King David and his God Part 1

Continuing my trek through the old testament, I have stumbled across David.

In 2 Samuel 22, David has been delivered from his enemies.  He had several might men who pledged their allegiance to him, and lots of protection, but on this great day when all enemies have been suppressed, he doesn’t praise the mighty men who aided him, or his own skillful hand, but Yahweh.  This is what he says:

“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield, and the horn of my salvation,

my stronghold and my refuge,

my savior; you save me from violence.

I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,

And I am saved from my enemies.

For the waves of death encompassed me,

The torrents of destruction assailed me,

The cords of Sheol entangled me;

The snares of death confronted me.

In my distress I called upon the LORD

To my God I called.

From his temple he heard my voice,

And my cry came to his ears.

 

STOP!!!!

Hold it!

David, the 7^th son of Jesse, the one who it seems no one paid attention to, and was tasked with taking care of dumb animals (sheep), says the the God of the Universe is his rock, his fortress, and his deliverer?  This is very personal.  You can read of several people in the books of Samuel and Kings refer to God as “your God” in talking to David and others, but David doesn’t refer to him this way.

David says that God “saves him from violence.”  He says that he “calls upon the LORD, and is saved from his enemies.”  That is very interesting.  Perhaps we should do this first?  I try to figure things out first, and come up with a plan, and maybe that’s just me, but I think I should do what David did.  Ask God.

David isn’t just dealing with a bad stock investment, or a messed up day, or a Monday when he doesn’t want to put in the time to work, he says, “the waves of death, the torrents of destruction, the cords of Sheol are around him”?  The cords of Hell?  Entangle him?  The snares of death confronted him?  What did David do?  Called on the LORD. 

I think the answer is in the last verse (7).  In David’s distress he called on the God whose face can’t be seen, who destroyed the Egyptians, and saved his people, who created the world by his mere breath, who plans all events, and controls the hearts of Kings, and the next sentence is stunning.  “From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry came to his ears.” 

 I am amazed at this.  God heard David.  God can hear me, and he can hear you.  From his high and lofty place,  he hears you.

How God responds is next, and deserves its own day.

Murdering friends of God?

I've been reading some pretty amazing things in the Bible.  I'm sure that most quotes on many blogs and tweets are from the new testament, but don't think that the old testament is just old, and less useful.  The God of the old testament is the same God of the new testament, and is compassionate, faithful, and always there.

In Exodus 33:7-11, there are some pretty amazing statements, I think that are worth a thoughtful pondering.  In verse 7, it talks about the tabernacle and how those who met with the LORD would do it there.  Verses 8-9 say, "When Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise up, and each would stand at his tent door, and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent.  When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the LORD would speak with Moses."

Wow!  The God of the universe speaks to a flawed murdering son of slaves!  (You aren't any better than Moses, and neither am I)  God speaks to His people.  The God speaks.  As a comparison, the people I don't know or don't care for, I don't talk to.  What more does it mean that God speaks to His people now?  Don't ever get over this.

The story gets better.

Verses 10-11:  "And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door.  Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.  When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent."

The LORD spoke to Moses as we have covered, but face to face as a man speaks to his friend?  How could God bring himself to the level of Moses and speak to Him?  Does He do this today?

These two phrases encourage me, and amaze me that the holy creator God cares about His people, speaks to his people, and treats them like friends even though we are rebellious, murderous, lying sinners who deserve destruction.  How much love does it take to treat a person described this way as a friend?

In Isaiah, it talks of a God who dwells with people of a broken and contrite heart.  57:15-16, "For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:  "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite."

This is the God we serve, and should serve.  What a pleasure to be His.

Weakness

I played in a softball tournament today in Portage.  I, and a few others that I know, were an "add-on" to an existing team.  We started playing at 9 am, and just finished.  It is 5 pm.  We had four "round-robin" games, and then a playoff game. 

It is very hot today.  It was probably 95 degrees, and when the wind wasn't blowing or moving at all, it felt like a mild oven standing out there in the outfield-especially with a dark blue shirt on. 

I don't know all the guys I was playing with, but have played with them before, and had a good relationship with the team.  My cousin Bill played with us as did my brother in law Clay. 

We were horrible.  Everyone made bad throws.  Everyone missed pitches, got horrible outs, overthrew the ball, and missed catches.  It was an abismal afternoon.  In the last game, we walked out after four innings (being down by a ton of runs), and were ready to be done and out of the tournament, and the other team told us that it couldn't be called a game until after 5 innings.

