Contrary Voices are Needed

“And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that [was] in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart.” (2Sa 6:3 AV)

David bears all the responsibility for what follows.  Because the ark was transported on an ox cart rather than how the law required, a man lost his life.  David, in this chapter, takes it rather hard.  He should.  It was his instruction and command that led to the death of a faithful servant.  The ark was supposed to be transported by the sons of Levi.  They were to bear it upon their shoulders using rods of wood plated with gold.  The process of transportation was not obscure.  It was spelled out in a specific way.  What I was wondering is why no one said anything to David regarding his command to transport the ark.  The Bible tells us that 30,000 men were chosen out of all Israel to transport the ark.  The men were the best of the best.  No doubt, there would have been priests involved.  Yet, the Bible does not reveal one single individual who said anything to David as to the method prescribed by law to transport the ark.  I have to believe if David knew, he would have done it the correct way.  David is not Saul.  He does not substitute his ‘better’ judgement for the law of God.  So, part of the responsibility for the failure here are men who respected the office of king to the degree they would not confront the king when he was wrong.

I believe in the line of authority in the home, in the church, and in government.  What I don’t like is when that line of authority is so stringent that no one feels the liberty to express to that authority figure when he or she might be wrong.  Authority is a frightening thing.  It is too easy for the ego to take over and the leader to shut all voices out but his own.  It is too easy to take advantage of the responsibility of authority and make decisions without any contrary input.  This is not a good thing.  The Bible tells us counselors are a good thing for a leader.  He needs to hear opposing views to test his convictions.  Any leader who cannot entertain opposing views is a weak one!  If he is so defensive that he cannot mull over in his mind other options than the ones he is considering, then he is weak of conviction.  It is often seen as a strength for a leader to be unwavering in all of his thinking.  This is generally so.  But only after he has considered all points of view.  To admit one does not know everything needs help in the decision-making process, or that he might be wrong, is seen as a weakness.  But it is quite the contrary.  To surround himself with people who add something to his ability to carry out his calling is wise, humble, and more successful than not.

We are not talking about rebellion here.  Rather, the law was very specific.  The ark was to be transported a very specific way.  Any number of priests could have taken the law to David and pointed out his method was not according to God’s law.  I don’t think David would have reacted defensively.  His track record says otherwise.  Putting up with Joab and his rash temper is a good indication.  Listening to, yet rejecting, the advice of his men to take the life of Saul is another.  Still more evidence is listening to the advice of his wife, Bathsheba, in anointing Solomon as king before he passed shows us David humbly took advice from those he led.  A godly leader does not want ‘yes’ men.  He does not want blind loyalty.  He does not want quiet and submissive subjects who feel they cannot express what they think our how they feel.  This makes for a short-sighted leader.  Rather, a godly leader must be humble and listen to dissenting voices who add wisdom to his management.  He needs voices who are not afraid to share a different insight as long as they do so humbly and with respect.  I, for one, appreciate contrary voices.  I could not lead without them.

No Shield Against Discouragement

“And I [am] this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah [be] too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.” (2Sa 3:39 AV)

This is David’s response to Joab’s actions.  Abner, the chief of staff under Saul, fought for the house of Saul when Saul died.  A son of Saul requested the concubines of Saul as a way of usurping authority and gaining the kingdom.  Abner took offense and allied himself with David.  While returning from his meeting with David, Abner was pursued by the brother of Joab.  Joab’s brother wished to slay Abner so that he might gain a name among the fighting men of David.  Abner warned Asahel more than once to turn aside.  Asahel was swift of feet and ran alongside Abner’s ride.  Abner encouraged Asahel to turn aside and fight with one of the younger men.  Asahel would not listen, and Abner was forced to take his life in battle.  Joab did not take this well.  When given the opportunity, he met with Abner under the pretense of planning to bring the kingdom to David and murdered him in cold blood.  It took a bit, but Israel understood the death of Abner was not occasioned by David.  As a leader, David was weakened because those under him did not act in his best interests.  His anointed station as king didn’t matter.  His authority was not a factor.  Joab’s revenge was more important to him than the king’s honor.  Therefore, David was weakened even though he held an office.

