Conformity

2 Kings 2:16 ESV

“And they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. It may be that the Spirit of the LORD has caught him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.”

Elisha has just experienced a life changing event. He watched as God caught Elijah up in a chariot of fire. Swooping down, separating him from Elijah, and then taking Elijah to heaven. To be present when this event transpired could be nothing but the most fearful, awe inspiring, event of his life. The mantle of Elijah then fell to him. Having known what would transpire he refused to leave his masters side. Until eventually God simply took Elijah and left his cloak for Elisha. Then the text continues and shows us how God would now work through Elisha in a similar way to Elijah by having him preform the same miraculous crossing of the Jordan as Elijah had.

Then we reach the other side and the prophets of Jericho were aware of what had happened. They new that God was going to take Elijah (2:5) and they watched Elisha return and noted that the same spirit rested on him. Then we come to verse 16 were they want to go look for Elijah. Listening to this should make your skin crawl a little. Here are “the prophets” men charged with delivering God’s messages to the people, men who we are never told bad of, they are not called “false” prophets, and God had already given the spiritual insight to know Elijah would be taken. Yet they do not know God.

Yes, they know of him and yes, they are good men, but their perception of God is completely shadowed, colored, and clouded by the false beliefs of their society, so that they have no real understanding of who God is. To believe that God was so faithless as to chose to take someone to heaven and then simply through the body on the ground is beyond simple misjudgment of God. This is letting all the tales of the Baals and other God’s of the region distort their vision of even the God revealed in the Pentateuch! God did not leave the people at the shore of the Red Sea to be destroyed by Pharaoh, He did not leave the to wander alone in the desert, nor did he abandon David’s line!

Yet, their error was such that they persisted to shame Elisha until eventually he allowed them to go look, just in case God was so faithless! “What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?” (Rom. 3:3) These prophets would answer that yes it does nullify God’s faithfulness but praise God “By no means!” (Rom 3:4) is this true! God is faithful despite our faithlessness. He preserves us when we don’t deserve it, and when we can’t preserve ourselves! He has chosen to take us to heaven with him in his time and “neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation” will hinder the good he plans for us!

Yet, also note that this world will try and color your understanding of God. It will try and make you believe that God is too loving to judge, that he would not let bad things happen to good people, or that knowing him means a beautiful view or moving song rather than words written on a page! “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Rom 12:2). If you want transformation it comes through knowing God, and that comes through reading his word!

CORAM DEO

The Work of Prayer

Colossians 4:2

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

It is always interesting to see how often hard work comes into conversation. The joy of seeing and feeling a day’s work be rewarded with a sigh and peace knowing that looking back on what had been done it was good and it looks good. One of the great joys of my life was looking at a yard I had just mowed with a well-trimmed side walk from the vantage point of my porch swing with a fresh glass of sweet tea in my hand. To look and see that all the work was done and it was good. Yes, next week, the grass would grow and need cut again but at this moment the enjoyment of seeing the job well done was reward and gave the motivation to do it again next week.

As we read through the text of scripture it is interesting to note what is commanded about how Christians are to approach prayer. Three things specifically are pointed out by the apostle at this point; steadfastly, watchful, thanksgiving. The first of these, steadfast, brings all the weight of work with it. Other places Christ holds up the parable of the widow and the unrighteous judge, noting that it was her persistence that won the day. Not the validity of her argument, nor her societal place, but simply she kept at it. (Luke 18:1-8) To persist in prayer, day and night, night and day, day after day, year after year, is nothing but work and requires a soul given to the task. Is the end worth the work? That is what steadfastness comes down to. This is the question of all things requiring us to persevere. If it be at a game, at work, or even our marriages. Is it worth it?

Be watchful. Paul commands us to look for opportunities to pray. Look for ways we can bring the power of God into our lives and watch as he opens doors for the GOSPEL to move and the KINGDOM to grow. Our prayers are not to be aligned with our own personal ease (James 4:3) but rather with the spread of the Gospel and the growth of the Kingdom. Are you on the alert for ways God can move in your life to spread the Gospel and grow the Kingdom?

With thanksgiving. To be thankful while I ask for something I have not received. To be thankful for the answer even as I must wait for decades for an answer. To go praise to God as he moves in little ways over the years. When the answer is years away we are called to pray with thanksgiving. That we can pray, that he will answer, that God is good and will work ALL things for his glory and our good!

