November 7, 2024

                         Trump Is No David

After removing him (Saul), he raised up David as their king and testified about him, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after my own heart, who will carry out my will.’ – Acts 13:22

The excuses have begun. People who voted for evil are comparing Donald Trump to King David. We all sin. David was certainly no exception. But the difference between the two men can be found in their hearts.

In 2 Samuel 12, the prophet Nathan confronted David over his sin with Bathsheba. David had not only committed adultery, but he had Bathsheba’s husband murdered. The LORD forgave David when he admitted he had sinned against God. 

David paid for his sin. The son Bathsheba conceived died. Nathan also told David that because of his sin, God had decreed that the sword would never leave David’s house. And it didn’t.

But let’s get back to David’s repentance. He accepted responsibility for his sins. Trump merely blames everyone else. He never takes responsibility for anything. Trump is nothing like King David.

Perhaps the important question for those already making excuses for Trump is why they feel the need to do so. He won. Our country has turned away from God and embraced evil.

I believe that God will work through this horrific time and show His Glory. Just as He did after Christians put Hitler into power and made excuses for him. I also know that the days ahead will be horrific. Will God’s people finally rise up against a would-be dictator and put God back on the throne? I don’t know.

Those of you who voted for Trump made a choice that was yours to make. Don’t now try to justify turning from God by throwing out Scripture. There is no justifying what you’ve done.

May 12, 2023

 

Give God Your “Little” “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin…” (Zechariah 4:10, NLT). Today’s devotional is adapted from my new book, Don’t Look Back. (Christine Caine) God works with our little, whatever our little is, and helps us move forward. All throughout the Bible this is the pattern I see. Remember when God commanded Moses to go to Pharaoh and Moses asked, “What if they don’t believe?” What did God say in response? Did He point to Moses’ strengths, skills, and qualifications? No, He asked a question: “What’s that in your hand?” And He used Moses’ rod. Something that was small. Something that was seemingly insignificant. God used that. And He did the same with Rahab’s cord and rope. David’s sling and five smooth stones. The widow’s jar of oil. A cup of cold water. A meal, a piece of clothing, a visit. Even a little boy’s lunch of fish and bread. In each of these instances, God worked through something small to do something big — and in each of these instances, God gave each person an invitation and a choice. An invitation to participate in the purposes of God where He placed them and a choice to offer what they had for all He had in mind. God has chosen you and me for this time. He has called and created us to fulfill His purposes in this generation. When we put our little in the hands of a big God, things happen, don’t they? Not one of us has the ability or capacity to do all that God’s called us to do on our own, but when we give Him our little, when we invite Him into our lives to do what only He can do, He helps us move forward into all the purpose He has planned for us.

December 31, 2018

Leave Regrets Behind

“Forget the former things; do not swell on the past.” – Isaiah 43:18

We like to overthink the past, don’t we? We live with regrets of what we might have done differently or how someone wronged us or betrayed us or how we missed an opportunity that will never come again.

Not one moment of reviewing the past can change anything in the present. All it does is keep us from living in the present and heading toward the future.

There’s one of those Facebook sayings that I love. It goes something like this: Don’t look back. You aren’t headed that way.

How true is that? Constantly looking back keeps us from enjoying today. It roots us in bitterness. It reminds us of what will never be.

Certainly, there are lessons to be learned from mistakes and betrayals. We live today as a result of where we’ve been. We grow stronger, wiser, more compassionate as we live through tough experiences. We understand the depth of what others are willing to do to get their own way and destroy who you are.

We also learn to be strong and to hold tightly to those who remain steadfast in their love and friendship. This world is full of really good people. In our hurt and disappointment, we forget that sometimes.

One of those who disappoint us the most is ourselves. We think of all those things we could have done differently. We lament those things that we meant to do and never did. We beat ourselves up for choices that turned out to be wrong.

There’s no need to condemn yourself for that extra 20 pounds you haven’t yet lost. There’s no need to be critical of yourself for not going after that promotion or for choosing to be a couch potato rather than follow God’s clear path. All regret does is keep you mired in the quicksand of failure. That’s never been God’s plan for you.

King David knew a lot about regret. He’d lusted after a married woman, took her for himself, then had her husband killed when he learned she was pregnant with his child. He paid a high price for that. David and Bathsheba’s child died.

But David learned and moved on. After the Prophet Nathan rebuked the king, David repented. This is the man who had a heart for God. David wanted to do good. He just lost his way and satisfied himself with what wasn’t his. But David learned from the mistake and God gave him another child, Solomon, with Bathsheba.

What have you learned in 2018? Do you have regrets? Take their lessons and leave them behind. Do you have great joy? Learn to multiply that joy and find satisfaction living in the light of Christ.

