2 Samuel 22-1 Kings 7:12
Admittedly I rushed through my reading today. And I have to admit I didn't give it full measure to percolate and seek deep application. Personally, if you are reading this, please pray for me that I readjust my schedule accordingly to give God's Word the rightful place in my life in the face of busy schedules. Busy should never get in the way... but I've let it creep in there.
So the one thing that popped out to me today after reading a bit about Solomon. Of course he has to make every one of us look bad because when pray for "blessings" he prays for wisdom and of course gets "blessings" as a consequence of his request. Obviously I'm not the wisest person that ever has lived... even in this lifetime. But lest I digress....
In 1 Kings 3 we read in this passage about Solomons request for wisdom... but what I never realized was what it records in verse 15... "Then Solomon awoke - and he realized it had been a dream. He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord's covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court."
I never realized this conversation between he and God occurred during a dream. I often pray at night before I go to bed for God to speak to me in my dreams. And I half-heartedly expect that He will answer. So this alone is impressive... but what is more impressive is that afterward Solomon acted on those dreams by offering praises and sacrifices showing he really believed God spoke to him in those dreams. This is where I often differ. Though I've prayed for it, my disbelief of Him actually answering has prevented me from really truly believing I've heard him. Many days I'll wake up and think I've heard Him... sometimes even in the middle of the dream. But in my disbelief, I excuse it as something I've eaten before I went to bed... or some stress I find myself under at that particular time. Never have I truly got up... gone to "Jerusalem" (or even to my living room for that matter) and offered a sacrifice of praise for Him answering me and speaking to me. What disbelief I've been exhibiting.
Thank you for this word today, that you actually can and do speak to us through dreams. I pray as I fall asleep tonight that this revelation will be confirmed to me tonight that I might meet with you even as I gain rest for my physical body. I pray that you'll be renewing my mind through communion with your Spirit inside of me. Forgive me for my inadequacies and my disbelief that has prevented me from hearing You and responding accordingly.
Amen!!!
Followers
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
June 15/16, Days 22& 23; 1 Sam 28- 2 Sam 21
If God is for us, who can be against us? This is the phrase that keeps running through my head as I read scripture for the last two days. I recorded in my last post about how I wish I had the live narration on during my life that we're privy to as we read the Bible. I long for it in my own life, almost like a special track on a DVD where you can turn on the directors narration... "In this scene we had to re-shoot it several times because Jim kept messing up... but after 32 attempts he finally got it right." OR... "If you're watching very closely you'll see that God is with him in this attempt and has enabled him to nail it on the first try, but just watch and see where Jim takes all the credit and leaves God high and dry - AGAIN." It is so obvious as I read this how I can identify with both Saul and David. There have been times when I have felt the Lord right there with me. I know he is the one responsible for my success. And I feel like David who keeps himself humble and is able to do all things. And at other times, I can identify with Saul. Who has let pride and jealousy creep into his life and "the Lord leaves him" only to turn him over to his selfish ways. When Saul focuses on self and self-preservation he has become unable to receive the Lord's direction. We see when God is on our side, nothing can slow us down. David could do no wrong, and after Saul pushed God away, he could do no right.
Ultimately Saul's death at the end of 1 Samuel gives me a warning for the world in which we live today. The fighting grew more intense and when the enemy had stabbed him, rather than fight back or draw upon God for help, he felt the only way out was to fall on his own sword and take his own life. If only people around us today wouldn't fall on their own sword. Too many feel too alone and don't realize that God will always receive us back when we have a repentant heart. Yet pride, all the way up unto the death, will always separate us from His love. Won't you learn this lesson from Saul as well?
In 2 Sam, I find myself reflecting on Joab. He is not one who gets a lot of press when it comes to Bible study, but already in the first chapters of 2 Sam, there is quite about told of him. He is the son of David's sister Zeruiah. He must have been quite the warrior because he is always willing to go to battle or pursue someone. Joab is recorded to have killed Abner after Abner killed his brother. Joab was the prince of the king's army. And always seemed ready at a moments notice to do what David asked. Because God was with David, seemingly Joab was blessed in return. Because if God had told David He would deliver the enemies of Israel to them, then Joab's victories were much more certain. However, his willingness to serve the king also cost him quite a bit because of his lack of discernment. He willingly participated in the killing of Uriah as a cover up for David's sin. Ultimately, he ended up siding with Adonijah in preference to Solomon when David was dying.
