The Writing On The Wall

Have you noticed in Scripture how God (and those God anoints) speak boldness and truth to the authorities that hold power?  I am writing this blog before Tuesday's voting.  It isn't that I want to influence anyone's vote ... pray, seek God's face, read God's word, and vote accordingly.  But I do think we have an exaggerated view of our political influence vs. God's influence over national leadership.  The Bible (and history) tell us it is ALWAYS dangerous to ignore God's plan, thinking that our schemes are better.  Nowhere is this more true than in Daniel 5!

In this harrowing Scripture, writing appears on the wall of King Belshazzar's banquet hall.  He is living in lavishness, drinking from the silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem. Then they brought in the gold goblets taken from the temple in Jerusalem.  They raised the cups to the gods of gold and silver, and of bronze, iron, wood, and stone.  From nowhere, human fingers appear, and they write words into the plaster of the wall.  The king is upset and terrified, so he calls his wisest men, his enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to interpret the words.  They cannot, but the queen remembers a man who has "the spirit of the holy gods in him."  She recounts that this man (Daniel) interprets dreams and solves difficult problems.  So Daniel is brought to the king, and he is offered a purple robe, a gold chain, and the 3rd highest position in the kingdom if he solves the puzzle.  Daniel's interpretation was this ... "You have proudly defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny! So God has sent this hand to write this message.  “This is the message that was written: Mene, mene, tekel, and Parsin. This is what these words mean: Mene means ‘numbered’—God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end. Tekel means ‘weighed’—you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up. Parsin means ‘divided’—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” This goes under the category ... "Be careful what you ask for."  And, to ensure that the people and the king know that God doesn't mince words, "That very night Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, was killed. And Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of sixty-two." (Daniel 5:23-31)

Sunday, we will look into this story that should scare us a lot more than all the horror movies we have seen over the past few weeks.  Here is a short summary:

1. When we celebrate and enable haughtiness, and even revere it, we shouldn't be surprised at what happens ... God is the God who sees.

2. Don't mess with God's people, even when they are in exile for good reason ... God is watching.

3. God is aware of worldly events, and He has the power to change them swiftly and with stunning clarity ... God is working.

4. The ends never justify the means ... God is in the long game to win every soul on earth.

5. God deeply cares for His people, His Church, and His sheep, even when they are lost ... He is the God who finds lost things.

Back to that election.  Your heart matters more than your vote ... God has given you a heart of flesh, new and beautiful.  So go out, pray, listen, sift your decisions through Scripture, and follow God's heart (not YOUR heart).  I think if you do that, and truly seek God's guidance, God will be with you.  Politics in 539BC were dangerous, cutthroat, vicious, and deadly.  Maybe they still are.  My advice is to look at the writing in the Word so that we never have to see the writing on the wall.  And, in the words of Forrest Gump, "That's all I got to say!"

Saints?

Sunday is All Saints' Sunday.  When we hear the word Saint, we might hear different things.  Roman Catholics might think of those granted Sainthood by the Roman Catholic Church.  The secular world might think of those people they deem to be really good.  In Scripture, Paul seemed to use the word loosely, calling believers in various congregations of the early Church 'Saints.'  What does this seemingly vague word mean?  Here goes!

In formal terms, I would hold that Sainthood would be embedded in the culture and tradition of the Christian Church, held there by time, tradition, and Scriptural foundation.  The major prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, are recognized as Saints by very early Church traditions (both Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches).  There was no formal 'canonization' process here ... but the Church calls these prophets Saints.  And Paul calls the early church people saints too!  Why?

Saints follow something bigger than themselves.  What do we remember about the names we will read on Sunday?  We probably think a little about their jobs, what they liked to do, and some funny or compelling moments.  But when the preacher gets up to speak, the important part is about who they were under the God they followed.  Sunday, I talked a little about Ms. Etoil Mathison.  Her life was focused outward, toward the people and the God she loved!  Saints live their lives outward!

Saints hold to bigger values/standards.  It is interesting how Paul speaks to the early Church in the context of who they ought to be ... not necessarily who they are at that moment.  He begins Ephesians, writing to the Saints at Ephesus.  He is gently corrective, and calls them beyond their culture to "be patient, bearing with one another in love."  He reminds them that they are to grow up, so that they will not be blown back and forth by the wind of every teaching.  Paul sees Saints through the eyes of Christ ... people who will become those offering Godly virtues and standards to a fallen world.

Saints make a difference for God beyond self.  Ezekiel (our Biblical Saint this week) was called the Saint of the Resurrection.  Ezekiel reminds us of the fallenness of the people he addressed, but also of God's ultimate plan to restore, revive, and remake His people into a "resurrection army."  In the song Valley of Dry Bones, Michael Card writes, "the dead will come alive, their graves will lie abandoned, and all those dwelling in the dust will wake and shout for joy."

Wake up sleeper!  We are called to be bigger than self, greater than the standards of this world, and make a difference that is eternal.  Saints!

What Will It Take?

Chapter 1 of Jeremiah is a very disturbing word from God.  Jeremiah was not known for mincing words or sugarcoating the truth.  In fact, God clearly called Jeremiah to boldly proclaim, "I have put words in your mouth.  See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant (Jeremiah 1:9-10)."  Did you notice that the passage is 2/3 on the negative side?  Why?

Over the past few years, we have intensified the work at The River.  We hope to accelerate this project and have a workable/usable building in the spring.  While we also need folks to accelerate giving toward this project, we are hopeful that God and God's people will be faithful and generous.  In doing the work at The River, we have learned, through a lot of sweat, labor, and even some lost blood, that much had to be torn down before we could begin rebuilding.  That 2/3, 1/3 ratio seems to be an accurate estimate of how renovation works!

