Friday, September 23, 2011

David


    David, a man after God’s own heart, powerful warrior, slayer of Goliath, fearless, courageous, undaunted. So why in 1 Samuel 22 do we find him running in fear, lying and acting like a madman? Samuel 21 and 22 are two of those chapters that I sometimes think the “religious” wish did not exist. How is it, that a man of God who “has it all together”, can fall so fast? It’s called being human. Take any man and mix in a dose of isolation and accusation, add a lack of resources and you will see a mess unfold. This is precisely what we find with David. It is also why Samuel warned the people of their desire to have a “king”. Man was never intended to be a God. We are made in that image, yet we are not the image.

   Is that not why so many heroes fall? Is that not why God destroyed the tower of Babel? Is that not why God kicked man out of the Garden? God knows that we can never be him. Once we start trying to be him, it is usually out of our own narcissism and or other people’s desire for a human God. So what is God to do with “rockstar” David? The same thing any parent of a “superstar” should do...make him do his chores, become a servant and realize that all the wonderful things people are saying have more to do with their own issues than his virtue. Over the course of two chapters David comes to realize his own frailty and his own potential for evil. He also becomes the kind of man, who attracts those who do not “have it all together”.
And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them... I Samuel 22:2
During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 15 David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” 16 So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD. 17 “Far be it from me, LORD, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it.  II Samuel 23:13-17
David is moved yet also realizes the danger in their devotion.  He pours out the water as a testimony that he does not deserve the honor and dedication of such an act.   David, no longer believes his own press clippings, now and only now is he truly ready to lead.page1image24408

I think these are beautiful passages and a reminder that God wants good things for us, yet he is quite willing to allow hurts, heartaches and personal failure to happen. I believe it is precisely why James 1:2-4 tells us “to consider it pure joy when we are persecuted”. Not only does it balance our narcissistic tendencies, it also gives opportunity for God to be God and bless us in ways we otherwise could not arrange or conceive. 

Fear Fighters 2


So how do we fight fear? We are called to be obedient in love, however, obedience is a hard road, especially when the consequences many times are embarrassment, shame, hurt, anger and betrayal. How do we give when we feel we don’t have enough, how do we love those that seem to only give us hate in return? How do we turn a cheek and offer the other to the very one that has attacked us? How do we offer to go a second mile to the one who never appreciates the first one?

I was recently moved in ways I cannot define after watching a particular scene from the movie Les Miserables. Jean Valjean, the main character, is a hardened criminal looking for food, when he comes to the door of a humble Bishop. Although he just asks for food the Bishop invites him in as his guest for the evening which includes dinner with his finest silver as well as a warm bed.

When the authorities show up the next day with a shameful Jean Valjean bearing stolen silver, the Bishop scandalously responds in love. Not only does he confirm that Jean Valjean is innocent of stealing his silver, he sternly reprimands him for not taking the valuable candlesticks as well. The dumbfounded police unshackle their now innocent prisoner and slip away as a bewildered Jean Valjean addresses his victim.

Jean Valjean: .... Wha, Why are you doing this?
Bishop: Jean Valjean my brother you no longer belong to evil. With this silver, I have bought your soul. I've ransomed you from fear and hatred, and now I give you back to God.
Wow! This is love that is beyond all understanding. I confess that there have been times when I was the bishop, yet I did not act as graciously. There are also those times when I was the criminal and the loving hands of God have intervened. This scene, as do countless ones from the Bible, confirm how little I am willing to trust God and how often I look at my own circumstances and misfortunes instead of seeing the glaring needs of others. However, God still calls us sinners to love even when it does not seem logical or appropriate. 

I believe it is in these moments of obedience and trust that we experience God’s love in degrees that are far beyond our limited measure. It is also in these moments that we are confronted with the sacrifice Christ gave to the very ones who betrayed, tortured, rejected and insulted him. We are all thieves...yet he loves us and gave completely. It is this love that sets us free from our own prisons of fear and shame. It is also what gives us hope in turning the rejections and hatred of others into opportunities of healing, restoration and joy.

These are thoughts and writings from Outpost 17...I hope that this gives you a moment to pause and seek your Father who loves you.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Fear Fighters


Fear Fighters


Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, professionals built the Titanic.


I have become convinced that fear is the one thing that really has a power to destroy
everything. It is the one weapon the enemy uses to infect us with a self-destructive force
that not only has the capacity to destroy us but others as well. You can’t see it, or
diagnose it , however the results are obvious. It truly attaches itself in ways that gives
life to our delusions, and the worst of ourselves.


Back when I was in High School, I got the opportunity to start at quarterback as a sophomore, due to injuries to our starting and second string players. The first two games were ok, but by the third game, we had been decimated by injuries and were piece milling our team together. By halftime I had been sacked five times, thrown two interceptions and was quite shell-shocked to put it mildly. It was in that moment that I was overcome with great clarity. The message to my heart was “you are gonna get hit, no matter what you do. Therefore, you can focus on making plays and advancing the ball with a chance of success or you can focus on the pressure and guarantee failure.” It was in that moment that everything changed. No, we did not go out and make a miracle comeback...we still lost and I think I even threw another interception. However, my heart had shifted and it was a shift that benefitted me the rest of my career. Never again did I fear the pressure closing in on me, I learned to take it simply for what it was...a part of the game.

For some reason, the lessons we learn in sports don’t transfer so readily to our lives outside the stadium walls. Instead of accepting trials, tribulations and heartaches as part of life, we see them as enemies to run from in fear and terror. I can attest that I am chief among those that have looked at comfort and “pleasantville” as the goal of a well- lived life. In my head I knew this not to be reality, however in my heart I longed for peace, quiet, joy and a life where I was able to handle any problem with certainty and ease. I am here to attest...that is a crafty well-played lie from our enemy. You cannot enter the stadium of life and guarantee success, there are always heartaches, there are always trials, disasters, hurts, loneliness, despair...yet for those who can turn away from the fear of those realities and embrace the love, forgiveness and joy of Christ; the game becomes worth playing. It is then and only then that you can honestly embrace your life and this very moment as good.

This is the first of a series of thoughts and writings from The Outpost...I hope this hasgiven you a moment to ponder and seek your Father that loves you.