World Missions; July 4, 2017

Posted on July 6, 2017 by jgarrott

1 Kings 8:41-43 “As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name—for men will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when he comes and prays towards this temple, then hear from heaven, your dwelling-place, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.”

I don’t know how well I have registered that there was such a “world missions” oriented declaration at this point in Israel’s history. Various prophets touched on God’s heart for the nations and it comes out in a Psalm or two, but this is a very public pronouncement on the part of the king. Solomon’s motives may have been less than pure, focused on building the reputation of the temple itself, but still this is a very real start to reaching out to anyone, of whatever ethnicity, who seeks God. It took some pretty dramatic action on God’s part to get even the early Church to recognize that He was more than the God of the Jews, but now the tables are turned and some Christians go so far as to be antisemitic. I think such people don’t really know the God they claim to serve! Paul got it right when he said that God wants everyone to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4) We miss so much of God when we focus on I-my-me-mine. God worked with one people group, the physical descendants of Abraham, just as he works with individuals today, but that doesn’t mean He doesn’t care about everyone else. We have trouble grasping that because God is infinite, someone else being loved and blessed in no way diminishes what is available for us. With God, it’s never a “zero-sum game!” Anyone who thinks about it realizes that the more they love, the more love they receive. Love totally violates Newton’s laws, not to mention entropy, and God is love. The better we grasp that the more blessed we will be.

I grew up in a family that was totally steeped in world missions. My grandfather, W. O. Carver, founded what is currently the oldest Department of Missions in any school in the world and his second daughter became a single missionary, before marrying my father in Japan (since he had received his own call to missions). Even as a child it was a mystery to me how some people could be unconcerned about the salvation of those outside of their immediate circle. At this point I have been an independent, self-supporting missionary in Japan for about 36 years. Small churches have a strong tendency to become self-centered, so to counter that we have been tithing our general offerings to New Life League, a Christian printing company in the Tokyo area that sends Bibles to China, as well as to other places that need them. I try to help the believers understand that yes, God loves us and wants the best for us, but that doesn’t mean He loves anyone else less, and we can participate in what He wants to do through prayer and in various other ways.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I pray that You would help me be more effective in sharing Your worldwide vision with Your children, so that we may participate fully in what You are doing, for our blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Concept of God; July 3, 2017

Posted on July 6, 2017 by jgarrott

1 Kings 8:27 “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!”

It may have been Solomon’s intelligence that enabled him to have this revelation of God’s infinity. Given the general theological concepts of the day, this seems rather remarkable. That said, we are back to the extreme irony of the idolatry he engaged in to mollify his foreign wives. He may have justified it by saying those idols weren’t real gods, which is true enough, but he was still engaging in expressly forbidden behavior, and the impact on others of his doing such a thing was immense. We are back to the simple fact that even though he knew how big God was, he forgot how small he was. That never works! Humility is absolutely essential, because pride will blind us in amazing ways. It is only when we get a glimpse of how small and sinful we are that we grasp how magnificent, how truly amazing, the grace and love of God are. We sing, Amazing Grace, but then turn around and take that grace for granted. We are indeed important, but only because God has chosen to make us important by focusing His love on us. Why He would do that is the greatest of all mysteries! We need the grasp of how big God is that Solomon had, and at the same time be fully grateful for the incredible miracle it is that He loves us.

Solomon’s concept of God is particularly lacking in Japan, where traditional Shinto has assigned deity to any and every impressive natural feature, from the sun on down to impressive trees. That makes it all the more interesting that Michio Kaku, the ethnic Japanese astrophysicist who is one of the main sources of String Theory, has come out clearly to say that the structure of the universe demands a Creator to have put it all together. That’s a far cry from animistic Shinto! Sadly, however, Mr. Kaku hasn’t been able to make the leap of faith to believe that this Creator cares about and loves each human being. I deal with people’s concept of God all the time, seeking to help them understand how big and great He is and how absolutely amazing it is that He would love us enough to send His Son to save us from our own sins. I recall the blank look I got from the CEO of the company that operates the wedding chapel where I do weddings when I read this verse in the dedication ceremony they asked me to hold for the chapel building when it was built. I had him promise, in front of the assembled guests, that he would not put the chapel to any use that would dishonor the name of Christ. I’m not sure he’s kept that promise! It all comes down to simple, childlike faith that God is my Daddy, and He loves me. That is the Gospel I preach.

