Month: April 2018

Who will tell me?

Re:Verse reading— 1 Samuel 20:1-17, 30-42 (day one)

“Then David said to Jonathan, ‘Who will tell me if your father answers harshly?’ ”  v 10

When you need information, to whom do you turn?  Google?  The Weather Channel?  Your Mom?  Recently, I’ve seen a new pattern.  “Facebook friends, does anyone know a good _____ that you can recommend?”

When David needed insider information, the only person He could turn to was his friend, Jonathan.  (Was the King’s rage a function of his mental/spiritual instability?  Was it something David have done?  Was he charged with a crime? ) Only Jonathan could learn the truth and only Jonathan would risk communicating with a wanted man.

Jesus is our Jonathan.  Our Friend.  Our Messenger from Heaven. The One Person who will communicate with us the truth about the King’s attitude toward us.

“No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.”–John 1:18

TRUTH

Re:Verse reading–1 Samuel 18:1-16, 19:1-10 (day seven)

Then Saul became very angry, for this saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on. 1 Samuel 18:8-9

Why did Saul look at David with suspicion?  Nothing had changed in their relationship, but now there were singing ladies who foreshadowed a future Saul didn’t like.  Saul began to realize David was treated like a king by both the people and God.  Saul saw the truth, and it was ugly.  The future was David’s to assume by the power of God, and instead of accepting what lay ahead Saul decided to fight.  He would fight David, he would fight God, and he would fight Truth.

Fighting the truth of God was Saul’s big mistake.  It’s understandable though that Saul pushed back.  We do the same.  Whenever the truth of God’s Word infringes on our perceived rights or our deep wants or cultural values we do whatever it takes to squelch the truth. Like Saul, the longer we challenge the truth the more chaotic our heart gets, and we will only find peace when we realize submitting to God’s truth is the greatest act of our lives even when we have to lose something dear to our hearts.

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”  John 8:31-32

Trouble

Re:Verse reading–1 Samuel 18:1-16, 19:1-10 (day six)

Reading about David’s struggles reminds me of something Jesus told his disciples: “In this world you will have trouble. But have no fear; I have overcome the world.”

David, had to really wonder if he really was chosen by God to be the next king! Why did everything have to be so hard? Why were there enemies on all sides? I’m sure he faced some serious doubts. But here is the truth, the righteous will always face adversity, sometimes it is more than we can bear, but it is never more than what Jesus can bear!

Ease is not a sign of God’s favor; we should not expect it when we seek the purposes of God. Furthermore, we don’t do things because they are easy; we do them because Jesus has asked us to, because His reward far outweighs the short-lived promises of others, and because he has promised to walk with us every step of the way!

Identity

Re:Verse reading–1 Samuel 18:1-16, 19:1-10 (day five)

One of the biggest tasks of adolescence is the formation of identity.  Parents, grandparents, peers, and the church all can play a role in this process.  The danger is that if identity is formed apart from a biblical worldview, the individual can be unhealthy both emotionally and relationally.  Sound like anyone in this week’s Re:Verse?  Saul’s identity has been formed by his strong desire to have the approval of men over the approval of God.  See 1 Samuel 18: 8-9.  Actually, the issue is not just with teenagers. It can be an adult problem too. Let me offer a few perspectives that should daily shape the identities of teens and adults who are believers:

God is all brilliant and all powerful and thus all He does is right and good.

The way God designed me perfectly fits His plans and purposes for me.

I have the mind of Christ.

I am strong in Christ.

I am not alone.

By God’s grace, I am royalty and will reign with Him some day.

Promises Kept

Re:Verse reading–1 Samuel 18:1-16, 19:1-10 (day four)

It seems that Saul always had a spear in his hand…three times he tried to pin David to the wall with it.  David escaped each time.  It is not that Saul was just no good with a spear…he was a warrior and well-trained in the weapons of war.  God was protecting David.  He had promised David he would be king…David had been anointed by God’s servant Samuel.  God always keeps His Word!

God always keeps His promises with us, too.  When He tells us that if we, in faith, confess His Son, we will be forgiven of our sin and saved from death for eternity, we can trust Him to keep His promise.  This promise alone is so big, it is almost beyond our comprehension.  But there is more!  God has given us promises throughout His Scripture.  Search the Scriptures…find His promises…believe Him!  Even when the spears are flying, God will fulfill His Word!

