2Sam. 7:18 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD; and he said: “Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far?
2Sam. 7:19 And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord GOD
2Sam. 7:27 For You, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, “I will build you a house.’ Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to You.
2Sam. 7:28 “And now, O Lord GOD, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant.
2Sam. 7:29 Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You, O Lord GOD, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever.”
If something sounds to good to be true ... then it probably is. This is a maxim that we typically learn at a young age. However, despite this, we are still drawn in by it. I remember the letters coming in the mail... “you may already be a winner!!!” I remember the commercials ... “it cuts through a cement block wall and can still slice a tomato like this...!” I remember trading baseball cards with my friends ... Somehow it always sounded like a better deal before we actually traded. But, for some reason hope keeps bringing us back for more. We want to believe it but we also know “if it sounds to good...”. We know from experience that “you get what you pay for...”.
In the preceding passages David has expressed to Nathan the prophet his desire to build a “house”, a temple, to God in place of the Tabernacle. David loves God. He has followed and trusted God all his life and God has preserved him and blessed him. David, in thinking of all that God has done for him, realizes that while he lives in a palace, the worship of God is still going on in a tent. That David should, even in symbol, live “better” than God was a shame to him.
At first, Nathan thinks this is a great idea and tells David to do all that he is thinking. However, this is human thinking and God comes and tells him to tell David, this is what the Lord has to say about it. David has wanted to bless the Name of God, but instead he ends up being the one who is blessed by God. That is always the way it is and will be.
God promises David that He will establish David and his house to rule Israel forever. God reveals to David things that the average person never knows about the future and those that come after them. David is in awe that God would reveal such things and make such promises. He comes before God and prays.
I get a picture in my mind of David kind of sitting or kneeling in a kind of disbelief ... stupefied if you will. He is happy, euphoric, and yet for a moment struggles to get a “handle on the situation”. What should he even say and how should he begin. Then, as his mind and thoughts settle, he begins his prayer.
God who am I? What is it about me and my family that is so special? Why should You would take notice? It was all too good to be true, and yet it was. David the shepherd, taken from watching the sheep to be King Saul’s personal musician. This was as high an honor as most people could wish for in life, but David is still very young. Many never achieve so much in all their lifetime. Then as an young man he defeats a veteran warrior giant. He rises to national hero, trusted soldier and leader. He becomes a hunted outlaw. God preserves him through all of this, distinguishes him and makes him king over, not just Judah but, all of Israel. David has come through countless battles and God has given him rest. All of this has been overwhelming, amazing! If that weren’t enough, now God has made an incredible promise to David.
Even as he considers this he still doesn’t know what to say. Even more, he knows that God knows him so well that He knows what is on David’s tongue before he says anything. Not only that, but God also knows all of David’s weaknesses and shortcomings, his imperfections and problems, yet despite this God still promises.
David can only conclude that God’s reasons for doing this are His own. It can’t be because of David, any accomplishment or obedience of his own. It must be for God’s purposes. That is just fine with David. Some of us might look at such a promise with suspicion. “God only blesses when He gets something out of it.” “He has ulterior motives.” Of course, such thinking is flawed and misses that which is most important. But this is not David’s way of thinking. David is excited that he gets to be a part of it. He is excited that God has chosen him. It is a privilege and not a right. That he should receive anything from God’s hand is amazing. That God would make him any promise is incredible. That he is able to enjoy the blessing and that his family after him will also be under God’s blessing and correction. He can think of no better thing. If he wanted something from God for his own sake it would be less, but because it is for God’s sake and the sake of His name, David knows that it will be best for him as well. He rests not in his own judgement about what it means to be blessed but in God’s. He entrusts himself to God’s hands.
David again looks at the position that he has. He is king over the people that God has chosen for Himself. That makes him unique among a unique people and that is going to be preserved.
As he comes toward the end of his prayer he again is a little stupefied. He is overcome with the “too good to be true” aspect of all this. God has promised me!?! David will not strive to achieve what has been promised. God, since You have chosen to do this then please do it and may You get all the glory and praise in it. It is too good to be true, but if You said it ... it will happen.
David reminds himself again that God is not a trader in the marketplace or a snake oil salesman. What He says is true and He will keep His word.
After this prayer David goes back out and wars against various enemies. At the beginning of this chapter it says that God had given him rest from his enemies. However, the first thing that we see in chapter 8 is that David goes out on a number of military campaigns. He extends his territory and the wealth of his kingdom. I am almost sure he goes out in the strength and confidence of this promise God has made to him that he might leave a legacy to his children as a testimony to God’s promise and to glorify God. He does it in the power of God’s strength so that he can be a blessing to His children and leave an offering to God.
All of us who know God can point to promises that He has made to us. He has revealed many things in His word and by His Spirit. Even if those were the only promises that we ever knew they would be great and awesome. However, sometimes we fail to be amazed. Sometimes we fail to remember all His promises to us. They seem almost to good to be true and we fail to “go out” in the strength of those promises. We can fail to appreciate God for the goodness of the promises he has made. We can get stuck in the mundane of life or the refusal of requests we have made of God. We can fail to praise God for all His goodness. We can fail to ask Him to remember His promises to us and rest assured of those promises being fulfilled. We can fail to be stupefied before the Lord. We get stuck in a “too good to be true” attitude when, in fact, God is too good is true.
Prayer Request
*For about a year we have been praying about starting a Bible Study for Families with young children and Young families. God has opened various opportunities toward this, yet the interest of people to attend - the starting point has been lacking. Pray that we would have wisdom toward starting such a group and that God would bring the people together so that we can start meeting and studying God’s word. Pray that God would build a good group open to studying God’s word and interested in spiritual things and then continue to grow the group as He sees fit.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
30 More Days... Day 12
1Sam. 2:1 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD...
Answered prayer brought more prayer... a prayer of praise.
Hannah had been in grief. She had shed more tears than she cared to remember. Now, that sorrow has been turned to joy. That weeping turned to laughter and gladness. She has prayed. She has promised. She has received from the Lord the desire of her heart. She is in the process of fulfilling her vow. Now she lifts up a heart of praise to God. She recognizes His mighty works.
If you go and read 1 Samuel 2:1-10 you can see her full words of praise.
First she acknowledged the Lord as the source of her salvation and victory. The previous chapter states that this was no miraculous conception. It happened in the normal course of life and in the normal way. There could have been a temptation to attribute Samuel to natural rather than miraculous causes. Perhaps to take at least partial credit. How often after we pray for something and see it answered in a more natural way do we tend to doubt. We tend to wonder if it was just “chance”, “coincidence”. Hannah proclaims the victory and provision to be God’s alone
Second she acknowledges God’s holiness. She proclaims that God was holy and good in all that He did concerning her. She does not feel used or resentful for any of the years of grief she suffered. She focuses on His grace rather than daring to implicate Him as indifferent or impassionate to her previous suffering. Oh, God, You finally got around to answering my request. I guess I can praise You a little now, but it is about time.
Third, she recognizes God’s just judgment. He knows more than we do. He sees, hears, understands and does according to His wisdom. Before she might have had grief and in that sorrow, perhaps, questioned God, as we often do in those situations, now she proclaims His knowledge. People judge from appearances. God judges from truth.
