An Undeliverable Card

 

 

          I have a greeting card that can never be delivered—unless the US Postal Service can find a way to get it to eternity.

          This came about because I keep a three year calendar. A couple of years ago I somehow ended up buying two Mother’s Day cards. I sent one to my mother and put the other in my May calendar for a year ahead. Mom died shortly after I sent that first card, and I forgot about the second one until recently. I came across it in this year’s calendar. I felt really strange holding a card that can never be sent to its intended recipient.

          But that mirrors so much of life. We run into situations where we realize we can never again do what we intended. No matter how much we may want it, we can’t hold on to the past. A loved one dies and we grieve that we will never hear their comforting, loving voice. Disease creeps up on us and robs us of the ability to do what we once enjoyed. An accident drops on us and in the blink of an eye we lose some function that we took for granted.

          There is a good word for these situations—finality.

          That is a hard word to say. We don’t like it and we spend great energy trying to find ways around it. We play the “if only” game. “If only I try harder it might get better.” “If only I act better maybe there’s still a chance.” And even, “If only I pray harder he might make it.”   

          But even prayer won’t change some situations. My mother is gone and the most fervent prayer won’t bring her back. What prayer will do, though, is help me to remember that life is short and I need to love while I can. It also reminds me to be grateful for what I enjoy now because it could be gone before I open next year’s calendar.

          In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught his disciples about reaching out to God. “When you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matt. 6:7-8).

          God knows. He knows the sorrow you feel over those situations stamped “final” in your life. He knows every loss and grief you have been through, and he knows the struggles you face right now. Of course God knows—He lost a Son once Himself.

          So love now. Enjoy today. Be grateful this instant. It is really all you have. Squeeze every drop of joy from each day. Pray hard and love deeply.

          And if you can, send you mom a Mother’s Day card.

These are short devotional thoughts for the summer.The reading is from the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament).

Read. Ponder. React.

 

 

Living By God’s Design

Daniel 1:1-2

 

            Is your life on cruise-control or is it going someplace on purpose? Are you living or just surviving? Are you alive or do you go through the day like a zombie? There are difficult questions but they are not idle. The fact is that life can be lived by design and on purpose or it can trip to the default mode and just get by.

            In today’s reading the king of Babylon captured Jerusalem and deported its citizens. It was seen as a time of national disaster, of course, by the Jews. How could such a thing happen? Were they not supposed to be God’s people of the covenant? Was such an event even remotely in God’s plan for them?

            Daniel says that God used the king of Babylon for His own purposes. “And the Lord delivered Jahoiakim king of Judah into his hand.” The biblical perspective is that God’s people live in an awareness that everything in life is noticed by God. Nothing is totally away from His overall control. That is quite a statement. Did God really deliver His people into the hands of the Babylonian leader? The answer is “Yes.”

            God does not plot evil against us, of course. He does not cause every event because He has clearly given us free wills. But God moves events toward His aims and uses the circumstances of life as His raw material for building. Now what does all this have to do with us? Just this. You and I face circumstances today that we wonder about. Are they out of God’s overall control? Has the Lord gone to sleep and forgotten about us? No, the Lord has not forgotten us. He is still in control. What may seem like disaster can end up being a building-block for the next stage of life. Our need now is to trust God.

 

Father, I do trust You even though things happen around me that baffle me. I cannot understand everything about You or about my own life. But this I know—You are the Lord and I belong to You. Help me live on purpose. Through Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

Staying Pure in a Dirty World

Daniel 1:3-8

 

 

            Okay, I will admit it. The very idea of staying morally pure in a world like ours seems absurd, even laughable. How could we pull off such a feat? Is it possible? After all, everywhere we turn we are not just exposed to but absolutely bombarded with trash, junk, and filth. Walk into a family grocery store and scan the shelves in the check-out line. You will see more cleavage there than on many television shows.

            Not only that, think about the business atmosphere you work in. In is it hospitable to growth and development or is it cut-throat and hostile? Trying to stay morally and spiritually clean in an environment like that can be tough. Some churches have gotten into that pattern, too. Instead of being a greenhouse for growing disciples they have become freezers for preserving specimens.

            Young Daniel and his friends found themselves in an environment they did not choose. They were offered the choicest meats and wine from the king’s table but chose not to defile themselves with it. We do not know what the exact food was but the point was that the young men did not see themselves as part of the prevailing culture. They intentionally acted differently from people around them. That is difficult. How many times have you gone to a company party and felt the pressure to drink as much as everyone else? What is the prevailing attitude in your company about sex? Is there a clear line between right and wrong or does your firm deal in the gray? You get the point. We often work for companies that are in the business of making money any way they can. Morality and compassion are left for some other organization.

           

Lord, You know the pressure I work under. There are suggestions to cut corners, shade the truth, use inferior materials, or tell half-truths. Help me in this world to love You enough to keep myself as pure as possible. Through Jesus, my Lord, Amen.

 

 

 

 

Loving God With Your Brain

Daniel 1:15-21

 

            Think about your mind for a minute. You may be tempted to say, “Hey, I can’t because I’ve lost mine.” No you haven’t. It’s still there. Some men have jobs that seem to numb their minds while the body goes along on auto-pilot. Churches have done a fair job of telling men to love God with their bodies and their hearts. But what about our brains? Can we love God with our minds?

            I have had to have several MRI tests on my head because of an accident I had several years ago. I have seen images of my own brain. Also, I once visited the gross anatomy lab of a medical school and saw sections of human brains that the students study. The brain is the physical organ that contains the mind.

            God gave us brains for a reason—to use them! I have been privileged to be around some great minds. I think of a scholar who wrote and edited some of the most influential books of the 20^th century. I think of an evangelist who has traveled the world drawing millions to Christ. There was a musician whose recordings have sold in the millions. But there is also an “average” guy who has a lot of creativity to make life better for his family and people he knows. He uses his brain to love God.

            In today’s reading Daniel did just that. He acquired knowledge and understanding. He studied and applied himself. Because he used his mind in the service of God, he was able to influence countless people through the king. Now that is using your brains!

            How is your mind? Is it like a car, finely tuned and running on the right fuel? Or is it mushy, sluggish, and fed on a mental junk food diet?

 

Lord, I want to love You with all my being, including my mind. Help me serve You and others with my brains. Through Jesus, who used His wonderful mind, Amen.

 

 

 

From Confusion To Clarity

Daniel 2:1-23

 

            We live in a day of great confusion and bondage. People are searching everywhere for liberty and clarity but they often find only darkness and chains. Open your morning newspaper. There are claims, counterclaims, and just plain weird stuff. The mantra of the day seems to be, “Let me do whatever I want and believe anything. So what if it’s wrong?”

            The fourth of July is a good time to think about freedom. In today’s reading, Daniel had learned that the king of Babylon has ordered all the wise men, including himself, executed. The king was frustrated because they could not interpret a dream of his. The king’s counselors object to the edict, saying, “No on can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among men.” But Daniel has another perspective. He praised God for wisdom: “He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells in him.”

            That perspective makes all the difference in the world. Daniel. He told the king, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.” Yes! The world cannot deliver but God can. God offers freedom from confusion and darkness.

            How are you doing in your life’s walk with this God? Do you think of Him as a guide and companion along life’s dark path? Faith is something like this: it is taking your life into you own hands to, in turn, place your life into the hands of a heavenly Father. It involves a choice to turn to Him. This cannot be forced.

 

Father, would You enter my life to bring clarity out of confusion, light from darkness? I know I need you. Be my Lord, through Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazed By God

Daniel 2:46-49

 

            We often fear what we do not know. That goes for people we do not know, also. When I was in seminary I had wanted to take a class with a certain professor who was internationally known. I knew his name and had read some of his books. But the semester I got there he announced that he was taking a position with another school in the same city. My first semester would be his last. His classes filled up quickly and I could not get it.

            Later I called him and invited myself to lunch with him. The day came and I went to meet him. We had a nice meal and a stimulating conversation. Toward the end of our time he leaned forward and asked, “Okay, what is your agenda?” He was a psychologist and assumed I had some hidden agenda. I gestured to the table and said, “This is my agenda. I wanted to meet you, look you in the eye, and get to know you as a man, not a legend.” He just laughed and relaxed. What I wanted was a relationship of person to person.

            Young Daniel found king Nebuchadnezzar prostrate at his feet. But being worshipped is not a healthy situation for any man. It does not lead to a person-to-person encounter. Only God is to be worshiped. The king had been amazed that Daniel was able to interpret his dream. He said, “Surely your God is the God of gods.” Daniel let him know that all the credit went to God and not him.

            To be amazed by God is a healthy perspective. It leads us to acknowledge our dependence upon Him. Is God amazing to you?

