s next with any degree of accuracy. Not because we are prepared for whatever may come. We have a sure and certain hope because we trust the Lord. We know He guides and directs our steps. We know He is faithful to be with us wherever we go. This is what set David apart from all the other warriors in the army of Israel. Though he didn’t know what awaited him when he rode into camp that day, he knew the Lord was with him so he could face even a giant like Goliath without fear.

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

Heart

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 13-16

1 Samuel 16:7 is one of my favorite verses in all the Bible. “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him. Humans do not see what the Lord sees, for humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭16‬:‭7‬ ‭CSB‬‬) What does God see when He looks on your heart? Does He see a heart full of devotion or a heart that’s divided? Does He see a heart that is humble and willing and obedient or a heart that is prideful and resistant and oriented more around self? Does He see a heart full of love and grace or a heart full of anger and hate? Does He see a heart that is quick to forgive or quick to judge?

What does it mean to love God with a “whole” heart? To be fully devoted to Him? Does it mean outward, physical 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 CSB, ”Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.” Humility. Submission. Obedience. These are the qualities on which God places supreme value.

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. 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 God and it eventually cost him everything. The kingdom was literally ripped from his hands. The Spirit of the Lord departed from him. He ended up tormented and paranoid. 

King David was a whole-hearted man. David was a man after God’s own heart though this didn’t make him perfect. In fact, his failures are massive and significant and costly. But through it all, the one thing David consistently does is seek 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 descendants for generations.  

Take some time today and honestly examine your heart. Are you half-hearted or whole-hearted in your devotion to Jesus? We’ve already seen that it doesn’t necessarily depend on our outward appearance or achievement or actions. We can’t count on the image we project to the world to save us. We have to be strong and courageous enough to take the inward journey into the heart. What do you find there? What will God see when He looks at you?

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

Disappointment

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 9-12

Disappointment is hard to navigate. I recently was talking to a friend who experienced a painful disappointment in their life. People with whom they were close let them down. People they trusted and invited into their home had betrayed them. People they loved had walked away. I’ve seen it too many times to count. I’ve seen it in marriages and families. I’ve seen it in churches and small groups. I’ve seen it in business and friendship. And the natural response is to pull back. Protect our hearts. Refuse to trust anyone ever again lest we open ourselves up to more hurt. Even if the person or parties return, we too often refuse to forgive. Refuse to extend grace. And the result is only more brokenness and heartbreak and pain.

There is so much to admire about Samuel. His devotion to the Lord from a young age. His military prowess. His leadership ability. His spiritual authority and wisdom. His faithfulness over so many years. But perhaps what I admire most is his attitude at the end of his life. When the people he has given his life to turn on him and ask for a king. They reject his leadership in a desire to be just like the nations around them. It had to be a crushing disappointment for him. But what is his response? “As for me, I vow that I will not sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you. I will teach you the good and right way. Above all, fear the Lord and worship him faithfully with all your heart; consider the great things he has done for you. However, if you continue to do what is evil, both you and your king will be swept away.” (‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭12‬:‭23‬-‭25‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Samuel never stops praying. Never stops teaching. Never stops discipling. Never stops seeking to lead them by example. It doesn’t matter that they have rejected and betrayed him. His calling doesn’t depend on their affirmation. He trusts in the Lord alone.

What about you? What disappointments have you faced in your life that have tempted you to withdraw? Tempted you to avoid? Tempted you to withhold forgiveness and grace? What relationships in your life need healing and reconciliation? How can you be an agent of grace in the midst of conflict? How can you be a person of peace when those you love are at odds with one another? Follow Samuel’s example. Never stop praying, even for those who hurt you. Never stop living the good and righteous way. Never stop fearing the Lord and worshipping Him faithfully with all your heart. Never forget the great things He has done for you and seek to do those same things for others.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 13-16

Idols

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 4-8

What comes to mind when you think of an idol? Perhaps you’ve visited archeological sites and seen how the ancients worshipped? Perhaps you’ve walked through museums and seen the religious symbols of different cultures throughout history? Perhaps it’s a golden statue from the Indiana Jones movies? Those kinds of idols are easy to spot. It’s much harder to discern the idols of our own lives. Technology. Money. Possessions. Positions. Idolatry comes all too easy for us. John Calvin was right when he wrote that our hearts are idol factories. We produce them at a relentless pace, as if they were on an assembly line.

