We live in a society of people that are in a hurry and looking for short cuts to reach their goals. Instead of getting the proper amount of rest a body needs, we chug "energy drinks" to keep us going. Rather than eat healthily and exercise to stay fit, we indulge in fast food, calorie-free beverages, and "metabolism enhancers" to help us fit in our jeans. "Saving up" for whatever luxury we long for is a concept relegated to history for far too many of us. The credit card industry has made it attractive and easy to "buy now and pay later." We want what we want, and we want it now, without expending too much hard work and effort. We want to skip the personal sacrifice part of the process.
Sometimes I wonder if we don't allow this assumption of instant gratification to creep into our expectation of experiencing God's presence in our lives. After David became king, he wanted to return the "ark of God" to the children of Israel. As a nation, under the rule of Saul, the people had not given the symbol of God's presence among them much thought. David desired to know God's presence and his blessings. He gathered together the people of Israel to travel to Judah to retrieve the ark. In fact, he had a new cart built to transport it. As the procession celebrated and worshiped before God, one of the men driving the cart put out his hand to steady it. He was killed. God wasn't pleased!
God killing this poor guy seems rather harsh, but David, in his hurry to "get" God's presence and his blessings, tried to short circuit the process God had commanded. In Numbers 4:15, God made clear that anyone who touched any holy thing would die; He described how the ark (Exodus 25:10-22), the testimony of his covenant and presence among his people, was to be transported. This was a big deal! The ark wasn't just any wooden box; it was holy!
David didn't mean to dishonor God; he was in a hurry to do a right thing! But, in his eagerness, he missed a few key steps to entering into the presence of God and receiving his blessings. David had to return to Jerusalem without the ark of God and had to start back at the beginning - preparing himself and the people to be in God's presence.
There is absolutely nothing more awesome than to stand in God's holy presence, to be overwhelmed by who He is! But just as David couldn't go unprepared into the holiness of God, we can't either. We must prepare ourselves. In John 17, Jesus prayed that the Father would sanctify us (make us holy) through his Truth (John 17:17-19). Just as David returned to Jerusalem and got ready to enter the holiness of God, we can too! God wants nothing more than to be among his children.
Lord, we desire to know your presence. This means we have to prepare ourselves to be a dwelling place acceptable for you to live. Please guide us through your Holy Spirit to seek your cleansing and lead us to offer up sacrifices of praise and worship that make you welcome. Please make us holy as you are holy. In your name we ask, Amen.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Parenting - Living a Life of Honor
One of my greatest struggles is to honor people who don't always behave honorably. The Webster dictionary provides several definitions of what honor is - a good name, a reputation worthy of respect; a keen sense of ethical conduct or integrity. But, honor is also something a person does - give respect to someone or live up to an agreement made. I know that I want to be a person of honor, so I have to live honorably and give honor, even to those people who don't seem to deserve it. This is what God commands us to do!
II Samuel 13-19 tells the story of David and his sons Amnon and Absalom. Amnon committed a heinous crime against Absalom's sister. Absalom had Amnon murdered and conspired to overthrow David and have him killed. Neither of these boys honored their father. The end for both of them was tragic, and David suffered too.
As a parent, David may have found it difficult to mete out the appropriate punishment on his sons because he suffered from a "wounded conscience," in the words of Bible commentator, Matthew Henry. As a result, his sons felt free to commit the worst kinds of crimes. Henry says that indulged children are "crosses" to godly parents. Certainly that seems to be the case for David. The tension in the story of David and his sons seems to result from a father who was overindulgent, failing to discipline his sons, and sons who grew to disrespect their father because of it.
Part of me wants to sympathize with Absalom. His anger for David's lack of appropriate response to Amnon's crime against his sister seems justified. Yet, God says we are to honor those who are in authority over us (I Peter 2:18; Ephesians 6:5). More specific to this situation, we are directly commanded to honor our parents (Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:2-3). Absalom did neither.
The brokenness that we observe far too often in parent-child relationships is a direct result of situations of overindulgence that come from parents who have "wounded consciences." We fear we lack the moral authority to discipline our children, so instead we look the other way, bargain with them, or excuse their behaviors. We don't honor them, they don't honor us, and everyone is damaged.
Living a life of godly integrity should be our priority. This doesn't mean we won't make mistakes. When we do, as people of honor, we must ask forgiveness from God and those around us, including our children. We must strive to set the example that we want others to follow. We honor God, and others, including our children, by the way we live our lives. It is from this place that we can be confident in our authority and make it easier for others, especially our children, to honor us.
