Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. —1 Sam. 30:6
The immediate context of this verse is that the Amalekites have just raided David's current town, Ziklag, burned it with fire, and taken all the women, children, and livestock. Obviously, David's men are pissed. They're even contemplating killing him. What's worse is he would have never been in Ziklag had Saul, the king of Israel, not been trying to kill him, too!
David was in a daunting situation. His family was gone. His town was burned. His men wanted to kill him—not to mention the king of Israel was hunting him like a dog. But he didn't gripe and complain. He didn't listen to his men. He didn't despair. In the face of his situation, David strengthened himself in God. In other words, he went to God to compose himself and receive courage to face his situation. Then, he went after the Amalekites, slew them all, and took back everything that belonged to him and his men.
In the face of daunting situations, we need to know how to strengthen ourselves in God. We cannot gripe and complain. We cannot listen to those around us. We cannot despair. We must go to God, compose ourselves in Him, and receive the courage only He can offer to face what's before us.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Pouring Out Our Souls
But Hannah replied, "No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD." -1 Sam. 1:15
Year after year Hannah tried to have a baby. Year after year she was barren. She must have gone through considerable pain as a result of her childlessness, especially in light of the cultural expectations of childbearing in her day. There must have been tears and doubts and confusion. But, Hannah's response to her painful situation was to pour out her soul before God.
At one point, Hannah was praying so feverishly in the temple, Eli the priest thought she was drunk! Actually, she was far from being drunk—she was going to God in the midst of her sorrow. When she was finished praying, she left and "her face was no longer sad" (v. 18). What happened? It's not like God promised her a child or she walked away with a son—how was she able to process her sadness and carry on? Simply put, she poured out her soul to God.
It just so happens that Hannah shortly thereafter conceived and bore a son Samuel, the man who would grow up to anoint the first and second kings of Israel! But, the most inspiring part of Hannah's story was not her having a son, or her decision to raise him in the temple, or her son's eventual notoriety—it's that she found solace in God before she knew any of that was ever to happen.
What's our response to painful situations? Amidst tears, doubts, and confusion, do we pour out our souls to God? We must learn to find solace in God, even before we know how things will turn out. Then, our faces will no longer be sad.
Year after year Hannah tried to have a baby. Year after year she was barren. She must have gone through considerable pain as a result of her childlessness, especially in light of the cultural expectations of childbearing in her day. There must have been tears and doubts and confusion. But, Hannah's response to her painful situation was to pour out her soul before God.
At one point, Hannah was praying so feverishly in the temple, Eli the priest thought she was drunk! Actually, she was far from being drunk—she was going to God in the midst of her sorrow. When she was finished praying, she left and "her face was no longer sad" (v. 18). What happened? It's not like God promised her a child or she walked away with a son—how was she able to process her sadness and carry on? Simply put, she poured out her soul to God.
It just so happens that Hannah shortly thereafter conceived and bore a son Samuel, the man who would grow up to anoint the first and second kings of Israel! But, the most inspiring part of Hannah's story was not her having a son, or her decision to raise him in the temple, or her son's eventual notoriety—it's that she found solace in God before she knew any of that was ever to happen.
What's our response to painful situations? Amidst tears, doubts, and confusion, do we pour out our souls to God? We must learn to find solace in God, even before we know how things will turn out. Then, our faces will no longer be sad.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
The Importance of Leadership
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. -Judges 21:25
The book of Judges tells the story of Israel immediately after Joshua died. Joshua's generation followed the LORD until they passed away, but soon after, Israel found itself at a fork in the road, with no one to lead them down the right path. So, the next generation ended up turning to other gods "...and there arose another generation...who did not know the LORD...and they served the Baals..." (vv. 10-11).
The very last verse in Judges summarizes the events of the entire book, "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (21:25). But, how did Israel get to this state of anarchy? After all, Moses led Israel out of Egypt. Joshua led Israel into the promised land. Then... wait for it... wait for it... NO ONE led Israel. Without leadership, the people faltered. They went their own way. They made up their own standards and gods and ways of life—i.e., civil war with the tribe of Benjamin, enslavement to other nations, someone sacrificing his own daughter to God, a Levite handing a woman over to be raped then cutting her into 12 pieces to be sent throughout the land!? Insane!
