Psalm 74

Psalm 74 begins with an assessment of the circumstances that surround God's people. From their physical perspective all is lost. In the first 11 verses there is no hope of survival let alone victory in the face of such oppression. Then comes verse 12. It is a statement of faith that sets up a contrast with what is being witnessed. Faith does not dismiss the awful reality, but rather declares what will sustain the believer in the midst of such hopelessness. In verses 12 through 17 the writer recalls, by faith, all the acts that God has done in the past. How he has repeatedly acted in opposition to the victors of the world. Over the last 6 verses the psalms prays for God to remember his nature and act on behalf of the people of faith.
Will I allow my faith to sustain me is such trials? I am thankful for that faith.
Stuart

1 Samuel 31 - 2 Samuel 1

The last chapter of 1 Samuel and first chapter of 2 Samuel tell the same story from two perspectives. The narration of 1 Samuel 31 provides the historical record of King Saul's final act of rejection of God. He is not willing to seek God's protection in his final battle. He seeks to end his life rather than trust God. In 2 Samuel an Amalekite recounts his encounter with Saul. He assessed the situation. The King was wounded and would not recover. The humiliation the King faced would be too awful. So this Amalekite chose to honor Israel's fallen king rather than Israel's God. He euthanasized Saul. But what he intended as a way to honor and earthly king David understood to be an affront to God. There is never room to take God's place and intentionally become an instrument of death. The Amalekite had many choices; flee and protect himself, stand and defend Saul, attempt to transport the king to a shelter, or comply with the King's selfish intent. He chose the path that he defined as honorable. It rejected God's standards of the value life.
Stuart

Proverbs 28

Verse 14 speaks volumes to me. When I encounter repeated offenses, toward me or toward others, I am tempted to throw up my hands and say; "I don't care." But this proverbs rebukes that demand of the flesh. Hardening my heart does not produce healing or harmony. It leads to more evil. My response to sin, either originating in me or being visited on me, should be the same; to reject the actions of sin and pursue the actions of God's righteous. I can't accomplish that on my own. Only God's Spirit working in me will produce such actions.
Stuart

1 Samuel 20-22

Jonathan and Michal, the son and daughter of King Saul, shared a love for David son of Jesse. They both expressed their devotion with a covenant; Jonathan in friendship and Michal in marriage. Both of them sought to protect David from king Saul’s jealous wrath. Michal urged him to escape and put an idol in his bed to delay the guard’s discovery of the ruse (1 Samuel 19:11-14). Jonathan directed David into hiding (1 Samuel 20:19) while he sought out his father’s plans. Each child was confronted by their father in his anger, and their response to his threats to them, or Saul’s accusations against David, were completely different. When Saul confronted Michal she changed her story. For whatever reason she didn’t tell how she had urged David to flee but instead put words of threats into David’s mouth (19:17). Jonathan was also confronted with violent words from his father (20:30-31). Jonathan would not budge on his covenant with David (20:32). His faithfulness nearly cost him his life, but God spared him (20:33). In response to his father’s violence outbreak Jonathan abandoned the feast and fasted in his sorrow (20:34). He would not live to see the day with David reigned as king, but he lived in hope of the covenant between the two men.

The contrast of these two children also show a difference in their faith. Jonathan trusted in God’s provisions. He sought nothing for himself. He was willing to relinquish any claim to the throne so that God’s anointed would reign. Michal, however, sought the protection and favor of her father, no matter how irrational his reasons and actions and despised her covenant with David. We later learn the Michal abandoned her marriage covenant by marrying another man, Paltiel, who was surely in her father’s favor (2 Samuel 3:14-16). Michal’s youthful loving attitude corroded to where she despised the sight of David worshiping without restraint (2 Samuel 6:16). She rebuffed his homecoming with a sarcastic retort to his blessing (6:20). The last we are told of Michal is that she was barren the rest of her life (6:23). Her physical life was a reflection of her faithfulness to her covenant with David. Though she saw her brother’s hope fulfilled she rejected any part in the glory of David’s rule.

