Picture What God Wants 4

1 Samuel 16:11-12

“Ah-ha!” “Eureka!” “That’s it!” These are all familiar expressions people use when the light comes on in the mind and suddenly everything is made clear. Sometimes we can think and worry and wonder for days and days feeling hopeless about what we are supposed to do, when suddenly we have God’s inspiration enter in and we realize God has given us His vision.

Samuel is looking for the next king of Israel, and he knows the new king is to be from Jesse’s family, but he worries he has exhausted his possibilities. What does he ask? Who is left? What happens when the young man enters?

All of the fine, strapping young sons of Jesse have been rejected. Samuel was certain one of these stronger, older brothers would be chosen and I am certain he was baffled when none from the first seven were chosen.

But there is one more opportunity in the youngest son, David, a shepherd boy. It seems unlikely, but Samuel gives it a shot. And that is when God speaks to Samuel. This is the one!

We are frequently challenged with new ministry ideas. What can we do? Who will we help? And so often we can create a list of ideas only to dismiss every one for this reason or that.

But there is great excitement and peace in my heart when at last we come across a ministry opportunity that jumps out at us. There have been many times in the past several years where a ministry idea may at first seem unlikely, but then there is that spark from God that lets us know – this is it.

As we examine our ministry opportunities we need to be open to that leading from God. Let God create the vision. Let God take the lead. Through devout and earnest prayer you can trust that God will turn on that light of inspiration so that the right ministry is ready for you to live out.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you open yourself up to God’s leading?

Place Yourself Where God Can Use You - 4

1 Samuel 25:23-27

A successful play in football requires that everyone involved be where they are supposed to be and do what they are supposed to do. If the quarterback throws the ball but the receiver is not where he is supposed to be, the play fails. Even if the player had every good intention to be where he is supposed to be, unless he gets there things won’t work out.

As we continue with the story of Abigail, David and Nabal we see Abigail placing herself where she needs to be. What are all the steps that Abigail carries out? How do you think David will respond?.

Abigail’s ministry did not end with preparing the food David wanted. It also did not end when she found David as he was approaching her home. She had to put herself in his path and humble herself before the angry warrior, accepting the responsibility, and pleading with David.

Placing yourself at God’s disposal in ministry means more than simply having the best ideas and the best intentions. It requires that you put yourself completely into that ministry. When you are called into a ministry you must prepare for it, act on it, and carry through with it. This is all part of placing yourself in ministry.

It is not always easy discerning what God wants us to do in ministry. And when we feel we know what God wants, it is not always easy getting the ministry organized. These two steps are necessary for good ministry, but ministry can’t move forward unless we put ourselves in that place where God can use us.

There are times when we must be persistent in our work for the kingdom of God. We must take our ideas and our materials and then work with them. We must keep our feet firmly planted in the ministry, allowing ourselves to remain in that place where God can use us.

DAILY CHALLENGE: Are you in place for ministry?

Place Yourself Where God Can Use You - 3

1 Samuel 25:18-22

This past summer at our community VBS I lost my temper with one of the volunteers. It was an embarrassing time for me. I had committed a terrible sin and had to seek forgiveness. To do that I had to find the person I offended and apologize. It was all resolved in the end, but the offended person did not want to speak with me at first, and I did not look forward to that necessary confrontation.

Today’s passage is a portion of a long story involving David, a man named Nabal and Nabal’s wife, Abigail. David and his men have been protecting the shepherds in a certain region and David sent messengers asking for some food, an expression of gratitude for what they have been doing. But Nabal rejects David, which angers him.

What did Abigail do when she learned of the offense? Where does Abigail find David? What were David and his men doing?

The intelligent wife of the foolish Nabal must correct the mistake her husband has made. Nabal has failed to show proper appreciation for the protection and security his servants and property have received. David is so angry he is planning to attack Nabal and his servants, killing every one of them.

Abigail sets out to avert catastrophe. She has prepared the food that David was looking for earlier, but that is not enough. She must go out and find David, literally placing herself in his way so that good may be done.

We can imagine that she was not looking forward to this task. She was putting herself at considerable risk, standing in the way of an angry warrior and his soldiers. But to accomplish what needed to be done she had to place herself in a position that would guarantee the deed was accomplished.

