Tag Archives: obedience

June 10 – Is This Sandbox All There Is?

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Proverbs 22-24

The little boy doesn’t want to stop playing in his sandbox, so he ignores his mommy when she calls. He wants to play with the neighbor kids instead of taking a bath in the middle of the day. So when his mom picks him up to carry him inside, he kicks and screams. “No! I want to play. Why can’t I play?”

The mommy puts him in the warm bath and begins to wash her little boy, but he sobs. He slaps her arm away. Then, when she smacks his bottom, he pouts. He pouts as she dries him off, and puts his new clothes on him. Brand new jeans, and a new t-shirt with his favorite Ninja Turtle on the front. But he still pouts, arms crossed tightly in front of him.

The mommy scolds him. He pouts. She tries speaking softly, soothingly, lovingly. She hugs him. He still pouts. She buckles him into the carseat and he begins to cry. “I wanna play in my sandbox,” he says over and over.

“We’re going to Grandma’s house,” the mommy says. The little boy loves going to Grandma’s. But he stubbornly says, “No! It’s not fair. I wanna play.”

When they arrive at their destination, the mommy has to pull his arms away from in front of the boy where they are still tightly crossed. She runs her fingers through his still-damp hair, and straightens his shirt.

Taking his hand firmly in hers, they walk into Grandma’s house.

“Surprise!” he hears. He sees colorful balloons and streamers, presents and cupcakes. His cousins and friends are there, laughing and welcoming him. They begin to sing, “Happy Birthday.”

The little boy looks at his mommy standing beside him with a huge smile on her face. “It’s all for you,” she says.

The sandbox is forgotten. Let the party begin.

Solomon tells us not to envy what other people have. He assures us God has something better for us who are His children. The thing is, we only see our world in the space of a sandbox. God has a much bigger view of our lives.

So when Solomon tells us the humble will receive a reward of riches, honor, and life, we might think that means we’ll get a bigger sandbox, and get to play in it longer. When Solomon says generous people will be blessed, we think that means we’ll get a raise so we can buy more toys to play with in our sandbox.

Solomon tells us not to envy sinners because the reality is, they have no hope. You see, God is getting us ready for the party He’s got planned for each one of us.

We might see it as unfair that we don’t have the state-of-the-art sandbox our neighbor has. We can’t imagine there is anything better than having that sandbox. But God sees way beyond that sandbox.

We might feel the sting of his discipline. But sometimes He has to smack our bottom to get us ready. We might pout or complain or question. But God wants to take us firmly by the hand and get us to what He knows is ahead.

And what is ahead is so much better than a bigger boat, or a better job, or fame, or even health.

In my example of the little boy, it would have been so much easier on him if he’d gone without a fight. And that’s how I want to make my own journey to where God is taking me. I don’t want to fight Him, or question Him, or demand anything from Him. I want to put my hand in His and let Him lead me.

Because I believe that where He leads is so much better than this sandbox I’m living in right now.

June 7 – Guilt By Association

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Proverbs 13-15

“You are who your friends are.” Ever been on the receiving end of that hard truth? As a middle school counselor, I had to address it often. Hanging out with a bully, going along with bullying, being a silent partner makes you a bully. It’s a hard lesson for kids – and adults to learn.

You might not drink alcohol or have casual sex. But if you continue to associate with the crowd that does, people will lump you together with them. Your reputation will be the same as their’s.

Is that the reputation you want as a follower of Jesus? And don’t say, if that ‘s what they want to think about me, it’s their problem. No, dear one. What they think about you is YOUR problem.

Proverbs warns us to choose our friends carefully. 13:2 says, “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”

14:7 says, “Leave the presences of a fool, or you will not discern words of knowledge.”

Who are the people you hold closest? Are they strong in their commitment to the Lord? Do they have reputations for being honest, kind, trustworthy, having integrity?

Solomon says if we hang out with fools, we’ll eventually become foolish. The reverse is true, too.

A thought keeps coming to mind as I write this. In this day of technology, a question we might ask ourselves is, who do we associate with online? What sites do we frequent? Who do we listen to?

