As the rain and snow

“When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim,  brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans and lentils, honey and curds and sheep and cheese from the herd, for David and the people with him to eat, for they said, ‘The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.’” 2 Samuel 17:27-29

What a beautiful paragraph in the middle or turmoil, angst, and desperation. David and his men have fled Jerusalem at the treachery of his son Absalom, who has declared himself king, entered the royal city, and taken David’s concubines ‘on the roof, in the sight of all Israel’ in a display of utter contempt and wanton pride. Absalom’s army now pursues the rightful king, and David’s men are weary and discouraged. Enter Shobi, Machir, and Barzillai! Their lavish gifts are bound with concern, love, compassion, prepared with much thought and delivered at great risk. What a welcome provision!

How attentive am I to the needs of others? Do I stay in touch enough to know what is going on, when a friend, neighbor, or fellow church member is under pressure, grieving, discouraged, or in particular need? Am I willing to spend the time to plan, prepare, and execute, to go the extra mile to deliver the provision to them, and give of my attention and love and presence, my prayer and blessing also? How often do I choose to spend on another instead of myself?

“Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38

God of all bounty, use me to be Your arms and hands of goodness to others. You know their needs– by Your Spirit make me sensitive to know them also, and ready and willing to give generously to meet them. May they recognize that everything comes from You. (Matthew 6:8; Galatians 6:2; Matthew 6:25-33)

“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

The world can be relentless in its onslaught against truth. Words are slung that deeply wound, and ruin reputations; corporate decisions are made and laws are passed that condone behavior the Bible clearly states are wrong; even churches proliferate that teach from a horizontal perspective, valuing feelings and emotion over truth and righteousness.

We are not left alone within our battle with the world. The God Who leads His army also equips, and He supplies armor perfectly suited to every attack. “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;  and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Truth must be paramount in guarding our minds; thinking rightly affects all else- our understanding, responses, decisions for every other defense and action. When and how am I saturating myself with God’s word so it becomes the source of my living? (Ephesians 6:13-17)

Lord of hosts, You are sovereign over the present darkness in which we live. Grant keen discernment to recognize the fallacies and dangers of every argument that is false, and courageous determination to take up Your divine weapons. Make me a brave, smart warrior, knowing You hold the victory.

“And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort named Julius. And embarking in a ship, we put to sea. The next day we put in at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him leave to go to his friends and be cared for.” Acts 27:1-3

We do not know much about the Roman centurions who had charge of Paul, but we can infer from Acts 27 that he had quite an influence on them. Julias, by title a commander of 100, had charge of the prisoners on board a ship bound along the coasts of Asia for Rome, where Paul would stand trial before Caesar. He trusts Paul enough to give him leave to spend time with friends, and in the Port of Myra, he found the next ship for Paul and his companions and put them on it. We can imagine his thoughtful observance of Paul’s friends’ loving care for him, and the bond of their fellowship, perhaps a display similar to that at Ephesus: “He knelt down and prayed with them all. And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.” (Acts 20:36-38)

The new centurion, seemingly puffed with power and self-importance, was in charge on a ship to Alexandria. They were struck by a northeaster, violently storm-tossed, and had to jettison the cargo and tackle overboard. After many days without eating, likely with most seasick and cranky, Paul urges them to “take heart.” His stature, his calm, his willingness to encourage those in authority over his very life, did not go unnoticed. When the sailors sought deceitfully to escape the ship, Paul warned the centurion and soldiers that without them, they could not survive. After two tempestuous, suspenseful weeks without food, Paul urges everyone to take some nourishment. “‘It will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.’ And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat. Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves.” The proof of Paul’s influence came when they ran aground on a reef and the ship began to break apart. “The bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was being broken up by the surf. The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape. But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan.” (Acts 27:34-36,41-43)

What brought a swaggering, expert Roman commander to take advice from a Jewish prisoner? What turns a haughty, suspicious attitude into one of kindness and esteem? We cannot measure the full impact Paul’s steady peace, presence of mind, concern for all passengers, and confidence in God had on this centurion, but we know it occurred, because he changed. In trial and tempest, in disappointment, strain, and grief, others are watching, and they are impressionable.