Fourth, in verses 4-8, she lists a group of paradoxes. The strong made weak but the weak helped. The rich hungry but the hungry satisfied. The living dead and the dead resurrected. The barren full of children and the fruitful now weak. She is of course referring to the wrongs she had suffered at the hands of her husband’s other wife and others. How she had been tormented by her. But she left the situation up to God. She called out to Him in her distress rather than taking matters into her own hands. She has left judgment to a righteous God who sees, hears and knows. She doesn’t allow bitterness to keep her from God’s presence. God is able to take any situation and turn it on its ear.
I had a professor in university that told us students that the number grades that we received didn’t mean anything. He could make those numbers mean anything that he wanted them to mean. That was his power as a teacher. The students had spent a lot of time trying to figure out what they needed to get that desired letter grade. Ultimately, the final decision was in the professor’s hand. They need only do their best and leave the rest up to him. If a university teacher has that kind of power, how much more the God of the universe to challenge and change the “curve”.
She praises God for the victory she has received. She recognizes what later would be stated with even greater clarity. Not by might and not by power but by My Spirit. She knows that it is not from her or because of her. She recognizes God’s favor and grace toward her. She doesn’t deserve what she received from the Lord. She recognizes that there is no strength in her to have effected such a blessing. She gives God all the praise for every part of the blessing that He has given her. She takes no credit. She gives no complaint. Her praise resounds in her prayer even as she leaves Samuel to the service of the Lord and returns home, knowing that she has no better hands in which to leave her son.
Prayer Request
*Please pray from the Student Bible study. We meet each week and have been studying through the book of Acts. We have seen God work in lives and His word impact them. We have seen people turning increasingly to the scripture for questions they have. Please pray that people would continue to come and grow. That schedules would not get in the way of them attending. That we would have wisdom for which day to meet as the new semester approaches in October. Pray for new people to come out and attend regularly. Pray for Darja, Matjaz, Mateja, Miha, Katarina, Andrej, Damian, Tadej who have come at least once and most more often. Pray for outreach in meeting new people.
Answered prayer brought more prayer... a prayer of praise.
Hannah had been in grief. She had shed more tears than she cared to remember. Now, that sorrow has been turned to joy. That weeping turned to laughter and gladness. She has prayed. She has promised. She has received from the Lord the desire of her heart. She is in the process of fulfilling her vow. Now she lifts up a heart of praise to God. She recognizes His mighty works.
If you go and read 1 Samuel 2:1-10 you can see her full words of praise.
First she acknowledged the Lord as the source of her salvation and victory. The previous chapter states that this was no miraculous conception. It happened in the normal course of life and in the normal way. There could have been a temptation to attribute Samuel to natural rather than miraculous causes. Perhaps to take at least partial credit. How often after we pray for something and see it answered in a more natural way do we tend to doubt. We tend to wonder if it was just “chance”, “coincidence”. Hannah proclaims the victory and provision to be God’s alone
Second she acknowledges God’s holiness. She proclaims that God was holy and good in all that He did concerning her. She does not feel used or resentful for any of the years of grief she suffered. She focuses on His grace rather than daring to implicate Him as indifferent or impassionate to her previous suffering. Oh, God, You finally got around to answering my request. I guess I can praise You a little now, but it is about time.
Third, she recognizes God’s just judgment. He knows more than we do. He sees, hears, understands and does according to His wisdom. Before she might have had grief and in that sorrow, perhaps, questioned God, as we often do in those situations, now she proclaims His knowledge. People judge from appearances. God judges from truth.
Fourth, in verses 4-8, she lists a group of paradoxes. The strong made weak but the weak helped. The rich hungry but the hungry satisfied. The living dead and the dead resurrected. The barren full of children and the fruitful now weak. She is of course referring to the wrongs she had suffered at the hands of her husband’s other wife and others. How she had been tormented by her. But she left the situation up to God. She called out to Him in her distress rather than taking matters into her own hands. She has left judgment to a righteous God who sees, hears and knows. She doesn’t allow bitterness to keep her from God’s presence. God is able to take any situation and turn it on its ear.
I had a professor in university that told us students that the number grades that we received didn’t mean anything. He could make those numbers mean anything that he wanted them to mean. That was his power as a teacher. The students had spent a lot of time trying to figure out what they needed to get that desired letter grade. Ultimately, the final decision was in the professor’s hand. They need only do their best and leave the rest up to him. If a university teacher has that kind of power, how much more the God of the universe to challenge and change the “curve”.
She praises God for the victory she has received. She recognizes what later would be stated with even greater clarity. Not by might and not by power but by My Spirit. She knows that it is not from her or because of her. She recognizes God’s favor and grace toward her. She doesn’t deserve what she received from the Lord. She recognizes that there is no strength in her to have effected such a blessing. She gives God all the praise for every part of the blessing that He has given her. She takes no credit. She gives no complaint. Her praise resounds in her prayer even as she leaves Samuel to the service of the Lord and returns home, knowing that she has no better hands in which to leave her son.
Prayer Request
*Please pray from the Student Bible study. We meet each week and have been studying through the book of Acts. We have seen God work in lives and His word impact them. We have seen people turning increasingly to the scripture for questions they have. Please pray that people would continue to come and grow. That schedules would not get in the way of them attending. That we would have wisdom for which day to meet as the new semester approaches in October. Pray for new people to come out and attend regularly. Pray for Darja, Matjaz, Mateja, Miha, Katarina, Andrej, Damian, Tadej who have come at least once and most more often. Pray for outreach in meeting new people.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
30 More Days... Day 11
1Sam. 1:10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish.
1Sam. 1:11 Then she made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”
1Sam. 1:12 And it happened, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli watched her mouth.
1Sam. 1:13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.
Has there ever been something that you really wanted? Has there ever been a pain in your heart, a grief that just wouldn’t be soothed? You look around you and you know that you are so blessed. You have more than many, and at least as much as most. You know that you are blessed, yet there is still something you desire above all of that? This was Hannah and this is often us as well.
Hannah was a lucky woman. She was blessed. She had a loving husband. She had plenty of everything she needed and more. She was able to give to the Lord the “best” sacrifices and enjoy the time of sacrifice and feast before the Lord with abundance. Yet, God has kept Hannah from having children and this was a terrible sore spot for her. It was also used by others to destroy her praise and thankfulness. Fortunately, she also had those that encouraged her to remember God’s blessings and to take joy in her God.
So, the war raged within her. On the one hand she has a deep desire that goes unsatisfied, and those that hurt her with it. On the other hand she is conscious of God’s blessings and loves Him. She is full of sadness and praise. She is full, yet she is empty. The constant struggle wears at her heart and at her spirit. She recognizes all the goodness of God in theory and yet is full of grief in heart. God allows her to wrestle with that grief. He allows her to explore it and finally to bring it before Him.
Hannah prays in her grief. She is so overcome with it. It goes to the very depths of her being. It consumes her, and she will cry out until she is heard. She calls out to God.
Again we often look at this passage and as we see her prayer, we might be tempted to think of it as her “making a deal” with God. How often have people testified that when they came to the end of themselves that they cried out to God making Him a promise if He would just answer them. I don’t really think, though, that Hannah is making a deal with God, nor do I think that God is into making deals with us. I do think that God uses such situations to reveal Himself to us and to take us beyond ourselves. He knows that first He must get us past ourselves and then He is able to take us to a place where we are not only blessed, but even more, are able to be a blessing.
