Listening to the Word

 1 Chronicles 16; Psalms. 106; Matthew 19   “But they soon forgot what he had done and they did not wait for his counsel. In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wasteland they put God to the test. So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them.” Psalm 106:13-15 The desert journey of Israel out of the bondage in Egypt is remembered because it is an example of our journey of salvation and discipleship out of the bondage of sin and into the abundant life of God. Despite God’s abundant provision and clear deliverance, the Israelites forgot what God had done and they ignored God’s counsel. They craved the food of Egypt rather than being thankful for the manna from heaven. God’s provision of meat (quail) included a wasting disease which spread through the camp. What have we repeatedly asked God for, despite his counsel of “No”? Our journey of faith also includes God’s rebuke and even judgments for our rebellion and selfishness. What is the Lo...

  1 Chronicles 14-15; Psalms. 132; Matthew 18   “Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool – arise, O Lord, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might.” Psalm 132:7, 8 Will we offer our lives to the Lord as his footstool? Will we invite the Lord to rest his feet on us? The metaphor of a footstool was David’s picture of the Tabernacle, and in particular, the resting place for the Ark of the Covenant. This was the place God’s presence would rest and where God would commune with his covenant people. David vowed to give himself no rest until he found a resting place for the ark and the presence of the Lord. In the new covenant with God through Christ, we, too, are invited to make every effort to enter this rest (Hebrews 4:11), this Sabbath rest of God.   Will we invite God to rest on us, and will we find our rest in him? Rest requires humility and is the key to restoration of ‘shalom’ in every area of our lives. “Lord Jesus, I invite ...

2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 13; Psalms 68; Matthew 17   “David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, ‘How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?’…Now King David was told, ‘The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God. So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.” 2 Samuel 6:9, 12 Why was David afraid of God at the time of the death of Uzzah? David at that time believed Uzzah’s death was God’s fault. Yet, David had failed to inquire of the Lord how to transport the ark of God. When we ignore God’s ways and yet blame him for the consequences, we, too, are not wise. Once David learned of God’s blessing on the household of Obed-Edom, and how to transport the ark in the prescribed way by priests carrying the ark, not animals and a cart, David rejoiced. There is joy when we welcome the presence of God into our lives, homes, and community, and live within his ways. F...

  2 Samuel 4-5; Psalms 139; Matthew 16   “You hem me in – behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me…If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast…For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:5, 9, 10, 13 The same hands which knit us together in our mother’s womb now rest on our lives as we offer ourselves to the Lord. There are no more important hands into which we can entrust our lives. Even when we feel hemmed in and constrained, we can trust the hands of God to guide our life and our circumstances for his greater good in us and in this world. David’s season of life on the run from Saul tested his faith in God’s sovereignty over his life. God used the hands of Samuel to pour anointing oil over David’s head, but that didn’t deliver him from testing and spiritual warfare. The hand of God which formed us continues to shape and for...

2 Samuel 3; 1 Chronicles 12; Matthew 15   “These were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was banished from the presence of Saul…they were kinsmen of Saul…These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said:” 1 Chronicles 12:1, 2, 23 Coming to join David’s cause at Ziklag was very different from coming to join David’s army at Hebron. Those who traveled to Ziklag risked their lives and Saul’s wrath. Those who later traveled to Hebron came for a coronation ceremony. Those who traveled to Ziklag, in particular those who were kinsmen of Saul, knew there could be reprisals against their families. Perhaps some of them had heard Saul’s loud repentance on the two occasions when David had spared his life. The Ziklag leaders understood the mission was valuable enough to risk everything. Do we? Are we standing with Christ today in our workplace, neighborhood, and family? Or, are we a secret supporter ...

  2 Samuel 2; 1 Chronicles 11; Psalms 142; Matthew 14   “I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble. When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way…” Psalm 142:2, 3 “When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place…When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” Matthew 14:13, 14 Where do we go, or how do we respond when our “spirit grows faint” within us? David wrote those words in a cave when he was fleeing from Saul. He poured out his complaint before God and acknowledged again that God knew his way and had his eyes on him. In his discipleship journey of obedience to the Father’s will, did Jesus’ spirit ever grow faint within him?   Upon hearing of his cousin John’s execution, Jesus withdrew by boat to a solitary place. He wanted to be alone with his Father. Yet in this vulnerable moment, a crowd of needy people clamored for his attention. How do we re...

  2 Samuel 1; Psalms 140; Matthew 13 “O Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, who shields my head in the day of battle – do not grant the wicked their desires, O Lord;…Let slanderers not be established in the land;…” Psalm 140:7, 8, 11 Just as the head must be protected in a physical battle, so our mind must be protected in a spiritual battle. Our thoughts influence our actions and eventually our character. The battle to bring every thought captive to Christ is our daily challenge. The victory has already been won by Christ! He shields our head in the day of battle, but we must be in Christ, living in full surrender to him for Christ’s presence to shield us. Gossip, slander, and the schemes of the enemy to distract and defeat us are the nature of the battle for many of us who follow Jesus! He is our strong deliverer! “Lord Jesus, deliver me from evil this day and protect my head from the accusers lies, for your glory.”