Friday Faithfuls Two: 1 Chronicles

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

My little skim through the Bible, looking for a verse that resonates for the moment, has brought us to First Chronicles...the test of someone who is 'reading through the Bible', because it is a retelling of previous stuff plus a bunch of lists, lol.  But there is gold there, too.

Today, I landed on the psalm of praise David wrote to commemorate the installation of the ark of the covenant in the tabernacle he'd constructed for it...

Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength, ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name.

Bring an offering and come before him; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

Tremble before him, all the earth!

The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!"

-- 1 Chron. 16: 29-31, NIV 84

That just struck me as I read it as a good instruction for the New Year...

Ascribe to the Lord the glory of which he is worthy

Bring an offering to him

Be humble and recognize his authority

Rejoice before him

Proclaim 'The Lord reigns!'

But this ain't about looking around and telling everyone else what they should do...this is what I need to do.

Today, tomorrow, and every day after.

Here's to fresh starts and renewed vision!

Dec 24th....

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

And there were in the same country, shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night.

 And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a savior, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you:  Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men.

- Luke 2: 8 - 14, KJV

Not a Friday Faithfuls post...but the passage that is the theme of the day.  Most of us can quote this, thanks to Linus....and Charles Shultz, who stood up to the network executives who were reluctant to include scripture in their Christmas special.  Shultz was adamant, the powers that be reluctantly agreed, and now a whole generation...or even two, at this point...recognizes that passage as 'That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.' 

Even though we know that Jesus likely wasn't actually born on Dec 25...but probably in the spring.  And the Wise Men from the east (Persia?)  didn't show up at the manger at all but came to town about two years later.  The important thing...Jesus was born.  Wise men from the east saw the signs...but I think the Holy Spirit gave them the conviction that what they saw was worth investigating so that they did show up, giving another validation to the story later on...maybe when Mary and Joseph were caught up in parenting and...surviving...and the night of Jesus' birth and the wonder of the shepherds felt rather unreal.  Because their lives were upended again with the sudden flight into Egypt.  The wise men were both the reason Herod was a threat and, I believe,  the warning that protected the toddler from his murderous actions. They no doubt told the little family of Herod's interest in them, and their plans to avoid him on the return trip...so Joseph took the warning in the dream seriously and they left before the soldiers came with their swords.

All of that came later.  But on that night...angels sang and shepherds marveled.

God had come to us.

And that's what Christmas is all about.

Wishing all my friends a blessed Christmas full of His Presence.

Friday Faithfuls Two - 2 Kings

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi     

So, our little weekly skim looking for a verse that resonates has brought us to 2 Kings...some amazing stores, some appalling stories, and Israel and Judah going into exile; a very sad ending.

But there is something that caught my eye as I read through...in the story of Naaman.  Naaman was THE commander of the army of the king of Aram....kinda the equivalent of Joab in David's day.  He was a Somebody in the Aramean kingdom...and he contracted leprosy, which was a slow, miserable death sentence.  He had a slave serving girl who told him that the prophet in Israel (Elisha)  would be able to pray to his god and cure him.  So Naaman got permission to go to Elisha, with a letter to the King of Israel.  Naaman went to the king of Israel and gave him the letter...which caused the King of Israel to tear his robes, because he knew HE couldn't cure him and he didn't know what to do.   Elisha heard about it and sent a message to him, saying 'Send him to me...and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel' (2 Kings 15:8)  So Naaman, his expectations undoubtedly high, went down to see Elisha.

Who wouldn't even come out and greet him, but just sent his servant to the door, who simply said, 'My master says for you to go wash yourself in the Jordan seven times and you'll be healed,' then shut the door in his face.  Which leads us to the passage that jumped out at me...

 2 Kings 5:11-15

But Naaman went away angry and said, "I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.  Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel?  Couldn't I wash in them and be cleansed?"  So he turned and went off in a rage.

Naaman's servants went to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed!"  So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.

Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God.  He stood before him and said, "Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.  Please accept now a gift from your servant."