Father, I have demonstrated abundantly that I can’t get through to people by my own strength and wisdom, so I ask You to do so by Your Spirit. Open their eyes to You and to themselves, so that they may indeed repent and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Honoring the Office; July 2, 2017

Posted on July 5, 2017 by jgarrott

1 Kings 8:23 “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.”

I think even Solomon was a bit taken aback by the cloud that filled the temple. (vv. 10-11) What he says here shows the generally polytheistic mindset of everyone in those days, specifying that Yahweh had no rivals. This prayer is actually ironic in the extreme, because Solomon himself later stooped to idolatry to appease his various foreign wives. That irony is heightened by his acknowledging that God’s promises are conditional on wholehearted obedience, which he obviously lacked. I feel sure the Holy Spirit guided his mouth, so that he actually spoke judgment on his later self. He said numbers of things in this dedication ceremony that were and are obviously from God, showing that God often honors the office, even in spite of the person occupying it. That was evident in Eli giving God’s instructions to young Samuel (1 Samuel 3) as well as in Caiaphas speaking out God’s plan of salvation through the cross of Christ. (John 11:49-52) This can sometimes bring about a jarring disconnect for those who are spiritually sensitive, when God’s words come through the mouth of someone who is manifestly not living as an obedient servant of God. As an extreme example, there is not only Caiaphas, but also the people who were jeering at Jesus on the cross, with no idea that they were quoting Psalm 22:8. (Matthew 27:41-43) God uses even those who are in rebellion against Him to fulfill His purposes, but they get no benefit from it themselves. That’s all the more reason for humility when we realize that God is using us. I have always liked the line from Don Francisco’s son about Balaam that says, “So if the Lord starts using you, don’t you pay it any mind. He could have used the dog next door, if He’d been so inclined.” Right now God seems to be using a deeply flawed President to accomplish some things that are very much on His agenda. Rather than focus on the flaws, God’s children need to be focused on what God wants to do, and provide prayer support. The intensity of the spiritual warfare involved is evident to anyone with spiritual perception, but we must remember that the One who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

This is an important point for me, because I occupy the office of pastor/teacher, and God has used me many times to speak His Word and do other things as His agent. I must not let that devolve into personal pride. I am to be deeply grateful that He would choose to use me, but not think that being used in itself gives me special status. At the same time, I am not to doubt that He does use me, and so hesitate to make myself available to Him. The moment I think, “How could He use me?” I have taken my eyes off of Him and fixed them on my own weaknesses and failures. I am to honor His call and commission on my life, without honoring myself in the process. That can get tricky! It’s clear, both from my track record and from logical analysis, that I can’t get it right consistently on my own. That’s all the more reason for me to depend on Him. He is more than able to do whatever He likes through me, and I am to keep myself available at all times.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Looking back, I can see that many times You have used me even when I wasn’t aware of what was going on. Help me not try to figure You out, but just listen obediently to whatever You say, so that You will may be done on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

God’s Promises; July 1, 2017

Posted on July 5, 2017 by jgarrott

1 Kings 6:11-12 The word of the Lord came to Solomon: “As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, carry out my regulations and keep all my commands and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise I gave to David your father.”