However, I think David was also touched by the actions of Joab and his brother.  He was discouraged that those who were tasked with following did just the opposite.  This was a habit with Joab.  David’s uncle, more than once, exercised his own judgment apart from the king’s direct order.  The death of Absalom come to mind.  The application is a bit more basic than the context might require.  Just because one is anointed to an office or responsibility does not protect one against discouragement.  David had plans.  It was his reputation on the line.  When Joab did what he did, it was a major disappointment.  Being anointed was not a shield against times of weakness.  This was not the first time, nor would it be the last.  David would face times of victory.  But he would also face times of defeat.  His anointing was not a wall of protection against life.  He would lose a wife.  He would suffer embarrassment at causing the death of innocent priests.  David would lose four sons.  He would fail in his marriage.  David had much in his life that was not desired nor welcomed.  All these events brought times of weakness and not position or calling was going to change that.

We are foolish to think we can be isolated from life simply because of our responsibilities, calling, or status.  There is one event that happens to us all.  No amount of money, success, or accomplishment can keep us from the negative events of life.  Discouragement is part of life.  Disappointment comes regardless of how well we insulate ourselves against it.  Life is what it is.  The only guarantee is glory.  When our days are done, then we can rest from the troubles of our temporal life.  We are naïve to think life can be trouble free.  We are immature if we think there are things we can to do eliminate discouragement.  For those who preach a prosperity lifestyle as though there is victory to be had at every turn do not live in reality.  David was king!  He was God’s chosen!  God’s hand was upon him with reservation.  Yet, discouragement was still part of his life.  We must not seek the foolish promise of a trouble-free life.  That will only result in the greatest disappointment and discouragement of all.  David was king.  So what!  He still had to live with events of life that weakened him.  That is life!

Turning The Page

“So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.” (1Sa 31:6 AV)

When Saul died, all who were closest to him died as well.  This is no reflection on their character.  Jonathan was a man of integrity, humility, and honor.  For me, there are very few men who really speak to my heart.  Jonathan was one of them.  He stood for what was right when there was absolutely nothing in it for him.  He defended David while serving his king.  That had to be challenging, to say the least.  What struck me is all those who served God, and the king died with the king.  They all died together.  What application that has I don’t know as yet.  One could surmise that when God closes a door, He does so completely.  Other than some holdouts like Abner, the transition from the house of Saul to the house of David was rather seamless.  They all died together so that God could turn the page.  Again, this is no reflection on the character of those who passed.  Saul himself, although in rebellion against God, still joined Samuel in paradise.  Saul’s armourbearer was a fine young man.  His death was not a judgment.  The LORD certainly was not judging Jonathan.  It was time for change.  That change was complete.

We recently returned from a trip abroad.  I learned much.  The biggest thing I learned was existing in a country where you don’t speak or understand the language may be entertaining at first, but it quickly turns to isolationism.  Trying to navigate an airport without knowing the language is near to impossible.  One thing I came away with is how radically different a missionary’s life becomes when he steps foot in his country of service.  People are people, but language and culture are not.  One cannot surrender to the mission field unless he or she is willing to turn the page on a former life.  My son may still be a citizen of the U.S., but living and working in a foreign field has a way of changing who and what you are.  They have not been there terribly long.  They have not made the emotional change from their country of their nativity to their unfamiliar country.  If they follow the trajectory of other missionaries, it is bound to happen.  One thing is for sure, living and serving in a foreign mission field is impossible unless one chooses to turn the page.  To be used of God, one must be willing to turn the page. 

