Week of 10/6/19 - Pages 125 - 138

Abigail’s actions.

Many years ago, I had the good pleasure of viewing Michelangelo’s famous “David” sculpture, housed in the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence, Italy. This renaissance rendering of David, sparsely clad for his battle with Goliath, is remarkable. His appearance is perfect. There is a “presence” to the sculpture – look into the eyes of David and find strength, God-given confidence and determination, and perhaps even humility.  A true masterpiece!

Michelangelo carefully chiseled the honoring aspects of David, omitting any hint of the less flattering character flaws, such as David’s impulsiveness. 

In this week’s reading, we find a jealous and prideful Saul, hunting down David like some sort of felonious fugitive. Rather than fearing Saul, David is a man fearing only God.

Even in the face of consistently caustic counsel from his cronies – “Here’s your chance, kill Saul!” – David deferred to God’s plan and timing. The result? The full and final fall of Saul, and the righteous rise of David!

Although it’s easy to skip to the end – “Long live King David!” – another person in this story deserves special attention. Her name:  Abigail. She was “a sensible and beautiful woman” (1 Samuel 25:3). And she had a crude, mean, selfish fool for a husband named Nabal. 

When Nabal hurled insults toward David, how did David respond? Did he seek God’s counsel? Was he waiting on the Lord?  No! David impulsively set out to kill Nabal and his household.

I can practically hear David’s men cheering for the coming vengeance, with no pause to perceive God’s perspective. Although David has many brilliantly bright days, this particular one is desperately dim until Abigail approaches. Her plea to David is beautiful. And persuasive. Even endearing! And most certainly effective.  The hero of this day is not an avenging David, it is the astute Abigail.  And David knows it!

David replied to Abigail, “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you to meet me today! Thank God for your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murder and from carrying out vengeance with my own hands. – 1 Samuel 25:32-33

Abigail’s actions and advice altered the course of David’s life, and David rightly recognized God as the ultimate source of this eloquent and enchanting intervention.

Personally, even though I know I need help and sound advice every day ,my impulses too often govern my actions. Pause to seek God’s perspective? That just takes too long! My lack of patience stands in stark contrast with God’s indescribable grace and mercy for me. 

As you ponder the story of David and Abigail, personally consider:  What if my impulses were fully replaced by a right reaction – an impulse to urgently seek God first?

Week of 9/29/19 - Pages 111 - 125

When I think of the story of David and Goliath I think of another miracle of God favoring his chosen people.  When I read it again this week, I realized that there are a lot of other things I don't typically think of:

Preparation: David's path of preparation for that anointed confrontation with Goliath.  The bears and  lions David had confronted as a Sheppard to protect his sheep had prepared him for Goliath.  When I look back at some of the accomplishments in my life, I too can examine some of my prior experiences and see how God had used them to prepare me.  

David was not a one hit wonder:  No pun intended!  After David defeated Goliath he moved on to many additional victories as a soldier and leader of military forces.  

Even in success David had relational issues:  He had to deal with Saul's mounting jealousy.  He became David's enemy for the rest of his life.

Several words came to mind and I wrote them in the margins as I read this weeks assignment.

1.  Faith - "The Lord who rescued me from the claws of lions and bears will rescue me from this Philistine!"

2.  Revenge - "Saul urged his servants and his son Jonathan to assassinate David."

3.  Jealousy - as described above

4.  Love - "Both of them (David and Jonathan) were in tears as they embraced each other and said goodbye."

5.  Consequences - Samuel said to Saul "because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king".

6.  Admission and Excuses - Saul admitted to Samuel, "Yes, I have sinned, I have disobeyed your instructions and the Lord's command" and followed with an excuse "for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded"

There were a lot of lessons and takeaways for me, and they jumped write off the page at me.

Week of 9/22/19 - Pages 100 - 111

Saul had it all.  He was handsome, the most handsome man in all of Israel.  He was tall, a full head taller than anyone else in Israel.  He was God’s chosen one, anointed by Samuel to be the first king of Israel.  Yes, Saul had it all until he lost it all.

