Why is David weeping?

Readings for these days – II Samuel 15:23 – 17:29

II Sam. 15:30 – David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went.

II Sam. 15:31 - … David arrived at the summit, where people used to worship God.

David wept, but not because of the injustices that were happening to him.  Indeed, when you look at his life, it was a life that was filled with injustices ever since the moment he had been anointed as the successor of Saul.  He had joined Saul’s service, with the intent of being a faithful servant as long as Saul lived.  This loyalty was met with murder plots and a life on the run.  Now Saul was dead, David was king, and had met with great success in combat, and Israel had become well settled in the land.  This success was now being eroded by an uprising led by his son, Absalom.  It was no wonder that David wept.

But David was no whiner.  His weeping was not over these personal hardships and injustices that he encountered.  He recognized that personal injustices and hardships were a part of life, and especially a life spent in service to God. 

So why weep?  I think David’s weeping was a weeping over the fact that Israel was drifting from God.  As he climbed the Mount of Olives, the place where people used to worship God, he wept over the state of the nation. 

Canadian Christians:  do not weep over any hardships you may endure because you are a Christian.  Personal whining does not look good on the people of God.  Whining over personal hardships makes it appear that the only reason you serve God is that he will give you a life of ease.   On the other hand, it is perfectly permissible for our hearts to cry out for the empty churches, cry out for the lack of spiritual awareness, and cry out for a great awakening in our land.

Let the Word speak.

Thurland

When Absalom tries to steal your heart

Readings for these days – II Samuel 14:1 – 15:22

When I was an assistant pastor at the Wesleyan Church in Sussex, we had several Bible College students work at the church.  One in particular was somewhat of a mover and shaker, … someone who could get people’s attention.  As he made his little inroads into the hearts of the people he would say things to me like, “you’d make a better pastor than Rev. Ricker (the senior pastor)”.  Then he’d go to Pastor Ricker, and say, “Thurland thinks the church would be better off if he were the pastor.”  And then to his friends in the church, he’d say, “Thurland and Mr. Ricker don’t get along.”   He was smooth, and many people were taken in.

In today’s lesson, Absalom, the king’s son, was a good looker and a smooth talker.  “There was no one in all Israel to be praised as much as Absalom for his good looks.  From the sole of his foot, to the crown of his head, there was no blemish.”  This good looking, smooth talking man set up shop at the city gates and began to methodically steal the hearts of the people.  They would come looking for help, and he would say, “The king is too busy, but I can help.”  And slowly the insinuation was made that Absalom would be a better king, and he “stole the hearts of the people”. 

I call it an “Absalom spirit.”  It never quite tells lies, but it never quite presents the truth either.  And unfortunately, it is present in far too many churches.  In one church, whenever there was a visitor in the church, Absalom would always get to their house before I did.  Almost always he would say, “I’m surprised pastor hasn’t been here yet.” – sowing just a tiny question mark in their minds.  In another church, Absalom used to like to go to the members homes, and say things like “I may be mistaken, but I don’t thing Pastor has … (and name something that was sure to raise some dissension.”)  Then he would ask, “what do you think about that”, and then come back and tell me what they thought.

Here’s what to do when Absalom comes to your door.  Pick up the phone, call the pastor, and say, “Pastor, Absalom is here at my house, and this is what he says.  Have you got a few minutes sometime this week when the three of us could get together and talk about it?”

Let the Word speak.

Thurland

Respect for the Lord’s Anointed

Readings for these days – I Samuel 29 – II Samuel 2:11

Saul, who ahs made himself David’s enemy, is dead!  And the people expect that David, who will now become king, will be exuberant in celebration.  But in fact, just the opposite happened.  David lamented with a great lament, because he had great respect for the “Lord’s anointed.”

A continuous theme running throughout the OT is that of respect for the sacred.  King Saul thought enough of his kingly position, that he figured he could bypass this.  He didn’t wait for Samuel to offer sacrifices; he inquired of mediums rather than ask God for directions – in short, he showed little or no respect for the ways of God unless they suited his purpose.    

David, on the other hand, showed continual respect.  When his city (Ziklag) was attacked and the women taken hostage, he “inquired of the Lord” before he went after the captors.  And now that Saul is dead, David executes the fellow who brashly reported that he was the one who had killed him.  David said to him. “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”  (You will remember that David himself had several opportunities to protect himself by killing Saul, but each time he said, “I cannot touch the Lord’s anointed and be blameless.”)

I know (because I am a preacher) that preachers can take verses like these out of context.  We can twist them and try to make them sound like a mere layperson could never disagree with the preacher.  God forgive us when we do that. 