When we answer God’s call to ministry we may feel reluctant to do the work. The ministry may require some sacrifice on our part. Or it may seem too much. We may hesitate putting ourselves on the line to do the work of God’s kingdom.

But that is what we need to do. When we answer God’s call we must place ourselves into the thick of the situation, putting our own confidence and comfort on the line for God. We are often called not to simply provide for a ministry, but actually be part of it. We should step out in faith and place ourselves where we can be used for God’s good.

DAILY CHALLENGE: Where do you need to place yourself to do ministry?

Broken 3

2 Samuel 21:4-7

The evil behavior of Saul has had far-reaching effects. Not only was Saul killed along with his sons, not only was his grandson made lame, but now further descendents must pay for his mistakes. Many people of the Gibeonites were put to death under Saul in spite of an agreement to spare them.

What do the Gibeonites concede? What do they request? What does David agree to? Who will he not hand over?

The customs and politics of ancient Israel may be very foreign to us. Willingly handing over people whom we may consider innocent to pay for the sins of their ancestors seems very barbaric and very wrong. But, removing those aspects of this particular passage allows us to see David remaining faithful to his pledge to Jonathan.

It has been a long time since Mephobisheth was summoned to David’s house. Many years have passed. Now an old debt is brought up, and Saul is to blame. God is even the one who says so.

Although seven descendents of Saul are required for the sacrifice, David refuses to hand over Mephibosheth. David remains true to his word and Mephibosheth remains safe. What a relief that must have been for Mephibosheth.

And what a relief that is to us. Like Mephibosheth, we have a master who will always remain true to His pledge. We have a master who will always hold on to us and will never let harm come to us.

The Lord has invited us, broken people, to come to His table and He will always watch over us as His guests. We need not fear or doubt that our relationship with God can be severed by anyone except ourselves.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you be reminded of God’s eternal faithfulness to you?

Brokenness 2

2 Samuel 9:2-7

We recently had a couple in our church who were surprised by their family with an unexpected anniversary celebration. They thought they were attending a dull event for their grandson, but it turned out to be a party for them. They were so pleased by the surprise and the gathering of so many friends and family.

Today’s reading is about a surprise turn of events. We have seen the bitter rivalry which has been raging between David and King Saul (see 2 Samuel 2:12-31).

Who was summoned before David? What did David want? What information does Ziba provide? What does David do? How does Mephibosheth greet David? What does David offer Mephibosheth?

After all that has transpired in the war between Saul and David, one might expect Mephibosheth to be a helpless victim about to be removed by David. He is the last of the royal line, the last of a family who has a claim – through God’s anointing – to the throne. Even those who thought they were supporting David were executed (see 2 Samuel 1:15-16 and 2 Samuel 4:11-12), so how much more would one expect Saul’s grandson to be killed?

But David surprises Mephibosheth with mercy and love. Instead of having the lame, young man brought to the palace to be killed, Mephibosheth is brought forward to be honored and made, in essence, a member of David’s own family.

David has remembered his pledge to Jonathan and has made good on his word. This broken man has been given a place at the royal table.

And so, this story is our story. Each of us is broken. Each of us are among the fallen, the sinful, the unworthy. Each of us, with our sinful nature and human desires, are at war with God. We deserve to be ignored and shunned by our holy God.

But instead, we broken people are lifted up and carried to the table of God. We are given a place of honor at the banquet of love and mercy that God offers. Undeserving all, we are made welcome and invited to be part of the family of God.

You are invited to come to the table and take part in the love feast offered by the Lord.

DAILY CHALLENGE: Go to the Lord in prayer and thank him for His mercy.

Brokenness 1

2 Samuel 4:4

My family and I are not from the area where we currently live and do ministry. Where we are is a great place for our children – a safe place and a place where they can excel at their talents. But before we left our home town we had to consider what effect our move would have. The actions we were planning to take would have an impact on our children.

Today’s passage is a brief aside in the story presented in 2 Samuel. What do we know about Jonathan’s son? When was he injured? How was he injured? What was his name?

The saga of Saul and his family continues in 2 Samuel. There is still conflict between David and those who are of the household of Saul. And the actions of Baanah and Recab, two men working under Saul’s son, read like something out of “The Godfather” (see 2 Samuel 4:5-12).