 

Lord, You have amazed countless generations with Your work and wonder. Let me be part of that number who is wowed by knowing You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

 

 

 

Standing Up To An Idol

Daniel 3:1-6

 

            I first came across this statement in college: “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Years passed before I began to understand what that means. Most people simply are not equipped to handle great power. They are tempted to misuse it for their own grandeur rather than for the common good. Give a Hitler an army and he will begin a world-wide conflict. Give Sadam Hussein poison gas and he will spray it on his own people.

            Kings and politicians have a way of feathering their own nests. King Nebuchadnezzar was no exception. He made a golden image of himself and sent out a decree that when certain music played everyone was to fall down and worship the idol. The consequences of not doing so were severe: “Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” The powers of the world play for keeps.

            Our temptation is always to give in to such bullies. When we owe our possessions to the state we have to dance to some awful tunes. The situation reminds me of a line from the old Merle Travis song, “I owe my soul to the company store.” Sometimes the expectation is not so crass but is instead understated. I wrote these words around Christmas time. The message around me everywhere is that I must go buy something for everyone I love or I am a bad friend, parent, and spouse. Walking into a shopping mall against my will feels like prostrating myself in from of a golden idol. Have you ever felt that way?

            Christians are called on to identify the idols vying for our attention and to make certain we treat them for what they are—man-made trifles that do not deserve worship. Next time you spot one, stand up to it.

 

Help me, Lord, to be both perceptive to the idols around me and to be brave enough not to bow. Give me strength in Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

 

 

The Courage To Stand Up For Principles

Daniel 3:7-15

 

            The music played and the people bowed. Everyone except the three young Jewish men. Their names were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were friends of Daniel. When they heard the music that signaled the call to worship the king’s idle they ignored it. As the scripture puts it, “(they) pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”

            Power and principalities do not like being ignored. The little tin gods of our world prance and strut and try to convince people they are worth worshiping. But the follower of Christ has only one focus of worship—God Almighty. The man who is loyal to Christ is often treated the way the three young Jews were handled. The king himself summoned them and tried to explain the error of their ways. He gave the instructions again and then delivered the ultimatum: “But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace.” To top off the threat the king insulted their faith: “Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” Yes, what god indeed?

            Are you facing pressure on your job to worship things other than the Lord? Are the powers that exist in your world squeezing you and trying to bend you? Resisting is tough. When you resist you feel like you’re the guest of honor at a bar-b-que—and you’re the main meal! Let your prayer today be for the strength to stand up for your principles.

 

Help me, Lord, to be the man I want to be. I’m squeezed on every side to give in and go along. But You have called me to something else. Strengthen me, Lord, strengthen me. In Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

 

The Power of Promise

Daniel 3:16-17

 

            Have you ever been faced with a decision where you felt you were “damned if you did and damned if you did not”? The three Hebrew young men in today’s reading faced a nearly unbelievable choice. The results was certain and clear-cut. Worship the king’s idol or die. No appeal or reprieve would be granted. They would die a fiery death because they refused to worship the idol of the Babylonian king. They were told to give in to societal pressure or give up their lives. That often seems the two choices today, too. Give in. Go along. Don’t make waves. Take shortcuts to success. Do that or watch your dreams of success burn away like leaves in a furnace.

            But you have to give it to those Hebrew boys. They stood toe-to-toe with the king, looked him in the eye and said “no.” The king had taunted them about their faith. He asked who could save them if he decided to toss them into the fire. Not even their God could do so. Their answer must have taken him by surprise: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.” Why? They had already made up their minds. Faithfulness sets a course of action before a detour pops up. No matter what they faced they knew what they would do.

            The power of promise helps us control the future. For example, when I promised my wife at our wedding that I would be faithful to her, that promise set the course of my life. No matter what I faced in the future, I already knew what I would do. I did not need to ask myself what the best course of action was because I already knew it.           

            Think about it. If you had to decide what to do in every situation throughout your life you would be continually worn out. Decide ahead of time what you are going to do and why you are going to do it. That simplifies matters and takes the pressure off to make dumb decisions.

            Promise God your faithfulness. You will be amazed at the difference that makes in your life.

 

Lord, I do promise myself to You. Give me the grace to stay true to that promise. Let it guide my decisions every day. In Christ, Amen.

 

           

 

 

The Great “If”

Daniel 3: 17-18

 

            I admit it. I like movies and stories with happy endings. Who can avoid feeling warm all over the George Bailey gets his life back in the movie, “It’s A Wonderful Life”? But life often does not end up like that. It seems more like “Nightmare on Elm Street.” Everything goes wrong. Nothing seems neat, simple, and easy. Evil smirks at its seeming triumph. What is the faithful to do?

            The three young Hebrew men standing before the king of Babylon knew they faced a terrible dilemma. They would be forced to bow before an idol of the king or be cremated while still alive! In the midst of that spiritual battle their reply is instructive: “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.” That sounds great—a note of triumph and a witness to the power of God. We Christians today too often stop right there and speak and live as if we are exempt from the bruises and smash-ups of life. We are not, of course, but I rarely hear people talk about what it means if God has plans for rescue in other ways.

            The men facing the furnace did not presume upon God. He certainly could rescue them if He chose. But carefully consider the rest of what the men said: “But even if he does no, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” That one tiny word—if—carries incredible power. If God chooses to rescue us, great; but if not, that is great, too. We will remain loyal to Him.

            Now that is faith! When everything goes our way faith seems easy. But what happens when you face the furnace? Even if that is your course, do not give in to anything other than God.

 

More than anything in the world, Lord, I want to be faithful to You. Through Jesus, our Lord, Amen.

 

 

 

 

Daniel 3:19-25 

Like a Son of God

 

            From the first day we open our lives to the living reality of Christ we feel as if He is alive within us. He is present with us, like a friend, only closer. The apostle Paul would say in one of his letters in the New Testament, “To me to live is Christ.” He is everything—life itself.

            There is no real mystery why the followers of Jesus have loved today’s Scripture reading. The king of Babylon had been told by three young Hebrews that they would not bow before him and worship his idol. His fury blazed like the furnace he had prepared for anyone who dared to disobey him. Babylon was not known for its freedom of worship.

            The three men—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—were tied up and delivered to the furnace. But the king did not get the satisfaction he anticipated. In fact, what he saw disturbed him greatly: “Look, I see four men walking around in the fire unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” The paganistic and pluralistic mind of King Nebuchadnezzar could not make sense of what he saw. How could three human beings remain unharmed by such a blaze? And who was that fourth figure?

I understand his confusion. Have you ever looked upon a miracle but could not comprehend it? We pray for God’s presence with us and when He answers our prayer we stand dumfounded and ask, “What is this?”

            The Son of God is with us in ways we are not always aware of. Do you feel like you are in the furnace now? Remember, you are not there alone.

 

Gracious Father, You are here with me, no matter what. You know what I’m going through. Help me to know Your presence. Through Your Son’s name, Amen.

 

 

 

Daniel 3:26-30

Dead Men Walking

 

            A fireman I know once got trapped in a burning house. He had gotten disoriented in a hallway when fire broke out at both ends of the hall. He believed he was going to die that day. With smoke and flame all around him he simply did not know which way to go. All he knew was that he did not have much time. At what seemed to be the last second smoke cleared a bit and he saw sunlight coming into a window at one end of the hall. He ran to it, broke it out with an ax, and climbed to safety. His fellow firemen treated him as if he had returned from the dead.

            Someone who has tasted death has a way of grabbing our attention. No wonder, then, that King Nebuchadnezzar was so amazed when the three young Hebrew men emerged alive from the furnace. Everyone in the palace knew what had happened. This was not some fluke in which the men managed to find a way out of danger on their own. Only God could have brought them out. The Scripture says that it was if they had never gone into the fire at all: “there was no smell of fire on them.”

            The king was moved to praise the one true God who had saved the men from the furnace. He even decreed that no one could even so much as speak against their God. The saving power of God is not to be trifled with. The Lord saved the three young men in order to demonstrate His power to Babylon. Knowing God is serious business and we come to know Him when we see what He has done in others’ lives.

            Do you know God who has brought the dead to life? Is your own life a testimony to His saving power?

 

Lord, I was as good as dead until You got hold of me. Thanks for delivering me from my own form of a furnace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

 

Be Careful What You Ask For

Daniel 4:19-37

           

            Have you ever asked for something and then felt sorry you got what you wanted? This happens not only with possessions, it happens with attitudes. A man might be extremely successful in business and strive for more and more, only to find out that what he ends up with is trash.

            Take King Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel. He had a dream and wanted an interpretation. He saw a tree that withered down to a stump. Another young Hebrew captive, Daniel, was brought him to tell him what it meant. In his own eyes the king had become strong and wealthy but he never gave God any credit for his fortune. His arrogance led him astray. The dream meant that he would lose his sanity and live like an animal until he acknowledged the Lord.