December 19, 2018

Excuses

Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head.

– 1 Samuel 17:38

He was only a shepherd boy. Sure. He’d been anointed by Samuel but he was still the same boy. He’d come to bring bread and cheese to his brothers, who were on the front lines of the fight against the Philistines.

Except no one wanted to take on Goliath. No one was willing to challenge the giant and almost certainly die. Except for the boy whose trust in God was so great that he believed God would show His glory by allowing him to defeat Goliath.

David’s brothers were angry and believed their little brother was showing out. I suppose it was easier to be offended than to face the reality that their youngest sibling was braver than they were.

King Saul agreed to let David try. This was long before he turned on David and tried to have him killed. Saul offered David his personal armor. His intentions were good but David didn’t need Saul’s armor. He wasn’t accustomed to it and the very items meant to protect David would have hindered him.

How often do we try to add resources to what God has already provided? He’s equipped us for what He has called us to do but we’re still making excuses. We’re certain that we need something more, something better, something that will insure victory. It’s easier to trust in a coat of armor than a God we know but don’t see.

Faith calls us to something greater.

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give all of you into our hands.” – 1 Samuel 17:45-47

David wasn’t arrogant because of his own abilities. He simply knew with deep certainty that God would show up. What would you do if you knew with that deep certainty that God would show up? Why do you doubt?

We’re all good at making excuses for not doing what we know God has called us to do. We want the perfect time. We want all the perfect resources. We want to be in the perfect frame of mind. We want a reason not to try because when we try we reveal the depth of our faith.

Do you believe? Really? Truly? Then what are you waiting for? God has already given you everything you need to do what He has called you to.

July 29, 2018

Forever Friends Remain

After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.

– 1 Samuel 18:1

One of the most beautiful friendships found in the Bible is that between David and Jonathan. It was a friendship that should have been torn apart by power and greed, by an insecure King Saul, and other exterior events and circumstances. But it endured.

We are blessed to have friends that stand with us as time and circumstances change. The sad reality is that most do not.

Perhaps, too, we call people close friends when the reality is that they are only with us for a season of life. It doesn’t mean we don’t care or that they don’t care. It’s just that when what bound us together changes or ends, there’s nothing left but history and nowhere else to go.

Think about the friends you made when you both had children attending the same school, the same classes, the same afterschool activities. When the children grow up, what do you have left in common with those friends? Maybe one child goes away to college while another gets married and has a precious grandchild. Suddenly, people who had so much in common don’t really share anything in common anymore.

Or consider the close friends who have moved away. Very few friendships survive great distance. It’s possible, of course. But the sad reality is that friendships require time and attention. We get so caught up with our daily lives that we can’t sustain the effort a long-distance friendship requires.

Some friendships are only for a season. Perhaps one person was going through a divorce, a season of grief, or a health crisis. When the person finds a new love or regains his health, the friendship changes. The need isn’t there anymore. Some people need to be needed and when that changes, so does the friendship.

And then there are those friends who are there for life. They don’t need to fix you or change you. They quickly defend you, support your decisions, laugh at your bad jokes. They’re the people who will drop everything and rush to help you. You’d do the same for them. And they’re people who don’t need to monopolize your time, or you theirs, for the friendship to remain solid and strong.

The Bible tells us we need such friends in our lives. The course is rocky and some days just leave us battered and bruised. We need people to sustain us. And we need people to laugh with us. We need people for celebration and joy just as much as we need people with a box of Kleenex and wise advice.

God has blessed me with wonderful people in my life. I hope you are blessed as well. True friendship is a treasure to be valued as the greatest of gifts.

And if seasons change and other friendships end, let them go. Don’t cling to what will never be again. Simply cherish the friends who remain.

May 28, 2018

Remember the Cost

“I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me.”

– 2 Samuel 1:26a

David and Jonathan were like brothers. They had remained loyal to one another despite Saul’s attempts on David’s life. They had remained friends even though God had anointed David to be the next king, rather than Jonathan who was King Saul’s son. Only death could truly separate the friends.

War has always taken its devastating toll. That was the case here. Both King Saul and his son Jonathan were killed in battle. It was a very real cost of war but that didn’t ease the broken hearts of those left behind.

Today is Memorial Day. It isn’t a day to barbecue with friends, hang out at the beach or laze around with a good book. Not that there’s anything wrong with any of that. It’s just that it misses the point.

This is the day we remember those who gave their lives for our freedom. It’s the day we remember those who never came home. We honor them and the families who were left with a gaping hole in their hearts. It is a somber day of remembrance.

