October 28 -- "Mourning the Fallen"

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 1

"Mourning the Fallen"

The battle had pressed hard against king Saul and his sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua. The Phillistines struck them down. Israel’s king Saul and his sons have fallen. They were killed in the line of duty as they fought on the front lines against their fiercest enemy. It was a terrible defeat and awful loss.

Now, you would think that David might take this unfortunate turn of events and begin to rejoice a bit in his heart that he can finally rest from the hounding and hunting of Saul. After all, David had spent months (years) running from Saul, hiding in caves and rocks, living a meager existence, and constantly in fear of his life. No one would find fault with David if he was just a little bit happy that Saul was finally out of the picture.

But that’s not how David felt. In fact, David was sorrowful over the heart-rending loss of Israel’s King and Commander in Chief. We are told that he “lamented over Saul and Jonathan, his son.” The word “lamented” in Hebrew means “to strike a musical note of sorrow, wailing, and mourning.” David was truly grieved over the loss of Israel’s king and the loss of his best friend, Jonathan. He began to chant and wail a funeral song to express his grief, “Oh, Gazelles of Israel, struck down on your hills, the mighty warriors—fallen, fallen!  Saul and Jonathan—beloved, beautiful! Together in life, together in death.”

In spite of all Saul’s hostility toward him, David was generous to Saul in the song he composed in his memory.  He cursed the place where Saul died, praised the bravery of Saul, and recalled the prosperity that Saul had brought to the people. It is of interest that David's eulogy of Saul made no reference to his faults and sins.

In the course of his song, David cursed Mount Gilboa, the place where Saul was killed. "Let there not be the dew of heaven, or rain fall upon thee. Let there not be wheat fields grow upon thee." It is very interesting that if you go to Israel even today, and look at Mount Gilboa, it's a rocky, barren, desolate mountain. All around it the mountains are just covered with trees and lush, beautiful, and greenery. But Gilboa stands out because of its barrenness.

David mourned over the fallen. His grief was genuine. He truly was broken-hearted to see his fellow Israelites, his brothers, his companions struck down. This is a reminder to all of us that we should not rejoice in the calamities or suffering of others. Even if they have been our opponents in life. The loss of life is a mournful thing.

 

October 27 -- "Who Could Stand?"

 Today’s Reading: Psalms 128, 129, & 130

"Who Could Stand?"

If God kept records of our wrongdoings, who would stand a chance? Who would ever survive? Think about that. What if God wrote down every time you had an evil thought, or a selfish motive, or hurtful words, or broke His commandments. How would your list look? If He were to call you into His judgment hall and ask you to defend yourself, would you succeed? Who would? Not a single one of us. We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s standards. We all have a “rap sheet” that is miles long, with indictment after indictment. No mortal could stand justified in the sight of God.

To truly appreciate God’s grace and forgiveness, it is vital that we all have a sense of our own sinfulness. We must grasp the truth of our own guilt and the depth of our own depravity. We must understand that if God decided to charge us with iniquity, that we are guilty as charged. If He should judge us as we are - we would have no hope. If you don’t understand the problem of your own sin, then you don’t understand God’s grace and forgiveness.  If you’re still entertaining the delusion that you are a “pretty good person” or that you’re “not as bad as the next guy,” then you’ve missed the whole point of God’s salvation. God doesn’t save us because we’re “pretty good” or because “we gave it a great big try.” God saves us even though everyone of us is undeserving of His salvation.

Which brings us to the awesome truth that God doesn’t save us because of some goodness within us, He saves us solely based upon the GOODNESS THAT IS WITHIN HIMSELF. If the Lord should mark our iniquities, none of us would stand. But listen to the rest of today’s verse – “With You there is forgiveness that You may be feared.” What an amazing and astonishing truth! There is forgiveness with God! The most holy and pure Creator can and does take depraved sinners and forgives them for their sin and transgressions. We are justified in His sight because of His great act of forgiveness.

Jesus went to the cross and died in our place to take the punishment for our sins. Because of this, and ONLY because of this, God offers us forgiveness, and cleansing, and salvation, and eternal life. He takes the vilest sinner and blots out the record of his/her wrongdoing based solely on his/her faith in the work of Christ on the cross. Jesus took your “rap sheet” and your punishment upon Himself.

Realizing that we are forgiven, as grateful worshippers we are now ready to enter God’s temple in holy worship. The importance of the occasion fills us with such a sense of awe that we are genuinely humbled before God. We confess that we cannot understand all about God and his ways, though at the same time we rest in the knowledge that “with You there is forgiveness.” Because the Lord no longer keeps an account of our iniquities, we can stand!

