Ambassadors for Reconciliation

What does it take for people to be reconciled when they have become estranged from one another? The answer often seems elusive as we can avoid people we fall out with or keep them at arms length, behaving as though we are happy with stalemate in damaged relationships. 

I have been challenged by this scenario recently and thought I could get away with ignoring someone who displayed animosity towards me. Then a friend advised me to be like soothing cream which eases the irritation. It was not easy (I believed I was in the right) but, swallowing my pride, I hatched a plan to smile every time I saw this person and be friendly towards them even when this was met with a frosty reception. As a Christian I also prayed for a breakthrough in the situation. I'm happy to say that the animosity towards me has softened but I will need to continue devising ways of reconciling. If our aim is reconciliation and if we persist in this God helps us to see change occur because God Himself is a God of Reconciliation. 

At this point I could quote multiple passages from the New Testament in the Bible about God's ways of reconciling a person to Himself and others. However, as I'm currently reading through the Old Testament I came across a gem of a statement about our God who reconciles which stopped me in my tracks. I found myself reading it again...and again...and again:

He devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from Him (2 Samuel 14v14).

Wow! So God is a schemer - but in a wholly positive way. He is as we read this devising ways by which people are reconciled with Him and with one another. What an Amazing God! 

The passage quoted is taken from the context of the strained relationship between King David and his wayward son Absalom. David's commander-in-chief Joab devises a way of reconciling Father and son. He gets a wise woman to pretend she is in fear for her remaining son who she claims is an outcast in fear of his life. She appeals to David to offer her son protection. The king promises protection will be granted only for the woman to use his words against him indicating he should practice what he preaches with his own son Absalom. It is eventually revealed that Joab is behind the scheme aimed at making David address his problem with Absalom. It has the desired effect as David has Absalom brought back to Jerusalem (see 2 Samuel 14). 

This episode has striking parallels with God's reconciling work through Jesus Christ:

1) THERE IS A KING WHO ALONE HAS THE POWER TO BRING BACK THE ONE WHO IS BANISHED. God alone had the power to deal with the barrier of sin (missing the mark of God's intention) and restore us to His presence. Our own efforts could not achieve this (read Isaiah 64v6; John 3v23; Ephesians ch 2)

2) A SCHEME IS DEVISED (by Joab). God devised a plan to save us from being eternally separated from His presence (see John 3v16-21). He  himself provided the means by which we would be spared His wrath. What an amazing scheme - simple yet profound!

3) THERE IS A ROLE FOR A MEDIATOR. The wise woman goes before the king and pleads for intervention. Jesus is the mediator who became the acceptable sacrifice for our sin (see Heb 9v14-15). This now risen, glorified son of God lives forever to intercede before the King of Kings and petition Him on our behalf (Heb 7v25). 

4) PRIDE IS DEALT WITH. King David needs to act first to end the stalemate and show humility through his willingness to put his reputation on the line for the sake of reconciliation. There is a risk that David would be seen as soft on those who step out of line and his enemies emboldened to challenge him. 
God put his reputation on the line by sending Jesus, who willingly made himself 'of no reputation' in taking human form. God in Christ put reconciliation at the top of His agenda. He could've been proud and withheld reconciliation. A read through the first two chapters of Romans suggests God was entitled to leave us to the consequences of our choice to put aside the evidence of His existence all around us and exchange it for man made objects of worship (Rom 1v18f). 
Yet, because of His great love for us He turned us from objects of wrath to objects of incomparable kindness through the sacrifice of His son, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2v4). 

Summary and application:
The humility God displayed in Christ is to be reflected in the followers of Christ. The One who reconciled us to Himself has passed the baton > we have been given the ministry of reconciliation. We are Christ's ambassadors spreading the message of reconciliation (2 Cor 5v18-20). 
We may 'feel' we have every right to be aggrieved at someone's behaviour/animosity towards us but remember who we are in Christ; we are ambassadors for reconciliation not ambassadors for withholding forgiveness. It is not God's purpose that we remain so proud that we stubbornly cling to our hurt and perceived grievances. It all comes down to Pride v Humility:

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4v6, c/ref Proverbs 3v34)

Walking humbly before God is a double edged process:

• God allows us to be humbled
• We must come to our senses

- God allowed Joesph's youthful pride to be worked out of him through yrs of slavery and prison (Genesis 37-41).

- God allowed mighty Samson to be humbled when he forgot that God was the source of his strength (Judges 16).