Here is what is happening in Jeremiah's time.  Through Jonah's preaching in the 750s BC time period, Nineveh (Assyria) is spared destruction.  Assyria grows in power and dominance and becomes a leading world power.  Assyria demolishes the Northern Kingdom of Israel (722 BC).  The Southern Kingdom (Judah) is spared, but continues a spiritual decline and cultural drift from God's plan.  In the battle of Carchemish (605 BC), Babylon defeats Egypt and what remained of Assyria, making Judah an unwilling puppet of the Babylonian Empire, and Jerusalem falls to Babylon in 586 BC.  Babylon's rise is predicted and described by Jeremiah's prophecy.  He spoke hard truth, but Judah did not listen and chose to align with and trust world powers, rather than the God who brought them into the land they occupied.  The message (then and now) ... God is bigger than world powers and greater than the kings and princes of this world.

It took renovation (uprooting and tearing down, destruction and being overthrown) for Judah to look up and see God.  It took "a bronze wall to stand against the whole land- against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land."  That bronze wall was Babylon.  So ... are we on that same road, "forsaking God, and burning incense to other gods and worshipping what our hands have made (Jeremiah 1:16)?"  This is a hard question worthy of our reflection, and (I think) repentance.

Beyond

I love the story of Jonah. Not because Jonah is particularly heroic, faithful, or even likable. In fact, Jonah may be one of the most shallow, self-centered, and stubborn people God ever called into ministry. And yet, God uses him to accomplish something extraordinary. Maybe that's the point of the whole story. Our God is a God who goes BEYOND.

1. Beyond Our Imagination - God tells Jonah to go to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, and preach repentance. Nineveh! These were ruthless, violent people, enemies of Israel, and seemingly beyond redemption. If anybody deserved God's judgment, surely it was Nineveh.

But God had other plans. Jonah eventually preaches one of the shortest sermons in Scripture, and something unimaginable happens. The people listen. They believe. They repent. Even the king humbles himself before God. God sees possibilities where Jonah sees only problems. He sees people worth saving where Jonah sees people worth destroying.

God's mercy goes beyond our imagination, our prejudices, and our expectations.

2. Beyond God's Reach? - Jonah doesn't want to go to Nineveh. So he runs. He boards a ship headed in the opposite direction, apparently believing he can somehow get beyond the reach of God. That doesn't work out so well. A storm comes. The sailors become terrified. Jonah ends up overboard, swallowed by a great fish, and finds himself in a place seemingly beyond rescue. 

But even there, God is present. The remarkable thing is that the fish isn't simply God's punishment. It is also God's rescue. What looks like the end of Jonah's story becomes the place where God gives him another beginning.

Jonah discovers that we can run from God's calling, but we cannot run beyond God's reach. And sometimes the very place we think is beyond hope becomes the place where God's grace finds us.

3. Beyond Our Understanding - Perhaps the most astonishing thing about Jonah isn't the great fish, the storm, or even Nineveh's repentance. It's Jonah himself.

Why in the world would God choose such a shallow, stubborn, angry, and spiritually immature person to proclaim His message? Even after Nineveh repents, Jonah is furious that God would forgive them! And yet, God doesn't give up on Jonah. God patiently teaches him, questions him, rescues him, and continues working on his heart. The story ends with God asking Jonah a question, almost as though God is still inviting this reluctant prophet to grow up in his faith. Maybe Jonah wasn't simply sent to Nineveh so that Nineveh could be saved. Maybe Jonah was sent to Nineveh so that Jonah could be changed.

And that brings us to a wonderful question. Who is worth God's time, patience, understanding, forgiveness, and salvation? What say you?

Ex Nihilo

Over the years, I have met many people who had gifts and graces that might have led them into the calling of ministry.  Their way with words was compelling.  People liked them and were willing to follow them on a quest.  They seemed to have what Ezekiel called "a fire in the belly" for sharing the Good News of the Gospel.  But there was a problem.  Life, bumps in the road, and (worst of all) comfort happened.  Pastors call these people MIA.  They might have been captured by the lures of the enemy.  They might have counted the cost of following and decided they didn't want to pay that cost.  They may have become distracted.  But I think the most frequent issue (in my experience) is that they loved their place in life more than they loved God.

Life is a test.  David, in Psalm 63, is in a great test.  God's word says, "The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom (2 Samuel 15:13)."  The King runs to the Wilderness of Judah (he is unwilling to allow Jerusalem to become a battleground).  And Psalm 63 becomes a lament about his situation, a song of longing and praise to God, and a shout of faith that God will bring David victory over his enemies.

In David's situation, he has nothing to count on except God.  But David also knows that our God is an "Ex Nihilo" God.  The Latin term means "from nothing."  Ex Nihilo describes how God created all that exists from nothing (let the anti-creationist try that!).  And these are the kinds of tests that either bring out our despair or our faith.  2 Samuel says, "The people have become exhausted and hungry and thirsty in the wilderness (2 Samuel 17:29)." David and his followers left Jerusalem with little or nothing.  But David knows where to place his faith.  "O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.

I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.

You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. I lie awake thinking of you,  meditating on you through the night. Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely (Psalm 63:1-8)."

The people who enter ministry generally enter it with nothing.  And we, whether in our personal life or our service to our church, have a propensity to see ourselves as having few resources to accomplish the work we see ahead; we need to remember David's lesson here.  We have a great God.  So, we seek God, our source of living water in "this parched and weary land."  We have seen God's power and glory, and we have been to His Sanctuary.  God, not what we have, is our source of help.  So we can rest securely in the shadow of His wings.  As the song says, "He will hold me fast!"  AMEN?  AMEN!!!!!

The Beginning of Wisdom

While the Bible is pretty clear that the beginning of wisdom is with God and from the fear of God (Proverbs 1), the 1st few verses of Proverbs have caused me to think about the subject of wisdom.  Proverbs is part of 5 Biblical books known as "Wisdom Literature."  Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, and Job comprise these 5 books.  Job is the oldest book in Scripture (the date of writing), and Psalms is probably the most quoted.  But hear these words from Proverbs 1 and ask yourself, "What does this say about the END of wisdom?"  "These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel. Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair. These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge, and discernment to the young. Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles. Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline (Proverbs 1:1-7)."