In the midst of this account of turmoil and bloodshed we have a very short statement about Jonathan’s son, grandson of Saul. The five-year-old boy, Mephibosheth, is in the care of a nurse. When news of the deaths of his father and grandfather reaches the household the nurse gathers up the boy to flee. But in the haste and panic Mephibosheth is dropped.

We might assume that the fall fractured his ankles or lowers legs causing permanent damage. He is described as being lame in both feet, but there is no indication that the injury prevents him from walking at all.

What has caused this permanent injury to Mephibosheth? He was injured because his caretaker felt the need to escape as quickly as possible. There was panic and haste, and ultimately a careless action caused a lifetime of damage.

We can cast blame on the nurse for Mephibosheth’s injury, but we can also look to Saul. If it weren’t for the actions Saul had taken, if it weren’t for the conflict between the household of Saul and the household of David, the nurse would not have seen the need to flee.

We also can get caught up in our own dramas, our own desires, our own stories. When we do we can overlook the fact that others are impacted by our actions. The decisions we make can sometimes cause pain and suffering for others.

We need to prayerfully consider our decisions and our behaviors so as not to cause pain in the lives of those whom we love.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What decisions are you faced with? Who will be affected by them?

David 5

1 Samuel 24:8-12

I have had my share of adversaries in my life. Just like everyone else, there is always someone who, for some reason or another, doesn’t like me or seems to “have it in for me.” And, I must confess, some of these conflicts have stirred a fait amount of anger in me.

But, I have found that when I encounter the other person in the presence of their own family – children, siblings, parents – I come to realize that they are not entities which exist in a void, but they are people like me. That makes it a little easier to forgive and forget.

Saul has been pursuing David. While searching for him, Saul enters a cave where David is hiding but does not see him. David has the opportunity to kill this adversary, but instead cuts away a piece of cloth from Saul’s robe.

How does David greet Saul? What does David want to know from Saul? How does David prove he is not out to harm Saul? What is David’s final vow?

If any man had the right and plenty of reasons to kill another, David did. Close reading of the many chapters detailing Saul’s relationship with David indicates that this king is mentally and emotionally unbalanced, excessively jealous, and apparently unable to see reason.

David has had a great deal of torment from King Saul. Beginning in 1 Samuel 18 Saul has sought ways to kill David, and twice tried to “pin him to the wall” with a spear. Because of this animosity and jealousy David has had to live in exile and in hiding. Yet, when an opportunity to end the conflict comes, David refuses to do harm to Saul. (David spares him again in 1 Samuel 26:9.)

David has every reason to kill Saul but he will not because he respects the man, even though Saul does not deserve respect. David recognizes that, although Saul has been rejected by God, there was a time when Saul was chosen by God (see 1 Samuel 10:1).

We may be in conflict with others. We may be angry with other people, and there may in fact be those who intend us harm. But we must remember that even our enemies are children of God. Even those who will do us harm or torment us with words are loved by God.

As difficult as it may be to love our enemies, it might be easier when we remember that they are part of the family of God. If God can love them, perhaps we can too.

DAILY CHALLENGE: Pray for your enemies.

David 3

1 Samuel 18:1-4

While working at a local newspaper, each editor was assigned a certain number of pages that were that editor’s responsibility. Yet, no page ever went to press until at least two editors had signed off on the sheet. It was common for us to say, “I need another pair of eyes.”

Having a companion in the work, a different perspective, was very beneficial in avoiding mistakes and establishing confidence that we were doing a good job.

In today’s passage we see the beginning of a relationship between King Saul’s son, Jonathan, and David – a relationship which will last a long time. How does Jonathan feel toward David? According to verse 3 what does Jonathan do? What does Jonathan give to David?

David, champion against Goliath and the one who was anointed to be the future king, is taken in by the royal family. But David is not alone. The king’s son has established a bond with this young hero and pledges to be faithful to him.

As a sign of this pledge, Jonathan offers his robe, tunic, sword, bow, even his belt. He gives all of these devices, items of protection, to his friend. It is a sign of trust that there will be no barrier between the two.

David now has a loyal friend who will help him in all the ordeals that he will face. (You can read about all of these in 1 Samuel 19 and 20.) And we see similar pledges in 1 Samuel 20:14-15 and 1 Samuel 20:42.