            Many a person, especially in midlife, has felt his life whittled down to a stump. He worked hard, played by the rules, and ended up in his middle years with a life that was not what he intended. How about you? Did you get what you asked for or did you acquire some far different?

            The point of today’s reading is that we do better when we live with an awareness of our dependence upon God. That does not mean that we will not face challenges. People get laid off, careers are shot down by a flaming economy, families disintegrate despite our best efforts to the contrary. But when we arrogantly claim that we are self-made men, we end up like the ancient king—living on the level of an animal rather than raising our eyes to God. He has set us on a great adventure in life. We are made to count the stars, not bay at the moon.

 

Lord, I acknowledge You as my very life. You are everything to me. Accept my praise for Your grace toward me. In Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

The Handwriting on the Wall

Daniel 5:1-16

 

            We use the expression “the handwriting on the wall” to indicate something that is evident and usually harmful. The economy may signal a downturn that will affect our job. We say, “I saw the handwriting on the wall and changed careers.” The origin of that expression comes from today’s reading.

            King Nebuchadnezzar’s son had taken over the kingdom. This young king, Belshazzar, threw a party for his friends and advisors. To impress them he had the golden goblets stolen from the temple in Jerusalem brought in. They drank from them and “praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.” While they were engaged in this primitive behavior, a human hand appeared to them and began to write on the wall. Thus the expression,“the handwriting on the wall.”

            Our contemporary culture revels in the “gods of gold and silver.” Everything seems to revolve around a robust economy with plenty of cash to go around. There is nothing inherently evil about that. Everyone needs a job and the basics of life. But we go way beyond the necessities. We are turned into “consumers” rather than contributors. The rich are held up as being the most virtuous in society. After all, if they are rich are they not being blessed by God Himself?

            Let me invite you to spend some time today considering what God might be saying to you personally and to mankind through His “handwriting on the wall.” Are you living with circumstances that seem to shout, “Turn. Make some changes. You’re going the wrong way!”? A friend of mine died a couple of years ago but not before he had made some major changes in his life. He realized that some the “gods” he had pursued in his younger days were idols that let him down.

 

You know me better than I know myself, Lord. Show me Your handwriting and give strength to change what needs changing. Through Christ, Amen.

 

           

 

 

Tested and Found Wanting

Daniel 4: 18-30

 

            You and I are tested every day. I do not mean this in an exclusively theological sense. I simply mean that our choices and actions daily show what we are made of. If we go around with a chip on our shoulder all the time, we prove ourselves to be hostile and volatile. On the other hand, if we have peace within our heart, that will display itself in our actions.

            But the concept of testing is theological, too. Life itself is a testing ground in which we show our orientation to the will of God or the lack of it. Ancient King Belshazzar, the young successor of the king who took Israel captive, arrogantly treated his success with pride. He saw the handwriting on the wall but could not read the message. His advisors could make no sense out of it either so they sent for one of the Hebrews—Daniel. The king asked Daniel to interpret the message on the wall. What he found out was not pleasant.    

            The inscription consisted of four words: mene, mene, tekel, parsin. What does that mean? Just this: “You have been tested and found wanting.” Literally the words mean “numbered,” as in “You’re days are numbered,” and “weighed,” as in “You’ve been weighed and found wanting.” The last of the words means “divided,” as in “Your kingdom will be divided and given to others.”

            I have never seen words like that on my wall. You probably have not either. But the meaning is clear. God calls us to work in cooperation with Him. We need both humility and confidence. I have seen many men rise and fall. The ones who seem to have lasting power are the ones who realize they are not the center of the universe. They know that God is.

 

Father, weigh my life in the loving scales of Your grace. Help me get rid of whatever does not belong there. Through my Lord Jesus, Amen.

 

 

 

 

History Repeats Itself

Daniel 6:1-5

 

            One of the most tragic things in life is to see the destructive patterns of one generation repeat itself in the next. For example, a man might have grown up in the home of an abusive father. He vows he will never act like that but in the years to come he ends up being just like his father. Or a man puts up with alcohol or drug misuse at home only to become addicted himself later. This sort of vicious cycle repeats itself countless times in individual lives but also in national lives.

            We saw earlier how King Nebuchadnezzar had put three Hebrew men into a furnace because of their refusal to pray to the king’s idol. They escaped unharmed and you think that their story would be told for generations as a lesson against idolatry. But it seems that some lessons can be learned but they cannot be taught. Some time after this event a new king came to power. He was Darius, a Mede. One of the Jewish captives, Daniel, had risen to power in his court. Some of the other leaders were jealous of Daniel so they devised a plot to get rid of him.

            Their plot sounded just like the one sprung earlier on Shadrach, Meshach, and Adednego. The men plotting against Daniel said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.” Had they learned nothing from the earlier debacle? Apparently not because they hatched up a plan to convince the king to issue a decree that would go against Daniel’s religious duty.

            Do you ever feel that life is in a conspiracy against you, that nearly everything stands between you and God? Welcome to the world! The key is to find ways of being faithful to the Lord while not letting earlier mistakes repeat themselves.

 

Lord, deliver me from the errors of my forebears, and my children and grandchildren from my errors. You are larger than history so I am not stuck in an endless cycle of rebellion. Give me liberty through Christ. Amen.

 

 

 

In The Jaws of Persecution

Daniel 6:6-16

 

            What a terrible thing it is to be attacked because of Godliness. You may face this dilemma regularly on your job. Because of your faith some coworkers my call you “Holy Joe” or, worse, make you the butt of tasteless jokes because you try to live for God. I have worked at several places where fellow workers made fun of me because I was going into the ministry. Their abuse was aggravating to me but it was not dangerous.

            Some people live in situations where their faith puts them in physical danger. In some nations Christianity is like a magnet attracting persecution. Gabriel, a native of Sudan, lived with that threat for years. I got to know him through one of my pastorates. Gabriel was reared Christian in a Muslim nation. His family faced enormous pressures because of their beliefs. He finally came to the United States as a refugee to escape persecution. But even here his refugee status was treated too lightly. He had great trouble getting permission to stay in this country but he persisted until he did.

            Daniel, the administrator in Darius’ court, was singled out for attack by petty, jealous men. They convinced Darius to issue a decree that no one was to pray to any man or god except the king himself. The punishment for breaking that decree was to be thrown into a den full of lions. Daniel paid no attention to the king’s decree and continued to pray to God “just as he had done before.” His actions were reported to Darius who reluctantly ordered Daniel to be tossed to the lions. He even said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” The king meant it.

            Do you find yourself in the jaws of persecution now? Do not give up. God is still Lord as is trustworthy. Trust Him.

 

Lord, You see what I’m going through now. Help me be strong in the midst of this pressure. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

 

 

 

Deliverance

Daniel 6:17-23

 

            A man I know speaks of his life of deliverance. Like many men he got caught up in a round of ever increasing thrill-seeking. One vice led to another in a downward spiral of depravity. Drugs, alcohol, prostitution—they were all part of his life. Then one day he had an encounter with Jesus Christ. After that his life has not been the same. He has a new focus in life. He knows who he is and where he is going. In his eyes he has been delivered.

            Well he should think that. Deliverance is exactly what happens in our lives when Christ enters. Do not think that you have nothing to be delivered from just because you are not like the guy mentioned above. I have never taken illegal drugs, have never been drunk, nor have I ever visited a prostitute. But that does not make me a lily-white saint. Far from it! I know myself to be filled with every sort of desire and action that makes salvation necessary. After all, if I could save myself by being good, then Christ came for nothing.

            Daniel, the young Hebrew in Babylonian captivity, honored God even in difficult circumstances. What he got for his troubles was a one-way trip to a den full of lions. King Darius ordered him thrown into the pit because Daniel would not cease to worship God. Actually, Darius did not want Daniel harmed and hoped that God would rescue him. The king spent a restless night and then went to the lions’ lair first thing in the morning. He called out for Daniel who answered back, “My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions.”

            Do you need deliverance in your life? The Scripture is clear that the only real source of that deliverance is God. Would you trust yourself to Him today?

 

I trust myself to You, Lord. You know my circumstances. I may not be plucked from a lion’s mouth but I know I won’t be abandoned. In Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

A Quiet Witness

Daniel 6:24-28

 

            M. B. was one of the most steady men I have ever known. Day in and day out he reminded me of the Energizer Bunny—he kept going, and going, and going. M. B. was a man of deep faith. He loved God with a passion but it was a quiet commitment. For years he visited a local prison and led a Bible study. He went on mission projects and contributed to countless lives through his writings. I think of M. B. as one of God’s quiet witnesses.

            I think of a biblical character as a quiet witness, too. His name was Daniel. What was Daniel’s great accomplishment? He survived! Sure, his devotion to God kept him from being dinner for a pride of lions, but there was something communicated in his mere survival. King Darius was tricked into issuing a decree that landed Daniel in the lions’ den. That action went against his real wishes but he felt he had to follow through with its conclusion. He had Daniel put into the pit and then spent a sleepless night fretting about it. When the king went out the next morning he found Daniel safe.

