Really?

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Pete

Reading 1Kings 8 . . . It must have been a magnificent event to have been part of. After seven years . . . millions of hours of blood and sweat labor . . . no cost spared in the materials . . . the house for God that David desired to build, the temple that David’s son did build, is ready for occupancy. The sacrifices begin — so many sheep and oxen be sliced and diced and flamed, that they could not be counted or numbered (8:5). The ark is transported to its new home . . . the glory of God is invited to “move in” to one of the finest structures every conceived and built of man to that time. And the glory moves in (8:11). Solomon then stands before the altar of sacrifice, lifts his hands toward heaven, and prays like he’s never prayed before. And amidst that prayer he asks a question . . . not a question of disbelief, but a question of awe and wonder . . . “Really?”

“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house that I have built!” (1Kings 8:27 ESV)

Yes, the temple was “over the top.” The best materials . . . the best craftsmanship . . . no expense spared . . . but could God really dwell there? . . . would God really dwell there? Yeah, it was big . . . but would the God who overflowed heaven really fit into such a place? Sure, it was likely the most holy place on all the earth . . . but it was still like a garbage dump compared to the glories of heaven . . . would God really dare to touch down on this fallen ball of creation? Really?

Uh . . . yeah . . . really! And so much more . . . a little room at the back of a big temple was but an indicator of God’s determination to dwell on earth . . . to be among those He created.

“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? . . . For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple . . . In [Christ] you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
(1 Cor. 3:16-17, Eph. 2:22)

Really?

Yeah . . . really!

While the materials (aka us) may not be the best, God has spared no cost in redeeming them as He builds for Himself a dwelling place on this earth. Bought by the precious blood of Christ, we are living stones being shaped and placed into a structure in which He desires to abide . . . through which He desires to manifest His glory. We are His workmanship and by His grace and through His Spirit He desires to move in and make His home in us. And it just kind of blows me away this morning . . . “will God indeed dwell on the earth?”

Sometimes I need to be more like Solomon. I need to stop. And I need to spread out my hands toward heaven . . . I need to look up, look way up . . . and consumed with fresh awe and wonder exclaim, “Really?”

“May the LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us, that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers. (1Kings 8:57-58 NKJV)

For His glory . . . . REALLY!

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Fitting An Ocean In A Cup

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Pete

Every so often I get an urge . . . a bee in my bonnet . . . the need to address a situation . . . something “goes off” in me that says it’s time to rearrange the furniture in a room. Most often it’s driven by a perception that the room is looking overcrowded . . . that there’s too much stuff and it looks untidy . . . and that, somehow, by rearranging the stuff I’ll make more room. Now my wife has a way too simplistic approach to an overcrowded or untidy area . . . take stuff out. Nah . . . too logical . . . too easy . . . for me, it’s about rearranging stuff! Now, I know in my head that it really all comes down to capacity . . . that any given space can only hold so much . . . that you can’t put a gallon of water into a two quart container . . . that you need more space if you want to keep more stuff. And, it seems from reading Psalm 119 this morning, that the psalmist knows that too.

“I will run in the way of your commandments when You enlarge my heart!” (Psalm 119:32 ESV)

The psalmist continues his impassioned plea to God for the knowledge and understanding of His ways . . . “give me life according to Your word” (v25) . . . “teach me Your statutes!” (v26) . . . “make me understand Your precepts” (v27) . . . “graciously teach me your law!” (v29). But how does mortal man take in the mind of God? How can ways that are higher than our ways and thoughts that are higher than our thoughts possibly fit into our brains. There’s only so much capacity in these mortal minds. Rearrange all you want, without additional capacity it just ain’t gonna happen. It’s like trying to fit an ocean in a cup.

And so, the psalmist’s acknowledgement . . .

I will run when You enlarge my heart . . . I will soar when you provide capacity for understanding Your ways. When You free my heart from that which clutters it . . . when You make broad and roomy pastures in which Your word may abide . . . when You prepare the soil such that it is ready to receive the planted seed and bear much fruit . . . then will I be able to take it in . . . then will Your word be able to take me in . . . and then will I walk in the way You desire me to walk.