In recent years some have tried to turn this day into a celebration of all veterans and those in active military service. That was never what was intended. I am grateful to those veterans and to those who are currently serving our country in the Armed Forces. But I truly hope and pray that their families won’t ever need to remember them on this day.

There are plenty of days to remember those who live. There is Veterans Day. There is Independence Day. There are lots of accolades and times to say “Thank You!” Today is for those who aren’t here with us anymore. Today is for those who died too soon.

The Vietnam Memorial stands as a stark reminder, the names etched in stone. Do you know someone whose name is on that monument? Yeah. Me too. It changes things, doesn’t it? Because none of those hero stories can ever replace the one who didn’t come home.

God understands our grief. He sees our tears. He stands with us as we remember, as we mourn, as we take those first steps alone. God knows how shattered hearts feel. Remember, He gave His Son so that we could live.

The cemetery just down the road will have a ceremony today. Flags will dot graves throughout the cemetery. One will rest beside my cousin, a young man who never had the chance to grow old. This day was special to his Dad, who was also a serviceman. It was the one day out of the year that everyone remembered what he had lost.

I don’t know what your plans are today, but I sure hope you take time to remember the cost of living in a free country. Please say a prayer for those who still grieve because, no matter what you may have been told, there’s no time limit on grief. Honor what they’ve lost by remembering what this day is all about.

April 13, 2016

True Friendship Is Priceless

Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.’” Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town. -- 1 Samuel 20:42

Friendship. It’s more valuable than any amount of jewels. It means more than any amount of money. It carries you through the tough times and brings laughter during the good times.

I just got off the phone with a dear friend I rarely see. I haven’t spoken to her in months and yet we talked for more than a hour. It wasn’t idle chit chat. We can share our hearts, picking up where we left off no matter how long it’s been.

It’s just like that with some people. They matter to you and you matter to them. Maybe your lives aren’t the same anymore but your hearts are. That’s where the real connection lives.

David and Jonathan loved each other as brothers. They shouldn’t have. At least that’s the conclusion if you look at their friendship from the outside looking in. David was God’s chosen one, the man who would be king. Jonathan was the king’s son and next in line to the throne.

You would expect a power struggle. You would expect a jealous fight. You would expect them to betray each other in their battle to be king. Never happened. They were friends until the end and, even then, David brought Jonathan’s son to his own table and treated him as family.

True friendship is like that. You take care of one another. Distance comes and goes but you still take care of each other.

Another dear friend recently lost her mother. I haven’t seen her in a while. Our lives are filled with care giving and work and all the details of a busy life. And, yet, I would drop everything to rush to her side if she needed me. She would do the same. We’ve been friends since we were small children. Those are pretty strong bonds.

Everyone needs people in their lives they can count on. For some fortunate people, family fills that role. For others, friends become the family everyone needs. A few fortunate folks have both. I hope you have people you can count on. If you don’t, ask God to help you find friends that are dependable and true. They are priceless.

April 12, 2016

A Time To Move On

The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” -- 1 Samuel 16:1

How long does it take you to get over something? It’s not a trick question. Everyone is different. But sometimes we can get so caught up in the past, that we can’t let it go and move on.

I’ve always admired people who are able to shake the past off and move on. I’m a clinger until I’m done and then, well, I’m done. For good. What about you?

The prophet Samuel was mourning Saul. The king had gone against God’s instructions so God decided that Saul no longer would rule the Israelites. God is God. When He decides something, that’s it.

Samuel had a harder time moving on. God gave him some time and then pushed him forward. God had things for Samuel to do, like go anoint David as the new king.

There is a time to mourn. There is a time to move on. A sweet friend went through a devastating divorce last year. She struggled mightily. Then she met someone and now she’s remarried. Happy. She has moved on. Will it work out? I don’t know. No one does. But she wanted to move forward and she did. I admire that.

Some people want to dwell on a past they can’t change. They want to rehash it again and again, as though somehow they’ll come up with explanations or a way to change it all. Life doesn’t work that way. We can’t go back. We can’t rewrite the past.

Saul betrayed God. Saul decided he knew better than God and it didn’t work out so well for him. There was no going back. There was no undoing what he’d already done. God moved on and that was that.

Why did God choose David, a ruddy faced boy, to be the next king? Think about it. David was a man after God’s own heart. David’s heart was right. Was he perfect? Obviously not. But David loved God and that, along with confession and repentance, make up for a lot of things.

What are you holding on to? Let it go. Give it to God and then let it go. Sometimes the hardest thing in the world is to move on. And sometimes that’s the best thing you can do.

April 11, 2016

Sin Reveals Itself

David burned with anger against the man. “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives,” he said to Nathan, “the man who did this certainly deserves to die! 6 And he must pay back four times the price of the lamb because he did this and had no pity.”

