Category: Bible (Page 60 of 418)

In the middle of fleeing for his life, David somehow found time to write poetry. While hiding in a cave he wrote:

The steadfast love of God endures all the day.

Which makes me think of things I deal with every day that do not endure.

Food goes bad. Clothes wear out. Plants die. Friends move away. Family members pass on. Health declines. Money takes wings. Memories fade.

But the loyal, firm, deep affection of God remains constant.

David had it bad, but chose to rest in the unchanging nature of God. Lean into the Lord. Gain refreshment from him. The sun is shining somewhere, and God’s love continues to endure.

Psalm 52:1

Photo by Sebastien Gabriel

The armies of Israel, facing defeat by an overwhelming enemy, needed an edge. Hoping for a powerful weapon to employ upon the field, they called for the most holy object imaginable.

So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

The ark of the covenant, built under the leadership of Moses, imbued with holiness, formed the center of the worship of Israel. Surely this powerful object would turn the tide. But the tide failed to turn. The enemy routed the Israelites who lost 30,000 men, and even worse, the ark of the covenant fell into enemy hands.

Why did this unbelievably powerful object of religious focus fail to bring success on the battlefield?

Because God controls the box, not the other way around.

The Israelites aimed God at their enemies. As if the ark were a missile launcher, they expected to hurl the power of God against whomever they wished. This despite the fact that the two priests who brought the ark, Hophni and Phinehas, were known cheats and philanderers, and the entire nation strayed from devotion to the Lord.

When the Spirit of God left, the ark of the covenant reverted to a shiny box. In the same way the cross on my wall is merely a decoration without the faith of a follower of Jesus to underscore its true meaning.

It’s a mistake to attempt to use God’s power for my ends. I might feel smug in my understanding of God and how he works, but the Lord will eventually blow up that box. God doesn’t come when we whistle—it’s actually the other way around.

1 Samuel 4:1-11

Photo by Igor Rodrigues

Sometimes a nudge in the right direction is all someone needs.

After a mysterious vision in the night, Paul and his missionary band shifted plans and traveled to Macedonia (modern day Greece). On a riverbank outside of Philippi, they sat down to talk with a group of women.

There they met a successful businesswoman who sold goods colored in purple, a highly valued commodity and expensive to manufacture. This woman of means, Lydia, already worshipped God but had never heard of Jesus. As they spoke the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

Lydia jumped at the good news of Jesus. She was baptized and brought her entire household into the faith. She invited Paul and his group to stay at her home. Lydia, the first convert to Christianity in Europe, developed into an ardent follower of Jesus and faithful supporter of Paul.

We never know who is ready for the good news of Jesus. Some people have no interest, others listen with curiosity, but then there are those primed to follow the Lord. All they need is a spark, a word, a nudge in the right direction.

I’m often pleasantly surprised by reactions when I let people know I’m a follower of Jesus. Don’t be afraid to open a conversation to the ways of the Lord. You just might bring the nudge a person in your path needs to discover a relationship with our amazing God.

Acts 16:11-15

Photo by charlesdeluvio

Goliath roared his challenge day after day. I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together. King Saul and his army quaked in their boots. Then a precocious young man entered the camp, grew exasperated with Goliath’s bloviation and retorted, Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

Goliath defied God and David took his head. To this day defying God remains problematic.

It’s normal to wonder about the ways of God. Asking difficult questions, arguing with the Lord, and harboring doubts are all part of following him. The Scriptures are filled with valid questions by godly people. David, the hero of this story, poured out his frustrations to the Lord throughout his life. Here’s an example—How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? (Psalm 13:1).

Doubt is ok, but active disobedience and passive rebellion goes beyond the pale. David wrote of another who defied God (Doeg the Edomite who slaughtered the priests of the Lord): God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living (Psalm 52:5).

Jesus spoke of similar matters. One day he took a child upon his knee and said, Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea (Matthew 18:5). Provoking Jesus by actively leading his followers astray earns a death sentence.

I know lots of people with valid questions about God. Many hold doubts that keep them from embracing the Lord. Their journey is their journey, and I trust and pray they move towards our Lord. I know a few, and read of others, who actively defy God. Even they are not too far gone.

Defying God doesn’t pay in the long run. But God doesn’t give up on his defiers. It’s never too late for the Goliaths in your life. Keep praying that they may meet a worthy opponent who will knock them in the head with a message from the Lord.

I Samuel 17

Photo by Kelly Sikkema