Author: Dave Dishman (Page 39 of 451)

Yesterday my doorbell rang. Waiting outside was a friendly young lady hoping to sell me on solar. I listened politely but turned down the offer. I appreciate her doing her job, but I wished I hadn’t opened my door for a sales pitch.

Most often these days the person at my door wants to sell me something. Solar panels, faster internet, lawn services. The one group I loved to find knocking doesn’t sell cookies door-to-door in our neighborhood anymore. Such a pity.

Door knocks happened in the ancient world as well. After a miraculous escape from prison, Peter headed to a home where he knew other disciples of Jesus were gathered. He rapped on the locked door.

When he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate.

Thinking Rhoda was out of her mind, or struck by an angel, the disciples hesitated. But when they finally opened the door, they saw Peter and were amazed.

Like the disciples, I hesitate to open the door of my life. Peter knocked, Jesus stands at the door and knocks (Revelation 3:20), the King of Glory knocks (Psalm 24:7). It seems the Lord knocks regularly, but I pause on the other side.

I keep my door closed at home because I want to avoid of the hassle of a salesperson. But the Lord knocks with good news. Is there an opportunity you’re mulling over? Something that feels hopeful yet uncertain? Pray and seek God’s wisdom. It’s more likely cookies than a sales pitch waiting for your attention.

Perhaps today is a good time to open the door to our amazing God.

Acts 12:12-17

Photo by Sizel C

I’m pretty good at holding my tongue. But sometimes even as I’m telling myself, don’t say it, don’t say it, the words burst out on their own. After a few minutes I realize, I shouldn’t have said it.

David failed at similar efforts. He said, “I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence.” I was mute and silent; I held my peace to no avail, and my distress grew worse. My heart became hot within me. As I mused, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue.

Instead of those around him, however, David’s discontent targeted the Lord. He wrote, “O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!

As David moved through the challenges of life, he burned at the brevity of his existence. In his distress he described his life as a few handbreadths, like nothing, and a shadow. David compared the Lord to an army of moths eating holes through his closet of achievements. Life is a whisper.

David questioned the measure of his days and the value of his existence. But even from his dark places he returned to the light. In his anguish he never let go of the Lord: And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.

Life is indeed short. The years go faster than ever, and on dark days I lean towards despair. But hope does exist. In one person. Wait for the Lord. Be strong, take heart, and wait for the Lord. And since life is brief, we’ll see him soon enough.

Psalm 39

Photo by Dominik Francis

At times I pray and feel like I’m talking to the ceiling. I hope God hears me, but I doubt if it’s doing any good.

But in my doubt I’m in good company. King David (a man after God’s own heart), also struggled with prayer. At one point he pleaded with God to wake-up: O Lord, hear my plea for justice. Listen to my cry for help. Pay attention to my prayer, for it comes from honest lips.

David understood that the only person who could give him what he needed was the Lord. He just wanted God to notice. A few lines later David added, I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray.

I love the image of David asking the Lord to pause, lean over, and give attention to his prayers. It’s what we all want, isn’t it?

God indeed hears. A later psalm also attributed to David ends with this: But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw his unfailing love from me.

Go ahead. Ask the Lord to bend down and listen to your prayers. The Lord pays attention, even when our feelings tell us otherwise. The ceiling is no barrier to the unfailing love of our marvelous God.

Psalm 17 & Psalm 66

Photo by Shawn Reid

I was driving down the interstate in Kansas when my gas light pinged. The warning sent me into rapid calculations. How many miles left in the tank, and how far was the next service station? My reckoning fueled my worry. Not until I spotted the next exit did I relax, and finally coasted up to the pumps with relief. My lack of attention to the gas gauge almost cost me a long walk across the prairie.

The Lord presented Gideon with cause to worry. Leading the Israelites against a vast and powerful enemy, the Lord pared Gideon’s army down from thousands to only 300 men. God told Gideon, The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, “My own hand has saved me.“

To ease Gideon’s worry, God gave a boost of morale. The Lord directed Gideon to sneak into the enemy camp where he overheard a conversation between two soldiers. The first said, “I dreamed a dream, and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian and came to the tent and struck it so that it fell and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.” And his comrade answered, “This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp.”

Gideon’s response? As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped.

Smack in the middle of the enemy encampment, a sneeze away from discovery, Gideon understood the future. His response? Reverence for God, relief, and joy expressed in heartfelt prayer. Gideon climbed out of the camp certain of liberation. He returned to his boys and made it rain.

At times I’m engulfed with problems, or surrounded by people opposed to my views, or weighted down with worry. I’m in the camp of my enemy. But the Lord stands in the midst. Whatever obstacles I face, I can still choose to believe God. Because he accomplishes his purposes with many or with few, I can take confidence and worship.

Judges 7:1-25

Photo by Sagar Kulkarni