So a few of applications from this.... 1) My sin will have impacts on other people - even if I try to hide it. 2) By asking others to cover up for me, I'm only further withdraw the Lord's blessing on us a people and 3) If I get so caught up in serving man, I can actually forget to serve God first... and that lack of discernment can be my downfall
Lastly, I gain a lot of application from David. Perhaps not in the usual sense however. More so this time in his role as a father. Certainly David gets a lot of press because of his role in leading Israel and following God. But you've never really seen David written up in the Father's Hall of Fame. Why is that? For one, the man had more than 6 wives. That alone could be the cause of downfall. While God never expressly condemns this in the Bible, there is nothing attractive that comes from a marriage situation like this... just look at the chaos in David's life. Then we see that various children of David.... there was incest going on, rape, murder, and lots of jealousy. What was dysfunctional because of the multiple wives has now taken on a new definition of dysfunctional. Where was David's rebuke in all of this. We see when Amnon raped Tamar it was left to Absalom to deal with. The way he chose to deal with it was not to do anything about it until his anger took over and he killed Amnon. Then the root of bitterness took over and Absalom's rebellion against his father really took off. But again where was David? It says he knew all of this was going on and lamented for his son. But yet, he never did anything to talk to his son, call out the sin, or lead his son to seek God in the process. Rather I think David got a little sloppy with his agape. I have learned already (though my children are just 3 and 4) that you can get yourself in trouble as a parent when you want to be your children's friend more than their parent. It think David was having such a terrible time managing all of his wives that he decided to try to be equal with his children and befriend them. There are times when he could have and should have set more appropriate boundaries and caused them to experience the consequences of some of their bad decisions. Yet David compounds bad decision up on bad decision by allowing Absalom to move back home without repentance for his previous actions. And thus... David himself is chased from his own home in defense. It says David, with his head covered and barefoot, wept as he climbed the Mount of Olives. Was he weeping for Absalom's bad decisions... or because of his failings as a parent? Either way the result was not good. Take heed my friend. The best parents are not always the best friends!
Ultimately Saul's death at the end of 1 Samuel gives me a warning for the world in which we live today. The fighting grew more intense and when the enemy had stabbed him, rather than fight back or draw upon God for help, he felt the only way out was to fall on his own sword and take his own life. If only people around us today wouldn't fall on their own sword. Too many feel too alone and don't realize that God will always receive us back when we have a repentant heart. Yet pride, all the way up unto the death, will always separate us from His love. Won't you learn this lesson from Saul as well?
In 2 Sam, I find myself reflecting on Joab. He is not one who gets a lot of press when it comes to Bible study, but already in the first chapters of 2 Sam, there is quite about told of him. He is the son of David's sister Zeruiah. He must have been quite the warrior because he is always willing to go to battle or pursue someone. Joab is recorded to have killed Abner after Abner killed his brother. Joab was the prince of the king's army. And always seemed ready at a moments notice to do what David asked. Because God was with David, seemingly Joab was blessed in return. Because if God had told David He would deliver the enemies of Israel to them, then Joab's victories were much more certain. However, his willingness to serve the king also cost him quite a bit because of his lack of discernment. He willingly participated in the killing of Uriah as a cover up for David's sin. Ultimately, he ended up siding with Adonijah in preference to Solomon when David was dying.
So a few of applications from this.... 1) My sin will have impacts on other people - even if I try to hide it. 2) By asking others to cover up for me, I'm only further withdraw the Lord's blessing on us a people and 3) If I get so caught up in serving man, I can actually forget to serve God first... and that lack of discernment can be my downfall
Lastly, I gain a lot of application from David. Perhaps not in the usual sense however. More so this time in his role as a father. Certainly David gets a lot of press because of his role in leading Israel and following God. But you've never really seen David written up in the Father's Hall of Fame. Why is that? For one, the man had more than 6 wives. That alone could be the cause of downfall. While God never expressly condemns this in the Bible, there is nothing attractive that comes from a marriage situation like this... just look at the chaos in David's life. Then we see that various children of David.... there was incest going on, rape, murder, and lots of jealousy. What was dysfunctional because of the multiple wives has now taken on a new definition of dysfunctional. Where was David's rebuke in all of this. We see when Amnon raped Tamar it was left to Absalom to deal with. The way he chose to deal with it was not to do anything about it until his anger took over and he killed Amnon. Then the root of bitterness took over and Absalom's rebellion against his father really took off. But again where was David? It says he knew all of this was going on and lamented for his son. But yet, he never did anything to talk to his son, call out the sin, or lead his son to seek God in the process. Rather I think David got a little sloppy with his agape. I have learned already (though my children are just 3 and 4) that you can get yourself in trouble as a parent when you want to be your children's friend more than their parent. It think David was having such a terrible time managing all of his wives that he decided to try to be equal with his children and befriend them. There are times when he could have and should have set more appropriate boundaries and caused them to experience the consequences of some of their bad decisions. Yet David compounds bad decision up on bad decision by allowing Absalom to move back home without repentance for his previous actions. And thus... David himself is chased from his own home in defense. It says David, with his head covered and barefoot, wept as he climbed the Mount of Olives. Was he weeping for Absalom's bad decisions... or because of his failings as a parent? Either way the result was not good. Take heed my friend. The best parents are not always the best friends!