The thing that strikes me right now about this was that God’s promises to David were dependent on Solomon’s follow-through. To some that might seem unfair, but it’s the way things work. We don’t see the end from the beginning the way God does, so our perception of things is often distorted. God was pleased with the temple – really, more the heart attitudes that were behind the construction than the building itself – but He also knew how later generations would desecrate it, and how the Babylonians would tear it down. He was trying to make it clear to Solomon that obedience wasn’t an option, but Solomon acted like he forgot it in his later years. Actually, I think it was probably more a matter of feeling that as king, he was above such rules and regulations. Sadly, we see such an attitude in politicians all the time. Even if they seem to get away with it in this life, they still have to stand before God in the end. Solomon may have felt that building such a magnificent temple gave him a special in with God, but God isn’t impressed with things, any more than he needs a roof over His head to keep Him dry. We need to remember what Solomon forgot, that God looks on the heart, and He is pleased with humility. (Isaiah 66:2)

I honestly don’t know what, if any, promises God made to my parents that await their fulfillment in me. I have received some promises myself that I have a feeling won’t be fulfilled until my death or after. In any case, the task for me is faithful obedience, leaving timing up to God. Part of the pride I operated in for too much of my life was feeling that any child of my parents was automatically blessed, since they were such upstanding servants of God. The message that brought me to repentance as an adult was that no one gets into heaven hanging onto anyone else’ belt. It was like God tapped me on the shoulder, and when I turned around He had a mirror for me to see the state of my heart. I literally fell to my knees and wept, “My Lord and my God.” I will forever be grateful for His grace in doing that. The goal of my life now is to hear Him say to me, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21) Nothing that could happen to me on this earth could begin to dim the glory of that moment. (2 Corinthians 4:17)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You that all the trees on the neighboring property are down safely, just as we prayed. I ask that the work on digging up the stumps, and everything to follow, likewise go smoothly. I continue to ask that we be sold the three plots we have asked for, and that everything about building and operating the elder-care facility would go as You intend. Thank You for the sunburn I got yesterday, to put a point on the “light and momentary troubles” Paul mentioned. May I rest, relax, and rejoice in You throughout today, just as You have told me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stewardship of the Earth; June 30, 2017

Posted on July 3, 2017 by jgarrott

1 Kings 5:10-11 In this way Hiram kept Solomon supplied with all the cedar and pine logs he wanted, and Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat as food for his household, in addition to twenty thousand baths of pressed olive oil. Solomon continued to do this for Hiram year after year.

It seemed incredible just a generation or two ago that the land of Israel would have been such an agricultural powerhouse as to be able to export such quantities of wheat and olive oil, but today Israel is again an agricultural exporter. We get “Sweetie” grapefruit even here in Japan! Given wisdom from God, the Jews have developed irrigation techniques that have caused the desert to blossom, even to the point of changing the climate. Conversely, Lebanon was once famous for cedar and other trees that provided a major source of their wealth, but today it’s hard to locate such trees anywhere but on their flag. Greed and political turmoil have robbed them of what God had originally provided. Israel too has had a succession of wars over the past 70 years, but they have managed to restore the land in spite of, and even in the middle of, all of that. The loss of the forests of Lebanon has had a major drying effect on the climate of the whole region, which is why Israel’s high-tech irrigation systems are in such demand. Human history shows that there is certainly such a thing as man-made climate change, but it has come from human impact on vegetation rather than from “greenhouse gasses.” Ancient Egyptian records show that timber was once harvested in the Sinai Peninsula! Today that seems downright unimaginable, to the point that the archaeologists who discovered the documents doubted first their own translation and then the documents’ authenticity. Solar cycles are the biggest driver of climate, but mankind is certainly responsible for stewardship of the earth, ever since Eden. We are not to be deceived by politically motivated “movements,” but we are to respect what God has provided and “clean up after ourselves,” as my mother always told me.

This feels very close to home right now, because workers are in the process of clearing all the trees from the land next door. That has been emotionally painful to watch, since some of the trees were over 100 years old. However other trees, when cut have revealed that they had been hollowed out by termites, and so were in need of being culled. That said, the whole neighborhood is in shock and mourning over the loss of the major “green island” we have enjoyed. As Cathy has said, it is actually a blessing to the church that we had nothing to do with the decision to cut it all down, because the result is proving to be a strengthening rather than a worsening of our ties with the neighborhood. That said, if we do indeed get the three building plots we have asked for, we need to be careful and intentional in what trees we plant around the senior care facility we are planning, so that we will over time be a channel of restoration, blessing people and giving glory to God.