7 “You are the man!” Nathan told David. -- 2 Samuel 12:5-7a

The prophet Nathan was wise. He didn’t confront King David directly. Instead he told a story about a poor man and his little lamb. It was heart wrenching how the rich man stole the poor man’s little lamb.

David was furious and vowed to punish the man -- until Nathan told David he was the man. David had stolen another man’s wife. He had sinned against the Lord.

It’s funny how clearly we can see the sin in another’s life and how blind we are to the same sin in our own lives. There’s a belief that the sins we see so clearly in others are the very sins we are trying to deny in our own lives. There’s a lot of truth in that.

Don’t you just hate it when others try to fix you? We’ve probably all been on the receiving end of that. It doesn’t feel good, does it?

To be fair, we’ve also all probably tried to fix someone else at some point as well. It didn’t work, did it? We can’t fix anyone, anymore than they can fix us. If we even need fixing.

That’s the thing about outside judgments. We really don’t have a clue. We don’t. We tell others what they should do. We confront them “for their own good,” we tell ourselves. If they would just change, everything would be find. We know it would. We get angry when they won’t comply.

Here’s the thing: Nobody owes you an explanation. They don’t. Just like you don’t owe anyone else an explanation for how you behave. None of us are perfect. And nobody has the right to tell someone else to “get over” something or to “admit” what they’ve done is wrong.

If you’re having that conversation with someone, look in the mirror. The person you need to be preaching to is yourself. If someone is having that conversation with you, realize that it isn’t about you. It’s about them and their issues.

Again, no one is perfect. If I’m confronted, I take it to God and ask Him to search me. If there’s truth in it, I ask for forgiveness and direction. If there’s no truth, I let it go.

Don’t let someone else push their issues and their opinions on you. Just don’t. Walk away. They aren’t going to hear anything you say anyway. God will take care of it. Every time.

Monday, September 3, 2012

Let God Encourage You

But David found strength in the LORD his God.

-- 1 Samuel 30:6b

David understood what it was like to be alone, without support, without anyone in his corner. What he did in that moment is a lesson to us all. David turned to God and so should we.

Let’s take a look at David’s life so we can truly understand what he faced. King Saul was trying to kill David so David had fled for his life. He had a band of 400 ragtag warriors. They’d gone to offer their services to the Philistines and had returned to Ziklag only to find that the town had been destroyed by the Amalekites, who also had taken all their wives and children.

As is usually the case when things go wrong, somebody was going to get blamed. And that person was David. In fact, his warriors were talking about stoning him to death. This is the point where David turned to God for strength. Can you relate? Do you know how it feels to have the world turn on you, whether it’s justified or not?

“Life had reduced his options to one,” David Jeremiah writes in his book The Joy of Encouragement. “Sooner or later, life does that to all of us.”

Yes, it does. How you handle that moment will determine whether you continue to follow God or whether you give Satan a foothold in your life.

Jeremiah gives some pretty basic advice on what to do when you’re all alone and need encouragement. First, spend time alone with God. Turn off the television, get the earplugs out of your ears and power off your computer. Close the door. Go for a walk. Get somewhere by yourself so that in the stillness you can hear God’s voice.

Second, turn to the Bible. It’s the best life manual you’ll ever own. Make sure that you get a translation you can easily understand and then read it. Jeremiah notes that sometimes it seems we’re more interested in reading a book about the Bible than we are in actually reading the Bible. So start reading.

Where do you look in the Bible for encouragement? Look to the psalms of David. Try Psalm 27:1. Or Psalm 34:4. Consider Psalm 46:1-3. And, again, listen to God. He will lead you to what you need, when you need it.

Lastly, Jeremiah suggests music. It’s such a simple suggestion. And one I’ve used numerous times without ever really thinking about it. When I’m hurting or discouraged, I seek out music that will inspire me and remind me of God’s love.

We can remember that God is with us, walking beside us, or we can blindly lose hope. We can hold on to what we know or we can believe the naysayers all around us. We can build ourselves up or allow Satan -- by using our minds and other people -- to tear us down. Our lives are full of choices. Which choice will you make?

Monday, June 25, 2012

God Hears And Understands

But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.”

-- Psalm 31:14

There’s a scene in the movie Facing the Giants where the coach is in an orchard, an open Bible in his hands. His world is crashing down around him: his football team is losing, he happens on a secret meeting to generate support to fire him, his car is falling apart and, to make it even worse, he’s found out that he’s the reason he and his wife can’t get pregnant.

“You are my God,” he says. I love that line because of the simple truth of it. Because really, when it comes down to it, there is no one else who really can help besides God.