Third

Re:Verse reading–1 Samuel 18:1-16, 19:1-7 (day three) 

David eluded him twice.

Yeah, David wasn’t going to stick around for a third chance to duck.  Two spears into the mentoring program, Saul’s orders opened up an opportunity to get out of there, and David was off to the front.  There would be no third spear.  Saul had squandered yet another season of God’s generosity.  Even in the sad decline of Saul’s reign, the goodness of God allowed Saul the dignity of teaching a young and capable apprentice, an opportunity that shined a redemptive beacon in the twilight of his kingship.  A chastened man would have recognized that redemptive possibility.  A chastened man would have cautioned David to take a different path than he had taken.  A chastened man would have provided the king-to-be with hard-won wisdom.  Saul was not that man.  Are you?

Ten Thousands

Re:Verse reading–1 Samuel 18:1-16, 19:1-7 (day two) 

Then Saul became very angry, for this saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” 18:8

How can we expect our children or those in our care to flourish and grow if we refuse to let them succeed? Saul had done nothing to bring down Goliath, so why should he have expected any sort of acclaim for the act? We who are driven, type-a people spend most of our time getting ahead. At some point we have to stop and ask what are we getting ahead of? There ought to be some point at which we bring someone alongside to nurture, build up, and encourage to succeed. Our hope should be that they even outshine us. Insecurity is ugly for people in leadership. It never ends well. If you find yourself trapped in that cycle pray for God’s wisdom to lead you to a healthier understanding of success.

Friends and enemies

Re:Verse reading–1 Samuel 18:1-16, 19:1-7

“Jonathan loved him as his own soul.”–18:1.

“Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.”–18:12

The believer will always be a lightning rod.  Walk with Christ and people will feel threatened or intimidated by the implied lesson of your life.  Their reaction will not be pretty. Cain hated Abel.  The brothers hated Joseph.  Saul feared David and tried to kill him.  Long and sad reality in this dark world.

The sweet consolation is that you will also have friends.  True and loyal.  Strong and supportive.  As David walked with God, Jonathan became his forever ally.  Their souls were “knotted together” says the scripture.  A friendship stronger than the forces seeking to break them apart.

If I am to serve Christ, I must make my peace with this reality.  I will have enemies and critics and opponents.  I will also have friends.  God will see to it.

Flat on Your Face

Re:Verse reading–1 Samuel 17:1-11, 26-32, 38-51  (day seven) 

The particulars are mentioned, but it really didn’t matter. It didn’t matter that Goliath was 9 feet tall or that he wore 126 lbs. of armor or that he yelled really loudly. Those things impressed Israel, but they didn’t matter in this battle.  The only fact that mattered to the outcome of the battle was the mocking. Six times in this passage Goliath taunts or defies God.

Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted.  (1 Samuel 17:45)

Defiance always leads to destruction.  When you refuse to acknowledge God as the author of the universe by leaning on your own strength and understanding you will fall.  There is no other way.  You cannot sustain yourself, especially with a pride like Goliath. Whenever we think we finally have the battles of this world figured out on our own we will fall flat on our faces.

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.  (Proverbs 16:18)

Not So Small

“Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness?”-Eliab to David, 1 Samuel 17:28

Eliab, David’s older brother, with his ego bruised, tried to make David feel small and insignificant. There is much irony here, not least of which, David would be king over his brother in several years. He would go from shepherd, to instrumentalist, to warrior, to commander, to king.

Also, although David was smaller because of his age, and his day job less significant, his faith made him great. He found it impossible that the Israelite army had not already responded to this giant’s taunts. For David, there was no question as to what needed to be done quite simply because he believed God, and so he took action when others would not.

Let me encourage you today in three ways. First, be reminded, greatness is never determined by the external appearance of things, but by the caliber of one’s heart, i.e faith, love,  character, courage, integrity. Second, faith, no matter how small, is never idle, it takes action when others will not. Third, be careful what you say to others (or about), they could be the next king, or in our case, the son or daughter of THE KING.