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1 Samuel 18:5-30

02 Jun

5 So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. 6 Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. 7 So the women sang as they danced, and said:

“Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands.”

8 Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 So Saul eyed David from that day forward.

10 And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul’s hand. 11 And Saul cast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice.

12 Now Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, but had departed from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul removed him from his presence, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him. 15 Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.

17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let my hand not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”

18 So David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” 19 But it happened at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.

20 Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 So Saul said, “I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall be my son-in-law today.”

22 And Saul commanded his servants, “Communicate with David secretly, and say, ‘Look, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become the king’s son-in-law.’ ”

23 So Saul’s servants spoke those words in the hearing of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king’s son-in-law, seeing I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?” 24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, “In this manner David spoke.”

25 Then Saul said, “Thus you shall say to David: ‘The king does not desire any dowry but one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’ ” But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 So when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to become the king’s son-in-law. Now the days had not expired; 27 therefore David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as a wife.

28 Thus Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him; 29 and Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul became David’s enemy continually. 30 Then the princes of the Philistines went out to war. And so it was, whenever they went out, that David behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed.

1 Samuel 18:5-30

Dear God, the thing that came up over and over again in this chapter is that David behaved wisely. He respected Saul and didn’t try to usurp him, which he could easily have done. He certainly had enough credibility built up with the people that mob mentality would have supported him overthrowing Saul. But then there would be civil war within the country and the people wouldn’t be focused on their enemies. And as I’ve seen others point out in their writings, David would have lost the high group and left himself vulnerable when he became king. He will protect your anointed like he will hope to be protected later.

As for Saul, he was an absolute mess. Things were spinning out of control around him. He wasn’t worshipping you at all. Not even trying. He was worshipping the idol of his throne–the thing that you gave him out of the blue. The thing given, not earned. And he knew that. I think it might be the “not earned” part that made him so insecure about it. David was building a ton of credibility among the people and even in his own eyes as he worked his way up the ladder. But Saul could only see the threat. He didn’t see the successes against his real enemies. He didn’t see the life as king David was helping him sustain. And he suspected the worst of David because our suspicions of others are aroused by the knowledge of ourselves. He knew that if he were in David’s position he would have surely tried to become king. Why wouldn’t David? Because at this point in his life, David was avoiding idols and simply worshipping you and doing what he felt you were calling him to do.

I would be remiss is I didn’t mention Michal. She seems like an innocent pawn in this story. We will see later that she will help David escape and earn her father’s wrath (and she’ll lie to her father to save herself as well). And she will make mistakes. But when I read these stories, I think about a teenager who is infatuated with someone. It’s kind of sweet if not a little sad.

Father, a lot of this is coming back to idolatry. As I look at these stories, it feels like Saul is holding onto something he knows he’s already lost and he is only making matters worse. And David is still looking for you and to you. He has nothing to lose so instead of trying to take something that belongs to someone else, he is living an obedient life, day by day. Help me to do that. Help me to live an obedient life today. I want to be your servant and let the world know I love you more than anything else.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 2, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 17:40-18:4

01 Jun

40 Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. 41 So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him. 42 And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. 43 So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!”

45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”

48 So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. 51 Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it.

And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 52 Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron. 53 Then the children of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their tents. 54 And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.

55 When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?”

And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.”

56 So the king said, “Inquire whose son this young man is.”

57 Then, as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58 And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?”

So David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”

18 Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.

1 Samuel 17:4-18:4

Dear God, I think there are a few main points out of this story this morning:

