Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
I'm reading through Jeremiah this month and happened to be meditating on this verse this morning. We've heard this verse many times before and we all know it. But how fervently do we really believe it? God doesn't have "dreams" for us to experience joy. He has PLANS. God doesn't have "goals" for us to live fulfilled lives. He has PLANS. God doesn't have "hopes" that our lives will turn out well. He has PLANS. God is not some cosmic well-wisher, His word promises a plan for each of us, individually, with only our best interests in mind. So let us not lose heart when difficulty comes. He knows what's best for us. And faithful submission to Him and His call for our lives will only bring us more joy along the journey.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Monday, January 14, 2008
Victims
I really didn't want to read the story of David and Bathsheba this morning. Of all the stories in the Bible, I think that's the one that's most troubling to me. It's partly the heinous nature of the sin path that David goes down: lust, adultery, deceiving, murder. How could a man after God's own heart do this? It's partly the closeness with which I can associate with David's actions: I know all to well about being up when I shouldn't, looking where I shouldn't, acting in ways I shouldn't act, and doing everything in my power to keep it a secret. Who knows what else I would've been capable of doing had not God kept opportunity for other sins outside my reach. The story sends chills down my spine...or maybe up my spine, whichever is worse...
So as I approached the dreaded story this morning on my path through the life of David, I prayed for God to show me something unique--a different take on the all-too-familiar storyline. As I read, it began to strike me how awful all of this must have been for Bathsheeba. First she gets ogled by a "peeping Dave", then she is summoned to be "had" by the king. I can't help but think that in this culture, she basically had no choice but to do the king's bidding--if so, this is not just adultery, but rape. To make the bad memory last a lifetime, she ends up pregnant as a result of David's "conquest." After this, her husband comes back to the area, but she doesn't get to spend any time with him because his focus is doing his job as a commander in the army. Right or wrong on Uriah's part, it had to be tough on her to have her husband so close yet so far at a time when she really needed him. Soon after this, she learns of her husband's death. To add the final insult to injury, David--the man who caused all of this pain for her--takes her as another one of his many wives. What do I know...maybe this was actually a good thing for her to be taken in by the king. However, I can't help but think it would only cause her more pain to not be able to escape from the man who mistreated her and had her husband killed to cover it up--to now be his legal property.
For once, when I read this passage in II Samuel 11, my mind was not on David and his sin...but on Bathsheba and her suffering. Every sin has it's victims. They may not be as obvious as the victims in this Bible story, but sin always has it's victims. This is definitely something for me to keep in mind when desire comes knocking at the door of my flesh. Am I willing to victimize someone for the sake of my pleasures? For God's glory and for the sake of all the Bathsheba's out there, I hope not.
So as I approached the dreaded story this morning on my path through the life of David, I prayed for God to show me something unique--a different take on the all-too-familiar storyline. As I read, it began to strike me how awful all of this must have been for Bathsheeba. First she gets ogled by a "peeping Dave", then she is summoned to be "had" by the king. I can't help but think that in this culture, she basically had no choice but to do the king's bidding--if so, this is not just adultery, but rape. To make the bad memory last a lifetime, she ends up pregnant as a result of David's "conquest." After this, her husband comes back to the area, but she doesn't get to spend any time with him because his focus is doing his job as a commander in the army. Right or wrong on Uriah's part, it had to be tough on her to have her husband so close yet so far at a time when she really needed him. Soon after this, she learns of her husband's death. To add the final insult to injury, David--the man who caused all of this pain for her--takes her as another one of his many wives. What do I know...maybe this was actually a good thing for her to be taken in by the king. However, I can't help but think it would only cause her more pain to not be able to escape from the man who mistreated her and had her husband killed to cover it up--to now be his legal property.
For once, when I read this passage in II Samuel 11, my mind was not on David and his sin...but on Bathsheba and her suffering. Every sin has it's victims. They may not be as obvious as the victims in this Bible story, but sin always has it's victims. This is definitely something for me to keep in mind when desire comes knocking at the door of my flesh. Am I willing to victimize someone for the sake of my pleasures? For God's glory and for the sake of all the Bathsheba's out there, I hope not.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Who do you worship for?
Sometimes a passage of scripture intersects life in such a way as to create a blog. This morning's reading out of 2 Samuel 6 contained an interesting little spat between David and his wife. It's hard to tell exactly what's going on: was David's wife mad at him, embarrassed by him, jealous of him? Either way, in verse 20, she accuses him of doing something for "the maidens" (OT for hotties), but David's response in verse 21 was "it was [for] the Lord."
I'm not about to jump in and take sides in this domestic dispute, but the words of David really stood out to me as profound. They came back in my mind as I worshipped tonight at Frontline. In spite of being an introvert with a slim to quite slim dating resume, I still like the maidens. I have a constantly updated "list" of girls in my mind that I am interested in--even if it's a complete stranger or someone who is totally out of my league. This can often be a distraction as my "girldar" is tracking who is where or picking up a target in close proximity at Frontline. So it's in this setting that David's words came back to me... "it was [for] the Lord."
Is my worship for the Lord? Or is it for the girl two rows over? My focus when I'm at church--whether it's worshiping or listening or fellowshiping--needs to be for the Lord. If I can make David's words my internal motto, the distracting maidens won't keep me from worshipping Him fully, listening intently, or fellowshiping genuinely. Thanks for the good word, David!