at
9:11 AM
Saturday, June 14, 2008
June 14 Day 21; 1 Sam16:1-1 Sam 27
The story of David is always one of great encouragement for me. To see how God placed a calling on his life so early and how that calling was lived out and fulfilled. As I read about how the spirit of the Lord was upon him and how we can see the Lord working even in David's young life to defeat Goliath and the enemies of Israel long before he was even King, I find myself wondering - does God still place his call on people like this today and His is Spirit still working with them? I know intellectually the answer is "yes" but practically it is much more difficult to believe. I wish I had the narration that the Bible provides that as I walk through my daily life, I would hear this small voice in the background saying... "and Jim was able to accomplish this huge task because the Spirit of the Lord was upon him." Then I wouldn't be so inclined to let my pride creep in and take credit for His accomplishments in my life.
Of all the applications in David's life, I find myself thinking the most today about how he chose to extend grace to Saul on multiple occasions. He knew Saul was out to kill him. He'd been warned and at least once Saul physically came after him when they were in the same room. It was no secret that Saul had become a madman possessed by jealousy and the Spirit of the Lord had left him. Yet out of respect for the Lord's anointed, (regardless of Saul's irresponsibility to use that anointing for God's glory) David did not kill Saul 2 time when he could have. Surely we know that Murder is wrong... and we could easily say that David did not want to sin. And I'm sure this was some of it. Yet in that day, if an enemy had already tried to kill you - it probably would have been considered self defense for David to take care of it once and for all. The application in my life is this... I know that I'm not likely to kill anyone in today's culture. Yet I'm reminded that in Scripture God warns that anyone who is angry with his brother in his heart has already committed murder. So essentially I kill people every day... at least I kill the potential for them to see God in me because of my anger. If David could out of respect for God, extend grace to someone who was literally trying to off him, then why is it so difficult for me to forgive those who hurt me? Forgiveness is one thing... but restoring the relationship is something else. For example, recently a friendship of mine was violated. Not in a major way but some confidences were broken. It's very easy for me to get hurt and upset in a situation like this. The first thing I did was to go and tell someone else how this other friend had hurt me. Why didn't I try to restore the relationship rather than going and acting in my hurt? I didn't extend grace, rather I sought to have my anger validated from someone else and ultimately the relationship was damaged. You see, every day I have the opportunity to either murder or return good in the place of evil. I must confess that this an area that is very difficult for me... but I'm trying.
And on this topic of friendship, I'm so impressed with the friendship between David and Jonathon. There are so many examples here but for me I've got a fresh example. One of my closest friends is moving away. He and his family are moving about 2 hours from us. I know that friendship can endure miles, but for the last 2 years he has been the closest thing to Jonathon to me and now our regular conversations will not be so regular. Yet rather than wallow in self-pity, I praise God that I have gotten to know what a Jonathon-like relationship is like in this world.
Of all the applications in David's life, I find myself thinking the most today about how he chose to extend grace to Saul on multiple occasions. He knew Saul was out to kill him. He'd been warned and at least once Saul physically came after him when they were in the same room. It was no secret that Saul had become a madman possessed by jealousy and the Spirit of the Lord had left him. Yet out of respect for the Lord's anointed, (regardless of Saul's irresponsibility to use that anointing for God's glory) David did not kill Saul 2 time when he could have. Surely we know that Murder is wrong... and we could easily say that David did not want to sin. And I'm sure this was some of it. Yet in that day, if an enemy had already tried to kill you - it probably would have been considered self defense for David to take care of it once and for all. The application in my life is this... I know that I'm not likely to kill anyone in today's culture. Yet I'm reminded that in Scripture God warns that anyone who is angry with his brother in his heart has already committed murder. So essentially I kill people every day... at least I kill the potential for them to see God in me because of my anger. If David could out of respect for God, extend grace to someone who was literally trying to off him, then why is it so difficult for me to forgive those who hurt me? Forgiveness is one thing... but restoring the relationship is something else. For example, recently a friendship of mine was violated. Not in a major way but some confidences were broken. It's very easy for me to get hurt and upset in a situation like this. The first thing I did was to go and tell someone else how this other friend had hurt me. Why didn't I try to restore the relationship rather than going and acting in my hurt? I didn't extend grace, rather I sought to have my anger validated from someone else and ultimately the relationship was damaged. You see, every day I have the opportunity to either murder or return good in the place of evil. I must confess that this an area that is very difficult for me... but I'm trying.
