APRIL 23, 2021

 “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.”

- Theodore Roosevelt

“I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast! And when I run I feel his pleasure.” 

― Eric Liddell

“Hide not your talents, they for use were made,
What's a sundial in the shade?” 

― Benjamin Franklin

2 SAMUEL 7-9

18Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:

“Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human!^c(7:18-19)

LUKE 19:1-28

20“Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’

22“His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’

24“Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’

JOURNAL 

It is interesting that Jesus tells this parable upon his declaration that salvation had now come to the house of Zacchaeus. Interesting that Zacchaeus was a tax collector and hated by most in his community. Yet Jesus is really unconcerned about his past or his reputation. Jesus looks to the heart and what he finds is what others cannot see. Jesus sees passion and action, not passive goodness. 

Too often when I think about the "good" things in life, my thoughts go to times of ease, peace, vacation and moments where success was realized and I could rest in the rewards. While those are blessings...they are not the meat and potatoes of life. From David to Zaccheaus, the heart of God is one that affirms action, not passivity. That reality is at the heart of Roosevelt's quote as well as Jesus' message. A great life is not a life defined by leisure and possessions but rather a life defined by work, courage and love. 

It does not matter what I haven't done or the wrongs I haven't committed. Ultimately it doesn't even matter my past or my sins. What matters is my heart today, in this moment. The hope of Jesus is that every day I can embrace being a new creation. I can rest in his love, redemption, forgiveness and grace. God gives me the freedom and authority to work and love in spite of fear, frustration and the distractions of immediate gratification. In fact he affirms that his spirit moves me beyond timidity into great confidence and boldness. Shrinking back is actually rebellion and a refusal to acknowledge and live in his love. 

6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

2 TIMOTHY 1:7

APRIL 22, 2021

 “Imagine how much a man's life would change if he trusted that he was loved by God.” 

― Donald Miller

2 SAMUEL 4-6

20When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”

21David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. 22I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”

23And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.(6:12-23)

LUKE 18:18-43

35As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

38He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

39Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

40Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41“What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

42Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” 43Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

JOURNAL 

Again I see David's  passion on display in his worship of God. David does not care about traditions or what is customary or proper. He worships with all his heart because he loves God with all his heart. He is persistent and dedicated to following and honoring all God has done, even when it comes to his enemies. Twice David executed Men who took, or claimed to take the life of those who God had put in power ( Saul and Ish Boseth - his son). It is not particularly David's actions but rather David's heart. 

David at this point is refusing to let anything come between him and his love for God. He does not care what is proper or that Michal is embarrassed of him. He does not care that he is not acting like a "king". David is being himself and doing and responding accordingly.

It is the same with the blind beggar...he cries out to Jesus and is rebuked for it. He persists still, and as a result Jesus heals him. The message in all of this to me is very clear...never seek to please man, for man is not God. Seek to honor God and God will redeem us, God will rescue us, God will provide a way to healing and success. 

I don't think this means that we are to not care about other people...rather the opposite...that we are to care so deeply about God and his love for us that it in turn spills over into every area of our lives.  Our objective shifts from getting what we want to being my very best and working to solve the daily problems and challenges in loving Godly ways. Love of God and seeking him and serving him becomes more important than everything else...as a result we will love others in greater ways that we ever would have before. 

37Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’^c 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^d 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:37-40

APRIL 21, 2021

 "But if God be for you, who can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God? O be not weary of well doing!” 

― John Wesley

2 SAMUEL 1-3

1The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker(3:1)

LUKE 18:1-27

1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

4“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ”

6And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

JOURNAL 

After Saul's death it would seem that things would get easier for David or maybe even that he would be handed the kingdom. However that's not the way it happened, in fact David had to engage in a long bloody war with Saul's descendants and the rest of Israel. Yet he continued to get stronger. For adversity did not weaken him but rather made him better and stronger. 

This is what Jesus speaks of when telling the parable of the widow. She never backed down and persisted and ultimately got what she needed and wanted. True dedication and persistence only happen when our hearts are undivided. Jesus tells this parable to remind us that we are to be dedicated and relentless in whatever endeavor God leads us. He promises that if we will persist undaunted he will reward us.

Our culture holds out rest, vacation and retirement as the ultimate goals of life. This is such a lie. We do not exist for pleasure, we exist to engage in the conflict of this world and come out victorious. Our purpose is to spend our lives working for God, solving problems, loving others, giving, sacrificing...these are the ingredients of a well-lived life. It can be confusing because God does promise rest and "safe pasture", but that is a by-product of following him. The real reward is that he dwells in us as we take on the adversity of this world. He is with us and never leaves us...the 23rd Psalm says it best.