            Daniel could have gloated and strutted. Instead he simply noted that he was safe because of God’s protection. That simple testimony turned things around for many. For those who had falsely accused Daniel of treason it meant death. To his fellow Hebrews it meant courage. To the king it meant conversion as he issued this decree: “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence that God of Daniel. For he is the living God and he endures forever.”

            You and I may not write great books or speaks to millions but we can live with a quiet, steady faith. Who knows who is watching?

 

Keep me steady, Father, walking straight ahead whether anyone seems to be looking or not. May my life be a witness of Your grace. In Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

 

An Indescribable Vision

Daniel 9:20-23

 

            Someone has said that life is what happens while you are waiting to accomplish your plans. That is true. We make our plans and set off to accomplish them. Along the way we get delayed, side-tracked, lost, turned around, and sometimes, stopped in our tracks. All the while life swirls around us.

            The same is true with our spiritual lives. We read a book like this one in the hopes that it will help us grow in our faith. We attend workshops and seminars to jumpstart our spirit. We pray and pour out our heart to God in the belief that He will hear us and grant our requests. All of this is right and proper, of course. We should pray, study, attend worship, and so on. But all the while we find that things happen while we attend to our religious duties, things that are not planned, coordinated, or even expected.

            Daniel was praying when he was overcome by a vision of events that were almost indescribable. He wrote, “while I was still praying” the vision came. What do you think would happen if our prayer time was “interrupted” by a divine visit? I heard about a minister who went into the sanctuary and got down his knees like he did every day. He said, “O God, hear my prayer. O God, hear my prayer.” A voice came from heaven saying, “Yes, what is it?” They found the minister that evening. He had died of a heart attack!

            The Scripture does not promise us a vision or a heady understanding every time we worship God. The evidence, though, is that we should give ourselves to the Lord in devotion. If He chooses to give some great vision, wonderful. If not, that is okay too because we are still entering the presence of God.

 

Lord, keep me from being a mercenary in my devotion to You. I leave fully in Your hands all matters of how You reveal or conceal Yourself to me. Through Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

A Secure Future

Daniel 12:13

 

            Fortunes are made and lost by people trying to guess the future. A commodities trader might bet a wad of cash on the price of pork bellies. An entrepreneur might take a huge chance on a start-up business. Each is betting that their take on the future will pay off in financial dividends. This happens in almost all areas of life.

            Most things about the future are obscured from our vision and knowledge. For the most part that is good. Would you really want to know everything that will happen to you? But there is one area about the future that is open to our knowledge. It is an open door into God’s presence and it has a sign above the door saying in effect, “Welcome! Come this way.”

            The book of Daniel is filled with narratives of the Hebrews who were taken into captivity by the Babylonians. Three of them were tossed into a furnace but escaped alive. Another was put into a den of lions but came out unscratched. In all of this the deciding factor was the presence of the living God of Israel. God, as opposed to the idols of the various nations, is alive and active in the lives of His people. At the end of this book, Daniel hears these words that offer hope and promise: “As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.”

            Think of that. The future of a person who lives with faith in God is secure. After a lifetime of trials and stress we receive this greatest of good news. But this is more than “pie-in-the-sky-by-and-by.” Knowing where we stand with God right now give us a steadiness in life. Why would anyone bet his future on anything else?

 

For the future I have in You, O Lord, I am truly grateful. May I live worthy of it. Through Christ my savior, Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unbelievable Directions

Hosea 1:1-3

 

            I know a missionary who went to another country that was primarily Muslim. She said that one of the biggest hurdles she had to jump was the assumption of her American friends that she would never make it as a missionary! To their minds she was a “sweet southern belle” who, as a single woman, just could not adjust to the rigors of her mission field. She has proven them wrong for years.

            God often calls people to do seemingly strange things. Think of asking middle-aged Moses to lead his people out of Egypt. What about telling Abraham to sacrifice his only son? People who want a tame, predictable, domesticated deity had better skip the God of the Bible. He moves history along in a direction we can hardly imagine. He chooses people and situations that would never make it into a “how-to” manual on our idea of virtue.

            In today’s reading God tells one of his prophets, Hosea, to marry a woman we would not imagine God picking out. “When the LORD began to speak through Hosea, the LORD said to him, ‘Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness’.” Wait a minute. What is that all about? The Lord told His prophet intentionally to marry an adulterous woman? What about the seventh commandment?

            The book of Hosea is not a tale about the domestic woes of a man and his wayward wife. It is a book about God. Do you want to know what God must have felt when He considered His relationship to Israel? If so, read Hosea and you will see: “the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the LORD.” The relationship between Hosea and his wife, Gomer, was as strained and strange as that between God and His people.

            Are you living in unusual circumstances? God may be deepening His relationship to you.

 

Lord, there are things in my life that I would not choose on my own. But if they can be used for Your glory then use them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

 

 

Answering To The Wrong Name

Hosea 1:4-11

 

            Names have interested me for a long time. They once meant something that signified a characteristic or a profession. Redd might indicated that the family had red hair. Black or White might have pointed to complexion. Smith was the blacksmith, Tanner was the person who tanned the hides of animals, and Cooper made barrels.

            Names are important. Someone said, “It doesn’t matter what name you call me. What matters is the name I answer to.” That is a perceptive statement. What name do you answer to?

            The prophet Hosea endured a stormy relationship with his wife that God used to communicate His message to Israel. Hosea’s first child was called Jezreel. It reminded the people of the terrible consequences of disobeying the Lord (see 2 Kings 10 for the background). Hosea’s second child was named Lo-Ruhamah, which means “not loved.” The third child was called “Lo-Ammi, “not my people.” Imagine the effect those names had on the children as well as the nation.

            I know many people who have names—real or imagined—that they answer to. Those names give them a sense of who they are, for good or bad. For example, I know a man who answers to the name “failure.” I know a teenager who answers to “loser.” A mother thinks she is named “dummy.” A pastor is mistaken that his name is “unloved.”      

            Do you have a name like that? Do you sometimes give in to the temptation to believe you have a negatively descriptive name? If so, look at what God told the nation: “In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God.” He changed the name they answered to! They are God’s people. So are you. That is who you really are.

 

Deliver me, Lord, from the self-pity that tempts me to answer to the wrong name. I know who I am—I am Yours. Help me live like a child of God. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

           

 

One of Life’s Hardest Choices

Hosea 3:1-5

 

            One of the most devastating elements of a marriage in trouble is adultery. Any way you  think about it, marital unfaithfulness is poison to a relationship. Of all the relationships in the world, marriage needs trust the most.

            We live in a culture that winks at it. “Everybody does it,” we are told through much of the media. Adultery is made to seem normal, fun, glamorous, and even expected. As a pastor I have had to help pick up the pieces of too many families that splintered over this issue. In one family, the husband left his wife and two children to take up with another woman who had been married and divorced several times. In another, the wife left the husband because he had been injured in an accident and was no longer “fun.”

            Anyone who has ever worked with families like this, or who has experienced it for himself, knows that putting the relationship right again is extremely difficult. For some people, it is too hard so they give up, file for divorce, and live with the consequences.

            The prophet     Hosea had been told by God to marry an unfaithful woman. Her actions, and in return, God’s guidance, would serve as a living example of the Lord’s faithfulness in the midst of mankind’s unfaithfulness. In chapter 3 God tells Hosea to go to his wife who has been out on the streets and to “show you love to your wife again.” Can you imagine how hard that was? Hosea had to swallow his pride and open his heart to his wife who had taken advantage of him time after time. Most men might have said, “Good riddance.” But remember, this is a story about God. It is a reminder of how He treats us. Aren’t you glad He responds that way?

 

Lord, I have not always been faithful—to You or to my own ideals of conduct. Thank You for giving me another chance and for showing me Your love. Through Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Too Stiff To Turn

Hosea 5:1-7

           

            I can still see him in my mind’s eye. Strutting around the meeting hall he looked like a Bantam rooster. People would talk to him but he would not look them in the eye. He looked around to see who was watching him. He was the leader of a well-known television ministry. His ego was inflated and he seemed to lord his position over others. It made me sick at heart to see it happen. Not long afterwards he got into trouble of a sexual nature and his ministry came crashing down.

            I remember that experience because, although I was a young man at the time, it taught me a lesson that I carry with me today. God does not have any celebrities or stars in His service. Any time a person gets too big for his britches the Lord will find a way to burst his balloon.

            This happens with nations as well as with individuals. The prophet Hosea saw the attitudes of his countrymen and knew where it would lead. Part of the judgment of God was prophesied by Hosea: “Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. A spirit of prostitution is in their heart; they do not acknowledge the LORD.”