Lord, may I speak and live to upbuild others with truth, even if correcting, with kindness, so they might understand the gospel and glorify You. Make me most willing to spend and be spent for others’ souls, for Your sake. (1 Peter 2:12; 2 Timothy 2:24-25; 2 Corinthians 12:15)

“For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.” Acts 28:27

What a sad verse.

A knife or a saw grows dull over time, with repeated use, and especially after abuse or misuse on unintended tasks (i.e., kitchen knives used to cut wire or rope, not that I know anyone who has ever done that). To remain sharp, the blade needs to be kept honed on a sharpening stone, and used for the purposes for which it was made.

As for a heart toward God, repeated rituals that become meaningless, inattention over time, and engagements in passions foreign to godliness, make dull the awareness of His grace and cool the heat of love for Him to lukewarm. His word still speaks, His arms are still open, yet we fill our ears with man-speak and focus on the urgent so we barely hear and see. Our casual affection and laissez-faire attitude toward Him, while we expend effort, expense, and passion on the temporal and immediate, make for a weak, distracted relationship. What we might excuse as accidental is not–we deliberately choose where to invest our affection and energy, we willfully divert our eyes.

Keep me close, my Whetstone. Heal me of every bit of dull complacency and lethargy toward You. May Your living and active Word, sharper than a two-edged sword, discern my thoughts and actions, pierce my heart, and shape my will, clear my eyes, and attune my ears. (Hebrews 4:12)

“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-8,10-11

Paul has been talking about generous financial giving as an act of grace among the Body, listed in the previous chapter with faith, speech, and knowledge as a gift to be shared. He’d given the example of the Macedonian churches: “In a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.” (2 Corinthians 8:2-5) It is hard not to see abundant joy, overflowed, wealth of generosity, beyond their means, begged for the favor in enthusiastic bold. What a model! Do I crave this involvement in my church’s ministry? Am I this zealous to trust the Lord with lavish giving and prove His faithfulness? Am I more sensitive to my own wants than to the needs of God’s church and people? Do I regard myself as owner rather than steward of my resources– to dole out as I determine? Is my sight so limited that my world revolves around me and I have no vision for God’s greater work? Do I define my own joy instead of delighting in the Lord’s for me? 

The key was ‘first giving themselves to the Lord.’ It is doing so, day by day, that God transforms our reluctances into open hands and ready feet and eager hearts. He adjusts our eyes to see needs and His supernatural ability to meet them. When I submit my moments, my priorities, my resources to Him, He awakens desire to abound with Him in every way, every good work. When I am transfixed by the wealth of His sufficiency, grace, generosity to me, I am compelled to offer it all back to Him. 

Lord, may Your surpassing grace to me have its full effect. May I never grow weary of doing good, especially to those in Your household. May I submissively, extravagantly, offer the fruit of Your bounty to me back to You for Your use, causing the overflow of many thanksgivings and boundless glory to You. (Galatians 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 9:11-15)

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Fearfully facing aggressive Babylon who is encroaching on Jerusalem, Israel’s leaders ask Jeremiah to seek the Lord and His will for them. “May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act according to all the word with which the Lord your God sends you to us. Whether it is good or bad, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God to whom we are sending you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God.” Jeremiah spends over a week praying, listening, and reports back that in order to preserve their lives, they must not flee to Egypt; if they do, all that they fear–the sword, famine, and pestilence– will come upon them. Their vow, which had been so convincing, is short-lived. (Jeremiah 42:5-17)

“When Jeremiah finished speaking, all the insolent men said to Jeremiah, ‘You are telling a lie. The Lord our God did not send you to say, “Do not go to Egypt to live there.”‘ So all the commanders and all the people did not obey the voice of the Lord, to remain in the land of Judah, but the commanders took all the remnant of Judah and they came into the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of the Lord. And they arrived at Tahpanhes.” Jeremiah 43:1-2,4-5,7

