David has come and gone (Acts 13:36).
The kingdom was transferred to his son. It was an awkward transfer, but in time Solomon was firmly placed on the throne. It was Solomon who was the builder of the temple. That unique place where God chose to dwell. A house really.
How valuable and how focal was the sanctuary / the house of God. Such a primary object in Israel. The place where God dwelt. The central place of worship for the entire nation. So should God's residence be in my heart. A well kept place, a great place, a beautiful place, a pre-eminent place.
I Kings 6:29 tells me of some of the carvings that were found in the house. His house. "He carved all the walls of the house round about with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees and open flowers, inner and outer sanctuaries. . . "
Verses 32 and 35 repeat these carvings.
Open flowers. Open flowers. This caught my eye. They were open. Life, beauty, nothing hidden. The flower had arrived at its created purpose. It had reached its full display. Much as a flower opens to the sun as it courses the sky, so is the heart that dwells in the shadow of the Almighty. In God's presence, there is fullness of joy. In God's presence, I find a fully open life. In God's presence, people finally explode with all of the richness and purpose of life.
Time to bloom!
Monday, March 29, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Make Me A Servant
The Judges with all of their instruction for us are fading from view. The final four chapters of Judges showed how low people can go when they simply do what is right in their own eyes. Painful. Ruth followed and what a breath of fresh air her story was.
1 Samuel provides the background for how Israel came to have kings. They went from a Theocracy with God as their King, to a monarchy with a man as their king. Their first king was a notably handsome man. He was "choice and handsome, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel." Wow! Sounds like someone who should be on the cover of magazines in our day. "From his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people." (9:2). Sign him up!
If there should be leadership in a man, it would seem to be housed in such a body, no? His name was Saul. As I begin to read of him, the first thing I find is that he is looking for lost donkeys. Further, his dad wants him to take a servant along to go with him to find them. After some time searching, they did not find them. Saul proposed that a return trip was in order to calm dad's anxieties. All in all, there is nothing remarkable about this story. That is what makes this future king's story so alarming. Nothing spoke of noble character, lofty vision, or loving leadership.
But something comes into the story - or someone. In verse 6, it is the servant's turn.
In this city "there is a man of God, " he says. (Oooh, let's find out what God has to say)
Saul replies, "but what shall we bring the man?" (Decisions, decisions, decisions)
The servant pulls out some money from his pocket and says, "I will give it to the man of God." (Personal sacrifice)
"Well said," said Saul.
"Well said" is right. The servant was wiser and crisper about things of life than Saul. He knew what was required and knew what to do to get there. This is a leader. I wonder if dad knew this trouble spot about his son. "Take now with you one of the servants."
The servant has such a small place in the Scripture. But, he helped me see Saul.
King Saul. The king which they had chosen. There he is, Israel. Your king. The king after your heart. Well, he certainly looks like a king! (cf. 1Sam 16:7) What would be the outcome of this king's reign? So many decisions would need to be made. Decisions, decisions.
He had the servant tell him what was right. He did not ask for God when he could not find what he was looking for. He wondered how to pay for advice from the man of God. He watched someone close to him voluntarily offer money on his behalf. He heard the good decision. He finally concluded, "well said, let's go."
Make me a servant, today.
1 Samuel provides the background for how Israel came to have kings. They went from a Theocracy with God as their King, to a monarchy with a man as their king. Their first king was a notably handsome man. He was "choice and handsome, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel." Wow! Sounds like someone who should be on the cover of magazines in our day. "From his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people." (9:2). Sign him up!
If there should be leadership in a man, it would seem to be housed in such a body, no? His name was Saul. As I begin to read of him, the first thing I find is that he is looking for lost donkeys. Further, his dad wants him to take a servant along to go with him to find them. After some time searching, they did not find them. Saul proposed that a return trip was in order to calm dad's anxieties. All in all, there is nothing remarkable about this story. That is what makes this future king's story so alarming. Nothing spoke of noble character, lofty vision, or loving leadership.
But something comes into the story - or someone. In verse 6, it is the servant's turn.
In this city "there is a man of God, " he says. (Oooh, let's find out what God has to say)
Saul replies, "but what shall we bring the man?" (Decisions, decisions, decisions)
The servant pulls out some money from his pocket and says, "I will give it to the man of God." (Personal sacrifice)
"Well said," said Saul.
