SIS#3 - Self-Improvement Sundays

***2 weeks complete - ahead of pace (>6 lbs)***

Well folks, it feels good. To be honest, I've been extremely strict with my nutrition the last two weeks and I can feel a huge difference already! I'm ahead of my 3lbs/wk pace and going strong.

My major motivation at this point is still my overall health, but I'm pretty pumped about how much my wardrobe will improve when I reach this first goal! I checked my storage in the basement yesterday and it was a bit like a kid at Christmas. I'll actually enjoy wearing those clothes I haven't worn for a while more than buying new.

Prayers for Haiti #2

A quick google search took me to the US Haitian embassy website, and to the crisis map for humanitarian support.

Those this is just the Port au Prince area, it represents a couple of things about the whole country.

1. The ongoing need is alarming and widespread.

2. The various efforts for relief have begun to be coordinated.

So this is my prayer for today. Father, as you draw people and resources from all over the globe, I ask you to be involved in the practical details of planning and coordination.

I ask you to call skilled men and women into strategic logistical roles.

I ask you to call men and women skilled with people in a way that pushes past power struggles and obstacles.

I pray for divine creativity to deal with the camp-like conditions. Bring ingenuity, the spirit of MacGyver!

I pray for the release of technical resources: sattelite uplinks, computers, cellular communications, strategy rooms.

I pray for logistical resources: trucks, trains, helicopters, ships, couriers.

And in all the logistics, bring compassion. Come Lord. Come and help the Haiti efforts today.

Rick Warren on Self-Control

I'll have to chat more one of these days about how I love variety in my devotional life. I may get into a certain type of studying for a while, or do prayer walks for a couple of weeks, but ultimately I've got to mix it up much more than that to stay interested and enthused for the long haul. One of my flavors is devotional readings, similar to what I'm doing with the Humble King Devotional.

I've got several devotional resources I scan here and there. One is a daily email from Rick Warren, pastor of the Saddleback Church in southern California. You can find the link to this sample as well as other resources here.



This one was worth saving, on self-control. I honestly don't think most people have a great handle on the concept of self-control. Either we're the free spirit and throw caution to the wind in many areas of our life, spontaneous as the Wild Hogs. Or we go all Nazi with our personal disciplines and try to guilt everyone around us into the same routine. Or we swing violently from one extreme to the other. Or we confine that sort of carefulness to certain areas of our life and color outside the lines everywhere else.

So, with that in mind, I really resonated with Rick's thoughts...

Developing Biblical Self-Control Tuesday January 26 2010 Posted by Rick Warren A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls. Proverbs 25:28 (NLT) People with self-control master their moods. They do not let their moods master them. Most of what gets done in the world is accomplished by people who do the right thing even when they don't feel like it: "A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls." (Proverbs 25:28, NLT) People with self-control watch their words. They put their minds in gear before opening their mouths: "Be careful what you say and protect your life. A careless talker destroys himself." (Proverbs 13:3, TEV) People with self-control restrain their reactions. How much can you take before you lose your cool? "If you are sensible, you will control your temper. When someone wrongs you, it is a great virtue to ignore it." (Proverbs 19:11, TEV) People with self-control stick to their schedule. If you don't determine how you will spend your time, then others will decide for you: "Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16, NIV) People with self-control manage their money. They learn to live on less than what they make and they invest the difference. The value of a budget is that it tells your money where you want it to go rather than wondering where it went! "In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has." (Proverbs 21:20, NIV) People with self-control maintain their health. That way they can accomplish more and enjoy their achievements: "Learn to appreciate and give dignity to your body ...." (1 Thessalonians 4:4, MSG) In what areas do you need to develop for self-control? The disciplines you establish today will determine your success tomorrow. But it takes more than just willpower for lasting self-control. It takes a power greater than yourself: "For the Spirit that God has given us does not make us timid; instead, his Spirit fills us with power, love, and self-control." (2 Timothy 1:7, TEV) ------------------- For me, Evan, it's not about guilt but the rewards of virtue. Right choices lead to right emotions and good consequences in my life. Here's to self-control!