Hannah might have been praying for herself, at least, that is what she might have had in immediate view. What she didn’t realize is that God used that desire to have her pray not only for herself, but also for her people. This is not about making deals. It is about God’s concern for Hannah and His concern for a larger group as well. He will bless both. He has brought her to a place where she is now ready, not to seek only for herself, but also, that in that desire, God would be glorified. Before, her intentions in having a child were good I am sure. She would have loved the child no doubt. She would have reared it in a Godly manner. She would have taught the child God’s word. She was, after all, a worshipper. However, the child still would have been hers. Now, she has come to the place where she totally relinquishes all claim to him. She makes a prayer of total dedication. She holds nothing back. In doing so, she prays not only for blessing for herself, but (not realizing it) a great blessing on her people. God will grant her request and she will have great joy in her heart. She will realize her desire.
She will also have the blessing of seeing God grant more than she asked or thought. That is what happens when we relinquish our desires to God. He might fulfill that desire, but later when we look back we see that a desire relinquished to Him gives benefits that we never anticipated. God is greater than our hearts. He has more in mind than just fulfilling the desire of one. He wants that one to be concerned with things beyond themselves. Through this child, God would bless and lead the nation. Prophecy, the Word of the Lord, would once more be heard after years of silence. God would speak to His people and bring them back to Himself.
There was one more step though. There was the prayer. There was the brokenness. However, there also needed to be the follow through. Hannah had made a promise. You have to wonder though if she ever considered not fulfilling it. There does seem to be a bit of hesitation on her part. God has granted her desire. Will she hold on to “her” Samuel or will she truly lend him to the Lord? She has prayed. Now she must follow through. How it must have wrenched her heart to give up this long awaited desire to serve in the tabernacle so far from home. But in giving him to the Lord not only was she blessed but all Israel.
There is nothing wrong with praying for our own desires. There is nothing wrong with bringing the grief and sorrow of our heart to God. He waits for us to do so, and often He takes it and turns it into more than we intended. When we come broken before Him He can turn our sorrow into dancing. He can turn our mourning into laughing. More than than, He can do more than we asked or thought and let the desire and sacrifice of our heart be a blessing to many.
Prayer Request
*Olya has been trying to start a “mommy’s group” for mothers and small children for English development. There is a good bit of interest and she has gotten together with a couple of the moms several times but something seems to get in the way of it being regular. Please pray for this group that she would be able to start it again this October and meet regularly. That the group would foster good relationships and open up opportunities to share the gospel. That Olya would have wisdom to know how to organize the group that it would be useful and meaningful for those who attend. That Olya would have wisdom to know how to teach English to very young children in a way that is fun and useful, as she is used to teaching adults.
1Sam. 1:11 Then she made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”
1Sam. 1:12 And it happened, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli watched her mouth.
1Sam. 1:13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.
Has there ever been something that you really wanted? Has there ever been a pain in your heart, a grief that just wouldn’t be soothed? You look around you and you know that you are so blessed. You have more than many, and at least as much as most. You know that you are blessed, yet there is still something you desire above all of that? This was Hannah and this is often us as well.
Hannah was a lucky woman. She was blessed. She had a loving husband. She had plenty of everything she needed and more. She was able to give to the Lord the “best” sacrifices and enjoy the time of sacrifice and feast before the Lord with abundance. Yet, God has kept Hannah from having children and this was a terrible sore spot for her. It was also used by others to destroy her praise and thankfulness. Fortunately, she also had those that encouraged her to remember God’s blessings and to take joy in her God.
So, the war raged within her. On the one hand she has a deep desire that goes unsatisfied, and those that hurt her with it. On the other hand she is conscious of God’s blessings and loves Him. She is full of sadness and praise. She is full, yet she is empty. The constant struggle wears at her heart and at her spirit. She recognizes all the goodness of God in theory and yet is full of grief in heart. God allows her to wrestle with that grief. He allows her to explore it and finally to bring it before Him.
Hannah prays in her grief. She is so overcome with it. It goes to the very depths of her being. It consumes her, and she will cry out until she is heard. She calls out to God.
Again we often look at this passage and as we see her prayer, we might be tempted to think of it as her “making a deal” with God. How often have people testified that when they came to the end of themselves that they cried out to God making Him a promise if He would just answer them. I don’t really think, though, that Hannah is making a deal with God, nor do I think that God is into making deals with us. I do think that God uses such situations to reveal Himself to us and to take us beyond ourselves. He knows that first He must get us past ourselves and then He is able to take us to a place where we are not only blessed, but even more, are able to be a blessing.
Hannah might have been praying for herself, at least, that is what she might have had in immediate view. What she didn’t realize is that God used that desire to have her pray not only for herself, but also for her people. This is not about making deals. It is about God’s concern for Hannah and His concern for a larger group as well. He will bless both. He has brought her to a place where she is now ready, not to seek only for herself, but also, that in that desire, God would be glorified. Before, her intentions in having a child were good I am sure. She would have loved the child no doubt. She would have reared it in a Godly manner. She would have taught the child God’s word. She was, after all, a worshipper. However, the child still would have been hers. Now, she has come to the place where she totally relinquishes all claim to him. She makes a prayer of total dedication. She holds nothing back. In doing so, she prays not only for blessing for herself, but (not realizing it) a great blessing on her people. God will grant her request and she will have great joy in her heart. She will realize her desire.
She will also have the blessing of seeing God grant more than she asked or thought. That is what happens when we relinquish our desires to God. He might fulfill that desire, but later when we look back we see that a desire relinquished to Him gives benefits that we never anticipated. God is greater than our hearts. He has more in mind than just fulfilling the desire of one. He wants that one to be concerned with things beyond themselves. Through this child, God would bless and lead the nation. Prophecy, the Word of the Lord, would once more be heard after years of silence. God would speak to His people and bring them back to Himself.
There was one more step though. There was the prayer. There was the brokenness. However, there also needed to be the follow through. Hannah had made a promise. You have to wonder though if she ever considered not fulfilling it. There does seem to be a bit of hesitation on her part. God has granted her desire. Will she hold on to “her” Samuel or will she truly lend him to the Lord? She has prayed. Now she must follow through. How it must have wrenched her heart to give up this long awaited desire to serve in the tabernacle so far from home. But in giving him to the Lord not only was she blessed but all Israel.
There is nothing wrong with praying for our own desires. There is nothing wrong with bringing the grief and sorrow of our heart to God. He waits for us to do so, and often He takes it and turns it into more than we intended. When we come broken before Him He can turn our sorrow into dancing. He can turn our mourning into laughing. More than than, He can do more than we asked or thought and let the desire and sacrifice of our heart be a blessing to many.
Prayer Request
*Olya has been trying to start a “mommy’s group” for mothers and small children for English development. There is a good bit of interest and she has gotten together with a couple of the moms several times but something seems to get in the way of it being regular. Please pray for this group that she would be able to start it again this October and meet regularly. That the group would foster good relationships and open up opportunities to share the gospel. That Olya would have wisdom to know how to organize the group that it would be useful and meaningful for those who attend. That Olya would have wisdom to know how to teach English to very young children in a way that is fun and useful, as she is used to teaching adults.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
30 More Days... Day 10
Judg. 15:16 Then Samson said:
“With the jawbone of a donkey,
Heaps upon heaps,
With the jawbone of a donkey
I have slain a thousand men!”
Judg. 15:17 And so it was, when he had finished speaking, that he threw the jawbone from his hand, and called that place Ramath Lehi.
Judg. 15:18 Then he became very thirsty; so he cried out to the LORD and said, “You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant; and now shall I die of thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?”
Judg. 15:19 So God split the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came out, and he drank; and his spirit returned, and he revived.
Judg. 16:28 Then Samson called to the LORD, saying, “O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!”
