Fire Escape

Today's passage:  Genesis 18-19:1-15
     I don't have one central thought for this post, but many random thoughts strung together.  My usual approach to reading a book in the Bible is to read a chapter at a time (I rarely get to read more than that and many mornings only a few verses in a chapter).  With Genesis, many events continue into the next chapter, so I find myself reading on.  I can't believe just how much I had forgotten or had not noticed since reading this book last.  It is amazing to me how God brings things to my attention that I didn't see before. Life experiences can further color what I see in His Word.

Abraham feeds three guests
Taken from Standard Bible Story Readers, Book Four
By Lillie A. Faris
Illustrated by O.A. Stemler and Bess Bruce Cleaveland
Standard Publishing Company, 1927

     So my first random thought is Abraham's prayer in the last verses of Chapter Eighteen.  I always pictured Abraham looking up into the heavens as he begged God for the righteous souls of Sodom, but forgot that the Lord Jesus is standing right there beside Abraham.  The Lord has just informed Abraham that He will be destroying the city, as He sends the two angels who accompanied Him ahead into said city.  Abraham begs and pleads with the Lord to spare the city if there be ten righteous men there.  The Lord agrees to this.  We see Abraham bargaining all the way down from fifty to ten, with the Lord agreeing to each plea.  I've heard it preached on many occasions, that Abraham stopped too soon.  Had he asked God for merely five righteous, might God had spared the city for even that?  But he didn't.  I think there is a reason that Abraham didn't.  He thought that there would have been at least ten righteous there.  Obviously, he and Lot had lost touch.  At some point, Lot's tent was no longer pitched toward Sodom, but pitched inside the city itself.  Abraham could not have known the effect this had on Lot and his family.  He probably did not realize that they were not the Godly influence they should have been.  In fact, when the angels go into the city to retrieve Lot, his wife, and two daughters, that is only four "righteous" souls that could be found.  Lot's other daughters had married ungodly men (I say this because they scoffed at Lot when he told them what would happen) and did not leave with them.  So even if Abraham had pleaded down to five, God still would not have been able to show mercy because there were not even that many righteous to be found.
     Here is my second random thought.  I'm not sure why the angels have to go into Sodom.  Was it only because they were going there to deliver Lot and the remnant of the  family that would leave with him?  In Chapter Eighteen the Lord says in verses 20 and 21, "...Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me, and if not, I will know."  So was it just a recon mission or a rescue mission?  If it is simply to deliver the warning to Lot and his family, I would be very embarrassed to be Lot.  Lot has to defend the virtue of his angelic visitors from the Sodomites (by offering the virtue of his daughters), a position he would never have been in had he not chosen to live and to stay in such a wicked place.  It can be argued that someone needs to be the light in the darkness, but in this case, Lot was not being the light.  I can tell this because his sons-in-law mock when he suddenly declares that God will judge them.  Why is he acting like a righteous man so suddenly? Had he been the light he was supposed to have been, not only might they have believed his message, but perhaps would have joined him in proclaiming it.  Of course, I can't know this for sure, since Noah also was a great proclaimer and nobody outside his family joined him.  But that is the key difference, Noah's family at least believed him.  With Noah, his wife and sons (who either married godly wives or influenced them to become godly wives) and daughters-in-law believed his message and went with him.  Lot's story of his family is tragically different.
     And finally, my third random thought is found in verses 16 and 17 which  read:  "And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.  And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him:  and they brought him forth, and set him without the city."   After all that has happened, Lot still has doubts about leaving.  He lingered.  God could have left him there, let the angels depart, and destroyed him.  I don't know if God spared Lot for Lot, or spared Lot for Abraham but the Lord is merciful once again.  Maybe Lot lingered because of the children he would leave behind.  Maybe he lingered because he couldn't bear to see his material wealth consumed.  I would love to assign a more spiritual motive to his lingering, such as his heart being bereaved for the souls of the city, but I think it unlikely.  But God is so merciful that the angels take Lot by the hand and drag he and his family outside the city gates before the fire starts to fall.  How merciful is my God!  He warns Lot of the impending doom, He even gives him a night to prepare himself, and even though Lot is still hesitant, God still delivers him.
     The fire is falling all around us.  God stays His hand each and every day because there may be a Lot in some city who is still hesitant to come to Him.  He doesn't drag us by the hand, as He did in Lot's case, but He gently beckons us to receive Him.  Some may be lingering.  He is waiting for you.  I don't know when He will return.  I don't know when Death will visit any one of us, but it could be today.  Are you standing in Sodom, still deciding whether to follow the Lord, waiting on the angel to grab your hand and make it more clear to you?  I'm not sure God will work like that today, but He gives clarity in His Word.  He may not grip your hand but He can grip your heart with His truth.  Come to Him before it is too late.  He wants to be merciful.  He wants each one to receive Him.  He wants to deliver us from the fire, because He does not want us to be consumed.  He is a God of great mercy, let Him show it in your life today.

Missionary Grocery List

Today's passage:  Romans 15:8-32
     "Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;
      That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;
     That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed."
     I pray for our missionaries.  Our Wednesday night prayer sheet lists all of the missionaries we support in 6 of the 7 continents.  Usually, I pray for the family in that country and put a little mark by the name.  I try to cycle through all the missionaries before starting over again.  Here is what I am guilty of (sentence ending with a preposition on purpose).  "Lord, bless so-and-so in such-and-such country." Mark by the name, move on to someone else tomorrow, like I would cross off an item I bought at the store.  Now, God will certainly honor and bless the fact that I prayed for so-and-so in such-and-such country and I'm sure that the missionary is appreciative of any mention, because on the foreign field, it may many times feel like they have been forgotten.  But I'm not sure God is entirely pleased with such a prayer.  Paul asks the Roman church to strive together for him in prayer.  Strive?  That sounds like it is going to take some work.  That sounds like maybe the church needs to know what is going on in Paul's life and they might even need to spend more than a minute in prayer for him.  It also sounds like, maybe some of them ought to get together to pray for him.  Ouch.  My toes are hurting right now.

Reading Paul's Letter
Taken from Treasures of the Bible
By Henry Davenport Northrop, D.D.
International Publishing Company, 1894