And on this topic of friendship, I'm so impressed with the friendship between David and Jonathon. There are so many examples here but for me I've got a fresh example. One of my closest friends is moving away. He and his family are moving about 2 hours from us. I know that friendship can endure miles, but for the last 2 years he has been the closest thing to Jonathon to me and now our regular conversations will not be so regular. Yet rather than wallow in self-pity, I praise God that I have gotten to know what a Jonathon-like relationship is like in this world.
at
1:05 PM
June13, Day 20; 1 Sam 2:12-1 Sam 2:15
In today's reading these things popped out at me. I must admit I'm not sure I received the full revelation of what God is telling me but I highlighted these passages:
- If a man sins against another man, God may mediate for him; but if a man sins against the Lord, whil will intercede for him? (1 Sam 2: 25). It is dangerous stuff to stand opposing the Lord. What sin is truly against man and what is against God??
- Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord. The word of the Lord has not yet been revealed to Him. (1 Sam 3:7) How many of us don't yet know the Lord? So many people today play Christian... not everyone truly can hear the Lord because they've not opened their hearts to Jesus yet. Do my friends and family know Him? Am I doing my job to introduce them to Him?
- The Lord contiued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through His word. (1 Sam 3:21) God still reveals himself to us through His word. I'm blessed to be hearing Him again in a whle new way as I read daily. However, just like Samuel, we must know Him first to receive the true revelation of His word.
- But God struck down some of the men of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy of them to death because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. (1 Sam 6:19) This is a warning to me that God is so Holy that on my own I cannot even approach him. He cannot tolerate our sin. Yet in the days of the ark, there was nothing to stand in atonement for the sins of the people other than the animal sacrifies. Today, we should never stop praising Jesus because HE is our atonement that enables me to see God every day without fear of death.
- Throughout Samuel's lifetime, the hand of the Lod was against the Philistines. (1 Sam 7:13b) When I read this passage, I sribbled in the margin of my bible, "one Godly man can still make a difference." This gives me hope in today's darkening world, that God will continue to reward faithfulness and perhaps use this faithfulness to bless even the wicked around him.
- So Saul asked God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel's hand?" But God did not answer him that day. (1 Sam 14:37) This seems kind of harsh considering God chose Saul. Yet it reminds us that with our calling comes responsibility. God did answer Saul for quite some time... yet in this instance it follows a repeated pattern of irresponsibility. Saul was disobedient to God in several instances and therefore it was time for God to help Saul realize accountability for his actions. Where have I been disobedient and how is that hindering my ability to hear God answer???
- Does the lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? (1 Sam 15:22) Saul was only focused on the action... and not the heart attitude. He was relying on a burnt offering to deliver some sort of magical power of deliverance. He was not even the one authorized to offer burnt sacrifices. Therefore it is only about action and not relationship. How am I acting Christian without having the depth of relationship that I need? How is the world caught up in religious traditions and completely missed the relationship with Christ? Look around... it is everywhere! Wake up oh sleeper!
- He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind. (1 Sam 15:29) And to this, I only have to say... THANK YOU! Thank you that in this world of uncertainty there is one thing that is always certain!!!
- And Samuel put Agag to death before the Lord at Gilgal. (1 Sam 15:33b) This is hard for me to interpret in modern terms. Surely it was out of righteous anger that Samuel acted. And was enacting judgement on Agag for the ungodly acts he'd committed. Yet in today's world this is totally unacceptable. However, there are a lot of ungodly and unrighteous acts going on in the world today... and even perhaps in my home from time to time. I should take this warning at minimum to put my "Agag's" to death before the Lord this day.
at
11:38 AM
Thursday, June 12, 2008
June 12, Day 19 Judges 15-1 Samuel 2:11
After finishing Judges I realize that my post yesterday was even more poignant. Reading Sampson's story only reinforced the observations that I made on leadership.
The story of Ruth and Naomi always stirs me. The question I found myself pondering today was what did Ruth give up in order to follow Naomi? She gave up everything. Her family, her land, her gods, etc... all for what? Her love and devotion towards Naomi. But what attracted her to Naomi? Sure she had a relationship with her because of their common love for a man. That alone was a bond...but peeking around the corner a little bit and adding some speculation into the reading, I suppose there was something about Naomi's faith that attracted Ruth to her. They'd both just experienced quite a tragedy. Elimelech and his two sons all died. That left Ruth and Orpah without a father-in-law, brother-in-law, and a husband. They saw Naomi through the loss of two sons and a husband. Sure she was greiving - or she would not have told others to call her Mara - but perhaps she was also clinging to her faith. Perhaps she was still praising her God in the storm. She was showing the next generation what it meant to trust in God.