And what TV shows do we watch? Does the humor, or the content agree with Scripture? Can we guard our hearts and still tune in week after week to shows that promote sin?

Solomon warns us that if we spend time with fools, and I think that could include time in front of the TV or computer screen, we will eventually become fools ourselves.

May 31 – Seeking Wisdom

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I Kings 3&4, 2 Chronicles 1, Psalm 72

Have you ever been duped? Someone shares a heart breaking story and you give generously to the cause only to find out later it was all a lie? Someone calls you claiming to be from Microsoft, and tells you they have detected an awful virus in your computer that needs to be addressed right this minute. So you give them your password. Then they put a virus into your computer and hold it captive until you pay the ransom.

If you are on Facebook you see causes and posts meant to get reactions, all the time. How do you know if it’s true before you jump on a bandwagon going nowhere?

Is wisdom something you are either born with or without? Or is it something you can acquire? I’m sure you’ve heard of the school of hard knocks. I’ve been a student there. God can be a pretty tough teacher.

Solomon prayed for wisdom – and God gave it to him in abundance.

Scripture tells us the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Sounds like wisdom is something we can get better at. As a woman who represents Jesus, I certainly don’t want to say and do foolish things. I want to demonstrate what being led by the Spirit looks like. And I don’t think jumping off a cliff because my neighbor did is an example of the Spirit’s leadership.

Solomon prayed for and received wisdom. That’s the example I want to follow.

Lord, make me wise. Give me the wisdom to recognize the lies, Satan’s attempts at twisting the Truth You have blessed us with in Your Word. Direct my path as I place my trust in You. May I be obedient, may I follow where You lead, may I learn from my mistakes, and may my life be an example of wisdom that comes from walking with the Savior.

May 29 – I Did It My Way

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I Kings 1-2, Psalms 37, 71, 94

Several years ago I attended the funeral of a co-worker, a man who died of a heart attack two weeks before school started in August. He was only in his 40’s and left a wife, two daughters, and an entire school community devastated by his loss.

He and I had had a good working relationship, but I never really talked to him about where he stood with the Lord. As I sat at the funeral home before the service, my heart ached. I was struck by the choice of music playing in the background. He had been a country music fan, and all the songs were country. None of them had anything to do with God.

Then, when Frank Sinatra began singing “My Way” I could hardly hold back the tears. I am not judging this dear man on the basis of the songs played at his funeral. I don’t know what he said to God before he died. His heart’s condition is between him and the Lord. But I find it sad that, at the end of any life, the idea of living that life “my way” is even mentioned, much less sung about.

I read about Shimei this morning. He had taken sides against Solomon, and although Solomon spared his life, he put Shimei on house arrest for the rest of his life. Shimei agreed to the terms: stay within the walls of Jerusalem. Don’t leave for any reason. If you do, you will die.

Shimei was good with that, and obeyed the conditions of the agreement for three years. I don’t know, maybe he got too comfortable. But eventually Shimei took a quick trip to a neighboring town to retrieve some runaway slaves, most likely thinking his was a legitimate reason for breaking the agreement. And he was only gone for a short time. He went right back to Jerusalem with his slaves.

What’s the harm?

The harm was that he’d stepped outside the boundary. He did things his way, and it cost him his life. Solomon kept his end of the bargain.

God has given us boundaries, too. He has set out his demands, he even provided forgiveness for when we break the rules. But if we want that forgiveness, we must do it His way. We must repent, accept Jesus as our Savior, and allow Him to live in and through us. There is no other way, no other Name by which we must be saved. That’s not a popular concept for many. But God isn’t asking our approval of His plan.

We might pride ourselves on living this life our way, we might even fashion another way to the Father. But in the end, we will find that doing it our way leads to death. Solomon kept his end of the bargain.

So will God.

May 28 – I Love the Lord

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Psalms 111-118

Sometimes I read a psalm and am surprised at how it reflects my own thoughts as though I had written it myself. These psalms I read today have me praising God.

Psalm 112 says we who fear the Lord are blessed. We who love to obey Him are blessed. To the world, that seems backwards. Fear God? What’s to fear in our heavenly Santa Claus who wags his tail like a puppy when we call him, and wants only to please us? Obey Him? Doesn’t God want me to be happy and strong and follow my heart? It’s my life. What’s right for me doesn’t have to be right for you. Right?