     The Lord has convicted me on more than one occasion about how I should pray for our missionaries.  I do pray for them, I just can't say I strive at it as I ought.  There are particular families I probably strive for more often than others, like our friends the Luluquisins in the Philippines.  They are particularly dear to my heart, so I can say I strive in prayer for them.  But I don't think I try hard enough for some of our other missionaries.  In the past, I have tried to get back to the bulletin board in the church foyer to read the missionary letters, but not as often as I should.  And even then, it would be hard to remember all the names of those needing salvation in those churches, all the countries that are antagonistic towards the Gospel and the churches bearing the brunt of that persecution, all the family members who are struggling with some kind of health issue.  I started a notebook once, to try and write these things down, but I never kept it up.
     How disappointing for the missionary to return home to have to introduce himself to each church member as the missionary in such-and-such country.  Of course, there are always new people in a church who will not know the missionary (although if they have been praying I would hope they would at least know the name and which country).  At the end of this set of verses, Paul asks the church to pray that he will be refreshed when he joins them.  I know I never pray that for our missionaries.  Furlough is exhausting.  When the missionary comes from the field, they are required (as Scripture says) to give a report to their supporting churches.  In some cases, they have to raise new support.  The economy has been so unstable, I'm sure that many missionaries have had to add to their already full furlough schedule to beseech new churches for support.  Where is the time of refreshing?  Not only do I need to let my missionaries know (especially when they walk through the church door) that I know who they are and am praying for them, but try to be an encouragement to them.  So many times the missionary is an encouragement to me.  Their spirit and perseverance in the Lord's work is inspiring.  Yet, I am instructed to pray that I can refresh them, and I am convicted that I have not done that.
     I need to be conscious of the needs of our missionaries.  I need to make it a priority to read the letters.  They take time to write them and let us know what is going on, but too many members (me) do not make the effort to read them.  Too many times, the missionary is surprised when a church member actually knows who they are.  That shouldn't be.  They shouldn't be amazed when a church member asks about certain situations that they read in their last mission letter.  And it shouldn't be assumed that the only ones to know these things are the missionary treasurer and the pastors.  I should know these things.  Every church member should know these things.  I realize there is no possible way I can remember every detail of sixty plus missionaries.  But by the time they come to visit again, I sure should know a lot more than I did the last time they came.  It is to my shame and their disappointment if I don't.  Grocery lists are written to be used and thrown away, but  that is not how I want to treat our missionaries and I am going to strive more when I pray for them.

Lend Me Your Ears

Today's passage:  II Samuel 22:1-7
     "When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;  The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me; In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God:  and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears."
     Men are often accused of having selective hearing.  They heard "football game on TV" but not "Please ask son's teacher about such and such".  But I'm sorry to throw us under the bus ladies, I know I have it too.  Especially when I'm in the middle of doing something.  When my husband says to turn off the coffee pot warmer before I leave the house so the coffee doesn't burn, I heard what he said.  But apparently I didn't process it and really let it sink in.  Because what did I do the other day, right after he said it?  I left the house for numerous hours with the coffee pot warmer still on.  I'm fortunate to be married to a very laid-back, easygoing husband who never gives me criticism.  And I deserve a lot, I'm afraid.
   The end of verse 7 says David's cry entered into God's ears.  God always hears our prayers.  I could be wrong, but the verse that says God doesn't hear our prayer if I regard iniquity in my heart, doesn't mean He doesn't actually hear us.  He just isn't paying attention and will not answer.  Does that mean God has selective hearing too?  I guess when we refuse to relent of some sin in our life that He has pointed out to us time and time again, it does.  I suppose when we ask for something, and we are too stubborn or proud to say "I'm sorry", God ignores us.  But in the above verses, God didn't just hear David.  His prayer went into God's ears.  And unless sin is blocking our way, God always intently hears our prayers.  Have you ever been in a conversation, and had the sense that the person you were talking to was distracted, or that you didn't have their full attention?  I know sometimes I have been that person.  And I hate that because I really want to hear what the person is saying, but if my two year old is about to poke himself in the eye with a sharp object or my four year old is climbing yet again on some non-sturdy structure, my attention is going to be a little divided.  God has a whole world to listen to, but He is not once distracted by his children who are involved in some ungodly activity while another who needs His help is pouring out prayers over her little one.  He can equally hear the prayers going up at a church service and the prayers going up at the hospital.  And He doesn't just hear one and listen to the other.  They both enter into His ears.

Hear My Prayer--Taken from Standard Bible Story Readers, Book One
By Lillie A. Faris, Illustrated by O.A. Stemler and Bess Bruce Cleaveland
The Standard Publishing Company, 1925

     This is great assurance because like David, I'm living in a "flood of ungodly men".  This sinful world gets worse every day.  News stories are evidence of that. It isn't going to improve. Things might improve for individuals if they give their lives to Christ, but as a nation, as a planet, conditions will grow steadily worse.  It is a good thing that a prayer of salvation enters into God's ears and He can deliver a person from the "sorrows of hell" and the "snares of death".  It is a comfort that when I feel surrounded by sin and darkness, when evil is prevalent and engulfs me, God doesn't just hear me, my prayer enters into His ears and He will answer.
    "I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised:  so shall I be saved from mine enemies."  II Samuel 22:4

Prayer and Purpose

Today's passage:  II Samuel 21:1-14
    In college I worked at a highly popular fast food restaurant. Because of my school schedule, I worked many different shifts.  One year I worked early mornings from open until mid-afternoon.  The next year, I worked mostly evenings from late-afternoon until closing.  Since I was one of the few workers that had actually worked both shifts, I was privy to hearing the blame game.  When I worked mornings and something was undone, it was a tendency of my co-workers to say, "Oh, that didn't get done because of the closing crew."  When something was left unfinished in the evenings, those on that shift would often say,  "The morning crew never completes that."  Sure, there was the occasional time when you would see somebody doing nothing, but since we were the only golden arches that served many of the small towns in the area, and we were a lunch stop on the way to Branson, Missouri we kept pretty busy.  I was always the type of person that thought, instead of complaining about the undone job, just do it.  I know its more work, but so what?  Work is never evenly divided.
      I don't see David complaining a lot. Unlike the king before him, he takes responsibility for the way he has failed God.   After all he has been through so far, now God sends a famine in the land.  After three years, David decides to ask God about it.  Perhaps, in the beginning, David just attributed the famine to lack of rain or a weather cycle that would pass.  Some summers are particularly dry, some years a lot less precipitation.  Another year goes by and David is probably figuring out that this much time without rain is a little unusual.  By the third year, David recognizes something supernatural is going on here.  When David asks God why He is sending this famine, God tells him it is because of a sin Saul committed against the Gibeonites.  David could have told God this was not fair.  After all, he was not the one to break the treaty (one Joshua had established) with the Gibeonites, that was the last king.  Why should he be held responsible for the failures of his predecessor?  It's called leadership.  And guess what?  Every leader has to deal with the failings of the last presidency, er, leader.  David could have whined and complained about this for another couple years while his people continued to starve and while the rain still did not come.  Instead, he decides to solve the problem.  He offers a solution to the Gibeonites (an unfortunate one I am afraid) to appease their wrath, and guess what?  God sends rain.  Leaders find solutions.  Incompetent leaders complain about the problems handed to them.  It irks me when presidents or prime ministers complain about past problems mostly because they chose to run for that office knowing full well the problems facing them.  David had not asked to be king.  David did not campaign his way onto the throne.  God selected him which means he would have even more reason to murmur about this new situation.  But he doesn't.  He leads.  And that is something I've not seen a lot lately in our own country.
     I know this is a little more political than my usual post, but David's leadership style challenges me to think more positively when God allows difficulties in my life, especially ones not of my own making.  How does God want me to handle it?  Moan and groan like Saul, or pray and purpose like David?  Looking throughout history, I would say that most leaders fall into one of these two categories, and judging from the past, I think we can deduce which style has been most productive.  Complaining about things does not solve anything.  Blaming others does not resolve issues.  David witnessed that in the man who came before him, and he determined to be different.  He accepted the challenges put in his path and forged new ones.  With all his failings, David led his people, right or wrong.  With all his faults, David accepted the problems given to him and found solutions.  He didn't always do it the right way, but at least he did something, and he didn't place the blame on anyone else. I think we all could stand a little help in that department.