Last week was a really tough week in a really tough year. Nothing particular happened to make it so. It’s just that sometimes the attitudes and responsibilities of being a necessary, but unwanted, caregiver just zap my emotional strength to the point where I don’t know how I’ll make it through the next five minutes, let alone the years to come.

I am not alone. In fact, I have it so much better than so many caregivers. I know that. And I rarely get mired in self-pity. But some days I just long for someone to understand, someone to see, someone to feel the insults and nasty comments that are daily parts of life. And then I remember: God understands, He sees and He feels my pain. He gives me strength to make it through to another day, a better day.

I can’t imagine how anyone goes through tough times without God. He is my anchor, a very real help in times of trouble. The Bible reminds us that we don’t have to travel this road alone. There is help available just for the asking, no matter what we face.

A dear friend lives with chronic leukemia. Oh, there’s a fancy name for it but the truth isn’t fancy or pleasant. She takes chemo pills every day and will for the rest of her life. She counts herself blessed because she is in remission. But some days are rough. She’s sick and tired and it’s hard to get up and get on with it. But she does it anyway, leaning on God for the strength to make it through another day.

Yet another friend visits her mother several times each week. Her heart breaks a little bit every time. She’s thankful that, so far, her mother still recognizes her. But she also knows that someday in the not so distant future, that won’t be true anymore. The once vital woman who lit up a room is slowing fading away, being replaced by a shell she doesn’t recognize.

“You are my God.” David’s words echo in my mind as I cry out for help, for strength, for understanding. He hears me. He hears you. We don’t have to take difficult journeys alone. God is with us if only we will cry out to Him.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Give Thanks For Brave Warriors

All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king. -- 1 Chronicles 12:38

Today is Memorial Day. It is a day to remember all those who gave their lives so that we might have the freedom to worship God, to live our lives, to launch our dreams.

We honor our soldiers and their families on this day but really it was set aside to remember those we have lost. I have walked beside numerous family members and friends who have served. I have watched their sacrifices -- the separations, the haunting images of war that remain long after a tour of duty, lingering health issues.

I have only lost one, my cousin, back during the Vietnam War. His parents are gone now, as well, but they never recovered from his death. There was no closure. Only a certain hope and promise that they’d see him again one day. I will forever remember the haunted look in my aunt’s eyes every time she spoke of her son. His medals and photos surrounded their family room but those things couldn’t replace his presence.

Memorial Day meant so much to my uncle. He was a retired serviceman himself. He knew how huge the cost could be. He just never really expected his son to pay that price.

Isn’t that how it always is? We always think it will happen to someone else’s family, in another neighborhood, another town. But sometimes it happens to someone we know and love. And suddenly this holiday from work and school, this three-day weekend filled with fun, takes on a new, deeper meaning.

The Bible tells us that King David’s troops were “brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions and they were as swift as gazelles in the mountains.” (1 Chronicles 12:8b)

We don’t always agree with the politics of war. But surely we all agree about the sacrifice our soldiers make. And their families as well. They choose to defend our freedoms. They choose to put their lives on the line every day.

“They helped David against raiding bands, for all of them were brave warriors, and they were commanders in his army. Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God.” -- 1 Chronicles 12:21-22

Today we remember those who died so that we could live in freedom. We honor them and embrace the loved ones they left behind. We give thanks for the brave warriors who have died.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Worship God From Your Heart

But as the Ark of the LORD entered the City of David, Michal, daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she was filled with contempt for him. -- 2 Samuel 6:16

Times are changing in our church service. A new outreach program has brought in many new people. We are thrilled. But not everyone worships exactly the same. There’s nothing wrong with that and, indeed, many things right with it. But change can open our eyes in ways we didn’t expect.

I attend a contemporary worship service. The congregation claps and sings along with the band performing on stage. We are outspoken and committed to learning and growing in Christ. The folks in the traditional services think we’re a little bit nuts. Maybe we are.

We are also a welcoming bunch. Unlike some Deep South churches, we genuinely welcome everyone into our fold. We have homegrown folks sitting next to people from different parts of this country and a few from other countries. We’ve got white, black and brown all sitting together. We’ve got young, old and some in between. Who you were doesn’t matter. Who you are -- a child of God -- is what draws us to this time and place.

I mention all this so that you can understand we’re open to just about anything. The new folks that have joined us fit right in. They do. And we’re slowly getting used to the “Hallelujah’s” and “Praise Jesus” being yelled out at unexpected times. And, well, we’ve had dancing before Jesus before so that’s okay too. Really.

But it’s amusing to watch the more conservative among us trying not to stare at those who are worshipping a little bit differently. They don’t want to be amazed or uncomfortable but they are. And that, in turn, makes them uneasy with themselves. We want to be open to everyone but what happens when we aren’t as open as we thought we were?

