pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Monthly Archives: July 2015


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Integrity

The story of King David and Uriah the Hittite is quite a contrast in terms of their integrity.  David’s infidelity has led to a pregnancy so he brings home the husband to sleep with the wife to cover it up.  After talking with him about the battle, David sends Uriah to clean up and to go home for a good night’s rest.

But Uriah does not go home.  Instead he sleeps on the front steps of the palace on his mat.  David questions him and Uriah says how could he go home to sleep with his wife when his fellow soldiers are on the battle field?  So David decides to get Uriah drunk and then to send him home to sleep with Bathsheba.  But out of loyalty to and respect for his fellow soldiers, Uriah again sleeps on the palace steps.  After weeks away at war, after sleeping on the hard ground, Uriah does not go home to his wife.  Talk about integrity and commitment!  So David sends him back to battle with instructions to the general to allow or arrange for Uriah to die in battle.

David knew at the start that sleeping with Bathsheba was wrong.  But he did it anyway.  One lie grew into another which eventually grew into a murder plot and a murder.  Even though David saw Uriah’s integrity it did not kick start his own.  He allows the lies to grow and his integrity to continue to erode.  Once a lie gains traction, it is hard to stop.

All of this happened in spite of David’s knowledge that God already knew.  In this we are the same.  As soon as we sin, God already knows.  At that point we have a choice.  Do we stop, confess and repent, and seek forgiveness?  Or do we look the other way and continue in our sin?  We know the right choice.  God’s forgiveness is a gift.  All we need to do is claim it.  May we show Uriah’s integrity when we can and admit our sins when we cannot.  God loves us equally either way.

Scripture reference: 2 Samuel 11: 6-15


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Good Choices, Good Practices

When one ascends to the top of the heap, when one attains a certain position of power, then temptation to abuse that power can be great.  The desire for more and the lure of greed often drive the poor choices that people in authority make.  From politicians to star athletes to celebrities to CEOs of companies, the list of offenders is long.  As is the list of victims.

David was like one of these men.  Powerful leader chosen by God Himself to lead Israel.  Victory in all he does, adored by the people.  So as the army heads off to war, David chooses to stay home.  Mistake 1.  As he strolls the roof of the palace he sees a beautiful woman bathing.  Instead of turning away, he allows his eyes to linger.  Mistake 2.  He sends for her.  #3!  It all goes downhill from there and David falls from grace.

None of us is in a position of power quite like David.  Yet none of us is immune because power is a relative thing.  There is usually someone else one rung down on the ladder.  The choice is to remain true to our faith and to be righteous in all we do begins early on in the thought process.  Those first few thoughts is often where the choice is really made.  It does not take too many poor choices to find oneself in a bad spot.

Good choices are rooted in good practices.  By reading His word daily, by confessing our sins daily, by drawing near in regular worship, by being in an accountability group – all are ways we gain strength to make the right choice.  And we must also remember, a poor first choice does not have to lead to a poor second choice.  Temptation is real, but so is the voice of the Holy Spirit.  Listen to the Holy Spirit.  Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you.

Scripture reference: 2 Samuel 11: 1-5


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The Anys

Jesus always seemed to be at home.  He felt as comfortable with the sinners as with the religious leaders.  He was as at home in the synagogue as He was in the house of a tax collector.  He had no place to truly call home, but Jesus always seemed to find a place of rest each night.

Jesus felt comfortable anywhere, anyplace, and with anyone because His first mode of interaction was always love.  No matter what the scenario or crowd or experience, live was always Jesus’ first choice.  Sometimes there was a bit of an edge to the love, but it was always followed closely by compassion, mercy, grace, forgiveness, and more love.

Because of the total access Jesus provided and because of the way in which all were received and treated, any and all came to Him.  It seems as if Jesus was always in demand, always in the middle of the action, always being sought out.  Imagine if our churches were placed like this.  What would it take?

For the church to be a place like this, we would need to be full of people like Jesus.  We would need to accept all comers with love, mercy, compassion, grace, forgiveness, and, of course, with more love.  We would need to be willing to enter into both the ugliness and beauty of life to walk with others in and through all life brings.  But wouldn’t it be a beautiful place?

Scripture reference: Mark 6: 30-34 & 53-56


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Rest

There are times we get run down and tired.  Life can just seem to consume us and suddenly we find ourselves with very little left in the tank.  As the disciples returned to Jesus after being sent out two by two, they were excited by all they had done but Jesus could see they were exhausted too.  His desire was to find them rest.  So they load up the boat and head out.