  • Goliath’s overconfidence was part of his undoing. Do I ever get overconfident and forget to ask you to lead me? Of course I do. I’m so sorry. I know that all of my good things come from you. I know I am a fool and I need you to lead me.
  • David was in the sweet spot of being led by you. A little like back in 1 Samuel 11 when your Spirit fell on Saul when he heard about the Ammonites attacking Jabesh. David was almost not even thinking. He was worshipping you through his actions. It almost seems to have been on instinct.
  • Why did you do this and give David the victory? He tells us in verse 47: “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s and he will give all of you into our hands.” That makes me think back to when Jonathan beat the Philistines by an attack on a few men, confusion, and an earthquake.
  • Speaking of Jonathan, where was he? He was obviously there (see 1 Samuel 18:1-4). Like Saul, it seems he was not in the sweet spot of our spirit at the moment. Even though he and his father were the only ones with armor and he was the natural choice to be out there, he wasn’t.
  • David wins. What happened to the armor bearer? Was he just so stunned that he turned and ran too? Was he afraid of David as well? It’s amazing how we can be beaten psychologically before we even fight. Even in conflicts or challenges in my life, if I don’t “believe” (I’m looking at you, Ted Lasso), I usually won’t even start. That’s what happened to the Israelite army here. That’s what happened to the Philistine army. The only two people who “believed” in this story were David and Goliath, and the difference between those two was that Goliath was egotistical and overconfident while David was full of faith and scrappy.
  • The Philistines run and the Israelites chase them.
  • David identifies his father to Saul (so he can get the tax exemption?).
  • Jonathan and David for their bond. What a remarkable thing for Jonathan to do.
    • Jonathan could have had a shame-filled ego. Instead, he was humbly grateful
    • Jonathan saw a kindred spirit in David, and perhaps he could see in David how much farther he had to go in his own faith. The would be brothers that would sharpen each other.
    • We do NOT go through this life alone.

Father, I guess it’s time for me to put this lesson together now. I have my parts for tomorrow night. Now, I need to assemble them. I like some of the things you’ve revealed to me through this story over the last few days. As I go out now to face my own Goliath in teaching these men about you through this story, help me to lean on you. I’ve had some of these lessons go well, but I don’t want to think for a second it was anything but your Holy Spirit guiding me. Speaking through me. I know my ego gets in the way a lot, and I am sorry for that. Give me the heart of the boy David, and not the man Goliath. I acknowledge you as the author of all of the good gifts and things that come my way. I worship you, my God and my King.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 1, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 17:31-40

31 May

31 Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him. 32 Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”

33 And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”

34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, 35 I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”

38 So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. 39 David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off.

40 Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. 

1 Samuel 17:31-40

Dear God, I had a few thoughts as I read through this story this morning.

  • You gave David life experiences that prepared him for the job you put in front of him.
  • You gave David insight into the fact that he had done these things because you had done them through him.
  • What was Saul’s thinking here? Was he just so emotionally locked up that he was ready to accept any half-witted plan, or did the prophecy gift return to him long enough for you to tell him that he should believe in David’s ability to do this outlandish thing?
  • There had to have been something in David’s appearance to Goliath (shepherd boy with a staff) that gave David the advantage because Goliath underestimated him.

I really want to lean into the life experience part of this story. You rarely ask us to step out and do something you haven’t prepared us for. For example, the jobs I had leading up to my current job uniquely prepared me. Not that I didn’t have a lot to still learn when I got there, or that I don’t still have a lot to learn. But you prepared me for the basics in a unique way. And you also gave me a unique set of skills to do the job. But they are from you. The experience is from you. The gifts and talents are from you.

That’s another part of this: The knowledge of you as the source of the provision. David could have said, “King, I kill bears and lions all the time. I’ve got this.” But he invoked you in his story: “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” That might be a harder part for me. Sometimes, I really want to take credit. But I think back on the times I was unemployed in 2003 and 2005, and you answered our prayers and provided for us. Sometimes I was frustrated with you because I thought you were too quiet, but you were there. And in retrospect I could see what you were doing. You gave me experience with you in little things so that as big things came along I could turn to you and have faith that, if you wanted it done, you would provide.

Then there’s the part about Goliath underestimating David. Underestimating you. But I suppose we will get into that more tomorrow.

Father, show me when it is time to lay down all the weapons the world wants to arm me with and simply pick up my five smooth stones. Remind me of the times you came through for me and sustained me–especially when I am in the middle of the storm. You have given me good skills. You have proven yourself to me time and time again. Help me to lean into that in my life today.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 31, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 17:20-30

30 May

20 So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle. 21 For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army. 22 And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. 23 Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them. 24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid. 25 So the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father’s house exemption from taxes in Israel.”