Here is what I find remarkable about these words.

1. They are universal - Young, Old, Simple, Wise, and those who desire to do what is right.  The only group seemingly exempted are the fools!

2. They exist to bring good, success, and structure to life - God's Word is like that, isn't it?  The paradox is that the stable walls of structure are the strong fortress of freedom and goodness.

3. Wisdom seems to have no end - For those who have wisdom (those with understanding), seeking wisdom is a continual, lifelong pursuit.

Here is what I have observed.  In 1994 I went off to Asbury Theological Seminary to seek knowledge, and hopefully wisdom, about God, God's Word, and theology.  What I found was remarkable.  The men and women who taught there were consummate experts in their fields.  One knew the Book of Matthew by heart in numerous languages.  Another understood the mysteries of John's Revelation.  Yet, in the midst of this great knowledge, they pursued knowledge and wisdom daily.  They had understanding, but still pursued "the meaning in proverbs and parables, the words of the wise, and riddles."

I am reminded that Jesus spoke in parables, not to provide explicit moral teaching (though this teaching did/does exist).  Parables were intended to cause those seeking understanding to seek, dig, ponder, consider, and struggle with truths that aren't too far from the mystery of God.  They are not easy!  Just try to "go thou and do likewise" as you read the Parable of the Good Samaritan.  Attempt to understand why some are sheep and others are goats in Matthew 25.

Here's my point.  Those who choose wisdom eternally pursue knowledge and wisdom.  I believe this continues even after we are with God in heaven.  And why not?  Jesus comes so we will know what God is like.  Scripture is revealed so we will come to understand God, ourselves, and others.  "Seek, and you shall find.  Knock and the door will be opened to you!"  Be wise, my friends!

What Are We Doing Here?

“And the word of the Lord came to him: ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’” (1 Kings 19:9)

There is a lot of noise in the world. People shout. People bloviate. People rage. People predict catastrophe. People compete to see who can be the loudest, angriest, most offended, or most afraid. Sometimes it feels a little like Shakespeare’s famous description: “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”

Elijah knew something about noise. He had just experienced one of the greatest victories of his ministry on Mount Carmel. But after Jezebel threatened his life, Elijah ran. Eventually, he found himself hiding in a cave, convinced that everything had fallen apart. And God asked him a remarkable question:

“What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Elijah responded with what sounds suspiciously like “poor pitiful me.” I have been faithful. Everybody else has abandoned You. I’m the only one left. And now they’re trying to kill me.

There was truth in Elijah’s complaint. He really had been faithful. There really were people who wanted him dead. But Elijah had allowed his circumstances to distort his perspective. So God gave him a lesson.

There was a mighty wind, but the Lord was not in the wind. There was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. There was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. Then came a gentle whisper.

Maybe that is something we desperately need to remember. The Lord isn't necessarily in the loudness.

God isn't obligated to participate in the cultural shouting, bloviating, rumbling, and burning that surrounds us. Volume is not the same thing as truth, and outrage is not the same thing as righteousness. But God also isn't found in our carefully constructed “poor pitiful me” narratives. Sometimes we use our wounds, disappointments, and difficulties to convince ourselves, and perhaps others, that we deserve special treatment. Elijah's circumstances were difficult, but God would not allow Elijah's difficulties to become his identity.

And God wasn't fooled by the cave. Elijah could hide from Jezebel. He couldn't hide from God. And neither can we.

We can hide in fear. We can hide in busyness. We can hide in anger. We can hide in disappointment. We can even hide behind legitimate wounds. But eventually God's question finds us: “What are you doing here?”

Then comes the whisper. You are not a victim. You are not alone. You are not without community. And you are certainly not without God. Elijah thought he was the last one standing. God told him there were 7,000 others who had not bowed to Baal. 

Elijah thought his ministry was finished. God essentially said, “Get up. Go back. I still have work for you to do.” There were people Elijah hadn't met yet. There was an Elisha waiting to join him. There was a community Elijah couldn't see. And there was a God who had never left him.

Maybe God's question isn't really about Elijah's location. Maybe it is about Elijah's calling. “What are you doing here?”

Who Is In Your Boat?

Who Is In Your Boat? In 1st Kings 4, the leadership team of Solomon is identified.  I won't go into all of the names there, but 2 stand out.  They stand out because they represent great failures that rip the entire country apart.  Who is in your boat?

The first failure was overseen by Adoniram, perhaps not a betrayer, but part of Israel's failure. He was “over the forced labor” (1 Kings 4:6).  There is no indication that Adoniram personally betrayed Solomon. In fact, he seems to have remained loyal to the Davidic administration through David, Solomon, and into Rehoboam's reign. The problem was what his office represented.  Solomon's enormous building program increasingly depended upon taxation and compulsory labor. By the time Rehoboam succeeded Solomon, the northern tribes complained: “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us…” 1 Kings 12:4. Rehoboam refuses their request and the northern tribes revolt, so Rehoboam sends Adoniram—the man in charge of forced labor—to them. The Israelites stoned Adoniram to death (1 Kings 12:18). His office had apparently become so closely associated with the burdens imposed by the monarchy that sending him into the rebellion was disastrous.  The Kingdom becomes divided.  

The second failure was Solomon himself.  He allowed and fueled the oppression of his people.  He tolerated practices that overly burdened the people, all for an ornate palace, and his vision of the building of the Temple.  Solomon was caught up in extravagance, building what would make him look powerful and strong, and narcissistic behavior.  He was all about himself.  Solomon failed to spend time with God, seek His will, and follow His plan.  

So, the question is a good one.  Who is in your boat? 