- Jesus told the story of the wayward son (prodigal son) who impatiently claimed his inheritance prematurely, before squandering it and having to take a job feeding pigs (Luke 15).

• Samson came to his senses and God strengthened him again for a great victory
• Joseph came to his senses in learning to leave His destiny with God. He was elevated to the world's most influential man in a time of great need. He also extended arms of reconciliation to those closest to him who had wronged him (Gen 45-47).
• The wayward son in the story Jesus told came to his senses (Luke 15v17), returned home and was reconciled to the 'waiting father' who ran to meet him in pure delight (v20). 

Let us come to our senses and stop keeping God and others at arms length. RELATIONSHIP IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN BEING PROVEN RIGHT. We don't have to change our personalities in order to please others; we just have to change our approach. We are to be mirrors of God's love for us and actually devise plans so that we are not estranged from people around us. In being ambassadors for Jesus Christ we are at the same time ambassadors for reconciliation. REPUTATION MUST TAKE A BACK SEAT TO RELATIONSHIP. How about letting go of unhealthy pride, lowering those defences and set about devising ways of ministering reconciliation at every opportunity. 

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The Ultimate Battleground

As a parent of four children I can relate to being on my way to getting a job done when I encounter one or more of my kids wanting something from me or wanting to get in on the act (it's just happened again as I type these words). It can be a real battle to finish anything in life with all the other challenges that meet us on a daily basis. There is a real battle which all Christians face, a battle where all manner of situations are encountered and dealt with at the same time. This is THE BATTLE OF GOING TO A PLACE OF PRAYER. I draw our attention to such an occasion mentioned in the Bible and the helpful lessons it has for us:

Once WHEN WE WERE GOING TO THE PLACE OF PRAYER, WE WERE MET by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling (Acts 16v6 emphasis mine).

A significant and positive change is about to take place in the woman's life as Paul & his companions journey to the place of prayer. Forces are in play which want to interfere with how God is changing lives through their prayers and their missionary activities for His glory. As we journey to quality prayer time with God spiritual forces opposed to the positive outcomes this leads to want to disrupt this process:

For our struggle is not against flesh & blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6v12). 

What exactly meets Paul and his companions and what threatens disruption for them?

This girl followed Paul & the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved."  She kept this up for many days...(Acts 16v17-18a). 

Notice from v16 that the spirit the girl has is not of God but rather a spirit which leans solely to one interest - predicting the future. Although this spirit is opposed to God it nevertheless recognises: 
1) The servants of God; 
2) God Most High; 
3) The true means of human salvation. 

This also makes me think of the loud recognition of 'God Most High' from the Demon possessed Man in Mark's gospel who shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? (Mark 5v7). This shouting points to something being wrong and which needs dealing with.  On the surface, the shouting of the slave girl could be perceived as a fan cheering on God's people but this is actually the seducing charm of the enemy spirit within her who recognises God at work but really just wants to stop it even if there is an underlying fascination with the mission of God. The genuine Spirit of God within Paul prompts him that something is not right; the girl's shouting needs dealing with. The paradox of her shouting is that it is both a cry for help from the girl herself who is being exploited as well as attempted disruption from the spirit within her who wants to steal the spotlight from God. 

A note about shouting - not all shouting is bad; there is a place in the Bible for corporate shouting:
- At the 7th time of marching around Jericho the people follow God's command delivered through Joshua to shout in unison as the trumpet is blasted (see Joshua 6v10,16)
- Under God's instruction Gideon has the men who are with him to attack the Midianites shout all together at the sound of the trumpets (see Judges 7v18,20)
- The Psalmist encourages us to shout for joy to the Lord (see Psalm 98 & Psalm 100)
- A reading of Revelation underlines that Heaven is not going to be a quiet place!
BUT and it is a HUGE But... 
'Lone Ranger' shouting which isn't scripted by God, as in the case of this slave girl, is not a good thing as it draws attention off God and onto a 'personality'. This kind of shouting unsettles people, making them uncomfortable in the wrong kind of way. People would rather be somewhere else. If something is influencing us to shout as an individual then something is wrong and needs dealing with. As one who has over 20yrs experience of preaching and teaching from God's Word I have learned to leave it to The Holy Spirit to confirm God's Word. In the early days I was sometimes a 'bit of a shouter'. I do not preach like this anymore. I can be passionate for God without shouting. God's Spirit draws people - He doesn't need someone shouting on His behalf.