Time to Give Thanks

Today's passage:  Nehemiah 12:8
     Nehemiah records the ceremony and dedication when the Jerusalem wall was finally rebuilt.  I thought the following verse was interesting:  "Moreover the Levites:  Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah and Mattaniah, which was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren."  I guess I was amused that they actually assigned people to make sure the people were thankful.  I'm wondering how much thanks we would give if we didn't have this holiday?  Would we take time to count our blessings?  Would we set aside time each day to tell God thanks for all He has done in our lives?  I'm thankful for a day when we are encouraged to remember all the blessings in our lives.  I have so many, but here are a few on my thankful list for this year.

• My salvation.  I can't imagine living life here without having peace about my next life.  I'm so thankful for how God found me and saved my worthless soul.  I had a childhood of knowing about God, but not really knowing Him, and I'm grateful that as a teenager, God brought me to a place where I could hear the simple plan of salvation and accept Christ's payment for my sins.
• God's Word.  I'm thankful that God gave me a Book to know exactly what He wanted me to know about Him.  I'm glad God didn't leave me in this Christian life as a clueless wanderer, wondering where to go or what to do next.  He gave me a manual to tell me how to live.
• Prayer.  I have a power on earth greater than any sorcerer.  When I kneel before Him, giving Him praise for who He is, getting my heart right from convicting sin, thanking Him for all He has done and is doing, asking Him to help me and others in all aspects of life, I can see miracles happen.  Sometimes I'm envious of all that the disciples were able to witness when Christ was here on earth, but I have that same privilege every time I go to God, and see Him answer.
• My husband.  God knew the exact partner that would need my strengths and complement my weaknesses.  He knew the exact man who would tolerate all my flaws and foibles.  He gave me a man of God who is devoted to me and devoted to his children.  My husband is a hard worker who always puts our needs before his own.  He has a teachable spirit, willing to ask for help when he is unsure.  He enjoys simple pleasures and a simple life.
• My children.  The three boys God has given me to raise have such diverse personalities.  I see a little of God in each one of them.  My oldest has an intelligence beyond his years.  His charisma and enthusiasm allow him to be a natural leader.  He wants to live for God, and is already encouraging his younger brothers to do so.  He is a wonderful big brother.  My middle son has the energy of ten boys.  He already asks me to tell him Bible stories, I think his day of salvation is near.  He is my Jacob, helping me with anything around the house.  Then there is my baby, my youngest.  He has such a sweet temper.  He is easily led, with a big heart for his family and animals.  He enjoys being outdoors, already expressing wonder at God's creations.
• My extended family.  I never realized how strained relationships could be between parents and children, in-laws and parents, brothers and sisters.  I never knew it because God has blessed me with a family that gets along.  That is a great credit to my parents.  When we lived overseas, it was often only us, and we did things together as a famly that have kept us close even today.  I am thankful for marrying into a family who has embraced me.  I cherish the holidays I get to spend with each side of the family.
• A home.  In this economy, I don't count this as a light thing.  God gave us a house 10 years ago that has not been a money pit.  How thankful I am for that.  We have made improvements, there have been repairs, but God has kept us afloat when the mortgage seemed higher than we could pay.  Somehow, the money is always there, even on a one-person income and we have not fallen into any kind of foreclosure danger.
• My husband's job.  Again, when jobs are hard to find, this is a big blessing.  He has been able to be employed in the same place for seventeen years.  His job is difficult.  It is stressful.  He needs wisdom every day on how to handle situations, because any one of them could result in complaints or accusations of misconduct.  I'm thankful that God has given him an even temper, not prone to vengeance so that he can handle people in the most appropriate fashion.  This whole last year he was able to be on the day shift.  For the first time in our marriage, we were able to eat dinner together every night, put the kids to bed, and have alone time.  It has been very nice.  And we just found out that he will be on days for this next year as well.  Thank you God!
• My health.  More than ever, I understand the saying, "Well, you still have your health."  I have not suffered from any illnesses or diseases.  Neither has any of my family.  
• My church.  I'm so happy to be in a place of worship that is concerned about the whole world.  I never worry about not getting truth. The people I worship with are my family.  They are my brothers and sisters and when they hurt, I hurt.  When they rejoice, I rejoice.  It is a joy to worship in a place that is a picture of Heaven, believers united from many different countries.  
• The United States of America.  I could have been born in a third world country. God could have placed me in the slums of India or Communist China.  But he didn't.  He allowed me to be born in a country of freedom.  Because of that, I have been able to learn about Him.  I am able to celebrate as the Pilgrims did that I can freely worship Him.  

     Obviously, I could go on and on.  God has given me so much for which to be thankful.  I didn't even touch on His protection, His provision, and His graciousness.  He is gracious to me because when I am ignorant of what I am doing wrong in my life, He gives me time to grow and learn and change.  When so many others are rushing on to the next holiday, I'm glad we have a time set aside to remember to be thankful.  Aren't you?  Have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving!

Heads or Tails

Today's passage:  I Samuel 12
    Heads, you win.  Tails, you lose.  I think some people think this is how God handles our lives.  That somehow God is up in Heaven flipping a coin, and depending on which side faces up is how He will deal with us.  I'm thankful that my God is so much more complex than that.
     Reading this passage about David's brokenness over the consequences for his sin, reminds me a bit of "Heads or Tails", not because that is how God deals with Him, but because we are apt to think that if David says some kind of magic prayer, he will end up with the heads side of the coin and everything will be hunky-dory.  God does not work that way.  If our lives were just a coin to God, why is it so many people have more Tails than Heads?  If our lives were just a flip in the air, leaving things to chance, then we would have no reason to live in a way that was pleasing to God, because the outcome would never have any connection to how we lived.

The Death of David and Bathsheba's Son--Taken from Treasures of the Bible (The United Kingdom)
By Henry Davenport Northrop, D.D.
The International Publishing Company, 1894