 Here's the thought...we all have preconceived notions of how God is going to work in our lives, and we tend to get angry if he doesn't move when and how we expected.  Often we write it off completely...God didn't act right, we didn't get the recognition we felt we deserved (just the servant delivering the message!  Not even a personal greeting!)  so there must not be anything to this crazy stuff anyway!

Fortunately, Naaman had some good thinkers with him, who reasoned that he might as well  do the stupid thing...it was simple, it would cost him nothing...why not try it?

So he did, rather petulantly, I expect,  and found himself cured.

And what was his conclusion then?  "Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel!"

He was now a believer in the true God.

Your attitude doesn't have to be perfect...but your obedience does.  Just do the stupid thing that doesn't make sense...it will do what God has said.

If you let your personal opinions determine your obedience...you'll never know what God could've done for you...

Friday Faithfuls Two: 1 Kings

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

Back again after  a crazy weekend; we had a great Christmas production run but that was ALL I DID, lol.

But now I've perused 1 Kings in my little flying skim through the Bible looking for verses that resonate and tonight the one that had me doing a 'Hmm....' pause was 1 Kings 19:18

"Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel -- all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."

 Elijah had just had his run in with Jezebel after the slaughter of the priests of Baal at Mount Carmel.  He'd traveled all the way to Mt Horeb (Sinai?) and complained to God that he was the only one left of the prophets, and those in power were after his life, too.

God spoke to Elijah's concerns and gave him instructions about where to go next...and then declared  that there are 7,000 folks in Israel who have not bowed down to Jezebel's god.

Elijah was not alone.Now, maybe if there had been social media back then, he'd've had online groups with likeminded folks and known that there were others out there.  But I'm guessing that Ahab would've found a way to cancel those folks anyway.  It's rough, when you feel like you are alone.  

But you know...we never are.  God knows were all his people are, and he's always ready to deploy them when needed.  He was, in fact, about to send Elisha alongside Elijah.

Elijah was not alone ever again after that moment.  Even when he wanted to be.  Elisha was with him like stink on a dog....and there were 6,999 others who were just as faithful to the command of God.

Some of those would become the school of prophets that Elijah and Elisha taught.

It's never as bad as it looks; God knows where his people are.

Faithful Fridays Two: 2nd Samuel

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

Near the end of  David's reign, he did a foolish thing: he counted the fighting men in Israel.  Even Joab, who was not known for his reasoned thinking, tried to dissuade David but David was determined to find out what his military strength actually was.

This doesn't sound like a problem to most of us...it even sounds like wisdom.  But this isn't an ordinary kingdom, this was God's kingdom and God had reminded them not to put their trust in military strength but to trust in God.  Counting  the fighting men for his own benefit was kind of a slap in the face to God.  In fact, God had said in Exodus 30 that whenever there was a census, every person (in this case, every man of fighting age) was to give a half shekel to the LORD as a ransom for his life for having been counted (Ex 30:12-13).  The ransom was to stave off a plague that would come and decimate the counted men. (Ex. 30:12).  God was to be the strength of Israel...not the numbers of men who could fight.

So David send Joab out to count the fighting men and God was displeased.  Seventy thousand people died in the plague before God said, 'Enough!' (the account in 1 Samuel hints that the people had displeased God and this was His way of sending the judgment).

The angel was ready to destroy Jerusalem and stopped at the threshing floor of Araunah the  Jebusite.  David was instructed to build an altar there and make a sacrifice.

David went to buy the land and oxen.  Aruanah protested, offering to give it to David so he could sacrifice.

But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it.  I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing."  So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. -- 2 Sam. 24:24

David knew what it was to make a sacrifice.  Owning his error required it.  We tend to want to wiggle out of consequences from our...lack of trust? Our wanting to do things the way it makes sense to us?  But when those schemes backfire...and they always do...repentance involves making restitution when possible. Not because we owe God...but because it's the right thing to do.  Why should Araunah bear the cost of David's error?

Our debt to God has been paid by the cross.  But when we owe a debt to another person...that is something we should take care of.  Yes, it will cost.  But it's the Right Thing to Do.