A note about listening to the Holy Spirit - The interesting thing about Paul's initial response to the shouting slave girl is that he allows the shouting to continue for several days. This points to the leading of The Holy Spirit and the discernment He gifts to the believer in Christ. As Jesus is about to leave his disciples on route to the ultimate sacrifice he tells them He will not leave them as orphans (John 14v18) but will send his Spirit to guide them into all truth and take from what is his and make it known to them (ref John 16v13, 14-15). 

God ensured that the apostle Paul was prayed for to be filled with this Spirit after his Damascus rd experience (see Acts 9v17). Paul advises the church to keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5v16); he advises also that one of the gifts the Spirit gives is the distinguishing between spirits (1 Corinthians 12v10) and urges believers to 'test everything' (1 Thessalonians 5v21). The writer of 1 John echoes this with the call to test the spirits to see whether they are from God (1 John 4v1). This is exactly what Paul does in the context of this slave girl - he tests what is going on in the spiritual realm. He weighs things and trusts the leading of the Holy Spirit within him. He allows the disrupting counterfeit activity of spiritual forces opposed to God to continue for several days because God is at work in the situation as well and it would, therefore, be unwise to jump in straight away to confront. That would be the natural human way to react but the Spirit of God teaches us to react differently. 

This is relevant for us today. As we journey to 'the place of prayer' or gather to hear from God the enemy will always instigate some kind of 'counterfeit activity'. We must not jump into confrontation with the enemy straight away before 'discerning in the Spirit' how God wants us to act. The apostle Paul does not want to 'quench' the Spirit's activity because counterfeit activity is taking place so he waits for prompting from God as to the 'when' to confront. He sticks to God's timetable, not his own. We must do the same and be open to receive the Holy Spirit's discernment.

Let's briefly walk over the steps Paul treads as he confronts the situation:

- HE TURNS ROUND (v18). There is a time to carry on regardless and a time to turn round and face something head on. When the Holy Spirit at work within us takes a step which involves turning round we must be tuned in to keep in step and turn around.

- HE SPEAKS TO THE ISSUE (v18). Paul has the confidence to do this because he is in regular prayerful communication with God and urges us to practice the same: be constant in prayer (Romans 12v12); keep on praying (Ephesians 6v18); pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5v17). We can only speak to those mountains and giants we meet based on the strength of our prayer lives. Our spiritual enemy (the devil; ref 1 Peter 5v8) wants to keep us from the place of prayer through any amount of discouragement, doubt and distractions. This is because there is awareness in the spiritual realm that God works His power through our prayers to bring about wonderful results (see James 5v16). A prayerful life is a firm foundation to speak to each obstacle thrown at us in confident expectation God will act. 

- HE SPEAKS THE NAME OF JESUS (v18). The bible is crystal clear: There is no other name higher than the name of Jesus (Philippians 2v9) and we are advised that everything has been placed under his authority (Ephesians 1v22; Heb 2v8). We are to keep the words of Jesus ever before us: 

You may ask me for anything in my name and I will do it (John 14v14). 

- HE COMMANDS THE ENEMY (v18). Paul commands the evil spirit to leave the girl. This presses the point about the authority in the name of Jesus still further. In the name of Jesus we can pull rank on the enemy and command compliance. This does not involve stamping our feet and demanding of God but simply laying hold of God's promises as we confront that which confronts us. Let's be bold: 

The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4v4)

- THE COMMAND IS ABSOLUTE (v18). Paul commands the enemy to move out NOW. In other words, not simply to hang around for a bit and leave when in the mood. God is always working for our good (Romans 8v28) whereas our spiritual enemy is always looking to devour us (1 Peter 5v8). God wants to dwell in us by His Spirit and to drive out opposing influences. Let's declare 'no compromise' to the enemy as we command him to leave in the name of Jesus. 

Summary of results in looking for the place of prayer:

- A life is set free

- A culture of selfish gain and exploitation is reversed (the slave girl owners realise that their meal ticket is gone)

- The counterfeit work of our spiritual enemy is exposed and dealt with

- The absolute sovereignty and authority of God is revealed

A final note about the place of prayer:

The place of prayer is wherever and whenever we are talking to God in prayer. Whilst it's good to set aside a particular time and place for this like Jesus who often went off to an isolated place alone and prayed (Mk 1v35; 6v46, Luke 5v16; 6v12; 9v18; 11v1) we mustn't be legalistic about this, meaning the question is not necessarily when and where are we praying but rather ARE WE ENJOYING A VIBRANT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD; practicing His presence everyday at work or play, when washing, cleaning or gardening, surrounded by people or alone in a quiet place? That question should not make us feel condemned but simply clarifies 'The ultimate battleground' for each one of us. Let us journey boldly to that battleground (the place of prayer). After all, God has given us 'the ultimate victory' through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15v57).  