Things change.  Times change.  Circumstances change.  Change is part of life.  It is not easy.  Change can often include pain.  I am sure there were families that mourned the loss of Saul, his house, and his servants.  The armourbearer had a mother and a father.  He may have had a family of his own.  We know Jonathan had at least one son and if he had a son, he had a wife.  We also know that Saul’s daughters lived through this.  They had to bury their father and brothers.  The change listed above caused some discomfort.  But change was necessary.  Incremental change is much easy to handle.  We can adjust as the change occurs.  But to flip the page and go on is rather dramatic.  To know that the past is gone forever is not comfortable.  Changing one’s life in a radical and complete way takes much doing.  Anxiety, fear, etc are all part of the experience.  Change comes hard.  But sometimes a new a fresh start is necessary.  Israel could not have gone on unless they went on from Saul.  Wholey and completely, the house of Saul, needed to pass into the past.  For David to be the king he was called to be, the past had to stay in the past.  Something new had to happen.  Pain was involved.  But glory followed.  If we are unwilling to turn the page, we will be stuck in the same maturity level for our remaining life.  The chapter has to end before a new one can be written.  That is the way of life.

Take Your Best Shot

“As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.” (1Sa 24:13 AV)

These words are spoken to Saul from David.  This follows the opportunity David had to kill Saul while Saul was relieving himself in a cave.  After cutting off a corner of Saul’s skirt, David refrained from taking Saul’s life.  These words are as much a condemnation of Saul as they are a statement of David’s faith.  In essence, David is stating that no matter how horrible Saul may treat him or how much of a threat Saul becomes, David will trust the LORD to defend him.  David is telling Saul he will never take up arms against him.  He would rather suffer loss than to stretch his hand against the anointed of God.  Keep in mind, at this point, David is also anointed.  He could have used the reasoning they were both anointed, and that God had determined to replace Saul with David.  Yet, David swore he would wait on the LORD and not take matters into his own hand.

In the end, all we have left is our integrity.  There is something about drawing a line in the sand.  There is something about a determination that no matter the outcome, one will not cross a line.  It may cost everything, but not even the Devil can rob us of the choice to stay firm on a certain thing.  This was David.  When he stood, he stood.  He was willing to lay down his life for a principle.  He knew the promises of God.  He knew God had anointed him to be king once Saul was dispatched.  He had all faith in the word spoken to him.  God would honor His word.  There was no reason to take matters into his own hands.  This is a stark contrast to Saul.  Saul was a manipulator of the will of God.  His reasoning trumped the will of God.  If there was a more convenient way, Saul took it.  Not David!  Note also David’s characterization of Saul.  David is saying to Saul that Saul cannot be anything but wicked.  Because Saul is wicked, wickedness is predictable.  David knows that whatever Saul says, Saul will do wickedness.  Saul can promise all day long that he will cease pursuing David, but David knows that will not be the case.  Which makes his statement even more impressive.

There is a saying I like to use.  Take your best shot!  I don’t know the origin of the saying, but what it means is for the antagonist to try his best to defeat the protagonist but the latter is guaranteed to win.  It is an offer to the antagonist to try its best at defeating the protagonist, even though it will come to naught.  It has the understanding of the protagonist standing idle, allowing the antagonist to ‘take his best shot’ before the protagonist responds.  The victor already knows the outcome.  So, he takes whatever attempt there might be at defeating him.  He stands firm and waits until his foe is completely worn out.  That is what David is saying.  Take your best shot.  I will not respond.  Try as you might, I am invincible.  As long as God’s covenant remains, I am undefeatable.  So, take your best shot and then be prepared.  God will have the last word.

Delightful Prayer

“The sacrifice of the wicked [is] an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright [is] his delight.” (Pr 15:8 AV)

The value of prayer of often overlooked.  The word of God repeatedly instructs us that God values humble and contrite prayer.  He values prayers of praise, not because He has an ego that needs to be tended to, but because in praise, we are reminded of how blessed we are.  He values prayer as worship because our hearts go to Him, submitted to His perfect and benevolent will.  The word ‘…delight…’ tells it all!  To be delighted with something means to accept it with all enthusiasm and pleasure.  To delight means to partake of the pleasure of something to its fullest measure.  What an encouragement it is to the weary sin-sick soul to know that God values our prayers more than we will ever understand.

