Humble Worship

READ 2 Samuel 5-6

In chapter 6 Michal looks a lot like some church members today. She is turned off by David’s exuberance in worshipping the Lord and she makes her feelings very clear. You’ve seen this haven’t you? When someone around begins to be more exuberant than others and lifts their hands or claps loudly or even dances a little before the Lord, these “Michals” look on with disdain. The message is written all over them that this behavior ought to be stopped.

This reminds me of a definition of the word “fanatic” I heard once. A fanatic is anyone who loves the Lord more than I do. Recently I heard the rather extreme position given that lifting one’s hands in worship was the first step in becoming a charismatic. That’s almost laughable if it weren’t so sad. I certainly hope you’re not guilty of being one of these “Michals.”

What is your attitude in worship? Well, to answer what it ought to be we have to start with the truth that worship is first and foremost a matter of the heart. If one’s heart is truly worshipping the Lord then the outer actions are only an expression of that. And those outer actions won’t be the same for every person. So you and I, when we worship, ought to be focused on our own worship and not that of those around us. Resist the urge to judge someone’s heart and focus on what your own heart’s desire is. I wonder: are we like David willing to be contemptible and abased in the eyes of others as we make merry before the Lord (22)?

Prayer: Father, forgive the Pharisaical tendency in us to judge the hearts and motives of others. Help us to be so intent on worshipping you with all our heart, soul, mind and strength that we don’t have room left for looking down our spiritual noses at others. Help us to humble ourselves before you as we worship your holy name.

Humble Appreciation

READ 2 Samuel 3-4

There is a wonderful short verse in these chapters that indicates the blessing of the Lord upon David. God had anointed him to be king and God placed his hand of blessing upon him. The text says, “And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as everything that the king did pleased all the people.” Everything? That’s almost too difficult to believe isn’t it?

Probably none of us has ever experienced that, where everything we did was pleasing to everyone around us. I know I haven’t. But in David’s case, though he was a man of war and multiple wives (against God’s command; Deut 17:14-20), still everything he did pleased all the people. There is only one explanation for that: God gave him favor with all the people.
I think there’s a lesson in humility for us. If we have favor with those around us it’s not because of how wonderful we are but because of God’s grace. He could just as easily cause us to fall into disfavor. So there’s another reason to thank God humbly for every good and perfect gift.

Prayer:  Father, you are perfect in all your ways. You are righteous and holy and all that you do is righteous and holy. There is no god besides you. And in your perfection you have chosen to be gracious to us and to grant us favor with people around us. Thank you for this blessing. Thank you that every good and perfect gift comes from you, even the kindness and appreciation of others.

Humble Remembrance

READ: 2 Samuel 1-2

After all the evil that Saul had done; after God had removed his anointing from him (1 Sam 16:14); after all the attempts by Saul to kill David, God’s new anointed king — David still refuses to attack Saul, even with his words after Saul has died. Reading David’s lament (1:19-27) one is impressed by the kind words of David for Saul and Jonathan. We expect them fro Jonathan, but not for Saul.

We have a saying, “Don’t speak ill of the dead.” That’s not what’s happening in this story. David is genuinely remembering the good things Saul did in his life. He is choosing to emphasize those memories among the people, especially the people of Judah (1:18) who had chosen to align themselves with David. These were the people who would be most likely to denigrate Saul.

There is a lesson in kindness here for us. If God has used someone for good in their lives, no matter what they do badly, without excusing those things, we should kindly remember and speak well of them for the good they did. All of us are perhaps tempted at times to look on the “mighty who have fallen” and drag them down a notch or two in the minds of others. But let’s not be the ones to tear down with our words. Let’s be the ones who take the high road like David and speak kindly in the midst of the terrible fall.

Prayer: Father, help us to remember that “there, but for your grace, go I.” Help us to be gracious in our thoughts and words toward the fall of mighty ones whom you have evidently used at times in their lives. Help us not to glory in the fall of another. Help us to humble ourselves before you and know that you are the one who builds up and tears down.