26 Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

27 And the people answered him in this manner, saying, “So shall it be done for the man who kills him.”

28 Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.”

29 And David said, “What have I done now? Is there not a cause?” 30 Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did.

1 Samuel 17:20-30

Dear God, I want to sit with Eliab here for a second. Part of the army. Scared. Facing a grave danger. Feeling humiliated because he is unwilling to face Goliath (as is everyone around him). This is serious business. This is “adulting” on a military level. This is what a responsible man does. And here comes his little brother who doesn’t have these responsibilities talking smack. Talking tough. He sees David as naive, and arrogant because he’s never been given a responsibility he failed at. He’s just a boy. And while the other men were probably able to blow David off as a naive kid, or maybe even a sacrifice to Goliath to save their skins, Eliab was both frustrated with David and loved him and didn’t want to see him sacrificed.

Then there’s David. Naive. Foolish. Perhaps a bit arrogant. But there was also something different about him. He had a level of faith. We will learn later that he had faced dangers of lions and bears that maybe Eliab didn’t know about. He did have something in his own experience that told him this wasn’t a foolish mission for him.

There is a time when my experience can hold me back. I assume I know the outcome of something because I’ve been burnt before. I remember several months ago I was asked about looking into a program that my experience in my job told me wouldn’t work for us. My inclination was to blow it off without even examining it. Then I had a thought occur to me that perhaps a younger more naive me would have followed up on this opportunity and looked into it. Maybe I was selling it short for no reason other than hubris and arrogance. Maybe I was grumpy old man, not willing to explore new ideas. So I contacted a clinic that was using the program and took a couple of staff people with me to visit them. Ultimately, we decided to not do it, but I felt good that we had explored it.

Father, I’m not sure what I’m taking with me from this story this morning, but I feel like part of the message to me is that I should not close my heart to the inspirations you give me and also be open to the inspirations of the younger, perhaps more naive people you have put around me. Help me to hear your voice when it comes to what you would have me do next. Help me to see over, through, and beyond the walls that might be in front of me. Help me to be what you need me to be for your kingdom in my home and in my community. Help my life to be a light that sees me decreasing, you increasing, and people being drawn to you like moths to a flame.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 30, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 17:12-19

29 May

12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse, and who had eight sons. And the man was old, advanced in years, in the days of Saul. 13 The three oldest sons of Jesse had gone to follow Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul. 15 But David occasionally went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.

16 And the Philistine drew near and presented himself forty days, morning and evening.

17 Then Jesse said to his son David, “Take now for your brothers an ephah of this dried grain and these ten loaves, and run to your brothers at the camp. 18 And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers fare, and bring back news of them.” 19 Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.

1 Samuel 17:12-19

Dear God, I want to sit with David as the youngest boy. As the youngest child, I can empathize with feeling like you’re always playing catch-up. No matter how old I get, as long as the three of us are alive I will always be four years younger than my sister and six years younger than my brother. I’ll never catch up. Our daughter is almost three years younger than our son, and, especially when they were little, I used to watch her try to take back every day of that three years.

Sometimes, I think there is something important about accepting the role of the youngest. In this case, David had a job to do. He had a role in the family. He was to help care for his brothers, express his father’s love and support for his brothers, and then bring back news of his brothers to his father. He was old enough to travel alone but not yet old enough to join the fight. Still a boy but feeling more and more like a man.

Of course, we will see tomorrow that David’s brothers still treat him like the youngest. They will be mad at his impudence when he responds to Goliath’s challenge with indignation and defiance by calling out the men of Israel who won’t fight. Partly out of shame and partly out of this feeling of superiority they feel.

And even though I am the youngest in my family, I am currently the oldest at work. So I need to remember to ask myself if I am giving my younger coworkers the respect they deserve to not only do the jobs they have but to trust them with more than my preconceived notions of them might normally allow.