Who is in the boat when God brings the beauty of the miraculous catch of fish?  Who is in the boat when Jesus calls the disciples to go out together to a quiet place?  In this time of church meetings, as we prepare for the annual Charge Conference, who is in the boat?  THAT question is vitally important!

In the CREO retreat in Kentucky, we saw a small piece of art.  It was a boat painted on a paper bag ... a representation of the journey all of the CREO team and grantees share.  That treasured piece of art had beauty beyond the artistry that created it.  The boat told the story of mission, team, purpose, and a great shared journey, larger than anyone in the boat.

There was an interesting detail about that little boat.  It had no rudder.  It was powered forward by the ruach/pneuma of God's Holy Spirit.  The little boat welcomed all who shared the dream of a life following God to His perfect destination.  

Solomon chose his team based on connecting to the powerful, co-opting "yes men," and political expediency.  We must chose and become a team that shares mission, shares the beauty and discomfort of the boat, submits to the wind of the Spirit, and embraces "the beauty of the Lord our God who establishes the work of our hands."

So ... what is your choice?  Are you in the boat, or standing safely on the shore ... a spectator or a fan, a willing/working team member?  You are welcome, wanted ... but are you willing?  I pray the answer is, YES!

Couldn't Resist!

The end of 2 Samuel, and the beginning of 1 Kings are beautiful expressions of God's faithfulness and David's thankfulness, as the king closes out his life with God.  At the beginning of 1 Kings, David will "go the way of all the earth."  These last few chapters express David's love for God and his appreciation that God has been with him through all of his victories, all of his failures, and all of his time as king of Israel.  I want to stop on 2 passages here.

The first stopping place is something I couldn't resist (it's a song).  It is David's song to God (2 Samuel 22), expressed both here and in Psalm 18.  David says what all believers should be able to say if we realistically recounted our days of life.  David called, God heard; David was threatened, God delivered; David was weak, God strengthened; David wandered through sin and uncertainty, but God remained faithful. Both passages therefore become more than songs of victory—they are the testimony of an aging servant looking backward and recognizing that, through every season, “the way of the LORD is perfect” and “the word of the LORD is flawless” (2 Sam. 22:31; Ps. 18:30).  The Lord truly liveth, and blessed be the rock of our salvation!

The second stopping place is an application of the song and the Psalm above.  David is building an altar to God.  He buys a piece of property from Araunah (by the way, this property will eventually become Solomon's Temple).  The prophet Gad instructed David (from God's direction) to buy this site.  Araunah told David he could have this property and the oxen for the burnt offering, free of charge.  David responded, "I will not give to the Lord my God a burnt offering that costs me nothing (2 Samuel 24:24)." David didn't just remember God's blessings and faithfulness ... he responded in appreciation and thankfulness.

What can we learn from these two stories?  Maybe this:

1. God's presence with us through all of life is worthy of our praise, of our song, of our thanks, and of our last breath.  Even then, God is good "all the time."

2. James tells us, "faith without works is dead (James 2:26).  David demonstrates something the modern church needs to learn and apply ... praise without response is dead.  David's song of praise is made a living stone (an altar and a temple are built on this site) because David doesn't just sing ... he acts.

May we go and do likewise!  Praise with practice is alive!

Stopping for a Rest

In the book, Theo of Golden, we find a character (Theo) who has decided something important.  He will spend his remaining years in active pursuit of peace and rest that comes from doing 'Jesus things.'  Psalm 23 spells out some of these 'Jesus things' in one of the most beautiful poems found in Scripture.  "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.  He maketh me lie down in green pastures, He leadeth me beside the still waters, He restoreth my soul!"

Theo has lived a life of celebrity, success, pain, and loss.  He could be bitter.  He could become helpless and broken.  But Theo, a man of faith, becomes better.  Why?  That's what Jesus does.

Psalm 23 is all about what God does to create in us a character that makes the world around us better.  These first few verses speak to our hearts ... but do they change us?  Here are a few things Jesus is doing:

1. Jesus claims governance of our lives.  Sheep follow the shepherd.  Sheep are led by the shepherd.  Sheep stray and are sought, found, and brought home by the shepherd.  

2. Jesus provides.  The passage, "I shall not want," can be read several ways.  It can be read as having an attitude of being content in all circumstances (Philippians 4:11). It can also be read as a command.  I think both are true.  Jesus is sufficient.  In the song "Resting Place" (a 2016 song by I Am They), the group revives a 1891 song by Eliza Hewitt. Eliza Hewitt was a teacher who was attacked by a student in her class, an incident that left her in severe pain and with a lifelong spinal injury.  Wheelchair-bound, she still became a Sunday School Superintendent in her church and wrote hundreds of Christian hymns.  Jesus provides!

3. Jesus brings comfort. Jesus causes us to stop for rest.  The shepherd monitors the state of the flock, and knows when to stop.

4. Jesus brings peace. Did you know sheep don't like fast-moving water?  It gives them anxiety.  The shepherd leads the sheep beside still waters.

5. Why does the shepherd do all of these things?  He restores our soul.  That's what Jesus does!

I pray for church people who are so caught up in where they have been that they forget the shepherd is leading us somewhere.  I pray for many friends who constantly post about their frustration and anger with one political party or the other, to the point that they are obsessed.  I pray for those who are lost and need the shepherd to find them.  And then I think of the lesson of Paul (Philippians 4:11) and Theo from the book.

Theo has chosen to get out of God's way.  So he watches for the good in people.  He sees past facades and looks toward the soul that has been created by God.  Where he passes, lives are made better.  God is using him to show the story of shepherds, contentment, still waters, green pastures, and restored souls.  And THAT is a beautiful thing!

