David and Saul

What did I do to deserve this?  Why does he track me like a starving lion?  How can I show him I mean no harm?  I’m tired and I want to go back to my home. I’m tired of hiding in caves, starving and living like an animal.  How can I end this insanity?  How can I make things right?

Again and again, King Saul mercilessly tries to kill David out of jealousy.  David never did anything to harm Saul, yet in fits of jealous age, the powerful king has declared war on this young man.  David finds himself in a position where he must flee for his life, living in caves evading a powerful predator, relentlessly hunted.

Then one day, Saul unknowingly enters the cave where David is hiding. He is unable to see David deep in the darkness but David, accustomed to the darkness of the cave, sees him. While Saul is in a vulnerable position, pants down, David sees an opportunity to right this wrong.  He sees a way to set things right for once and for all. Instead of a quick murder, he sneaks up and slices the corner off of Saul’s robe.  Then, hoping it will stop this insane chase, David publicly reveals the piece of robe to Saul. And it gets the right reaction!  The plan worked! “You are more righteous than I,” Saul said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly.“

Words, however, are not worth much. Of course Saul is speaking out of emotion because it is not long until his stalking of David begins again. This whole situation repeats itself. David has another chance to kill Saul but doesn’t in the hope to prove his innocence to Saul. Again, this is only a temporary fix and does not change Saul. Try as he might, David cannot change Saul’s heart and mind. 

This choice of David’s not to kill the man who mercilessly wants to kill him, seems to have been a turning point for David.  He quits focusing on changing Saul and he begins to accept what has happened to him. This is when David changes from a boy to a man after God’s own heart. He accepts his lot as an outcast from Israel and begins to learn to live victoriously among foreigners until God chooses to deliver him back to his own people.  And this happens all in God’s time. David learned to live in a position that was transitional. He learned to thrive where he was, even if it was not where he wanted to be.  He still relied on God and wrote heartfelt poetry to God. He was still a formidable warrior.  He still had a sense of fairness and justice. He was still David.  He realized that it is not Saul who is determining his fate and he began to live in the moment, no longer trying to change circumstances but submitting to God and living for him, one day at a time. 

This, my friend, is the very definition of peace.  Not a removal-from-the-war kind of peace, but acceptance-in-the-trial kind of peace. It is a peace that was expressed by David in the very famous 23rd Psalm.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

David had a choice.  He could kill Saul, he could continue to try in vain to gain his favor, or he could accept Saul as he was placing his eyes on God and move on. Choosing not to take revenge brings with it the gift of peace. Peace also comes when we humbly accept the misery our earthly enemies deal us, realizing it is not our role to change them. David chose to accept the difficult mission of moving on.  

Romans 12:19 NIV[19] Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

When I want to say or do something to straighten things out, that is my opportunity for peace of mind, body and soul.  My mission, should I choose to accept it, is to let go of the wrongs and look to God for the strength to do so. God never gave us the ability to force change on hearts and minds. We cannot. And God does not. He simply asked us to go and teach, bind up the wounds, feed his sheep, and live out what we know. We are to be and do what this world is starving for. We are to be a light. 

Thank you, Lord, for helping me see that people cannot be slapped with truth but must discover it on their own. 

And God Said, “Hold My Beer”

Yes, I read the Bible and never once did God say the words, “hold my beer.” In fact I worry that this title could be edging on irreverence. Please know the intent behind this title is to highlight the works of an amazing God. And it is the sentiment behind this saying that is boldly splattered throughout the Bible. 

The parting of the Red Sea recorded in Exodus 14 is the most famous and fitting ‘hold my beer’ moment that first pops into my mind. So I researched a few of the others. Resources number biblical miracles well above 150. Please take a moment to read through this very short and incomplete list.  

Jonah and the big fish (Jonah)
Manna for the Israelites in the desert (Exodus 16)
Daniel and the lions den (Daniel 6)
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s walk through a fiery furnace (Daniel 3)
The virgin birth of Jesus (Matthew 1)
Jesus turning water into wine (John 2)
Jesus calming the storm (Matthew 8)
Jesus walking on the water (Matthew 14)
Jesus healing the nobleman’s son (John 4)
Jesus healing a leper (Matthew 8)
Jesus healing a paralytic (Matthew 9)
Jesus healing a woman with an issue of blood (Luke 8)
Jesus healing the blind (Matthew 20)
Jesus casting out unclean spirits (Matthew 8)
Jesus feeding the multitudes (Matthew 14 and 15)
Jesus raising the widow’s son from the dead (Luke7)
Jesus raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead (Luke 8)
Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11)
Jesus resurrection (Luke 24)

Was one greater than all the others?  Which is the greatest rescue of all time?  Which of these validates all the others? Which one makes the difference between a great story and a great Savior for all of us? Which one of these gives you hope today?

One of these didn’t just save an individual, a large group or a nation, but all of humanity that chooses to believe!  So yeah, on the first Easter morning, the Creator of the Universe said, “Hold my beer.” Sunday is our time to remember just how awesome and loving our God is.  May we take the time to remember Him.  

Image by TC Perch from Pixabay 

Oh Lord, May I bow in awe and wonder at what you have done for me.

Mr. Rogers’ Advice

You need to know, my blogs are simply sermons to myself. This blog was inspired by reading Tim Madigan's Book, I'm Proud of You. Writing this is my reminder to be transparent. Mr. Rogers reminds me that it is only in my vulnerability that I have relationships and it is only through those relationships that I become an effective follower of Christ.  