P.S. I'm pretty sure "fellowshiping" is not a word, but it fits so nice!
I'm not about to jump in and take sides in this domestic dispute, but the words of David really stood out to me as profound. They came back in my mind as I worshipped tonight at Frontline. In spite of being an introvert with a slim to quite slim dating resume, I still like the maidens. I have a constantly updated "list" of girls in my mind that I am interested in--even if it's a complete stranger or someone who is totally out of my league. This can often be a distraction as my "girldar" is tracking who is where or picking up a target in close proximity at Frontline. So it's in this setting that David's words came back to me... "it was [for] the Lord."
Is my worship for the Lord? Or is it for the girl two rows over? My focus when I'm at church--whether it's worshiping or listening or fellowshiping--needs to be for the Lord. If I can make David's words my internal motto, the distracting maidens won't keep me from worshipping Him fully, listening intently, or fellowshiping genuinely. Thanks for the good word, David!
P.S. I'm pretty sure "fellowshiping" is not a word, but it fits so nice!
Can I praise Him in the storm?
Providentially, I stumbled upon Psalm 57 yesterday. I was just looking for a quick Psalm to read before bed, but it turns out that it's a Psalm David wrote while hiding from Saul in a cave. Having just read through this passage in my trek through I Samuel (chapters 23 and 24), it meant so much more to me. I had a better sense of what a desperate time this was for David. He was deep in the midst of running for his life from his own king and father-in-law, Saul.
The first 6 verses of this Psalm illustrate the danger that David was in as he hid Osama-like in a cave with Saul and his men in hot pursuit. Yet, in the midst of this danger and uncertainty here was this amazing Psalm of praise in v. 7-11:
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.
Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise You, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of You among the peoples.
For great is Your love, reaching to the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be over all the earth.
I was really struck by the fact that David was able to praise God in the midst of such a distressing time. It reminded me of the Casting Crowns song, Praise You in This Storm (http://www.myspace.com/castingcrowns), and it made me wonder how well I do that.
My storms are minor compared to David's, yet praise is often the farthest thing from my mind in the midst of a bad day. Maybe if that were different--maybe if my instinctive reaction to problems was praise--my experience in the midst of life's storms would be different. Maybe then I wouldn't wallow in self-pity and unhappiness, but focus on His will and be content no matter how fierce the weather.
The first 6 verses of this Psalm illustrate the danger that David was in as he hid Osama-like in a cave with Saul and his men in hot pursuit. Yet, in the midst of this danger and uncertainty here was this amazing Psalm of praise in v. 7-11:
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.
Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise You, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of You among the peoples.
For great is Your love, reaching to the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be over all the earth.
I was really struck by the fact that David was able to praise God in the midst of such a distressing time. It reminded me of the Casting Crowns song, Praise You in This Storm (http://www.myspace.com/castingcrowns), and it made me wonder how well I do that.
My storms are minor compared to David's, yet praise is often the farthest thing from my mind in the midst of a bad day. Maybe if that were different--maybe if my instinctive reaction to problems was praise--my experience in the midst of life's storms would be different. Maybe then I wouldn't wallow in self-pity and unhappiness, but focus on His will and be content no matter how fierce the weather.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
JC the HP=FOREVA'!
Hebrews 7:23 -end of chapter:
There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office. But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.
He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins. The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever.
For me this was a refreshing look at Jesus, atleast the High Priest part of him! It's comforting to visualize him in heaven literally interceding for me. What a High Priest! Psalms 110 speaks of God's oath about Jesus eternal High Priesthood. Praise him for his great love!
There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office. But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.
He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins. The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever.
For me this was a refreshing look at Jesus, atleast the High Priest part of him! It's comforting to visualize him in heaven literally interceding for me. What a High Priest! Psalms 110 speaks of God's oath about Jesus eternal High Priesthood. Praise him for his great love!
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
New Year's Day meets Groundhog Day
I love New Year's Day: sleeping in late, college football all day long...wait, that sounds like pretty much every Saturday in the fall... I guess the real reason that I love New Year's Day is the fresh start: new calendar, new tax year, new resolutions, etc. Now that I'm out of school, my year no longer revolves around a semester calendar. January 1st is the starting point of my internal calendar--a clean slate. It's a fresh feeling that I wish I could take enjoy every day of the year.
When it comes to the spiritual part of my life--the most important part--it is possible to experience the fresh feeling of a clean slate every day. My sins and failures don't begin to pile up on January 1st and finally get erased the following December 31st. No, every day--every moment--I can experience the fresh start of a new spiritual year thanks to God's forgiveness. Because every day is January 1st in Christ, there's no need for clever spiritual resolutions at the start of a new calendar year. The only resolution I need is to live every day in the light of newness that God so graciously provides.
Lamentations 3:22-24
Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
When it comes to the spiritual part of my life--the most important part--it is possible to experience the fresh feeling of a clean slate every day. My sins and failures don't begin to pile up on January 1st and finally get erased the following December 31st. No, every day--every moment--I can experience the fresh start of a new spiritual year thanks to God's forgiveness. Because every day is January 1st in Christ, there's no need for clever spiritual resolutions at the start of a new calendar year. The only resolution I need is to live every day in the light of newness that God so graciously provides.
Lamentations 3:22-24
Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
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