One thing I’ve always loved about King David was his willingness to show his love for God. He gladly danced in the streets before His God. So what if others didn’t approve? I want to have that kind of faith. I want to be open to worship God with that kind of love and abandon.

We are so delighted to have the new folks in our midst. I pray they learn and grow in Christ and that our church family can somehow be a blessing to them. I pray also that they continue to be a blessing to us, that we learn to let go and worship God from the deepest parts of our hearts and soul, without worry of how we’ll appear but focused totally on our LORD and our Creator.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Don’t Let Bitterness Grow

Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. But the king said, “He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.” So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king. -- 2 Samuel 14:23-24

Absalom had fled after he killed his brother Amnon for raping his sister Tamar. Now Absalom was back home -- but not reconciled with his father. I think perhaps Absalom would have preferred to remain in exile rather than face his father’s rejection day after day.

Coming back to a place you’ve fled -- for whatever reason -- isn’t easy. That’s especially true when you realize after you’ve arrived that nothing really has changed. Absalom had to be filled with bitterness. His father had done nothing to punish Amnon for raping Tamar. And when Absalom finally acted -- two years after the fact -- it was he who faced banishment and estrangement from their father.

Life isn’t fair. I’m sure he knew that. I doubt he accepted it. Instead, Absalom let his bitterness grow and turn toward anger and hatred at his father. He craved his father’s love and understanding. Instead, he got rejection. All those emotions had to go somewhere. Unfortunately, that somewhere ended up with David temporarily losing his throne and with Absalom losing his life.

How much better it would have been had father and son actually come together with open hearts. How much better it would have been had David punished Amnon. Or had the brothers fought about it right then. But hurts and injustices that build up over time, never being resolved or even discussed, grow in strength and bitterness. By the time David realized how much he loved his son, Absalom was dead. And then it was too late.

Few things hurt as much as injuries inflicted by family members. It seems that those closest to us, the people who should be quick to defend and protect us, have the greatest power to hurt or destroy us. Some hearts never really mend. Absalom reminds us of what happens when we can’t let go of what we cannot change.

God calls us to forgive those who harm us. Not for them. But for us. When we let go of the anger and bitterness, when we give it to God and trust Him to take care of it, we are freed to move on with our lives. The hurt becomes an old wound. Sure, the scar remains. But the heart is healed, the memories replaced by the soothing ointment of a Father who never betrays, never rejects, never lets us down. A Father who loves us. And, somehow, that is enough.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

God Leads The Way

“Should I go out and fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The LORD replied, “Yes, go ahead. I will give you the victory.”

-- 1 Chronicles 14:10

God was the driving force behind King David’s success. As a ruler, David was quick to ask God what to do. And he followed what God told him. David was smart enough to realize that whatever God blessed would succeed and whatever God didn’t bless would fail.

That’s the kind of relationship I want with God. I want to follow Him in all things. I want to know His will and I want to do what He says. In all things. I don’t care how small those things might seem to other people. I just want to know -- need to know -- that God is with me.

Yesterday I did a craft show. I’ve had some disappointments where God has clearly told me not to do something. The result is many items that needed someplace to go and a bank account that needed a cushion. But what to do? I didn’t want to waste my time and money on something that wouldn’t work.

So I asked God. I found out about a local craft show. I wasn’t sure there were any spots available. I asked God to let me do it -- if He would bless it. Otherwise, I didn’t want them to have a space available. It sounded pretty simple to me.

A space was available and off I went. Some people did well. Some people barely sold anything. Those of us outside fought the wind. And I sold and sold. God blessed me in so many, many ways. His hand was on me and I was successful because of it.

God blesses what He blesses. And He blessed me. I asked Him what to do and He made a way for me. Thanks be to God.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Family Hurts Go Deep

But the king said, “What do you and I have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why do you do this?’”

-- 2 Samuel 16:10

Have you ever remained silent when someone else said horrible things about you? Have you ever walked away when someone did something really cruel to you? Did you think, deep down inside, that maybe you deserved the hateful words and cruel actions?

David was fleeing from his son Absalom. He refused to allow his soldiers to deal with Shemei, who was pelting the king with rocks and yelling curses at him. David thought that perhaps God had told the man to do so. After all, David hadn’t dealt well with Absalom. He hadn’t defended his daughter when she was raped by his oldest son. And he hadn’t dealt well with Absalom, after he murdered his brother. David was a wonderful king but a not-so-wonderful father.

And he felt it deeply. So do we. Nothing hurts as badly as family squabbles. None of us are perfect, especially when it comes to family dynamics and always knowing what to do and say when. We feel our failures. We mourn our mistakes. We feel we deserve the rejection we’re dealt because maybe, just maybe, we could have done something different.