This isn’t just a book sitting on my desk in front of me . . . it is the mind of God provided for the mind of man . . . the things of heaven revealed to those on earth. And, the ability to contain this vast storehouse of heavenly treasure is less about my intellect and more so about my heart. The needed capacity for containment isn’t just between the ears, but in the very depths of my being and will. And apart from the work of the Spirit of God to enlarge my heart, I can try and cram as much as I want in there . . . rearrange it however I want . . . and it won’t make much difference . . . my life will still be untidy and encumbered. But oh, when God, through His Spirit, graciously provides the capacity . . . when He enlarges my heart . . . then watch me tank up and take off!

What a blessing to be able to be taught of God concerning His ways . . . what privilege to be illuminated through His Spirit concerning matters of divine revelation . . . oh, that I might desire and cry out for the capacity to take it in.

It’s like trying to fit an ocean in a cup . . . but with God all things are possible. Amen?

Enlarge my heart, Lord!

Posted in Psalms | 2 Comments

On Being a Magnifier

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Pete

One of those mornings where a few words in a pretty well known biblical story just grab me. Five words really . . . each of which I can define easily . . . but when combined, stretch my ability to articulate what they really mean . . . though I think I know what they look like in action, I’m hard pressed to fully understand how they really work. Five words that ignite something in me . . . five words that I want to know experientially . . . five words that create a sense of awe when I think of the privilege of participating in the experience . . . five words spoken by another, but claimed as my own this morning . . .

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked on the humble estate of His servant.” (Luke 1:46-47 ESV)

Two women, each “great with child”, come together for a very special time together. One is an older lady . . . for all intents and purposes she has no business being pregnant for she is “advanced in years” (1:7) . . . but she is because God has heard her prayer and removed her barrenness (1:13). The other is a much, much younger lady . . . who also has no business carrying a child as she is still a virgin (1:34) . . . but the Holy Spirit has come upon her, and the power of the Most High has overshadowed her and she has conceived the Son of God (1:35). And, as the older, filled with the Spirit, confirms the prophetic word spoken to the younger (1:41-45), the younger breaks forth in praise (1:46-55) . . . “My soul magnifies the Lord.”

“My soul magnifies the Lord” . . . those are the five words that have me thinking this morning. What does it really mean for my soul to magnify the Lord? How does it work? What does it look like? What does God think when He sees Himself being magnified by my soul?

Literally the word “magnify” means to “enlarge” . . . to “make great.” Makes sense. When I use a magnifying glass or telescope, I’m making something appear larger so that it can be seen more easily and clearly . . . I’m bringing it into better view. So how does the soul “enlarge” God? Not that God needs to be enlarged . . . not that I need to or can make Him any greater . . . but how does my soul bring that greatness in to clearer view . . . how does it shine the light and increase the focus on the magnificence of our great God? Short answer: through praise.

With a profound sense of what God is doing in her life (“He has looked on the humble estate of His servant”), the younger lady, Mary, praises God from the wellspring of all she is . . . from the seat of her emotion, intellect, and well . . . from her soul. That pump is primed by a deep, deep joy within her spirit . . . and the water that flows is the joyful declaration of who this great God is. She lifts her voice and declares that God is mighty . . . His name is holy . . . His mercy is for those who fear Him . . . He shows His strength . . . He scatters the proud . . . He brings down the mighty and exalts those of humble estate . . . He fills the hungry . . . He helps His servants . . . He remembers His mercy . . . He follows through on His promises (1:49-55). And in this, she magnifies the Lord.

And it strikes me that I too can participate in this privileged experience of being a magnifying agency for the glory of God. I know of His greatness from what has been revealed from His word, from the illumination graciously provided by His Spirit. I also know of His greatness from the favor shown to this “humble servant” and the work I have seen in my own life’s sphere. And I’ve known what it is to be in His presence and feel that pump being primed as the joy builds and my spirit rejoices . . . what it is to want to praise and worship Him from my most inner being, from all that I am, from my soul. In this too, then, I can magnify the Lord. Oh what a blessed experience to be able to participate in . . . what a holy privilege to be a magnifier for the glory of God! Amen?

“Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together!” (Psalm 34:3 ESV)

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Holy Hoarding

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Pete

On Saturday, I had a bit of a watershed experience . . . I threw away some magazines. Ok . . . so that doesn’t sound like too big a deal . . . but what you gotta understand is that I had been storing these magazines for years . . . not just a couple of years . . . probably ten years or more. Why you ask? Good question . . . it’s not like I had ever looked at them in that ten year period . . . it’s just that I stored them. They were good magazines . . . they deserved to be kept . . . even if they were never used. After all, isn’t that what boxes and closets (and garages) are for? . . . to keep stuff in? Ok, maybe not. But as I read a stanza of Psalm 119 this morning I was reminded that there is something that should be stored . . . something that really is a treasure worth being collected and kept . . . that there is a “holy hoarding” worth pursuing.

“I have stored up Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11 ESV)

Psalm 119 has got to be one of my favorite psalms. 176 verses . . . parsed into 22 stanzas of 8 verses each . . . each stanza beginning sequentially with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet . . . each stanza primarily occupied with one grand theme . . . the Word of God. My reading plan has one stanza a day for 22 days . . . for the better part of a month I will enter into the psalmist love for the revealed mind of the Lord through His commandments, statutes, precepts, testimonies . . . through His word. And this morning, I’m told to hoard that revelation . . . to store up His word in my heart.

While the ESV translates it “store up”, the NIV and NKJV says “I have hidden Your word” and, the NASB says the psalmist “treasured” the word in his heart. All are accurate translations . . . all emphasize some aspect of what the original word conveys. It is the idea of hiding something of value . . . of esteeming something of such worth as to carefully keep and protect it in a secret place. It is the idea of keeping something, of storing up and storing away, of collecting and accumulating . . . I don’t think it’s going to far to call it “holy hoarding.”

The treasure? The word of God. The God-breathed revelation of heaven itself for earthbound men. The ways of eternity conveyed to those bound in time. The truth concerning the kingdom of God preserved through the ages for those with “ears to hear.” The storehouse? My heart . . . the inner sanctum of who and what I am . . . the seat of my intellect and of my emotion . . . that which acts as my GPS in navigating life. The process? Treasure the word of God . . . excavate it . . . collect it . . . store it up . . . catalog it . . . hide it deep within and protect it . . . hoard it!

and, the purpose? That I might not transgress against the One whom I love and desire to serve . . . that I might live a life worthy of my calling (Eph. 4:1) . . . that I might be holy even as He is holy (1Peter 1:15-16). Unlike those magazines of mine which were tossed away this weekend, this holy hoarding is not for the purposes of filling shelf space in my heart . . . or packing an inner closet with facts and data simply to gather dust. But I am to hoard that I might have access to and then apply, through the Spirit’s enabling, the mind transforming, Christ conforming word of God as I navigate this pilgrim path He has set me on. I am to retrieve it . . . recall it . . . use it . . . apply it . . . put it into practice.

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word.” (Psalm 119:9 ESV)

I want to be a collector? I want to have a secret stash of treasure? I want to fill up closets and garages? Oh, let me do it with the word of God, filling the storeroom of my heart. Let me hoard His word . . . let me hoard for holiness . . . let me hoard for Him who is worthy . . . amen?

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How Shall I Know This?

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Pete

It strikes me as kind of a funny question . . . both funny as in “strange” . . . and funny as in “ha ha.” But it also hits me as being pretty instructive . . . a reminder that “faith” tends NOT to be our “default position” . . . that we a far more tuned to walk by sight than walk by faith, rather than the other way around. So, what’s the question that’s caught my attention this morning? It’s the question asked by Zechariah in Luke 1, “How shall I know this?” (1:10)

So here’s the context. Zechariah is a member of the Levitical priesthood called to service before the Lord in His temple. He is, in fact, an aging priest . . . moreover, he is an aging priest married to an aging bride, Elizabeth . . . they are both “advanced in years” . . . and, they are childless. And while they have been praying for years that God would “take away the reproach” (1:25) of being unable to have children, the time for bearing children, for all practical intents and purposes, has passed. And life goes on. Until one day . . .