October 26 -- "The Lord Our Keeper"

 Today’s Reading: Psalm 121, 123, 123, & 125

"The Lord Our Keeper"

Some people I know are “keepers.” They tend to hold on to the things that come their way. They protect their possessions and keep them safe. They know where things are and rarely lose anything. They know how to hold on to things. These are the types of peoples you want to trust things to. If you are going out of town and you need someone to keep something for you while you’re gone, this is the type of person you need. Someone who holds on. Someone who won’t lose that which you’ve entrusted to them. Someone who is a keeper.

Our God is a lot like that. He is a “keeper.” Here in Psalm 121, David declares that God will keep you from evil, keep your life, keep your going out, and keep your coming in. Once you’ve been placed into His hands, He promises to keep a tight grip on you. In fact, there are dozens of Scripture verses which speak of God’s keeping ability.  Here is a sample:

·       The great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love.  (Neh 1:5)

·       Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. (Ps 121:4)

·       You, O Lord, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever. (Ps 12:7)

·       For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. (Prov 3:26)

·       He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock. (Jer 31:10)

·       The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. (Ps 121:8)

·       Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy. (Jude 1:24)

·       Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go. (Gen 28:15)

·       I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you. (Isa 42:6)

·       I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. (Rev 3:10)

We are so blessed to have a Mighty God who is the great “Keeper!”  He is able to keep you. He is able to keep that which you have entrusted to Him. Jesus taught us, “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” He has a strong grip on your life and you are safe in His hands.

May the Lord bless you and keep you! (Numbers 6:24)

October 25 -- "His Way is Perfect"

Today’s Reading: Psalm 18 

"His Way is Perfect"

In this happy song (Psalm 18), David is recalling his recent troubles and difficulties and is reflecting upon God’s faithfulness to deliver him from them all. His heart cries out in praise and wonder for the God whose “way is perfect.”

Perfect. Think about that word. The Hebrew root word is “tâmîym” and it means to be without blemish, complete, full, without spot, undefiled, upright, whole. This word describes the character and attribute of God as being completely flawless and impeccable. God’s ways are not just “pretty good” or even “excellent” – His character and His ways are completely and utterly without flaw or blemish or fault of any kind.

David, here, is rejoicing that God has delivered him out of the hands of king Saul. As he looks back on the Lord’s work in his life, he declares that His way had been completely perfect and flawless the entire time. Although there were moments when David’s faith was rattled and he wasn’t sure how things would turn out, he now realizes with crystal clear clarity that God (who can see the end from the beginning) was working things out according to His perfect plan the whole time. His way is perfect!

We, as flawed humans, can be so short-sighted. We look only at our current pain and difficulty and we cry out for immediate deliverance. But what we can’t always see is the masterful and genius hand of our God working things out according to His perfect ways. What a blessing it is to look back on the work God has done. We may not have recognized it at the time, but as we reflect on the things we have come through, we can see that God’s way has been perfect, His word is true, and He is a shield for those who take refuge in Him.

It is a blessing to be able to look back and see God’s hand at work in our past. It is a greater blessing to trust Him here and now with our present. Knowing that His way is perfect and His word is true should have tremendous impact on the way we live our lives in the present. We should live with great peace and confidence in Him. Even when troubles and difficulties come our way (and they will), we can trust our Mighty Creator to carry out His perfect plan in His perfect time. His ways are “perfect” (without blemish, complete, full, without spot, undefiled, upright, whole) – we must live like we believe it! His word always proves true – we must trust Him through every trial. In the end, we will look back and – like David – rejoice that God carried out His masterful plan just as He said He would!

October 24 -- "He Started Out So Well"

 Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 31

"He Started Out So Well"

The story of king Saul, the first king of Israel, is fascinating and disturbing. It is a story that started out so well, with Saul being chosen and anointed as Israel’s first king. In his early days as king, Saul lived an exemplary life of trust in God and obedience to God’s will and he was blessed with peace and prosperity. Saul began his kingly career with a number of advantages. He was from the right tribe, from a wealthy family, looked like a king, had access to God's word through Samuel, and was led by the Holy Spirit. Moreover, God used Samuel to give Saul specific instructions on how Saul should act. Saul had every opportunity to succeed.

He started out so well. Living a life of trust and obedience.  Until the day his heart began to be lifted up with pride and he began to seek his own will and his own comfort which resulted in restlessness, fear, and irrational thinking. He valued his own agenda over God's agenda. Saul had done foolishly, not obeying the commandments of the Lord. From that day on, it was just a matter of time for Saul.

In chapter 31, we read of Saul’s tragic ending. In the heat of battle with the Phillistines, Saul’s sons were struck down by the enemy, and he was badly wounded by an archer’s arrow. Even in this moment, we don’t read of Saul calling out to the Lord. No, instead we read of Saul taking his own life by falling on his sword. Saul and his sons were dead and Israel’s cities were occupied by enemy forces.