"Well said" is right. The servant was wiser and crisper about things of life than Saul. He knew what was required and knew what to do to get there. This is a leader. I wonder if dad knew this trouble spot about his son. "Take now with you one of the servants."
The servant has such a small place in the Scripture. But, he helped me see Saul.
King Saul. The king which they had chosen. There he is, Israel. Your king. The king after your heart. Well, he certainly looks like a king! (cf. 1Sam 16:7) What would be the outcome of this king's reign? So many decisions would need to be made. Decisions, decisions.
He had the servant tell him what was right. He did not ask for God when he could not find what he was looking for. He wondered how to pay for advice from the man of God. He watched someone close to him voluntarily offer money on his behalf. He heard the good decision. He finally concluded, "well said, let's go."
Make me a servant, today.
Monday, March 1, 2010
A Real Relation
Joshua led the people after Moses' death. Though it was Moses who spoke with God face to face, Joshua still spoke with God. Leadership must speak with God. They must be speaking with Him and He must be speaking with them.
This is the golden era of Israel's history. There were failures, but they are notably dwarfed by the success God gave Israel in its conquest of the promised land of Canaan. Joshua had just come off the miraculous success of conquering Jericho toward the beginning of the conquest. Unknown to him, an Israelite named Achan had grabbed some of the expensive loot during the battle - something forbidden by God. As a result, God would not fight for Israel until the sin had been dealt with. So, when Israel went to do battle with Ai, they lost.
Joshua's reaction is so interesting to me. Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening . . . "Alas, O Lord God, why did You ever bring this people over the Jordan, only to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been willing to dwell beyond the Jordan. . ." (Josh 7:6-9) Was Joshua not the leader of Israel? He had such a long history with God. Yet, why did he fall apart? Why so despairing?
I remember similar things in Moses (Num 11:11-15) when he said to God, "why have You been so hard on Your servant?" Further Ex 33:12-16 shows the frustration Moses had with God. "See, you say to me, 'Bring up this people!' But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. . ."
We see similar things of David in the Psalms.
We see a similar note even in Jesus who cried out to His Father, "why have You forsaken Me?"
Why such falling apart among such godliness?
Maybe the better question would be why is there not more falling apart before God. Each of these had such intimacy with God, an obvious relationship with the God of the universe. When that fellowship went awry, each one cried out with vigor and passion - even if sometimes misdirected - to their Relation. So real was their connection to Him. So willing to direct whatever was in their hearts to Him. God does not want verbal dainties. He wants my heart.
So strong were they.
(Thank you, Lord)
This is the golden era of Israel's history. There were failures, but they are notably dwarfed by the success God gave Israel in its conquest of the promised land of Canaan. Joshua had just come off the miraculous success of conquering Jericho toward the beginning of the conquest. Unknown to him, an Israelite named Achan had grabbed some of the expensive loot during the battle - something forbidden by God. As a result, God would not fight for Israel until the sin had been dealt with. So, when Israel went to do battle with Ai, they lost.
Joshua's reaction is so interesting to me. Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening . . . "Alas, O Lord God, why did You ever bring this people over the Jordan, only to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been willing to dwell beyond the Jordan. . ." (Josh 7:6-9) Was Joshua not the leader of Israel? He had such a long history with God. Yet, why did he fall apart? Why so despairing?
I remember similar things in Moses (Num 11:11-15) when he said to God, "why have You been so hard on Your servant?" Further Ex 33:12-16 shows the frustration Moses had with God. "See, you say to me, 'Bring up this people!' But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. . ."
We see similar things of David in the Psalms.
We see a similar note even in Jesus who cried out to His Father, "why have You forsaken Me?"
Why such falling apart among such godliness?
Maybe the better question would be why is there not more falling apart before God. Each of these had such intimacy with God, an obvious relationship with the God of the universe. When that fellowship went awry, each one cried out with vigor and passion - even if sometimes misdirected - to their Relation. So real was their connection to Him. So willing to direct whatever was in their hearts to Him. God does not want verbal dainties. He wants my heart.
So strong were they.
(Thank you, Lord)
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