My wife and I like to watch the Antiques Roadshow.  I have to admit, we watch it only to determine if we would sell what the appraiser was valuing.  “Sell it” is an often exclamation when we see an item that is either ugly or very valuable.  We get bored with it when too many pieces of art are consecutively appraised.  The most revealing of segments are then end takes.  That is where the show ends with very brief statements of what was brought to the show and how much it was worth.  Usually, there is a mixture of valueless pieces as well as moderately valuable pieces.  What is common is the reaction of these people to their evaluation.  Even if found to be not worth all that much, they still value them as though they were priceless heirlooms.  The artwork is so subjective, and it all depends on someone’s emotional tie to the piece.  It astounds us how much something can be worth much when the talent it took to produce it wasn’t that particularly profound.  The value is in the eye of the beholder.

Which brings me to my point.  As a child of God, many times we value our prayer much lower than the LORD values it.  Because we do, we do not faithfully pray.  After all, what could a holy God want with our prayers?  That is not the biblical position here.  As long as we strive to walk in obedience and remain humble, our prayers are a delight to the God who created us.  How special is that?  It matters not how eloquent they are.  It matters not how well thought out they are.  The heart is what matters to the LORD.  As I write this, the depth of this truth overwhelms me.  That God could value my prayer to the lever of delight is more than I can understand.

Love Is First an Action

“Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.” (Jos 23:11 AV)

When most think of love, we think of an emotional experience that happens without first understanding why.  What most consider love, it truth, is infatuation.  When one watches modern entertainment influenced by non-biblical doctrine, one is led to believe love simply happens.  All one has to do it notice someone or something desirable and before one realizes it, they are in love.  The opposite is also thought to be true.  Relationships are seen in the context of falling in and out of love.  This is not the meaning of Biblical love.  The reason we write this is that of the first three words.  Take good heed.  This suggests observation and conscious choice of direction.  This is not mere emotion.  This understanding of love with the idea of taking good heed means that feelings do not have as much to do with love as commitment and action.  Taking heed to oneself is the thought here.  Love is something we choose.  Not something that happens.

Israel is embarking on their quest to claim the inheritance granted to them by God.  God is their God and they are His people.  There is a commitment on the part of the LORD to provide, protect, and guide His people.  He does this from a heart of love.  They have not earned it.  They do not deserve it.  They are at the mercy of a benevolent God.  He gives them a law by which they can order their society.  This law is also a reflection of the holiness of God.  This law testifies of God to those who would observe Israel.  All He asks in return is their commitment to be solely dedicated to Him.  He is not asking for sinless perfection.  If they fail to follow the law, He provided the means by which their sin could be forgiven.  There really was no reason for Israel to do what they did.  Like Adam, they desired human acceptance and companionship over God.  They chose the temporal over the spiritual.  Their neighbors became more important to them than a ‘distant’ God.  Their faith failed them.  They did not take good heed to themselves.

Those three words, in the beginning of our verse, speak volumes.  Loving someone when we receive something in return is not a hard thing.  However, loving someone when it costs us something is.  What comes to mind is when we are not so nice to our spouse, and someone calls us out on it.  I have to admit, when I am cranky, I am not easy to be with.  Just the other day, I publicly snapped at my wife and the glares I got spoke loudly.  This is what our Joshua is saying to God’s wife – Israel.  Watch how you treat the God you say you trust.  Make sure you go the extra mile to prove just how much you love Him.  Look at everything you do.  Measure it against what He has done for you.  Take good heed to yourselves.  Don’t take anything for granted.  Especially His love for you!

Faith is the Key to Life!