We’re so prone to idolatry that we turn good things, even godly things, into ultimate things. Consider the nation of Israel. Under threat by their Philistine neighbors. Having been defeated once already in battle. Afraid of what might happen if they were defeated a second time. They called on their priests to bring them the ark of the Lord. Now we all know the ark of the Lord is sacred. It resided in the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle. The very place where the high priest met with God. It was perhaps the most important religious symbol in all of Israel. But at the end of the day, it was just a box. It held no power of its own. Carrying it into battle did nothing for Israel. Even though it was a good thing, it was not an ultimate thing. Even though it was a sacred thing, a godly thing, it was just a symbol. It was no substitute for God Himself.

Israel made the mistake of placing their trust in a gift rather than the Giver. They believed the ark “contained” God and if they just carried it with them in battle, they could not be defeated. But the heavens cannot contain God’s glory, much less this little box Israel carried around with them. And while it’s tempting to look down on Israel’s foolishness, how often do we make the same mistake? How often do we try to put God in a box? How often do we try to control Him? Manipulate Him? Judge Him? Evaluate Him? Remake Him in our own image? I think of the number of people who’ve said to me over the years, “I could never believe in a God like that…(insert whatever quality you take issue with)” I think about the number of times I have said or thought something similar. But God is not bound to our ideas of Him. He is not bound to our understanding of Him. And every time we try to reduce Him down to size, we are engaged in idolatry. Every time we try to capture Him with our theological systems, we are in danger of misrepresenting Him. Placing our trust once again in ourselves rather than in God.

Towards the end of our reading for today, Samuel calls Israel to return to the Lord. He challenges them to put away all their false gods. He challenges them to worship God alone and not place their trust in idols, even if they are sacred objects. “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, get rid of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths that are among you, set your hearts on the Lord, and worship only him. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” So the Israelites removed the Baals and the Ashtoreths and only worshiped the Lord.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭7‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭CSB‬‬) This same challenge remains for us today. To set our hearts on the Lord and worship Him alone.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 9-12

Dedication

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 1-3

Recently our church took a survey. One of the questions went something like this, “Are you willing to sacrifice everything for the Lord?” Not surprisingly, a smaller percentage of our congregation said, “Yes.” I had several people ask me about it later. Most of them took issue with the word “everything.” After all, “everything” could include their work, their home, their livelihood, their future, or their 401K. But those weren’t really the things that tripped people up. What really tripped people up was the idea that they might have to give up their children or their children’s future for the Lord. That’s the reason I heard over and over again as people answered “disagree” to that particular question and I get it. I really do. I have four kids myself. I love each of them fiercely. I want the best for them. I have worked hard to sacrifice so they can have all kinds of opportunities in life. The idea that I might have to give them up to the Lord is a foreign concept to me.

However, it wasn’t a foreign concept in Israel. The people of God loved their children as much or more than we do. They just understood God loved them more. They understood every child was a blessing from the Lord and therefore belonged to Him. Yes, we are entrusted with raising our children. Teaching our children. Protecting and providing for our children. But our children are from the Lord. They ultimately belong to Him which is why Hannah was able and willing to let go of Samuel. Her firstborn son. Her only child. With no guarantee she would get pregnant a second time. It’s an incredible act of faith. And the only reason she was able to find the courage to take this step is because of how much she trusted God. Listen to the words of her song again…

My heart rejoices in the Lord; my horn is lifted up by the Lord.

My mouth boasts over my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. There is no one holy like the Lord. There is no one besides you! 

And there is no rock like our God. Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogant words come out of your mouth, for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and actions are weighed by him. 

The bows of the warriors are broken, but the feeble are clothed with strength. 

Those who are full hire themselves out for food, but those who are starving hunger no more.

The woman who is childless gives birth to seven, but the woman with many sons pines away. 

The Lord brings death and gives life; he sends some down to Sheol, and he raises others up. 

The Lord brings poverty and gives wealth; he humbles and he exalts. 

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the trash heap. 

He seats them with noblemen and gives them a throne of honor. 

For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; he has set the world on them. 