Father, thank You for this word this morning. I pray that the work on the land would proceed as You intend, and that the eventual use of every bit of it would likewise be according to Your plan. May we keep our eyes on You and be good stewards, not only of the material things but also of the abilities and opportunities You provide, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Diligence; June 29, 2017

Posted on July 1, 2017 by jgarrott

1 Kings 4:29 God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.

This description of Solomon would put him right up there with Newton in terms of intellect and knowledge. Verse 33 indicates that he had an insatiable curiosity, matched with good skills of observation. Since he was also a poet and musician, that would make him the very definition of a polymath, someone who is gifted in every area. This verse specifies that it was God who gave him these abilities, which is a very important observation. He seems to have made good use of his abilities, but Ecclesiastes would indicate that he died a rather bitter old man. I think the problem was that he put too much stock in what was said about him and to him. It’s not that those things weren’t true, it’s that he lost his focus of dependence on God. There was literally no one to tell him “No” about anything. His father David had Nathan and Gad as God’s representatives to him, but there is no clear indication Solomon had anyone he listened to that way. That is dangerous indeed. Church history is littered with people who got that way, seeming to serve God but gradually losing their ability to hear Him because of their focus on their own interests, plans and desires. What happened to them was varied, but none of it was good. God gives abundant gifts to each of His children, but if we forget where they came from and fail to seek Him as to how they are to be used, we close our ears and our hearts to Him, and that is dangerous indeed.

This is certainly an issue for me, though definitely not on the scale of Solomon. I was in college before I can remember struggling with anything in school, and my problems in college were entirely of my own making by presumption and laziness. I have been able to do a wide variety of things, but I have had little patience with things I couldn’t do easily right off the bat. That certainly hasn’t been good. I have known intellectually that my abilities were gifts, but haven’t followed through very well in diligent stewardship of them. About the only thing I have really stuck with has been daily devotions! That’s a good start, but it’s no more than a start. It’s late in my life to learn diligence, but I must no longer shy away from it. I’m grateful that God has enabled me to be fairly diligent in marriage. I have certainly reaped abundant rewards from that! I have no idea how many years – or days, even – the Lord has for me yet on this earth, but I am to receive each moment as a gift from Him, to be used as He intends, for His pleasure and glory. Anything less puts me at risk of going the way of Solomon, and I certainly don’t want that.

Father, thank You for this clear reminder. Help me not slough it off, but rather apply it diligently. There’s that word again! I do want to hear Your words of approval to me, (Matthew 25:21) and I know that faithful obedience is the only way to that. At the same time, I know that on my own, that’s not how I will live. I ask You to keep me on track, helping me hear You and at the same time recognize and resist the traps of the devil, no matter how subtle. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14) Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wisdom; June 28, 2017

Posted on July 1, 2017 by jgarrott

1 Kings 3:28 When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.

This is one of the most famous stories of Solomon, familiar to every child in Sunday School. Reading it just now, it hit me how generations of Sunday School teachers have glossed over the little matter of prostitution, not explaining why two women were living in a house with nobody else. Reliable contraception was not developed until many centuries later. That said, this incident did demonstrate remarkable wisdom. Just yesterday I heard a Law professor describe a recent Supreme Court decision as “Solomonic.” This story has certainly made its way into our culture! The point of it being recorded was to show the source of the people’s respect for Solomon. A major source of his success was the cooperation he got from the nation as a whole; he couldn’t have done it by himself. This particular incident showed the “little guy” that he cared about them. In fact, it seems rather surprising that an incident of this sort would have come before the king in the first place. Whatever the reason for it, it showed not only intelligence but compassion, and that won the people over. What did Solomon’s son Rehoboam in was his failure to connect with the people. Even in an absolute monarchy, the king rules with the consent of the people. Even in a democracy, those in authority must realize this and act accordingly, if there is to be any long-term success.