Father, help me to know how to still live into my role as the youngest child in my family. Help me to know how to parent my youngest child. Help me to be an encourager of the staff who work with me. Love them through me. Love me through them. Help us all to simply be yours. Be your worshippers. Be your servants. Be your people.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 29, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 17:1-11

28 May

17 Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle, and were gathered at Sochoh, which belongs to Judah; they encamped between Sochoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim. 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and they encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array against the Philistines. 3 The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, with a valley between them.

4 And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 And he had bronze armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. 7 Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him. 8 Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” 10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

1 Samuel 17:1-11

Dear God, I guess the question I have is why did they accept Goliath’s terms of battle? Obviously, I don’t understand war tactics from 5,000 years ago. I don’t completely understand the war tactics of trench warfare from World War I. But the idea that they would entertain this offer in a fair fight is somewhat silly to me. Why would they limit themselves to this offer when the advantage is definitely to the Philistines?

Maybe they were used to being the Philistines’ servants and this would just return things to the status quo. Maybe they didn’t want to die in a battle. Maybe they were scared. Maybe the option of sending one dude out to die (maybe Saul?) and then the rest of them just agree to live but serve the Philistines wasn’t the worst offer on the table. Maybe the devil they knew was better than the devil they didn’t know, with the devil they didn’t know being possible death.

Are there times when I’ve given up and just accepted a less desirable fate because the compromise was better than my fear of the unknown? Hmm. I need to really think about that. Have I settled in some area because I was afraid to break out? I guess I actually have an example of when I faced this fear, stepped out in faith, and took a chance on a path that could have led to disaster. It was almost 23 years ago when I prayerfully decided to leave a stable but awful job for what you had next for me. And the next three years were hard. 2003, 2004, and 2005 were challenging years from an income and career standpoint. My wife and I have said that if we had known how hard those years would be we might not have had the courage to do it. But I can say it was worth it. I stepped out and into an eventual career and also a life outside of my career that has really brought me a lot of joy and enabled me to serve you in unique and fulfilling ways. Life hasn’t been perfect. Life still isn’t perfect. But I know that when I stepped out in faith in 2003 it was the right thing to do.

Father, open my eyes to anything in my life right now that I am cowering before. Help me to see where I am settling. Help me to see where I don’t believe. Help me to find the right path forward in every area of my life.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 28, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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John 3:10-21

26 May

10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should [c]not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

John 3:10-21

Dear God, following up on the impromptu prayer I did last night in the chapel, I want to talk a little about the book I finished reading: What is Jesus was Serious about Judgment? by Skye Jethani. I’ve been curious about Skye’s view of how Jesus would address everything from treating people fairly and forgiveness to heaven and hell and what the cut-line is for either destination.

And to be clear, I’m not sure how much stock I put into Jethani’s theological position. I think we are all wrong and none of us can know exactly what life will look like on the other side. Of all of the possibilities, Jethani’s view could be it. If I were putting money on a theological position given all of the options different teacher’s have, I’d put my money most closely to his. I tend to really agree with a lot of his positions. But the truth is, I simply don’t know. I simply don’t know. I am certain there will be a sorting one day. Jesus was clear about that in several parables. But what happens to the goats? It’s a hazy mystery to me. I hope they don’t really suffer for all eternity. As Jethani put it, that does not seem like proportional punishment for the crimes committed.

But I also think the temptation is to get too wrapped up in heaven, hell, the apocalypse, etc., and we forget to live in justice now. Jesus did care about justice in the here and now. And, frankly, although I read the book in order and didn’t skip ahead to the heaven/hell chapters towards the end, I was still distracted by their existence and looking back I don’t remember much of what his other real points were. So let me go back and look at the table of contents to see if that will help some thoughts stick out. Here are some elected chapter titles:

  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then evil empires will always misunderstand God’s justice.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then God hears the cries of the oppressed.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then experiencing oppression should give us compassion for others.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then evil will consume those who practice it.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then just laws will lead to community flourishing.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then true worship lifts up Christ by lifting up the oppressed.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then a heart far from God lacks mercy, not emotions.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then justice is about our identity, not the other person’s.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then God can be both merciful and angry.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then mercy and justice are partners, not enemies.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then justice alone won’t rescue us from our sins.
  • If Jesus was serious about justice, then God’s mercy comes with a condition.