Presence

What does it mean when Scripture said, "Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord. (1 Samuel 2:21)?"  Here's what it doesn't mean:

1. He had a perfect family.  Samuel lived in Eli's house with Eli's sons, both evil priests.

2. Israel was stable and peaceful. Israel was a country filled with corrupt leaders, and Samuel's calling would place him in difficult and dangerous conflict with some of those leaders.

3. Samuel's people were faithful followers of God.  Samuel's people envied being like the people in the land.  They had forgotten God called them to be different, peculiar, and chosen.

I wonder if God is saying something simple and profound.  Maybe 2 things:

1. God's presence rises above our circumstances.  In Philippians 4:7, Paul called it "peace that surpasses understanding."

2. God's presence lifts us out of our circumstances.   Psalm 130:1 says, "Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD."  The Psalmist goes on to say God heard the cry and lifted him up and set his feet on solid ground.

Oh, and that first word ... "Meanwhile."  Do you know God is present with his people when life is happening all around us?  Culture ... God is with us, guiding us.  Turmoil ... God is with us, teaching us.  Victory ... God is with us, keeping our heads from getting too big, or too self-centered.  Defeat ... God is picking us up, and encouraging us to go on in His perfect grace.  

Samuel, because he prayed, listened, communed with God, and lived in God's presence, saw a God that was bigger than anything he faced.  That same God was strong enough to give him the strength to live out his calling.  May we all live in that blessed place!

Pride Goeth Before a Fall

We have all heard the Proverb, "Pride goeth before destruction (Proverbs 16:18)."  Many of us have learned this the hard way, haven't we?  We revel in our situation ... our victory ... our prowess ... our superiority.  And then something happens to bring us down from our pedestal.

A man was given a medal at a church.  The medal was "To The Most Humble Man In Our Congregation."  The next week they took the medal away ... he wore it to church! That is how pride and arrogance work.  They both tell us the lie that we are better, smarter, stronger, and superior.  A Rabbi died and was given the ability to come back for a day.  A friend asked, "What does heaven think is the worst sin?"  The Rabbi responded, "Thinking you are better than other people."

Samson (Judges 16) had plenty to be proud of. He killed a lion with his bare hands. He defeated thirty Philistines. He caught 300 foxes, tied torches to their tails, and burned the Philistine crops. He killed a thousand men with the jawbone of a donkey. He tore the gates off the city of Gaza and carried them away. After a while, Samson must have begun to believe he couldn't be touched. Enter Delilah.

By Judges 16, Samson isn't simply flirting with a woman. He is flirting with disaster. Delilah keeps asking for the secret of his strength, and Samson keeps playing games with her. First he lies. Then he lies again. Then he gets closer to the truth. And finally, Samson tells her everything. Why? Maybe Samson had become so confident in himself that he believed even Delilah couldn't hurt him. This brings Samson to "the destruction" the Proverb mentions.  His hair is cut, but Samson wakes up and says, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free! (Judges 16:20).” Pride creates failure to see what was really going on.  Scripture says, "But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him.” he apparently forgot where his power came from.  And while a blind, humiliated Samson went out in a blaze of glory, his end came quickly, not as a hero but as a fool.

Can we learn from this story?  Can we see ourselves clearly ... and see God's better path?  Can we understand where any true power we have comes from?  Can we repent and learn the humility that truth brings?  "The Church's one foundation is Jesus Christ our Lord," "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:6-8)!"  AMEN 

A Reason To Sing

So ... God chose Deborah to lead Israel.  Yep!  Controversial in that time, and apparently controversial in our time.  But there are things about Deborah that add depth to the story.  Here are a few of them.

Deborah wanted to make sure the people remembered God's goodness, God's provision, and God's greatness had delivered them from their enemies.  God, and only God, was the source of their season of prosperity and peace.  I remember the Willie Nelson lyric, "He'd rather give you a song, than diamonds or gold (referencing cowboys)."  Maybe Deborah was a cowgirl (the Hebrews were shepherds), because she writes a song of praise to God, thanking Him for what he has done and will do.  Judges 5 constitutes Deborah's song.  If you read this song, you will find it expressing Deborah's attitude about God ... and how God empowers and delivers His people.  She knew this from personal experience since she held several revered positions in the Hebrew culture.

1. Deborah was a prophet.  God spoke to and through her.  When she called upon Barak from the tribe of Naphtali to assemble 10,000 men to fight against Sisera, he said, possibly out of respect to her leadership, "If you go with me, I will go (Judges 4:8)!"  Deborah responded that she would go with him, but Barak would not receive the honor for the victory.  That honor would go to a woman but, if you read the song, she doesn't mean herself.

2. Deborah was a conduit.  Because Deborah was a faithful leader of the Hebrews (the Judge was the national spiritual and political leader of Israel), God's power and promise flowed through her into the circumstances the Hebrews faced.  Sisera sent 900 chariots against the Hebrews, which should have been sufficient to defeat them.  God sent rain, mud, and defeat to Sisera's soldiers.  God sent death to Sisera through Jael, a Kenite woman.  It was Jael who received the honor of the victory.

3. Deborah was a wise Judge.  She settled her people's disputes under "the Tree of Deborah."  God and the people respected her wisdom (that came from God) and her leadership, for which God chose and equipped her.

While the details of this story are hard to follow in the Biblical account, the message is pretty clear.  God chooses His leaders carefully and perfectly (even if they might be out-of-order with the norms of the day).  God provides victory, wisdom, and authority to those He ordains to lead.  God ignores our posturing, bickering, pettiness, and prejudice.

How can I say that?  Do you remember Philippians 2?  Verse 7 says, "He made Himself nothing."  The God who is all-powerful became nothing to bring us to Himself! So maybe God, allowing a song of praise and deliverance from a Judge, a prophet, a spiritual leader, and a woman, should have our continued praise and awe as He delivers us from our enemies and brings us to Himself!  AMEN?  AMEN!