Saul’s life teaches us a critically important life lesson – trust and obey God from beginning to end. A life of arrogance, self will, and stubbornness will only lead us to destruction. God’s grace will eventually time out and judgment will set in like king Saul if we choose a life of pride and self-will.  It didn’t have to be this way for Saul. At any time, he could have repented and turned back to a life of trust and obedience, but his thirst for power stifled his ability to humble himself before the Lord.

Think of how this principle applies to you. How many advantages has God given you? How has God blessed you? Be careful not to take His blessings for granted. Stay committed to Him. Stay the course of a life of trust and obedience.

“Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey!”

(Songwriters: Louisa M. R. Stead / John H. Sammis)

October 23 -- "Time for a Self-Talk"

Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 30 

"Time for a Self-Talk"

All of the people were distressed. They had just returned home to find that while they were gone, an enemy had raided their city, burned it down, and had taken all of the women and children captive. David’s men were so distraught that they began to blame David for the horrible situation and they began to talk of stoning him. The people were greatly distressed. David was understandably greatly distressed as well.

But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. There are times in life when the only place you can get encouragement and strength – is in the Lord.  David encouraged himself in the Lord. How did he do that? Basically, he had a “self-talk.” He began to talk to himself and ask, ‘why am I so distressed if the Lord is with me? Why am I cast down?’ In essence, David gave himself a “pep talk” to remind himself of God’s presence. Perhaps this is when he uttered the words in Psalm 43:5, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”

When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary doesn’t come to me as the Beatles allege. No, when I am in distress, it is the Holy Spirit who comes to me and moves me to rekindle my strength in the Lord. Like David, I begin to ask myself, ‘why am I so bummed out? If God is on my side, why am I in such distress?’ It is so important in those moments to turn our eyes off of our problems, off of the world, off of ourselves, and back onto our Mighty God!

Are you in distress over something in your life? Is your soul cast down? Then it’s time to take a few moments and strengthen yourself in the Lord. Have a self-talk. Ask yourself why you’re so down. And then speak to yourself words of encouragement, hope, and exhortation. God has not forsaken you. He has not left you to handle your problems on your own. He is with you and has promised to be with you until the end. Rekindle your confidence that “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

David took the time to strengthen himself in the Lord. The reality is that the strengthening didn’t really come from within himself. He didn’t “pull himself up by the bootstraps.” His strengthening really came when he turned his focus back onto God and let God’s mighty power infuse divine strength back into his soul. When we do that, our troubles are diminished and our hearts receive strength and courage. The troubles of this life will “grow strangely dim” as we turn our eyes upon Jesus.

October 22 -- "Saul's Unanswered Prayer"

Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 28 & 29

"Saul's Unanswered Prayer"

Saul received no answer. The Lord didn't say "yes." The Lord didn't say "no." Not even “maybe.” Just silence. The Lord did not answer him. King Saul was terrified of the Phillistine armies which had gathered in great numbers to fight against Israel. He recognized that he needed God’s help to defeat this strong enemy. So he prayed. He inquired of the Lord. But the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets. The Lord was silent.

Saul, as we have seen, was far from God. After starting out well with humility and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, Saul had drifted away from God. He let pride and selfishness cloud his relationship with God. He no longer sought God or worshipped Him. But now he is in trouble, so his first instinct is to turn back to the Lord and inquire of Him. So often we see people who have not submitted themselves to the Lordship of Christ and have no relationship with Him turn to Him in times of crisis. It seems to be a natural human instinct in times of great distress to seek God’s help. Yet, the stark reality is that many of these prayers go up toward God but He does not listen.

The Lord did not answer Saul. Why? I think we can find the answer to this in Psalm 66:18, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Saul had built up a wall between himself and the Lord – a wall of sin, pride, and disobedience. This wall was blocking his communication channel with the Lord. In reality, his prayers never made it to God’s ears. He did not hear.  “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” (Isaiah 59:1-3)

There are many reasons for unanswered prayer. Sometimes God simply wants us to wait. Other times, He has an alternative plan to reveal to us. Still other times, His answer is simply “no.” But in this case, there was no answer at all because Saul’s sins prevented God from hearing him. Tragically, instead of dealing with the sin and pride issues in his heart, Saul made the sad mistake of turning elsewhere for answers. He turned to the dark spirits, calling on mediums and necromancers (a conjurer who supposedly communicates with the dead).

For the follower of Christ, when our prayers seem to be unanswered, we must make sure that our hearts are right with God. That we are not harboring any unconfessed sin or pride or iniquity in our heart. Having confessed and forsaken our sins, we must trust fully in God’s timing for His answers to our inquiries. As he promised, “Call on me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” (Psalm 50:15)