Faithful Fridays Two: 1 Samuel

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

What is obedience?

Saul had been instructed to completely annihilate the Amalekites (1 Sam 15:3).  Unlike the instruction given to Israel regarding Jericho under Joshua, which was to reserve specified items (gold, silver and bronze) for the Lord's use and destroy the rest, Saul was told to completely destroy the Amalekites. put every living thing (including the livestock) to death.  Saul, however, didn't exactly follow the instructions, which resulted in the following exchange:

[Samuel speaking] "Why did you not obey the LORD?  Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?"  

"But I did obey the LORD, " Saul said, "I went on the mission the LORD assigned me.  I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king.  The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to devote them to the LORD your God at Gilgal."

But Samuel replied, "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as obeying the voice of the LORD?  To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams."  -- 1 Samuel 15:19 - 22

Self deception is the most insidious thing.  It perverts honesty, blinds eyes, and breaks faith.  Because self deception is what convinces someone that the end justifies the means.

Saul declared that he HAD obeyed God...and then promptly confessed to disobeying him.  And didn't even see it.  God said 'Destroy it all at once'; Saul said, 'I will design my own plan to destroy it over time." That is, of course, assuming he told Samuel the truth, that they brought back the choicest of the livestock for a sacrifice at Gilgal.  Saul thought that was good enough....but it wasn't what he was told to do.  Which means it was not obedience.

As far as Agag goes, there's no explanation at all as to why he was taken captive instead of killed as instructed.  The Amalekites had attacked Israel without provocation during the Exodus (Ex. 17:8); Joshua had defeated them in the day when the sun stood still, but God had pronounced judgment on them (Ex. 17:14)...that they would be blotted out.   Now was the time for that judgment to fall, and Saul was to be the executioner.  But he held back and did not do as he was instructed.

And then had the audacity to declare that his task was done and he had obeyed, when the evidence to the contrary was right in front of everyone.  He said he 'destroyed the Amalekites completely', when he had, in fact, kept their king alive, along with the best animals of their flocks and herds.

Saul wanted to define his obedience himself...which earned him a stinging rebuke from Samuel and cost his family the royal dynasty that went to David.

Did Saul really not know the difference?  Or did he rationalize his choices to himself?  Or...was his story an outright lie:  the animals WEREN'T kept out for sacrifice but had been doled out among the men as plunder, with the sacrifice story being a made-up explanation to get off the hook?

As if God doesn't know the true motives behind everything we say and do...

To obey is better than sacrifice.  Why do we find it so hard to just do what He says?

Faithful Fridays Two - Ruth

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

Ah, the sweet little book of Ruth...a breath of fresh air after the mire and muck of Judges.

A book about devotion and respect and honor and commitment.  

It is not a romantic love story. Boaz was likely old enough to have been Ruth's father.  The two times he is recorded as speaking to her, he refers to her as 'my daughter'.

This book is about the inheritance.

Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, "Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of  Elimelech, Killion and Mahlon.  I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon's widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from the town records.  Today you are witnesses."  -- Ruth 4:9-10, NIV  84

That was the wedding, right there.

Hardly the stuff of romance novels.

This was so all the property of Elimelech, Killion and Mahlon could be passed to Ruth's son, Obed.

Who became the father of Jesse, who became the father of  David, who became king of all Israel.

That is the wonder of the story to me; Ruth, a foreigner, turned her heart to her Jewish mother in law, to care for her as if she were her own mother, and to live in reverence of Naomi's God.  Was this only out of respect for Naomi, or did she see something that contrasted with the pagan idols she had grown up with?  I am sure that Ruth had a genuine faith; I can't imagine her abandoning her people if she didn't have a heart for the God of her husband's people.  I wonder when it took root..because the fruit of it was amazing.  

Her great grandson was the king of all Israel, a man after God's own heart.

Because of devotion, respect, honor and commitment...on the part of both Ruth and Boaz.

If we learned to value devotion, respect, honor and commitment as much as we value 'romantic love'...we will see a complete turn around in our divorce statistics.

Just sayin'.