            In their attitudes the people were too stiff to turn. After all, when you are getting everything you want, why would you need God? Everything seemed to be going their way and their desires were being satisfied. What could God have to do with them? That kind of thinking has brought down many a man, family, business, and even nation.

            So how about you—how loose are you?

 

You know my heart, Lord. At times I am so busy running my life that You seem far away. Help me acknowledge You and live in Your grace. Loosen up my stiffness toward You. Through Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

 

Loving Our Children

Hosea 11:1-9

 

            Someone once asked Ruth Bell Graham if she had ever considered divorce. She looked over at Billy and said, “No, but I’ve considered murder.” You have to love her honesty. Most of us have been so frustrated with people—even the ones we love—that we have considered drastic action. You had might as well confess it. You have been there.

            But the deeper reality is that we guys would fight a chain saw if it were necessary to protect our family. Our wives and children are the most important human relationships we have.

            What do you believe God thinks about his human family? Is he perpetually angry with us for our rebellion, angry enough to lash out with diseases, accidents, and death? Somehow many of us seem to believe that very thing. I had a bad accident a few years ago. Someone asked me if I though God was mad at me. Well, no, I never once thought that. I thought that I had been too careless.

            The prophet Hosea provided a voice for God’s communication about ancient Israel and for us today. God narrated His love for Israel and for their subsequent rebellion against Him. Many people think the story ends there but it does not. Listen to the tender pleading of the heavenly Father toward His people: “How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim?” Like a father looking at his beloved child, God says, “My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.”

            Wow, did you notice that phrase? “All my compassion is aroused.” God loves us more than we love our own children. In my case that is a lot and it probably is in yours, too.

 

God, my Father, Your love for me overwhelms me. That You could care for me as You do is amazing. I willingly respond in love for You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

           

 

 

A New Day

Joel 1:1-12

 

            Can you remember where you were on September 11, 2001? Most of us can remember our exact location and our actions when we learned of the attack on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the crash in Pennsylvania. I was working in my church office when someone called to tell me what happened. I turned on the television and was horrified at the sight.

            Some events have a way of turning our seemingly safe worlds upside down. One minute things are going along in a routine way, then—bam!—we are never the same. You can think of several events like that in your life.

            The book of Joel tells of a series of events that took ancient Israel by storm. The country was invaded by a merciless army, not of soldiers, but of locusts. Remember that in those days, before good storage methods, farmers’ crops could be ruined by the weather or by insects. The locust invasion brought total destruction. The Lord asked the nation through Joel, “Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers?” How can things get so out of hand?

            I know many people who remember Pearl Harbor and the events of December 7, 1941. They asked the same kind of question. Every tragedy, especially on a national or global scale, brings about introspection. We wonder where God is and why this disaster has come upon us. Some people virtually give up all hope of coming through it. As the prophet put it, “Surely the joy of mankind is withered away.”

            The end of every chapter in life is the beginning of another. We experience tragedy or major setbacks and are tempted to say, “My life is over.” But God may be say, “My son, your life is just beginning in this new day.” Do not surrender your hope. Locusts never have the last word.

 

I have known my share of trouble, Lord. You know what I’ve been through. But in it all you have been my guide and my strength. I trust You, no matter what. Through Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

Making Up For Lost Time

Joel 2:18-27

 

            A man sat across from me one day pouring out his life story. He had turned his back on the religious training of his youth and had gone into adulthood with great dreams of making a name for himself. He thought all that talk about God and what He wanted from mankind did not apply to him. This man discovered over the years that his life was on a downhill spiral. His drinking and overall irresponsible behavior nearly ruined his life. He wept bitter tears and shook with grief as he told me, “I’ve wasted my life. What can I do now?”

            What a shame that some of us have to get to that point before we ask, “Am I on the right road? If not, where is the u-turn lane?” I have made some decisions I now regret. I wish there were a way to turn back the clock and change those decisions. Can you imagine how our lives would be different if we could do that?

            I thought about today’s reading when my friend told me how he ruined his life. The swarms of locusts had devastated Israel. Famine and death would soon follow them like clouds swept in by a cold front. The word of the Lord through his prophet sounds unbelievable: “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten.” What a concept—the promise that the lost years could somehow be redeemed. The time lost in dead-end pursuits and self-delusion could somehow in God’s providence be filled, changed, and made useful.

            My friend accepted the grace of God and His promise of salvation. The years that had been “eaten” were redeemed because this man now has a new understanding of himself. He is a child of God. Somehow, that makes all the difference in the world.

 

Lord, we all have periods that seem wasted, gone forever, eaten away. But You promised to redeem them. I can’t see how You could do that, but I trust You. Take my years and use them for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

 

 

 

Trying To Live On Past Glories

Amos 5:1-6

           

            He used to be a sports star. In high school everyone knew his skill on the football field would take him far. He made it onto the college team and pressed on with an eye toward the NFL. The time came for the draft and he was selected. A bright future was cut short by a back injury that forced him into early retirement. Today he is an angry shell of a man. Everything good in his life seems to have been left on the field. The present is only a screen on which to play reruns of his “glory days.”

            You may not know this man but you know others just like him. In fact, you may be that man. These guys constantly look back over their shoulders at what they believe they lost along the way. All the good stuff was back there. Today is filled only with regret, bewilderment, and despair.

            Does God have anything to say about situations like this? The answer is, “Yes.” The prophet Amos was the Lord’s voice when he said to the people of Israel, “Seek me and live; do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba.” Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba we sacred worship places in the nation’s past, back in the “good old days.” It seemed that back then people could go to one of those sites and find God.

            But pay attention to what the Lord says. “Seek me and live.” Seek me says the Lord. This is an invitation to a living relationship here and now. This is not a backward glance at some possible glory time. This is here and now, today and tomorrow, looking forward. Do you feel left behind, that all your good days are over? God invites you to seek Him today and live in a current relationship.

 

Lord, it’s so tempting to look back at days gone by and wonder why we can’t live them again. But help us to take stock of where we are in relationship to You today. Help us to see this day as a gift to be opened now. In Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

Easy Enough For A Child To Understand

Amos 5:21-24

           

            We spend a lot of time and energy working on our religion. I mean that literally—we work on it. Often it becomes a set of rules and regulations that are constantly being expanded, refined, encoded, and finally, embalmed. Jesus was furious with people of his day who used religion as a club against people rather than as a stretcher for the injured.           

            That was nothing new in Jesus’ day, though. It has been going on since mankind’s earliest days. Religious practices that are meant as steps toward God end up being a spiritual Alcatraz that effectively walls us off from God. The very thing that is supposed to take us into the presence of the Lord of the universe forms a ball-and-chain that stops our progress.

            The prophet Amos took a hard look at his people and their condition. What he saw was not pretty. The people were going through all the right moves and getting the religious rituals correct but it was an empty show. It was if they were putting on a play without noticing that the audience was no longer watching.

            What were the people doing? They were observing feasts and gathering in assemblies. They were even giving the Lord great sacrificial gifts. What was God’s response to their practices? Not what you would expect: “Away with the noise of your songs!” Full worship practices brought by empty people gained them nothing. God turned a deaf ear to such noise.

            So what does the Lord want? “Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-ending stream.” This is so simple a child can understand it. God wants us to treat each other right! When we do that we find our offerings acceptable and our songs pleasing to Him.

 

Lord, help me not to stumble over the simplicity of Your call. Help me treat my fellow man with justice. I know that You are pleased when I do right by him. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Puffed Up

Obadiah 1-4

 

            The CEO of an important company spent over $1 million on his wife’s birthday party. He wanted to show off and impress everyone with his wealth and influence. Otherwise what would be the point of such extravagance? A few months later the news media showed this man led from his office in handcuffs after being arrested for fraud. Much of that money he had been throwing around belonged to someone else.

            Another man owned a small business but acted as if he were royalty. He treated his employees with an air of indifference. At best they were a necessary evil. When the economy turned down he business got into trouble and he blamed his employees. He cursed some and fired others. When his business went into bankruptcy the owner put a .38 into his mouth and pulled the trigger.

            The prophet Obadiah thundered against the pride of his nation. He knew that pride puffs people up with hot air. But every balloon is subject to being burst. Listen to his judgment: “The pride of your hearts has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground’?”

            They saw themselves as above others—literally living in the upper reaches of the area. But that was symbolic of how they felt. They were above common people in every way. That sort of thinking got them into trouble. When we see ourselves as living above everyone else life has a way of showing us otherwise. A simple virus can put us in bed for a week and remind us of our mortality. A bad business decision can put us out of business and pounding the sidewalks looking for work.

            What will pride do for us then?