He guards the steps  of his faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness, for a person does not prevail by his own strength. 

Those who oppose the Lord will be shattered; he will thunder in the heavens against them. 

The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. He will give power to his king; he will lift up the horn of his anointed. (‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭10‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Hannah believed every word of her prayer which is why she could relinquish her son to the Lord. She knew God had a plan for her son’s life though she could not have known the great man and prophet he would become. She simply knew he would serve the Lord and she knew the Lord lifts up the humble and poor and powerless. When you think about it, everything Hannah prays about comes true in Samuel’s life. He becomes the greatest and wisest judge in Israel’s history. He is a great leader and warrior. He presides over a period of stability and prosperity. He anoints Saul and David as kings. None of that would be possible except for his mother’s deep faith.

So let’s ask the question again…are you willing to sacrifice everything for the Lord? Imagine what He could do with whatever you decide to entrust into His hands? Your future? Your finances? Your work? Your home? Your family? God wants it all. Not to take it from you but to do with it what you could never do. This is His promise to all who would give their lives to Him.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 4-8

God’s Ways

Readings for today: Ruth 1-4

I love the book of Ruth. It’s a reminder that even in the midst of the most horrific circumstances, God is always at work. Even when things look dark and bleak, God’s light begins to shine through. The Book of Ruth takes place in the time of the judges. It doesn’t tell us which judge but we know from what we’ve just read this week that the “time of the judges” was a time of great hardship and suffering in Israel, most of it self-inflicted. The time of the judges was a time of great idolatry and sin in Israel. It was a time when terrible crimes were committed. Crimes against humanity and genocide. It was a time of hardship and pain and suffering as nation after nation attacked Israel and enslaved them. It was a time of political upheaval and uncertainty as leaders came and went. But even in the midst of the chaos, God was moving.

How was God moving? The way He always does…through human families. Elimelech marries Naomi. They have two boys named Mahlon and Chilion. Life is good until a famine hits their hometown. They move to another country. They settle in. The boys marry women. Elimelech dies. Mahlon and Chilion die. The women are left destitute. The famine ends. Naomi moves back home. One daughter-in-law stays in Moab, the other refuses to leave her side. The two women come back into town, hoping to find support from their extended family. Boaz enters the picture. A prominent man who was a relative of Elimelech. Ruth gleans in his fields. He notices her. Protects her. Provides for her. Marries her. They have a son named Obed.

It all seems so mundane. So ordinary. And it is. Because that’s how God works. Behind the scenes. Under the surface. Often in ways we cannot see or understand. Naomi and Ruth had no idea when they returned to Bethlehem what God had in store for them. Boaz had no idea as he threshed his grain what God had in store for him. Boaz and Ruth had no idea what God had in store for their son, Obed. I imagine Obed and Jesse and even David himself had no idea what God had in store for them. They were simply living life. Managing their day to day. Never knowing what part they had to play in the great salvation plan of God.

God is still moving, friends. Amidst all the chaos and hardship and suffering and pain and injustice and violence in our world. It’s easy to lose hope when we watch the news or scroll through social media. But the Lord is present, as He always is. He is working through regular, ordinary people like you and me. He is working through our families. Working in our lives. Working right alongside us as we manage our day to day. We may never know the part we have to play in the great salvation plan of God but God does! And God will make sure to bring to completion the work He’s begun in and through us.

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Raw

Readings for today: Judges 19-21

Today’s reading is one of the most horrifying in all of Scripture. A woman is raped to death. Her body cut into pieces. A war ensues. Tens of thousands are killed. An entire tribe is put at risk. More violence ensues. Women are captured and forced into marriages. It’s brutal. It’s terrible. And none of it is from the Lord.

This is honestly what I find most compelling about the Bible. It is raw. It is real. It never tries to sugarcoat or whitewash the depravity of humanity. The reality is human beings are capable of all kinds of evil. We are capable of all kinds of violence. We are capable of all kinds of exploitation and oppression and injustice. Our history is replete with example after example. Just watch the news and you will see it. Pay attention to what’s happening in the world today and you will witness it. For all the scientific and technological advances we’ve made as a species, we have made so little progress morally and ethically.