After days, months, years, and decades of prayer to sit back and look at how God has worked in your prayers gives you the strength to start praying again. To sit on your porch and know that the grass will grow and it will be your privilege to mow it. Let us pray as we are commanded. Recognizing that the business and work of prayer were so important that when the disciples are pulled from it they create the office of deacon, that they might preach and pray. (Acts 6:4) If you believe that revival must come recognize that it has never come without prayer and the right preaching of God’s word. Let us pray with steadfastness, watchfulness, and thanks giving.

CRUCE, DUM SPIRO, FIDO

Sovereign Responsibility

Philippians 2:12-13

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Reading through the text it is easy to glance over things that are incredibly important. Sitting in a quiet room reading through the daily reading for the day it is easy for the cadence of the text to slowly push us into a stupor, as if we have blinders on only looking for the section break so we can call our Christian duty done for the day. Or to allow the child, spouse, dog, or random sound outside to propel our thoughts off the text into daydream as our eyes read and our minds play. The prize goes to him who is able to remain focused on the text. To him who is able to do the work. This text is one of those places that are easily overlooked and yet tell us a great deal about God and what he requires of us, and what we should expect from ourselves.

Paul begins this section with the affirmation of past faithfulness. Recognizing that the church in Philippi has always shown itself faithful to his instruction and example. He then tells challenges them to “work out your won salvation with fear and trembling”. What a great challenge! He is telling us that we have a special role and responsibility to put forth effort that we might grow in godliness. Yet he doesn’t stop there, he continues telling us that it is God who works in us for his pleasure.

Did you catch that? Paul just told the Philippians it was their job to work out their salvation, but then said it was God’s doing. Which is it? Is it my job or God’s? Am I responsible for my growth in Christ or is God responsible for it? To swing negative, am I at fault for a lack of growth, or did God simply not let me grow?

Parenting is a challenge. Sometimes I tell my children to do things that they refuse to believe they can do. Yesterday I had the joy of taking my children to Fort Larned. All of them wanted to climb on a restored wagon. As they began climbing in one of my sons refused to believe he was capable of accomplishing the task. He had watched those bigger and smaller than himself navigate the different routes to the driver’s seat but was persistent that he was unable. Through some coaching, guidance and encouragement at varying decibel levels, the task was eventually accomplished. It is unfair to say my son did the work, but he did, at the same time I did work as well and am responsible for the final outcome, but to say it was my work would also be a falsehood. It was my son’s work and perseverance with “fear and trembling” that accomplished the task, but it was also my work through my son that accomplished the goal for my “good pleasure” of watching all my children enjoy playing and pretending.

Yes, I could have simply lifted my son up and put him into the wagon, that was his desire, but I chose not to touch him and that is for his blessing. I could have walked away and done nothing but my desire was to watch him enjoy the day, not simply teach lessons. Our work is like that, we long to draw out truth and revelations of God from the text, but we need the Spirit to coach us and reveal it to us. He wants us to find them.  This is why we pray, that God would guide us in righteousness, and that our work might allow us to dwell in pleasure as we attain the goals set for our pleasure and his!

Coram Deo

Down to Business

1 Kings 2:45 ESV

But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD forever.

King Solomon the simple name brings visions of opulence and wealth. Gold walls and an ivory throne with Gold inlay. The opulence and grandeur of Solomon and his court is one of mythic proportions. He begins his kingdom by ridding it of his father’s past failures. This is the last of the checklist that David had given him to fulfill. Shimei had cursed the LORD’s anointed and deserved to die, he had been given reprieve but had failed to keep his parole and forfeited his life. Notice however what Solomon points to, he points to the establishing of David’s throne forever!

This he does after completing the list he received from David. Joab was to be killed for his murder of the commanders of the army, and Shimei was to also be punished for his cursing of David on the day he was run out of Jerusalem. Solomon looks and sees that he had done all David had asked of him and thought the promise was his! The charge of David and the promise of God was much more than a simple check list thought! David’s charge comes earlier in the chapter. In verses two through nine is the entirety of the charge but Solomon disregards the first three verses and focuses on the “real” part of the list. You know the part that involves less touchy feely and more “real” work.