Yesterday we saw Samson’s parents, but today we see Samson himself. Samson was a bit of a problem child. He was reared up in a good God-fearing home. He was taught the ways of the Nazarite and the Law of his people. He had a good example at home. Yet, he still went his own way. He was a bit of a “wild child”. However, God also used him. God also directed him and brought Samson to places of His choosing, so as to free the people of Israel from under the Philistine oppression.
Often, it seems that Samson is willful and goes his own way. Often, he seems like a very unlikely candidate that God would hear and answer his prayers. Yet, we have two examples of times that Samson called out in prayer and God answered. Samson is not the only one that was an unlikely candidate that God would answer his prayers. We also can feel less than worthy of being answered, yet we desire that God would hear and answer and provide.
Probably most of us remember well the story of “Jawbone Hill”. Samson is betrayed by his own countrymen and turned over bound to the Philistines. Surrounded and hearing their shouts of victory against him, God’s Spirit comes upon Samson. He kills 1000 men with a donkey’s jawbone. With jawbone in hand he proclaims his own great victory and throws the bone away.
As the euphoria of victory and the adrenaline of battle wear off, he is overcome by thirst. What he began in the Spirit he finished in the flesh. His “victory verse” proclaims all of his accomplishment and nothing about God. Here God shows him how weak he really is by himself. Samson is overcome by his thirst. He is faint and drained. Without life giving water he fears his exhaustion will overtake him. The 3000 men of Judah who betrayed him are nowhere to be seen, whether out of fear of Samson or cowardice in the face of the Philistines. Samson cannot rest in his own strength, nor in the help of other men. God humbles him. He comes to see himself as he really is without God. Samson must call out to God. Where a moment ago he had proclaimed his own victory, he must now give glory to God. You God have given your servant this victory. Will I now die? God brings him to the end of his own strength so that he must rely on God’s. And there God provides water to live. Here God shows His glory and mercy.
Unfortunately, this will not be the only time that God has to bring Samson to the end of himself so that he will pray and give glory to God. Samson is self-willed and proud. He knows that he has God’s blessing but he uses it for himself. He stands for himself in the strength that God has given him rather than for others, and he continues until it leads to his downfall. He comes to rest in his strength and blessing so much that he continually puts himself in dangerous situations confident that he is untouchable. This happens to the point that even when God’s strength leaves him he is not even aware of it.
The Philistines capture Samson. They put out his eyes. They make him a slave. Then finally, one day, they make him a clown. He is their amusement. He is the symbol of the victory of their gods. He has nothing left. Yet, with all of this and at this low point he remembers God. In a prayer of unworthiness he asks God to “remember” him. God had never forgotten. His desire had been for Samson to deliver Israel and judge it before Him. Samson had other things in mind and abdicated that call. At the end though, Samson cries out to God. He asks God to empower and strengthen him once more. Even here he is asking for himself, yet God also uses the occasion to accomplish His own purpose as well. God is ready to listen. Here was a man who had wavered in selfishness, but God was ready to hear his prayer.
It is a shame that Samson’s prayers were so selfish. God might have accomplished so much more in and through him had he relied on God’s strength. His life might have been so much more meaningful. His is remembered in Hebrews among the men and women of faith, yet he is also often remembered as much for his vices as he is for his triumphs. It is good to know that God is ready to sustain us. He is ready to remember us. He is ready to hear and answer us. We should not wait until the last moment, until God has brought us to the end of ourselves, to turn to Him, to seek Him, to rely in His strength and to be victorious in Him. He is ready to listen and remember if we will seek and cry out to Him, but He wants to accomplish so much more in us than just answer our personal needs and desires.
Prayer Request
*Please pray for our English game nights. Approximately once a month we have a game night and invite people that we have met that are interested in English. Pray that these nights would be fun, that they would help to build relationships with other, that they would open doors to allow us to share the gospel and that they would be a tool to see people come to Bible studies. Our next game night is Thursday, September 18.
“With the jawbone of a donkey,
Heaps upon heaps,
With the jawbone of a donkey
I have slain a thousand men!”
Judg. 15:17 And so it was, when he had finished speaking, that he threw the jawbone from his hand, and called that place Ramath Lehi.
Judg. 15:18 Then he became very thirsty; so he cried out to the LORD and said, “You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant; and now shall I die of thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?”
Judg. 15:19 So God split the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came out, and he drank; and his spirit returned, and he revived.
Judg. 16:28 Then Samson called to the LORD, saying, “O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!”
Yesterday we saw Samson’s parents, but today we see Samson himself. Samson was a bit of a problem child. He was reared up in a good God-fearing home. He was taught the ways of the Nazarite and the Law of his people. He had a good example at home. Yet, he still went his own way. He was a bit of a “wild child”. However, God also used him. God also directed him and brought Samson to places of His choosing, so as to free the people of Israel from under the Philistine oppression.
Often, it seems that Samson is willful and goes his own way. Often, he seems like a very unlikely candidate that God would hear and answer his prayers. Yet, we have two examples of times that Samson called out in prayer and God answered. Samson is not the only one that was an unlikely candidate that God would answer his prayers. We also can feel less than worthy of being answered, yet we desire that God would hear and answer and provide.
Probably most of us remember well the story of “Jawbone Hill”. Samson is betrayed by his own countrymen and turned over bound to the Philistines. Surrounded and hearing their shouts of victory against him, God’s Spirit comes upon Samson. He kills 1000 men with a donkey’s jawbone. With jawbone in hand he proclaims his own great victory and throws the bone away.
As the euphoria of victory and the adrenaline of battle wear off, he is overcome by thirst. What he began in the Spirit he finished in the flesh. His “victory verse” proclaims all of his accomplishment and nothing about God. Here God shows him how weak he really is by himself. Samson is overcome by his thirst. He is faint and drained. Without life giving water he fears his exhaustion will overtake him. The 3000 men of Judah who betrayed him are nowhere to be seen, whether out of fear of Samson or cowardice in the face of the Philistines. Samson cannot rest in his own strength, nor in the help of other men. God humbles him. He comes to see himself as he really is without God. Samson must call out to God. Where a moment ago he had proclaimed his own victory, he must now give glory to God. You God have given your servant this victory. Will I now die? God brings him to the end of his own strength so that he must rely on God’s. And there God provides water to live. Here God shows His glory and mercy.
Unfortunately, this will not be the only time that God has to bring Samson to the end of himself so that he will pray and give glory to God. Samson is self-willed and proud. He knows that he has God’s blessing but he uses it for himself. He stands for himself in the strength that God has given him rather than for others, and he continues until it leads to his downfall. He comes to rest in his strength and blessing so much that he continually puts himself in dangerous situations confident that he is untouchable. This happens to the point that even when God’s strength leaves him he is not even aware of it.
The Philistines capture Samson. They put out his eyes. They make him a slave. Then finally, one day, they make him a clown. He is their amusement. He is the symbol of the victory of their gods. He has nothing left. Yet, with all of this and at this low point he remembers God. In a prayer of unworthiness he asks God to “remember” him. God had never forgotten. His desire had been for Samson to deliver Israel and judge it before Him. Samson had other things in mind and abdicated that call. At the end though, Samson cries out to God. He asks God to empower and strengthen him once more. Even here he is asking for himself, yet God also uses the occasion to accomplish His own purpose as well. God is ready to listen. Here was a man who had wavered in selfishness, but God was ready to hear his prayer.