SIS#2 - Self Improvement Sundays

***1 week complete - ahead of pace (>3 lbs)***

So today is to be the beginning of my weight loss goal effort. I've done much preparing this week and I'm in the zone.

I'm ready.

Actually, I'm more than ready. I've really already begun. The points have been counted all week and I've been tightening down to the Weight Watchers range. The good news is, I'm already a week ahead of schedule with lost weight!

Now here's the deal, in order to guard myself from a letdown later (am I being too cautious?), I'm only going to say where I am in relation to my pace. Right now I'm ahead of pace for 1 week. Sweet! Here's the pace...

First 10 weeks - 3 pounds/wk

Second 10 weeks - 2 pounds/wk

Beyond that - 1 pound/wk

What Makes Us Different

I don't remember the day, although I could dig it out of an old journal. But I do remember words that have proved to be some of the most profound I've ever heard. A pastor-teacher named Rick Howard guest spoke at our college chapel and I made my way to the special evening session, expecting.

"What makes us different is how we respond to God."

At first blush, the statement is intriguing. Most would say there are dozens of categories more significant than the "responding to God" category.

Red states and blue states represent rancorous political debate in the US. Liberal and conservative and power struggles and positioning. Would Rush Limbaugh and President Obama agree that politics is not our greatest divide?

And remember "Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus"? Seems like John Gray showed some insight at least so far as helping men and women realize their differences. And this one might be deeper than politics. We'd probably have more takers on the idea that this is our greatest divide.



What of wealth and poverty? This is on display as superstars donate millions to quake-ravaged Haiti. And that global disparity changes only by degree across our local communities. One kid wears hand-me-down sneakers on his walk to school while another cruises in style in his Lexus sedan. Don't their families represent the most polarized aspect of society?

That seems true until you start thinking about race. Ethnic diversity gone wrong can move from differences to disassociation to hostility and even violence!

So our world can be sliced many ways, and each holds merit. And Rick Howard's claim becomes more audacious the longer we consider it.

What makes us different is how we respond to God. I buy it because it speaks to a deep connection with our Creator that alters our character in a deeper way than politics, gender, money, race, education, or anything else.

I'm reminded tonight of the story of Samuel. The young boy in ancient Israel was dedicated to God as a youth and brought by his family to learn from and serve with the priests. His most famous moment as a child, you might recall, was hearing God's voice in the night and responding by delivering a very challenging and needed message to Eli the priest. (1 Samuel 3)

An old poem ties together Samuel's moment with our idea of responding wholeheartedly to God. I want this for myself and I pray it for my wife and kids as well.



O give me Samuel's ear,
The open ear, O Lord,
Alive and quick to hear
Each whisper of Thy Word,
Like him to answer at Thy call,
And to obey Thee first of all. Amen.

Prayers for Haiti #1

The Haiti benefit was on TV tonight. I was challenged as I watched footage of Haitian men and women being pulled from collapsed buildings, literally singing thanks and praise to God before, during and after. Tragedy stretches and tests our faith. I think there's a deep confidence in faith that "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord."



Beyond that, though, there's also a sweetness of divine presence in the place of desolation and desperation. God's Spirit is drawn to suffering. We know this because Jesus spent so much of his life bringing healing and hope to the broken ones. He's the humble king.

So I want to pray for Haiti, tonight and on many nights. They will have many nights of suffering. I will have many nights of prayer.

So God, tonight I ask you for compassion. Compassion in my heart and all over Canada and the United States and beyond. I pray that the faith of the Haitian people would stir faith in our hearts. Jesus, you are all compassion. Move in our hearts to love and to pray and to give.

1 John 3:16 "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."

*****
Many of you will have favorite charities by which to donate and get involved. You're most welcome to comment here and make them known. I personally know some guys who were literally en route back from an orphanage project in Haiti when the quake hit. I trust the compassion and dedication in the leadership they are offering here. Donations may be made and more information gotten at http://www.welcometothewell.org/.