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Clothing Ourselves with Kindness

There are some clothes I'm sure we'd rather put on and some we'd rather not. Even when we do try on certain items we like it is not guaranteed that they are going to fit well. Something which the Bible advises followers of Jesus Christ to clothe themselves with is Kindness:

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3v12)

Kindness is part of the Christian's spiritual clothing which fits well and is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit that should be evident in their life:

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5v22)

There is an episode recorded in the life of Israel's King David which demonstrates kindness in action and draws parallels with God's kindness to us in Jesus Christ. The remarkable thing about it is that the beneficiary of David's kindness is the grandson of someone who had tried many times to harm or kill David. David's example of kindness in such circumstances has lessons for all of us. After David subdues the nations around him you might expect him to sit back in complacency. However, we see him pursue an unexpected course:

Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness...(2 Samuel 9v1)

Saul had died by this stage but he was the king who lost his way and made it his mission whilst alive to try and kill David or remove him from the picture. The reader of his story notes at least 24 incidents where he exhibits anger or jealousy about David or insecurity about the perceived threat of David to his kingdom or tries to get him killed or seriously injured (see 1 Samuel 18v8-12, 15, 17b, 25, 28-9; 1 Sam 19v1, 9-11, 20-3; 1 Sam 20v30-1; 1 Sam 23v8, 14-15,  25; 1 Sam 24v1-2; 1 Sam 26v1-3). Now seriously, would you want anything to  do with the family of someone who had it in for you like that? I believe that means David's response here warrants special attention. Let us look at what his kindness can teach us:

- HE ACTIVELY LOOKS TO DEMONSTRATE KINDNESS. There are those who harbour thoughts of retaliation after being wronged and those who look for opportunities to show kindness; David is the latter. He is looking around for a relative of Saul to help, asking questions, doing some investigating. He is being proactive about finding an opportunity for kindness and not waiting for one to fall into his lap. His efforts pay off - a servant of Saul is located and brought before David. The servant highlights the situation of Saul's disabled grandson Mephibosheth in a town east of the Jordan river (see 2 Sam 9v2-5). David is happy to wait for Mephibosheth (we'll refer to him as Meph) to be brought.

Showing kindness is worth the wait. David has time to reconsider as he waits but is not for turning in the kindness he wants to display.

- THE RECIPIENT MOVES FROM FEAR TO SECURITY. Meph. comes to David in fear and bows down to him (v6). Picture a mistreated dog cowering in fear and waiting to be hit again by its master and you're getting the idea behind Meph's tentative approach. David offers reassurance that there is no reason here to remain afraid (v7). People around us may have suffered all kinds of mistreatment. They do not easily anticipate being shown kindness. An act of kindness lifts them from a place of fear to one of security. 

- IDENTITY IS RECOVERED. Meph's learned self-identity is made clear: 

What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me? (v8)

Meph's self-esteem is at rock-bottom. He feels as good as dead (or might as well be). Demonstrating kindness bestows on those who need it a more healthy self-identity than the distorted one which may have been learned through mistreatment. Kindness leads them to a new sense of self-worth.

- KINDNESS RESTORES & ELEVATES. Meph. has lost identity, position, sense of value. His physical disability would have discounted him still further among society at the time. David restores to him the family lands and decrees he will from now on sit and eat at the king's table (v7), which means he will be like one of the kings sons (v11). This restoration and elevation could not have been envisioned by the grandson of David's enemy.The legacy of the dead and disgraced King Saul is being turned on its head by the alleged enemy. This is what kindness does; it turns a situation on its head. 

- KINDNESS = PROVISION. David gives instructions that the land restored to Meph. would be farmed for him and that the crops produced would provide for him (see v10). There are many who suffer lack in this world. As God positions us to help others Kindness is the clothing we should be wearing to channel much needed help and provision.   

- THE END OF HOSTILITY. David's kindness puts an end to hostilities between his house and that of Saul. 