It was a day when his division was “on duty” (1:8) at the temple . . . a day when, as they always did, lots where drawn to see who would enter the temple to burn incense (1:9) . . . a day when the lot fell to Zechariah . . . a day when Zechariah believed (or, at least, should have believed) that God had chosen him to enter the holy place. So this was turning out to be a special day . . . but “he ain’t seen nothing yet.” While everyone else is outside praying, and as Zechariah approaches the altar of incense, an angel appears to him, the angel Gabriel . . . the same Gabriel who appeared to Daniel (Dan. 8:16, 9:21) . . . Gabriel who stands in the presence of God . . . Gabriel who takes messages from God’s and delivers them to men.

And I’m thinking that Zechariah knows this guy is an angel. After all no one else had entered the temple . . . and I’m thinking that Gabriel has glow on, or something, that indicates he’s not “from around these parts.” Pretty amazing encounter of the heavenly kind. And Gabriel says to Zechariah that God has heard his prayer and that his wife Elizabeth will bear a son . . . a very special son . . . with a very specific and special calling (1:13-17).

Ok, so here’s Zechariah . . . with a once in a lifetime calling to enter the temple . . . standing right outside the most holy of holies . . . next to the place where the glory of God rests . . . talking to an angel . . . being told that he will have a son . . . and what does he say? “How shall I know this?” And my first reaction is, “Dude! Give your head a shake! Do you not know where you are? Can you not get who you’re talking to? God has sent an angel to have a one-on-one discussion . . . to visually and audibly convey a message from heaven itself . . . your gonna have a kid . . . and you want some proof?”

It makes me chuckle . . . and then it makes me think . . . and it makes me realize that this faith thing isn’t as easy to do as it is to talk about.

I know we are to “walk by faith and not by sight” (2Cor. 5:7) . . . and that “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6) . . . but, if Zechariah teaches me anything this morning, it’s about how I am naturally wired for “walking by sight.” I can have the Word of God before me . . . I can have the promises of God running around inside my head . . . I can look at all the evidences of God’s mighty hand around me and upon me in the past . . . but when it comes to the next “step of faith” I can also find myself asking, “How can I know this?”

Oh, to be quick to believe and slow to ask for more proof. To know the voice of God through the Spirit within me and not ask, “How shall I know?” To know His continuing work of grace, His all sufficient grace, in imparting but a “mustard seed of faith”. “I do believe . . . Lord, help my unbelief” . . . for your glory . . . amen.

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Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Pete

It reads like the credits at the end of a movie . . . a list of names scrolling through the last half of 2Samuel 23. It starts out, “These are the names of the mighty men whom David had . . . ” (2Sam. 23:8 ESV). Behind every great king, there are mighty men. God raises up a man, and he raises up an army to support him. God places the call on a woman, and he invites a cast of attendants to sustain and strengthen her. And, it seems consistent with the character of David that, as his life draws to an end, to give credit where credit is due.

Many of these guys (maybe all of them . . . I probably should do a bit more study to find out . . . ) had been with David since the early days . . . since the days of the cave of Adullam. David was told to flee by Jonathan as it was certain that Jonathan’s dad, King Saul, was intent on taking David out (1Sam. 20). David ended up feigning insanity before Philistine rulers in order to save his skin (1Sam. 21:12-15) and managed to escape to the cave of Adullam. And there, in that desperate situation . . . in that dark, damp camp . . . with no resources . . . and no idea what God was doing . . . David’s mighty men started to come together and assemble. But what a rag-tag bunch of dudes they were . . .

David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men. (1Samuel 22:1-2 ESV)

Check out, how Peterson puts it in The Message . . .

So David got away and escaped to the Cave of Adullam. When his brothers and others associated with his family heard where he was, they came down and joined him. Not only that, but all who were down on their luck came around — losers and vagrants and misfits of all sorts. David became their leader. There were about four hundred in all. (1Samuel 22:1-2 MSG)

David became their leader . . . he was captain over them . . . whoo-hoo! Such an army! Not apparent that there was a lot of “might” in these mighty men. But read the “credits” in 2Samuel 23 and see what God can do with a rag tag bunch of misfits.

There’s “JB” who, with only a spear in his hand, took out 800 enemy soldiers during a single battle (23:8). And “the El-ster” who was with David when they went up against the Philistines and much of the Israelite army bailed on them . . . but he stood with David and fought “until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword” and the Lord brought about a great victory that day (23:10). And “Sham the man” who stood his ground to guard a strategic food source for David’s men. Even when most other men fled out of fear of the advancing enemy, he “defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the Lord worked a great victory” (23:12).

And the list goes on . . . the stories are told . . . the names are listed . . . and the victories are recorded . . . and it is evident that David’s mighty men were, in fact, truly mighty. But it also becomes evident that their power came from beyond themselves . . . that the source of their victories was from another. And so, as the credits roll, I realize afresh that misfit men can be made mighty by the grace and power of God . . . and that, when all is said and done, He, and He alone, gets the credit where the credit is due.

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” (2Cor. 4:7 ESV)

Posted in 1Samuel, 2Samuel | 1 Comment

Get In Line

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Pete

I think it was back in ’94 that our home group did a study on the Holy Spirit. Our approach was to look at every verse in the Bible on the Holy Spirit. We used a Nave’s Topical Bible to get the list of verses . . . and for about 9 months, got together weekly to look at a half dozen or so verses and work through together what we thought they taught about the Holy Spirit. We tried to take as an unbiased approach as we could as we sought to understand better the Third Person of the Godhead. No commentaries . . . no cassette tapes (the A/V of the day) . . . just us . . . and, we trusted, the Holy Spirit. I don’t think I’m overstating it when I say that the study was in some ways one of life’s turning points from me.

I came away from that study with one major conclusion . . . and one haunting question? Conclusion: God does nothing on this earth apart from the Holy Spirit . . . He is God’s active agency on this planet . . . He is God’s “fingertips” . . . from creation . . . through resurrection . . . through redemption . . . through sanctification. Question: If that is true . . . and if the Spirit of God resides within me . . . then why am I so unaware of His presence most of the time? That conclusion . . . and that question . . . started me on a conscious path to know more the Holy Guest who had “moved into” my life. And it continues to this day.

So, as I cover some familiar territory in Galatians in my reading this morning, my eye is again drawn to some foundational teaching by Paul concerning the Spirit of God . . .

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. . . . But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. . . . If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:16, 18, 25 ESV)

Pretty simple . . . “walk by” . . . “be led by” . . . “live by” . . . “walk by” the Spirit. Simple to read . . . my experience is that it’s a lifetime to get.

Walk by (5:16) . . . be powered by . . . and set my course according to the Spirit . . . let the Spirit of God influence me. It’s about the direction setting on my life’s GPS . . . desiring that it be set it to “Spirit controlled.” Informed by the word . . . spoken to the heart . . . providing the overriding context by which I desire to live life.

Be led by (5:18) . . . allowing the Spirit to take my hand as guide . . . He’s in me, it’s then about wanting Him to walk with me, or rather walk me through navigating this life in accordance with God’s will. Both God’s general will (for all believers) and God’s specific will (for this guy in particular). Learning to heart His voice and know in “real time” His leading.

Live by (5:25) . . . experience the joy of real life . . . life to the full . . . know what life was really meant to be through the One who designed it. Take in the living water . . . never thirst . . . and then give ‘er!

Walk by (5:25) . . . a different “walk by” than in verse 16 . . . literally “to proceed in a row as the march of a soldier, go in order” . . . the ESV Study Bible says “to walk in line behind a leader.” At some point it’s not enough to know what to do . . . but I need to do it. I need to submit . . . I need to obey . . . I need to the set the course . . . I need to desire and want Him to lead . . . and then, I need to get in line.

Oh, sometimes I think I’ve made some progress in trying to figure out what this “Spirit-filled life” looks like in practicality . . . and other times, I sense I have so far yet to go. But God is faithful . . . His word is powerful . . . and His Spirit, His Fingertips, is/are upon me. Mine then, by the grace of God . . . and for the glory of God . . . is simply to get in line. Amen?

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Barz

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Pete

Ok . . . so I met somebody new this morning . . . somebody whose name I have glossed over for decades . . . whose story I couldn’t have told though I’ve probably read it a number of times . . . a guy who just kind of shows up in the God-inspired word . . . and leaves me asking why?

Meet Barzillai . . . pronounced Bar-zil-lah-ee . . . can I just call him “Barz” for short? So, in a nutshell, here’s his story. I’m reading in 2Samuel 18 and 19 this morning. David’s men have defeated Abasalom and his army. Abasalom had pursued David with the intent of killing him so that the throne which Abasalom had stolen from David might be un-contested. Abasalom is dead . . . his army less 20,000 dead return to Jerusalem . . . and David is called back to resume his reign over Israel. As David is returning Scripture records three encounters with individuals . . . one of who is my new friend, Barz.

Barz is 80 years old. His connection with the king? When David was fleeing Absalom, Barz “had provided the king with supplies while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man.” (2Sam. 19:31, 17:27-29) So, as David is crossing the Jordan en route back to Jerusalem, Barz comes down to see him “and escort him across the Jordan.” Ok . . . so this guy is turning out to be a pretty nice, old, rich dude who was very loyal to the king . . . even when others where turning their back to follow Absalom.

Out of his gratitude for Barz’s kindness to him and his people, David makes Barz an offer, “Come across with me, and I will provide for you while you are with me in Jerusalem.” (19:33) Not a bad offer . . . cared for directly by the king in the kings palace . . . enjoying all the good things that kings enjoy. But Barz seems to be something of a pragmatist and declines the offer, “I’m 80 years old,” he says, “I haven’t got many more years to live . . . and besides I couldn’t really enjoy the wonder of the king’s palace. My senses aren’t what they used to be . . . can’t really discern fine quality . . . can’t really taste so well anymore . . . hearing’s not what it used to be so I couldn’t really appreciate the voices of your singers. I’d really just be a burden to the king. No thanks. I’ll go with you a little way and then head back to my people and live out my life there. Besides, why should the king repay me with such reward.” (19:34-36)

And I’m liking this guy . . . served the king out of loyalty . . . not to get something out of it for himself. In fact, he seems to always be watching out for others — he asks the king to instead take Chimham (maybe Barz’s son?) back to Jerusalem with him and show him the favor the king had offered Barz. Man! What a selfless guy. What a way to finish life! Eighty years old and still actively serving and promoting others. The kind of man you’d want to model yourself after.

Last thing about Barz . . . I looked up his name . . . Barzillai means “my iron”. Alright!! That’s exactly what Barz’s life was about . . . about being someone else’s iron . . . “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” (Prov. 27:17) No wonder I like this guy so much . . . he’s a sharpener . . . he’s a supporter . . . he’s an encourager . . . he’s a need meeter . . . he’s a corner man. Not in it for what he can get out of it . . . but there to serve others and afford others opportunities rather than take them for himself. Yup . . . though I’ve never really seen him before in the pages of Scripture, this morning I’m kind of blessed and encouraged by him . . . the right stuff . . . good guy . . . nice to meet you Barz. May I be a little like you . . . for the glory of God . . . amen!!!

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You Are What You Worship

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Pete

It’s one of those questions that’s been debated for ages . . . “nature or nurture?” Is what you become a function more of how you are wired or how you are reared? Is it the DNA that has greater influence in how a person turns out or the environment in which that DNA is shaped and directed that really determines a person’s outcome? As I’m reading Psalm 115 this morning, I’m thinking maybe there’s another question to add to the debate . . . that perhaps there’s another dimension to consider . . . the dimension of what someone puts their trust in . . . the dimension of what, or who, someone worships.

Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them. (Psalm 115:4-8 ESV)

The psalmist’s argument is pretty simple. Trust in something inanimate . . . and you’ll become inanimate. Worship something with no brains . . . your brain will cease to function. Exalt something with no senses . . . no heart . . . and soon you will stop seeing and hearing and feeling. Kind of scary stuff! But doesn’t it ring true?

Love the ways of the world and know you’ll start looking, thinking, and acting like the world. Trust in money and treasures and eventually all life is viewed through a filter of debits and credits . . . value and worth are calculated in dollars and cents. Form sports into an idol and it’s possible that everything becomes a competition . . . that people are divided into one of two camps, winners and losers. Make another person your idol . . . let someone become your god . . . and it becomes about pleasing them . . . and being like them.

But what if God is our god? What if we give glory to the One who is the essence of steadfast love and faithfulness (115:1)? What if our deepest affections are reserved only for Him who made the heavens and earth (115:15) and who resides in the heavens (115:2) and acts, as He pleases, in accordance with His holy being and nature? If that is our god . . . if He is the object of our worship . . . if it is before Him we willingly bow the knee and direct all glory . . . then, if the argument is true, shouldn’t we expect, over time, to take on His character and His nature? I’m thinkin’!

