January 10 -- "When the Gift Costs Nothing"

 Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 21

"When the Gift Costs Nothing"

The angel of the Lord instructed David to go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.  In the Bible, there was no machinery, so the process of separating the grain from the straw and husks was done on a smooth, flat, hard surface known as the threshing floor.

So David went up to do what the Lord had commanded him. When Araunah, who was busy threshing wheat at the time, saw David approaching, he left his threshing floor and bowed before David with his face to the ground. David then offered to buy the threshing floor from Araunah for the amount of its full market value. At first, Araunah declined David’s offer and offered to let him have it for free. But David refused saying, “No. I’m buying it from you, and at the full market price. I’m not going to offer God sacrifices that are no sacrifice.”

As king, David could have confiscated anything he needed without cost. Here was an offer for a threshing floor – and it was free. But He was not willing to build an altar to the Lord when it cost him nothing. This tells us so much about David’s true heart. As followers of Christ, we need to keep coming back to this truth – it is not true giving if it costs me nothing. When we give to the Lord or to the needs of others, it is only when it truly costs me something that it is true sacrificial giving.

So often we give to God from our surplus. Perhaps we throw a five-dollar bill into the collection plate on Sunday. Or we give twenty dollars to a homeless person on the street. In reality, these types of gifts don’t cost us much, if anything. But when was the last time you gave to the Lord and it really cost you something? When was the last time you had to “go without” in order to give to someone in need? When was the last time you dug into your “nest egg” to make an investment in the work of the Lord?

Perhaps it is time to assess your own heart on this matter of giving. Perhaps you need to make a sacrifice to the Lord that costs you in terms of your time, talent, or treasure. It is not a true sacrifice if it costs you nothing. The investment we make in worship to our God conveys the value we place on our relationship with Him.  

January 9 -- "Tremble and Quake"

 Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 24 & Psalms 98, 99

"Tremble and Quake"

Psalms 98 and 100 are both joyful and glad songs expressing thanksgiving to Yahweh for His love and faithfulness. In stark contrast to these two songs (and sandwiched right between them) is Psalm 99 which emphasizes Yahweh’s holiness and demands that we tremble in His holy presence.

Psalm 99 begins with, “The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble!” The Hebrew word for tremble used here is a verb which means to be agitated, quiver, quake, disturbed. In our present day lingo, we might say "shaking in his boots" to reflect the literal quivering and trembling presented here. Because our God is holy and omnipotent, it would be a grave mistake for people to take Him lightly or casually. The very presence of God should cause a great disturbance in peoples’ spirits as they come to understand how unholy and unworthy they are to even stand before Him. 

The Psalm falls into three parts, each one concluding with a declaration of God’s holiness. Verses 1-3 emphasize Yahweh’s future position when He returns to earth – He reigns over all the earth. He sits on his throne between the cherubim. The Lord sits in majesty in Jerusalem, exalted above all the nations. Because of His position, the people must praise His great and awesome name. His name is holy! He is the King of kings and Lord of lords!

Verses 4-6 emphasize Yahweh’s justice and fairness. He has acted with justice and righteousness throughout Israel. He makes no mistakes in His judgments, but acts with uncontaminated integrity. Because of this untainted righteousness and justice, the people must exalt the Lord our God! Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!

Verses 7-9 emphasize Yahweh’s punishment for sin and His forgiveness available to all who come to Him. To those who go wrong and reject His lovingkindness, God’s punishment awaits. Alternatively, He is an infinitely forgiving God to those who choose to follow Him. Because of this, people must not take Him lightly or casually, but must come before Him in deep awe of His greatness and holiness. Tremble in His presence. Shake in your boots at the very thought of how unholy you are compared to His flawless holiness and purity.

Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!

January 8 -- "Stooping Down"

 Today’s Reading: Psalms 95 & 97

"Stooping Down"

Psalm 95 is an invitation to come before God and worship Him.  Sadly, the meaning of the word “worship” has been degraded over many generations. In our day, it has come to mean “that portion of our church service where we sing songs together.” In many churches, you will hear the pastor say something like, “let’s worship” as the musicians start into the melody and lyrics of a song for the congregation to sing. But worship is more than a “sing-along.” Way more!