 

Lord, keep me from being deceived by my pride. In truth I know who I am. My gifts and abilities might make me stand out a little from my brothers, but I’m really just one of the guys. Thanks for keeping my feet on the ground. In Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

 

The Boomerang of Actions

Obadiah 10-15

           

            Life has a way of giving back to us what we give to others. I think of this as the boomerang of actions. What we throw out into the world has a habit of coming back to us. If we are angry, suspicious, and mistrusting of others, they will treat us the same way. If we are friendly, open, and honest we receive the same. Oh, I know. Sometimes things do not work out that way. That is the exception and not the rule. For the most part we get what we give.

            A story is told of a stranger walking into a village. He was met at the village gate by an old man who seemed to have lots of time on his hands. The stranger asked, “What kinds of people are here? What are they like?” The old man said, “What kinds of people lived in the place you came from?” The traveler said, “The people where I came from were mean and unfriendly.” The old man said, “You’ll find the same kind of people here.” The next day another stranger came to the village. He saw the old man at the gate and asked the same question. The old man replied, “What kinds of people lived in the place you came from.” “Oh,” said the stranger, “they were good people, friendly and kind to each other.” “Well, you’ll find the same kinds of people here,” said the old man.

            Obadiah the prophet took his people to task for turning their backs on each other. Their fellow Jews were plundered by foreigners but Obadiah’s people “stood aloof.” They did not get involved. The boomerang of actions has always been true. What they gave out they later got back. Funny how it always happens like that.

            Do you know someone who needs your help? Don’t “stand aloof.”

 

Lord, help me sow the seeds of love in order to reap a harvest of peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

 

 

 

The following entries are some devotions that originally appeared in the book I co-wrote with Mark Sutton, "Still God's Man," published by Kregel Publishing in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

 

 

Trouble In The Family

1 Samuel 2:12-25

 

            When our family is in trouble nothing else seems to matter. Some of you reading these words will wince at the remembrance of your situation. You may feel that a wedge had been driven between you and your wife. You may realize that a child has rejected you and your values. Nothing hurts like pain of family discord.

Hannah had dedicated young Samuel to the service of God under Eli’s leadership. That sounds fine until we realize that Eli did not do such a wonderful job of rearing his own children. Today’s text shows that the boys were arrogant and disrespectful of both Eli and God. “The sins of the young men was very great in the LORD’s sight, for they were treating the LORD’s offering with contempt” (v. 17). Their father tried to intervene and straighten the boys out. You can already guess the outcome. What happens when we speak to our children? Often they do the exact opposite of what we want them to do. “His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke….” (v. 25). 

What are we to do when our family gets into trouble? First, don’t panic. Remember that no family is perfect. Ask the Lord for wisdom and guidance. Deal with love and patience no matter what. If necessary, get outside help. Family counselors are helpful in sorting out difficulties. Do not hesitate to get help if you need it. When one of our sons was a high school senior he was always upset and hostile. I finally took him to a counselor who worked with him for several months to help him settle down and get over his attitude. I do not consider my taking him there a failure. I consider it a success.

Whatever it takes, do what you can for your family. All sacrifices are worth the effort.

 

Help us, Lord, with our families. They mean everything to us but You know how difficult things can be. Give us wisdom and patience. Whatever it takes to have a stable family we will do. Through Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

 

Symbolizing God’s Presence

1 Samuel 4:1-11

 

            How do you symbolize God’s presence? What object or relationship or feeling could make you believe that God is here, right now? These are not idle questions. From biblical days people have wanted something to let them know that God was with them. Devotion to Him, while necessary, sometimes seems insufficient by itself. That is where religious symbols come in. These symbols are like sign posts pointing beyond themselves to a greater reality.

            Moses brought the tablets of stone containing the Ten Commandments down from Mount Sinai. Those tablets were placed in a special box called the Ark of the Covenant. If you have ever seen the movie, “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” you will at least know a Hollywood version of what it looked like. That ark was the symbol to the Hebrews of God’s very presence with them. When the ark was present, God was present. That is why the capture of the ark by the Philistine army seemed such a disaster. It was as if the reality of God was being taken away.

            The greatest symbol Christians have today is the cross. It exists in many forms, shapes, textures, and materials. Some of them are mere jewelry, but I have always been surprised that people would wear a hangman’s noose or an electric chair around their necks. That is what the cross is—a symbol of death. But of course it is more than death. The Christian cross is the symbol of hope, life, courage, and God’s great “Yes” to us.

            The next time you see a cross think of it as a sign pointing to something beyond itself. Death is not the last word because the cross in empty. The Savior who hung there is alive and will someday return. Let the symbol of God’s power inspire and encourage you.

 

Speak to me in the powerful symbol of faith, Lord. Let Your presence in my life be a constant that keeps me going and gives me strength. Through Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

Chance Or Choice?

1 Samuel 6:1-9

 

On July 29, 2000, I came to and realized I was being lifted onto a stretcher. At first I could not understand what was happening. A few minutes before a friend and I had been cutting a broken limb from an oak tree in my back yard. Part of it was on the ground and part was still attached to the tree. We each had a chain saw and worked our way from the end on the ground closer and closer to the tree. That’s when it happened. The part attached to the tree broke off and fell. The smaller part reared up and hit my legs knocking me to the ground. Then the larger part hit the ground, bounced up over my friend, and came down on the left half of my head. Just that quickly I had a fractured skull and a blood clot on my brain.

What followed was three weeks of hospitalization, two surgeries on my head, pain like I have never known before, and physical and speech therapy. I was out of my pulpit for months and when I went back my schedule was severely limited for several months.

Why did all that happen? That is a natural question that many people ask when unusual things happen. But the short answer is, “I don’t know.” Actually, I never asked that question. I never once felt singled out, punished, attacked, or anything else. It was just an accident. Things happen. I don’t leap to any premature conclusions.

In today’s passage the Philistines returned the Ark of the Covenant to the Israelites. They had experienced turmoil in their land while they had the ark. They placed it on a cart, hitched it to a pair of oxen, and let it go wherever the animals took it. They said that if it went one direction then God was responsible for their trouble. If it went the other way then everything had happened by “chance.”

            God or chance. That is often the choice in life. I believe that God is present in all circumstances, not directly as the cause of everything, but there as Lord of all circumstances. Would you trust Him with your circumstances?

 

Lord, I do trust You. Whatever happens to me, I will believe that You are here with me. We live in a fallen world where bad things happen. But You are redeeming us out of this world. Thank You for the Grace. In Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

 

Blessed

1 Samuel 10:1-8

 

            Have you ever been blessed? I don’t mean in some fuzzy nonspecific way. I mean in a personal, specific, and emotional way. If you have ever been chosen quarterback on your recess team, you have been blessed. If the girl you proposed to said “yes,” you were blessed. If you received a promotion or a raise, you were blessed.

            I have had this on several occasions and can tell you that each time is touching. In one of my pastorates we went through a rough time regarding personnel issues. In one meeting the leader of that meeting had me and my wife sit in the middle of a circle and people joined hands. One man placed his hands on my shoulders and prayed for us. That was the last thing I expected in that meeting but believe me, I was blessed! I drew strength, comfort, and resolve from that experience.

            The prophet Samuel anointed Saul as king. The process of anointing was a ceremony of blessing. Saul drew from it what I had from my experience. Not everyone will have an experience like Saul’s of course, but everyone can receive the hand of God upon him. Our salvation through faith in Christ is a time where God puts His blessing upon us. We are chosen. We are touched. We are wanted. No matter what anyone else might think, we are God’s men.

            Saul had a tough time with his blessing. When the time came for his public anointing as king he was hiding among the baggage. The people had to find him. That’s the way life is sometimes. We are almost embarrassed to receive God’s blessing. But who are we to turn down what God has offered?

 

Lord, You have blessed me. You chose me to be part of Your kingdom. I  am both thrilled and embarrassed. How could You choose the likes of me? But You did and I will make the most of Your choice. Thank You, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

 

 

 

Standing The Test of Time

1 Samuel 12:1-3

 

            Have you ever thought about your last words? When you wrap up your life what do you want to say? Will you think about the work you didn’t do? The meeting you did not attend. The customers you did not win over?

            Samuel, the old prophet of Israel, looked back over his life and thought about what to say to his people He asked the people to remember his life and how he treated people. He testified that he had not cheated anyone or oppressed them or took bribes. In other words, he lived with integrity. He was good as his word.

            I love that idea. The grit in Samuel’s life was enough to say, “Look at my life and see if it adds up.” I have known many people who have lived that way. My father was one of them. When he said “yes” he meant yes. When he said “no” nothing on earth could move him. As a child I thought that way of life was too rigid and harsh. I know better now.

            The world needs more people who can reach the end and say, “I’ve done it right.” I do not mean that they are perfect. No one is. But they live consistently. Nothing is more damaging to a man’s reputation than the charge that he is a hypocrite. To claim to be one thing while actually being another is absurd. Faith gives us the courage to live what we say and say what we live. That is what Samuel had done. That is what I want to do. What about you?

