Tuesday Thought -- October 11, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it.  David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.  When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled.  The Lord's anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.” (2 Samuel 6:3-7)

David wanted the ark of God in his new city, Jerusalem.  Until this time it had been kept at the house of the high priest.  Now, David wanted it to be near his palace.  David and the people of Israel traveled to the house of Abinadab the priest intent on bringing the ark to Jerusalem.  David had a new cart built just for the purpose and oxen were brought along to pull the cart.  Abinadab’s sons, Uzzah and Ahio walked along with the ark, Ahio in front and Uzzah in the rear.  As they were walking, with the people all around them raising their voices in praise to God, the oxen stumbled and it looked as if the ark might be thrown off the cart and damaged.  So Uzzah reached out to steady the ark, to protect it.

The problem was that God had made it clear that no man was ever to touch the ark.  When Moses had built it he had made special provision so that it would never need to be touched.  Rings had been built into it that long poles would fit through.  When it was moved, as it was often during the days of Moses when the people of Israel were wandering in the desert, the Levites put the long poles through the rings and carried the ark.  It took four men to carry it.

Two things went wrong when David was moving the ark to Jerusalem.

1.  David chose a new method for moving the ark.  It seemed like a better method.  It was easier to put the ark on a cart and have it pulled by oxen than to have it carried by four Levites.  They could move faster.  It was less of a burden.  But it was not the way that God had instructed for the ark to be moved.  David had a better idea than God!

2.  Uzzah didn’t trust God to take care of the ark on the cart.  When it looked like it was in danger, he took matters into his own hands and reached out to steady the ark.  He thought protecting the ark was more important than following God’s instructions.

Those same two problems arise in our lives over and over.  We think we have a better way than the one God has given to us, so we do our own thing.  We may even do it out of good motives and with worship accompanying it … but if we ignore God’s way and go our own we do so at great risk.  And sometimes we think God needs our help to protect His work.  We often take matters into our own hands, ignoring God’s instructions.

The point of this story is clear … God knows what He is doing and He wants us to listen to Him and follow His instructions.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- October 10, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

After Saul was killed, David became king and set up his throne in Jerusalem.  The people knew that the Lord had declared David king, “All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, ‘We are your own flesh and blood.  In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns.  And the Lord said to you, “You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.”’” (2 Samuel 5:1-2)

The mark of David’s reign as king was his relationship with the Lord.

It was the Lord who established and strengthened David’s leadership, “And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him.” (2 Samuel 5:10)

David knew and acknowledged the Lord’s hand in making him king, “And David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.” (2 Samuel 5:12)

When the enemies of David and Israel came to attack, David did not respond with pride, demonstrating his own strength, but first by inquiring of the Lord about how to respond to their threats.  David understood that he was strong, only as he followed the Lord, only as the Lord provided him with strength.

“Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of the Lord, ‘Shall I go and attack the Philistines?  Will you hand them over to me?’  The Lord answered him, ‘Go, for I will surely hand the Philistines over to you.’  So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them.” (2 Samuel 5:18-20)

“Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, ‘Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.  As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.’  So David did as the Lord commanded him.” (2 Samuel 5:22-25)

David --

Acknowledged the Lord.

Trusted the Lord.

Inquired of the Lord.

Obeyed the Lord.

And God blessed David and his kingdom because of David’s faithfulness to Him.  The primary mark of David’s life was his relationship with God.  What is the primary mark of your life?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- October 7, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

Saul and his army waged a battle against the army of the Philistines.  The Lord had withdrawn His hand of blessing from Saul because of his wickedness and the army of Israel was defeated by the Philistines.  Three of Saul’s sons were killed and Saul was severely wounded.  He was so severely wounded that he knew he could not survive and so he took his own life.  The army was defeated, the king and his sons were dead.

David and his men were not involved in the battle because Saul was still angry with David and threatening to kill him.  David had found refuge in the land of the Philistines.  Word of Saul’s and Jonathan’s deaths and of the defeat of the army of Israel came to David.  Here’s how David reacted to the death of the man who was trying to kill him.

“Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them.  They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.” (2 Samuel 1:11-12)

David did not rejoice in the death of his enemy.  David found no pleasure in what happened to Saul.  Although Saul was set on killing David, David still wanted no harm to come to Saul.

All of us encounter those who oppose us sometimes in life.  They may not be bitter enemies who seek our deaths, like Saul was to David.  But we encounter people whose personalities clash with ours, those who treat us with great unkindness, those who do damage to our careers.  In those senses, we encounter enemies.  And David teaches us how to react to them -- not to seek their harm, but even for enemies to seek good.

That’s what Jesus said, too.  “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:44-45)

What a novel concept?  What a foreign idea to the normal ways of the world?  What a way to change the world?

Love your enemies!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought

Good Morning Friends,

David and the men who were with him found refuge in the land of the Philistines.  They were allowed to live in peace in the town of Ziklag.  But while David and his men were with the army of the Philistines, the Amalekites attacked Ziklag and carried all of the wives and children and property of David and his men away as plunder.

When David and his men returned to Ziklag and found what had happened they were greatly troubled.  1 Samuel 30:6 says that “David was distressed” and that his men were “bitter in spirit.”  Those are natural and understandable feelings.  Those that they loved had been taken away as captives and they didn’t know if they would ever see them again.

When difficult things happen, it is natural to be distressed and in great anguish.  But the question is … How will you handle your distress and anguish?