What a humiliating event!  In the top of the fifth, ball after ball after ball kept rolling under gloves, over heads, between fielders, and it seemed like the game and the tortuous day would never end. 
Alas!  It did!  Only when they had scored too many in one inning, and so they had to let us bat at the bottom of the fifth.  Oh happy day!  All we had to do was get 3 more outs, and we could go home.

Somewhere in the middle of this, I wanted to go home.  I knew we weren't a good enough team to win the whole tournament, and questionably one game.  There was a time in the outfield, that I wanted to just call "Time", and quietly walk up, and take myself out of the game.  From there, I would have walked to my car, and left.

I had this thought, "What would Christ have me learn right now?  What would He be trying to teach me through this humilation game after game after game?"   This is the only thought that kept me there.  I kept going play by play thinking of what Christ would do and teach me.  Should I be angry when a teammate missing a play?  Should I grumble at a call?  Should I just quit?

So now that I am home, I'm trying to "chill out."  There are some verses coming to mind that are helping me do just that.

Why would a softball game have anything to do with Christ?  Christ doesn't teach things on a hot Saturday in Michigan, does He?  How would I know if He was?  Does He speak audibly? 
In order for the paragraph above to make any sense (the "I had this thought" paragraph), and for me to really have relief, I turn to scripture.

2 Corinthians 12-7-10  Paul says, "So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.  But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamaties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

There are a couple things I want to say.

1) Whether you might scoff or blow this off, it is clear in this passage and in all Scripture that God is in complete control of every event.  Every softball that was hit, every play that was blown, every overthrow I made, every score of every game.  My teams thorn today was its poor play.  While that must certainly pale in comparison to Paul's issue, it was a trying time in the hot sun.  If I don't believe that God arranged the entire circumstance, then I would be very frustrated with many decisions and choices by other people.  Because it was God who set this day up, I can't be frustrated with Him.  I need to look to His hand to teach me that in our weakness and inability today on the softball field both individually and collectively, God himself is the power in our lives.  Without Him, we wouldn't be able to stand up, let alone play softball.  I see this in the passage where Paul states that it is a messenger of Satan that is harassing him.  What does Paul do about it?  I don't see that He fights back at people, or even fights back at Satan.  He prays to the God of the universe and asks God to have Satan leave.  Why would Paul ask God unless Satan is ultimately only a lackey?  Satan can only do what God permits him to do.  Those other softball teams could only hit the ball well as long as God permits them to hit it.  Our team will only perform so poorly as long as God allows us to perform poorly.  God controls it.  My anger would only be anger at Him, and how foolish a position that truly is.

2)  Playing softball today the way we did reminds me of my weakness as both a husband, a father, a man, a 32 year old, a softball player, and a person.  God created me in that weakness to show His power to others.  If I react to others in a negative fashion when that ball goes past them, or a strike out, or a missed opportunity, I spurn the God who created me, and tell Him that His power really isn't enough.  We and I should be able to do better, and we don't need as much of God's power as He might think.
Oh, I shake and shudder thinking like that.  How dare we, as his clay hold our fist up to Him, and say, "Why, God, did you make my day like this, or why did you craft me with this inability??"(Romans 9:14-23)

God is not displeased by our weak play or our weaknesses as human beings.  He made us that way; however, he is glorified when we honor Him through our weakness by relying on his power, might, and strength, and trusting Him all along the way.

The Needle

If you are looking for a needle in a barn filled with straw, and you desparately need to find this needle, and I am standing there, and know exactly where this needle is, would you start looking for the needle without asking?

These are the words of Christ:

John 14:1-6, “Let not your hearts be troubled.  Believe in God; believe also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms.  If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.  And you know the way to where I am going.”  Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going.  How can we know the way?”  Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

It is the last verse that struck me the more I thought about it; however, don’t let yourself glaze over the promises in verses 1-4.

In our world today, there are so many methods, opinions, plans, schemes, mode of operation, and standard operating procedures both from a personal standpoint and a business standpoint, that one must wonder from day to day which is the right way.  At your job and at mine, we must find ourselves questioning things at times.  Why does the company have this policy, or why do we have to perform a task in the way described rather than the way we think it should be done.  

In your personal and spiritual life, you make decisions every day, and every moment based on something.  Some path you have decided in the past you will follow, or an errant choice that was suggested by a friend who made a suggestion to you based on something they believed to be true.  We all believe in something.

Shouldn’t we all be concerned with what way is the right way? 