But a buzz moves on ahead of them and by the time they land ashore, a large crowd has gathered.  And it is not a welcoming committee.  It is a crowd full of people with needs.  The Bible tells us Jesus saw them as “lost sheep” and that He takes compassion on them.  Jesus steps out of the boat and begins to teach and to heal many people.

I can imagine that Jesus saw the crowd flowing to where they were headed to land.  So I can surmise that He made the decision not to change course and to go away from the gathering crowd.  Jesus knew or felt He was up to the task ahead so He chose to engage the crowd and to minster to their needs.

At times we too must make that assessment.  As we see a potential need coming our way we to must assess if we have enough left in the tank to meet that need.  We must remember that at times even Jesus stepped away for solitude and refreshment.  A time of Sabbath is essential to being able to minister effectively.  When we are dry and empty, we have nothing left to pour out into others.  We must care for ourselves so that we can offer our best to the care of those in need.

Mark 6: 30-34 and 52-56


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Expanding the Covenant

Long ago God made a covenant with the people of Israel to be their God.  As humanity spread and covered the earth, we can assume that most people did not have a close connection to the God we identify with.  Many people came to worship a creator god as one of many gods they worshiped.  This situation continues today.  Christianity is widespread but remains definitely in the minority.  In fact, in many of the developed countries which were founded on Christian principles, we now live in the ‘post-Christian’ era.

Long ago God identified Israel, of all the Peoples of the earth, as His people.  They were set apart as the chosen people of God.  From the vast and varied tribes of people, God chose Israel and entered into a covenant relationship with them.  It was and is a small, select group of people who follow the Torah and worship the one true God.

Over time though, the Israelites came to focus more on the letter of the Law and its interpretation.  Life became more about the 613 laws rather than loving God and neighbor.  God saw the need to refocus faith on loving God and loving neighbor, so He sent His Son, Jesus, to establish a new covenant.  Jesus lived out the two great commands to love God and love neighbor with every fiber of His being.  He was setting an example for us to follow.  In the end, Jesus gave His body and blood as a means to defeat the power of sin and death and to offer us salvation and eternal life.

God also sent Jesus to expand the original covenant beyond the small nation of Israel into the whole world.  Through the work of Jesus, the apostles, and many Christians that have followed, Christianity has spread to many places throughout the world.  As followers of Jesus Christ, it is our continuing call to do the same – to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth and into the corners of our neighborhoods and churches.

Scripture reference: Ephesians 2: 11-22


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The Story for All

Paul reminds the Ephesians of life before Christ.  He reminds them how they used to be strangers or aliens, of how they were excluded, and of how they were not good enough to be a part of the family of God.  He does this to elevate their joy over Christ’s reconciling work on the cross.  Through the cross Christ broke down all barriers and gave all access to God.

At times people still feel excluded from God.  At times the things I do create space between God and I.  My sin creates separation.  But through His blood I find grace and mercy and reconciliation.  Then I am restored to the family of God.  I regret where I was but rejoice over finding my place again in the family of God.

This story Paul tells the Ephesians (and us) is a story many need to hear today.  Lots of people think they are not good enough, not worthy enough.  Some think their stains are too dark to ever be washed clean.  Others keep a distance because they fear they will fail because the demons they wrestle with are strong and usually win.  The story for all of these and more is the same story for us.

For all of us, this is a journey. It does not matter where you start, it only matters that you start.  For all of us, we will stumble.  This does not matter either because Christ is always there, extending a hand and welcoming us back through His blood.  Christ calls us all.  As followers we have heard the Word.  It is our call to share this good news with the least and the lost so that all can make their claim in the family of God.

Scripture reference: Ephesians 2: 11-22


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Extend His Love

God offers a covenant to David that is not contingent upon what David or his descendants do.  God promises His faithfulness and love to David and his descendants no matter what they do.  This is an extravagant promise.  God acknowledges that if the sons sin, there will be consequences.  In doing so God recognizes that the human side of the relationship or covenant will at times fail.  But God will remain steadfast.

Human relationships are dynamic and often fluid.  People we were once friends with are no longer close to us.  Others will come to occupy our time and interest for a season.  Some friendships last a lifetime.  Even in marriage, where forever is our intent starting out, some of these relationships come to an end.  Human relationships are affected by so many things; change is often the norm.  And as we are humans, at times we fail.  This can be fatal to some of our relationships.