He takes the pragmatic approach and focuses all of his efforts on the securing of his kingdom in man centered realities and foolishly ignores the true reality of his kingdom. It was not to be established by the works of man’s hands, or alliances with foreign nations (1 Kings 3:1) it was to be established and made firm by obedience and devotion to God. Later he continues his pragmatic approach to establishing God’s Kingdom through alliances with more foreign nations, selling portions of the promised land (he needed craftsman and wood for the temple), he becomes an arms dealer to finance his kingdom, after all you need money to do God’s work don’t you?!

It is easy to look back with the 20/20 vision afforded to us and criticize past generations, but our churches are full of this reasoning. As bigger and better are needed to draw large crowds, churches fall further into the hole of pragmatic church growth, thinking that preaching, proclaiming, and sharing, God’s word won’t be enough. Billboard space needs purchased, radio advertisements, mass mailings (regular mail), church preschools… all these things are not evil, but when you are pursuing God’s kingdom with the means of this world rather than the means he has given for the purpose you are building a house of straw. Solomon’s Kingdom crumbled immediately after he left the throne, and the only reason it took that long was David’s faithfulness had sustained it for a generation past himself.

For all the Facebook shares of a beautiful picture with a scripture quote do to make me feel better. Know that God has ordained a means for the Kingdom to grow. It is your mouth. He has commanded his people to speak the truth of the Gospel (Man’s Condemnation and God’s righteous gift) and to go to the ends of the earth to share it! Will you trust God that faithfully following him, in study, prayer, worship, and sharing, is enough to Grow his kingdom?

CORAM DEO

Hope in Darkness

2 Samuel 14:30

Then he said to his servants, “See, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the field of fire.

As I look at the news and the Facebook feeds of many of my acquaintances (friend seems to close) I am saddened by the persistent childishness that is rampant in those not children. One individual noted that Facebook has simply brought the angst of high school behavior back to be relived by adults. Producing a generation unable to mature past the petty behaviors of youth. Then, as I am reading through David’s reign, I come across more insight into the nature of David’s rebellious son Absalom.

He was a beautiful man. Noble and regal. Thick black hair that flowed down his shoulders. God had given him a smooth voice that was easy to listen to and understanding eyes to perceive the hearts of others. These he used to advance himself. Always worried about himself, when he was unable to have children, he erected a monument to himself that he would not be forgotten. He takes vengeance on his brother for the rape of his sister. Having him murdered by his servants as everyone was eating and enjoying a meal. He fleas his father for fear of retaliation but in love his father brings him home. In pride he refuses to go to his father and waits for his father to call him. When this doesn’t happen, he decides that the commander of the armies of Israel would be the best messenger boy and tries to have him deliver a message. Joab sees the boy inside the man and refuses to be called and ordered around by him. Yet, the persistence of the boy continues.

This is where we enter the story. Absalom’s childish rage has him through a tantrum to get the attention of Joab and force Joab to deliver a message for him. This works and Absalom continues in his childishness until he leads the rebellion against his father and is then killed by Joab’s spear. The warning for absente fathers, adolescents refusing to mature, and wealthy boys with no fear of justice is apt for our current society as all of these are running amuck. Young men escaping justice on grounds of affluenza, middle aged men spending their time with video games and internet sites, and the majority of children raised outside of the home from their biological father. Nothing is new under the sun though.

This is not a new problem for humanity. Absalom shows us that such problems have always existed and persisted in the wake of God’s blessing of ease (Prov 30:9). Yet, the hope of Israel was not its ability to raise upstanding men. Nor was their hope in the next generation of nobleman or aristocrat. The hope of Israel was through the promise given to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:15, later narrowing and given to Abraham, and then given to David. The hope of Israel was Christ, the seed of the woman, the seed that would bless the whole world, and the offspring of David whose throne would be established forever. The hope of Israel was God’s promise of Christ. Absalom was a judgment on David for his sin. Such are the Absaloms we meet with today, but do not fear or lose heart, our hope is the same as Israel, Christ risen and coming again. As sad is the day is, our hope is Christ, and as such it can not be taken from us.  

As Awana starts, take the warning of Absalom to heart, if we don’t discipline the next generation to walk in his ways our days will be bitter, but that is only one side of this lesson. Our hope is in Christ and this hope is not overcome by inept parents or grandparents or spoiled children. Let us live in this hope and pass this hope on to the next generation that they might have hope in dark days.

CRUCE, DUM SPIRO, FIDO