God Things

Do you ever have something happen that you know is a God thing?  It might be something you see.  It might be a Scripture that is particularly applicable to your current situation.  It may be a person or persons.  But God is active, present, and speaking, if we will take the time to notice and/or listen.

This morning, I got to share with the ACA staff about back-to-school thoughts.  Every year, they use our facility for the first "in-service" event.  It is good to see both new and not-so-new faces, as the staff learns, shares, and fellowships together.  We shared the Scripture from Lamentations 3:22-23, in which the prophet (after many words of lament [go figure?]) breaks into praise ... "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!"

In the book, Theo of Golden, the author writes, "It is better to see one thing well (in the light of truth) than to see many things poorly."  As we begin the almost fall season, let's make that positivity our mantra.  Most of you are clueless about the rest of Lamentations, and couldn't quote a single verse.  But I bet most of you remember Jeremiah's words of comfort and beauty as you sing the old song, Great is Thy Faithfulness.

"It is better to see one thing well, than to see many things poorly."  The Lamentations passage and this quote are "God things," meant to make us stop, think, look, listen, and see what God is doing.  Go thou, and do likewise!

A Temporary Lesson

Have you, as a teacher or a parent, ever thought, "I thought we covered this lesson!"  I wonder if God does the same thing as I (and we) stub our toes or totally fall down over the same obstacle?  The Hebrews found themselves learning and relearning over and over again, as they traversed the wilderness southeast of Canaan.

Kadesh Barnea was the term in Hebrew.  It meant wilderness, filled with little water and food, serpents, and uncertainty.  A generation had died off, and now Moses prepares the people for entering the land ... a land he would not be allowed to enter because of his own unlearned lessons.  Moses' preparation, and several associated sermons, are contained in Deuteronomy, called Devarim in Hebrew.  It means "these are the words." In the 1st chapter, Moses recounts the spies being sent (the 1st time) into Canaan. The trip was a resounding failure, and maybe lessons were learned (at least temporarily).  In Joshua, two spies are sent.  The spies are not told to assess the armies.  Instead, they are sent to "Go look over the land (Joshua 2)."

Let's stop here.  The first spies (12 of them) were sent to assess the power, the cities, the land, and the obstacles the Hebrews would encounter.  The report came back in a fearful tone.  "The cities are fortified." "The land is good."  "The people are large and strong."  "Why is the Lord sending us up from Egypt, only to die by the sword!"  The report, the spies, and the people failed to follow God's explicit command.

In Joshua 2, 2 spies go out.  I love what they say as they return.  "The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us (Joshua 2:24)."  Even Rahab, the prostitute who hides the spies in her home, remarks, "I know the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of us (Joshua 2:9)."  

The first spies came back fearful, defeated, and rebellious.  The second spies realize that the people in the land are "melting with fear" because of the God of Israel.  Imagine that?

The very people of God, God's treasured possession, God's "kingdom of priests," and the people delivered from Egypt had seen what God did, first hand.  Yet, they faltered and reverted to their fear.  They became resistant and stiff-necked.  They were distracted by their false feelings and blinded to the truth.  40 years later, the next generation of Hebrews learned the truth.  They discovered that the people living in Canaan were terrified (more terrified than the Hebrews) of the God that brought them out of Egypt 40 years earlier!

Let that sink in.  Do we (the Church that has been told by Jesus "the very gates of hell will not prevail against us" [Matthew 16]) believe Jesus? Or do we see obstacles, barriers, fortified strongholds, and failure?  Read Psalm 18 (especially verses 6-14).  Tell me if your God is weak or strong?  Proclaim to me if your God hears, listens, and comes to His people?  Is God who He says He is, or is god who you have made him?  

The Art Of Missing Things

Last week at Art Camp, we had over 100 people (children, students, adults) in various capacities, working and serving.  They were a blessing, and the 1st Annual Abbeville Sacred Arts Initiative Summer Art Camp was a beautiful success.  God showed up, and many gifted people worked really hard.  I was blessed by going class-to-class, and I repeatedly saw the beauty, the giftedness, and the smiles of children from every walk of life!  I wanted to run around and say, "Look and see what God has done!"

During a devotional time on Friday morning, I was talking about a scene in Andy Andrews' book, The Traveler's Gift, in which Andrews paints (with words) a scene of a vast storehouse in heaven.  The main character is being led through a storehouse filled with beautiful things like inventions that would make human life better, including cures for all kinds of diseases (cancer, Alzheimer's, etc.).  The question is asked, "What is all this stuff?"  The angel answers, "These are the things that were never invented or never developed, because the person who was assigned that task missed their chance to change the world for the better."  Sometimes blessings are happening all around us, and we miss them!  

WOW, what a thought!  What if each of us could do something that would make life and the world better for everyone, but we missed our chance?  Here is where I want us/you/me to ponder our part in this!  How could we miss such an important thing?  Here are a few lessons from the experience of Hebrews travelling from Egypt to Caanan.  

1. Busyness - We get busy and think our little task is more important than what is happening right beside us.  We might not see, or care, about the connections God is trying to make.  In the Pentateuch, God is binding His people together with a braided cord of 3 strands (Eccl. 4:12) ... the individual, the community, the Lord (Father, Son, Holy Spirit).

2. Fear - I wonder if people let fear overcome them to the point they freeze up and fail God?  We fear what people will say, so we avoid the altar.  We fear a response, so we either walk on eggshells or respond with bluster to show our false "lack of fear" (and we miss that 'truth in love' thing God calls us to show).  We see the magnitude of the task and say what the spies did in Numbers 13 ... "there are giants in the land, and we are like grasshoppers!"  All of these things have a common denominator.  They all rely on the power of self rather than the power of God.  So we continue in the wilderness of fear!