     In this passage, God could have spared David's unborn child.  He could have considered David's heartfelt pleas and stayed His Hand.  But He doesn't.  It is not because David got the Tails side of the coin.  It is because God knows how best to handle David's heart.  He knows how best to handle mine.  When I was a teen, there was a song by a pop music parody master that said, "I'd rather rip my heart right out of my rib cage with my bare hands and then throw it on the floor and stomp on it til I die..."  Humorous, but haven't we all had those moments?  Those times in our life when it felt like God was ripping our heart out of our chest and holding it in His bare but capable Hands?  Or worse, throwing it to the floor and stomping on it?  David's face to the ground, his eyes overflowing with tears, his heart too full for food or company is pleading for God's mercy.  Doesn't God hear him?  Shouldn't God spare him?  I can't answer that.  I can't understand God's ways.  I know that David is not the only one who had sinned.  Who knows that God's decision to bring this judgement might not have been for Bathsheba?  He was holding her heart too.  God was not up in Heaven, laughing deviously, flipping a coin, saying, "Well, let's see how this all comes out.  I'll let this nickel decide."  God is purposeful.  God is just.  God wants my worship.  God wants my best.  He knows best how to achieve those things in my life, and in the lives of others.  And since I am not a navigator of hearts, I am not a spelunker of those inner caverns, I cannot pretend to know what God already does.  He holds that pulsating center of thoughts and emotions in His hands, and He knows how tightly to squeeze to get it pumping again.  He knows just how much pressure to apply to make it pulse for Him.
     Poor David.  I can say that, and my emotions be little affected because I didn't know him.  I can objectively read this passage and not be touched by his pain.  But there are people who have impacted my life, who may be in a similar situation as David was.  No, they may not be about to lose a child (or they may be), they may not have sinned as egregiously as David did, yet their sin is costing them.  God may have their heart that is in no way connected to mistakes or unholiness.  Those Davids may be beseeching God for mercy in their lives.  And God will give it.  But not necessarily in the situation they are in.  After God took David's child, despite the broken heart, the earnest prayers, God was merciful.  How?  God gave David another son, Solomon.  And He allowed him to win another battle against the Ammonites, the battle they should have won when Uriah was killed.  God created us.  He knows how best to keep us alive and afresh for Him.  Just because I say it doesn't make us automaton's devoid of emotion and reason, yahooing every difficult circumstance in our lives.  But it makes me feel a whole lot better knowing that the One who created my heart, knows exactly what to do with it.  And that gives me much more peace than a coin flip.

Lasting Loyalty

Today's passage:  II Samuel 1

     At the end of I Samuel, Saul is killed (see post:  Comparatively).  In the beginning of II Samuel, David is just receiving this news.  An Amalekite emerges from the Israelite camp, appropriate mourning attire, reporting that King Saul and his son are dead.  This fellow has a definite agenda.  I can tell this because he knows to go straight to David (who is to be the next king) with this information.  He also thinks he knows that David will be overjoyed at this news.  Who wouldn't?  The man who had been pursuing David for years was now dead.  His son, Jonathan, who should be next in line for the throne is also dead.  This means two things for David.  He can stop running.  And he is about to become the next king of Israel. 

Picture in Public Domain from Standard Bible Story Reader, Book Three by Lillie A. Farris
Illustrated by O. A. Stemler and Bess Bruce Cleaveland, The Standard Publishing Company, 1926

     I've read a lot of books about England's kings and queens, the intrigue and power struggles at court, and it seems that the successor is always a little happy about the death of the previous monarch.  Usually they put on a good show about being sad, but they were often pretty excited about making their own mark on the country.  Although the events in II Samuel take place well before European courts, wouldn't it stand to reason that a lot of posturing was already taking place?  Weren't people already elbowing for the king's favor?  Didn't they all want to find grace and hopefully lands, titles, wealth under the new king?  I'm pretty sure this Amalekite did.  This is why he makes it clear to David, that although Saul fell on his own sword, he finished him off.  He doesn't say this joyfully, but I have no doubts that a smirk dwells under the frown.  He misjudges David.  A normal person would reward this man for disposing of his enemy and propelling him towards the monarchy.  But David was no ordinary man.  He had an extraordinary loyalty, not only to God, but to the man God placed as king.  A king who was often not worthy of his devotion.  A king who only wanted him dead.  A king who was disobedient to God.  And yet, he was still the king.  David does not reward this Amalekite.  He has him killed.  This man thought he would be showered with affection, with favors. I'm sure Amalekite kings would have done that for him.  He did not understand David, or David's God.

     This passage convicts me about our own leaders.  I have said before that I should pray more earnestly for them.  But I should also give them my allegiance while they are in office.  This doesn't mean I will agree with them, or agree with their decisions.  But I should be respectful, not speaking malicious words or wishing for bad things to happen to them.  David never once wished for Saul's death.  Why not?  I think probably because he knew him personally.  It would be easy for David's mighty men to be critical and harsh against Saul.  All they could see were his negatives.  And although David knew those things about Saul too, he had lived with him in the palace and knew there was more to the man. I think it is far easier to be critical of a man's actions when you don't know him, than when you do.  Not that I'm expecting to form bonds of friendship with my mayor or the President.  That is highly unlikely.  They are not evil villains, just as the men before them were not evil villains.  They are in positions of leadership that can change the course of our cities and country.  Sometimes they will make very bad decisions, as all leaders do.  Sometimes they will make very good decisions, and we should acknowledge when they do.  Either way, judging every move they make, threatening to move out of the country (still by far, the greatest country in the world), vowing to bring these men down, questioning their motives behind even their good decisions is not being a loyal citizen.  I'm sure David disagreed with Saul far more than he agreed.  He probably made a list of the things he would do differently as king.  The difference in what I see today is that David kept that list to himself.  If he had announced it to his men, if he acquired a megaphone and shouted it from the caves, it might have caused dissatisfaction among the people.  They may have rioted, they may have tried to get David on the throne sooner.  David knew it was not his time until God said so, not when the people said so.  We have an election every four years.  Campaign season has already started, but the dissatisfaction started as soon as the new President took office, and actually when election night results had been viewed.  I'm not saying I rejoiced at those results.  I have pretty much disagreed with just about everything our present President has done.  That is my right.  But I also believe, God has allowed him to lead our country for the time being, and agreeing or disagreeing, he is my President too.  Just as our city has elected a new mayor (who happens to hail from the present Presidential administration) and who has already made some controversial decisions with which I disagree, he is still my mayor.  I should pray for him.  I should be a good citizen for him (at least until the next election, when I can choose to vote for someone else).  But until I cast my vote in the booth, weighing decisions of new candidates, I need to be careful that I am not trash talking my current leaders.  Disagree with them, yes.  But respectfully.  And I find far too little of that, even in Christian circles.  David was loyal.  He would not tolerate insubordination to the man God put on the throne.  We may want to argue that God did not put "that man" in the White House or in the Governor's Mansion or in City Hall, but now that God allows us to make those decisions, He has had a hand in it.  We have to trust that God knows what He is doing, just as David trusted God.  And until we have an opportunity to make a new decision, we should be as loyal as David, and should encourage others to be loyal too.

Centered on Praying

Today's passage:  I Corinthians 15:1-11
     For the past two years, our pastor has challenged our church to pray for the countries of the world.  At the front of the church, during missions conference week, flags of every country are displayed.  This year he asked us to close our eyes and pick one.  That flag is a reminder to pray every day for the souls of that nation.  Even our young children have gotten involved, and listening to them pray for the people of other countries is stirring.  My prayer is that this exercise will burden their hearts about missions and maybe they will feel a calling to do a work in one of the countries for which they grew up praying.
     I have prayed for the countries of Bahrain and Qatar.  This year I am praying for the Central African Republic, a country I didn't know.  Sure, I knew what continent it was on, since the name of the country kind of helped me with that.  I looked up some information on it.  It is located almost directly in the center of Africa (thus the appropriate name).  The landlocked country is located between Cameroon to the west, Chad to the north, the Congos to the South and the Sudans to the northeast/southeast.



African continent with Central African Republic highlighted in green.