The original Hebrew word for “worship” used in verse 5 is, “Šāhâ.” This word literally means “to stoop down.”  In verses 5 & 6, we are exhorted to bow down and prostrate ourselves as an act of reverence and worship to our Creator. By this act of stooping down, we are expressing the superiority of the One to whom we bow. Yes, this stooping down can be done with song. But it can also be done in complete silence. In reality, worship is not an expression of our voices, it is an expression our soul declaring the worthiness of our God. By our bowed hearts, we are acknowledging the glory and greatness of our Creator.

Why should we worship Him? This Psalm gives us several reasons as the basis of our bowed hearts. First, because He is great – “For the Lord is a great God” (V3). The word “great” means to be massively large in magnitude, extent, intensity, and importance. We stoop down to God because He is enormously great.  

Second, because no one compares to Him – He is “a great King above all gods” (V3). People worship many so-called “gods,” but not one of them is the true and living God. There is only one true God – and nothing compares to Him. He alone is worthy of our worship. 

Third, we worship Him because of His creative and sustaining power – “In his hand are the depths of the earth… his hands formed the dry land” (V5). It is right to bow down to the One who made the universe and who sustains it with the might of His power. 

Finally, we worship Him because He is our Great Shepherd – “we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand” (V7). This mighty and great Creator with vast and endless power is the very One who cares for us with His deep love – as a shepherd cares for his sheep. For these reasons, and more, we stoop down before Him with our heartfelt expressions of worship.

So, today if you hear His voice – don’t harden your heart! Instead, turn your heart toward Him and stoop down in His presence. He is a great God and worthy of your worship!

January 7 -- "Wisdom Dawns Like the Morning Light"

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 23 

"Wisdom Dawns Like the Morning Light"

We are nearing the end of king David’s reign and life. In fact, verse 1 of chapter 23 tells us that “these are the last words of David.” A person’s last words can be anywhere from poignant to mysterious. In David’s case, these words are reflective words and wise observations – the culmination of his life and his service to Yahweh. 

As someone through whom God spoke on many occasions, David’s words carry deep meaning for God’s children. The last words of great and good people are worthy of our attentive observation.

In verse 3, David talks about rulers’ responsibility to rule justly. Anyone who leads or rules over other people must do so in justice and the fear of God. To do otherwise always results in unjust and corrupt leadership. David’s observation here tells us that when a ruler submits to God and His ways, that God will shed the light of divine wisdom on his/her decisions.

If you are in a position of leadership to any extent (whether over one person or tens of thousands), it is critical that you rule in the fear of God. This means that you take reverently God’s truth into account and consider the effect of your decisions from the perspective of His truth.

To an unbeliever, “the fear of God” means to fear His judgment and His power to sentence them to eternal death. The only ones who are to "fear" God in the sense of "being afraid" are those who have not placed their faith in Jesus Christ. To the believer, on the other hand, “the fear of God” is something much different. To us, it is our reverence, respect, and awe of Him. A proper view of God includes a deep reverence and respect for our Creator and Savior. In Christ, we need not be afraid of God, but we are to fear Him and deeply respect His revealed truth.

To fear God as a ruler means to submit your leadership and your decision making to the truth of His word. It means not being prideful or self-exalting and not relying on your own human judgment. To fear God means to respect Him and His ways so deeply that you submit to His leading rather than your own whims or human intellect or popular opinion. The ruler that is submitted to God’s will in this way will discover a wonderful experience – God’s wisdom will dawn on him like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning.

January 6 -- "His Way is Perfect"

  Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 22

"His Way is Perfect"

Unlike Mary Poppins who was “practically” perfect in every way, your God is "entirely" and completely flawless and perfect in His ways and in His love for you.

In chapter 22, we have the words of David singing a song of deliverance to celebrate being rescued out of the hands of his enemies by the LORD. A variation of this song is also recorded for us in Psalm 18.

David began this song by praising God who constantly answered his prayers and saved him from death. He is awestruck by God’s almighty power over earthquakes, wind, rain, lightning, thunder and darkness. And he is most-humbled by the fact that God used these powers on David’s behalf. In verse 31, David sings about trusting God. Because God is perfect and His word is true, David could always depend upon Him.

As David looks back in celebration, he also looks forward with joy and confidence. He assures himself of the kindness God has in store for him and for all those whose hearts are right with Him.

This God – His way is perfect! This means that God makes no mistakes. If a person’s heart is right with God, and if he/she is trusting God’s loving guidance, there is absolutely zero chance of Him making a mistake with any aspect of their life.  God's way is perfectly wise and good and holy, perfectly adapted to fulfil the purposes of His love towards His children. Ultimately, His way leads to an end that is perfectly good – eternity in His presence! Never doubt your loving God’s perfect ways. 