Am I doing the same? What am I modeling to my children about God's faithfulness. Am I still praising him in the storm... or do I jump to grumbling? Am I showing my kids that God can only be praised when we get what we want? OR am I showing them that God can be praised ALWAYS because His will is sovereign and His plan perfect. I'm afraid to be quite transparent that my faith shows my children that I praise Him only in the sunny weather and not in the storms.
The story of Hannah always grips me. I know God has given me a special place for this story in our family because of our own struggle with infertility. I can so relate to Hannah's tears and how she must have felt as her rival chided her about not having children. And how her husband's attempts to comfort her only brought her more grief. There is a place in a mother's heart that only a child can fill. Unfortunately I know what it was like to try to comfort my wife with some of the exact same words that Elkanah said to Hannah... am I not enough even if God never gives us a child. And that only forces your wife into saying the obvious answer to her... "no." In fact this story means so much to me I'd consider naming our daughter Hannah if it weren't for a family member who'd named one of their previous dogs the same name!
What grips me most about this story is Hanah's prayer after Samuel is born. Her song of praise reads so fresh and so true. After God has blessed you in an area where you've relinquished complete control to Him, the praise is so sweet and so raw and so real. We will forever view children as the most precious blessing God could give us because we never knew if we'd have children in our family. I wish everyone had to experience infertility just for a moment - so they whole world would view children as a joy and as a blessing rather than a scourge or burden. Even well meaning parents in our culture decide that they can only "afford" a set number of children at the same time they've convinced themselves that satellite TV is a necessity. Something in that tradeoff seems contrary to God's plan for His people.
Yet there is a part of Hannah's song of praise that stands out to me... 1 Sam 2: 9b-10 records, "It is not by strength that one prevails; those who oppose the Lord will be shattered. He will thunder against them from heaven; the Lord will judge the ends of the earth."
I prayed for strength to endure many times... as recently as this morning. But it is not by strength that we prevail. It is by God's Grace that we prevail. Where have I opposed the Lord? Where am I still doing it? Only by His grace do I still endure!!
The story of Ruth and Naomi always stirs me. The question I found myself pondering today was what did Ruth give up in order to follow Naomi? She gave up everything. Her family, her land, her gods, etc... all for what? Her love and devotion towards Naomi. But what attracted her to Naomi? Sure she had a relationship with her because of their common love for a man. That alone was a bond...but peeking around the corner a little bit and adding some speculation into the reading, I suppose there was something about Naomi's faith that attracted Ruth to her. They'd both just experienced quite a tragedy. Elimelech and his two sons all died. That left Ruth and Orpah without a father-in-law, brother-in-law, and a husband. They saw Naomi through the loss of two sons and a husband. Sure she was greiving - or she would not have told others to call her Mara - but perhaps she was also clinging to her faith. Perhaps she was still praising her God in the storm. She was showing the next generation what it meant to trust in God.
Am I doing the same? What am I modeling to my children about God's faithfulness. Am I still praising him in the storm... or do I jump to grumbling? Am I showing my kids that God can only be praised when we get what we want? OR am I showing them that God can be praised ALWAYS because His will is sovereign and His plan perfect. I'm afraid to be quite transparent that my faith shows my children that I praise Him only in the sunny weather and not in the storms.
The story of Hannah always grips me. I know God has given me a special place for this story in our family because of our own struggle with infertility. I can so relate to Hannah's tears and how she must have felt as her rival chided her about not having children. And how her husband's attempts to comfort her only brought her more grief. There is a place in a mother's heart that only a child can fill. Unfortunately I know what it was like to try to comfort my wife with some of the exact same words that Elkanah said to Hannah... am I not enough even if God never gives us a child. And that only forces your wife into saying the obvious answer to her... "no." In fact this story means so much to me I'd consider naming our daughter Hannah if it weren't for a family member who'd named one of their previous dogs the same name!
What grips me most about this story is Hanah's prayer after Samuel is born. Her song of praise reads so fresh and so true. After God has blessed you in an area where you've relinquished complete control to Him, the praise is so sweet and so raw and so real. We will forever view children as the most precious blessing God could give us because we never knew if we'd have children in our family. I wish everyone had to experience infertility just for a moment - so they whole world would view children as a joy and as a blessing rather than a scourge or burden. Even well meaning parents in our culture decide that they can only "afford" a set number of children at the same time they've convinced themselves that satellite TV is a necessity. Something in that tradeoff seems contrary to God's plan for His people.