      What most troubled me was that the average life expectancy is 50 years old.  With over fifty percent of the population between the age bracket of 15-65, that means about half of the population has reached old age.  With only 25% considering themselves Protestant (and that is a mixed kettle) and a 48% literacy rate, that's three quarters of a country who are unfamiliar with the gospel, and half of a country that would not be able to read a Bible if given one. Those statistics are given by the CIA World Factbook.  Operation World listed the top religion for this country as being Christian, with 32% out of 76% considering themselves evangelical.  With Muslim nations surrounding them, if this is true, that is encouraging news.  Still the need for growth, and a lot of that comes from being able to read the Bible, would be considerable.
      They rank 7 among countries for infant mortality rate, with almost 100 infant deaths out of 1000.  AIDS is still a serious problem here.  As in most African countries, sanitation conditions and disease are prevalent.  It is also considered a Tier 3 country for human trafficking, which means that it has not complied with UN standards for eliminating it and may suffer sanctions as a result.
     Paul says at the beginning of this chapter, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;"  It is my desire that every person in the Central African Republic will receive Christ, and stand on the truth they have been given.  Maybe in Heaven, I will find out there were some souls saved because of my prayers.  Maybe I will meet Christian brothers and sisters from Bahrain and Qatar as well.  Wouldn't it be something if God let me have some small part in a country thousands of miles away?  God will let you do the same.  Pick a country, any country, and make it your goal to pray for it for an entire year.  We pray for our countries at every meal time, and then again during devotion time.  That is four times a day (most days) that prayers are being offered up for a country of the world.  If you decide to participate, would you comment below, and tell me for which country you will be praying?  I'd love to hear how God has burdened your heart. 
    




Facades

Today's passage:  I Corinthians 3:10-23
     "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."
      I'm thinking about a vacant house that was down the block from my husband and I in our first few years of marriage.  This structure looked like it could have been the haunted house from stories.  It was certainly old.  Rotting porch steps, crumbling facade, barely-hanging-on door.  But most noticeable was the cracking and sagging foundation.  The whole house looked like it would eventually collapse.  Do you know somebody renovated that place, and I'm guessing sold it.  I never saw them dig up the foundation, so I've always been very curious how they were able to correct it.  They put new cement over it to make it look new.  They put new siding on the house, they fixed the door, they built a new porch.  My thought was, whoever bought that house has been duped, because eventually that weak foundation is going to give way, and the way the house looks isn't going to matter.  So far, it is still standing, but I have a strong feeling that they have had more problems than they bargained for, and probably have no idea why, since inside and out looked brand new.
     The foundation I am laying for my children is so very important.  I would like all my boys to be very well-rounded.  I want them to learn a musical instrument (to use for God's glory), I want them to enjoy a sport (to promote healthy exercise and a love for God's outdoors), I want them to learn how to cook and clean (so if God calls them to be single, they can fend for themselves, or if God calls them to marry, they can be a help to their wives).  Most importantly, I want them to learn to love God's Word.  Really, all the rest is so not important, if they do not know God.  They can be the most charismatic, charming, endearing young men, but without Christ, it is all just a fancy facade.  They can be the All-American athlete who wins regional and state awards but without knowing Christ, they haven't won anything.  They can have musical abilities that rival any famous talent, but if they scoff at God, that talent is just decor.
     I pray each and every day that my boys will come to know Christ.  My oldest has already professed Christ, and he already prays for his younger brothers.  I pray that they will accept Jesus at an early age, so they can lay that foundation and build upon it.  I pray more than that.  I pray that they will surrender their lives to the Lord.  Whatever God calls them to do, I pray they will use those abilities for Him.  If they are athletic, I pray God will call them to coach in a Christian school.  If they are musical, I pray God will teach them to be a music minister, or direct a choir.  If they are good with their hands, I pray God will call them to build churches here or on the mission field.  None of the talents God will give them will matter, if they do not first accept Christ.  If that foundation is not there, the rest will come tumbling to the ground.  I do not want to build young men who have a fancy facade.  I want to build young men who have a proper foundation, so if the house starts to collapse, they can rebuild. 
     One of these days, I am going to walk past that house that looks like new, and see that it is no longer standing.  The foundation was never re-laid properly, so I don't see how it can continue to stand.  The inhabitants may wonder what would cause their house to sag and crumple, because they never saw what was under the cement.  Hundred dollar fixtures, and fancy furniture can never solve that problem.  That is something that has to be taken care of at the very start.  I'm praying that my kids will have a glorious start, a solid foundation which will allow them to build lives for Him.  Without that, everything else is just a crystal chandelier.

Divided

Today's passage: I Samuel 23
     "Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines:  therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth."
     My heart and mind are sometimes divided.  My heart says to do one thing, while my mind says to believe another.  I hate taking sides.  I want everyone to be right.  I want to see everyone's point of view.  The only way to get my heart and mind on the same page is to pray that God will bring them together.  As a mother especially, my heart and mind are divided on how to handle situations in my children's lives.  Do I help?  Do I let him figure it out for himself?  Praying is the best antidote to this predicament. 
     Saul was divided.  Sela-hammahlekoth means "rock of divisions" because Saul felt torn between continuing to pursue his perceived enemy, David, and his real enemies, the Philistines.  Saul has had his soldiers tailing David everywhere he goes.  When he loses sight of him, he has spies throughout the land who are able to report David's whereabouts.  When Saul has a lead, he sends men after him, in hopes to destroy him. 
     In this passage, David goes to help Keilah, where the Philistines have pillaged a threshingfloor.  David consults God about this first.  Actually, he consults Him twice.  Maybe since the priests being killed, David feels on shaky ground with God.  Their deaths would have weighed heavily on David, and he wants to be sure to ask God before proceeding with a particular plan of action.  Should he go to Keilah, a gated city where he could easily be hunted down by Saul and trapped, or should he let the king himself aid Keilah?  God says go.  Does God mind that we make sure of a decision?  I don't think so.  David asked twice, God answered twice.  God doesn't try to be mysterious with us, His will is not some mystical puzzle that we have to figure out.  Searching His Word and praying will reveal it to us, although sometimes only a piece at a time.  How David would escape from Keilah, with Saul in pursuit, would be information for which David would have to wait on God.
     When Saul is told that David is in an actual city, not hiding in caves or the wilderness, Saul is elated.  He believes God has delivered David into his hand.  Saul is mistaken.  Saul has not consulted with God about this matter, if he had, he would know that he should not be chasing after David at all.  It is dangerous to look at circumstances and assume God is with us, or God is against someone else, unless we have first prayed to Him and asked Him if He is.  Did Saul pray?  Doubtful.  Did Saul seek God?  Unlikely.  Saul was consumed with jealousy.  He was allowing that to motivate him.  In these circumstances, God could only be on one side.  God cannot be divided.  God's nature cannot be on two sides at once.  The only way God could have been with both of them, was if God's plan was for David to go to Keilah to be captured, and even then, God would still have been on David's side, He would have just used the situation to accomplish something in David's life.  If we have prayed about a situation, but God does things differently than how we were expecting, that does not mean He has suddenly deserted us, and is now with our enemy.  It just means God is using these circumstances to allow us to accomplish something more for Him, even though it may seem like our enemy has won. 
     When David is able to escape from Saul and hide in the wilderness, Saul is angry.  He was certain that he would be able to destroy David.  Now he has to choose whether to go after the Philistines who have been using Saul's focus on David to wreak their own havoc, or to continue in his quest to have David captured.  If Saul had bothered to go to God with any of this, the choice would have been clear.  For a change, Saul puts his selfish desires on hold and actually does what is best for his country by going after the Philistines.  It is at Sela-hammahlekoth that he makes this decision.
     One of my favorite quotes is one from Abraham Lincoln which says,  "Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right."  If I am not sure whether I am on the right side or not, I need to pray and ask God to show me.  He will.  If I am on the wrong side, He will reveal that to me, so that I can get on the right side.  God cannot be divided.  If I am on the right side, and I am sure I am on the right side (maybe I have to ask Him more than once) but it seems that everything is going against me,  I have to assume that God will reveal that I am right in the long run.  Maybe it may look like my enemy is winning, but God will reveal the truth in His time, and I do not have to help Him out.  When I take God's side, I am always right.  But I better be sure that it is God's side that I am on.