Lord, I am one who hasn't always lived a life of honor, but I am so thankful for your merciful forgiveness. You let me learn and have given me opportunities to honor You and others by the way I live my life. Thank you for your commandments, for how you instruct us to live life. Please open our hearts and our understanding of your word so that we might set an example pleasing to You and one that others can follow. In your name, Amen.
II Samuel 13-19 tells the story of David and his sons Amnon and Absalom. Amnon committed a heinous crime against Absalom's sister. Absalom had Amnon murdered and conspired to overthrow David and have him killed. Neither of these boys honored their father. The end for both of them was tragic, and David suffered too.
As a parent, David may have found it difficult to mete out the appropriate punishment on his sons because he suffered from a "wounded conscience," in the words of Bible commentator, Matthew Henry. As a result, his sons felt free to commit the worst kinds of crimes. Henry says that indulged children are "crosses" to godly parents. Certainly that seems to be the case for David. The tension in the story of David and his sons seems to result from a father who was overindulgent, failing to discipline his sons, and sons who grew to disrespect their father because of it.
Part of me wants to sympathize with Absalom. His anger for David's lack of appropriate response to Amnon's crime against his sister seems justified. Yet, God says we are to honor those who are in authority over us (I Peter 2:18; Ephesians 6:5). More specific to this situation, we are directly commanded to honor our parents (Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:2-3). Absalom did neither.
The brokenness that we observe far too often in parent-child relationships is a direct result of situations of overindulgence that come from parents who have "wounded consciences." We fear we lack the moral authority to discipline our children, so instead we look the other way, bargain with them, or excuse their behaviors. We don't honor them, they don't honor us, and everyone is damaged.
Living a life of godly integrity should be our priority. This doesn't mean we won't make mistakes. When we do, as people of honor, we must ask forgiveness from God and those around us, including our children. We must strive to set the example that we want others to follow. We honor God, and others, including our children, by the way we live our lives. It is from this place that we can be confident in our authority and make it easier for others, especially our children, to honor us.
Lord, I am one who hasn't always lived a life of honor, but I am so thankful for your merciful forgiveness. You let me learn and have given me opportunities to honor You and others by the way I live my life. Thank you for your commandments, for how you instruct us to live life. Please open our hearts and our understanding of your word so that we might set an example pleasing to You and one that others can follow. In your name, Amen.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Parenting: Taking on Giants and Winning - Part III
Honestly, I do not like difficulty! I would so rather have compliant students who are eager to learn and soar to great heights. I would love it if all the people in my life would just not irritate me. I wish I could stay healthy and fit without exercising and by eating all the chocolate, Blue Bell ice cream, and fabulous southern food from my childhood (think fried okra, blackberry cobbler, homemade rolls) that I want. I am old! I want peace and comfort and perfection! I want what I want! But, God knows that my life would be so less "interesting" if I got all I wanted, and He knows that if I'm ever going to get anywhere close to being who He designed me to be, I will have to face down the giants in my life - even if it would be easier to ignore or give into them. He's rather insistent that I develop the ability to defeat them! Therefore, He allows the "challenges" so I develop my "trust-in-Him muscles."
Little did David the Giant Slayer know when he was out herding sheep, playing his harp, and fighting off the occasional lion or bear that one day he would use the experiences and skills he developed to bring down a 10 foot tall heavily armed giant with a slingshot and a stone (I Samuel 17). Yet, sure enough, that is exactly what happened. He proclaimed to King Saul with absolute confidence that the God who had delivered him from wild animals would deliver Goliath to him (I Samuel 17:34-37). Saul wasn't so sure this kid could actually defeat the giant with just a slingshot and stones, so he dressed him up in official "go-to-war" garb. David couldn't even move, so he declined the offer and simply took up the tools of his trade - shepherd's staff, slingshot and five smooth stones - and, most importantly, "the name of God" (I Samuel 17:45-47). He went before the giant battle-ready because God had been preparing him for this moment!
As we go about our daily lives meeting up with all the irritations and inconveniences that we just really wish would go away, rarely do we understand that those very things may be put in our lives so that God can begin to develop in us the skills and "weapons" we may need to slay the giants that will come in our lives. David had to first face the lions and bears and defeat them to know that God was fighting for him. He had to have those victories to be strong and confident enough in God to take on the bigger challenge, Goliath. We have to also meet whatever challenges come our way to be prepared for greater ones that will inevitably come. He's giving us our own opportunities to build our trust in Him so that we can overcome with confidence.