3. Being 'Chippy' - God, speaking to Moses said, "these people are stiff-necked (referring to bickering, being prideful, being rebellious, being "difficult). In Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers (of the Old Testament) the #1 thing stopping the people wasn't the enemies they encountered along the way.  It was THEM!  Moses had more than one conversation with God about God's anger with the people. God was NOT amused!  I saw a sign in a restaurant that said, "If you are difficult, demanding, or rude, you will be charged an extra $10."  God clearly notices this behavior, and God clearly doesn't like this behavior.  

Part of the reason the people wandered in the desert for 40 years is that they didn't trust God enough to follow in faith.  They missed multiple chances to receive God's blessings.

How do we keep from missing the chances God gives us?  We trust God more than bickering, busyness, and fear!  We rely on Him, not self!  We always have 2 choices.  We can choose to see, observe, notice, and buy into what God is doing.  Or, we can lean on our own understanding, failing to trust God or the people God has placed to complete His work. We can do this!  And, we can do this well!

One last comment from that devotional.  When I had finished with my story, Nicey Eller was going to pray.  She had selected a book (without any conversation with me) as her lead-in to prayer time.  It was The Boy Who Changed The World by Andy Andrews!  I asked, "Did you see that, or did you miss it?"  Most didn't recognize that God's Spirit had connected my story with Nicey's prayer.  Maybe they were focused on what they had to do.  Maybe they were fearful of the wave of children about to enter the door.  It's how we miss God's plan, God's blessings, and God's work through our coworkers and us.

I challenge each of us to see, hear, taste, listen, smell, and touch God today.  Let's become experts at these things, rather than being skilled at missing God's things!  God is not silent... we are sometimes not good listeners.  Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand!

Could All This Beauty Be For Us?

During this week, we are all immersed in Art Camp.  Art Camp is part of the Abbeville Sacred Arts Initiative, which is a subset of the Music/Children/Youth Ministry of Abbeville Methodist Church.  Over 100 children, youth, and adults have gathered this week to pray, "May the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands (Psalm 90:17)."  We quoted this verse every day as part of the devotional at 8:30 each morning of camp.  It asks God's beauty to guide us and lead us as we work with our hands to bring beauty into the world! In Exodus 31, we find a beautiful example of this as God calls (and equips) Bezalel to craft items that will be part of the worship God expects from His people.

In God's calling and consecration of Bezalel for this work, God seems both happy and excited to tell Moses, "I have filled him (Bezalel) with divine spirit, with ability, intelligence, and knowledge in every kind of craft."  Inspiration ... ability ... intelligence ... knowledge.  This sounds a little like heart, soul, mind, strength ... doesn't it?

Three points here:

1. Did you notice God started with "spirit?"  If we are planning to be guided by God in the work of our hands, we need to begin by opening ourselves to the spirit of God.  One of my favorite songs says it this way ... "O Spirit of the Living God, O light and fire divine ... descend upon your Church once more, and make it truly thine!"

2. Did you notice God cares deeply about this work being done skillfully?  God gives the ability and the opportunity to use our intelligence to gain knowledge.  Every child at Art Camp has/had each of these things.  God calls us to the work He has established, and then He gives us the abilities, intelligence, and skills to craft what God has designed.  What a calling!  And what a beautiful time to watch each of these children grow in something that imparts the grace of beauty upon them!  I believe God loves this!

3.  Did you notice that God is continuing to grow, expand, and express Himself in what He has called us to create, all so that we may worship Him?  

We start with God's Spirit leading ... we continue with God's gifting ... we apply skills that we invest in ... so that we may worship God.  And here is the kicker ... God is doing this FOR us!  Because when we are able to truly worship God, we can leave the bondage of culture, self, transactionism, and make a beautiful connection with a God that is beautiful, creative, and trustworthy!  Here are some words about that moment ... that thin place ... when God speaks life into us, our work, and our children ...

Into the peace of these wild things

Into the wild of this grace

Into the grace of this blessing

Speak in the peace of this place

Here in the magic hour, time and eternity

Mingle a moment in chorus

Here at the magic hour, bright is the mystery

Plain is the beauty before us,

Could all this beauty be for us?

(Andrew Peterson, Magic Hour)

You Want Us To Do What?

Scripture: Exodus 23:1–9 … "Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits... Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong... Do not show favoritism to a poor person in a lawsuit... Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt." (Exodus 23:6, 2, 3, 9)

You want us to do what? There are moments in Scripture that cause us to stop reading and start staring. Exodus 23:1-9 is one of those passages.

God tells His people not to spread false reports. Don't join the crowd in doing wrong. Don't show favoritism to the rich. Don't show prejudice toward the poor. Help your enemy's wandering animal. Refuse bribes. Protect the innocent. Don't oppress the foreigner. It almost sounds impossible.

Our culture has taught us that justice means standing with "our side" and mercy means helping "our people." None of this focuses on revenge, giving our foe some of what they have given us, or demeaning others to benefit our "side." God says something radically different. He tells His people to live according to His standards, not ours.

The Hebrew word most often translated justice is mishpat (מִשְׁפָּט). Mishpat is much more than simply deciding who wins and who loses. It means rendering a judgment that reflects the very character of God. It is justice as God sees it—not merely as people perceive it. That is why Exodus 23 repeatedly warns against partiality.

Do not favor the powerful. Do not favor or penalize the poor simply because they are poor. Do not follow public opinion. Do not let emotion replace truth.

Justice is not determined by popularity, politics, wealth, or sympathy. Justice belongs to God. His people are simply called to reflect it.

The Hebrew word hesed (חֶסֶד) is often translated as steadfast love, lovingkindness, or mercy. Yet none of those English words fully capture its depth. Hesed describes covenant love. It is the kind of loyalty, kindness, and sacrificial commitment normally reserved for family. It is treating someone as though they belong to you. As though they carry your own name. As though they are your brother or sister. That is shocking.

God is not merely asking us to be polite. He is asking us to love people—including those who have hurt us—with the devotion we naturally reserve for blood relatives. No wonder Jesus later tells us to love our enemies. He wasn't inventing a new idea. He was revealing what had been God's heart all along.