Insignificant David

Today's passage:  I Samuel 16:1-13
     "And he said, Peaceably:  I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD:  sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.  And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice."
     I have a question.  God calls Samuel to go to Bethlehem to anoint the next king.  Samuel fears for his life, because if Saul discovers his errand, he will kill him.  This tells me that Saul was never truly repentant at the end of the last chapter, or he would have accepted God's consequences for his behavior.  For him to interfere with Samuel on this, means he had not accepted God's punishment.  That is not my question. 
     When Samuel arrives in Bethlehem, the townspeople are fearful.  They want to know if Samuel has come in peace.  My guess is, Samuel had been known to be Saul's mouthpiece, and Saul had not exactly been an easy king.  The last verse of Chapter 14 says that whenever Saul saw a strong or valiant man, he would recruit him for his battles.  Perhaps the Bethlehemites are concerned that Samuel has been sent for this mission, to scout the town for future soldiers.  But this is not my question either.

David Plays the Lyre--taken from the Standard Bible Story Reader, Book One
by Lillie A. Faris, illustrated by O.A. Stemler and Bess Bruce Cleaveland,
The Standard Publishing Company, 1927

     Samuel assures the people that he has come to sacrifice to the Lord.  This has been his habit in the past, to go from town to town and offer sacrifices.  Samuel presents himself to Jesse, asks them to do their ritual cleansing before offering to the Lord.  Jesse and seven of his sons prepare for this time.  Okay, here is the question.  And I know the obvious answer, but it still doesn't make sense to me.  Why doesn't Jesse call David to the sacrifice?  I mean, I know somebody has to tend to the sheep, but where do they put them overnight?  Surely they have a sheepfold.  Isn't Jesse concerned about the spiritual well-being of his youngest son?  How often had Samuel come to town to offer sacrifices to the Lord?  And if David was always the one to tend to the sheep, how many times had he missed this event?  Maybe this is the first and only time Samuel had come to Bethlehem for this.  That would make it even more significant, which should lead Jesse to call in his youngest son.  Did he just overlook the fact that David wasn't there, until Samuel asks if all the boys are present?  Was Jesse just old and tired and didn't notice things as he formerly did?  That could be, but David has seven older brothers who could have summoned him.  I'm wondering if there is a reason David was deliberately left out.  I don't think the fact that he was tending the sheep is enough of a reason for him to be left out of this worship time.  David doesn't have a clue what is going on up in the town, until someone fetches him and brings him to Samuel.  Was this just God's way of further emphasizing that this young man, who obviously was of no account to anyone, that they couldn't even remember to call him from the fields, is the man God selected?  God had His eye on David. 
Every hymn David sang while leading the sheep to pasture, every prayer David said while allowing the sheep to graze, every harp praise offered up while watching for bears and lions, was noticed by God.  David might have felt unimportant doing these little things, but he did them to the best of his ability, and even though he didn't get to worship God in the usual way, by being called to sacrifice, he still worshipped God.  David's worship was real.  It wasn't ritualistic, it wasn't a list of do's and don'ts.  It was heartfelt.  It was genuine.  I think that we all could take a page from David's worship book.  We all could learn to sit quietly and wait on God.  This is not to say we should abandon church and sit in a field as our Sunday worship.  No, but when we are in church, instead of thinking about the grocery list, or the week's schedule, or the lunch menu, intently listening to what God is saying through the speaker.  When we are not in church, studying God's Book.  Singing to him while we are doing our chores, taking a time to pray quietly to Him, and then waiting for a few minutes for an answer.  Memorizing His Word and meditating upon it.  I think David should have been in "church", but he wasn't really given that option.  Nobody told him that "church" was taking place.  Yet, David's worship was still noticed.  It was noticed because this was something David did daily, not just on occasion.  It wasn't a ritual that David followed, it was a love for God, that I don't think his brothers shared.  God could see this in David's heart, and that is why He selected him to be the next king. 
     What is my worship like?  I go to God's House, because that is what God expects of me, and that is where I will learn and grow and serve, but what about when I am not in His House?  Every other day of the week, is my worship genuine?  Is there worship at all?  I should give God praise every day, not just on Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night.  This is why David's worship was so special, it was every day of the week.  God sees me.  Of the billions of people on this earth, and He hears my every prayer, He sees my daily work as worship to Him.  Wiping the table, sweeping the floor, dusting the bookshelves are all acts of worship when I include Him in the process.  The good thing about those chores are that they only take my hands, my heart and mind can be occupied listening to Godly music, memorizing and quoting Scripture, praying for people.  David had all day to think about God, because in his alone time watching the sheep, it only took his hands.  His heart and mind could be occupied elsewhere, and his daily activities became acts of worship to the Lord.  And God noticed him.  When I feel insignificant, when you feel insignificant, remember that God notices everything.  He doesn't miss your dedication to your job.  He doesn't overlook the time you take to make sure things are done right.  He doesn't forget the prayer you said, or the worship you gave him.  He may not make you a king, but you will have a reward, even if it is just that small nudge from the Holy Spirit inside that says, "You did a good job today.  Be proud.  God loves you and He noticed that." 
     Thank You, God, for making me feel so special.  Thank You that wiping down toilets is just as special to You as planning a missionary banquet.  Thank you that changing out bulletin boards is just as important to You as speaking at a conference.  You get all the glory in all of those tasks and nothing we do for You goes unnoticed.

Pleading

Today's passage:  I Samuel 15:1-11
     I have wept over my children.  I have prayed for their strength in this wicked world.  I yearn for each of them not to only to accept Christ, but to embrace Him in their lives so that they will give their lives to serve Him.  Crying for my children is not an unusual thing.  It seems natural.  If they were to fall into sin, I would cry again.  I would fall on my knees and plead with God to deliver them from whatever mischief they were involved.

"It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king:  for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments.  And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night." 