It is a shame that Samson’s prayers were so selfish. God might have accomplished so much more in and through him had he relied on God’s strength. His life might have been so much more meaningful. His is remembered in Hebrews among the men and women of faith, yet he is also often remembered as much for his vices as he is for his triumphs. It is good to know that God is ready to sustain us. He is ready to remember us. He is ready to hear and answer us. We should not wait until the last moment, until God has brought us to the end of ourselves, to turn to Him, to seek Him, to rely in His strength and to be victorious in Him. He is ready to listen and remember if we will seek and cry out to Him, but He wants to accomplish so much more in us than just answer our personal needs and desires.
Prayer Request
*Please pray for our English game nights. Approximately once a month we have a game night and invite people that we have met that are interested in English. Pray that these nights would be fun, that they would help to build relationships with other, that they would open doors to allow us to share the gospel and that they would be a tool to see people come to Bible studies. Our next game night is Thursday, September 18.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
30 More Days... Day 9
Judg. 13:8 Then Manoah prayed to the LORD, and said, “O my Lord, please let the Man of God whom You sent come to us again and teach us what we shall do for the child who will be born.”
Judg. 13:9 And God listened to the voice of Manoah
If there was ever a problem child I guess you could probably say it was Samson. There were few children who had more potential, and who were a bigger disappointment than the man, Samson. It is not that Samson was a terrible person. It is not that he didn’t believe in God or that he lived less obediently than the average child of God. He had things in life that he struggled with. He made some poor choices. He struggled, at times, with sin. Which of these things do any of us not see in our own lives at places and times. But we are not looking at Samson...
We are looking at his parents. We see a couple with no children. There is more than once in the Bible that God comes to childless parents and tells them they will have a child of promise. I wonder if God doesn’t do this because He knows that the parents will often be all the more willing to “lend” the child to the Lord. This was the case with Manoah and his wife.
The Angel of the Lord appears to Manoah’s wife. He tells her that she will have a son and gives her some very specific instructions concerning herself. The instructions are the laws of the Nazarite. The child will be dedicated to God. Even before his birth, God has set him apart. The wife reports all of this to Manoah and we see Manoah’s prayer.
Again it is a simple, faithful and fervent prayer, and God hears and answers. The son to be born will be a special child. It is already clear that God has a specific purpose for this little one. Manoah is struck by the depth of responsibility that this entails. So he prays to God. He wants God himself to teach them how they can rear such a child and what God’s desire is for him.
It is great to know that God listens to us. Over and over we see people praying and we see God answering. Nothing is too small. Nothing is too big. God is ready to listen to His people. There is little that is more difficult than rearing a child. Our sin natures make sure of that fact. In fact, there are probably few parents, teachers or those that work with children in some capacity that don’t feel the difficulty and the responsibility that comes along with rearing up and teaching children. How appropriate it is then that we would follow Manoah’s example and pray for instruction and wisdom.
It is even more encouraging then, that God listens to such prayers. God has announced His intention for Samson. God has given instructions. God is also ready to come and teach and repeat those instructions. What are those instructions? They are that Manoah’s wife should be careful to observe all that had been commanded her. We really see nothing new in what the Angel of the Lord said when He appears the second time. They are given no new information. However, God is confirming to them their responsibility as parents to watch what they do. They are to be models in their lives for the child. It is interesting that God doesn’t mention so much what they are to have the child do as much as He mentions what they should do. God calls them to faithfulness and to teach Samson by example. They should not be as concerned with the rules they lay down for the boy as much as they should be concerned with how they themselves obey.
We see parents then that are concerned with their child. They pray faithfully to know how to rear him. They instruct him in the right ways. They, it seems, are faithful examples before him. Yet, we see the life of Samson and all that he does, especially those things that he shouldn’t do. Here we have an example of parents that seem to do all that they can do and yet, they see their child going his own way when he grows. I am sure that it broke their hearts. Still, they are faithful to help, instruct, correct and love their son even in their disappointments. Samson was probably not the son they had dreamed, hoped and prayed that he would be, though they trained him up and instructed him in the way he should go. However, in the end Samson despite all his faults, failings and fallings, stands in the power, strength and Spirit of God.
It is so encouraging to know that God hears and listens to our prayer and is ready to come and give, or repeat, to us all of His desire for us. It is wonderful to know that He is ready to teach us the how and what of life. He answers and instructs what we should do. He does this so that we and those around us might walk in His ways.
Prayer Request
* Prayer for Greg & Marcella Dill & Family. They are considering where God might be calling them to serve. The are considering Slovenia as a possible place of service. Currently, they are looking to become a part of PIONEERS and will attend Candidate Orientation in October. Pray for them as the get to know PI better (and vise-versa) and consider where God is leading them. Pray that God would lead them to the right place and right team - the place to which He is calling them. As we are building a team here in Slovenia we are praying that God would bring just the right people to grow and compliment the work here. Please join us in praying for that as well.
Judg. 13:9 And God listened to the voice of Manoah
If there was ever a problem child I guess you could probably say it was Samson. There were few children who had more potential, and who were a bigger disappointment than the man, Samson. It is not that Samson was a terrible person. It is not that he didn’t believe in God or that he lived less obediently than the average child of God. He had things in life that he struggled with. He made some poor choices. He struggled, at times, with sin. Which of these things do any of us not see in our own lives at places and times. But we are not looking at Samson...
We are looking at his parents. We see a couple with no children. There is more than once in the Bible that God comes to childless parents and tells them they will have a child of promise. I wonder if God doesn’t do this because He knows that the parents will often be all the more willing to “lend” the child to the Lord. This was the case with Manoah and his wife.
The Angel of the Lord appears to Manoah’s wife. He tells her that she will have a son and gives her some very specific instructions concerning herself. The instructions are the laws of the Nazarite. The child will be dedicated to God. Even before his birth, God has set him apart. The wife reports all of this to Manoah and we see Manoah’s prayer.
Again it is a simple, faithful and fervent prayer, and God hears and answers. The son to be born will be a special child. It is already clear that God has a specific purpose for this little one. Manoah is struck by the depth of responsibility that this entails. So he prays to God. He wants God himself to teach them how they can rear such a child and what God’s desire is for him.
It is great to know that God listens to us. Over and over we see people praying and we see God answering. Nothing is too small. Nothing is too big. God is ready to listen to His people. There is little that is more difficult than rearing a child. Our sin natures make sure of that fact. In fact, there are probably few parents, teachers or those that work with children in some capacity that don’t feel the difficulty and the responsibility that comes along with rearing up and teaching children. How appropriate it is then that we would follow Manoah’s example and pray for instruction and wisdom.
It is even more encouraging then, that God listens to such prayers. God has announced His intention for Samson. God has given instructions. God is also ready to come and teach and repeat those instructions. What are those instructions? They are that Manoah’s wife should be careful to observe all that had been commanded her. We really see nothing new in what the Angel of the Lord said when He appears the second time. They are given no new information. However, God is confirming to them their responsibility as parents to watch what they do. They are to be models in their lives for the child. It is interesting that God doesn’t mention so much what they are to have the child do as much as He mentions what they should do. God calls them to faithfulness and to teach Samson by example. They should not be as concerned with the rules they lay down for the boy as much as they should be concerned with how they themselves obey.
We see parents then that are concerned with their child. They pray faithfully to know how to rear him. They instruct him in the right ways. They, it seems, are faithful examples before him. Yet, we see the life of Samson and all that he does, especially those things that he shouldn’t do. Here we have an example of parents that seem to do all that they can do and yet, they see their child going his own way when he grows. I am sure that it broke their hearts. Still, they are faithful to help, instruct, correct and love their son even in their disappointments. Samson was probably not the son they had dreamed, hoped and prayed that he would be, though they trained him up and instructed him in the way he should go. However, in the end Samson despite all his faults, failings and fallings, stands in the power, strength and Spirit of God.