I think being in authority/responsibility is the thing I like least about being a pastor. Put another way, I’d rather that loving my neighbor as myself (Mark 12:31, etc.) didn’t involve telling people what to do! With authority comes responsibility, always, which is why it is much easier not to have much authority. I would not want to be President! Regardless, I have to fulfill the position in which God placed me. Frankly, I have kicked and complained about it far more than I like to think about. Such kicking and complaining benefits no one, least of all myself. I am to deal with people with compassion, but not allow feeling sorry for them to blind me to what they really need, which can run the risk of making them not like me. Solomon at first glance seemed heartless, saying to cut the living baby in two, but that was a feint to expose the true mother. My decisions aren’t life-and-death, but my words can have lasting effect on people’s lives. I am to remember always that my wisdom and intelligence are nowhere near up to the task, and so seek God at every turn.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the wisdom You have given me, but keep me from presuming on it, relying on what You have given rather than on You. Today and each day I deal with people who look to me as an authority in one way or another. May I show them Christ in every word and action, so that they may be drawn to You for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Wisdom of Serving God; June 27, 2017

Posted on June 30, 2017 by jgarrott

1 Kings 3:9 “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

David had already recognized that his son Solomon was a smart guy, (1 Kings 2:9) and here Solomon proves it. He was smart enough to know that he wasn’t smart enough! That sounds like a paradox, but it’s not one at all. Solomon later exercised great wisdom indeed in governing Israel, but he didn’t apply that wisdom to his own life. He let himself be led astray, even to idolatry, by his multiplied wives, but that was simply a demonstration that he had switched his focus from the spiritual to the physical. The book of Proverbs has many wise sayings that are attributed to Solomon, but the book of Ecclesiastes tells us how bankrupt he was spiritually in his later years. There is wisdom there, but not much hope and certainly no real joy. When we focus on this world we lose sight of what is really important. Jesus said we can’t serve God and money, (Luke 16:13) but really that can be expanded to say that you can’t serve God and anything else. All of our other service must be subordinate to, and a reflection of, our serving God. Solomon’s problem was that he served Israel and he served his flesh, (Ecclesiastes 2:10) but in the process he forgot to serve God. That sort of problem can be very subtle. I have seen pastors, even, who served the church but failed to serve God. Their service itself was primary, and wasn’t a reflection of their relationship with God. I won’t say that such a person isn’t saved, but they certainly lose out on a great deal. Solomon knew the truth – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10) – but he failed to apply it properly in his own life.

I am constantly faced with such traps myself. Having grown up immersed in the Bible, I certainly can’t claim that I don’t know God’s truth. However, the devil and my flesh conspire to have me ignore God and/or place something ahead of Him. That doesn’t have to be something attractive, even. Yesterday work began on cutting down all the trees on the land next to the church, and at the same time the real estate agent refuses to say he will sell the church the three plots we are asking for. We grieve for the trees, for the green environment that has given us bird songs throughout the year, and at the same time we don’t have the physical assurance that we will be able to proceed with our plans for a senior care facility. When I yield to that turmoil, I am no longer serving God, but rather this world. That isn’t wisdom! It is only when I am fully submitted to Him that I am able to resist the devil and have him flee. (James 4:7)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Yesterday was just the first day of what’s being done to the land next door. Help me be fully submitted to You so that I may have Your peace and joy in the middle of it all, serving You first and then secondarily serving others, so that Your plans may be fulfilled on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Last Will and Testament; June 26, 2017

Posted on June 30, 2017 by jgarrott

1 Kings 2:2-3 “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, show yourself a man, 3 and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go.”