Everything else starts getting into your wrath and how that will ultimately be handled, and I don’t want to go there this morning. I just want to sit with how I handle justice in my life. How I handle mercy.

I think the place to start is my own sinfulness and how I handle that. Before I can look at the speck in my neighbor’s eye, I need to look at the log in my own. And the more I truly address my own sins, failures, and foibles, the more empathy and mercy I have for others. To whom much is given much is required. I have been given a lot of mercy. Should I not give a lot in return?

Father, help me to find that line between mercy and justice. There should obviously be consequences for sin. David paid terrible consequences for his sin even though you loved him and cared for him. You forgave me. You even carried your path to Jesus through the woman he stole and murdered for. Maybe you did that more for her than him, now that I think about it. You had choices. You chose the victim to redeem through Solomon and his line. Nice. Help me to love victims, love sinners (who are sinners themselves–we all are), and carry your mercy into this world.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 26, 2025 in John

 

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James 1:16-25

25 May

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

James 1:16-25

Dear God, I was watching a video this morning, and I heard a man say something interesting. He said something to the effect that anger is always masking some other emotion. Maybe it’s sadness or fear, but anger isn’t the emotion itself. That’s a thought that’s going to fester. I thought of that when I read verse 20 of this passage: “…for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” Assuming that wrath = anger, it feels like I should stop and think about this statement in this way as I consider this whole passage.

So let me go back and start at the beginning of this passage:

  • Verse 17a: Every good and perfect gift is from you. In the previous paragraph, James is saying that you are not a source of temptation for us. No, instead you bring good and perfect gifts to us.
  • Verse 17b: I’m not sure I’ve ever noticed this before. You are always the same. You are unchanging. As James describes it, you are the source of light so your don’t shift like shadows. What a beautiful analogy. I like that.
  • Verse 18: The whole “born again” idea is amazing. Taking us back to your original creation when you looked at us and said, “It is good.” Taking us back to Genesis 1 and 2, and not starting with Genesis 3. Thank you for this amazing opportunity.
  • Verse 19: This is a fairly popular verse for people to quote: “Be quick to listen and slow to speak.” We usually leave out the rest because it’s not convenient. And here’s where I want to look at the other emotions that might be driving my anger. James tags onto the listen/speak part of the sentence, “…and slow to become anger…” When I am quick to wrath, what is the emotion behind it. As I sit and think of times I have held a long grudge, it’s usually betrayal. I am hurt because I cannot trust, and I usually lead with trust. And it doesn’t say I can’t get angry, but that I shouldn’t be quick to anger. So I’m not saying I shouldn’t be angry about the betrayals, but I need to be careful and prayerful about how I respond. No, maybe I need to sit and think about the times when my anger flares up quickly. I don’t think I can think of a pattern right now, but please help me be mindful of any time my temper flares quickly and to start to piece together a patters. Reveal this to me, Holy Spirit.
  • Verse 20: Anger doesn’t bring about a righteous life. Oh, how I see this displayed online. There is a woman who recently became a donor at our clinic, and while I don’t spend hardly any time on social media, whenever I’ve been there for a particular reason and happened upon a post of hers, it’s usually filled with anger. I wonder if she can see it. I wonder if there is some way that being involved with our nonprofit might bless her and help her to let go of her anger. If there is something I can do to bless her and others in this area, please show me how.
  • Verse 21: “…receive with meekness the implanted word…” I’m preaching later about the parable of the sower and how we need to make our hearts a place where your seeds can be planted and your fruit can grow. How do I give you good soil? Part of it is what James says here: “…lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness…” Then the seeds of your word can have space to grow.
  • Verse 22: Take the word you plant and be a doer of it. I heard some discussion yesterday about spiritual formation training and how it can have a tendency to steer into isolation for the believer and keep them from getting out and putting their love to use. And let the doing of what you have give us to learn be part of us really internalizing it and growing. Going back to the plant analogy, it reminds me of the peach trees for our region. The peaches need a certain amount of stress to be the best. They need X number of “chilling hours” while they are dormant in the winter to be good when they bloom in the spring. In the same way, I need to be challenged at some level in order to best internalize what you are teaching me. If I just sit in my home and think great thoughts, but I never put anything to work, what I have I accomplished. It’s like writing a parenting book after having never been a parent. I have some great thoughts, but until I’ve had my thoughts personally challenged, how can my counsel be of use to anyone else or even myself?
  • Verses 23-25: These kind of reiterate the point I just made about verse 22. If it’s just an intellectual exercise, then I will likely never change. But if the intellectual part gets challenged and refined through application then it will get woven into the fabric of my being.