It is so encouraging to know that God hears and listens to our prayer and is ready to come and give, or repeat, to us all of His desire for us. It is wonderful to know that He is ready to teach us the how and what of life. He answers and instructs what we should do. He does this so that we and those around us might walk in His ways.
Prayer Request
* Prayer for Greg & Marcella Dill & Family. They are considering where God might be calling them to serve. The are considering Slovenia as a possible place of service. Currently, they are looking to become a part of PIONEERS and will attend Candidate Orientation in October. Pray for them as the get to know PI better (and vise-versa) and consider where God is leading them. Pray that God would lead them to the right place and right team - the place to which He is calling them. As we are building a team here in Slovenia we are praying that God would bring just the right people to grow and compliment the work here. Please join us in praying for that as well.
Monday, September 8, 2008
30 More Days... Day 8
Judg. 6:12 And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!”
Judg. 6:13 Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.”
Judg. 6:17 Then he said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who talk with me.
Judg. 6:22 Now Gideon perceived that He was the Angel of the LORD. So Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord GOD! For I have seen the Angel of the LORD face to face.”
Judg. 6:36 So Gideon said to God, “If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said—
Judg. 6:37 look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.”
Judg. 6:38 And it was so. When he rose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water.
Judg. 6:39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew.”
Judg. 6:40 And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.
This is probably not considered to be Gideon’s finest hour. It fact, many think that Gideon’s request for a sign showed a terrible lack of faith. As we read the text of the chapter, we see that besides God appearing to Gideon (Gideon suspects that this is God) and receiving a sign as God accepts Gideon’s sacrifice that then, Gideon goes on to lay out the, now famous, fleece, 2 times at the end of the chapter. In this, he requests God’s confirmation that He will really do what He said at first.
In fact, as I was thinking about this prayer, there were various scriptures and stories that came to mind in line with the idea that asking for signs was probably not the greatest show of faith and trust in God. There are places like Matthew 12 & 16 where the pharisees come to Jesus and demand a sign. Jesus answers and says,
"A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”
But truly such a sign was given. Or, there is John 2 where Jesus is asked for a sign of His authority to clear the temple, and He tells them if the temple is destroyed that He will rebuild it in 3 days. There is also the story of Thomas as he refuses to believe that Jesus is risen until he sees and touches the wounds of Christ. However, when he sees and believes Jesus proclaims,
“...blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Now, here we have Gideon. He asks for a sign. He asks not to know God’s will, but for confirmation of God’s will.
Gideon, not unlike many of us, had grown up being taught the stories of how God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. But right now God’s hand is far from outstretched in favor toward Israel, or in disfavor against their enemies. Israel feels anything but the mighty hand of God over them caring for them and providing for them. In fact, we see that under the Midianites they have become impoverished. Now, the Angel of the Lord appears to him and says, “the Lord is with you...” Gideon harrumphs saying, if God is with us then where are all the miracles, the provision that our fathers knew and saw? We have been forsaken.
How many times have any of us thought back to the miracles of the Bible, the miraculous works of God in the Old Testament or the early church and wondered if God is really with us, and if so then where.... If we are honest with ourselves it is probably not so uncommon. We long to see “a burning bush type sign... but anything would be fine”. It is not that he does not believe. He confesses that God truly brought them out of Egypt but now he believes as well that God has forsaken Israel.
As the conversation continues, Gideon senses that he is speaking with God. He asks for a sign that he is being spoken to, and then full realization as the offering is miraculously ignited and consumed. He knows it is from God and moves forward cautiously in what God has revealed. He tears down the altar of Baal by night. It doesn’t go so well and he finds himself threatened with death, until, very un-supernaturally, his own dad steps in and protects him from the rest of the angry town.
His first foray into the will of God has not perhaps been the smashing success that he had envisioned. Now faced with the second, somewhat larger, task of defeating the Midianites he again calls out to God with his fleece for a sign. God answers, and Gideon prays God not be angry with him as he asks for the fleece sign once again before getting to work.
It is interesting that in Chapter 7 God gives Gideon one more sign to calm his fears. He gives it even though Gideon did not ask for it (though God knew that he needed it).
Was Gideon amiss in asking for a sign? Did he exhibit a terrible lack of faith? Should we ask for signs in prayer? Nowhere in this passage do we see Gideon rebuffed or rebuked by God. In fact, in Hebrews 11 he is first on the list of people also named, though the author didn’t have time to speak about their faith. A kind of “honorable mention”, if you will.
What we do see is a man struggling with experience and faith. He is struggling with the seen and the unseen. He desires to believe and yet is still struggling with assurance. He is not a skeptic. He is afraid. We all go through periods like this where we don’t know what we should do, how we should do it or may even question if it was really God speaking at all. If we are going through periods like this then I can think of nothing better that we can do than to seek God in prayer and wait upon Him. It is so good to know that we can be honest with God and seek Him. He understands who we are, and that He is so very patient with us.
Signs can be deceptive things and scripture does give warnings and rebukes at times for those that seek signs in defiance. However, signs are also useful and God often gives signs to His people. Sometimes He waits for His people to ask and other times He volunteers signs. The apostles and early church prayed for God to stretch out His hands to do signs and wonders that the gospel would be proclaimed. God gave signs to Moses so that the people of Israel and Pharaoh would know that God had sent him. We have signs given throughout scripture that are a picture to us of Jesus and salvation or confirmation or God’s Word.
So what about Gideon’s prayer? He asks for a sign. God grants the request. The point is that God knows us. He knows our strengths and weaknesses. He knows the state of our heart (better than we do). He helps us in and through those things that are hard for us and calls us to rely on Him for those things in which we might have some ability. He calls us to rely on Him in each and every situation. Gideon might take some time to “increase his faith”, but the disciples prayed for nothing less.
It is interesting then that once God answered Gideon we see no real hint of hesitation in carrying out God’s will. He sounds the trumpet. He gathers an army. The army is no real match for the Midianites, yet God tells him to release anyone that fears. He obeys. Many go home. We see no protest. God further whittles down the army. Gideon obeys. Again no protest is seen or heard. Then, on the eve of the battle, we see Gideon, even though fearful, ready to go into battle as God has commanded. God gives us an insight into Gideon. He is fearful, but he is also ready. Even then, God is ready to calm his fears and give him a sign to strengthen him.
Do we need to be careful with sign prayers? I believe we do. Do we need to take care that we do not demand or try to manipulate God? He is the King of kings! Does He care about and condescend to our weaknesses. He does! Does He call us to faith? Yes! Is the purpose of our prayer to know Him more intimately and ultimately to see His glory? Is their a readiness to obey God? Then let us pray to Him in purity and honesty of heart.
Prayer Request
*Nathan and Dawn Detweiler - please pray for this couple as they complete deputation and plan to join us in Maribor, tentatively in March 2009. Pray for provision of the rest of their support (prayer, financial). Pray for details that they will need to wrap up prior to coming and to also know what all those things might entail. Pray for their residency(visa) process to go smoothly and that they would be able to gather and submit papers in a timely manner. Pray for them as they prepare to leave family and move far away from those closest to them, and that they would adjust well and smoothly to life here their first term overseas.
Judg. 6:13 Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.”