From Head to Toe

Leviticus 7-8

June 16, 2014

Are you familiar with the term “merism?” I wasn’t until reading this passage this morning then doing a bit of research. A merism is the use of the parts and/or extremities of something to indicate the whole. As one might say “both near and far” or “both rich and poor.” One interesting note I found on this subject:

"It may very well be that the Bible, as organized, functions as a merism, beginning in Genesis with Eden lost and ending in Revelation with the 'New Jerusalem' gained, these two referring to the entirety of human history and representing the 'Alpha and Omega' (Rev. 21.6) of God's sovereignty. Revelation 11.17 extends merism to the triadic 'one who is, was, and is coming.' Finally, while it may be to stretch a point, it might be said that the 'Old Testament' and the 'New Testament' form a merism that represent all of God's word and the 'Bible' as totality." (Jeanie C. Crain, Reading the Bible as Literature: An Introduction. Polity Press, 2010)

In our passage today we have a merism in 8:23-24. As God instructs Moses to put the blood of ordination on the right ear lobe, right thumbs and right big toes of Aaron and his sons, we might say, “They were consecrated from head to toe.” In other words, every part of them, all of them, was consecrated to the Lord.

As a kingdom of priests today, we Christians are also consecrated from head to toe. That brings to mind another merism which Jesus used that we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. That means all of us. Jesus is not indicating just certain individual parts to love God. No, he means with every fiber of our being.

Is that the way you love God? Is that how much of you is totally consecrated to the Lord? An old Christian hymn (not the John Legend version) was sung:

All of me not a part but all of me

All the heart and soul of me

Jesus, I surrender

I believe, Lord, help my unbelief

On the altar now I lay all I am today

As I am I come to Thee without one plea

Only that Thy saving blood was shed for me

All of me through the ages yet to be

I surrender Lord to Thee

I surrender all of me

Prayer:  Father, that song is my prayer today.

Root of Bitterness? It's not what you think

I learned something new this morning. Not new in the sense that I’d never thought about the idea before. No, new in the sense that what I had always believed about a verse in the Bible was wrong and now I believe I see it in a correct light. (I almost said I have a new perspective but I’m afraid of the “terminology nazis.”)

Here’s the verse Hebrews 12:15. I’ll quote it in the KJV because I have a feeling that translation is what prompted the misunderstanding: “lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you.” You’ll notice that the word “you” is in italics. That’s because it’s not in the original but has been added by the translators. Usually this is done to help in understanding and, understood rightly, it would do so here. But I think the problem arose with much impetus from a well-known Bible teacher in the 70’s and 80’s who took this phrase from v. 15 and made it a primary teaching that Christians should not develop a root of bitterness in themselves.

Let me say it clearly. This is what I now see correctly: Hebrews 12:15 is not addressing the issue of bitterness in a person’s heart. But let me be quick to add that the Bible does address this issue. It does warn us not to be bitter (Ephesians 4:31). The teaching is clear. If there is any bitterness in our hearts must be put away. So the idea of Christians resisting bitterness is not what I am resisting from this verse today.

Based on my reading from Deuteronomy 29:18-19 I now see the basis for that verse, the whole verse in Hebrews 12:15. The clear teaching in Deuteronomy is for the people, as a whole, to beware of anyone (or even a whole tribe) who pridefully thinks because he is a part of the covenant people he can live any way he wishes. The equivalent today would be someone saying I’m saved and “once saved always saved” so it doesn’t matter how I live. For OT Israel this person or persons will be dangerous like a horrible infection that can spread throughout the people.

When one reads all of Hebrews 12:15 one sees that’s exactly what it is warning the church against. It is in essence quoting the Deuteronomy passage. Let me quote the whole verse: “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.” This is a warning to the church to watch out for those who “profess” salvation but show by their lives that they do not really “possess” it for they “fail to obtain the grace of God.” Now they think they can live like the devil and still be assured of “fire insurance.” The writer of Hebrews says as Moses suggested that “by it many become defiled.” In other words, the root of bitterness is not something within an individual Christian. Rather, it is a root in the midst of the whole church, a cancer that might spread to others.

What do we do about it. We lovingly admonish those among us to let their lives demonstrate their having been born again. Let the root of Christ-likeness show forth from the way we live. We must be willing to call one another to holy living.