Father, for the next three and a half hours, I need to be right in the middle of your presence. I need you as close to me as is possible. I am going to be preaching and I need it to be you. I need your Holy Spirit to simply flow through me as I get up to share your word with these people. Prepare their hearts this morning. Prepare my heart too. Make some good soil for us to receive your seed, and then help us to be doers of the word you plant in us. Holy Spirit, I need you.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 25, 2025 in James

 

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“You Are Everything” by Matthew West

24 May

“You Are Everything” by Matthew West

I'm the one with two left feet
Standing on a lonely street
I can't even walk a straight line
And every time you look at me
I'm spinning like an autumn leave
Bound to hit bottom sometime

Where would I be without someone to save me
Someone who won't let me fall

You are everything that I live for
Everything that I can't believe is happening
You're standing right in front of me
With arms wide open, all I know is
Every day is filled with hope 
'Cause you are everything that I breathe for
And I can't help but breathe you in
And breathe again
Feeling all this life within
Every single beat of my heart

I'm the one with big mistakes
Big regrets and bigger breaks
Than I'd ever care to confess
Ah, but you're the one who looks at me
And sees what I was meant to be
More than just a beautiful mess

Where would I be without someone to save me
Someone who won't let me fall

You are everything that I live for
Everything that I can't believe is happening
You're standing right in front of me
With arms wide open, all I know is 
Every day is filled with hope
'Cause you are everything that I breathe for
And I can't help but breathe you in
Breathe again, feeling all this life within
Every single beat of my heart

You're everything good in my life
Everything honest and true
And all of those stars
Hanging up in the sky
Could never shine brighter than you

You are everything that I live for
Everything that I can't believe is happening
You're standing right in front of me
With arms wide open, all I know is
Every day is filled with hope
'Cause you are everything that I breathe for
And I can't help but breathe you in
And breathe again, feeling all this life within
Every single beat of my heart

You are, oh, you are.
Jesus, you are
You are everthing

Songwriters Matthew West and Sam Mizell

Dear God, I normally copy and paste lyrics when I do songs like this, but this time I really wanted to sink into this song and worship you with the words so I typed them out. I need some worship time. I feel like I am spinning a little. With some personal struggles combined with preaching in the morning, working alongside my wife tomorrow afternoon with a couple about to get married, teaching a Bible study Monday night and then officiating a funeral on Wednesday, I have a all of these things swirling through my head. How will I manage them? How will I do you justice in all of this? The answer: Stop and worship. Make everything in my being about you. Worship you. Take my eyes off of all of this and just fall into you. Let you do it through me.

To be clear, what I am experiencing is first-world problems. You have given me so much. I was listening to a podcast earlier today and this pastor was talking about exhorting his congregation to make a practice of observing Sabbath, and he got feedback from some that they would love to, but they cannot because they are working two jobs to make ends meet. From his view of the world, choosing to observe the Sabbath was a choice that his “internal Pharaoh” would have to grant, but he realized that a lot of people live with an “external Pharaoh” that compels them to ignore Sabbath.