Judg. 6:17 Then he said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who talk with me.
Judg. 6:22 Now Gideon perceived that He was the Angel of the LORD. So Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord GOD! For I have seen the Angel of the LORD face to face.”
Judg. 6:36 So Gideon said to God, “If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said—
Judg. 6:37 look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.”
Judg. 6:38 And it was so. When he rose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water.
Judg. 6:39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew.”
Judg. 6:40 And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.
This is probably not considered to be Gideon’s finest hour. It fact, many think that Gideon’s request for a sign showed a terrible lack of faith. As we read the text of the chapter, we see that besides God appearing to Gideon (Gideon suspects that this is God) and receiving a sign as God accepts Gideon’s sacrifice that then, Gideon goes on to lay out the, now famous, fleece, 2 times at the end of the chapter. In this, he requests God’s confirmation that He will really do what He said at first.
In fact, as I was thinking about this prayer, there were various scriptures and stories that came to mind in line with the idea that asking for signs was probably not the greatest show of faith and trust in God. There are places like Matthew 12 & 16 where the pharisees come to Jesus and demand a sign. Jesus answers and says,
"A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”
But truly such a sign was given. Or, there is John 2 where Jesus is asked for a sign of His authority to clear the temple, and He tells them if the temple is destroyed that He will rebuild it in 3 days. There is also the story of Thomas as he refuses to believe that Jesus is risen until he sees and touches the wounds of Christ. However, when he sees and believes Jesus proclaims,
“...blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Now, here we have Gideon. He asks for a sign. He asks not to know God’s will, but for confirmation of God’s will.
Gideon, not unlike many of us, had grown up being taught the stories of how God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. But right now God’s hand is far from outstretched in favor toward Israel, or in disfavor against their enemies. Israel feels anything but the mighty hand of God over them caring for them and providing for them. In fact, we see that under the Midianites they have become impoverished. Now, the Angel of the Lord appears to him and says, “the Lord is with you...” Gideon harrumphs saying, if God is with us then where are all the miracles, the provision that our fathers knew and saw? We have been forsaken.
How many times have any of us thought back to the miracles of the Bible, the miraculous works of God in the Old Testament or the early church and wondered if God is really with us, and if so then where.... If we are honest with ourselves it is probably not so uncommon. We long to see “a burning bush type sign... but anything would be fine”. It is not that he does not believe. He confesses that God truly brought them out of Egypt but now he believes as well that God has forsaken Israel.
As the conversation continues, Gideon senses that he is speaking with God. He asks for a sign that he is being spoken to, and then full realization as the offering is miraculously ignited and consumed. He knows it is from God and moves forward cautiously in what God has revealed. He tears down the altar of Baal by night. It doesn’t go so well and he finds himself threatened with death, until, very un-supernaturally, his own dad steps in and protects him from the rest of the angry town.
His first foray into the will of God has not perhaps been the smashing success that he had envisioned. Now faced with the second, somewhat larger, task of defeating the Midianites he again calls out to God with his fleece for a sign. God answers, and Gideon prays God not be angry with him as he asks for the fleece sign once again before getting to work.
It is interesting that in Chapter 7 God gives Gideon one more sign to calm his fears. He gives it even though Gideon did not ask for it (though God knew that he needed it).
Was Gideon amiss in asking for a sign? Did he exhibit a terrible lack of faith? Should we ask for signs in prayer? Nowhere in this passage do we see Gideon rebuffed or rebuked by God. In fact, in Hebrews 11 he is first on the list of people also named, though the author didn’t have time to speak about their faith. A kind of “honorable mention”, if you will.
What we do see is a man struggling with experience and faith. He is struggling with the seen and the unseen. He desires to believe and yet is still struggling with assurance. He is not a skeptic. He is afraid. We all go through periods like this where we don’t know what we should do, how we should do it or may even question if it was really God speaking at all. If we are going through periods like this then I can think of nothing better that we can do than to seek God in prayer and wait upon Him. It is so good to know that we can be honest with God and seek Him. He understands who we are, and that He is so very patient with us.
Signs can be deceptive things and scripture does give warnings and rebukes at times for those that seek signs in defiance. However, signs are also useful and God often gives signs to His people. Sometimes He waits for His people to ask and other times He volunteers signs. The apostles and early church prayed for God to stretch out His hands to do signs and wonders that the gospel would be proclaimed. God gave signs to Moses so that the people of Israel and Pharaoh would know that God had sent him. We have signs given throughout scripture that are a picture to us of Jesus and salvation or confirmation or God’s Word.
So what about Gideon’s prayer? He asks for a sign. God grants the request. The point is that God knows us. He knows our strengths and weaknesses. He knows the state of our heart (better than we do). He helps us in and through those things that are hard for us and calls us to rely on Him for those things in which we might have some ability. He calls us to rely on Him in each and every situation. Gideon might take some time to “increase his faith”, but the disciples prayed for nothing less.
It is interesting then that once God answered Gideon we see no real hint of hesitation in carrying out God’s will. He sounds the trumpet. He gathers an army. The army is no real match for the Midianites, yet God tells him to release anyone that fears. He obeys. Many go home. We see no protest. God further whittles down the army. Gideon obeys. Again no protest is seen or heard. Then, on the eve of the battle, we see Gideon, even though fearful, ready to go into battle as God has commanded. God gives us an insight into Gideon. He is fearful, but he is also ready. Even then, God is ready to calm his fears and give him a sign to strengthen him.
Do we need to be careful with sign prayers? I believe we do. Do we need to take care that we do not demand or try to manipulate God? He is the King of kings! Does He care about and condescend to our weaknesses. He does! Does He call us to faith? Yes! Is the purpose of our prayer to know Him more intimately and ultimately to see His glory? Is their a readiness to obey God? Then let us pray to Him in purity and honesty of heart.
Prayer Request
*Nathan and Dawn Detweiler - please pray for this couple as they complete deputation and plan to join us in Maribor, tentatively in March 2009. Pray for provision of the rest of their support (prayer, financial). Pray for details that they will need to wrap up prior to coming and to also know what all those things might entail. Pray for their residency(visa) process to go smoothly and that they would be able to gather and submit papers in a timely manner. Pray for them as they prepare to leave family and move far away from those closest to them, and that they would adjust well and smoothly to life here their first term overseas.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
30 More Days... Day 7
Josh. 10:12 Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel:
“Sun, stand still over Gibeon;
And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
Impossible is impossible. At least that is what I recently read. That is generally the attitude of some toward miracles that we see in the Bible ... the virgin birth, walking on water, etc... The problem is that impossible is something that is usually defined by varying rules and standards, and often dependent upon what you personally happen to believe. Impossible is a pretty relative term. According to the laws of physics or natural laws something may be impossible or seem to be impossible. That is until someone figures out how to do it. Suddenly we discover other laws and other principle at work. We didn’t know about them before. With people certain things can be impossible, but with God nothing is impossible.
When we see this prayer it is very simple. “Sun stand still...”, oh, and by the way moon too.
Most commentators are agreed. This is one of the most amazing passages in the Bible on a cosmological scale. The sun standing still and not making any haste to go down. We have an (almost) 48 hour day (I’d bet there are a couple of people out there that occasionally feel that would be a real benefit). God listened to the voice of a man.