If there wasn’t a right way, but rather a spectrum of options, one doesn’t need to be concerned about this post at all.

However, once, Jesus said He was the way.   He is talking about the way to be with Him for all eternity.  Thomas asks him how they can know the way to be with Him, and Jesus did not respond with, “Well, you can choose this option or that, or perhaps mold the path to conform to your standards, and you’ll get there.”

What I’d like to focus on are the implications of the “little” bit that Jesus said in verse 6.  

1)      The word “the” is huge.  Jesus didn’t say I am a way, I am a truth, and I am a life.  The word “the” implies completeness, fullness, no other “the.”  The way means , “I’m it.  Don’t have me, you don’t have the way.  Just come to me, and know.”  The truth means, “I am truth, and without me, you don’t have truth, and can’t find it anywhere else.”  The life means “With me you have life, without me, there is no other life, and you don’t have it, but come to me, and you will.”

2)      The mere point of saying there is a way to heaven provides us great hope.  No one is hopeless.

3)      Saying there is one way assumes that there must be some who think there are others ways, thus making it necessary to state that there is one way.

4)      The other ways are not the right way, and end in disaster and destruction.

5)      There are things that are false in the world.  Why say you are truth if everything is true?

6)      To say that He is truth means that all truth comes from Him, and many will be deceived by the things that aren’t true. Know Jesus and know the truth.

7)      Jesus wants you to hear him say, “I am truth”, and respond with faith.

8)      Life comes from Jesus.  “I am the Life’ means exactly this.

9)      There would be no reason to say, “I am the life”, if there were other ways that led to life.  There are ways that lead to death and decay.

10)  Know Jesus, and know true life.

11)  Deny Jesus, and know death, lies, and the wrong way.

The needle story form above?  That needle is Jesus.  The little twist here is that if you don’t ask for the “needle” from Jesus, and you start looking for it in the barn, there is no needle to be found.

To rephrase the needle story.  

You are alive.  Your true life and your eternal life depends on finding the way, the truth, and the life.  You are seeking it out all your days on earth.  It is so important to know what the truth is.  It is so important to know what life really is.  It is so important to know the way to get to the truth, and that life.  In your life you know someone.  This person knows exactly where it is.  There is only ONE truth, ONE way, ONE life, and they have it and know it!  Ask them.  Don't look first.  You'll never find it.  Look to Jesus and live. 

Only Jesus

A B C and D

In hockey, there is a defined purpose.  In soccer, there is another well defined purpose.  Both of them start with a goal.  A hockey goal is 4x6 feet while a soccer goal is quite a bit larger-8x24.  All professional games play with goals in the same dimensions.  They are all in agreement about the purpose of the game, the size of the goals, and who the winner and loser will be.
The entire games are played with these dimensions in mind.  The field size, and the object size (ball or puck) are taken into account, and with the given amount of allowed players, the teams make plans.
Imagine on July 15th, the hockey and soccer worlds come out with an announcement that they are going to be making some minor adjustments, and all games played after July 15th will be affected.
The proposed changes are:  future hockey games will be held on the same size ice rink, and using the same size puck, but the goal will be the size of the soccer goal.  Future soccer games will be the same except that the goal size will be the hockey size goal.

You might imagine the objections and chaos that would ensue.  Some would like it, many would not.  Their feelings would be based on their understanding of the games before the rules changed.  In other words, they were living under accepted standards, and were acclimated to them.

I intend to share something that we are also acclimated to.

I wasn't planning on writing anything like this, but some letters popped into my head yesterday.  A, B, C, and D, only not in that order.  It is interesting as I write this out that they so happen to be the first letters in the alphabet which we would all agree that these are the beginning letters.  No shocker right?

Well, the order these letters came in were:  AD, and BC.  I started thinking about dates, and years.  These letters in this order are commonly recognized as letters that describe our dates system or calendar system. 

In a similar vein, I'd like you to remember what I wrote about the cycles of the moon, sun, and earth, compared to why we have a "week" in our calendar.  There was only one reason.

There is also ONE reason why we have AD, and BC.  Websters dictionary says that anno domini (AD) means:  in the given year since the beginning of the Christian era.  Literally:  in the year of our Lord.   BC means before Christ.  These definitions come from a 1984 dictionary that I can't explain why I have it in my house.

The ENTIRE basis for the year being 2012 is Christ.  Jesus Christ alone is the reason why you say 2012.  Its the same reason you write that number on your checks, and why you are how old you are- its based on time distance between when you were born and when Christ was born, and how long it has been since then.  To add to this, the BC counting method counts down as if we are in Cape Canaveral waiting for some big impending event that we might stop our day to stand and wait so that we may not miss it.  Then it came!  Jesus was born, and the system changed.  Everything changed when he came to earth, not just that we count up now.