As shocking as this account is, it is a mirror to ourselves and exposes our fickleness and resistance to anything– advice, admonishment, imposed restraint, work, a change in agenda, unfulfilled dreams, difficult relationships– we don’t like, or want to do. When Jeremiah’s words do not line up with what they thought best, they rebel, refusing His message and striking out on their own. Having just promised to “do whatever,” they admit by their belligerent response that they really just wanted Jeremiah to affirm their already-formed opinion, to say what they wanted to hear.

Don’t I mimic their behavior and attitude? How often do I form my plans, based on my selfish desires or fear of what-ifs, and then ‘consult’ with God, trying to convince Him of, or asking His blessing on, my brilliant ideas? What commands that are clearly defined in Scripture does our culture, and do I, twist sideways to accommodate personal preferences? Where do I ask, Lord, what is Your will, then resist and complain when He denies mine? Do I really think, with my limited knowledge and vision, that I know best?

Benevolent, all-knowing God, may I seek sound teaching from Your word always, and be quick and whole-hearted in obedience to it. No matter what looms, You know the end, and I can trust that it is good.

 

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up….He is the one who gives power and strength to his people.” “Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.” Psalm 68:19,35; Isaiah 46:4

Daily. What a comforting, fortifying thought. God does not say, today I’ll bear you up, and see how you do, and then decide about tomorrow. His promise is lasting, for daily sufficiency, daily sustenance, daily encouragement, daily power. Every first waking moment He is nigh, His everlasting arms underneath as we rise. He bears us up–not as a burden, but as our stable support, as we go on our way. He hoists us up to see as He sees and to breathe His air, to move in His direction and sense His strength through every moment, every hour. He strides with us in every encounter, sits with us through every sorrow, abides with us in decisions and relationships and difficult tasks and storms. And He bears us through day’s end, and on to bed. “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. ” O, what a God He is! (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 4:8; 3:5)

Lord, Lifter of my head, I bless You for faithfully, consistently bearing me up. May my daily and everlasting song bear high Your Name and glory. and immeasurable worth

“When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry. But Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had violated his sister Tamar…. Then Absalom commanded his servants, ‘Mark when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, “Strike Amnon,” then kill him. Do not fear; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant.’ So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded….Jonadab said, ‘Amnon is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day he violated his sister Tamar.'” 2 Samuel 13:21-22,28-29,32

Absalom’s story in 2 Samuel 13-18 is a sad one, and from the time he enters the stage, he seems bitter. Perhaps his extreme good looks gave him a sense of swagger and entitlement among all his half-siblings in what had to be a crazy royal household. When his sister is raped by their half-brother Amnon, David is angry, but as far as we know, does nothing. Absalom stews, and his anger grows into bitterness toward the culprit as well as, we can assume, his father who did not intervene. He has Amnon killed, flees in fear of retribution, returns after three years by order of the king although David won’t face him (perhaps he is unsettled by his own- be it forgiven- sexual sin and murder plot). Absalom’s bitterness multiplies into rash, destructive behavior, igniting Joab’s field to get attention, then conspiring  over four years against his father to become king himself. His bitterness takes over reason as he presses his agenda, displaces his father, and goes into David’s concubines “on the roof, in the sight of all Israel,” a horrendous display of disrespect and self-exerted authority.