     Not surprisingly, Saul has again decided to do things his way.  He thinks he is wiser than God.  God gives him the express order to destroy, no annihilate, the Amalekites.  Eradicate them, demolish them, obliterate them.  I think "utterly destroy... and spare them not," seems pretty plain to me.  I don't think there is a lot of wiggle room there.  Yet Saul seems to find a loophole.  Actually, he doesn't find one, he creates one.  He almost does everything that God says.  But almost following an order is not good enough.  If I were a pharmacist and I almost filled the medicine order correctly, I could kill someone.  If I were a banker, and I almost gave back the right amount of change, I would be convicted of cheating people.
      Almost obeying God is not obeying.  In fact, I will even go so far as to say that almost obeying is worse than disobeying.  Why?  Because when I disobey, I have no excuses.  It's pretty black and white.  When I almost obey, I want to excuse myself for why I couldn't obey completely.  I want to offer reasons why my disobedience wasn't disobedience at all.  I want to color it gray.
     I really believe God gives this task to Saul on purpose.  What God asks Saul to do is to fulfill a promise He made back in Deuteronomy 25.  It had always been God's plan to "blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven."  Now, God asks Saul to carry out the task.  His failure to do this will allow Amalek to cause future havoc for Israel.  Remember Haman, the wicked fellow in the book of Esther who persuades King Ahasuerus to enact the law to have the Jews destroyed?  Guess his ancestry.  He was a descendant of the Amalekites.  Saul's failure here, is a failure for generations.  That is a good application to remember.  Sometimes my failures follow me, or follow my children.  I shouldn't look at any situation and think, well, I'll just disobey a little.  There is no such thing.  Saul's almost obedience led to an almost destruction generations later.  God gives Saul the privilege of carrying out His orders.  He gives Saul the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy.  He leaves one, alright, just not one God intended.
     After Saul disobeys, God speaks to Samuel about it.  Samuel is brokenhearted.  He weeps over Saul, as if he is his own son.  The verse says that he cried all night.  This really challenged me.  When is the last time I cried for someone who was not my child, or in my family.  When is the last time I cried for the leaders of my country?  I have had critical spirits over those in authority, I have prayed for them, not really convinced that anything would change.  When have I ever cried for my President and prayed God would help him in his decisions?  I have prayed that way, but I don't think I have ever earnestly pleaded with God as Samuel did here.  I have never stayed awake all night and prayed for him.  Wouldn't that be something?  Wouldn't it be a challenge if all of our churches took a time to have an all-night prayer vigil for the leaders of our country?  Would it change anything?  Samuel was convinced it would.  You might say, but Saul didn't change, if anything, he seemed to get worse.  This is true.  It seemed pointless for Samuel to waste his tears.  It seems sentimental.  But how do we know, that Saul might not have been a worse king if it weren't for Samuel's prayers?  He still wasn't great, but maybe he would have been worse.  Maybe Samuel's crying to God that night actually spared Saul from committing actions which we may never know.  He may not have been the best king, but maybe he was a better king than he ought to have been because of Samuel.
     Maybe our leaders will never change.  But maybe our prayers, earnest, heartfelt prayers will make them better than they ought to be.  I'm committing my time to let God get a hold of my heart for the men and women who are in office and have a serious time of prayer for them.  I want to weep for them as Samuel wept for Saul.  I want to plead that God will do something in their lives to make them better leaders for our country.  And who knows?  Maybe they will actually commit their ways to Him.  Maybe God is just waiting for us to ask.
      

A Leader to Follow

Today's passage:  I Samuel 14:24-52
     My first job in college was working at McDonald's.  My manager was a soft-spoken man, a Christian, who could be seen mopping floors as often as in the office filling out invoices.  Something about seeing your manager getting his hands dirty with the rest of the workers, gives you a sense of respect for your boss.
     I feel for Saul.  He wants to get things right, but he doesn't know how.  Have you ever met someone who was trying so hard to lead, who was trying so hard to earn respect, and failed miserably?  I have.  I've met people who want to love God and serve Him and at every turn, seem to do the opposite.  It is almost like they don't know how.  The only thing I can recommend to these people is to do things God's way.  If you don't know what that is, like anything else in life, you need to find out how.  You can find out how by going to His House and by going to His Word.  Really, it sounds simplistic, but that is the only way to know what God wants from you.  Reading books that men have written can be very helpful, but unless those are supplements to reading God's Word, all the books in the world will not help.  Saul's life is a good example of someone who had the tools but did not use them.  He had access to one of God's greatest men--Samuel.  But rarely do we see Saul consulting with him, only after he tried his way first, which only created messes for Samuel to try to correct.
     Saul's command for the people to fast until they had suppressed the enemy was not directed by God.  It was Saul's assumption of appeasing God for the displeasure he had already caused Him.  Ordering this fast, in effect, caused the people to sin in a greater fashion because by the time they had battled all day on empty stomachs, they were famished enough to kill the looted livestock right in the field, and eat it without draining off the blood.  This was definitely against God's laws.  So, Saul's attempt to please the Lord, by calling this fast, in essence caused greater displeasure.  This leads Saul to his next decision which is to ask the priest for prayer to determine whether they should go after the Philistines.  He doesn't get an answer.  We have already seen that Saul does not like to wait.  When God does not give him an immediate answer, he wants to know why.  He deducts that there must be sin in the midst, but he does not first ask God if the sin is his.  He immediately guesses that the sin must be among his soldiers.  Another mistake.  We should always check with God about our own sin before going after someone else's.  Jonathan is discovered to be the culprit.  While out in the woods, Jonathan had eaten fresh honey from an open hive.  He was not aware of his father's order to fast.  The people's respect for Jonathan was so great, that when Saul casts lots to determine who had sinned, they do not tattletale on Jonathan.  They could not be sure how the lots would come out, but they were willing to take their chances and even risk their lives for this young man.  Jonathan seemed to be able to demand respect without even trying, something his father was not able to do.  Why?  Because Jonathan did not try to demand it.  He followed God, which earned respect from the people.  He didn't base his decisions on what people thought, he based them on what God thought.  Would these same men have been willing to die for their king?  I think not.  I think the situation would have been drastically different.  Saul tried too hard.  He tried too hard to garner respect from people, and did not try hard enough to respect God, which would have given him men's respect as well.
     It may seem that the world does not respect us.  Actually, in my experiences, they do.  More than they will ever let on.  When we put God first, when we do what He wants from us, respect from others will eventually follow.  They might begrudgingly admit to it, but in moments of weakness, they will admit their admiration.  Not for us, so much, but for our devotion to Someone they cannot see.  I sometimes heard the sniggling remarks when our McDonald's manager mopped another floor.  Many workers had to feign disrespect, because in their estimation, that was beneath a manager to be doing those kinds of menial tasks.  But beneath the outward bravados, I saw workers who felt able to go to him and ask him about things.  I saw the respect in their eyes, if not coming from their mouths.  He did not have to earn respect by ordering us to do these things, although he would often ask us politely to attend to something, because he led by example.  When he saw something amiss, and he was able to do it, he would do it.  When he was not able to, and instead asked us, we usually responded without grumbling, because we knew if he could, he would.  Some people have a natural ability to earn people's devotion.  This manager was one of those people, and I learned a lot just by watching him.  Saul could have learned a lot by watching his son.  He could have learned even more by watching Samuel.  Saul could not watch another king, he was the first.  That is why, he needed God's guidance even more. 
     When I want respect, I need to give God His respect first.  The rest will follow.  Maybe subtly, maybe without a lot of outward demonstrations, but quietly and simply, people will fall in line.  You will be surprised how many people will follow, when You are following Him.
    

