II Kings 4-5: Three women of means...

 

 

There are three gals in these chapters.  They have little in common except that they have no idea how truly wealthy they are.
 
The prophet's widow comes to Elisha at the brink of catastrophe.  Her husband has died and her sons are to be sold as slaves to pay off their debt.  That will leave her with no means for her own needs and no heritage for her family.  Elisha asks her what she has, and it ain't much--a small cask of oil.  What she forgets is that she also has a large extended family of friends.  She also has a God who cares for widows and orphans in their distress.  The friends provide the jars; God provides the oil; the widow and her sons provide the labor.  Her needs are met both for the present and the future.  In the process, she begins to see all that God has provided rather than all she has lost.  She is truly wealthy.

The second woman is a gifted hostess.  Elisha and Gehazi stop by her home frequently to eat as they travel and she makes a point to prepare a permanent room for them.  She appears to have everything she needs including an overabundance that allows her to be generous.  When Elisha wants to give her something in return, she can't even think of something she needs.  It is Gehazi that points out the obvious--she has no children.  In her culture, she could have everything material she could ever want but without a child, she is still considered accursed and destitute.  When Elisha tells her this will change, we glimpse her heart.  She is content in her life and has reconciled herself to barrenness--but this is no joking matter.  It hurts to even consider the pain she has put aside so many years ago.  Within a year she does have a son and her hope is fulfilled.  Can you imagine the joy at his birth?  Can you imagine the potential for despair as he dies in her arms?  This time, she refuses to even speak the unspeakable!  Is her hope gone again too?  Her actions speak volumes.  Her son was a miracle to begin with so she goes to the source--she tells her husband all is well and refuses to speak to anyone but Elisha.  When she finally reaches him, she collapses at Elisha's feet and all of her pain and fears tumble out of her broken heart.  Elisha responds immediately and wrestles the boy's life from the very jaws of death, joyfully returning the promised son to his mom.  She may have been financially prosperous, but her true wealth was in the loyalty of her friend and pastor, her restraint and meager hope, and in the God who can give, take away and give back the most precious things in life. Her faith, though it is small, is what makes her wealthy beyond measure.

The third girl is just a child--a child who has been ripped from her homeland by forces beyond her control.  Israel has disobeyed God over and over and the outcome is defeat in warfare--and she is a casualty.  She has lost everything:  her family, her home, her way of life, all possessions, even her own dignity.  You would think that she might rejoice at the suffering of her master since she has suffered so much.  Her spirit is not so impoverished.  Though she has lost much, she has not lost her God and she knows what He can do, even for an uncircumcised Syrian warlord.  She has enough faith to point her mistress to the only place they can find hope.  As a result, her master is not only healed, but his heart is set apart as a worshipper of the only true God.  Notice that he admits to Elisha that his position obligates him to support others as they worship idols, but his heart is not there any longer.  The wealth of her faith overflowed and through an experience with a real God, her faith is imparted to her master.  This is wealth no one can take away. 

It is not circumstances or attitude that make us wealthy.  It is reliance on the infinite wealth of God's presence and power.  Though each of these women may have seemed impoverished to the world around them, their God made them wealthy in the only things that really count. 

What about you?  Do you see the circumstances that leave you unfulfilled or the God that provides for all of your needs according to His abundance?  What can you do today to overflow what God has given you into others?

Plenty of Hubris to go around: I Sam 28-31

This section seems like upside down day.  David is about to go to battle against Israel with the Philistines.  Saul, who has known the glory of God in prophecy, is going to see a medium.  Why would either one do something so out of character?

Saul is desperate.  He's facing a battle without God and without direction.  No matter how hard he looks for answers, none are forthcoming.  He's willing to go through banned channels to get any kind of insight he can find.  His pride has kept him from laying down the kingdom when God took it from him and now it's all falling apart.  Contrast that to Moses who told God that if He didn't go with them, they wouldn't go.  The answer Saul gets is not what he wanted, but probably wasn't all that surprising.  One side note:  Mediums and spiritists were banned by God for our protection.  Leaving yourself open to the spirit world outside of God's plan leaves you open to demonic influence and probably explains Saul's subsequent battlefield suicide. 