Parallel between David's kindness and God's:

David isn't concerned only to demonstrate a measure of human kindness; he elaborates on the inspiration behind his passion for kindness:

Is there no-one still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show GOD'S kindness? (v3 emphasis mine)

David knew the kindness of God first hand through all those years on the run from Saul. We can only have a heart to show kindness as we are changed by our own experience of God's immeasurable kindness shown to us in Jesus Christ. David's kindness to Meph. points forward to God's kindness:

Meph. no longer made to feel like a dead dog but made to feel alive again. We have been made alive (spiritually) in Christ (Ephesians 2v5).

Meph. was not to be bowed down anymore but raised up and seated at the King's table. We have been raised up with Christ and seated with him in heavenly realms (Eph 2v6).

Meph. welcomed to the King's inner circle. We are no longer excluded from citizenship in Israel, no longer without hope and without God in this world. Now we have been brought near to God through the blood of Christ (Eph 2v12-13).

Any lingering hostility Mephibosheth imagined to exist between him and David (because of Saul) was broken down by David's kindness. Our sin (wrongdoing) built a wall of hostility between ourselves and God. This has been removed because of Christ's sacrifice. We now have peace with God (see Eph 2v14).

Meph. given access to the king and can approach his presence with freedom and confidence. Through Christ we have access to the presence of God the King of Kings and can approach with freedom and confidence (ref Eph 3v12).

Meph. treated like one of the King's sons and like an honorary member of the King's household. In Christ a spirit of fear is replaced with a spirit of sonship. We are God's (adopted) children. We are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8v15-17). We are members of God's household (Eph 2v19).

We can find those Mephibosheths around us if we are willing to look and be demonstrators of God's kindness made known to us in Christ. 'Supreme beneficiaries' need to become 'Supreme Demonstrators'. Let this be evident in our daily lives. 


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Having a Persuasive Life

I'm sure we have come across people who seem to be well practised in the art of persuasion. There are individuals who command a crowd and appear to influence others toward their way of thinking with great use of words or the sheer force of their powerful personality. At some level we all have experience of trying to influence and persuade others toward our way of thinking, with varying degrees of success. One way to surely fail in this is if we upset the people we are trying to persuade. A quote from the late Scottish preacher John Knox has always stuck with me:

you cannot antagonise and influence at the same time

Recently, I have been reading about a woman in the Bible named Lydia. She welcomed the message Paul and his companions were sharing and invited them to her home. This could've come across as a bit full on from someone they had only just met. However, Lydia demonstrated certain qualities which ultimately led to the closing remark:

And she persuaded us (see Acts 16v15b)

What was it about this woman which made her so persuasive and what can we learn from her example?

1) A PEOPLE PERSON. Lydia operated a business selling purple cloth (Acts 16v14), implying both that she dealt with a wide range of different people and that she had built up trust and respect with the community around her. This would have been unlikely if she wasn't a people person with a warm, friendly and inviting personality. Lydia had learned to engage with people at an everyday level. Too often Christians are perceived as 'oddballs' who struggle to speak with people about everyday stuff that concerns them. Jesus spoke to fishermen about fish, to shepherds about sheep, to tax collectors about money and so the list goes on. We need to be able to engage with other people's worlds before we can hope to move them over to our world. The church can learn from Lydia not to get lost in a world of Christian jargon and church meetings and to be people anyone is comfortable spending time with.  

2) OPEN TO INCONVENIENCE. Lydia invited Paul and his companions to her home (v15). Consider that this isn't just one person being invited but several. Add to this that Lydia doesn't just ask them to pop round for a quick visit but says 'Come and Stay'.

We are looking here at someone who is open and hospitable to others no matter how inconvenient it becomes.

Spending time with one person can be inconvenient for us never mind several at the same time. Lydia was not being asked to open her home to people she had barely met. No, she goes out of her way to do this and this act of inconvenience would in itself be very persuasive to Paul and his companions. It is an act of kindness and compassion, not wanting to see the group wandering the streets with nowhere to stay. It is an act which says to them 'I value you, I am interested in you and your well being'. When Barack Obama, the current American President, speaks to people, he makes them feel valued and that he genuinely cares about them. This is a call to inconvenience as the needs of people often present themselves when we may have other plans. We can learn to be more open to inconvenience. It doesn't have to start with opening our home up to people we barely know but let us take a step by just becoming more open to inconvenience for perhaps 10-15 mins everyday.

3) BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS. Lydia makes a conscious decision to allow her privacy to be invaded. She is open to sharing space in her life with others. Lydia was prepared for her relationship with people to go beyond the superficial level. By inviting Paul and his companions to 'come and stay' with her at her house she signals a willingness to let her guard down and let them see more of the real her.

We can easily avoid this type of 'sharing' in our lives as we maintain an outward front or we can, like Lydia, allow those barriers or walls to be broken down. This means becoming vulnerable without those defensive walls we are so good at building. It is not an easy process to let our guard down with people and trust them with more information about ourselves. However, to become more persuasive to those we hope to win over we need to become more genuine and breaking down these barriers is a necessary step in that process.

4) A CHANGED HEART. At the end of the day, Lydia is open to others, open to receiving house guests, open to inconvenience and open to relationship building because The Lord opened her heart (Acts 16v14b). There is nothing that wins over the heart of others more than a heart that has been changed or made open by the power of God. Lydia now wants to linger in the things of God. She doesn't want Paul and his companions rushing away. Her heart is bursting for more. She has made room in her heart for God to do more than pop in for a visit and this is spilling out in her persuasive openness to others. We need God to melt our hearts in this area. In our heart relationship with Him do we want a quick visit or do we crave His presence? A persuasive life is one which is lonely without the presence of God. When God's presence met with Moses in the tent, there would be some point when Moses would return to the camp but we read:

His young assistant Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent (see Exodus 33v11)

Joshua lingered in the presence of God. Lydia seeks to linger in what God is doing. Let us be people who linger with God, people who invite Him to 'come and stay'.  When God resides in our hearts, we experience transformation and a heart and life transformed by the power of God is irresistibly persuasive.

To summarise, having a persuasive life means being a people person, being open to inconvenience, breaking down barriers and inviting God to open your heart.


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Finding Strength

Life is very good at testing our resolve. There are times when we feel we are being pushed to breaking point and it is a struggle to carry on. This is true for everyone and does not stop being true when you put your faith in God.

In the Bible, David, who went on to become Israel's greatest king, had to face many battles. There was one occasion before he was king when he nearly lost his own life and this threat came not from the enemies he had been fighting but from those closest to him, who had fought alongside him and who he expected support from:

When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive... David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters (1 Samuel 30v3,6)

David here is affected by this disaster just as his men are and so is going through the same turmoil they are:

David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep (1 Samuel 30v4)

David's men are blinded by the pain of their loss to such an extent that they want someone to point the finger at and David is in the firing line, never mind he might be suffering too. He's the one they have been following, it must be his fault they're facing such devastation. 

All of them including David are in so much pain and heartache that it must feel as though their insides are going to burst. They have reached 'The Breaking Point' and have completely spent their emotional reserves. They have nothing left! I'm sure David would've appreciated it if they all showed one another a bit of support at this difficult time. No chance, he's on his own! So, on top of his own distress he has to cope with being isolated and having his closest allies turn against him.

Distress can come suddenly when we are least prepared for it. It can also come with devastating force that completely uses up our emotional reserves in trying to cope. We might feel we've coped reasonably well with pressures thus far but then something happens which shakes us to the core:

- Our job security is taken away

- We experience the loss of a loved one

- We are confronted with the suffering of those close to us

- Those we trusted or thought we knew turn on us or let us down when we could really do with their support. 

Question> What do we do when our distress is so great that it feels like our insides are going to burst and that all strength is leaving us?

9 amazing words sum up the response of David in the Bible:

BUT DAVID FOUND STRENGTH IN THE LORD HIS GOD (1 Samuel 30v6b). 

When we hear a 'BUT' coming from someone it usually means any positives remarks made are about to be followed by one or more negatives. In this episode from David's life we see the opposite take effect; negative after negative after negative is followed by one immeasurable positive springing from this word 'BUT' and leading to all the overwhelming positives that are true in God. Let's glance at these 9 words that changed David's perspective:

BUT DAVID. He goes against the crowd and does not follow the path to despair others around him are heading towards. He turns away from the natural self-pity and inward bitterness arising from such trying circumstances. David turns from inward to Godward when all around are doing the opposite. 

FOUND STRENGTH. True strength to make it through the storm comes from God:

The Lord is my strength and shield (Psalm 28v7);

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46v1)

God is the source of our strength to carry on. Even though we may find a measure of strength from family, friends, doctors or other means of support our example here is David who found strength

IN THE LORD HIS GOD. How does this make the difference? Well, David knew His God and understood simply how to rest in all God is and to worship whom for who He is and what He has done. Recently I have been reading through the Old Testament and in the book of Deuteronomy the nation of Israel is urged at the outset of entering the 'Promised Land' to Remember the Lord their God and what He's done and to honour this in daily living. I leave us to ponder from the book of Deuteronomy how we may find strength as we grow in ever increasing awareness of Him who David knew to be THE LORD OUR GOD:

In Deuteronomy chapters 1-7 THE LORD OUR GOD:

- Increases (1v10)

- Gives (1v21)

- Goes before us (1v30)

- Fights for us (1v30)

- Carries us (1v31)

- Blesses (2v7)

- Watches over our journey (2v7)

- Is with us (2v7)

- Sees that we do not lack (2v7)

- Is near us as we pray (4v7)

- Brings us out of slavery (4v20)

- Is a consuming fire (4v24)

- Is a jealous God (4v31)

- Is a merciful God (4v31)

- Does not forget us (4v31)

- Is God; There's no other (4v35b)

- Has revealed His strength (4v37b)

- Has shown us His glory & majesty (5v24)

- Has chosen us (7v6)

- Is faithful

In Deuteronomy chapter 8 we are to remember that The Lord our God:

- Leads us (8v2)

- Humbles us (8v2,3)

- Tests us (8v2)

- Disciplines us (8v5)

In Deuteronomy chapter 10 we learn more about the Lord our God:

> to Him belong the heavens, highest heaven, earth & everything in it (10v14)

> He sets His affection on us, He loves us and chooses us (10v15)

> He is God of gods, the Lord of lords, The great God, Mighty & Awesome, shows no partiality, accepts no bribes (10v17)

> He defends the fatherless & widow, loves the alien/foreigner/refugee, giving them food & clothing (10v18)

> He is our Praise, He is our God. He has performed great & awesome wonders (10v21)

> He makes us numerous (10v22). Put another way He enlarges us, multiplies us, gives us momentum.

Let us consider all the above and like David FIND STRENGTH IN THE LORD YOUR GOD. 



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Wholeheartedness

We can be impressed at the dedication of those who show all out commitment to achieve desired results. One word which could be used to describe such people and such an approach is 'WHOLEHEARTED'.

God looks for those who are wholehearted. When King Saul's son Jonathan decided to attack an encampment of enemy soldiers it was just him and his armour-bearer, whom he asked for a show of support. The response from the armour bearer was one in a million: 

Do all that you have in mind...Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul (1 Samuel 14v7)

Let's break it down:

1) DO ALL THAT YOU HAVE IN MIND. We might not agree with all that someone has in mind but if a friend, loved one or someone we have close links to is looking for support from our corner, it does not serve the relationship well to negotiate our level of support. True support that is 'wholehearted' is offered during all that a person is going through. 

2) GO AHEAD. This gives the green light for action. No debate necessary, it's a done deal! The plans God has for us are acted upon in the lives of willing participants. As N.A.S.A might say at the end of a countdown to space launch 'it's a go for lift off'. This 'go ahead' mindset is a statement to God saying 'go ahead, your will be done through me'. It's also a statement towards forces opposed to God's will being fulfilled in us that declares, 'go ahead, bring it on, do your worst'! 

3) I AM WITH YOU. This speaks of solidarity with those God wants us to support, to get behind, to come alongside. It lifts a person to know someone is on their side, that someone will walk with them through whatever they are about to experience. It also echoes and is a necessary response to God's promise to be with us:

The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go (Joshua 1v9b);

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28v20).

4) HEART & SOUL. We are commanded to love the Lord our God with all our heart & soul etc (Deuteronomy 6v5; 10v12; 11v13; 13v3; 30v6), to obey His commands with all our heart & soul (26v16; 30v10), to serve Him with all our heart & soul (Joshua 22v5). 

Jesus identified the first and greatest commandment in the Written Law:  

Love the Lord your God with all your heart & with all your soul and with all your mind (see Matthew 22v37).

Are we with God Heart & Soul? Are we on board with His will for our lives? Are we serving His purposes in our generation with all our heart and soul? We are to love and serve with all our heart and soul. Do our Christian brothers & sisters know our love and support? Would they say we are with them heart & soul?

As we consider all this the challenge is to be in tune with the spirit of Jonathan's armour-bearer which speaks of wholeheartedness.