Another good thing I heard today as I listened to another podcast was the importance of not teaching the secondary benefits of Christianity as our motivation for worshipping you. And I’m not talking about prosperity gospel heresy, but even making the motivation to worship you and live a life of discipleship be attaining the fruits of the Spirit. Yes, that is a side-effect, but I’m here right now not for that. I’m here right now simply because I love you. I’m into you. I first followed you almost 46 years ago. I’ve been intentionally discipling in one way or another for 38 years. Can I see your fruit in my life? Absolutely. Is that why I’m here? No. I’m here because I simply love you.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, inhabit me. Inhabit all of my being. I feel like I’ve been broken this week. I feel like you’ve been melting me and molding me. Now fill me to overflowing so that you might overflow onto those around me. All for your glory, oh, Lord. All for your glory.

I pray this in Jesus and with the Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 24, 2025 in Hymns and Songs

 

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1 Samuel 16:14-23

23 May

14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and the Lord sent a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear.

15 Some of Saul’s servants said to him, “A tormenting spirit from God is troubling you. 16 Let us find a good musician to play the harp whenever the tormenting spirit troubles you. He will play soothing music, and you will soon be well again.”

17 “All right,” Saul said. “Find me someone who plays well, and bring him here.”

18 One of the servants said to Saul, “One of Jesse’s sons from Bethlehem is a talented harp player. Not only that—he is a brave warrior, a man of war, and has good judgment. He is also a fine-looking young man, and the Lord is with him.”

19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, “Send me your son David, the shepherd.” 20 Jesse responded by sending David to Saul, along with a young goat, a donkey loaded with bread, and a wineskin full of wine.

21 So David went to Saul and began serving him. Saul loved David very much, and David became his armor bearer.

22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse asking, “Please let David remain in my service, for I am very pleased with him.”

23 And whenever the tormenting spirit from God troubled Saul, David would play the harp. Then Saul would feel better, and the tormenting spirit would go away.

1 Samuel 16:14-23

Dear God, I’m not doing well this morning. A tormenting spirit? Am I Saul in this story? Did I sin in a way this week that is wreaking havoc on me now? Did I do something I didn’t know I did? Holy Spirit, I could use some comfort right now. I’m very sorry for my self-pity and weakness. I’m sorry for apparently giving these spirits some room to mess with me.

As I think about the Bible study this week, I think this will be a good point to bring out with the men that I’ve never thought about before. We normally read this story and sit in judgment of Saul. So let’s go through this story and see how things might have been different for him had he been better about repenting and simply worshipping you without anything in it for him.

First, your Spirit left him. That is a horrific thought. To sit here and not feel like your Holy Spirit is with me. That sounds absolutely tragic. Horrific. “Let not your Spirit depart from me.” Wow! That’s a line that just came to me while I was typing this, and it echoes what David prayed in Psalm 51:11 when he is repenting to you for his sin with Bathsheba: Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.” (NLT) David had seen first hand what it looked like when your Spirit left Saul, and he didn’t want that to happen to himself.

Second, the attendants recognized the problem and tried to help. They were good people.

Third, Saul continued to live up to what Samuel said he would do. In this case, take a son of Jesse to come and serve him.

Fourth, when exactly did David and Saul meet? Is it here, or is it in the next chapter when they are facing Goliath? Again, it feels like the writer(s) of 1 Samuel are more interested in a good story and teaching us points as opposed to getting every date correct.

Fifth, it worked. Your spirit with David would bring Saul comfort. I don’t know if Saul was suffering from clinical depression, migraines, or what, but you blessed Saul through David. I wonder what this experience was like for David and how did it begin to form him into a leader? There have been a couple of times I worked for people in my career who I thought were depressed and I would do my best to compensate for them in the workplace. To be a source of blessing for them. But I also know that working for them informed me about how important it is to not only love and worship you, but also project energy and confidence when leading others.

Father, I had no idea this prayer would turn out this way this morning. But I am sorry. I’m sorry for the hurtful things I do. I am sorry for hurting people you love–your children. I am sorry for not being the man I know you want me to be for my sake and for the sakes of those around me. Please forgive me and “do not banish me from your presence. And don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.”

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

P.S. I just thought of this after I closed. I wonder if Samuel heard about this and was afraid for David being that near to Saul and Saul figuring out what Samuel had done with David. That’s a whole other story I’ve never thought about before.

 
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Posted by on May 23, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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