His word proves true! Put it to the test. Scrutinize it. Analyze it. You will find that His word is impeccable and totally true. It can be fully relied upon and trusted. So, when His word says to you that, “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6), you can rest assured that His word will come true in every way. “And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Romans 8:29-30).

The logical conclusion of these truths about our perfect God and His true word is that we can – and should – take refuge in Him. He is perfect – He is true – and He is safe. He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him!

January 5 -- "Be Generous. Be Happy."

 Today’s Reading: Psalms 38 & 41

"Be Generous. Be Happy."

When my six year-old grandson was asked what he would do if he had ten thousand dollars, he replied, “I would buy two tents for the homeless and get them warm jackets and lots of food.” Boy, was I convicted! When considering my own answer to the same question, I was entirely selfish, focusing on my own needs.

Here in Psalm 41:1, the Lord tells us that the one who considers the poor in their day of trouble will be blessed. The word “blessed” means “oh how happy.” This verse expresses the wonderful and happy experience of helping the poor in their time of need. If you’ve had this experience, oh how happy you must be! If you’ve not had this experience, I would encourage you to find a way to make a difference in another person’s life.

The word “consider” in this verse means to look upon, give attention to, to have insight. It expresses the opposite response many people have when they see the poor in their situation. Our fallen human nature defaults to “looking away” from them. Our selfish tendency is to turn away. What are we afraid of when we try to avoid looking a homeless person in the eyes? For some, catching their eye makes them feel obligated to do something their fleshly nature doesn’t want to do – give. One website I looked at actually said, “Stop looking at homeless people, the ‘bums’ don’t deserve your help.”  This approach is quite the opposite of what our God considers kindness and love toward others.

I’m not saying you should give to every poor person you see. You must use some divine discernment to give only to those truly in need and avoid those seeking money for drugs or alcohol or other inappropriate use. But I am saying you should go before the Lord and ask Him to search your heart on this matter. Ask the Holy Spirit to convict you of any form of selfishness in your heart towards the poor and needy. Pray for a generous and open hand towards others.

If you do, it is YOU who will be blessed – perhaps even more so than the recipient of your kindness. Our LORD looks upon us when we look upon the poor and He makes us “oh how happy” when we yield to His leading to give to those in need. In Proverbs 19:17, it says, “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” When you give to the poor, don’t look for a return from them, but just look to the Lord to return it to you. Because really you are lending to the Lord, and He actually pays fantastic interest! You cannot outgive God! The blessings you receive will far outweigh the investment you make!

January 4 -- "Wordless Prayers"

 Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 21 & Psalm 5

"Wordless Prayers"

When we pray, we are accustomed to using words to express ourselves to the Lord. But did you know that God doesn’t need you to put your requests into words? In Psalm 5, king David asks God to listen to him. Specifically, he asks God to hear his words, his groaning (or meditation), and his cries.

There are times in all of our lives where we have difficulty putting our prayer requests into words. Perhaps because we don’t fully understand what to pray for, or perhaps because our heart is so burdened that words become nearly impossible and all we can do is groan or cry. Whatever the reason, be confident that God hears your groans and, in His wisdom, He can - and does - fully understand the deepest desires of your heart. We may not always know what to say, but God knows our hearts.

Interpretation of our groans and cries is one of the ministries of the Holy Spirit. In Romans 8:26, the Apostle Paul said, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” When we are wordless and don’t know what to pray for as we ought, the Holy Spirit intervenes, helping us to utter groans and sighs and cries that God will understand and respond to.

God hears our groans, and pays attention to our cries. Our prayer doesn't need to be understandable in human language, it just needs to be the expression of our heart. God can comprehend our nonverbal prayers. As David prays, “Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether” (Psalm 139:4). 

Yes, God listens to the prayers we put into words. But He also hears every “wordless” prayer that our hearts cry out. He listens to your thoughts and yearnings as they happen. In Psalm 38:9, David acknowledges that “all my longing is before you; my sighing is not hidden from you.”

So, dear follower of Christ, groan! Sit in the presence of God and pour out your heart. Use words if you can find them, but don’t stop there: groan, cry, sigh, yearn, grunt, or just whimper. The Lord will give ear to your words and will give attention to your non words.