As we go through life it is important to find someone you can trust, someone you can turn to for good advice, someone you can count on for a fresh perspective on certain situations. Most people can find another person to be a companion, one who can be relied upon. These friends can be a true help in times of trouble or doubt.

But if you feel there is no one you can truly trust enough with your problems, you need to remember that you have a friend who can be counted on. Jesus loves you as himself. I believe that each of us can turn to Christ in times of doubt or uncertainty and that Jesus will respond. We may not be able to see his face or touch his hand as we can with mortals, but he is just as real as any person in your life.

It is good to value relationships, to tend them and have them grow. But we must never overlook the companion and friend who is also our Savior. Go to Jesus in prayer whenever troubles confront you and he will be your companion though it all.

DAILY CHALLENGE: Is there something in your life that requires the presence of Jesus for your comfort and confidence?

David 2

1 Samuel 17:45-49

Young David had been brought into the service of King Saul (1 Samuel 16:18-23) and the Israelites are at war with the Philistines. The Philistines have a champion, Goliath, a giant among men who mocks the Israelites daily and challenges them to fight. Only David, a shepherd skilled at defending the sheep from lions and bears, is willing to face the giant. And David has only a sling and some stones.

Why is David confident? What will be the result of David’s victory? What does David do?

Most people are familiar with this conflict between the giant and the little shepherd boy. The story is not only an inspiration for those facing insurmountable odds, but it also is a reminder of the faith and confidence we should all have in life.

David relied on the skills he had learned and honed while tending sheep. There were times when wild animals – lions and bears – would try to steal the sheep, but David would kill the animal and save the flock.

Each of us faces challenges in our lives at one time or another. We may feel that tasks in our job require an effort beyond our capabilities. We may struggle with relationships with other people, relationships that make us feel insignificant or threatened. We may feel that our faith is under attack, that events and situations bring up questions and doubts in our hearts.

Whenever we feel that we are not up to the task at hand – whether at work, in dealing with others, or in holding firm in our faith – we must remember David. He took the simple skills he knew and put them to use for a greater good. He armed himself with faith in God, with an unshakable confidence in the Lord’s power. This gave him the ability to overcome his enemy and do the impossible.

Each of us has skills in something. We may look at those skills as something powerful or as something weak. But that skill can be made into something wonderful if it is employed for God.

And we must add faith in God as part of our attitude when facing challenges. We are given confidence of overcoming all obstacles if we can completely believe that God is with us and that He will assist us in what we do. With the Lord on our side we can overcome any giant that stands against us.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What is your biggest challenge? What skills can you hand over to God so that He might help you overcome the challenge?

David 1

1 Samuel 16:10-13

For the next several weeks we will be looking at God’s table of abundant blessings and His invitation for us to join him. To prepare for this, we thought it might be helpful to have an understanding of who David is.

We are in the process of trying to find an electric guitar. The search is proving to be longer than I expected, but that is okay since we want to get the best quality at the lowest price. When making any purchase I am usually quick to make a decision, while my wife takes longer and does more research.

In 1 Samuel 16 we have the story of Samuel being sent by God to anoint a replacement for King Saul. How many sons were rejected? Who was left? How did Samuel know to anoint this one? What was the result?

The king, Saul, has been rejected by God and God wants someone to be the replacement. He has told Samuel to go to the home of Jesses and anoint the son that God chooses. Samuel had at first wanted to select Jesse’s oldest son, Eliab, because he was so big and strong. But God told Samuel that He looks at the inside, the heart, rather than the outward appearances.

It isn’t until the youngest son, David, a boy of about nine, ten or eleven is brought in from watching the sheep that God reveals His decision. Samuel is told to anoint this handsome boy, not because of his strength and size, and not because he is ruddy and healthy, but because God knows his heart.

God knows that David will be a loyal and obedient servant, and so God chooses him as the next king.

Now we have two lessons for ourselves. First, God does not judge on outward appearance, therefore neither should we. We should not pass judgment on others by the way they dress or the way they may talk or act in public. We should get to know the real self, the deeper person within. Those whose appearance may at first seem coarse to us may in fact have the purest of hearts.

Second, since God does not judge on outward appearances but judges the heart, we should spend less time worrying about how we might appear and spend more time refining our heart. Are we genuine in our faith? Are we truly loving and caring in our hearts, or is what we do done for show?

DAILY CHALLENGE: If God judges the heart, what would He say about yours?