Red Lights

Today's passage:  I Samuel 13:1-13
     My husband is the antithesis of patience.  His greatest weakness is Chicago traffic.  Why he allows it to still frustrate him so, frustrates me.  Many of our biggest arguments have been about his driving as he manuevers through a gridlocked city.  I'm getting better at keeping the criticisms to a minimum, but I still have a long way to go.  It seems that a dark cloud of negativity hovers over his head as soon as he is settled in the driver's seat.  The drive hasn't begun, but he is already anticipating the worst.  I have tried to convince him that those pessimistic expectations will most certainly come to pass, if he begins the trip this way.  I have needled him that Chicago traffic is like the weather, you can't control it, so don't get upset about it.  I have learned to keep my mouth shut, mostly.  I still voice my opinion rather loudly when he passes a car on the right at breakneck speed, or pretends he didn't see the red light.  Yes, this is my police officer husband.  He is human too.  Now, instead of losing my cool as well, or arguing how he might not need blood pressure medicine if he would just give this little matter over to God, I try to whisper little prayers for him.  Not out loud, that would probably irritate him more.  I am really trying to help him, not aggravate him, but I've learned my "friendly" advice is not a help.  Praying works much better.
     Saul shows his impatience in this passage.  The first verse says that Saul had only been reigning for two years.  Several commentaries I read said that it didn't really mean two years.  I tuned out everything they said after that, I don't see any need to correct the Bible.  If the Bible says he reigned two years, I'm going to take it to mean that he was only reigning two years.  I'm not sure how much time has passed between Chapter 10, when Samuel first tells Saul he will be king, and Chapter 13, but I think perhaps there was a maturing time before God actually established Saul as king.  David went through the same process.  He was anointed years before he actually sat on the throne.  Now the reason I think this (and I could well be wrong) is because Saul met Samuel on an errand for his father, fetching the donkeys.  That seems like a young man's job.  That seems like a job that a young man still living at home would do (of course customs in Biblical Israel may have been very different).  By Chapter 13, Saul already has a son old enough to head up a regiment of soldiers.  Considerable time has passed, or Saul was not as young as I thought when he was anointed.
     Saul and Jonathan establish soldiers in three cities that surround a garrison of Philistines in Geba.  If you look at a map of Israel, these three cities form a triangle around Geba, so if those soldiers tried to go anywhere, they would be captured by Israelis.  Obviously, Saul was using military strategy here, but what is not strategic is when he sends several men back to camp.  Why he would not use every soldier at his disposal when he was about to launch an attack on the enemy is puzzling to me.  Jonathan is given the order to attack, which he does.  This brings every Philistine soldier on the planet to the garrison's aid.  It looks as if Saul and his army retreat a little because they go north to Gilgal, actually, he has gone here to wait for Samuel.  This is where Saul's trouble will really begin.  He thinks he has a problem when he scans the hills and as far as he can see there are Philistine soldiers.  That is nothing compared to the hole he will dig for himself a few verses later. 
     Saul waits.  Patience does not appear to be Saul's strong suit, and as a king now, he has not had to wait for much.  By now, he is used to snapping his fingers and it is done.  He has had the power of his will being fulfilled in seconds and has not had to wait for anything for at least two years, but probably before too, since people knew he was going to be king.  Now he has waited an entire week on Samuel.  He doesn't like it.  He doesn't like to be subjected to somebody else's timetable.    The people are getting restless, and it seems that they are ready to go home.  He needs every body present to fight these Philistines (especially when he made the foolish decision earlier to send a bunch home).  He knows he needs to get this battle started and he needs to do something to keep the people there.  So, he starts without Samuel.  He takes the matter into his own hands.  He offers the sacrifice to the Lord himself.   Either Saul really does not care about having God's blessing, he is just doing this to appease the crowd (because it was a tradition and they might not think God was on their side without the sacrifice) or his ego has grown to such a size that he thought he could do no wrong.  Saul has made a costly mistake.  His bad judgement here will follow him into the rest of his reign.  Finally, Samuel arrives.  Probably part of the reason it took so long for Samuel to get to Gilgal is that the land is crawling with Philistines.  He may have had to take various routes to get to his destination and avoid being captured.  Had Saul considered this?  No.  He was a leader.  He made a decision, which is really what we want leaders to do, but leadership without Godly counsel is dangerous.  Saul did not seek God on this matter, he let his impatience decide.  Making a decision when we are tired of waiting for an answer or an action is not wise.  When God gives us a yellow or red light in life, that does not mean proceed through the intersection anyway.  It means wait, sometimes for a little while, sometimes for a long while.  Who knows what God would have allowed Saul to do, if he had been willing to wait a little longer?  What would God allow me to do if I am willing to wait on Him?
     When my husband is in his patrol car, he doesn't have to wait a lot.  I think perhaps this is why he gets so frustrated outside of work.  He doesn't flip on his lights to get through the intersection, to get around traffic, he wouldn't abuse his powers like that.  But people see a police car, and they have a habit of getting out of the way, lights on or off.  In his civilian clothes and civilian car, he does not have that luxury.  Also, he drives all the time for his job, so he deals with traffic non-stop.  I understand why he gets so aggravated, but I'm not as sympathetic as I sometimes should be.  However, having the power to get people out of your way, and then not having that power would probably be pretty frustrating.
      Saul had absolute power in Israel.  He was the king.  Why shouldn't he be allowed to offer the sacrifices?  Why should a little law God established hundreds of years before interfere?  Because if I really want God's blessing, I need to wait on Him.  And when I am tired of waiting, I need to wait some more.  God will give me a green light when He is ready for me to get through the intersection.  Until then, I'm safer at the red light.

Staying

Today's passage: Isaiah 50
     As a child, my parents always told me (as thousands of parents have told their children), "If we go somewhere, and you get lost, stay where you are, and let us find you."  Sometimes I am lost in a crowd of enemies.  Sometimes I look around me and it feels like I have nobody on my side.  "Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God."  When I think about staying upon God, I think about being lost somewhere and letting my parents find me.  If I listen to what they told me, they will rescue me.  Whether in trouble or not, if I stay upon God, He will deliver me.  He already has delivered me.  But how do I stay?  The most obvious answer would be to stay upon His Word.  When I read it and study it, I am close to Him, and He doesn't have to go very far to find me.  When I read His Word, it keeps me from straying very far from what is right for me and makes it harder for me to get lost.  Prayer also helps me to stay upon God.  When I have neglected my prayer time, it seems that when I resume, my prayers "hit the ceiling".  God doesn't feel close, although He hasn't gone anywhere.  When I have been consistent in my prayer life, I feel His presence.  Hard to get lost when He is so near.

     I guess my parents were right again.  If I listened to their advice, they would eventually find me, although the farther away I went, the longer it would take.  I need to take my Heavenly Father's advice as well.  The closer I stay to His Word and in prayer, the less time it will take to bring me home again.