But may God also forgive those who do “touch the Lord’s anointed.”  There are those in churches who sow discord.  I’m not quite sure what their agenda is, but they have no difficulty in doing what they can to bring down the ministry.  Thanks be to God that they are few and far between, but if you are a layman in a church, and you know there is a “church boss” who seems to delight in controlling people, make sure that you pray for “the Lord’s anointed” and be careful not to fall for the stories that the church boss tells.

Let the Word speak.

Thurland

Jealousy that eats your soul

Yesterday’s and Today’s readings – I Samuel 18 - 21

Not sure if it’s an Aesop’s fable, or just a good story, but there is a fable of an eagle who was jealous because another eagle was faster and stronger than him.  One day he saw a sportsman and said to him: “I wish you would bring down that eagle.”  The sportsman replied that he would if he only had some feathers to put into the arrow. So the jealous eagle pulled one out of his wing.  The arrow was shot, but didn’t quite reach the rival eagle; it was flying too high. The envious eagle pulled out more feathers, and kept pulling them out until he lost so many that he couldn’t fly – upon which the sportsman turned around and killed him.

In these lessons about Saul and David, Saul was the anointed king, and would be until he died.  But there was a young upstart named David.  He was getting a lot of attention and Saul didn’t like it one bit.  He became obsessed with thinking of ways to get rid of David: kill him himself, have him sent into dangerous battles, it really didn’t matter as long as David was gone.  He got his family involved, he tried to destroy relationships.

But in the end (actually long before the end) we read that “the Lord was with David, but had left Saul.”

In the end, whether you are eagle or king, if you are filled with jealousy, the only one you truly hurt is yourself

Let the Word speak.

Thurland

Vows

From the book of Ruth

It was Aug. 24, 1974.  Lorraine and I had decided to use non-traditional vows for our wedding, and these are the words we chose.

Ruth 1: 16-17

Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

And ever since then, we have kept the vows, and these have been my favorite verses from the Book of Ruth.  Ain’t that sweet?

(And I’m not saying this just because she’s on the West Coast, and I’m lonely!)

Let the Word speak.

Thurland

What’s this all about?

Today’s reading – Judges 15:1 – 16:31

Early in Judges, we had a sense of victory, a sense of good triumphing over evil.  The nation was in a cycle in which it constantly turned away from God, but at least there were some good people that God could call upon to lead the nation back.  (At least, there were people willing to be made good.  Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon – they represented a period of good judges.  And we as readers were able to say, “Praise God.  Good wins again.”

But suddenly things change.  In the next part of Judges there is still the cycle of national evil, but the leaders God uses to bring recovery leave much to be desired.  Abimilech killed his seventy half-brothers to become the leader, Jephthah kills his own daughter as a sacrifice for a foolish vow he made, Samson consorts with prostitutes. 

What good lesson can we learn from these men? 

I think the lesson is this.  The Bible is not about the goodness of men.  It is about the faithfulness of God.  (If I remember, we noticed this earlier in our walk through the Bible, in the lives of the men of Genesis.)  It seems that here in the evil of the book of Judges, God uses evil men to do his will.  

In spite of a sinful people, and sinful leadership, God keeps his covenant.  That is the message of Scripture.  God is a faithful God.

Let the Word speak.

Thurland

Children “stirred” by God’s Spirit

Today’s reading – Judges 13:1 – 14:20

From the time I was a boy, I sensed the calling of God.  For those who knew me when I was young, there certainly was plenty of reason to doubt that, but it has always been on me.  My pastor’s wife was heartbroken (well at least severely disappointed) when I chose to go to University rather than Bible College, for she sensed that it was not God’s direction.  In that first year if University, I finally gave in to the call, enrolled in Bible College, and since that time (except for the occasional blue Monday that pastors go through), there has never been a doubt in my mind that this is what I had to do.

Judges 13 begins the story of Samson’s life, including his miraculous birth to a sterile woman.  The last two verses simply say, “24 The woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson. He grew and the LORD blessed him, 25 and the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.”

“The spirit of the Lord began to stir him”.  Those words stir me.  I am stirred as I watch some of these young people that Sarah works with being stirred by the Spirit.

Earlier, Samson’s father (Manoah) had done the wise thing when he asked for guidance in raising the unborn child.   Together we pray for guidance in molding the young people of today upon whom the Spirit stirs.

Let the Word speak.

Thurland

For the Lord and for Gideon

Today’s reading - Judges 7:1 – 8:17

First for a little fun.  When my girls were little we learned a special language with which we could talk with each other.  It is simple to learn the format of the language – merely add the letters “ub” before every pronounced vowel in every word.  That way my name, Thurland Brown, became Thuburluband Brubown. 

I thought of that today when I read the story of Gideon, and remembered that the other name by which he was known was “Jerub-baal”.  Translated into “ubba ubba” language that becomes “juberubub-bubabual”.  Try saying that five times real fast.  (Sorry, that’s the way my mind works some days.

In today’s lesson Gideon is busy becoming what God said he was: a mighty warrior.