This is the basis for our tracking, and just like hockey and soccer, we have accepted it, lived with it, and would be very opposed to change it.  This is our standard.  Jesus Christ is our standard.  Christian or not, He is the central reason.  Is your heart in acceptance of this or just your head?

To be opposed to this thought would be the same as a soccer player wanting to play with ice hockey goals.  No one would score, no one would attend, and the game would cease.  There would be no interest. 

You may be surprised to think how many things you do, say, and are accustomed to because of what Jesus did.

Eye Candy

I was listening to the radio last week while driving, and was getting an update on an upcoming soccer matchup.  I can't recall who was playing whom; but do recall something else about the conversation that jumped out at me.
Apparently there was going to be a player who was not only pretty good at soccer, but is well pleasing on the eyes.  The female co-host made this clear.  The other host acknowledged her comment, and continued with the conversation.  The female co-host then added, , "but there will be plently of other eye candy at this game."

I thought I would take this opportunity to be very clear.  I have heard many times things like, "looking isn't touching"  or "as long as you don't get caught", or "look as if its at the sun."

Jesus says in Matthew 5:27-30, "You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.  But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.  For it is better that you lose one of your members than your whole body be thrown into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.  For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell."

1)  Adultery = sin.   Lust = Adultery.  Therefore  Lust = sin.  There is no "free-look", "looking isn't touching."  Jesus says you have committed by looking without touching therefore, DON'T LOOK.

2)  This is a big deal.  Hell or heaven is at stake in this lustful "game."  God's children (those who will inherit the kingdom)  will not have a lifestyle like this  (also see Galations 5:19-24).  To avoid Hell, don't just say you believe in Jesus.  ACT like you believe in Jesus. 

3)  Looking is not OK.  "Eye candy" in this context goes against everything Jesus taught.

4)  If you are a Christian, you should have eyes for Christ alone.  You are the bride of Christ.  He gave His life for YOU.  When you look at others, you have committed adultery against CHRIST.  This isn't about your spouse or your chastity.  This is about Christ.  You should only have "eyes" for Him.

Redemption

One of our pastors was preaching just yesterday, and said something that made me not just think, but be filled with awe.

The message was about being joyful in Christ, or being filled with joy.  As one catechism would put it:  "What is the chief end of man?"    Answer:  The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.

It's the enjoy him forever part that I'd like to focus on.  Both parts of that answer are challenging, and I certainly wonder in many many many cases how the first one can be true.  Being joyful in God, and enjoying Him now and forever seems so high and lofty that how can we?  I am bogged down by cleaning my tool shed, mowing the grass (when it grows), providing income via work for my family, fishing, driving, and whatever this list is for you.  Aren't we constantly struggling to reach for eternal values and viewpoints when we are stuck in the mire and daily activities of this life?

In other words, doesn't it seem like we spend most of our time doing things that aren't really important when compared to the eternal plan and glory of God?

So, to enjoy Him is right and good, and seems right and good; but how?

So, this is what my pastor said. 

It may seem odd to come at the thought of  "enjoying God forever" this way, but let's go back to the beginning of the world.  God is God, and there are no others.  He needs nothing from anyone or anything.  Sometime before he created the world, he created the angels.  These angels what must have been beautiful, loving beings, yet not God.  Both the angels, and people then are created by God for his glory.

Lucifer, the most brightly colored, most beautiful angel, rebels against God, and is sent from heaven.  Many angels follow Lucifer.  These angels have fallen.  They are against God now.

Jump forward to Adam and Eve, and you and I.  Adam and Eve fell in a similar fashion.  We are fallen, and sinners because Adam and Eve sinned so long ago.  All children are born with this sin nature, and are apart from God, and cannot make things right with Him.

These angels and people then are fallen, and need to make amends with their sinning against Him or face his wrath and justice.

God's plan from the beginning was to send His only son Jesus to be the redeemer.  This redeemer; however, would not offer his redemption to the angels who fell but only to His people.

Ask yourself why God would give you a redeemer, but not the angels?  They cannot make it right with God, and He is not going to offer anything to them.

Talk about encouraging, amazing, astounding, and completely gracious!  This is the God who saves you, by offering His own son, and particularly for YOU, not for others.  Oh how He loves.  How could we not enjoy this God forever?!