 

Lord, give me the strength to live right all the days of my life. Through Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

 

Don’t Get The Big Head

1 Samuel 13:1-14

 

            An older relative used to have an expression for people she thought were acting arrogant. She would say, “Don’t get the big head.” I have always laughed about that expression but I understand it. Our heads swell with pride and arrogance when we see ourselves as better than others.

            King Saul found his army in an important battle. He wanted the aid of God but did not know how to ask for it. Because the prophet Samuel was absent from the battlefield, Saul offered burnt offerings himself. The problem was that only an authorized person could do so. In this case, that person was Samuel, not Saul. The prophet’s rebuke to Saul is stark: “Your kingdom will not endure.”

            This may seem like an incredibly harsh judgment but remember the context. God was establishing His nation out of a rather motley group. The people needed to stick together if they were going to get anything done. When King Saul took it upon himself to perform the priestly function of the offering, he was intruding upon the province of God’s man. It is not that Samuel was better than Saul. He we simply called by God to a different function.

            The Christian gospel tells us we are alike in God’s sight. But that does not mean that each person can do anything he pleases. God calls us to Himself and gives us work to do and gifts to use. I cannot do everything you can nor can you do everything I can. This is not an excuse for trying our best, but it is a recognition that God’s still appoints people to His work.

            Are you serving God to the best of your understanding and ability? If so, great! But remember—“Don’t get the big head.”

 

Help me, Lord, to stay humble and remember who I am. You have called me and I will remember  I work for You. In Christ’s, Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reject

1 Samuel 15:17-34

 

            There is a word that is hard to say or hear—reject. We do not like to think of anything as not being good enough but we realize that some things must be perfect in order to be useful. When I take my car to the shop to be repaired, I do not want the mechanic to use parts that have the word reject stamped on them. What good what that do me?

            Even harder to think about is a person who is a reject. I do not mean to be harsh or judgmental here. The fact is simply that some people have chosen a path in life that leads to disaster. King Saul in today’s Bible reading is such a person. He was chosen by God to be the king of Israel but Saul did not succeed. He took upon himself some duties meant only for God’s prophets. Because of his arrogance, Saul ended up being a reject. The last sentence in chapter 15 of 1 Samuel sums up his tragic life: “And the LORD was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.” Even God was sorry that Saul had failed so completely.

            We could get depressed if we take that too personally. Who among us does not feel like a failure in some aspects of life? I know some business men who are successful in their work but their home life is a wreck. I know some guys who are okay at home but their careers are in shambles. Life does not have to be either/or, of course. I am merely pointing out that most of us feel not quite up to par in some area of life.

            Here is the good news. In Jesus Christ no one needs to be a reject. We can all accept Him as our savior and live as His servants. To be included is the greatest blessing in life. Don’t be a reject.

 

Lord, thank You for accepting me. I am not all I should be but I am better than I once was. Keep me moving, Lord, and growing for You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chosen

1 Samuel 16:1-13

 

            What a great joy to be chosen! In school we would play ball. The captains of our teams would choose players. Do you remember how it felt as they looked around at the potential team? My heart used to race and my palms would get sweaty. Then I’d hear those wonderful words: “I choose Don.”

            As tough as it is to be rejected, so it is as sweet to be chosen. We go through life being chosen. We go to school and get chosen to receive a degree. We find a mate who chooses us back. We enter the job market and hear those wonderful words of choice, “You’re hired.” Children come along and we feel chosen by God to be the father of these precious bundles of possibility.

            King Saul was rejected by God because of his arrogance. Young David was chosen to be his successor. How do you step into a king’s sandals? The task would be overwhelming, but David grew into the responsibility. Therein lies the key to life. We grow into the positions we take on. I remember bringing our twin sons home from the hospital eight days after they were born. We placed them in their bassinets on the living room floor and I looked at Carla and asked, “Well, now what?” I did not know how to be a father but I learned.

            What do you feel “chosen” to do? Be a success at work? Have a great family life? Serve God in special ways? Write a book? Build a house? When we do what we feel we should be doing we often feel chosen by something greater than ourselves to do that task. That is the way God deals with us. The Lord has chosen you. Enjoy the privilege.

 

You have chosen us for salvation, Father, and we are so grateful. You have blessed us with so much in life and we feel privileged. Help us keep our eyes on You all of our journey. In Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

 

How To Fight A Giant          

1 Samuel 17:1-50

 

            You have been up against them. So have I. Giants—people or forces that loom large on the horizon and make us want to shrink back. A friend wanted to start his own business. His enthusiasm was matched by the number of frustrations with regulations, cash flow, and personnel. He finally got it up and running but was amazed how difficult it was. I know another man who had a construction business. One of his subcontractors on a major job skipped town without paying his bills. The IRS got involved and the man ended up going bankrupt.

            How do you fight a giant? Look at what young David did when he faced Goliath. First he volunteered for the job. He did not let his fears stop him. Next he refused to go out in another man’s armor. Saul meant well when he offered his armor to David but it just did not fit. No one has the exact formula for success for us.

Next, David prayed for God’s strength and wisdom. The fact that he prayed did not mean that David could sit back then and do nothing. He still had to go out and face Goliath. Also, David chose his weapons carefully. He picked up five smooth stones for his sling. One of them proved to be lethal.

            If you are like most men you are facing some giants of your own. Yours may be the bank that seems to be a black hole, the job that is unfulfilling, a wife who is distant, or a child who is rebellious. Maybe it is all of the above! But do not give up. Life’s greatest prizes go to the marathon runner, not the sprinter. Face your giants. You will take great pleasure in seeing them fall.

 

Lord, as with David of old, give me courage and wisdom as I face my giants. You know what they are. Help me with each one. I will do my part in this battle as You do Your part. Thanks for the victory, no matter what. In Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gray Dog Versus New Puppy

1 Samuel 18:1-16

 

            The green-eyed monster of jealousy has crept up on many a man. You work yourself silly to master a skill and build a career. You become one of the old “gray dogs” in your field. You do everything the right way but you may not go as far as you had dreamed. Then along comes a new guy who does not know half what you know. He is a “new puppy.” But he gets the promotion and the raise. You feel like you get the shaft.

            Is this a new situation of the 21^st century? Hardly. Look at what happened after David killed Goliath. He got all the glory. That is fine except that people began taunting King Saul with David’s victory. They sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” The Scripture says, “Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him.” No kidding! It would gall anyone.

            I have been there. Have you? This should make us very aware how we talk to people and how we treat everyone. Sure, success needs to be rewarded, even if it is just with a card or a pat on the back. But does someone’s success mean that others need to feel like a failure? In a car race only one driver will cross the finish line first but are the other drivers failures? Of course not! They were at least in the race.

            Even churches can be bad about creating an environment where some people are elevated while others can be made to feel irrelevant. Let’s get this clear right now—no one is irrelevant or unwanted in the Kingdom of God. The Lord will raise up a David now and then and people will flock to him. But we need Sauls to keep things moving.

            Are you a “gray dog” or a “new puppy”? Either way, you need the other.

 

Keep me from jealousy, envy, or feelings of superiority Lord. Whatever I am, I am Yours. That’s good enough for me. In Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

Friends (Part 1)

1 Samuel 20:16-17

 

When Stuart Miller began research for his book, Men and Friendship, most people thought he was working on a book about homosexuality. But Miller was asking the question many men raise, “Why don’t I have many close friends?” After spending years searching for answers, he concluded that genuine friendship is hard to find. “True friendship must also be true engagement with the friend—a very frequent mutual holding in the mind and heart. Though the centrifugal pressures of modern life limit the frequency of the physical presence of friends, engagement makes physical proximity less of a problem. Male friendship can thus be thought of as a place in a man’s inner being, a space in his life, that is daily occupied by another man, a place that is regularly charged with love, concern, hurt. Engagement means emotional involvement.”

            The rise of groups such as Promise Keepers is, in part, the result of men wanting more out of life and relationships than just golfing buddies. They want close relationships with other men. They want love and friendship. St. Augustine in his book, Confessions, wrote, “Men go forth to wonder at the heights of mountains, the huge waves of the sea, the broad flow of the rivers, the vast compass of the ocean, the courses of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering.” To wonder means to accept ourselves and our full capacity to love others and to express that love. That is often difficult to do. We fear we might appear weak or foolish to others if we open ourselves to love. But what other option is there? To remain suspicious and non-loving?

            David and Jonathan were friends. They loved each other. That is a fact that some guys have trouble with, but they should not be troubled. I have friends whom I love. There is nothing perverse about it. It is a gift of God and I appreciate my friends. If you have a friend, treasure that man. Spend some time with him. Let him know you care. You will both be better for it.