When people feel approaching death they often have a strong desire to pass on wisdom to those they care about, and David was no exception. I find it fascinating that the first thing he said to Solomon was, “Be strong, and show yourself a man.” He may have been a little worried about that, because Solomon was not a man of war, as he had been. Different cultures at different times define manhood in different ways, and that’s not a bad thing. I think David’s statement could be paraphrased, “Don’t be a wimp.” He knew that Solomon faced devious enemies, since there had already been an attempt to deny him the throne, as explained in the first half of chapter 1. That said, David’s real focus was expressed: obedience to God. This came on the basis of his whole life experience of both walking with God and ignoring Him. He was painfully aware that obedience brings far better results! Solomon was noted for wisdom already by this point. In verse 9 David himself says to his son, “You are a man of wisdom.” However, David had the greater, higher wisdom of dependence on God. We are not to ignore or denigrate the minds God has given us, but we must submit our minds, along with everything else, to the Creator who gave them to us. Otherwise, we end up serving, that is worshiping, man rather than God, and that never ends well.

When my father was faced with heart catheterization before his final surgery and was warned that the test itself could trigger a fatal heart attack, he wrote two letters to us his family. Neither is very long. One dealt with practical matters, including cremation and his choice of a cemetery. The other expressed his heart desires for us. His major focus was that we would know and do God’s will for us, and he pointed out that that would fit in perfectly with God’s will for everyone else. He was very aware that we are not independent, however much we might want to be, but rather interdependent. Our part in God’s plan requires that others fulfill their part, and others are likewise dependent on us. That truth is one I have been understanding more and more in the years since he wrote it. I have now lived almost five years longer than he did. Because physically speaking I could be a virtual clone of my father, it’s interesting to see how he would have aged had he lived longer. However, that is completely insignificant compared to the challenge of following in my father’s spiritual footsteps. My spiritual heritage is not to stop with me, but is to be passed down so as to create more generations of people who know and love God and demonstrate it by their obedience. To the degree I do that, I will have been a success indeed.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It is, frankly, sobering. I haven’t gotten back to that book you had me start, and right now my schedule would certainly allow for that. Help me be faithful, in big things and in small, so that Your will may be done on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

David’s Example; June 25, 2017

Posted on June 29, 2017 by jgarrott

2 Samuel 24:14 David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men.”

For the modern reader, the question arises as to why it was wrong for David to count his fighting men. The only answer I can come up with is that it was a matter of pride. For David, that would tie in closely with relying on his army rather than on the Lord. There are many stories in the Bible to teach us that “one plus God is a majority,” with the story of God reducing the size of Gideon’s fighting force as one of the most striking examples. (Judges 7) By overruling his own military leaders (verse 4) David was insisting on having his own way, and that is never a good thing. That said, when it came to the matter of consequences for his willfulness, David went back to what he had learned of God over the years, and threw himself on God’s mercy rather than deal with any human agents of discipline. We all get ourselves into fixes by our foolishness, so David should be a good example to us. Like him, we need to acknowledge our sins, trusting God to deal with us in mercy but not making any claims for ourselves. This particular story of David is most famous for his statement in verse 24 that he would not sacrifice to God that which cost him nothing. In other words, he understood the meaning of “sacrifice.” There too we need to learn from him, because we are all too prone to give to God out of our surplus, rather than making any real sacrifices for Him and His kingdom. Jesus talked about that issue very memorably while watching people put money in the offering box at the temple. (Luke 21:1-4) David has a lot to teach us, both by good example and bad.

As I have commented recently, I indeed have a lot to learn from David. Like him, I am a poet and a musician. Like him, I am in a position of leadership that I did not choose for myself. Like him, I have all the weaknesses that come with being a human being. Like him, I have tasted the amazing grace and mercy of God in abundance. I think what I need most to learn from him is humility, along with a full awareness of the dangers of pride. I have demonstrated very thoroughly that I can accomplish nothing good on my own, but I have also seen that God can and will use me in spite of myself. I have the constant temptation to rely on, and/or brag on, the gifts He has given me, but that never ends well. At the same time I must never shrink from any task He sets for me, but rather know that He will enable me to do whatever He requires. Like David before Goliath, I must know that no problem is bigger than my God, but I am a rather insignificant part of the equation. I am to keep myself available to Him, and give Him all the glory.

Father, it seems like I am in constant training in this area. Help me really learn what You teach me, not so much as to escape further lessons but so that I will be able to apply those things as You intend, for the sake of the Body of Christ and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment