My Morning Meal

Talk about your major mistake . . . your strategic error . . . your “Oh, if I only had that to do again.” That’s kind of what hits me as a read the story of King Rehoboam’s reign in 2Chronicles 10 thru 12. Some important lessons in leadership here . . . no, not just leadership, . . . some important lessons in wise living here.

So here’s the deal . . . King Solomon has died and his son, Rehoboam, has assumed the throne. Soon after, the people of Israel come to the new king and ask for relief. For decades they have broken their backs and bank accounts under Solomon working on the great building projects he orchestrated. “Your father was a hard master,” they said. “Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects.” (2Chron. 10:4 NLT) Sounds like a reasonable request. What’s a young king to do?

And so, he gets some advice. He consults the elders who served with his dad and they say, “Listen to the people. Give a little now. Be kind. Work with them. And, then they’ll be your servants forever.” But that’s not what Rehoboam wanted to hear. It wasn’t aligned with his power-trippin’ view of being the “big kahuna.” And it says, “He rejected the advice which the elders had given him.” (2Chron. 4:8a)

He then talks to his young buddies who are kind of liking their new jobs working in the king’s palace. Inexperience talking with inexperience. Bias seeking out what it wants to hear. Not really interested in sound advice, but wants to appear wise and talks to men who will tell him what he wants to hear. Their advice? “This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’” (1Chron. 10:10-11 NLT)

And so Rehoboam doesn’t listen to the people (lesson 1) and rejects the advice of wise men who’ve been around the block once or twice (lesson 2) and the rest is history. He delivers the harsh message . . . the people rebel . . . the 10 northern tribes of Israel from their own government . . . the nation is divided. Why? Because Rehoboam didn’t listen. (Well, also because it was ordained of God (see. vv. 15 and 11:4) . . . but that’s a different set of lessons).

And I’m thinking about how important it is to listen . . . to what others say . . . to what others need. How important it is to seek out — and be prepared to receive — good and wise counsel . . . and yes, many times it means listening to the “grey-haired” . . . those who have walked with the Lord for awhile . . . those who have the sort of perspective that only comes from experience. And I wonder if ours isn’t a “non-listening” age. Focused on self, not really paying attention to what others think. Too arrogant to think anybody else has anything to tell us . . . or if we do “listen” we make sure we plug into the voices that already align to our thinking. Too “smart” to look to the “out of date” and “old fashioned” Word of God for direction.

If you read further in 2Chronicles, you find indicators in chapter 12 that the root of Rehoboam’s problem wasn’t his plugged up ears . . . it was his pride-filled heart. Three times in 2Chron. 12:6-7 it says that Rehoboam and the leaders “humbled themselves” under God’s corrective hand. They needed to be humbled. Pride has a funny effect on the senses, it seems. A proud heart seems to result in poor hearing.

The heart of hearing is a humble heart. When I no longer think that I know it all . . . when I relinquish my agenda for God’s . . . when I am humble in spirit . . . then the ears work really well. I’ll listen to what others say . . . I’ll seek the counsel of wise, older people . . . I’ll still myself so as to be in a position to hear the Spirit’s voice, too.

Father, continue to form within me a heart of hearing . . . for Your glory, Amen!!

They had so much to do. Candles to be trimmed . . . incense to be offered . . . bread to be put on the table. There were songs to be sung . . . prayers to be offered . . . worship to be given. But it all came to a stop when the cloud descended. All the busyness associated with ministering before God ceased when the glory of God came upon the place.

” . . . and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the LORD, ‘For He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever,’ the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.” (2Chronicles 5:13-14 ESV)

So . . . what must it have been like to have your head in the cloud?

What was it like to experience the cloud descend? The same pillar of cloud manifest to lead the people out of Egypt. The same cloud that covered Mt. Sinai as God had His one-on-one with Moses. The same cloud that fell on the tent of meeting in the wilderness indicating that the glory of God had filled the the holy of holies. When you saw the cloud, the glory was present. So what was it like? One thing is clear . . . when the glory was present, the activity ceased.

When the glory falls . . . hit the pause button. All the hustle and bustle of temple ministry screeches to a halt when God is present. All the efforts of man cease when God is come. Time to stop being the Martha . . . busying yourself with much preparation . . . time to take the Mary posture . . . at the feet of the manifested glory of God. That’s at least part of what it is to have your head in the cloud.

When the glory is present the work stops. When God dwells among men, the efforts of men are not needed. Isn’t that my current state?

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 ESV)

Behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus. He has come. The cloud has descended. He is the “radiance of God’s glory and the exact imprint of His nature” (Heb. 1:3) . . . and the God “who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2Cor. 4:6). The glory is here. The efforts of man have ceased. Mine is now to abide in that glory. To walk with my head in that cloud.

Behold the glory of God in the outpouring of His Holy Spirit. He has filled the living temple of this sinner saved by grace. Not because of who I am, but because of what Christ has done. Mine now is to live in the ever-present Spirit . . . to walk in the Spirit . . . to be continually filled with the Spirit. That the glory might be known . . . that His will might done in and through me.

When the cloud falls . . . when the glory comes . . . strivings cease . . . the work stops . . .

Oh, that I might live more with my head in the cloud . . . amen?

Ok . . . so, you wanna talk about “over the top”? . . . you want to think on something that’s hard to get your mind around? . . . you want to get a hernia? Try taking this offering . . . try counting this between services . . . try putting this deposit in a bag and dropping it off at the bank . . . 300 tons of gold . . . 637.5 tons of silver . . . 675 tons of bronze . . . 3,750 tons of iron. There’s no other way to describe it . . . it was a “give-fest”. Actually . . . it was a “give back” fest.

I’m wrapping up 1Chronicles this morning. Before David “goes home”, he takes one last offering for the materials that will be needed by his son, Solomon, to build a temple for God. Since setting his heart on seeing a house built for God, David’s been storing up stuff that would be use as building material. “I’ve done my best,” says David, “to get everything together for building this house for my God, all the materials necessary: gold, silver, bronze, iron, lumber, precious and varicolored stones, and building stones–vast stockpiles” (1Chron. 29:2 MSG). But it doesn’t stop there . . . he then gives out of his personal “bank account” . . . and then invites the people to do likewise . . . and what do you end up with? In addition to the “official temple building account”, you get the offering detailed above. Amazing! But what really grabs me this morning is David’s perspective on the “give fest” . . .

“And now we thank You, our God, and praise Your glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from You, and of Your own have we given You. For we are strangers before You and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building You a house for Your holy name comes from Your hand and is all Your own.” (1Chronicles 29:13-16 ESV)

You don’t sense any hesitation . . . they had been stewards of that which God had given them . . . and now their hearts were moved to give of that stewardship to see a place built for the glory of God to dwell . . . “now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to You” (29:17b). And, there’s no boasting . . . no marveling at how much they had thrown in the plate . . . no credit taken for being so generous . . . just a heavenly reality check that all they had done was given to God what was already His. All things come from God . . . what they gave to God was already His . . . He had provided them the joy of freely and willingly giving it back.

What a deception to think of that which I possess as being mine because I earned it. What arrogance to consider that any measure of wealth I might know is because of how hard I’ve worked . . . or how smart or talented I am. What do I have that God has not given me? Answer: Nothing! While He allowed all this “stuff” to be mine to steward, may I never lose sight of the fact that it is His stuff. And when He asks me to give a portion back . . . or all of it back . . . may I do so willing and gratefully asking, “Who am I, that I should be able thus to offer willingly?”

And David recognizes that even the attitude is from God, “O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of Your people, and direct their hearts toward You.” (29:18) Oh, that God’s people might be filled with such purposes and thoughts . . . that their hearts would be directed toward the Majesty on high . . . that their treasures might be recognized as His treasure and offered back joyously when He calls for it.

Over the top? Yeah . . . that’s how “give back” fests can be. What a privilege . . . what a joy . . . what a God! Amen?

“And they ate and drank before the LORD on that day with great gladness.” (1Chronicles 29:22 ESV)

David had done as much as he could do. He’d put in a ton of preparation. Plans drawn . . . materials acquired . . . labor force secured and organized . . . everything David could do, he had done to prepare for the building of the temple. It was in his heart to build a resting place for the ark of of the covenant of the Lord . . . a place to be the “footstool of God” . . . but, it would not be his to build (1Chron. 28:2-3). That would be left to his son, Solomon. But though he would not see the temple in his day, he did everything in his power to get ready for its construction . . . he did all he could to ensure his son was set up for success.

But “success” wasn’t just about the materials . . . nor just about the building . . . David also knew that it was about the builder. His son also needed to be prep’d. The “who” of the project was equally important to the “how.” It was about more than just a welcoming home for the God of heaven . . . it needed to be about a welcoming heart as well. And so, as David hands over the baton (and tons of building materials) he also passes on a charge to his son:

“And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. Be careful now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it.” (1Chronicles 28:9-10)

Pretty simple. Know God . . . serve God . . . seek God . . . be strong and do it! And the secret sauce? . . . “with a whole heart and a willing mind.”

That God blesses despite our failings is obvious. That God uses less than best intentions to accomplish divine purposes is part of His sovereign and gracious prerogative. That God might determine to take the self-serving efforts of mere mortals and through them shape the things of eternity is His to command. But . . . it seems to hit me afresh this morning . . . what God really wants from His “builders” is service founded on a whole heart and a willing mind. With God it’s not about the ends justifying the means . . . it is so much about “the means” . . . the intent . . . the purpose . . . the thought behind the action.

He wants a heart that is undivided . . . serving one Master and Him alone . . . fully focused on the Object of service and not just on the service itself. God, says David, searches hearts and understands what’s behind the plans. That God desires the heart above the heroics is plain. That’s where the prep needs to first begin . . . in the inner man . . . in the spring of our moral character . . . in the seat of desire and passion . . . in the soul . . . the DNA of the essence of who we are. God wants me to serve Him with my whole heart. The “project” is almost secondary to the person. Before God, the service’s true value is found in the heart of the servant.

And, . . . in the servant’s mind. God is less interested in having the temple built then He is in having a people who desire to build the temple. God’s pleasure is found not just in the result of service rendered to Him, but is found in the pleasure we have in rendering Him service. He desires our desire . . . He delights in our delight . . . He is brought pleasure through our pleasure . . . when that desire and delight and pleasure is the fuel which propels us to do whatever we do, as to the Lord (Col. 3:23).

Mine is not to build a magnificent temple . . . but I have other stuff the Lord wants me to do for Him. And so, David’s words are directed to me this morning . . . Know God . . . Serve God . . . Seek God . . . Be strong and do it! . . . with a whole heart and a wiling mind!

By His grace . . . for His glory . . .

It came into play again this morning. That wonderful dynamic between that which has been recorded in the Old Testament and that which is taught in the New Testament. The old adage, “the New Testament is in the Old concealed and the Old Testament is in the New revealed” kicked in as I read David’s words to some of his leaders. Because of what has been revealed through the God-breathed writings of the apostle Paul, this conversation between a king and his cabinet some 1,000+ years earlier takes on a meaning that they could not have imagined. Check out this part of “the chat” I eavesdropped on this a.m. . . .

“David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, ‘Is not the LORD your God with you? And has He not given you peace on every side? For He has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the LORD and His people. Now set your mind and heart to seek the LORD your God. Arise and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the LORD.’ ” (1Chronicles 22:17-19 ESV)

What was spoken by David to his leaders about the physical construction of a dwelling place for the ark of God hit me between the eyes this morning. It was like it was spoken directly to me. How come? Because I too am part of a building program for a holy habitation for the LORD. The Old Testament concept of a physical temple built to house the glory of God is expanded in the New Testament. This Old Testament structure is a picture of a greater building in which God desires to dwell. A place that God would raise up . . . not made with brick and mortar . . . but with living stones . . . a temple made of people . . . redeemed people . . . His people. So . . . set your mind and heart to seek the LORD, Pete . . . arise and build the sanctuary of God.

Revealed in the New is the amazing reality that I, as a believer . . . as a blood-bought trophy of God’s grace . . . that I am part of the household of God . . . joined together with other believers . . . forming a living building . . . growing into a holy temple in the Lord . . . being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit (Eph. 2:19-22). And just as the temple of ancient days was a place where offerings to God were brought, so too, as living stones being put together to form a spiritual house, this temple revealed in the New is to “offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1Peter 2:5). So . . . get your head in the game, Pete . . . set your heart on seeking the Lord . . . get to it . . . and build, by the grace of God and the work of His indwelling Spirit, this holy habitation for the God of your salvation!

“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” . . . “Let each one take care how he builds upon it.” (1Cor.3:16, 10)

Arise and build, Pete! Do it carefully . . . purposefully . . . wisely. Beware of trying to build with “wood, hay, and straw.” Beware of cheap materials . . . take care not to add to the foundation that which has no substance and will not last. Instead, seek the the Lord and build with gold, silver, and precious stones . . . hold back on nothing . . . that this new, holy habitation for God might be a place where He is pleased to dwell. Leverage the best materials from the spiritual treasures made available to you that this “flesh and blood temple” might rise up to be a magnificent place of worship. That the sacrifices of praise . . . and the living sacrifices of wholly consecrated bodies . . . would rise up as a sweet smelling aroma to Him who is worthy of our best. Set your mind and heart to seek the LORD your God!

Yeah . . . David thought he was talking to his leaders. In fact, the Lord is talking to me. You got to love the word of God! Amen?

Arise and build!

I like keeping in touch with what’s going on around me. If I think about how many news sources I check throughout the day, it’s more than just a couple. Before I start work in the morning I do a quick run through of the CBC.ca web site to see what’s happening in the homeland. Mid-day I’ll usually eat my lunch at my desk and do quick once through of the CNN web news. When I get home we often watch one of the local news broadcasts as well as one of the national broadcasts on the tube. And then, I’ll get online and check out a few more news and/or sports and/or entertainment related sites. Mostly headlines and glancing . . . reading a few of the stories in depth . . . just a desire to keep in touch. Even though this world is not my home, I just think it’s important to be know what’s going on. Maybe that’s why the following jumped out at me as I was reading 1Chronicles this morning.

I’m in chapter 12 . . . reading through a roll of “the numbers of the divisions of the armed troops who came to David in Hebron” (1Chron. 12:23). Big army! . . . “From day to day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like an army of God” (12:22). 6,800 from Judah . . . 7,100 from Simeon . . . 20,800 from the tribe of Ephraim . . . 50,000 of seasoned troops of Zebulun . . . 120,000 from the tribes who settled on the east side of the Jordan. If I’m reading it right, the total army size would have been well over 350,000 fighting men. Impressive! But what stood out was a bit of commentary on the men from Issachar . . . what seems to have been an Issachar distinctive.

“Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command.” (1Chronicles 12:32 ESV)

The leaders of Issachar had understanding of the times and knew what Israel ought to do. I looked at a couple of commentaries this morning. Some would understand these men to be astrologers and astronomers who were familiar with the physical sciences . . . they knew the seasons and what Israel should be doing during each of them . . . they were learned men and even learned men joined the army. Others say it is best interpreted as they were politically savvy . . . familiar with the finer points of public affairs and able to provide counsel as to how to navigate the relationships with the nations surrounding Israel . . . they were statesmen and you needed statesmen in your military.

I’m sure the strict literal meaning is with these learned men, but as I read of this Issachar distinctive this morning, it hit me as being that these guys were very aware, very astute, and very wise. They knew what was happening in their world around them . . . they understood the times . . . they picked up on the nuances of the spirit of the age . . . they had their ears on and their eyes open . . . and they could counsel David and the nation how to skillfully maneuver through the prevailing culture about them. And as I read it . . . I wanted to be an Issacharite.

It’s one thing to know what’s going on around me and around the world . . . easy to read or listen to the news and get the facts . . . but then to have understanding . . . and to know how to respond . . . I’m thinking that calls for a bit wisdom from above. Oh, to have the mind of Christ as I encounter this world. To be able to see what’s going on with His eyes . . . to internalize it with His heart . . . to react as Jesus would react . . . that, it seems to me, is understanding the times and knowing what to do.

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:15-17)

That, by the grace of God, I might possess this Issachar distinctive . . . that I might too be a discerning soldier in the great army of God . . . that I might walk wisely in enemy territory . . . for His glory . . . amen.