There is a story often told about a respected judge. One day a lifelong friend stood before his bench guilty of breaking the law. The courtroom became quiet. Everyone wondered what the judge would do. Would friendship outweigh justice? The judge looked at his friend and quietly pronounced him guilty. Then he imposed the maximum fine allowed by law.

Justice had been served. But then something unexpected happened. The judge stood up. He removed his robe. Walked down from the bench. Reached into his own pocket. And paid the entire fine himself.

Justice had not been ignored. Mercy had not been abandoned. Both had been perfectly fulfilled. That is exactly what God has done for us. At the cross, God never declared sin unimportant. Justice demanded payment. So God Himself, in Christ, stepped down from the Judge's seat, entered our humanity, and paid the penalty we could never pay. The cross is where mishpat and hesed meet.

Justice satisfied. Mercy overflowing. Go, thou and do likewise!

Freedom Clichés

Every July we hear them. "Give me liberty or give me death." "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." "Who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life."

"Freedom isn't free." They appear on signs, social media posts, T-shirts, and speeches. Because they are so familiar, they can become little more than patriotic clichés. But behind every one of them lies a story of sacrifice, courage, and conviction. Long before the birth of America, God was teaching these same lessons in the opening chapters of Exodus.

Israel was a nation living without freedom. A Pharaoh who "did not know Joseph" (Exodus 1:8) reduced God's people to slaves. They were forced into hard labor, their sons were marked for death, and their future seemed hopeless. Slavery was not merely an economic system—it was an assault on the image of God in humanity. Then God began to move.

He preserved the life of Moses through unlikely people—a courageous mother, a compassionate sister, and even Pharaoh's own daughter. God called Moses from the burning bush and declared His covenant name: "I AM WHO I AM." He had heard His people's cries, remembered His promises, and had come down to deliver them.  And God used an unlikely 80-year-old to keep God’s promises.  A spiritual showdown unfolds. Again and again Moses delivers God's message: "Let My people go, so that they may worship Me." Freedom, in God's eyes, is never an end in itself. It is the opportunity to worship, obey, and live under His gracious rule.

Pharaoh refuses. His heart grows harder with every encounter. The plagues begin to fall—not only as judgments upon Egypt, but as declarations that the gods of Egypt are powerless before the living God. Freedom would come, but not without conflict, sacrifice, and loss of life. That is why the saying, "Freedom isn't free," rings so true.

For Israel, freedom required God's mighty hand, miraculous signs, courageous obedience, and eventually the sacrifice of the Passover lamb. For America, freedom has required generations willing to sacrifice comfort, wealth, and even life itself for the sake of others.

For Christians, our greatest freedom came at the highest possible cost. Jesus Christ took upon Himself the judgment our sin deserved so that we might be free from sin, death, and the power of Satan. The cross reminds us that eternal freedom was purchased, not cheaply, but with the precious blood of the Son of God.

Perhaps that is why Patrick Henry's cry, "Give me liberty or give me death," still stirs our hearts. There are truths worth living for—and some worth dying for.

The Declaration reminds us that "all men are created equal." Exodus reminds us why: every person bears the image of the Creator. No Pharaoh, government, employer, or culture can erase that God-given dignity.

And the words from “America the Beautiful” —"Who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life"—point us beyond patriotism to the heart of Christ Himself. He loved not Himself first, but the world He came to save.

This Independence Day, don't let these phrases become empty slogans. Remember the Hebrews crying out beneath their burdens. Remember Moses standing before Pharaoh. Remember the God who hears, remembers, sees, and acts. Remember those who purchased earthly freedom with sacrifice. And above all, remember the Savior who declared, "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36)

Freedom has never been a cliché. It has always been a gift worth protecting, celebrating, and using to glorify God.

Unused Gift Cards

Beside my bed is a nightstand.  The nightstand and its two drawers are the resting place of things that, at a particular moment, are not at the top of the priority list.  They are things that I want to keep and maybe use later, but are not things that I will use in the immediate future.  Screen protectors that come in a 3-pack, but I only need one now.  My little case of tiny screws that I can use to repair glasses.  A COVID-era calendar that I threw there and forgot about.  And ... gift cards with usable value, but they are in that drawer.

What will happen to those gift cards?  I might retrieve them and use them.  They may stay in the drawer till they expire.  But the longer they stay in the drawer, the longer they become forgotten, unused, and potentially wasted.

Enter Moses from the 2nd and 3rd chapters of Exodus.  He was a Hebrew born in Egypt during the time the Hebrews were slaves.  Moses, at the age of 3 months, was placed in a basket, floated down the Nile River, and was a human Hail Mary prayer as his mother hoped and prayed for his survival (if Moses had been discovered, he would have been killed).  Moses was found by the Pharaoh's daughter, nursed to health in the palace, and became her son.  Moses, as an adult, saw how his people were mistreated and, in a fit of anger, killed an Egyptian who was beating one of the Hebrew slaves.  His act is discovered, and Moses flees justice, going to Midian, where he built a life, married, and tended sheep there for his father-in-law, Jethro.  Moses is in the 'nightstand' of life!  God opens the drawer, lifts Moses out, and calls him to the work for which Moses was created.

Three things about this story:

1. Even people born into dire circumstances are born with gifts.

2. The circumstances of life and culture will place your gifts in jeopardy, telling you that they are not urgent, important, or currently usable.

3. God doesn't miss or misplace you or your gifts ... He calls you to the Holy Ground of calling.

Moses is told by God (Exodus 3), "I am (the God that exists)," "You are standing on holy ground (a place of divine encounter), and "I have seen the misery of my people."  God is real, God can make even dirt holy, and God will use messed-up people and their gifts of obedience to bring people into His plan.  He is still doing that!  AMEN!