Yet there is a part of Hannah's song of praise that stands out to me... 1 Sam 2: 9b-10 records, "It is not by strength that one prevails; those who oppose the Lord will be shattered. He will thunder against them from heaven; the Lord will judge the ends of the earth."
I prayed for strength to endure many times... as recently as this morning. But it is not by strength that we prevail. It is by God's Grace that we prevail. Where have I opposed the Lord? Where am I still doing it? Only by His grace do I still endure!!
at
5:00 PM
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
June 11; Day 18, Judges 3-14
Judges. What exactly does that word mean? This was the question consuming my mind when I was reading through the descriptions of the various individuals... Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Abimelech, Tola, Jair, Jephtah, and Sampson.
To answer that question, I looked back at yesterday's reading. I was reminded that God had recoreded that after the time of Joshua an entire generation grew up who neither knew the Lord or what He had done for Israel. Consequently the stage is set to do things contrary to God's desire for His people. Judges 2: 16 then records "The the Lord raised up judges who saved them out the hands of these raiders." In my bible the word "judges" is footnoted, and the footnote simply says "Or 'leaders'."
Is a Judge simply a leader? Coming from someone who works professionally to build leadership development in our company, could I honestly say that each of the graduates of our leadership program are "judges?" I believe our modern definition of judge or leader doesn't suffice given the description of these people we read about in today's reading. Our definition of "judge" tends to connotate someone who is elected or chosen by the people because of their ability to uphold the laws and interpret them on behalf of the people. This sort of gets to it but still leaves something lacking. Then our definition of a "leader" is often someone who is placed in a position of influence over others. Sometimes this influence can be positive and unfortunately, sometimes this influence can be negative. Yet this definition seems hollow according to these judges described in the Bible.
To me as I read about these individuals I see some common themes.
To answer that question, I looked back at yesterday's reading. I was reminded that God had recoreded that after the time of Joshua an entire generation grew up who neither knew the Lord or what He had done for Israel. Consequently the stage is set to do things contrary to God's desire for His people. Judges 2: 16 then records "The the Lord raised up judges who saved them out the hands of these raiders." In my bible the word "judges" is footnoted, and the footnote simply says "Or 'leaders'."
Is a Judge simply a leader? Coming from someone who works professionally to build leadership development in our company, could I honestly say that each of the graduates of our leadership program are "judges?" I believe our modern definition of judge or leader doesn't suffice given the description of these people we read about in today's reading. Our definition of "judge" tends to connotate someone who is elected or chosen by the people because of their ability to uphold the laws and interpret them on behalf of the people. This sort of gets to it but still leaves something lacking. Then our definition of a "leader" is often someone who is placed in a position of influence over others. Sometimes this influence can be positive and unfortunately, sometimes this influence can be negative. Yet this definition seems hollow according to these judges described in the Bible.
To me as I read about these individuals I see some common themes.
- None of them were looking for this position. Rather God had raised them up and given them special circumstances for their influence to be demonstrated. This is definately not a public office or an election by the people. I'm quite certain the people wouldn't have chosen these individuals given some of the things they were asked to do on behalf of the people.
- They had an overwhelming zeal for God and His ways. Tearing down the gods of the day (Asherah poles, etc...) exacting God's judgement on the enemies of Israel or even sometimes renegade individuals inside the Israelite body were just some of the unpleasant tasks given to them that weren't popular but necessary to purify God's people and bring them back into repentance for His ways. In Judges 3:10 we see the source of Othneil's zeal "The Spirit of the Lord cam upon him, so that he became Israel's judge and went to war." Without the Lord's Spirit would they have had the fortitude to stand against popular opinion and follow God at all costs?
- Most of them came from humble beginings and had flaws in their background. Or more importantly they were not leaders that had been groomed by man their entire life. Jephthah's mother was a prostitute. Most of them didn't even feel qualified to be a leader of people, yet God equiped the called. Rather than calling the equipped. And it points out that no matter what our background, God has a plan for everyone He creates.
I notice from this that we have our definitions of leadership all wrong in the United States. Currently at the present time we're undergoing the endless droning of the Presidential elections. Who is best? Which one has the least warts? Which one can slam the other the most? And on and on we go. Yet contrast this with the Judges of Israel. They weren't seeking the position of influence and yet God raised them up. They were called to do things unpopular yet necessary (rather than campaining on promises to create utopia for everyone) and God was with them giving them strength and vision for His people. Where are we at today? How far we've come. We're truly living in days like those of the Judges where we've raised up an entire generation (and perhaps multiple generations) that no longer know the Lord or what He has done for the United States.