Maybe we did the best we could. Maybe the other person encouraged our mistakes. Maybe it doesn’t matter what we do, it will always be wrong. Everyone has their own special place within the family structure. Sometimes that mantle of “failure” or “disappointment” or “not real bright” falls on you. And it hurts.

“It may be that the LORD will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today.” -- 2 Samuel 16:12

God sees all things. He hears it all. He knows our hearts. He knows our mistakes and failures and He knows when we have been wronged. God works it all our in the end, defending His children and repaying the wrongs done to them. And punishing those who are wayward, seeking only to bring them back to His waiting arms.

David’s son wanted him dead. And David knew he shared at least part of the blame for that. It didn’t excuse Absalom’s actions. And it didn’t heal David’s heart. But this king turned to His God for comfort and strength and, eventually, restoration to the throne God had given to him.

When the hurt goes deep, when you wonder if maybe you deserve what you’re facing, turn to God. His arms are open wide. He offers strength and comfort and restoration to the life He planned for you all along.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Let Go Of Anger, Bitterness

Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the men of Israel. -- 2 Samuel 15:6

Absalom was a very angry, very bitter man. His older brother had raped Absalom’s sister and their father didn’t do a thing about it. So Absalom took his time and, eventually, murdered his brother Amnon. That didn’t satisfy his need for vengeance. I wonder if anything would have.

It’s not that he didn’t have reason to be upset. But who did he hurt the most by staying angry for so long? Who ultimately paid when he turned his anger on his father, King David? How could Absalom really imagine he could take on God’s anointed and survive? He wasn’t thinking and that was the root of the problem.

Nothing Absalom could do would change what happened. Nothing would change David’s response. But forgiveness could change Absalom’s heart. Forgiveness would allow Absalom to move forward and have a productive life. But he just couldn’t, or wouldn’t, let it go. So he plotted to take over his father’s throne. He made another bad decision fueled by anger and bitterness he just couldn’t seem to let go.

What are you holding on to? What do you refuse to hand over to God for justice? What are you allowing to destroy your today for a tomorrow you can’t change/

Understand that giving something to God, letting it go, forgiving day-by-day, doesn’t make it right. It doesn’t wipe away the wrong. It doesn’t give the person responsible a free pass. It just means that you refuse to allow that person to control your today and your tomorrow. It means that you choose to forgive a wrong. It means that you trust God to take care of it in His own way and His own time.

Forgiveness is hard. Sometimes you have to do it again and again. And often the person responsible won’t even acknowledge the wrong, much less ask for forgiveness. Do the people committing the wrongs deserve forgiveness? Probably not. But neither do you or I deserve God’s forgiveness for our sins. We are to forgive -- and let God take care of the rest.

So let it go. Give it away. Move on. You deserve better. God will take care of it. Trust Him. He will put your enemies in their place.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Don’t Silence The Victim

Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has that Amnon, your brother, been with you? Be quiet now, my sister; he is our brother. Don’t take this thing to heart. And Tamar lived in her brother Absalom’s house, a desolate woman.

-- 2 Samuel 13:20

Don’t you just want to scream in frustration when someone talks down to a victim and tells her to be quiet? We mustn’t “air the dirty family laundry.” Besides, “don’t take it so seriously.” “It doesn’t mean anything” anyway. It is just so wrong!

Tamar had been raped by her half-brother. Raped. There’s nothing nice or simple about that. She should have expected outrage from her brother and her father. Instead, her father didn’t do a thing and her brother told her to just be quiet about it.

So often, people secretly blame the victim of a crime. That’s particularly true when it’s an issue such as rape, incest, child abuse or neglect. Those are particularly ugly crimes and we just don’t want to hear about them. And we certainly don’t want to believe that someone we know, someone we may even like, could do something so horrible. So we blame the victim.

Silence only perpetuates that kind of attitude and the victim’s recovery. Tamar never recovered. Two years later her brother killed her attacker. We don’t know if that made her feel better or worse. Because nothing could right the wrong and nothing could restore her rightful place as one of the king’s virgin daughters.

Nothing except the grace of God. I am reminded of a statement a family member made after Elizabeth Smart’s return. This young woman was horribly raped and held captive and yet she was as white, as clean and pure as if it had never happened. God doesn’t blame the victim. So why do we?

Because some crimes are just so ugly to think about that we‘d prefer to hide them in a closet and pretend they never happen. It’s why child abuse doesn’t happen in “good” families. Of course it does. We just look the other way. Same with incest or drug abuse or any number of other crimes.