Through Jesus we are connected into the covenant God made with David and his descendants.  As sons and daughters of Jesus Christ, we too are heirs to this steadfast and unchanging love that God offers.  Our claim to the love of God begins the covenant relationship between God and each of us.  At some point we recognize that love and choose to enter into a relationship with God the creator.

Even though at times we too will fail in this relationship, His love will never fail.  God’s love never fails.  As we come to know this unfailing love more and more, we too begin to share this love with others.  We extend His love.  This is our grateful response to God’s love.  Love generously today.

Scripture reference: Psalm 89: 20-37


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In God’s Presence

God is really big.  He is the creator of all that is in the world.  God continues to create new life, new experiences, and new discoveries.  God has a hand on and in all life, in nature, and in the physical world.  In spite of how vast God and His reach are, at times we think we can control or dictate to God.  We cannot.

Perhaps it is because God allows us to have free will that we feel this authority and power.  Perhaps it is because God placed humankind as stewards over all creation that we feel in charge.  Perhaps it is because God enabled us with the ability to reason and make decisions that we feel we should.  Yet it is through a relationship with God that we should exercise our free will, our stewardship, and our decision-making.  It is within this relationship with God that we were intended to live.

Despite the omnipotence and omnipresence of God, at times we pretend He is not there.  We ignore a temptation or give in to sin or we compartmentalize an area of our life and live as if God did  not exist.  But God is not just in our churches, He is everywhere.  He is a constant presence in our lives and in our world.

It is natural for us to acknowledge and live within God’s presence all of the time.  A close relationship is what God most desires from each of us.  Just as we are intimately known, God wants us to grow to know Him intimately as well.  When our efforts focus on His presence in our lives and in the world, we live a life that is truly blessed.  We see God is so many people, places, and experiences.  We are made to live in step with our creator.  This day may we all choose to walk closely with our God.

Scripture reference: 2 Samuel 7: 1-14a


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Where You Lead

As peace settles in over David and he feels secure, he begins to ponder.  David has returned the ark to Jerusalem and he decides to build a home for God.  God has been ‘living’ in a tent ‘forever’ as far as Israel is concerned and David is in a palace, so building a house for God makes sense.  But not to God.

Through the prophet Nathan, God lets David know.  In a way it is another reality check for David.  It is a “let’s not forget who really is in charge” moment.  Through Nathan, David is reminded who it was that plucked him out of the shepherd’s field and who guided him to be king, leading David every step of the way.

Sometimes I fall into David’s trap too.  On my own I start planning the next great thing for our Youth or begin to write a sermon or whatever.  I don’t always seek God’s guidance through a time of prayer and discernment.  My first instinct is not always to let God lead.  But soon enough I too am reminded.  Soon enough I come to a roadblock or are somehow else stymied and I realize that I am out there alone.  If I could just always start with God and seek His plans and will first, then life would be so much better.

In trusting in God, I give Him control.  In allowing Him to lead, I follow His plan.  In my heart and soul I know He has a plan and that the plan is awesome and amazing and more than I could ever dream up.  Make me humble O Lord, that I may walk each day where You lead and do as Your Spirit directs.

Scripture reference: 2 Samuel 7: 1-14a


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Alignment

David is often called a “man after God’s own heart”.  Although he had his moments of poor choices and bad decisions, in the end David always humbly came back to God seeking His forgiveness.  No matter how mighty or great he would become, David honored God’s call on his life in the end.  David recognized that he was just a small part of God’s plan.

David so desired to return the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem because it symbolized God’s presence with the people of Israel.  To live as a people of faith it is very important to have a sense of God’s presence nearby.  Corporately we gather for worship to gain a sense of God present with us.  Individually we can experience His presence in times of prayer and study as well as at times throughout the day as we feel God through the presence of the Holy Spirit.

David offers extravagant worship to God for allowing the ark to return.  He knew that all is simply better when life is lived in relationship with God and in alignment with His plans.  In this David is a great role model for us.  And like David, we too have a role to play in God’s grand plan for our world.

To live in alignment with this plan we must submit our will, our desires, our plans, our priorities to God’s.  We must align our goals with God’s goals for a world known for justice, love, peace, and grace.  As we live out our lives in alignment with God we bring healing and restoration to our world.  Each and every day as we live as a follower of Jesus Christ, we make a heavenly difference in the world.

Scripture reference: 2 Samuel 6: 12b-15