Unfailing Love - Jimmy Needham

Is a devotional blog an appropriate place for a love song? I mean a love song love song...like a man and a woman love song? Oh yeah. No doubt in my mind. First, Solomon's Song, chapter 4 verses 6 to 10:


⁶ Until the day breaks
and the shadows flee,
I will go to the mountain of myrrh
and to the hill of incense.



 ⁷ All beautiful you are, my darling;
there is no flaw in you.
 ⁸ Come with me from Lebanon, my bride,
come with me from Lebanon.
Descend from the crest of Amana,
from the top of Senir, the summit of Hermon,
from the lions' dens
and the mountain haunts of the leopards.
 ⁹ You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride;
you have stolen my heart
with one glance of your eyes,
with one jewel of your necklace.

¹⁰ How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride!
How much more pleasing is your love than wine,
and the fragrance of your perfume than any spice!

And then I'm looking for another song tonight and I bump into this wonderful little tune for the first time. I really think it's worth a listen if you have a moment, kinda R&B, a little blue-eyed soul...

[right click the title and choose "open link in new tab/window" to listen]

Unfailing Love (Kelly's Song)

You’re my unfathomable precious unimaginable joy
And you’re exceedingly exciting and abundantly more than I could ask for
With your hand in mine we will pass through time and space
And every second, every minute, every hour of every day I’ll say

My unfailing love for you will not be moved
For you will not be moved
My unfailing love for you
And though the mountains be shaken
And the hills be removed
Yet my unfailing love for you

He tells a story of a King coming in glory and He is
And that same Man who devised that plan united ours with His
And so hand in hand we will walk with Him as our two become as one
And all the promises He promises to us He promises will never be undone

Be my wife

My unfailing love for you will not be moved
For you will not be moved
My unfailing love for you
And though the mountains be shaken
And the hills be removed
Yet my unfailing love for you

And the story of love down here weaves into the universal story of love continually poured out by our Creator King. God, help my love to mirror yours...unfailing. Colleen, though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, still my unfailing love for you...

Psalm 23 - The Message Bible

A David Psalm

 ^1-3 God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing.
   You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
      you find me quiet pools to drink from.
   True to your word,
      you let me catch my breath
      and send me in the right direction.



 ⁴ Even when the way goes through
      Death Valley,
   I'm not afraid
      when you walk at my side.
   Your trusty shepherd's crook
      makes me feel secure.

 ⁵ You serve me a six-course dinner
      right in front of my enemies.
   You revive my drooping head;
      my cup brims with blessing.

 ⁶ Your beauty and love chase after me
      every day of my life.
   I'm back home in the house of God
      for the rest of my life.

SIS#1 - Self Improvement Sundays

So I've been pondering for a week or two, and it might be time for a fresh effort at healthiness. I've been unwilling and perhaps unable to untether from life obligations to give it a real go. I don't like planning for those things over the holidays and then launching in the new year, because it's easy to set expectations too high when I'm on vacation and don't have the daily pressures of life. But now it's been a couple of weeks and I feel like it's time.

When Pastor George Westlake was speaking in Stevens Point one day, he said that his disciplines tend to all come at the same time. It's as if you do it all or don't do any of it. I can relate fairly well to that. Perhaps my systems and circumstances are saying it's worth a shot.

Lord, Have Mercy - Michael W Smith, Amy Grant

It all starts with the guitar solo for me. It's not long, but it says instrumentally in 8 bars what the rest of the song cries out with such clear passion.

Bill Crew was one of my ministry profs. His Synoptic Gospels class included a section on the Beatitudes.

Jesus in Matthew 5:6...
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, 
      for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Brother Crew, as we called him, taught us that the word for poor was the Greek ptochos, a cringing beggar. Possessing nothing, left to beg and trust and hope. I've never forgotten...

I think we've become too much about victory. I'm all about succeeding, sure, but there's this other side of faith which is deeply humble and thankful and dependent on God for every good thing. It's as though when we stop seeing the cringing beggar inside of us, we stop seeing needy people around us.

Perhaps the most disconnected thing God can do is let us climb the success ladder and think it's all about us. Perhaps the most compassionate thing God can do is let us stumble and meet us there.