David also seems to be arrogantly attempting to prove his worth to his new king.  He seems to have abandoned the idea that he could ever be king himself and is working toward what he can achieve on his own.  God protects David from his own stupidity when the remainder of the Philistine commanders rightfully question David's loyalties.  David is sent home to find it burned to the ground and everyone gone, victims of Amekelite revenge over David's recent extra-curricular activities.  David's eagerness to prove his value left his family vulnerable to attack and his warriors weary from an unnecessary trek to a war he had no business being around.  They get their families and stuff back, but I'm sure it was traumatic for everyone. 

Unlike Saul, David acts rightly, rewarding not only the ones who rescued them but the ones who stayed behind.  He also remembers those that have supported him through his exile, sharing the plunder with them as well--especially since they had also been attacked by the Amekelite raiders too. He acts like a king, sharing the benefits of his success with all who will be under him. 

It's far too easy to seek instant gratification and forget what's really important, especially when you're tired and discouraged.  God can still make it right if we remain in a right relationship with Him, but desperation is a bad place to do anything from--better to wait on the Lord though all things fall apart than to move ahead without Him. 

How have you chosen short term gratification over what is really important?  Have you chosen work over family?  Have you chosen TV over prayer?  (Yes, I'm preaching to myself.)  God can make it right, but it's time to recognize those places and ask for His help. 

Creeping Discouragement: I Sam 25-27

We're beginnning to see the signs of discouragement and fatigue in David. 

Just yesterday, we saw how he stubbornly refused to get offended over a mountain of real insults.  Now, in Chapter 25, he sets out to kill the entire household of one of Caleb's decendents over not getting invited to a party.  God sends a wise woman to rescue him from such stupidity, but it's clear he's getting jumpy.  One of the first signs of fatigue is a short temper.

He takes someone with him to scout out Saul's camp and has to keep them from killing the king.  Instead, he takes Saul's canteen and spear.  This time, David's tone is not so meek.  He insults Abner for not taking care of the king.  He questions whether God has sent Saul against him--I'll bet David is beginning to wonder.  He complains about being away from home and away from God's presence.  Complaining is the second sign of fatigue.

Saul tells him he can come home, but David doesn't trust him and for the first time doesn't appear to trust God to take care of him either.  Instead, he takes his entire group and settles in enemy territory.  They live there for 16 months, secretly expanding Israel's territory while lying to the Philistine king.  Self-reliance, double-speak and compromise are also signs of fatigue. 

God does still take care of him, but David's heart is not in a good place.  Many of the Psalms of lament are written during the time of his wanderings and exile.  I'm grateful for their frank descriptions of his fatigue and his continual return to the Father, regardless of how he feels.  Sometimes seasons of pain last longer than our hearts can hold out.  David's life demostrates that God is there with us even when we are no longer capable of making rational decisions.  Sometimes it is this discouragement itself that grows our intimacy with the Almighty.  He faces discouraging circumstances all the time.  When we bring our fatigue to Him, we can learn to relate to Him in a new way.

The acronym HALT has been used by AA to stand for life's most common triggers: hungry, angry, lonely or tired.  It's not a bad list.  Celebrate Recovery uses the acrostic HEART: when you check your heart you check to see if you are:
    
      H--Hurting
      E--Exhausted
      A--Angry
      R--Resentful or
      T--Tense

If you notice that your heart is in any of those places, then it's time to stop and recharge, even if it's just for a few minutes with the Father.  It may not make the situation better, but it will give you the strength to move on and brings God's resources to help you where you've already given in or given up. 