Joshua and the children of Israel have marched all night. They are coming to fight against a coalition of forces from all over Canaan. They are coming in response to a treaty that they made with the Gibeonites, even though it was made by deception. After having marched all through the night, Joshua and Israel arrive and attack this huge force, and it is routed before all Israel. Not only this, but as they run away, God Himself, fights for Israel and throws down huge hailstones. Now, if this were not enough, Joshua sees that the day is coming to a close. There is so much more left to do. If night falls the enemy will escape into the darkness and have a chance to regroup. They will live to fight another day. This is a decisive battle in the war for the promised land. It is the battle that breaks the strength of the enemies so that they will not be able to recover for years and years to come. So Joshua prays.
In the sight of all the people he stands up and speaks to the Lord asking that the sun stand still and the moon also.
Now there are many theories as to how this might have happened. There are many explanations of what might have taken place during these hours. Really, they aren’t so important. If we accept that God is God and can do what He pleases all problems fall away. If we believe that God is who He says He is, and that He created the Universe and all of its natural laws, then this issue really becomes a non-issue. So here is the point ... not how it happened or by what means, but that with men this was impossible. Whether you are talking about today with all of our technology and understanding, or you are talking about Joshua’s day and age, one fact remains. With men this was impossible and they knew it. For Joshua to stand up in the sight of all the people and pray to the Lord for the sun to still was either one of the greatest acts of hubris, foolishness or faith of all time. Yet, Joshua stands and lays it out before the Lord. God we need more time. And God listens.
It is such a simple prayer. There is no praise. There is no qualification of the request. There is nothing except the request itself in the form of a command. Joshua has a job to do and time is of the essence. Joshua utters these words and the world, the solar system, the Universe (for all we know) grinds to a halt - or at the very least slows down to a crawl (as some read it).
How many times have you wished that you could pray a prayer like this? How many times have you wished for just a little more time, a little more power or a little more provision? Yet, in our minds it is impossible. We couldn’t possible pray and see God move the universe, could we? We couldn’t hope to see a miracle on this scale, right? God wouldn’t listen to the voice of a man, would He? How often do we fail to pray for the impossible, simply because it is impossible. It doesn’t fit in with our theology or our experience.
Now I agree, this is not an everyday experience. In fact, verse 14 suggests that this was a special day like no other, that the Lord listened to the voice of a man. We may very well never see another day quite like that one. However, God does great things, impossible things in response to the prayers of His people throughout scripture. In Chronicles and Isaiah the sun’s shadow moves backwards for a sign to Hezekiah. At the prayer or Elijah the rain doesn’t fall on Israel for over 3 years. At the honest prayer of the penitent publican, his sins are forgiven and he goes away justified by the grace of God.
Whether we are praying for the sun to “stand still” or for a person to be forgiven of sin with man this is impossible. Yet, it shouldn’t keep us from praying. It shouldn’t keep us from asking. It shouldn’t keep us from seeking the victory that God has for His children when He fights for them.
Yes, impossible is impossible, but with God nothing is impossible.
Prayer Request
* For Calvary Chapel Celje and its weekly ministries. Sunday morning service, children’s Sunday school, weekly Bible studies (Maribor, Koinonia, Youth study), Retirement home ministry. English camp outreach & follow-up. Pray for Pastor Justin as he serves God and the needs of the church. Also for Justin and Erin as they are soon to be married. For all the details leading up to the wedding and for the adjustment of the couple and the church to a new season of life.
“Sun, stand still over Gibeon;
And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
Impossible is impossible. At least that is what I recently read. That is generally the attitude of some toward miracles that we see in the Bible ... the virgin birth, walking on water, etc... The problem is that impossible is something that is usually defined by varying rules and standards, and often dependent upon what you personally happen to believe. Impossible is a pretty relative term. According to the laws of physics or natural laws something may be impossible or seem to be impossible. That is until someone figures out how to do it. Suddenly we discover other laws and other principle at work. We didn’t know about them before. With people certain things can be impossible, but with God nothing is impossible.
When we see this prayer it is very simple. “Sun stand still...”, oh, and by the way moon too.
Most commentators are agreed. This is one of the most amazing passages in the Bible on a cosmological scale. The sun standing still and not making any haste to go down. We have an (almost) 48 hour day (I’d bet there are a couple of people out there that occasionally feel that would be a real benefit). God listened to the voice of a man.
Joshua and the children of Israel have marched all night. They are coming to fight against a coalition of forces from all over Canaan. They are coming in response to a treaty that they made with the Gibeonites, even though it was made by deception. After having marched all through the night, Joshua and Israel arrive and attack this huge force, and it is routed before all Israel. Not only this, but as they run away, God Himself, fights for Israel and throws down huge hailstones. Now, if this were not enough, Joshua sees that the day is coming to a close. There is so much more left to do. If night falls the enemy will escape into the darkness and have a chance to regroup. They will live to fight another day. This is a decisive battle in the war for the promised land. It is the battle that breaks the strength of the enemies so that they will not be able to recover for years and years to come. So Joshua prays.
In the sight of all the people he stands up and speaks to the Lord asking that the sun stand still and the moon also.
Now there are many theories as to how this might have happened. There are many explanations of what might have taken place during these hours. Really, they aren’t so important. If we accept that God is God and can do what He pleases all problems fall away. If we believe that God is who He says He is, and that He created the Universe and all of its natural laws, then this issue really becomes a non-issue. So here is the point ... not how it happened or by what means, but that with men this was impossible. Whether you are talking about today with all of our technology and understanding, or you are talking about Joshua’s day and age, one fact remains. With men this was impossible and they knew it. For Joshua to stand up in the sight of all the people and pray to the Lord for the sun to still was either one of the greatest acts of hubris, foolishness or faith of all time. Yet, Joshua stands and lays it out before the Lord. God we need more time. And God listens.
It is such a simple prayer. There is no praise. There is no qualification of the request. There is nothing except the request itself in the form of a command. Joshua has a job to do and time is of the essence. Joshua utters these words and the world, the solar system, the Universe (for all we know) grinds to a halt - or at the very least slows down to a crawl (as some read it).
How many times have you wished that you could pray a prayer like this? How many times have you wished for just a little more time, a little more power or a little more provision? Yet, in our minds it is impossible. We couldn’t possible pray and see God move the universe, could we? We couldn’t hope to see a miracle on this scale, right? God wouldn’t listen to the voice of a man, would He? How often do we fail to pray for the impossible, simply because it is impossible. It doesn’t fit in with our theology or our experience.
Now I agree, this is not an everyday experience. In fact, verse 14 suggests that this was a special day like no other, that the Lord listened to the voice of a man. We may very well never see another day quite like that one. However, God does great things, impossible things in response to the prayers of His people throughout scripture. In Chronicles and Isaiah the sun’s shadow moves backwards for a sign to Hezekiah. At the prayer or Elijah the rain doesn’t fall on Israel for over 3 years. At the honest prayer of the penitent publican, his sins are forgiven and he goes away justified by the grace of God.
Whether we are praying for the sun to “stand still” or for a person to be forgiven of sin with man this is impossible. Yet, it shouldn’t keep us from praying. It shouldn’t keep us from asking. It shouldn’t keep us from seeking the victory that God has for His children when He fights for them.
Yes, impossible is impossible, but with God nothing is impossible.
Prayer Request
* For Calvary Chapel Celje and its weekly ministries. Sunday morning service, children’s Sunday school, weekly Bible studies (Maribor, Koinonia, Youth study), Retirement home ministry. English camp outreach & follow-up. Pray for Pastor Justin as he serves God and the needs of the church. Also for Justin and Erin as they are soon to be married. For all the details leading up to the wedding and for the adjustment of the couple and the church to a new season of life.
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