[to listen, right click and choose "open link in new window/tab"]

Lord, Have Mercy

Jesus, I've forgotten the words that You have spoken
Promises that burned within my heart have now grown dim
With a doubting heart I follow the paths of earthly wisdom
Forgive me for my unbelief
Renew the fire again

Lord have mercy
Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy on me

I have built an altar where I worship things of men
I have taken journeys that have drawn me far from You
Now I am returning to Your mercies ever flowing
Pardon my transgressions
Help me love You again

I have longed to know You and Your tender mercies
Like a river of forgiveness ever flowing without end
I bow my heart before You in the goodness of Your presence
Your grace forever shining
Like a beacon in the night

1989 Journal Entry - Quiet Time and Organizing

OK, this may be the most verbose post I ever post! I took a bit of time to read back through some journal entries from back in the day. This was actually my 4th year of 5 in Minneapolis at North Central Bible College. I'm pretty amused by how passionate I was about organization...especially since I still spend so much time planning. Anyway...here's to journaling!

Friday, September 15, 1989 [Carlson Hall, #407, NCBC, Downtown Mpls]

Lord Jesus, I really feel compelled to journalize today.  For four days now, Monday through Thursday, I've been using my quiet time for personal organization and administration.  It's been different but I really believe it's been the right thing.  I believe that a consistent quiet time should be there primarily to meet the deep spiritual need in response to God's love.  For me right now that need is ordering my private world.

I would like to pose this question in a fairly universal manner: Why is personal organization necessary to awesome spiritual life?  Why?  Why does everything in my life need to be in control before I can effectively and consistently touch God in prayer?  Why do my files need to be decently ordered?  Why do my books need to be properly shelved?  Why is my QT easier when my bed is made and things are picked up off the floor?  Why?

In answering this question, I must first ask another: What is the purpose of being organized?  The purpose of organization in my life is that I might meet the responsibilities which I have chosen in an attempt to glorify God by becoming Christlike.  Of course, much rests upon the actual choosing of responsibilities.  However, in the interest of staying on topic, I'll assume that all of my present responsibilities have been chosen by God's wisdom through the tutelage of the Holy Spirit.  These responsibilities make up the majority, the vast majority of my daily life.  Is it right that they take up so much of my time?  Yes, I believe it is, because these responsibilities comprise the practical living-out of my faith in the presence of fellow-believers and fellow-human beings.  Alright, if the responsibilities are in proper perspective, what part does personal organization then play in the fulfilling of those responsibilities?

October '89

Monday, October 9, 1989 [C407]

Continuing from my last entry, I believe that personal organization is absolutely vital to the fulfillment of responsibilities.  I have no greater example of this than One Accord '89 tour.  The frustration I experienced over consistently blown-off responsibilities is indelibly imprinted on my brain.  I pray that I will never forget the torment that I went through as I struggled with fading priorities and diminishing personal effectiveness.  Lord Jesus, help me, as Hb 12:12-13 exhorts, to be strengthened and to make level paths for my feet so that, though lame, I will healed rather than disabled.

Well, what is my "level path"?  What is my plan?  How am I going to embark on a lifetime of personal organization and spiritual vitality?  I believe that the heart of the answer to this question is a commitment to daily necessities in a fairly routine fashion.

#1: Obviously I've got to maintain a quality daily quiet time.  Without this primarily, spiritual vitality just will not happen!

#2: Though this is only partially applicable at this point, I've got to dedicate quality time to family relationships.  It would seem to me that these first two items, undeniably the most important, are under the greatest risk of being invaded by other things.

#1/2: Now what of personal organization/administration?  In some instances the line between "QT" and "PO" is very thin.  In other cases it seems rather thick.  Whichever the case, I am discovering that it is very important to keep the line in place so that "QT" does not sonsume "PO" or vice versa.  It might be genuinely asked why I can place such a high priority on personal organization.  What about "seek ye first the kingdom of God"?  This is a fantastic scripture and, in fact, is a scripture which constitutes an element of personal organization.  In order to seek first the kingdom, we must analyze our lives, our priorities, and our motives in every respect.  Also, if we are seeking first the kingdom, there are a multitude of details which absolutely must be organized and dealt with.

