Changes

I know a thing or two about changes because we’ve been moving. I’ve been at it for a week, at least!  It’s not for the faint of heart—or body. 

Yesterday, in a children’s sermon, a pastor told the kids that everything changes…everything but God. I’m in the middle of a big change. We’ve been in the ministry for 47 years and on staff of a church for 42 years. Yesterday, was the first time in a very long time that we were a part of a congregation in a church instead of a part of leadership. I know it will take time for us to find our way. We’ve moved in with my mom. It will help her but it also helps us. We’ve moved to a new town (although it’s the house and town in which I grew up). We’ll have to adjust to a new income. So many changes!!

As the pastor told the kids that “God never changes,” it hit me—this is the reason we try to hold on to doing things the same old way. We want to be our own god. We don’t want to walk in faith—trusting God to meet all our needs. We want to desperately cling to what we know and to what is comfortable. 

But God.  God never changes so we have a one, true constant and stability. When we cling to him instead of our comfort, we are taken on a great adventure!  We’re not supposed to cling to the world or our comfort. We’re supposed to live for God’s kingdom and His righteousness—keeping our focus on He who never changes. When we do, He’s promised to supply all our needs.  How can we lose?

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” Malachi 3:6

The Despiser

Don’t you always put yourself in the role of the good guy when you read the stories in the Bible?  Me, too.  But recently, God told me to take a closer look. I knew it meant, “Pay attention, Becky. Let’s get honest!”

I read I Chronicles 15. David had learned his lesson after Uzza had been killed when he reached to steady the ark of the covenant as they were transporting it to Jerusalem on a cart. God doesn’t tolerate us doing the right thing the wrong way. This time, David did it the right way. Priests put poles through the gold rings on the ark and carried it on their shoulders as God had originally instructed. 

Michal, David’s wife, didn’t participate in the loud and extravagant singing and dancing as the ark processed into Jerusalem. Oh no. She was watching and despising David in her heart. Why was a king making a fool of himself by leaping and dancing with complete abandonment in front of God and everyone?

Have you ever looked at others as they praised and worshipped, led, prayed, celebrated, loved extravagantly, taught (or any number of things)—and despised them?  I have, I’m ashamed to admit. God hates that sin and won’t tolerate it. 

What does God desire? It’s in this same story. He wants us, as priests, to carry the ark TOGETHER! It’s the same today as it was then—the ark is the presence of the living God. If we’re fully focused on carrying the presence of God with others, there’s no room for despising. Our focus is completely on God and ushering in his presence—a life-giving and life-altering habitation of God himself.  

If you despise someone in your heart, it’s a pretty good indication of where the fault lies. Get alone with God. Confess that sin. And then pick up the pole of the ark, fix your eyes on Jesus, and work with others to usher in his presence!

Don’t be like Michal. God punished her with childlessness. He didn’t want her attitude perpetuated.  

God’s Promise to King David

Why is every king of Israel compared to David? 

As I’ve been reading through I & II Kings, it’s hit me that there has to be a reason. Why did God single David out?  Why did he continue to bless Jerusalem because of David? Even as Hezekiah reigned (a good king like David), God rescued Jerusalem when Hezekiah cried out to Him. God said, “I will defend this city, to save it for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.” Why did God defend it for David’s sake?

1. God keeps His promises forever. 

2. David obeyed God and was a man after His own heart.  

What was God’s promise?  I Kings 11:32-36. 

“However, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his (Solomon’s) hand; but I will make him ruler all the days of his life for David My servant’s sake, whom I chose because he kept My commandments and My statutes. But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand and give it to you, ten tribes. Yet to his son I will give one tribe, that David My servant may always have a light before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put My Name.”

God kept his promise. Jerusalem is still God’s city. And David is still God’s man—Jesus Christ came from the lineage of David.  

God will keep His promise to you, too.  

The High Places

“They feared the Lord, yet served their own gods—according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away.”  II Kings 17:33. 

I’ve been reading about all of the kings in the Old Testament. It’s a good lesson in understanding why God didn’t want Israel to have a man as king—He wanted to be their King!

When each king is mentioned, we’re told that they either removed the high places or if they remained. And each king is compared to David—the king after God’s own heart.  Most of them let the high places remain. 

What are the high places?  It was man’s solution to worship. They worshipped idols on these high places. They even sacrificed their children there.  

As I read this verse this morning, I had to ask myself, “Do we still have high places?”  I believe we do. We fear the Lord, and yet serve Him our own way—not the way He asked to be obeyed. We add worshiping other things with worshiping God—ourselves and our desires, sports, jobs, family, cars, houses, social media, phones, etc.  And in the process of worshiping those things, our children are sacrificed.  Our children are left feeling confused, hurt, abandoned, alone, angry,  sacrificed. 

God honored the kings who tore down the high places. We (as prophets, priests, and kings) have a choice, too.  We can fear God and worship other things.  Or we can fear and worship God alone. It’s time to tear down the high places and quit sacrificing our children!

Three Servants

II Kings 5 tells the story of Naaman, a commander of the army of Syria who was great and honorable. He also had leprosy which was a death sentence in those days. Throughout his story, we see a picture of three different servants.