 

Stuart

 

1 Samuel 16-18

In 1 Samuel 17:55-58 we see how king Saul responds to David’s victory over Goliath. The king’s only concern appears to be with the boy’s skills as a warrior. He wanted to know the name of the father he was going to that his son had “enlisted” in the army of Israel. But prince Jonathan saw something different in David. In the first few verses of chapter 18 Jonathan is befriending David and putting royal robe on the boy. It seems that Jonathan has found another warrior who trusts in the God of Israel to provide the victories. The same faith that Jonathan has shown before (1 Sam 14:4-14). Jonathan also must have seen the humility in David. In 18:23 David speaks of his humble position and aspires to nothing. What better friend and comrade could a prince have then a warrior who did not seek to overthrow his king?

 

Stuart

 

1 Samuel 16-19

In 1 Samuel 16:13 the old prophet anoints David as king over Israel. His father and seven brothers were witnesses to this event. I can’t help be see a repeat of some aspects of Joseph’s story in the scene. Jesse’s words are not benevolent toward his youngest son. It’s not clear if the issue was his size, age, or even his attitude.  Maybe the young shepherd had told stories of his killing a lion and bear single handedly. How would such a story been received by his father and brothers? They must have been skeptical of his claims to such courage, cunning, and strength in such a small frame. We also see in that verse that the Holy Spirit of God came upon David. I wonder what changed in David’s life? Is this when he began to write songs? Is this when his prayer life blossomed? Was it the Spirit’s indwelling that filled him with courage and faith? Or was the Holy Spirit’s work merely to enhance the faith that David already possessed in abundance?

 

Stuart

 

Proverbs 27

These saying focus a lot on the fool and the sluggard. The focus I need to keep in mind as I read this passages is not what comes to mind first. I am tempted to assign names of others to each of the traits I read here. To dwell on such things is the unmentioned actions of a fool. I need to be open to the Holy Spirit's prompting to see in which of these ways I am being tempted to follow. The words I read are to examine my life for evidence that I have not only surrendered to the lies of the flesh but am living comfortably within those lies. It would take the conviction of God for me to see if I am living as a fool or sluggard.
Stuart

1 Samuel 1-2

How many faces did Eli see over the course of each festival? Three times a years the people would come. They would rush through the tabernacle; their sacrifices in tow. Most of them seeking his presence. They wanted the hands that sprinkled the blood on the mercy seat to rest with theirs upon the head of the lamb, or kid, or calf. Everyone knew he was the high priest. But there was no way Eli could remember every face or the name that went with it.
But when he noticed one set of parents walking toward him something rang familiar. The husband led the bull for the sacrifice and the wife followed with a healthy young boy. The length of his hair told him  that the child was set apart for service to the LORD.
But did the names of Elkana and Hannah makes any sense to him?
Stuart

1 Samuel 3-6

What happens when God's people cry out for mercy? God intervenes. What happens when those who are not God's people cry out for mercy? That is the situation of the Philistines in 1 Samuel 5:12. After seven months they figure out that the God of Israel was afflicting them because of their irreverent action with the ark of his covenant. The Philistine's received no help from their idols so it seems that they began to cry out to Israel's God for help. How did God respond? He gave their leaders a plan to return the ark to the covenant people. The really great news is that God shows it take very little faith in him for him to demonstrate his power ina big way. The saddest part of this story is that the Philistines missed an opportunity to know God more. When the cattle took the ark back to Israel they could have sought God out. They could have continued to pray to the one who was greater than their idols. But they didn't. In 1 Samuel 6:16 we see that the Philistine leaders watched the reunion between God people and the symbol of his covenant with them. The leaders didn't linger and wonder. They turned and went home. Their "comfortable" gods were back in control, and life could go back to normal. What a sad commentary on human nature.
Stuart

Proverbs 24

I can't recall a kiss that I did not enjoy. Even the unexpected ones I received as a youngster from older relatives were welcomed in reflection. Their is a trust and closeness communicated by a kiss. There is also a vulnerability. It is a very appropriate comparison that the writer notes in Proverbs 24:26. An honest answer is desired of a trusting, close, and vulnerable question. I have not always given a "kiss" for an answer, but that is my desire.
Stuart

Ephesians 4-6

In Ephesians 4:16 Paul makes a statement regarding each believer’s contribution to the church: “As each one does its part, the body grows in love.” (NET) The growth in love comes not because of individual acts of obedience to God; I give money, you teach children, someone else takes food to a sick person. That can be seen as competition. The growth in love is realized when we work together in our acts of obedience to God in efforts to build up the body of Christ.