Just as David couldn't go up against Goliath in Saul's armor, we can't fight the giants in our lives through the strength or experiences of another person. We have to go forth using the strength God has developed in us. We do have custom-fitted armor for every battle, though. Ephesians 6:11 tells us to put on the full armor of God "... that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil."
As we prepare for our everyday living, we must go dressed in God's armor - truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God. The giants in our lives - as well as the irritations - can't stand against such weapons! Expect that God will give you many opportunities to "test" your armor. He wants us to be left standing and victorious (see Ephesians 6:11-17).
Heavenly Father, we would rather not have to face bumps in the road of life. We'd rather just enjoy smooth sailing, but You know that without struggles, we can't become strong in our faith in You. Please give us your ability to see situations as You do - that this stuff is coming as a strength-building exercise so that we stand firm against whatever comes against us, having all confidence that You are fighting for us. Thank you, for your whole armor. Amen.
Little did David the Giant Slayer know when he was out herding sheep, playing his harp, and fighting off the occasional lion or bear that one day he would use the experiences and skills he developed to bring down a 10 foot tall heavily armed giant with a slingshot and a stone (I Samuel 17). Yet, sure enough, that is exactly what happened. He proclaimed to King Saul with absolute confidence that the God who had delivered him from wild animals would deliver Goliath to him (I Samuel 17:34-37). Saul wasn't so sure this kid could actually defeat the giant with just a slingshot and stones, so he dressed him up in official "go-to-war" garb. David couldn't even move, so he declined the offer and simply took up the tools of his trade - shepherd's staff, slingshot and five smooth stones - and, most importantly, "the name of God" (I Samuel 17:45-47). He went before the giant battle-ready because God had been preparing him for this moment!
As we go about our daily lives meeting up with all the irritations and inconveniences that we just really wish would go away, rarely do we understand that those very things may be put in our lives so that God can begin to develop in us the skills and "weapons" we may need to slay the giants that will come in our lives. David had to first face the lions and bears and defeat them to know that God was fighting for him. He had to have those victories to be strong and confident enough in God to take on the bigger challenge, Goliath. We have to also meet whatever challenges come our way to be prepared for greater ones that will inevitably come. He's giving us our own opportunities to build our trust in Him so that we can overcome with confidence.
Just as David couldn't go up against Goliath in Saul's armor, we can't fight the giants in our lives through the strength or experiences of another person. We have to go forth using the strength God has developed in us. We do have custom-fitted armor for every battle, though. Ephesians 6:11 tells us to put on the full armor of God "... that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil."
As we prepare for our everyday living, we must go dressed in God's armor - truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God. The giants in our lives - as well as the irritations - can't stand against such weapons! Expect that God will give you many opportunities to "test" your armor. He wants us to be left standing and victorious (see Ephesians 6:11-17).
Heavenly Father, we would rather not have to face bumps in the road of life. We'd rather just enjoy smooth sailing, but You know that without struggles, we can't become strong in our faith in You. Please give us your ability to see situations as You do - that this stuff is coming as a strength-building exercise so that we stand firm against whatever comes against us, having all confidence that You are fighting for us. Thank you, for your whole armor. Amen.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Parenting: Taking on Giants and Winning - Part II
Back in the day (and probably still today in some classrooms in America), we were required to read the classic story, "The Devil and Daniel Webster" by Stephen Vincent Benet. If you didn't read that story, then I'm pretty sure you've heard Charlie Daniel's version of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," or if you're really an academic sort, you read "Mephistopheles" by Faust. What all three have in common is a character who sells his soul to the devil to gain victory over some challenge in his life. He carries on life pretty much as normal, having gotten what he wanted from the bargain, until the day of reckoning - he has to give the devil his due. Of course, in each instance, the main character doesn't want to give over his soul to the devil and works to outsmart him and wins. In real life, things don't work out that way. We never develop a winning strategy by bargaining with the devil, we never outsmart him, and we certainly don't beat him at his game in our own power. What makes for good and entertaining literature and song lyrics, doesn't play well in real life.
Very often the giants that confront us make us much like the the fictional characters in the stories and song. We want a quick and decisive end to those challenges. We find all kinds of ways to deal with them, but until we allow God to defeat them, we are held captive. When young David took down the Philistine giant Goliath, he did it with the "army of God" cowering behind him. For 40 days these trained soldiers ran for fear as Goliath taunted them; they had no faith that they could defeat this giant and felt certain a shepherd boy with a sling and five stones was sure to be squashed (I Samuel 17).