The mighty warrior trusted God

- sent 31,700 soldiers home, and kept 300

- took 300 soldiers equipped with trumpets and lanterns into battle against an army

Today, I’m not interested if you can learn to say “juberubub-bubabual”, nor if you and an army of 300 ill-equipped soldiers can fight an army.  What I am interested in is if today you are becoming what God said you could be.

Let the Word speak.

Thurland

Becoming MORE

Today’s reading - Judges 6:1-40

 Forever and a day, the angel of God’s greeting to Gideon has been one of my favorite portions of Scripture.  Of himself Gideon, Gideon gave an evaluation that was completely realistic: "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." But the angel persisted in giving a more heavenly perspective when he called Gideon “mighty warrior”.

Which was it?  Was Gideon weak? Or was he mighty warrior?

What Gideon “was” is the not the point.  This story is about what he would become as he allowed God to work through Him.  He “was” weak.  He would “become” mighty warrior.  

We all have a starting point, and most of our starting points leave something to be desired.  We “were” or “are” something, but by God’s grace we do not have to stay there.

Let the Word speak.

Thurland

Patterns

Today’s reading - Judges 1 - 5

Judges 1 = an overview of the history

Judges 2 = an overview of the pattern of the next generations

Judges 3 and following = the stories of the judges

Yesterday we noted that through Joshua’s life, and until that generation was gone, the people followed the Lord.  Early in the story of Judges, we read that the next generation “knew not God”, and quickly went after other gods.  From that time, the Israel’s history became a pattern of drifting, becoming oppressed, crying to God, receiving deliverance, living in peace, … drifting, becoming oppressed, crying to God, receiving deliverance, living in peace … drifting …

In the lessons until the end of today’s reading (Judges 5:31), we see the pattern repeated three times, with deliverance coming through Judges Othniel, Ehud, and Deborah.  – 8 years of oppression, 40 of peace, 18 oppression, 80 peace, 20 oppression, 40 peace.

It seems like every generation must learn its own lessons.  Our generation seems like it is intent on squeezing God out of the public places. 

Let the Word speak.

Thurland

The Power of Your Influence

Today’s article comes from Saturday’s readings – Joshua 24:1-33

You cannot decide what someone else’s life choices will be, but you can decide to be a positive influence. 

Joshua said to the people, “Choose today who you will serve … but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”  A few short verses later, Scripture records “Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him”

The good news is, it may not take a Herculean effort to be that influence.  A childhood scene sticks in my mind.  His name was Robert, and he was the boys Sunday School teacher.  As long as I remember, he had a stiff leg and it must have been difficult for him to walk long distances.  One day he took us for a hike – an all day hike – to the back of the island.  The first time I saw Bradford’s Cove Weir from the land, it was with Robert French and a gaggle of 8 year old boys. 

Why does that matter?  Because the only reason he was there is because he loved the Lord, and he chose to show his love for the Lord by teaching 8 year old boys to also love the Lord.  A positive influence. 

Let the Word speak.

Thurland

Every Promise of God Fulfilled

Today’s reading – Joshua 22:1 – 23:16

Chapter 21 and 23 both end with an important Scriptural theme.

21:45 says, “Not one of all the LORD's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.”  That was the major rallying cry of Joshua’s farewell address to the people in chapter 23.  14 "Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed”

I know how poor I am at keeping promises made even to myself.  (The intermittent nature of these “not so daily” blogs is good witness to that.)  All of us could point a finger at someone else and say, “You let me down.  I was counting on you, and you didn’t come through.”  Our failures in this area stand in stark contrast to the nature of God.  In fact, one of the threads that ties all Scripture together is the thread of God’s faithfulness.  Not to promises that we imagine he has made.  But to the legitimate promises, He is faithful.  Some great verses come to my mind:

- He is not a man that he should deny himself. 

- Will not the judge of all the earth do right?

- He will weigh with an even balance.

Let the Word speak.

Thurland

How Long Will You Wait?

Today’s reading – Joshua 16:1 – 18:28

The land on the east of the Jordan has been divided amongst the 2 ½ tribes who requested it.  Another 2 ½ tribes have received their allotment on the west side of the river, and the Tent of Meeting has been set up at Shiloh.  From there, Joshua speaks to the nation and asks an incisive question:  “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you?”

He makes a good point.  It is too easy to settle for half-victories.  Five of the tribes are well settled now.  Surely they could make room for the other 7 (smaller) tribes.  Together they could devise a plan of existence that would be … at least OK.

Joshua recognized this, so he sent three men from each tribe to map out the rest of the land, to draw boundaries for the seven unsettled tribes, and he would then put a tribe name on each plot.  That way, until the land was conquered, there would always be this reminder that there was unfinished business.

How long will you wait? Don’t settle for half-victories.

Let the Word speak.