"The humble shall see [this, and] be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.” (Ps 69:32 AV)

The ‘this’ to which David refers is the salvation God gives in verse 29.  It is the second part of the verse which really spoke to me.  As one muses on this phrase, a question or two arises.  What is the heart?  If one is physically alive, isn’t the heart also alive?  Is David merely referring to a new birth?  Or is he referring to a state of spiritual life?  Is verse 32 a verse eluding to spiritual salvation alone?  Is David speaking of emotional health as well?  Note also that gladness comes before the heart lives.  How does that work?  To what I think our beloved song writer is referring is that those who learn to trust in the LORD’s salvation will find a will and joy to live is the result.  This may be experienced in varying degrees.  If we lose a loved one, we may not be jumping for joy.  We may be sorrowing deeply at our loss.  However, with the knowledge of eventual unity in heaven, our sorrow is not nearly as deep as those who have no hope.  That being the most extreme case, we can also apply this principle to all situations of duress.  The humble who chose to trust in the LORD will be glad they have a God to trust in, resulting in life to the otherwise distressed heart.

Learning to trust the LORD is no easy task.  Spiritual salvation was a challenge.  Trusting the LORD to honor His word, saving me from my sin because Jesus died for me was not easy.  I had been taught an element of human righteousness was involved.  I had a hard time getting beyond that.  Now that I look back, that was the easiest choice I ever made.  For the next forty-plus years, the LORD would place one hurdle after another in my path of life.  He would send our firstborn with a potentially serious complication.  He would give us two more sons in the midst of deep financial poverty.  The LORD would shut off our utilities for a weekend, snap our car in half as we went to church, and struggle against unemployment.  That is the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.  One thing after another.  Just when you think you are coming out of it and you can catch your breath, another trial would rear its ugly head.  This was and is the way of life.  Through it all, we had to learn to trust.  This did not come easy.  It still doesn’t.  Faith never stops growing.  Faith never ceased to be tried.  To grow stronger, we must be challenged further.  This is the way of the saint.

David encourages us in that if we choose to trust, then our hearts will live.  Life will return.  We will not perish.  David tells us if we see the salvation of the LORD and learn to trust it, then we can experience emotional health.  The older I get, the more I realize faith is the foundation of life.  We know this academically.  We study this out and we know it in our head.  But when life happens, faith becomes stretched.  David was many things.  One thing he was, for sure, was a man of faith.  David may have stressed about some things, but he did so in the context of trusting in the LORD.  The key phrase above is, “that seek God.”  The heart cannot live unless it seeks God for salvation.  What a tremendous thought.  If the heart does not seek God, then it becomes pre-occupied with the problems from which it seeks salvation.  So, the short of it is, if we want to live, then we must seek and trust God.

Rain For The Soul

“Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.” (Ps 68:9 AV)

Some view rain as an inconvenience.  Those who wish for outdoor activities see rain as a spoiler.  Those who are attempting to plant crops find it difficult to do so during the rainy season.  Still others who are building homes or buildings see rain as a day off.  Rain is necessary for life.  Unfortunately, man can be short-sighted, seeing rain as a temporary inconvenience to an otherwise great day.  Rain is needed in order for life to flourish.  Rain brings sustenance to plant and animal life that, in turn, sustains mankind.  Rain is indispensable.  There isn’t much life in a desert.

Rain can often be a blessing of great relief.  As a child, running around in a rainstorm in the heart of summer is a fond memory.  Standing at the food of the Cave of the Winds, Niagara Falls, NY without a poncho in the heat of the summer is another.  Sitting in a tree stand completely protected from the elements while it rained on me and all around me is still another fond memory.  I like rain.  Rain is one of my favorite weather conditions.  I don’t mind it at all.  Direct sunlight, however, is another matter altogether.  If I had to take a pick, seventy-five degrees with a steady rain, sitting on a porch swing sipping coffee is my haven of rest.  There is nothing like sitting on a cabin porch with the sound of raindrops and birds chirping that puts my heart and soul to rest.  Give me a steady rain on a warm day, any day over eighty-plus degrees and sunshine.  I would rather try to stay dry than cool.  Rain washes away all the filth that has accumulated during those ‘nicer’ days.  Rain cools the air.  Rain adds humidity to the lungs and makes it much easier to breathe.  Rain is wonderful.  It refreshes the heart of man and the parched earth of our world.