Yet, from this reading I gain hope. God - not Man - is in control. He can and will raise up Judges in today's society. Judges being those people He chooses to do His will here on earth and in the United States. Judges being those people with a position of influence over those God has given to them. Judges who are encouraged and supernaturally strengthened to do the seemingly impossible (or at very minimum the unpopular) by His Spirit.
Where are these Judges today? I believe it is you and I that God has raised up to be judges for our world. If you're reading this, you probably have some interest in the Lord. Perhaps you weren't seeking it, but it found you. One way or another, there is a reason God has you reading these words right now, right here. I for one feel greater conviction of being the Judge of those around me. I hold positions of influence in my home and at my workplace. My greatest responsibility is to be the judge of the territory God has given me at home. I can't judge the nations - only God can do that - however, I can lead according to God's principles and through His Spirit. And I can start with those He's given to me. That is my primarily my family. If we would each only do that, imagine what a more "righteous" world we might live in. Let's not wait for God to use another tribe to enact his judgement on us. Let's start judging right here at home. Are you up for it?
June 10; Day 17 - Joshua 14-Judges 3
Every night as we tuck in our kids we have a small blessing we say over them and that they've come to recite with us. As part of this final blessing, we encourage them by saying... "God has created you for a purpose... and your purpose is to bring glory to God." I'm beginning after 35 years of life to understand more and more of my purpose in life and it has less and less to do with the titles I have associated with my name.
To be rooted somewhere means to take on an identity. For me sometimes that rooting has meant where I grew up... or where I went to school... or where I've chosen to live... or where I'm employed . Each of these locations has given me an identity. And I've often searched for purpose in this location/identity. However, from today's reading it became glaringly obvious to me that location is meant to establish identity but physical location must be associated with spiritual location to give us true identity.
Joshua divided the land with each of the tribes and reviewed with them the boundaries of their territories. While seemingly mundane to read it became more and more obvious that God wanted these tribes to inherit the land He'd promised but not for the sole purpose of consuming its resources but to establish an identity. This means a lot to me having been reared in a small town and undestanding the need for community and relationships. Now living in a larger city where the population is more transient I don't see the same depth of relationship or connection. It is much more difficult to develop this depth when it is neither recognized nor desired. Yet boundaries are not meant to prevent us from reaching out or to isolate us. All too often I see this happening as well. The walls of our house, the fences in our yards ... the doors on our cars....if we let them, these boundaries can isolate us. And ultimately God designed us to have an identity but to live in community with others and ultimately with Him. How tragically we've used physical location to isolate rather than combine with spiritual location to establish identity.
As I was reading this I was also realizing that God in His goodness did what He promised completely! Despite the people's rebellion and their waywardness - His plans were achieved. Josh 21:44-45 records "Not one of their enemies withstood them the Lord handed all their enemies over to them. Not one of the all the Lord's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one ws fulfilled." What awesome encouragement this is. What He has promised, He will deliver! Oh how I need to remember this in these troubling days. I was watching the news the other night and here in Indiana now we've just experienced some of the worst flooding we've seen in quite some time. So the majority of the news was consumed with this tradgedy and loss of property and devistation. Then the news continued on about the rising fuel prices. Speculation is that gas prices could reach as high as $6.00 per gallon. Then a story on rising food prices. Then a story on other natural disasters around the world.... enough! It was enough to cause me to become fearful. Yet... I was comforted by this reading realizing that God is always in control. He has already told us how the story would end. He has also told us to expect trials of many kinds. Yet not one of his good promises have failed.... every one is beging fulfilled. Help me remember this in times of trial and worry.
So to bring these two points together.... God had given me a territory to establish an identity. In my life He has blessed me with a lot of territory. Most importantly He has given me a family to love and to lead. He has given me walls of a house to protect us. But also these boundaries are meant to give me an identity. If I let it these boundaries can isolate me... but if I choose to these boundaries give me an identity as a child of God and a recipient of His blessings. In times of worry or anxiety I can retreat within these boundaries fearful of what might happen to me or my family - thus chosing isolation. OR I can choose to place my trust and faith in His promises that I know will be fulfilled - thus choosing to let these boundaries identify me as a child of God. In Joshua chapter 24 we see Joshua forcing the Israelites to make the same decision.... - "Now fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshipped beyond the River and in Egypt and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."