 

Thanks for my friends, Lord, and thanks that there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. In the Name of that Friend, Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

Friends (Part 2)

1 Samuel 20:16-17

 

            When I was growing up I had many friends, but one special one. His name is Milton. He and I were almost inseparable. We lived a half mile apart in a rural area of south Louisiana. There were woods, swamps, a bayou, and pastures for cattle around us, and we knew every square inch of them. Together Milton and I hunted, fished, went to school, played basketball at school and softball at home, and threw cow “muffins” at each other. We once lined up tin cans on the little road in front of our houses so cars would have to slow down when they got there. We waited in the palmetto bushes and shot out their tail lights with BB guns. [I’ve regretted this many times since!] 

We swung from vines out over Bayou Des Canes giving our Tarzan yells as we let go and hit the water. We climbed small pines and would grab the tops of these saplings and jump out so the trees would bend and we would get an “elevator” ride down. Sometimes the tops would snap off and our ride down would be faster than we wanted! Milton and I would pick mayhaws in the swamps and ride around in boats during flood times. He had a huge abandoned sawdust pile behind his house and we spent many hours tunneling through the sawdust with old stockings over our heads to keep the sawdust out of our eyes and noses. We were friends and friends will do anything with, or for, friends.

            Milton and I do not see each other very often now. We have gone our separate ways as adults do, although I still hold him in high esteem. There is something about that relationship that taught me some important things about friendship.

 

Lord, thanks for the good friends I have had along through my life. Thanks for the ones I have now. Bless them in Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

 

 

 

Spare A Life

1 Samuel 24:1-22

 

            It sounds like something out of Hollywood. A villain is trying to hunt down the hero. The bad guy then lets his guard down for a minute and gives the good guy a chance to kill him. But the hero is a man of conscience. He lets the villain know he could have ended his life but has let him live. The two men finally reconcile.

            Hollywood? Hardly. This is right out of the Bible. Saul had been furious with his young protégé David. The young man had captured the hearts of the people and Saul was jealous. He vowed to hunt David down and kill him. David and his men hid in a cave. Saul came in to “relieve himself.” While he was doing his business, David got close enough to cut off a piece of Saul’s robe. David had caught him with his pants down and could have easily overpowered him. Instead, David let him live and leave the cave. What happened next is amazing.

            David called out to Saul and asked for a settling of their differences. Saul wept when he heard the request. He agreed to cease the hostilities. What could have ended in bloodshed wound up with a peace between two groups.

            Does that sound like a fairy tale? Is this possible today? Too many of us wear our feelings on our sleeve and get bent out of shape for the wrong reasons. Few of us literally have someone out to kill us. What we have is a competitor who may be trying to take our business or win a promotion over us. Yes, you have to protect yourself in many situations, but think of the ways you might be able to call off the war. I would much rather have a colleague than an enemy. How about you?

 

Give us grace enough to be strong, Lord, strong enough to make the first move of reconciliation toward an enemy. Help us make peace and not war. Through Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taking Our Own Life

1 Samuel 31:1-13

 

            A friend of mine is killing himself—slowly. He is not taking arsenic or drawing up an elaborate plan to put a .44 to his head. He is killing himself with a knife and fork. Another guy is murdering himself with a small white cylinder he regularly sets on fire and places in his mouth. Still another is committing suicide every time he pours the fluid out of the bottle and shoots it down. Another jabs a needle in his arm and relaxes as the chemical takes effect. Another flops in front of the TV with a can of beer and bag of potato chips and never moves.

            Each one is dying slowly. What about you? In today’s Bible reading king Saul was wounded and did not want his enemies to get the pleasure of killing him. Instead, he placed the tip of his sword to his body and fell on it and died. Many a wounded man has felt like dying. One man I know lost his job after pouring his life into that company. But times changed and he was given his walking papers. He is wounded so badly he feels like dying.

            May I give you a word of grace today? God knows exactly where you are and what you are up against. Exactly! Others are facing situation like yours, but some are worse. As bad as yours might be, your circumstances are not hopeless. Call on God for strength and guidance. Ask Him for patience and wisdom as you go through this situation.

            One thing I ask of you. Do not kill yourself. God needs you. That is why He made you. Others need you. Put away the bottle or the needle. Be careful with the knife and fork. Skip the momentary high of the cigarette. Get moving and motivated. Don’t fall on your own sword.

 

Lord, You do know what I’m up against. Sometimes I feel like dying. But give me life—give me Life. You are the life-giver and sustainer. I trust You and ask for Your help, guidance, wisdom, and strength. Help me make it one more day. Through Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

 

 

Gone But Not Forgotten

2 Samuel 1:17-27

 

            I conducted a funeral service a while back for a fellow I did not know well. I asked his family about him and got some amazing stories about his life. His family and friends loved him and missed him. As they told stories about Jim they got animated and laughed and cried. They missed their companion and openly wept over his departure.

            We guys sometimes have trouble with our grief. We lose friends and family and do not know what to do. But any loss brings the same grief—loss of a job, of our health, of our status. Never underestimate the power of loss.

            When you read today’s selection from the Bible you might wonder what is going on. Saul had hunted David like an animal and tried to kill him. Yet when David heard of the death of Saul he mourned his loss. After all, Saul had been the king and now was dead. David refused to simply “forget” Saul. He wrote a lament song and taught it to his people. They sang it in honor of their fallen king.

            Have you ever wondered what people will sing in your honor? Let us hope it not be like the old country song, “Thank God and Greyhound She’s Gone.” We are writing our mourning song right now. Our relationships with our friends, the way we treat our family, our attitude toward God and His work—all of those variables will go into the song people sing about us.

            David sang, “How the mighty have fallen!” While we might expect him to say, “good riddance,” he mourned. Life is precious. Value it and live it to your full potential. Amaze your friends. Make them sing a great song over you when you are gone.

 

Thank You, Lord, for giving me the opportunities I have. My family is precious to me, my friends are a delight, my work is challenging, and future is secure in You. Accept my gratitude in Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Come To The Dance

2 Samuel 6:12-22

 

            When I was a teenager the little church I attended had a debate. Could a Christian dance or not? You may laugh when you think about that weighty discussion but at the time it was important. Some thought it was a sin, no matter what, and others thought as long as it was supervised, dancing was fine.

            You can imagine my surprise when I read about David dancing in the Bible! The story is told in today’s Scripture reading. The Ark of the Covenant, containing the tablets that Moses brought down from the mountain, was returned to the people of God. When it arrived in Jerusalem David was ecstatic. That word “ecstatic” literally means “to stand outside of oneself.” We have all had occasions where we got so caught up in the excitement of an event that we got carried away. I have seen this at ball games many times.

            David got caught up in the thrill of the event of the ark’s arrival. He danced with joy and abandon. His wife, Michal, the daughter of Saul, saw his display and thought it was vulgar. She and David had a sharp argument about it. David’s defense was simple—“I will celebrate before the LORD.”

            Have you noticed that someone always wants to dump cold water on people who are energetic and enthusiastic? “Don’t get too excited,” they say. “Be just like everyone else. Don’t call attention to yourself.” But David was right. Sometimes we express ourselves before God in ways that may not be very “dignified” to some people, but that expression is heartfelt and meant as an offering.

            Love God with all your heart. Give yourself as an offering to Him. Enjoy the pleasure of His presence. Come to the dance.

 

Lord, You know how much I love You. Everything about me, including my emotions, belong to You. Accept even my dance as an acceptable gift. Through Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

 

           

The Promise

2 Samuel 7:1-17

 

            “Cross my heart and hope to die.” That was the phrase boys used when I was a child to seal a promise. That meant we were really serious about the truth we were telling. If you crossed your heart you simply had to tell the truth! The consequences would be unbearably awful if you broke your word.

            What if God Himself made a promise to you? Do you think you could trust that promise? Nathan, the prophet, went to King David with a word from God. In essence the Lord said to David that his kingdom would forever stand and that God would never take His love away from David. What must it have been like to hear that word from Nathan?

            Neither you nor I have heard anything quite like that but we certainly do have some promises from the Lord. He promises to save us when we call out to Him. He promises to give His Spirit to be with us in all our trials and joys. And God promises to take us to be with Him for all of eternity when our time in this life is over.

            I can well imagine that some guys reading these words question these promises. Some of you are going through the most incredible trials. Possible financial ruin, eminent death in the family, crisis after crisis—all this comes crashing down over you as if you were caught in a landslide. Has God abandoned you? No, I do not think so. We are never promised that we will not face trouble. What we are promised is that God will be with us in our trouble. That makes all the difference in the world.

            No matter what you might be facing, hold on to God’s presence with you. Draw from His strength. He has given you a promise and He keeps His word.

 

You do keep Your promises, Lord, and I thank You that I can trust in them. Help me to draw strength from You. You know exactly what I am facing. Give me grace and resolve to get through this time with Your peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.