It is all a matter of perspective.  Those who understand the absolute necessity of rain welcome what little they get.  Those who cannot appreciate the life-giving force of rain wish it would go away.  God sends blessings, but we have a hard time seeing them as such. Sometimes we see the blessings of God as an inconvenience.  We don’t always see them as the LORD intends them.  Our Psalmist makes a significant observation.  For the soul that is weary, the LORD will send rain.  He will pour out the blessing of life-giving force that strengthen us to life another day.  I like what the LORD says a bit later in this same psalm.  HE commands strength!  We are never told to be weak.  We are never told to give up.  We are never commanded to surrender.  We are commanded to be strong.  Accepting the rain is a good part of that.

Maturity and Adversity

“For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy [place].” (Ps 66:10-12 AV)

Not pleasant thoughts, huh?  David plainly states the nature of our maturing process.  TO fail to see the hand of God as the hand of mentoring is to rob oneself of necessary, but precious, experiences.  David compares the maturing process as refining metal.  That requires heat and pressure.  He mentions the mentoring process is like being snared in a net.  One’s liberty is taken and the ability to control circumstances very limited.  Affliction upon the loins is physical illness.  Men riding over the head are adversaries who seem to overwhelm David.  It is like being trampled.  Fire and water are the last two comparisons.  Maturation is like enduring great heat, or the sensation of suffocation by water.  Reading all that is listed above, who would want to go through all that?  For the sake of maturing into Christlikeness, and as David puts it, arriving at a wealthy place, one must go through some difficult and often troublesome circumstances before that can take place.

My assistant pastor and I were talking about camping.  He found a tent in a house he recently bought.  This tent was old.  Perhaps WWII old.  That got us talking about camping and I shared one of my most memorable nights out in the woods.  I have had a few of them, but for some reason, this one has always stood out.  My father had several tents.  He had pup tents, a few nylon tents, and then he has three of four cook tents.  The way to describe a cook tent is a three panel tent in the shape of a square.  The open side had a flap that was supposed to act as an extension of the roof.  So, this tent was open on the front.  My mom used to set up two tents facing each other and joined the flaps, making one large cooking area.  Anyway, my Dad took us camping on Thanksgiving weekend.  We went to his tree farm to get a Christmas tree and decided we would spend the weekend camping.  My brother Christ and I decided we were going to try sleeping in the cook tent.  The trouble was, it had one open flap.  Our thinking was, we could stand up in a cook tent and dress.  Impossible to do in a pup or nylon tent.  We tied down the flap, insulated the ground and any opening by which wind could come through.  Then retired to bed.  In the middle of the night, it snowed about three inches.  One would think that sleeping in a canvas tent with an open side would freeze us to death.  I have to admit; the thought went through my mind.  Yet the snow acted as an insulator.  We actually had the warmest tent of everyone there.  It sounds funny, but we were so warm in that tent that we didn’t want to come out.  On the face of it, one would think my father was crazy for taking us tent camping in a snowstorm.  However, it was that experience that thought me things that may look bad may not turn out that way.

There are things that can only be learned by experience.  We can study the word of God all day long.  We can get a head knowledge of the doctrines contained therein.  We can parse verbs, write outlines, and discuss ad nauseam of the nature of our God.  But until we live what we know to be true, we possess an incomplete knowledge.  God will glorify us into Christlikeness.  He will transform us into perfect sinlessness.  This is a promise He has made to all His children.  Yet, there are things that are needed for our maturity that simple transformation cannot accomplish.  We can speak of faith, but until we are tried, faith is a mere concept.  We can speak of discipline or self-sacrifice, but until we are required to crucify the flesh by our own volition, we cannot understand the true nature of the mind of Christ.  Whether we like it or not, there are things that can only be learned by living them.  This isn’t easy.  In fact, the LORD may push us to our limits.  It may be difficult, but it is needed.