David’s men handled it one way, they talked of stoning David because he had let them down as a leader. (1 Samuel 30:6)  They had trusted David enough to follow him and leave their families behind.  Now, it had cost them their families.

But David handled his distress in a way that is different from the way his men handled theirs.  The Bible says, “But David found strength in the Lord his God.” (1 Samuel 30:6)  David turned to the Lord in his distress.  He sought the Lord’s direction about how to handle the distress and what to do in response to it.  He trusted God even in the midst of one of the most difficult seasons of his life.

Most of us find it pretty easy to trust God and to express our faith in Him when things in our lives are going well.  The question is … Will you trust Him and express faith in the difficult seasons of life?  David did.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- October 5, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart.  He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.  Saul then said to his attendants, ‘Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.’  ‘There is one in Endor,’ they said.  So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman.  ‘Consult a spirit for me,’ he said, ‘and bring up for me the one I name.’" (1 Samuel 28:5-8)

Sometimes God doesn’t answer when you want Him to.  He didn’t for Saul.  The Philistine army had come to do battle against the army of Israel.  When Saul came out to face them, he saw the size and power of the Philistine army and he was afraid.  The first place Saul turned in this fear was to the Lord.  He inquired of the Lord to find out how he should respond to the Philistine challenge.  Should he negotiate a peace, flee in fear, or stand and fight?  But God did not answer Saul’s inquiry.

The question then became, “What would Saul do next?”  Would he wait patiently for direction to come from the Lord?  Would he make his own decision without the Lord’s direction?  Would he seek direction from a source other than the Lord?

Saul chose the third course to follow.  Rather than wait for the Lord, putting his trust in Him, he sought direction from a medium.  Saul asked her to bring Samuel back from the dead so that Saul could ask him for direction.

I doubt that many of us have ever or would ever turn to a medium for direction or have anyone try to consult with the dead for us.  But when the Lord is silent, are there other places you turn for direction?

What Saul should have done was to find out why the Lord was silent and attempt to deal with whatever was revealed.  The Lord was silent because of Saul’s heart of sin and rebellion against him.  The silence might well have been lifted if Saul had repented.  But Saul was unwilling to consider that the problem might have been his.  He determined it was the Lord’s problem that kept Him silent and he turned to others for direction.

When God seems silent in your own life: 

(1)   Consider if there is anything in your life that might hinder the Lord from providing the direction you seek.

(2)   Wait patiently for the Lord to provide the direction you need.

(3)   Refuse to seek direction from any other source that would be displeasing to the Lord.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- October 4, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

Saul and his army pursued David and those who had gathered around him.  Saul was intent on killing David.  David fled from place to place seeking safety.  He stayed for a time in the desert region of En Gedi near the Dead Sea and Saul came pursuing him there.  During that time an easy opportunity to kill Saul was presented to David.

“He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.  The men said, ‘This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, “I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.”’  Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe.  Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe.  He said to his men, ‘The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.’  With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul.  And Saul left the cave and went his way.” (1 Samuel 24:3-7)

David did not take advantage of the opportunity to kill Saul.  He was unwilling to take matters into his own hands.  Saul had been appointed by God to be king, and David refused to be the one who would remove Saul from the position to which God had appointed him.  David called out to Saul from a distance and said to him,

“‘My lord the king!’  When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.  He said to Saul, ‘Why do you listen when men say, “David is bent on harming you”?  This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave.  Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, “I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the Lord’s anointed.”  See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you.  Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion.  I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life.  May the Lord judge between you and me.  And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.  As the old saying goes, “From evildoers come evil deeds,” so my hand will not touch you.’” (1 Samuel 24:8-13)

David was not willing to use ungodly means to save his own life.  Instead, he chose to trust God to deal with Saul and to protect his own life.

There are many times that people are intent on doing something wrong to us.  The question is, How will we respond to their wrong?  Responding to wrong with wrong is not God’s way.  David responded to ungodliness with righteousness.  Will we?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- October 3, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“David answered Ahimelech the priest … ‘What do you have on hand?  Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever you can find.’  But the priest answered David, ‘I don't have any ordinary bread on hand; however, there is some consecrated bread here – provided the men have kept themselves from women.’  David replied, ‘Indeed women have been kept from us, as usual whenever I set out.  The men's things are holy even on missions that are not holy.  How much more so today!’  So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had been removed from before the Lord and replaced by hot bread on the day it was taken away.” (1 Samuel 21:2-6)

There were strict rules regarding the use of the consecrated bread in the tabernacle of God.  It was holy to the Lord and only to be eaten by the priests.  But David and his men were very hungry and no other food was available.  When he asked for food from Ahimelech the priest, he was given the consecrated bread.  And David and his men ate that bread and were nourished by it.

Do you wonder how God felt about that act of disregard for His commanded ritual and regulations?

You don’t have to be in wonder, Jesus points back to this incident in His teaching and makes God’s opinion about it clear.  When His disciples were criticized for taking handfuls of grain from the field on the Sabbath day, Jesus responded by talking about David’s act of taking the consecrated bread.  “One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.  The Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?’  He answered, ‘Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need?  In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat.  And he also gave some to his companions.’  Then he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.  So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.’” (Mark 2:23-28)

God’s attitude toward David’s incident tells us a great deal about God’s heart:  God loves people more than He loves ritual and regulations.  David was hungry and in need, when nothing else was available, God was not displeased when David took the consecrated bread to eat.  It’s not that the regulations were wrong, they were from God Himself.  It’s simply that God loves people more.  He always has – He always will.

His, by Grace,

Steve