Without leadership, that's what people do. They falter. They go their own way and make up their own standards for everything. It leads to insanity. Leadership is important because it keeps people on the right path whenever there's a fork in the road. With the passing on of each successive generation, oh how we need good leaders!
The book of Judges tells the story of Israel immediately after Joshua died. Joshua's generation followed the LORD until they passed away, but soon after, Israel found itself at a fork in the road, with no one to lead them down the right path. So, the next generation ended up turning to other gods "...and there arose another generation...who did not know the LORD...and they served the Baals..." (vv. 10-11).
The very last verse in Judges summarizes the events of the entire book, "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (21:25). But, how did Israel get to this state of anarchy? After all, Moses led Israel out of Egypt. Joshua led Israel into the promised land. Then... wait for it... wait for it... NO ONE led Israel. Without leadership, the people faltered. They went their own way. They made up their own standards and gods and ways of life—i.e., civil war with the tribe of Benjamin, enslavement to other nations, someone sacrificing his own daughter to God, a Levite handing a woman over to be raped then cutting her into 12 pieces to be sent throughout the land!? Insane!
Without leadership, that's what people do. They falter. They go their own way and make up their own standards for everything. It leads to insanity. Leadership is important because it keeps people on the right path whenever there's a fork in the road. With the passing on of each successive generation, oh how we need good leaders!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
At the First Sign of Adversity...
Joshua said, "Alas, O Lord GOD, why did you ever bring this people over the Jordan, only to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been willing to dwell beyond the Jordan! -Josh. 7:7
After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, Israel had great momentum as they entered the promised land. Joshua was their new leader. They crossed the Jordan easily. They took their first city, Jericho, in a miraculous feat of trumpets and marching and yelling. They were ready to take Ai next.
So, Joshua sent men up to battle. But out of nowhere, Ai defeats Israel! What?! That wasn't in the plan—especially since God had already promised Israel to defeat Ai. What happened? Unbeknownst to Joshua, a guy named Achan had taken about $600 worth of gold and silver for himself back in Jericho. So, by the time Israel got to Ai, God was no longer honoring their efforts.
Now, what? Joshua's gut reaction is to jump ship. At the first sign of adversity, he is ready to quit. He cries out to God and basically accuses, "God, you punk, this never would have happened if it weren't for you...We never should have come over here in the first place!" But God's not having it. He responds pointedly, "Get up, deal with the sin, and go fight Ai again." So, Joshua went and found Achan, asked him what he did, stoned him in the sight of all Israel, went back, and captured Ai! Wow, that was a whirlwind of events...
Like Joshua, when we experience adversity, our gut reaction is to jump ship. We want to quit. We'll make some kind of excuse and go do something else. But, sometimes God wants us to stick to the plan. We have to get up, deal with the problem, and go fight again.
After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, Israel had great momentum as they entered the promised land. Joshua was their new leader. They crossed the Jordan easily. They took their first city, Jericho, in a miraculous feat of trumpets and marching and yelling. They were ready to take Ai next.
So, Joshua sent men up to battle. But out of nowhere, Ai defeats Israel! What?! That wasn't in the plan—especially since God had already promised Israel to defeat Ai. What happened? Unbeknownst to Joshua, a guy named Achan had taken about $600 worth of gold and silver for himself back in Jericho. So, by the time Israel got to Ai, God was no longer honoring their efforts.
Now, what? Joshua's gut reaction is to jump ship. At the first sign of adversity, he is ready to quit. He cries out to God and basically accuses, "God, you punk, this never would have happened if it weren't for you...We never should have come over here in the first place!" But God's not having it. He responds pointedly, "Get up, deal with the sin, and go fight Ai again." So, Joshua went and found Achan, asked him what he did, stoned him in the sight of all Israel, went back, and captured Ai! Wow, that was a whirlwind of events...
Like Joshua, when we experience adversity, our gut reaction is to jump ship. We want to quit. We'll make some kind of excuse and go do something else. But, sometimes God wants us to stick to the plan. We have to get up, deal with the problem, and go fight again.
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