As we embrace 'wholeheartedness' we become 'carriers'. What do I mean? Well, the armour-bearer carried the armour for the one who would wear it. He was a carrier rather than one who needed to be carried. Question > Are we carriers or those who need to be carried? It is inevitable that we will move between both positions as we journey through life. Predominantly, we should move towards being carriers, for carriers become contributors instead of consumers. 

Summary Questions

- Is our response to God: It's a go for lift off?

- Do we reflect God's promise to be with us in our relationship with others?

- Are we responding to God's love & grace with all our heart & soul in our loving, obeying & serving?

- Have we become carriers or those who are being carried all the time? 


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The Mountain Process

Life's rough terrain can be compared to a mountain journey. I've never found myself on a mountain by accident; I've only visited them with a specific purpose in mind. God told Moses to go up a mountain and stay for a while until he had received specified instructions (see Exodus 24v12). Sometimes we are required to stay on the mountain of rough terrain until a process God is taking us through is completed.

When Moses failed to come back down the mountain right away his people waiting in the camp below thought 'we don't know what has happened to him' and decided to get on with their own agendas without him (see Exodus 32v1f). The results were not good to say the least!

• When we see a process being dragged out the temptation is to find any way to bring it to a speedy end. The results of us doing this are inferior to what God has planned and we become more frustrated than when we were going through the process. Stay on the mountain or wait for return from the mountain until God's process in our lives has a chance to be worked through.
• The people saw that Moses was 'actually' on the mountain when what they 'wanted' to see was him coming down the mountain. They were not seeing what they wanted so they lost patience with the process.   

We must not throw away confident expectation that God will complete what he has started when we are not seeing what we want to see straightaway.The apostle Paul wrote:

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it to completion...(Philippians 1v6)

Admittedly, the people could not know for sure what had become of Moses as he was taking so long to come down the mountain. Questions lingered in their minds. God often allows us to linger with our questions. This is when our focus needs to be on what we do know (what God has revealed already) not on what we don't know. 

...we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10v5b)

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Clinging to The Rock

I live in a very scenic part of England near the Lake District. I'm in close proximity to some of the popular Lakeland Fells. When I scaled the one named 'Blencathra', I used the so called 'Sharp Edge' route (sounds great doesn't it). Up to the point of reaching this sharp Edge, I told myself it would not be a problem, but as I began to negotiate this section of the climb, I suddenly became very unsure of myself. I overcame this as I clung closely to the rocks every step of the way and followed the footsteps of my friend who guided me along Sharp Edge and up to the Blencathra summit.

The Psalmist declares to God: My souls clings to you; your right hand upholds me (Ps 63v8). As the climber clings to the mountain we do well to cling to God who, by His grace, upholds us in the midst of our weakness. This may involve throwing off extra baggage that is surplus to requirements. When I scaled Blencathra, I filled my back pack with stuff I didn't need - it was too warm for the extra layers of upper body clothing I brought along. If anything, I had to remove a layer of clothing that was hampering my efforts. Our efforts to cling to God will be hampered if we carry aspects of self-sufficiency which are surplus to requirements. 

Breaking Free

Some days you may 'feel' as though no one is on your side. Perhaps you feel put down at work or misunderstood by those around you. Our reaction to these scenarios determines whether or not we live in slavery or freedom.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5v1)
In Christ, God has set us free - we are accepted & forgiven. We still have responsibility to do what is right but our acceptance before God isn't based on what we do or how others view us. 
The Bible reveals that, by faith in Christ and all he accomplished through the cross, Christ's righteousness is imparted to us and we are given right standing before God. This is called JUSTIFICATION (see Romans 3v21-6).
I encourage us to know the truth of who we are in Christ and to live in the freedom it brings:
if you hold to my teaching you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free (John 8v31-2);

if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed (Jn 8v36)

Unconditional Love

God's grace is often described as 'getting what we don't deserve'. In this context, our lives can be built on what God, by grace, has already done without us having done anything to earn it. This act of grace empowers me to keep pressing on every day. 
During my school years I was good at many sports. However, a big problem for me was that I lacked confidence that I could be the best at any of them. I now recognise the pressure I put on myself to earn acceptance through my sporting performances. I remained in this performance driven mindset for a long time. 
God's grace frees us from performance driven living:
it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2v8-9)
When I received God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ, I did not 'feel' a more confident person overnight and I'm still developing in this area. What I am more aware of is that God, through Jesus, has clearly demonstrated His offer of unconditional love. Everyday can be enjoyed in this reality;
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3v16 NKJV)