I am reminded that what the world has to offer in its definition of happiness is shallow and an imitation of that which God gives through His Son. This Holy God and Judge is to be feared. He demands perfect obedience.

Yet this Holy God wants to and will bless us with heavenly blessings when we obey Him, by accepting His Son as our Savior. It’s a blessing and joy the world can’t understand or manufacture.

I am blessed by God Himself. Let it be known that I love the Lord!

May 27 – Don’t Play In The Dirt

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I Chronicles 26-29, Psalm 127

I went to my great-nephew Colton’s t-ball game last night. (can you say adorable?) I really like the coach. He’s patient as he teaches the fundamentals of the game. The five-year-olds wait eagerly for him to give them their positions. Then, once he tells them where to stand, they run to their place on the field. When he yells, “Baseball ready,” they bend their knees and put their gloves in front of them. Well, most of the time.

At one point Colton sat down and threw dirt on his white baseball pants. Another boy drew lines in the dirt with his foot. Several kids just liked to see the dust fly when they kicked the dirt.

Occasionally, a ball would roll right past an infielder who happened to be playing in the dirt at the time. But, when they are paying attention, every kid wants to be the one to get the ball and throw it to first. It’s not unusual to see five or six of them converge on the ball, grabbing and pushing to be the one to field it.

Coach is working on the concept of playing your position. “You’re on the same team,” he tells them. Then he says, “But good hustle.”

After the game Coach gathered the team together in a huddle. He patted a few heads, gave some high fives. “Good game,” he told them. “Good hitting. I like your hustle.” Then he told them he wanted to work on helping them to play their positions better.

“You’ve got to pay attention to the game,” he said. “Don’t play in the dirt.”

The last chapters of I Chronicles gives the names of people who had positions to fill. Each had an assignment for which they were responsible. And their jobs were integral in the smooth running of the temple’s services.

I thought about that today. Each of us have a position to fill in the smooth running of our churches. Sometimes we might want to step in front of someone who has a different position because we want to be the one to “field” that ball. Sometimes we might get distracted by something or someone and neglect that which we need to be doing.  That ball might just roll right past us.

May we all obey God’s calling and fill the positions He places on our hearts, and as we have opportunity to serve. May we pay attention to our responsibilities. And may we never get caught playing in the dirt when that opportunity to serve is hit our way.

May 25 – Mow The Lawn

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1 Chronicles 23-25

Everyone had a job to do. These chapters tell of the division of responsibilities for the Levites. Some were purifiers, some bakers, some were assigned to offer burnt sacrifices, and 288 of them were assigned to the praise team.

Often in Scripture we read about the division of labor: God’s people coming together to use their gifts and abilities in service to the Lord. I believe it’s a theme we in the 21st Century still need to apply to our church fellowships.

Has God laid on your heart to volunteer in the nursery? Do it. Maybe the person who is filling that position now is being called to teach a Sunday School class. Maybe in that Sunday School class there is a little girl who needs to hear the Gospel from this person.

Have you thought about mowing the church’s lawn on a regular basis? Maybe that’s God nudging you to serve in that way so the pastor can spend more time visiting people than sitting on the mower. Mowing the lawn is an important service. Should you be the one doing it?

There is something for you to do within your church fellowship. Being an elder, serving on the bereavement committee, updating the webpage, helping with VBS, putting flowers on the altar, pulling weeds, being a greeter, singing in the choir, washing dishes… In fact, your church will not be as effective without your obedience to God to use the gifts and abilities He blessed you with.

We need healthy churches. I pray your church is one because you are faithful.

May 21 – David’s Last Words

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2 Samuel 22-23, Psalm 57

We know David was far from perfect. In fact, he committed some sins most of us wouldn’t think about committing. David sinned. But God raised him up. David could say, at the end of his life, that God’s Word was always on his tongue.