Not that we would think to become gods . . . but that we would expect (and aspire) to become more and more like our God. That, as His children, we would become more like the Father.

That we would be a people marked by steadfast love. A people known for our faithfulness . . . to our Master and to one another. That we would develop, with time and with practice and through the agency of the Spirit within us, a heavenly perspective of life on earth . . . an eternal view of that which seems temporary . . . a God-infused context which drives and directs our day-by-day actions and decision. That we would have the mind of God and imitate our God as we are conformed to the image of His precious Son . . . that when people see us they would see a dim reflection of the God who redeemed us . . . of the God we worship.

Oh, that we, as the people of God, would become what we worship.

“Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory . . . ” (Psalm 115:1a ESV)

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A Debtor to Grace Only

Posted on May 15, 2011 by Pete

It startled me for moment as I read it this morning. I know I’ve read it before . . . I was pretty sure I knew “the rest of the story” . . . that it was just a lie. But when I read the first four verses of 2Samuel 16, it set me back a bit. Could it have been true? Could someone really respond to grace in such a way?

Context . . . David is king . . . sort of. Actually he is a king-on-the-run. His son Absalom has waged what is so far a “bloodless coup.” Through trickery and conspiracy, Absalom has gained a significant following and manages to send David fleeing with his household as Absalom claims the throne in Jerusalem without opposition (2Samuel 15).

As David is making a quick escape with his entourage he is met by Ziba. Now Ziba is the servant of Mephibosheth . . . crippled in both feet, Mephibosheth . . . son of Jonathan, grandson of Saul, Mephibosheth . . . recipient of unbelievable grace, Mephibosheth. David, rather than kill this enemy heir to his throne, instead, “for the sake of another”, extends favor beyond favor to him. . . giving him the inheritance of land that was legally his . . . and sets a place at the kings own table for him to dine . . . thus, making a natural enemy instead a member of the household . . . all for the “sake of another” (2Samuel 9). Talk about your amazing grace. Talk about riches at another’s expense. Talk about deserving nothing and getting everything. And, David commissions Ziba, once the servant of Saul, to work Mephibosheth’s inherited land and serve Mephibosheth as master. It’s this Ziba who meets David as David is high-tailing it out of town.

Ziba shows up with “with a couple of donkeys saddled, bearing two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a skin of wine” (2Sam. 16:1) . . . some much needed provisions for escapees who didn’t even have time to put their sandals on as they fled (2Sam. 15:30). But David’s concern is for the lame man, the son of his dear departed “closer than a brother” friend, Jonathan. And Ziba’s response is shocking!

And the king said, “And where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.'” (2Samuel 16:3 ESV)

Now, 2Samuel 19:24-30 gives the rest of the story . . . looks like Ziba was a bit of an opportunist . . . a bit of treachery on his own part to take advantage of change in leadership and a master who couldn’t walk to defend himself. But here’s the question that haunts me a bit . . . could it have been as Ziba said? Could Mephibosheth, object of the king’s favor, have been biding his time looking for any opportunity to seize what he thought was rightfully his but was withheld by the king? Could a recipient of such amazing grace really be so self serving? Could someone rescued from certain destruction and shown unmerited favor without limit, be looking for an opportunity to secure more for himself . . . even if it meant turning on his benefactor? And if it is possible in the times of ancient kings, is it possible in this age of grace?

And what about Ziba . . . how had he “played the system?” How had he taken advantage of grace and a king’s kindness and power in order to leverage a windfall for himself?  Is it conceivable that there’s a warning here about playing fast and loose with the King’s grace? That sure seems to be what the Spirit’s saying to me this morning.

Oh, may the privilege of sitting at the King’s table always be considered blessing beyond blessing such that I seek no other favor than the favor He has freely chosen to extend to me. May I never “play with grace” and seek to leverage it to my advantage at the cost of another . . . arrogantly thinking that somehow I can “pull one over” on the Sovereign extender of such amazing grace. Oh, that I might never be a manipulator of grace . . . but a debtor to grace only.

For the glory of the King! Amen.

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