Later in Judges we read of how the Israelites inherited the land they served the Lord through Joshua's lifetime but after he died and the subsequent generation died "another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel." (Judges 2:10b) I could preach a whole sermon on this verse alone... but suffice it to say that this is a clear warning to me to establish an eternal view point as I lead my family. It admonishes me not only to teach them about the things the Lord has done, BUT also to do everything I can to introduce them to the Lord so they know Him personally. By viewing my "territory" as my family and by making a choice to serve Him means to take the viewpoint that I'm to establish the identity of training my family to achieve multi-generational faithfulness. I'm beginning to learn my purpose in this world.... and for the generations that will follow.
So with this, I declare Joshua's promise as my own today - yet with a whole new perspective In today's uncertain enviroment the one thing I know I can cling to is God's unchanging promise... and as for me and my household (those living here today and those that will come after us...) we will serve the Lord.... even in uncertain times.
To be rooted somewhere means to take on an identity. For me sometimes that rooting has meant where I grew up... or where I went to school... or where I've chosen to live... or where I'm employed . Each of these locations has given me an identity. And I've often searched for purpose in this location/identity. However, from today's reading it became glaringly obvious to me that location is meant to establish identity but physical location must be associated with spiritual location to give us true identity.
Joshua divided the land with each of the tribes and reviewed with them the boundaries of their territories. While seemingly mundane to read it became more and more obvious that God wanted these tribes to inherit the land He'd promised but not for the sole purpose of consuming its resources but to establish an identity. This means a lot to me having been reared in a small town and undestanding the need for community and relationships. Now living in a larger city where the population is more transient I don't see the same depth of relationship or connection. It is much more difficult to develop this depth when it is neither recognized nor desired. Yet boundaries are not meant to prevent us from reaching out or to isolate us. All too often I see this happening as well. The walls of our house, the fences in our yards ... the doors on our cars....if we let them, these boundaries can isolate us. And ultimately God designed us to have an identity but to live in community with others and ultimately with Him. How tragically we've used physical location to isolate rather than combine with spiritual location to establish identity.
As I was reading this I was also realizing that God in His goodness did what He promised completely! Despite the people's rebellion and their waywardness - His plans were achieved. Josh 21:44-45 records "Not one of their enemies withstood them the Lord handed all their enemies over to them. Not one of the all the Lord's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one ws fulfilled." What awesome encouragement this is. What He has promised, He will deliver! Oh how I need to remember this in these troubling days. I was watching the news the other night and here in Indiana now we've just experienced some of the worst flooding we've seen in quite some time. So the majority of the news was consumed with this tradgedy and loss of property and devistation. Then the news continued on about the rising fuel prices. Speculation is that gas prices could reach as high as $6.00 per gallon. Then a story on rising food prices. Then a story on other natural disasters around the world.... enough! It was enough to cause me to become fearful. Yet... I was comforted by this reading realizing that God is always in control. He has already told us how the story would end. He has also told us to expect trials of many kinds. Yet not one of his good promises have failed.... every one is beging fulfilled. Help me remember this in times of trial and worry.
So to bring these two points together.... God had given me a territory to establish an identity. In my life He has blessed me with a lot of territory. Most importantly He has given me a family to love and to lead. He has given me walls of a house to protect us. But also these boundaries are meant to give me an identity. If I let it these boundaries can isolate me... but if I choose to these boundaries give me an identity as a child of God and a recipient of His blessings. In times of worry or anxiety I can retreat within these boundaries fearful of what might happen to me or my family - thus chosing isolation. OR I can choose to place my trust and faith in His promises that I know will be fulfilled - thus choosing to let these boundaries identify me as a child of God. In Joshua chapter 24 we see Joshua forcing the Israelites to make the same decision.... - "Now fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshipped beyond the River and in Egypt and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."
Later in Judges we read of how the Israelites inherited the land they served the Lord through Joshua's lifetime but after he died and the subsequent generation died "another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel." (Judges 2:10b) I could preach a whole sermon on this verse alone... but suffice it to say that this is a clear warning to me to establish an eternal view point as I lead my family. It admonishes me not only to teach them about the things the Lord has done, BUT also to do everything I can to introduce them to the Lord so they know Him personally. By viewing my "territory" as my family and by making a choice to serve Him means to take the viewpoint that I'm to establish the identity of training my family to achieve multi-generational faithfulness. I'm beginning to learn my purpose in this world.... and for the generations that will follow.
So with this, I declare Joshua's promise as my own today - yet with a whole new perspective In today's uncertain enviroment the one thing I know I can cling to is God's unchanging promise... and as for me and my household (those living here today and those that will come after us...) we will serve the Lord.... even in uncertain times.
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