"The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley,I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

 

3Trust in the Lord and do good;

dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

4Take delight in the Lord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

PSALM 37:3-4

APRIL 20, 2021

 “The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow.” 

― Thomas Paine

1 SAMUEL 30-31

3When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. 5David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.(30:3-6)

LUKE 17:20-37

20Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, 21nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”^c

JOURNAL 

David's strength does not come from his popularity or the devotion of his men. His strength comes from his trust in God. God is the only thing that sustains him in this moment. For he has just lost everything and now even the devotion of his men is in question. He is at another low point but God strengthens him. 

Again this story of David is so encouraging. After all that has happened he still finds strength in God...he doesn't panic, he doesn't waver he seeks God and finds strength. This is the Kingdom of God. The spiritual kingdom is transformative and it overcomes all doubts and adversity. It is God's gift, it is the treasure in the field, it is the embrace of the prodigal father, it is the diligent shepherd who refuses to leave us lost, it is the persistent savior who ultimately takes our place and redeems our sin. 

God gives us the keys to the kingdom, he gives us his spirit...why should I ever fear or doubt? Why would I ever back down from a challenge, why would I ever turn away from adversity and conflict. The living God of David, Abraham, Moses, Daniel, Joseph, Peter, Paul and all the apostles resides within me...yet even when I blow it and come crawling back, he forgives me, picks me up, dusts me off and is ready to walk with me into another day. What a God and what a life!

31What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”^j

37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^k neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

ROMANS 8:31-39

APRIL 19, 2021

 “Passion. It lies in all of us. Sleeping... waiting... and though unwanted, unbidden, it will stir... open its jaws and howl. It speaks to us... guides us. Passion rules us all. And we obey. What other choice do we have? Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love... the clarity of hatred... the ecstasy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passion, maybe we'd know some kind of peace. But we would be hollow. Empty rooms, shuttered and dank. Without passion, we'd be truly dead.”

― Joss Whedon

1 SAMUEL 27-29

4But the Philistine commanders were angry with Achish and said, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He must not go with us into battle, or he will turn against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master’s favor than by taking the heads of our own men? 5Isn’t this the David they sang about in their dances:

“ ‘Saul has slain his thousands,

and David his tens of thousands’?”

6So Achish called David and said to him, “As surely as the Lord lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army. From the day you came to me until today, I have found no fault in you, but the rulers don’t approve of you. 7Now turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers.”

8“But what have I done?” asked David. “What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can’t I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”

9Achish answered, “I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have said, ‘He must not go up with us into battle.’ 10Now get up early, along with your master’s servants who have come with you, and leave in the morning as soon as it is light.”

11So David and his men got up early in the morning to go back to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.(29:4-11)

LUKE 17:1-19

5The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

6He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

JOURNAL 

The interesting thing about David is the completeness and passion by which he lives. He never really does anything halfway. He is all in with whatever he does. If he acts a fool then he is a slobbering madman. If he is a Hero then he slays a giant and cuts off his head. If he raids a town he destroys everything. If he worships God he does so without shame. David for the most part is single minded and passionate.  This is the heart and faith of a true King. 

During this period David has realized that he must take his men and join with the Philistines. He does so and is very successful. To the point that the other commanders in the philistine army fear him. This is why I believe David is referred to as a man after God's own heart. He loves, bleeds and acts with total and complete passion. This is the picture and the motivation for life and the life of every believer. Wake up each morning and attack the day, in whatever God calls, go after it with all energy, all hope, all passion...Hold nothing back.

DAY 35: The last two days we were without internet. Which also meant no TV. In addition I had a computer go down, which has made shelter in place a bit more challenging. Yet really putting it in perspective it's not. It all simply is a matter of perspective...when I read the Bible and think of the limitations in which they operated, it really puts my frustrations in perspective. It just is another reminder that really what is most important is relationship with God and relationship with others. None of that requires anything physical other than the basics for survival...food, clothing and shelter. If we have that then we really have all we need. 

That is a sobering perspective but it is the truth. It is one that I am always reminded of when camping and honestly those are some of my best memories. Thank you father for this reminder and thank you for your truth. 

 31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

1 CORINTHIANS 10:31