How does a bitter impulse grow so destructive? It went unchecked. In my garden I used to try my best to extricate the Johnson grass, that awful green stuff that spread its roots underground like a disease. If I pulled up what I saw, it could just snap off, and would reappear within a day or two. But after a rain, I could gently pull, and up would come all its trailers and other sprouts. Unchecked, it could take over the garden, but when removed thoroughly by the root, its damaging sway was removed. “Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit.” “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.” We must beware, be vigilant, and see to checking any bitterness in ourselves and those we disciple. Allowing wrongs done to us to fester, imagining the worst from a terse email received, stewing over circumstances we abhor or unmet dreams we think we deserve, are all poison to the heart and to any community. (Deuteronomy 29:18; Romans 12:19; Hebrews 12:15)

O God Who sees and knows all, give me eyes to recognize and bold will to confess and check any bitter impulse in me, and leave all its reasons with You. Uproot it immediately that it not spread its wicked tendrils. May I rather grow in the grace and knowledge of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3:18)

“Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?” “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.”  “Can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.” Romans 9:21; 2 Timothy 2:21; Jeremiah 18:6

Sculpture was a favorite class own high school. For any project, the clay is kneaded to find and remove impurities and to prepare it to shape. To create an object, many techniques- rolling, pinching, hatching, layering, smoothing- are used. To ‘throw’ a vessel on the potter’s wheel, pressure is applied strongly and evenly from both outside and in until the desired shape is achieved. The properties of clay- malleable, re-workable-while-soft, ability to hold stain or glaze and stone-hard after firing- make it a substance of choice for an artist.

 

Over the course of our lives, as clay in the hands of the Divine Potter, He shapes and uses us for many different purposes. He consistently works impurities from us, and handles us with skilled care. While a pot that has been fired in a kiln cannot be reshaped, God calls us to remain soft in His hands, developed and utilized by Him in different roles and places in different seasons, or even different days. In service to our King, we may be His chalice of the wine of truth and life; or hold lively blooms of love and light at His gates, announcing His beauty, order, and care to all who seek Him; or be a vessel pouring living water on a weary invalid or thirsty seeker; or bear coins, or oil, or tinder for a variety of necessary uses in His kingdom. What He calls me to do today may not be what He intends for tomorrow.

O Lord, may I never forget that I am a pot. Keep me malleable in Your good and sovereign hands. May I be equally willing to do humble tasks as to hold Your light on a stand, to serve as cupbearer to the king as to keep flowers in the garden. You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. (Romans 12:16; Luke 8:16; Isaiah 64:8)

“‘Will you not possess what Chemosh your god gives you to possess? And all that the Lord our God has dispossessed before us, we will possess…I therefore have not sinned against you, and you do me wrong by making war on me. The Lord, the Judge, decide this day between the people of Israel and the people of Ammon.'” Judges 11:24,27

Jephthah, a ‘mighty warrior but son of a prostitute,’ is outcast by his half-brothers until help is needed by the elders of Gilead to fight the Ammonites. He agrees to be their head and exhibits strong leadership by not negotiating with the king of the Ammonites. “Then the Spirit of the Lord was upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh and passed on to Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed on to the Ammonites. And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, ‘If you will give the Ammonites into my hand,  then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the Lord‘s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.’” (Judges 11:29-31) What was he thinking? His rash vow, his bargain with God, while expectantly confident and full of gratitude, was capricious. After the Ammonites were subdued, his daughter, an only child, was the one to walk through the door.

I’ve always reeled at this tragic account, and chastised Jephthah for his foolishness, yet with this story am regretting more than one recent decision I have made. It seems all too easy to have holy resolve and mental sharpness in the morning, and slip into impulsive decisions later in the day that disregard the big picture and ignore consequences. How can thoughtful surrender so readily become thoughtless choice? Thank You, Father, that You do not leave us there.

I saw a starfish on the beach yesterday, one of its legs broken off, but regenerating, and thought how like that creature I am. I cannot always undo, but in Christ my sin can be removed and I can re-do. I can learn and come into a fuller understanding of God’s forgiveness, mercy, and power.

Lord, You rebuild, You renew. You bore not only our bad choices, but our regret and the fallout from them on the cross. Grace, contrition, returning, are all of You. When Your Spirit brings righteous regret, see it through in me to genuine repentance and full return to You. Keep sway over all of me. (Mark 10:26-27; Jeremiah 24:6; Acts 15:16)