What is our fundamental problem? I think the last verse of Judges sums it up well. “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever seemed right to him.” (Judges‬ ‭21‬:‭25‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Everyone did what seemed right to them. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes. Everyone looked out for themselves and no one else. The disease that afflicts every human heart is selfishness. We privilege ourselves above everyone and everything else. Taken to an extreme, we will engage in all kinds of violence in order to preserve what we believe is rightfully ours. The Levite believed his concubine was worth sacrificing for his own life. The people of Israel believed the tribe of Benjamin was worth sacrificing for their national pride and honor. When the conflict came to an end and they realized what they had done, they believed the women were expendable as they sold them to the men who were left of the tribe of Benjamin. This is what happens when there is no king in Israel. When there is no authority in Israel. When there is no God in Israel.

What about us? What about our communities and our towns and our cities and our nation today? Is there a righteous authority? Do we honor God? Are there godly men and women in positions of leadership? Or is everyone doing what is right in their own eyes? Is it every person out for themselves? How do you live your life? How do I live mine? These are great questions to ask and the only way to avoid going down the road Israel found herself on is to submit yourself to God.

Readings for tomorrow: Ruth 1-4

Imperfection

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 imperfections. 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. Keeping the Nazarite vow was a sign of his devotion and dedication to the Lord, the true source of his strength. When he treated his vow casually 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. 

The goal of Judges 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.

Readings for tomorrow: Judges 19-21

Devolution

Readings for today: Judges 10-13

If I had to sum up the Book of Judges with a word, it would be “devolution.” A downward descent. Order to chaos. Degeneration. A move from higher levels of understanding of God and identity and community to lower levels. We see it all over the place. The conflict between different tribes of Israel that result in terrible violence like the killing of the Ephraimites. The terrible vow taken by Jephthah that results in the sacrifice of his daughter. The continual evil and idolatry Israel engages in that brings them under judgment. Perhaps the best indicator that things are headed downhill is the statement Jephthah makes in Judges 11:24 CSB, “Isn’t it true that you can have whatever your god Chemosh conquers for you, and we can have whatever the Lord our God conquers for us?”

Why is this statement so wrong? It reduces Yahweh to the level of a tribal god. It treats Yahweh as the equal of the pagan gods like Chemosh or Baal or Molech. It makes Israel just another warring tribe in a land of warring tribes. They are devolving from their place as God’s chosen people. God’s holy nation. God’s treasured possession and instead, embracing a pagan understanding of God. No, it is not true that the Ammonites can have whatever Chemosh conquers for them and Israel can have whatever the Lord conquers for them. The conquest of the Promised Land is not a battle between equal and opposing divine powers. It is not a contest to see which god is greater. God is already great. He has no rival. He has no equal. The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. Yahweh reigns supreme over all the other false gods in the world. And it is Israel’s continued failure to grasp and understand this fundamental truth that gets them into trouble over and over again. It’s why they have seasons where they choose to worship the Baal’s and Ashtoreth’s and the gods of the various tribes around them. They lose sight of the true nature and glory and majesty and splendor of Yahweh. They forget their history and how Yahweh proved Himself more powerful than all the gods of Egypt. They fail to pass on the many, many stories of God’s deliverance over the generations. As a result, their knowledge of God diminishes over time, leading to all kinds of pain and suffering.

We are no different. It is just as easy for us to “devolve” in our understanding of God. Especially if we neglect the very means He has given us to get to know Him. When we neglect the disciplines of prayer and meditation on Scripture, corporate worship with our church family, sacrificial service in the Lord’s name, and sharing our faith with others; we too can fall into disbelief and idolatry. We too can begin to remake God in our own image. Reducing Him to terms we can understand or control. Calling on Him to bless our plans, our purposes, our lives instead of laying all that we are and all that we have before Him. God is not our co-pilot. God is not our boyfriend. God is not a cosmic bellhop, always at our beck and call. God is not a first responder, there for us in case of emergency. God is God. He reigns and rules supreme over all He has made. He is sovereignly at work in our lives even now, bringing about His purposes and will, whether we know it or not, whether we like it or not. The sooner we surrender to Him, the better. The sooner we submit to Him, the more our lives will be filled with purpose and power. The sooner we give our lives to Him, the more we will receive in return.

Readings for tomorrow: Judges 14-18