Susan

While trying to comfort a family member over an issue in which he felt shame, I told him that there is freedom in letting people know what we are going through. I pointed out that many people are also dealing with the same thing and they would benefit from his shared experience. His answer shut me down. He said that he would continue to keep that family pride and that he would never let anyone know the issue he was dealing with. He built an impenetrable wall. He is now a very lonely man. Sadly, since then, he has successfully shut out his family, and this loss has been heartbreaking for me as well as others in his family. 

Shame holds us hostage. We believe the lie that if people really knew the truth about us, the worst of the worst would happen. We imagine losing our job, our family, or our friends to revealing the truth of our humanity. This deception is straight from the author of lies! We have told ourselves these untruths so many times that it has become ingrained in our psyche as fact. We think if we open up, we will no longer be loved. We think that honesty is a straight path to being a vulnerable crybaby. We think tough people are stoic and cool. Yet Jesus taught the opposite when he said in Matthew 18:3, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” I believe a part of what Jesus was talking about was the trusting, truth-telling aspect of a child. 

We find many vulnerable bible characters that are an example of truly transparent people. The first that comes to my mind is David.  He was a great king, yet a fallible human.  He cried out to God in song and freely admitted his feelings and failures.  He was an open book, yet he was a Man after God’s Own Heart.  He is still known today as the greatest of kings and would probably be included in our top ten people to meet in heaven. 

Samson was known for his physical strength. He was a braggart and a liar.  He had a horrible temper and loved to get the better of those around him.  Yet deep down, he knew where his strength came from. He knew it was all from God and it wasn’t until he was broken and surrendered to the truth of God that he really did anything great.  

“It is a lot easier to love someone when you know their story.”  ~ Fred Rogers

But let’s look at it from the other side. How do you get close to someone that never opens up?  How do we relate to someone who never made a mistake, had a regret or did something stupid or rash?  When we meet people like that, it is like running smack into a wall. Sometimes it is failure to discuss anything deeper than the weather, and sometimes it is just silence. Their silence sends us a message of lack of trust. This lack of trust is more repelling than the Great Wall of China. Silence is a relationship killer.  It is a no admittance sign hung boldly on every conversation that never gets any deeper than “I’m fine.” Sometimes this sign is in the form of bragging or relentless success stories. Each of us has our unique defensive mechanism that we throw out at a moment’s notice like the ink cloud from a disturbed squid. 

So how do we begin to break through this Great Wall?  Breaking down a wall calls for power!  And we have power at our fingertips through prayer. This brings me back to yet another saying of Fred Rogers, “Anything mentionable is manageable.” Start by mentioning your truth to God.  Now, we all know that God is no blabbermouth, so that may be the easiest part. So, I believe the next thing to discuss with the Father is to ask for the power to chip away at that wall and also ask him to make us cognizant of how and when we create these walls.  Ask Him to help us see our stinking thinking. And if we are serious about this, we should ask for courage to open up to someone we can trust.  To break through this wall we will have to find a time, place and a trusted person in which to express our truth.  And as my pastor, David Alexander, pointed out, unless we mention it, it will always manage us. This is a journey and will not be accomplished overnight.  It will take cooperation and the courage to be vulnerable and put ourselves out there. 

Lord I pray for the courage to be vulnerable. I ask for the discernment to see when I am being defensive and not genuine. Please show me my defensive mechanisms and reveal the lies of the enemy that are ingrained in my head.  May my relationships with my friends and family grow so that I can do what you placed me on earth to do. 

Stand Down, Private!

In this war against COVID-19, I want to help.  I want to help the cafeteria workers make food, talk to the lonely, feed the hungry, stimulate an ailing economy, and find ways to heal all the hurts.  Yet here I sit at home behind my computer or reading a book.  Isn't it a lack of courage and faith in God that keeps me huddled in my house?  Is this what a Christian is called to do? Surely not!

But then the resounding voice speaks to me of obedience.  It speaks to me of a time and a place for everything.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 AMPC

[1] To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven: [2] A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted, [3] A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up, [4] A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, [5] A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, [6] A time to get and a time to lose, a time to keep and a time to cast away, [7] A time to rend and a time to sew, a time to keep silence and a time to speak, [8] A time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. [9] What profit remains for the worker from his toil? [10] I have seen the painful labor and exertion and miserable business which God has given to the sons of men with which to exercise and busy themselves. [11] He has made everything beautiful in its time. …

This is the time to read, sit, stay put, enjoy the outdoors and follow the orders that our leaders have given. There will be a day when it is time to rebuild, and rebuild we will!  But today is not it. It is not that season. By resisting the urge to be around others, we are helping countless health professionals around our country. Today is the day to hunker down in obedience. It is time to help those who are on the front line and must go to work. This is what we are called to do.

I know quite a few people who think the internet is evil. But I am amazed at the timing of our digital connectivity.  I do not think it is a coincidence. Lately, this distant love-in-action has been demonstrated by my teaching coworkers, family, and many famous and not-so-famous musical artists who have broadcast their songs on social media.

It is time. Time for us to try some Facetime, text, call, or respond to posts from friends and family on social media. We have the tools to reach out in love without touch and I believe God expects Christians to use them.