Did you read what David said God’s view of David’s life was? He said his life “is as the light of the morning when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs out of the earth, through sunshine after rain. Truly, is not my house so with God?” (2 Samuel 23:1-7)

Now I have often thought how amazing God is to me, how He is like the morning sun in my  dark world, how He makes everything new like tender spring grass. I have enjoyed receiving blessing after blessing from my Heavenly Father.

But David turns it around and says he returns the blessing by righteous living and fear of the Lord.

By it’s very definition, a relationship is a two way street. I want my part of my relationship with God to be like a sunny day with growth, refreshing to my Lord who carries the burdens of this world on His shoulders.

May my words and actions be a source of joy to my Savior today.

May 17 – Keeping the Course

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2 Samuel 16-18

Shimei was not a fan. When King David’s son Absalom decided to steal the kingdom from his dad, Shimei followed Absalom. Out with the old, in with the new, he may have been thinking.

Maybe it was a little like our modern world. I mean, old people like the old hymns. Let’s be progressive and bring in the bands. Old people believe in hard work and earning what you have. Let’s let the government just give us what we want. Out with the old… I digress.

Or do I?

All of us with differing opinions can learn from David’s example. Shimei was throwing stones, calling David names, trying to get people riled up against David by following the king around and advocating for David’s enemy.

Now, if this were a presidential debate, David would pick up a few stones himself and hurl them at Shimei. He’d think of meaner names to call Shimei, maybe even have some choice words to say about Shimei’s wife. David would probably demand Shimei be removed from his presence, or killed for disrespecting him.

But instead, David said; “Let him be” and the king kept walking. Shimei kept hurling stones but David kept the course.

I’m afraid we’ve come to believe life is a reality TV show. We so often get caught up in the drama. The truth is, we don’t have to react every time someone “disrespects” us, or disagrees with us, taunts us, or even lies about us.

That’s not to say we lie down and play dead, either. David didn’t just hand the kingdom over to Absalom because Shimei was treating him badly. Jesus said we were to turn the other cheek. But Jesus also overturned the tables in the temple.

Christian, when people say we are hate-filled bigots, let’s not prove them right by our response. Let’s, like David, refuse to get into a war of words. Instead, let’s keep the course. Remember, our enemies are not homosexuals, abortionists, murderers, or liars. Our enemy is Satan.

Jesus died for sinners. Let’s not forget that. Satan would have us lose focus and fight insignificant battles. My prayer is that we will keep our eyes on Jesus, that we will honor Him with our reactions as well as our actions.

And I pray that, as we keep the course, people will be drawn to the Savior.

 

May 15 – The Deceiver

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2 Samuel 13-15

Absalom, King David’s son, was pretty devious. First he plotted, then carried out his plan to kill Amnon. Then he decided to turn his attention to his dad. Absalom wanted to be king. And he could be patient.

He started by sitting at the city gate, greeting people as they entered. What a nice guy, they must have thought. Then Absalom began talking to them, listening to them, sympathizing with them.

Next, after he had gained their confidence, he began throwing out little suggestions to undermine David’s kingship. “Too bad I’m not judge, ” he told them. “I’d take care of things for you.”

Pretty soon, Absalom had a following. Then he made his move.

Satan uses those same tactics. He doesn’t always present himself with pitchfork in hand. In fact, he can be charming, intelligent, funny, and patient.

He’s a funny gay couple in your favorite sitcom. He’s a rationalization for a sin you’ve committed. He’s a look at someone else with whom you compare yourself and say, “I’m not as bad as she.” He’s a talk show host who promotes positive thinking, or a TV preacher who says you have power within you to get what you want. It’s the popular notion that you must put yourself first in order to be happy. It’s the pressure to tolerate false beliefs and sinful choices. It’s that “Don’t judge” abuse of His Word.

Satan has been called “the deceiver.” Do we recognize his tactics to take our eyes off Jesus, to doubt our faith, or compromise that which God wants us to hold firm? Let’s use Scripture as our plumb line, our rule book and guide. If what we hear doesn’t agree with the Bible (and not just a verse here and there) let’s reject it as an attempt by Satan to subtly win us to his side.

Father, I pray for your children. May we be grounded in Your Word, may we recognize the lies, and stand up for the Truth. Defeat Satan in our lives, in the lives of our loved ones, and in the world.