Saul started out very well.  After being anointed by Samuel, God gave Saul a new heart.  The Spirit of God came upon him and he began to prophesy.  When it was publicly revealed that he was God’s chosen king for Israel, he was found hiding amongst the baggage.  Perhaps the significance of the moment overwhelmed him, humbled him.  Then his first act as king was to lead Israel in a great military victory over Ammonites, saving the Israelite town Jabesh-gilead from the violent oppression of king Nahash.  When the people shouted for him to take revenge on his doubters within Israel, Saul responded with forgiveness.  “No one will be executed today, for today the Lord has rescued Israel!”  Yes, Saul started out very well, but then something changed.

Saul ruled Israel for 42 years.  Somewhere along the way that old enemy pride must have crawled into his heart.  Perhaps he started thinking it was his leadership, his skill, his strength, his charisma that was leading Israel to all these great victories.  Maybe he started thinking that God chose him because he had the right stuff.  Whatever it was, it came to fruition in Gigal.  Samuel didn’t show up when he said he would.  No problem thought Saul - I can sacrifice to the Lord, I can do what is preserved only for God’s priests, I can please God, I can manipulate God for his help, I’ve got the right stuff.  So Saul demanded the offerings, disobeyed God’s commands revealed will through Samuel, and then everything changed.

Isn’t this the same old problem that started in the garden?  Our hearts are wicked and deceitful.  When things are going well, my heart says “I don’t need God, I’m strong, I’m happy.”  And that leads to disobedience, sin and consequences.  Although Saul’s kingship continues for 42 years and he was victorious over Israel’s enemies, the die was cast.  His kingdom would end.  The Lord had already appointed a new king, a man after his own heart.

Proverbs 3:5 says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”  This scripture is so counter-cultural.  Modern wisdom tells us to follow our heart, be true to yourself, chase your dreams – but scripture warns us that our hearts are deceitful, and sometimes following your heart can result in dire consequences.

Saul’s story reads like a Greek tragedy, a morality play.  He started out so well, but then something changed in his heart.  This led to foolish decisions, disobedience and ultimately to the end of his kingdom.  My heart is not much different than Saul’s.  It is prone to wander, vulnerable to pride.  Fortunately, the gospel gives us a much better ending than a Greek tragedy. 1 John 1:3 reminds us that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  Hebrews 4:15-16 says we have a high priest (Jesus) who is able to empathize with our weakness, because he was tempted in every way just as we are – yet he didn’t sin.  So we can approach God’s throne of grace with confidence.  This is beyond amazing, and gives me great hope that a sinner like me will receive grace and mercy.  Thanks be to God!

Week of 9/15/19 - Pages 89-101

Dealing With Disappointment

How do you handle disappointment?

When the job offer you thought you were about to receive didn’t come through? Or that promotion you’d been counting on was given to someone else? When you received a doctors report with a diagnosis you weren’t expecting? When you lost the game you’d worked all your career to win? Or maybe it was when someone you said “forever” to, decided they wanted to walk away? How did you respond?

Yeah after year, Hannah was disappointed and ridiculed for her inability to have a child. She was teased by the other ladies and harassed by one bully who had plenty of her own kids.

Hannah knew disappointment. We see it over and over in scripture, that God responds to prayers of the heart. In Hannah’s case, her anguish was so great that the priest thought she was praying drunk and scolded her! But, as she explained her grief, Eli blessed her. Her’s was a prayer that got Gods attention, and He answered with a blessing so great that no one could not fathom.

When we face disappointments, it’s tempting to blame God and grow bitter. Sometimes we feel like giving up and walking away. But it’s in these times of disappointment that we need to remember, God is a loving God who knows what you're going through… and He cares.

It’s interesting to ponder, God who is omniscient already knew what was happening to her. He had an answer in the waiting, but it was Hannah who needed to find dependence on God before He released the blessing. It was in her dependence on Him, that she found her blessing.

Be encouraged this week. Bring your disappointments to the cross and allow God to carry the burden. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30 - “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

What a wonderful promise. What blessings await you at the foot of the cross?