What about you?  Are you showing any of these signs?  Is your Heart needing a recharge?  Take a cue from David--for that matter, read some of David's laments in Psalms.  God is not ashamed by our weaknesses and honored David when he frankly told God all of his sorrows.  Will he do less for you?

On the Run: I Sam 22-24

One of the true marks of humility and maturity is an unoffendable heart.  An unoffendable heart doesn't just make excuses for others when they are hurt.  It truly choose not to take up offense against those who unjustly hurt him.  Instead that person looks to God to make things right and looks forward, moving on.  David gives us a powerful example of this and God doesn't disappoint.

David had shown Saul sterling service and in return, the jealous Saul was chasing him down to kill him.  No offense allowed.

Jonathan loyally protected and encouraged him, but none of Saul's other men did.  His followers are the outcasts of the land.  He is glad to have any friends, even these.  He's not offended that his friends from the battlefield aren't there. No offense allowed.

David's family had always treated him with less than sterling respect.  He wasn't even invited to the coronation dinner that Samuel called.  His brothers made fun of him.  His parents used him for the lowest job in the household.  Yet, when David is on the run and his family is in jeopardy, he makes sure they are safe in a stronghold out of the country.  No offense allowed.

Saul kills the entire priesthood in return for their unwitting support of David and only Abithiar escapes.  In Israel, this is high treason against God.  If there were any time that David had a right to oppose Saul, this would have been it.  Instead, he just welcomes Abithiar into his little troop and moves on.  In return, it is David who is able to seek and hear from the Lord--not Saul.  No offense allowed.

David sees that Keliah is being looted by the Philistines.  He's not king yet.  He's on the run.  It could leave him vulnerable to come to their defense but he does it anyway.  Of course, no good deed goes unpunished, so when Saul sets out to capture him at Keliah, David seeks out God for his next move.  He doesn't get upset when God tells him that he will be turned over by the men of Keliah, he just moves on.  David not only isn't offended, he doesn't leave room for them to hurt him.  No offense allowed.

Jonathan finds him in the desert and encourages him.  He can't stay, but again, No offense allowed.

You would think Saul would get a clue when he comes within a mountain's distance of capturing David and is called away to fight the Philistines, but he doesn't.  As soon as the distraction is done, he's right back at chasing David.  No offense allowed.

David literally catches Saul with his pants down, but only takes the corner of his coat--and feels guilty about even that.  In this dialogue, David reveals the secret to his unoffendable heart.  He appeals to God as the judge between them.  It is above his paygrade to make things right when he is wrongly accused.  That's God's job.  No offense allowed.

As a result, Saul repents with tears over his insane chase, but David knows better than to come out of hiding.  He may have won that battle, but the war is far from over.  No offense allowed. 

What unjust battles are you fighting today?  Is there anywhere you can rely on God to make things right instead of defending yourself? 

A promise kept...Joshua 9-10

At first the trickery of the Gibeonites seems to be a serious failing on behalf of the Israelite leadership, and it probably was.  The Hivites were one of the tribal groups that God promised to remove from them.  Joshua and his leaders didn't consult the Lord before they made their covenant with them and so they were trapped by their own promise. 

Was this a good thing?  No.  The Gibeonites could have easily led Israel into sin and idolotry, and probably did some of the time.  Could God do good things through it?  Absolutely. 

This treaty provided a more obvious tilt in the region's power structures so Gibeon became the flash-point for an epic battle.  To their credit, despite complaints from the people, the leaders of Israel refused to go back on their word and God honored them for it.  After marching all night to defend their new allies, the Israelite army routed all five attacking armies.  Joshua even asked for additional daylight so that he could complete the task--and God answered.  There are historical records from around the world that confirm that God did, in fact, stop the movement of the earth.  The hail that was recorded in the same battle would have been a natural consequence of the earth standing still, like water sloshing out of a moving bowl that suddenly stops.  The kind of celestial even that would be required to stop the earth's spinning on its axis would also have to include a fairly large gravitational or magnetic object in close proximity to the earth, which would also explain the description that God hurled stones at them (a meteorite shower). 