Think Before You Pray

“And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear [of it], and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?” (Jos 7:7-9 AV)

There is so much going on here that I fail to mention it all.  This is one of those times when God tells someone to stop praying.  Joshua had it all wrong.  He assumed God failed to support them and never considered there might be a sin in the camp.  Achan took of the accursed thing from Jericho.  As long as Achan had spoils from Jericho in his tent, the LORD would not be with Israel.  Joshua did not know this.  I find it interesting the argument made by Joshua sounds an awful lot like what his parents said in the wilderness.  Instead of Egypt, Joshua inserts the wilderness.  But the suggestion is still the same.  In Joshua’s early years of leadership, he makes some mistakes.  He shows his immaturity.  There isn’t any single point Joshua is making that struck me this morning.  Rather, the whole tenor of the prayer is what instructs me.  The emotional nature of this prayer that lacks understanding of the facts is what I find applicable.  Joshua works out his feelings.  But his feelings are founded on insufficient facts.  He didn’t know about Achan.  He didn’t know God had withheld His favor because of disobedience.  He simply dumped it all at the feet of God.  Why it was happening did not matter to him.  He was worried about the future, thinking nothing would change.

We all do this.  We process our emotions but fail to seek wisdom.  How we feel is more important that what is.  Perhaps this is the cause for the LORD telling Joshua to get up and stop praying.  His words, although genuine to him, were not helpful.  They may have helped him to feel better, but it didn’t answer why the failed battlefield had occurred or how to fix it.  God never told Joshua the covenants were null and void.  There were unconditional promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Moses.  Israel was to go in and possess the land.  In his distress, Joshua forgot the one constant in all of this.  God’s faithfulness.  Just because they lost a battle did not mean God had forsaken them.  Joshua was despondent because he let circumstances dictate his response.  He allowed his experience with Israel and God’s response to lead him down a possibility that simply was not on the horizon.  Joshua had to process his feelings.  We all do.  But he should have stopped first to ask for wisdom.

Before we open our heart to the LORD, perhaps asking for understanding might be the prudent thing to do.  How many of us have processed our feelings only to discover those feelings were based on limited information or incorrect assumptions?  We go down a road that has a dead end or cliff at the end.  We go down a dark tunnel when, in reality, it is a mere road block that can be overcome.  We start our prayer with worry and anxiety rather than start it with a humble request for understanding and wisdom.  Joshua did the same here.  Knowing why something is the way it is and what might be changed just might be better medicine than dumping it all and picking up the pieces afterward.  Joshua was a great man.  Very few could have led Israel the way he did.  Yet Joshua was still human.  He made some rookie mistakes early on.  This was one of them.  He learned, however.  He never did this again.  He learned to go to the LORD, seeking wisdom and understanding, before he processed his emotions.  May we do the same?

Love I better Than Life

“Because thy lovingkindness [is] better than life, my lips shall praise thee.” (Ps 63:3 AV)

We do so much to stay alive.  That is only natural.  I have been to the doctors more in the last six months that I ever did in my twenties.  I imagine this is only going to become more common.  We live in an amazing place.  Health care in our city is better than most.  If you need a specialist no matter how rare the ailment might be, there are several to choose from.  In my wife’s case, the protocol for her cancer was invented by her primary oncologist.  She has one of the top doctors in the world when it comes to her rare cancer.  Where we go for our health care needs has whole building dedicated to specialties.  If you have a problem, there is a wing or building for that issue.  Just last week, I went to visit one of our members after she delivered a child.  The Children’s Hospital is huge.  I almost got lost.  Most hospitals around the country are not as large as our Children’s hospital here.  The health care industry is determined to help you live as long as you possibly can.  Perhaps to a fault.  Life, regardless of quality or purpose, seems to be the primary goal.  When it is, life is the lens by which we determine all our choices.  Yet, David says there is something far more important that life itself.