 

Stuart

 

Ruth

It was a beautiful spring day; a very good day to be harvesting grain. Ruth came to a field not too far from her new home. She set down her water skin and began to gather the standing stalks of grain that had been left on the edge of the field. She eventually had an armful and set the bundle down by her water skin and took a drink. The sun was drifting higher into the sky warming the day. She was so thankful that the reapers had left so much grain by the field’s edge. She looked out on the harvesters swinging their scythes and singing strange songs about the God who’s love was never ending and who sent the bounty of the harvest. It was the same name Naomi had spoken of so often. There was a cheer and gladness in the air. After another swig of water Ruth returned to her work of gathering grain.

She had just resuming gathering stalks, after dropping off another bundle and taking another sip of water, when she noticed someone walking toward her across the field; it was a man finely dressed. This was not one of the workers. He must be the owner of the field. Her heart sank, and a lump of sorrow formed in her throat and stomach. She wiped the sweat from her brown and squinted against the sun to make out the mood of his face. It looked like a smile from the distance and the midday sun she couldn’t be sure. Ruth hurried back to the standing grain. She reasoned to herself that though he might expel her from his field surely he would allow her to keep the grain she had gathered or scold her for resting under the shade of the harvester’s tent. Perhaps he would past her, urgent on to attend to business in another field. She looked up again as saw him drawing closer. There was indeed a smile. And he was looking where he walked; directly at her.

Ruth bowed her back and returned her gaze to the grain. She quickened her pace of grabbing stalks. Just a few more and her arm would be full with the next bundle. That might provide a week’s worth of bread if they were careful. As she grabbed another handful of barley she heard the crunch of stubble under the sole of a walker. A few more stalked and out of the corner of her eye she saw the sandals drawing near. As she reached out her hand again the man spoke; “Listen carefully, my dear.” The words were sweet and cheerful, but the paused caused her heart to sink. She let loose of the unpicked stalks and looked up to the man. The dust of the morning clung to her sweat dampened face as she raised her eye, but not her back, to the owner.

He was very well dressed. The graying hair on his head and in his beard revealed that many years had passed in his life. His eyes were dark and surrounded by the skins of years in the sun. But the creases that defined his eyes told the story of laughter and hope. Ruth’s heart began to beat faster as she waited for the rebuke. “Do not leave to gather grain in another field. You need to go beyond the limits of this field. You may go along beside my female workers. Take note of the field where the men are harvesting and follow behind with the female workers. I will tell the men to leave you alone. When you are thirsty, you may go to the water jars and drink some of the water the servants draw.”

Tears welled up as she fell to her knees. The God of Naomi has not only filled the heart of her mother-in-law with mercy but even this strange man was a reflection of grace.

 

At least that how I picture it might have happened.

 

Stuart

 

Proverbs 20

In verse 15 of Proverbs 20 we find this truth:
"There is gold, and an abundance of rubies, but a words of knowledge are like a precious jewel."
We have heard that the pen is mightier than the sword. Here God is telling us that the truth is a greater treasure than a world of wealth. If we really take that to heart how should that change our perspective of the Bible?
Stuart

Proverbs 18

In Proverbs 18:14 we read: "A person's spirit sustains him through sickness- but who can bear a crushed spirit?" The truth of this is most evident in the times of great struggles. I have spoken with many Christians as they deal with the death of a loved one. They have wondered how anyone could deal with such a great loss without Jesus to lift their spirits. If our spirit is crush how can we bear the load. A spirit of hope will carry us through enormous trials.
Stuart

Romans 1-3

The last verse of Romans 3 asks a familiar question; "Do we then nullify the Law through faith?" The question sounds strikingly similar to Jesus' statement in Matt 5:17; "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets." In both cases the Messiah and his apostle answer in unison - Faith establishes the Law, it does not destroy it. The foundation of truth is presented most clearly in the Law. Under the Law the faithful obeyed and offered their own sacrifices. Jesus' ministry was to neither do away with the revelation of the Law or replace it with a new Law. In Jesus the Law finds its completion.  This opens the way for God's grace to flow upon believers. Under grace the faithful obey and adopt Jesus' sacrifice as their own.
Stuart