Goliath bargained with the Israelites daily: "...pick your best fighter and pit him against me. If he gets the upper hand and kills me, the Philistines will all become your slaves. But if I get the upper hand and kill him, you'll all become our slaves and serve us" (I Samuel 17:8-9). Interestingly, even though the Israelites hadn't taken Goliath up on his bargain by sending one man to fight him, they had already become the slaves of the Philistines. They allowed their fear to control them and stop them from confronting their enemies in the name and power of their God and winning a decisive victory.
When we choose to make "bargains" with our giants rather than confront and defeat them in God's strength, we become their slaves. We may for a time live a life that seems free from their terror, but a day of reckoning - pay day - always comes. The Israelite army had managed not to engage in battle with Goliath by simply running from his daily taunting. They were living life, just not a life of freedom from fear and oppression from the Philistines. In effect, they had struck a bargain with "the devil" rather than putting a decisive end to the "giant in their lives."
Goliath could have been defeated a lot sooner had the Israelites chosen to remember who their God is. In Psalm 20, David says: "...Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm." The King James version says, "...we will remember the name of the Lord our God." When we choose to remember who our God is and what He has done in our lives, we don't have to live in the shadow of the giants. We don't have to strike bargains with them that require a payment that leaves us enslaved. John 8:36 declares, "So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through." We don't have to live as a slave to the giants. Our God created us to live in freedom - no fear. Galatians 5:1 reminds us: "Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you." No giant is so great that it can take us captive unless we allow it. God's promises are affirmed through us (II Corinthians 1:20) for His glory; therefore, we do not have to live in slavery to the giants.
We are well-equipped to battle the giants and defeat them. We can be delivered from the enslaving conditions of bargains that we have made with them to hold them at bay. We have the Word of God as our sword, and we can wield it with great strength when we come in his name and acknowledge that the battle is the Lord's (I Samuel 17:45-47). This is when giants are defeated!
Lord, the battle is yours, not mine. The victory is already won. Help me remember this and boldly confront the giants in my life knowing that they are already defeated because You said so! Thank you, Heavenly Father.
Words to Remember When Confronting Giants:
Isaiah 43:5 "Do not be afraid, for I am with you...."
Isaiah 35:4 "Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come ... and save you."
Psalm 27:1 "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
Romans 8:37 "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."
Very often the giants that confront us make us much like the the fictional characters in the stories and song. We want a quick and decisive end to those challenges. We find all kinds of ways to deal with them, but until we allow God to defeat them, we are held captive. When young David took down the Philistine giant Goliath, he did it with the "army of God" cowering behind him. For 40 days these trained soldiers ran for fear as Goliath taunted them; they had no faith that they could defeat this giant and felt certain a shepherd boy with a sling and five stones was sure to be squashed (I Samuel 17).
Goliath bargained with the Israelites daily: "...pick your best fighter and pit him against me. If he gets the upper hand and kills me, the Philistines will all become your slaves. But if I get the upper hand and kill him, you'll all become our slaves and serve us" (I Samuel 17:8-9). Interestingly, even though the Israelites hadn't taken Goliath up on his bargain by sending one man to fight him, they had already become the slaves of the Philistines. They allowed their fear to control them and stop them from confronting their enemies in the name and power of their God and winning a decisive victory.
When we choose to make "bargains" with our giants rather than confront and defeat them in God's strength, we become their slaves. We may for a time live a life that seems free from their terror, but a day of reckoning - pay day - always comes. The Israelite army had managed not to engage in battle with Goliath by simply running from his daily taunting. They were living life, just not a life of freedom from fear and oppression from the Philistines. In effect, they had struck a bargain with "the devil" rather than putting a decisive end to the "giant in their lives."
Goliath could have been defeated a lot sooner had the Israelites chosen to remember who their God is. In Psalm 20, David says: "...Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm." The King James version says, "...we will remember the name of the Lord our God." When we choose to remember who our God is and what He has done in our lives, we don't have to live in the shadow of the giants. We don't have to strike bargains with them that require a payment that leaves us enslaved. John 8:36 declares, "So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through." We don't have to live as a slave to the giants. Our God created us to live in freedom - no fear. Galatians 5:1 reminds us: "Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you." No giant is so great that it can take us captive unless we allow it. God's promises are affirmed through us (II Corinthians 1:20) for His glory; therefore, we do not have to live in slavery to the giants.
We are well-equipped to battle the giants and defeat them. We can be delivered from the enslaving conditions of bargains that we have made with them to hold them at bay. We have the Word of God as our sword, and we can wield it with great strength when we come in his name and acknowledge that the battle is the Lord's (I Samuel 17:45-47). This is when giants are defeated!