The older one gets and the more he or she walks intimately with God in obedience and faith, the more real the above verse becomes.  As you age, your health begins to fail.  You have to come to terms with life coming to an end.  It forces you to reevaluate priorities.  Some make travel a priority.  Others seek out retirement and relaxation.  Still others take up hobbies or activities one surrendered in earlier years.  Family and relationships become an increasing priority.  All these priorities shed light on what we value.  But I like what David’s song writer says in Psalm seventy-three.  “Whom have I in heaven [but thee]? and [there is] none upon earth [that] I desire beside thee.” (Ps 73:25 AV) This psalm was written about David by his song writer at the very end of David’s life.  It was obvious to his good friend that David had grown so close to the LORD he wanted nothing more than the presence of the God who loved him.  When life begins to fade, all those priorities just listed become secondary to God’s love for the soul.

It is too bad it takes a lifetime to learn this.  We are so busy with the things of life that we fail to make God’s love in the highest esteem.  The verse above is one that no one would argue with.  We would all agree to the truth of it.  Yet, that is not how we live.  If our life is threatened by adversary or circumstance, breathing is the highest goal.  We are concerned with what will happen.  That is only natural.  It may be natural, but it is not spiritual.  Perhaps when the uncertainty of life becomes a momentary concern, we can remember that God loves us infinitely greater than the impulse to breathe.  David is telling us that if he had to make a choice, the love of God would trump a heartbeat any time.  No wonder it is said of David that he was a man after God’s own heart.  He was a man deeply loved by God and loved Him in return.  So, next time our life seems to be jeopardized, let us remember that God loves us more than we can ever know and is far more precious than the breath of our lungs!

Trust The Echo

“God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power [belongeth] unto God.” (Ps 62:11 AV)

When the LORD has to say something more than once, we had better listen and believe!  It seems in this psalm, David is sharing an experience of great adversity.  There seems to be a good number of men of low degree (low social stature) who are conspiring to ruin David by slander.  At leas on the face of it, they seem to be having some degree of success.  Whatever the specifics, this is far greater than normal.  A king is a target, no matter how well he may be ruling.  Criticism is to be expected.  It comes with the territory.  Yet, what David is describing is magnified beyond what would be considered normal.  We don’t know exactly to what David is referring.  There is no biblical reference to a single event.  David is not one to whine, either.  He is a valiant warrior.  He faced adversity most could not understand.  So, for David to complain to the degree he wrote Psalm 62, the reader has to assume that it is bad.

What David does mention, on more than one occasion, is how the LORD is the only source of his strength.  No less than ten times David makes mention that God is his salvation, refuge, or strength.  It is easier to count the verses which do not contain this truth than those that do.  David is repeating the truth that God is more than capable of meeting his need while in times of deep destress.  This is why David shares that the LORD has spoken more than once.  God spoke it once, then David took up the refrain and oft repeated it.  The constant reminder from his own pen was sufficient to meet the needs of his weakness.  Praise the LORD He is often an echo chamber or repeated truth that brings strength to the heart.

However, this begs a question.  How often do we need to hear a truth before we are willing to accept it and live it?  How often does the LORD need to affirm us before we are willing to put it all in His hands?  I like what David says in the first two verses.  He never claims that he will remain unmovable.  At the end of verse two, David says he will not be greatly moved.  He doesn’t say he won’t be moved.  He won’t be greatly moved.  This is a great comfort to me.  There are times when the adversity of life moves me.  I am human.  I have fear.  I have anxieties.  I think too much.  However, if God is my strength, those things will not overcome me.  I will not be greatly moved.  Why?  Because God has repeated more times than I care to count that He is the great and almighty God who controls all things.  He will not ask me to go through anything that I cannot handle.  As long as the LORD is there, then I am more than a conqueror.  Does that mean life will be stress free?  Absolutely not.  What it does mean, as David is trying to say, when adversity seems too great to overcome, reminding one’s Self that God is the Rock that is higher, the tower to which we flee, the wings by which we are covered, and the strength of our souls, is the means by which we weather these great storms.  So, the most important question in all of this must be asked.  How often does God have to remind us that He is able?  How often does God have to state that He is our strength and salvation?  How often does He have to remind us of something we already know before we can completely trust in Him?