First Servant

A young girl was taken hostage in a raid on Israel by Syria—a raid probably led by Naaman. This young girl was chosen out of all of the hostages to be a servant to Naaman’s wife. We’re not told her age or how long she’d been held captive. But she knew her master had leprosy and told his wife that she wished Naaman could see the prophet in Israel—he could heal him! We never hear of her again—but Naaman uses her information to go to Israel for healing. 

Second Servant(s)

These were Syrian soldiers under the command of Naaman. They went with him to Israel and were with him when he went to the prophet, Elisha. Elisha didn’t come out to see Naaman but sent a messenger to tell him to go dip in the Jordan seven times to be healed. Naaman became highly offended that Elisha didn’t personally come and talk to him. He then became angry and refused to go to the Jordan—but his servants convinced him to go by reasoning that he would do something much harder if Elisha had asked him. He dipped in the Jordan seven times and was healed.  We never hear of these servants again. 

Third Servant

We’re given this servant’s name—Gehazi, the servant of the prophet, Elisha. Naaman had offered gifts to Elisha for healing him, but Elisha refused them. Gehazi saw an opportunity. He chased Naaman and told him Elisha needed garments and silver for two sons of prophets—when he really only hoped to profit himself. Elisha confronted him upon his return and cursed him and his descendants with leprosy. 

You’d think the servant closest to the prophet of God would be the most honorable. But he wasn’t. We have three different servants:

1. Believing servant in unbelieving country

2. Unbelieving servants in unbelieving country

3. Believing servant in believing country. 

And yet it was the first two who served God which led to the  healing of Naaman. They received their reward just by seeing their master healed. 

It doesn’t matter who you are, your age, race, gender, or whom or where you’re serving. It doesn’t matter if you’re a captive servant or a willing servant. You will either serve God or you will serve yourself in any and all circumstances. 

We are all servants. And we all have a choice.

The Silence of Saturday

The Silence of Saturday

by Sandra Langford

Matthew 27:57-66

When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember what that impostor said while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Therefore command the tomb to be made secure until the third day; otherwise his disciples may go and steal him away, and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception would be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can.” So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.

As I've contemplated the Easter season this year, for some reason I keep coming back to think of that Saturday - that in between time when the pain and sorrow of the crucifixion is past but the triumph and exultation of the resurrection is still unknown.

Most of us have seen performances that portray the crucifixion and have heard the noises.  The sounds of those screaming "Crucify Him!" as well as those grieving as they witness Christ's death, the harshness of a hammer pounding the nails into his hands and feet, and Christ proclaiming "It is finished.".   We've heard the sounds of Sunday depicted- the exclamation of the angel telling Mary Magdalene and the other Mary "He is not here, for he has risen!", we can imagine the joy in their voices as they rush to tell the disciples the good news and the footsteps as John and Peter rush to see the empty tomb.

But Saturday.  Oh, Saturday!  The time of confusion, fear, and doubt.  The time when Christ seemingly was absent.  When Christ was SILENT.  The followers of Christ had heard so much from Jesus as they followed Him, times when they were so very aware of Christ's presence.  But now, nothing.

John 19:38-39 tells us that both Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus took Jesus' body, wrapped it in linen and laid Him in the tomb.  The stone was rolled into place, and then they "went away" (Matt. 27:60).  Did you notice where Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were?  I had never noticed this before:  They were waiting at the tomb.    Maybe that is what faith looks like.   It was a time for those two to "Be still and KNOW".  I think for them it was a time of waiting and trusting.  Saturday is a hard day.  We desperately want to escape the doubt and the grief and jump straight to the joy and excitement of victory.  However, Jesus used this time of silence to do His best work.  He used His death to conquer death and to bring us life.  He faced the pain and grief to bring us joy and to set us free.

I don't think it is any coincidence that these two women had the honor of being the first to hear the good news of  Christ's resurrection.  May we, in times of silence and waiting, be still  and with hope, prayer and trust remember that the LORD who loves us so deeply is quietly at work behind the scenes bringing about miracles beyond our imagination!

Where Would Your Story Fit in the Bible?

If the Bible were being written today, where would your story fit? Would you be King David, a man after God’s own heart? He was a man focused on hearing, obeying, and pleasing God. He was also a man of brokenness and repentance when he sinned. Or would you be his son, Solomon? He was a man who began well but ended poorly. He’s proof that wisdom isn’t enough—it must be coupled with obedience. 

David was a shepherd who became king. 

Saul was a prince who became king. 

David worshipped and praised God. 

Saul worshipped God…until he began worshiping the gods of his wives. 

David fought his enemies. 

Saul entertained kings and queens. 

It was in David’s heart to build a temple for God. 

Saul fulfilled what was in David’s heart. 

David surpassed men in humility. 

Saul surpassed men in wisdom. 

Both men were great. But only one’s house has endured forever. David’s. He finished well—loving, obeying, and honoring the King of kings. 

What would the Bible say about you? Are you a man or woman after God’s own heart? Or have you lost your way like Saul? 

Where would your story fit in the Bible?