Lord, the battle is yours, not mine. The victory is already won. Help me remember this and boldly confront the giants in my life knowing that they are already defeated because You said so! Thank you, Heavenly Father.
Words to Remember When Confronting Giants:
Isaiah 43:5 "Do not be afraid, for I am with you...."
Isaiah 35:4 "Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come ... and save you."
Psalm 27:1 "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
Romans 8:37 "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Parenting - Taking on the Giants and Winning - Part I
I absolutely hate snakes! When I was a little girl, I used to play in the dirt under a huge oak tree in my grandmother's front yard. One day, as I was digging around minding my own business, an evil looking snake fell coiled from that tree. I ran screaming in the house for my grandmother to come and save me! I can still see her, undaunted, walking out to that snake and putting a quick end to his menace with a garden hoe. Grandma the Snake Slayer! I never doubted for a moment that my grandmother could save the day!
The innocent faith of children in the "big people" in their lives to save them from their fears is exactly the kind of faith we are to have in our Father in Heaven. In I Samuel 17:1-58, we read the story of the Israelites cowering in fear of the Philistine giant, Goliath. Every day he would taunt them; every day they would run and hide in fear. All that changed on the day that a young shepherd boy showed up with supplies for the army and his brothers. David heard all the talk of the giant and wondered why the soldiers were so fearful. After all, they were the army of the living God (I Samuel 17:26). It's here that David demonstrates that childlike faith in his Father. David boldly professed that he would fight the giant and win, not in his own strength but in the strength of the Lord: "God, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear will deliver me from this Philistine" (I Samuel 17:37).
The soldiers and the King found it hard to believe that one so young and inexperienced in battle would be able to defeat the giant that had stymied them for forty days. David wasn't anything special to look at; he was a kid watching over his father's sheep and running errands. Certainly, he wasn't equipped to pull off a major military coup, but God had other plans. You see, God often uses the small things in life, those things that we overlook or discount, to defeat the giants in our lives. In I Corinthians 1:27b, Paul says, "...God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."
Whatever the giants are that we face, we must come to God with unwavering childlike faith that He will defeat them. We truly are no match for those giants in our own strength, but God provides all we need to be victorious. Paul tells us in II Corinthians 12:9: "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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." Our logic and pragmatism can defeat us; trusting God to provide, often in ways that seem illogical and improbable, is the key to victory. Remember, God can bring down giants with a slingshot and a stone!
Lord, the giants in our lives loom large. Some days they send us running for the nearest hiding place. Please help us to stand our ground and trust You to defeat those things that come to bring us down. Help us to never question your ways but to believe that You are working all for our good and doing so through your perfect plan. Thank you that we are victorious when we face life with your power and strength.
The innocent faith of children in the "big people" in their lives to save them from their fears is exactly the kind of faith we are to have in our Father in Heaven. In I Samuel 17:1-58, we read the story of the Israelites cowering in fear of the Philistine giant, Goliath. Every day he would taunt them; every day they would run and hide in fear. All that changed on the day that a young shepherd boy showed up with supplies for the army and his brothers. David heard all the talk of the giant and wondered why the soldiers were so fearful. After all, they were the army of the living God (I Samuel 17:26). It's here that David demonstrates that childlike faith in his Father. David boldly professed that he would fight the giant and win, not in his own strength but in the strength of the Lord: "God, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear will deliver me from this Philistine" (I Samuel 17:37).
The soldiers and the King found it hard to believe that one so young and inexperienced in battle would be able to defeat the giant that had stymied them for forty days. David wasn't anything special to look at; he was a kid watching over his father's sheep and running errands. Certainly, he wasn't equipped to pull off a major military coup, but God had other plans. You see, God often uses the small things in life, those things that we overlook or discount, to defeat the giants in our lives. In I Corinthians 1:27b, Paul says, "...God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."
Whatever the giants are that we face, we must come to God with unwavering childlike faith that He will defeat them. We truly are no match for those giants in our own strength, but God provides all we need to be victorious. Paul tells us in II Corinthians 12:9: "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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." Our logic and pragmatism can defeat us; trusting God to provide, often in ways that seem illogical and improbable, is the key to victory. Remember, God can bring down giants with a slingshot and a stone!
Lord, the giants in our lives loom large. Some days they send us running for the nearest hiding place. Please help us to stand our ground and trust You to defeat those things that come to bring us down. Help us to never question your ways but to believe that You are working all for our good and doing so through your perfect plan. Thank you that we are victorious when we face life with your power and strength.
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