Then in his first sweeping campaign that seems to have lasted less than a week, Joshua took a huge swath of the land God had promised them, right through the heart of the territory.  The Gibeonites kept their submissive attitude toward the Israelites throughout their history.  Later on in II Samuel, God confirms their position alongside Israel, but that is for another day.  Ps 15 tells us that a prerequisite for worshipping God is that we keep our promises, even when it hurts.  God honors our word because He keeps His own word. 

What promises have you kept?  What promises do you need to keep?

The Choice, Authority or Frustration: Deut 28

Check out this series on Vimeo:  http://vimeo.com/27154365

If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world.

But if you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees I am giving you today...The Lord himself will send on you curses, confusion, and frustration in everything you do, until at last you are completely destroyed for doing evil and abandoning me.

This was the agreement God had with the Israelites.  It doesn't explain why all good or bad things happen, but it really did happen exactly that way for the Israelites, at least all of the bad things. When they honored God, all of the blessings happened just like He described, and Solomon's reign showed the scope of God's ability to bless them. After the final seige of Jerusalem, where people did eat their children out of starvation, they were exiled back to Egypt where no one would even buy them as slaves (we'll see that later this year when we get to Jeremiah).

The thing that stands out to me is that His blessing comes with authority and His curse comes with confusion and frustration. Many of the individual blessings and cursings listed in this chapter happen at a corporate level, but I see them happening in my own life all the time. PJ's getting annoyed hearing the verse from Proverbs: "Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor." One of the first things you admit in Celebrate Recovery is that "My life is out of control and has become unmanageable." Disobedience (whether mine or others) puts lives out of control and leads to frustration and confusion. Obedience means relinquishing control to God and ultimately regaining real control under His authority.

Jesus was able to say that all authority under Heaven and earth had been given to Him because He was obedient, even obedient to death on the cross. Our authority is equally contingent on our obedience. That's important because we have no real power. Without God's authority, we won't have a chance--the enemy will eat our lunch. Once you choose obedience, your circumstances may not change immediately. You probably didn't get here overnight either. I can tell you that when you relinquish control to God through consistent obedience, He can eventually bring things back under your authority because you are under His authority.

So, where in your life do you feel out of control? Is there anything God can't do to bring that back under His control if you choose to let Him? (Yes, I'm preaching to myself too...)

Margins--Deut. 24-27

 

I don't know about you, but there have been times when it felt like my life had no margins.  I would work till I dropped.  I would fill up the plate and eat every bite.  I'd find one way was hard, but I'd go do it anyway.  I would take advantage of others in ways that were fair or within the rules, but just weren't right.  Mostly this came from my own fear or greed--I might miss out or not have enough. 

In these passages we see God directing his people to not just act justly, but to act generously with deep compassion for their kinsmen.  He is a God of abundance--He never has lack.  He is directing us to believe we are heirs to the same abundance and act with the same generosity.  The margins in our lives become the space where He cares for the needy. 

Besides, it takes so much more energy to gather in the last little bits and it really isn't worth it.  In traffic analysis, I can tell you that it's easy to figure out the timings for an intersection that has plenty of extra capacity--it might take half an hour or so.  When the intersection gets close to capacity, squeezing out that last 5% can take hours of adjusting the analysis.  In the same way, managing that last 5% of our time, energy and resources seems to take herculean effort.  Did God mean for us to fill every minute of our days with work and entertainment? 

As I write this, my sweet Katie has been laying on my chest like a cat sitting on the keyboard.  On most Saturday mornings, the TV would have been on and she would have been entranced by it.  Instead, in the quiet space of a less occupied morning, she came to pour out her heart of love for me and in turn receive the snuggle time she needs so badly too.  (And yes, I did put the computer down.)

She's calling again, so I need to go.  Have a great day...