It scares us to think that someone we know, maybe someone we socialize with, could actually beat the crap out of his spouse. We are horrified to think that our children might be playing with a child being sexually abused night after night. We think that if we pretend it never happens, or it’s the victims’ fault, then we don’t have to dirty up our own little world.

I wonder what would have happened if King David had actually punished his son for raping Tamar? I wonder how life would have changed if Absalom had told his sister she had nothing to be ashamed of and no reason to hide? I wonder what would happen? I wonder how things would change if we stopped protecting the abuser and blaming the victim?

Monday, October 31, 2011

God Always Takes Us Back

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

-- Psalm 51:7

Isn’t it amazing how we allow sin to multiply again and again until finally we admit it and run to God for help? It’s like we sin once, then we sin again in an effort to cover up the first sin. And so it goes.

David sinned when he committed adultery with Bathsheba. Then he compounded that sin by calling her husband home from war and trying to persuade him to go home to his wife. When Uriah refused, David sent a message to Joab -- via Uriah -- instructing the military commander to place Uriah in a position where he would be killed. Then, to make a horrible situation worse, David went along with his life as though nothing bad had happened.

Sin after sin after sin. It wasn’t until God sent the prophet Nathan to David that David confessed and repented. Why did it take David so long? And why does it take us so long? It’s like we can’t repent until we are no longer able to hide our sin. It’s almost comical. It’s not like we can ever hide anything from God.

So where does sin come from? I know. Humans have a sinful nature. But, more specifically, where does sin come from? In David’s case, he was bored. And lonely. And not where he was supposed to be. He’d stayed behind even though the Bible tells us it was the time of year when kings and their men went to war. David put himself in a position where he was vulnerable to sin.

What about you? The Bible warns us against temptation but why do we always think those warnings weren’t meant for us? We just know we can resist but the truth is we aren’t any better at it than anyone else. David was a man after God’s own heart yet he, too, was vulnerable. He fell into Satan’s trap. From there, his life went downhill -- and away from God -- at a rapid pace.

But the beauty of this story is the happy ending. David did repent. He did ask God for forgiveness. And God granted it. Of course, David paid a high price. His son with Bathsheba died. Still, God was with David and Bathsheba again conceived, this time giving birth to Solomon.

How we must hurt God sometimes, when we sin and pull away from His love and His grace. But no matter what we’ve done, or how long we’ve been gone, He always takes us back. His love remains strong and true. He restores us. It doesn’t mean our sin goes without punishment. It means God forgives us and grants us eternal life with Him.

Sometimes we think that we’ve gone too far, done too much, been gone too long, for God to ever forgive us. We haven’t. God forgave David and restored this man who had sinned so greatly. And He’ll restore us too. All we have to do is ask.

Friday, October 21, 2011

God Restores Us

Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” -- 2 Samuel 9:8

Mephibosheth was Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson. David finally had it all. His kingdom. His palace. Riches. Fame. But he was lonely. He missed his best friend. So he found Jonathan’s son.

This son was crippled in both feet. Back then physical imperfections were a cause for humiliation. Scorn even. We still see that around us, don’t we? We look down on people who don’t fit our idea of normal. We think less of them, like maybe they’re not as smart, not as capable, not as worthy as we are.

Mephibosheth didn’t have any prospects for a good life. He was a prince’s son but his father, grandfather and uncles had been killed. Murdered. And now David sat on their throne. God’s anointed. God’s chosen one. What could David possibly want with a broken man?

Sometimes I know a little about how he must have felt. I wonder what God could possibly want with someone like me? Broken. Not reaching society’s normal levels of acceptance and value. Constantly being kicked down for valuing things the world scorns.

David wasn’t interested in how others saw Mephibosheth. The king saw his friend’s son and he was determined to show him kindness and restore his fortune. “Don’t be afraid,” David told Mephibosheth. David restored Saul’s lands to his grandson and he invited Mephibosheth to eat at the King’s table for the rest of his life. Certainly, not what Mephibosheth was expecting when David summoned him to the palace.

Beth Moore, who loves language and words, tells us that Mephibosheth means “shame destroyer” or “image breaker.” David took away Mephibosheth’s shame and restored him. Can you imagine how astonished those around him felt when they saw King David show kindness to someone they had rejected?

That’s how God shows kindness to us. He lifts us up and restores us, no matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done. He loves us and invites us to His table. It’s not so much about being worthy as it is about being loved. God loves us. He calls us His. He restores us to His kingdom, no matter our sin and no matter our shame.

We are all sinners. We have all fallen short of the Glory of God. We are all unworthy. We are all less than what He meant for us to be. And, yet, He has shown us kindness and love. He has offered forgiveness and the blood of His Son. He restores those who come to Him, who reach out to Him, who kneel down before Him and call Him LORD.