#3: I would like to include several items in this category, leaving until later the task of further prioritization.  The word "ministry" encompasses so much.  I suppose that while I'm still in college this would include academics and sermon preparation.  Here, I must be careful to not be overly caught up with "getting-out" so that I forget about first "sitting" and preparing.

#4: This category would also include several even more diverse items.  My musical aspirations would figure in here, perhaps also in the ministry category.  Also in this category would be other relationships and physical conditioning.

Full Attention - Jeremy Riddle

Ever listen to a song over and over again enjoying the music and the spirit of it without catching alot of the content? Yep, me too...

Jeremy Riddle is seeing great success as a singer-songwriter-worship leader, and I don't see it as a commercial thing. His stuff seems to melt people and soften hearts to God stuff. So I'm digging a bit deeper with this one tonight.

[to listen, right click and choose "open link in new window/tab"]

Full Attention

May Your voice be louder
May Your voice be clearer
Than all the others

May Your face be dearer
May Your words be sweeter
Than all the others in my life


Yeah, we hear a lot of voices. Major understatement!!! My stomping grounds, central Canada and the American Midwest, we're right in the heart of the land of distraction. I love it here, but there's so much going on! Packers, Vikings, Blue Bombers, iPhones and Blackberry's, the economy, political dissension, school board controversy, road construction, job interviews, Wii and PS3...and I'm hardly getting warmed up! We can wake up in our forties and realize our hearts' affections are scattered to the four winds. But this song is about focus...


Please keep my eyes fixed on You
Please wound my heart so deep in You
Keep me abiding, keep me abiding
Keep me abiding that I may be a fruit


In John's Gospel, 15th chapter, first four verses, Jesus says:


"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ²He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. ³You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.


A fruit doesn't seem all that glamorous, but it's healthy, sweet produce from the vine. Life of it's life.

May Your your presence be truer
May Your presence be nearer
Than all the others

And may Your light shine brighter
And may Your love move deeper
Than all the other my God
Than all the others in my life


Again, the distractions. And the prayer is for God to help us to not be so distracted, not in the way that hurts us so badly. I read a quote today about the secret of strength being in concentration, or focus. Like a martial arts performer focusing the energy of his entire body into the side of his right hand to break the concrete block.


Seems my life's been a mixture of focus and scattershot. I'm always wrestling with this idea of how broad to reach vs how deep to dig. But if I've lost God in the mix, I've lost.

Please keep my eyes fixed on You
Please wound my heart so deep in You
Keep me abiding, keep me abiding
Keep me abiding that I may be a fruit


"Wound my heart so deep in you" is such an intriguing line. I take it in the sense of sharing in the fellowship of Jesus' sufferings, like Philippians 3:10-11:


I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.


Resurrection from the dead. Wow! We walk around in this "now and not yet" where God is active and yet evil remains. Life and death are around us every day, and we have this hope of something better, of just life.

Please keep my eyes fixed on You
Please wound my heart so deep in You
Keep me asking, keep me near
Keep me abding that I may be a fruit
Keep me close to You
Oh, right next to Your heart
Close to You

His Master's Voice - Phil Keaggy

Pushing through to a moment of inspiration. Tonight is one of those nights when only Phil seems to get through to me. God, soften my heart, clear my mind. Inspire me.

[right click and choose "open in new tab/window" to listen while reading]

His Master's Voice

Unsure hesitating he cracks,
He smiles through closed eyes.
Pressing on there lies a song,
His heart now sings,
The deeper chords rejoice,
He's now his Master's voice.

For sure there's a breaking of heart,
In time his reward is to see,
The Lord his King,
The Creator brings
The song of life his choice,
He's now his Master's voice.

The Fairness of Sport

My Green Bay Packers were eliminated from the playoffs today. 51-46 in overtime down in Phoenix to the Arizona Cardinals. There are many reasons to gun for home field advantage, but one of them shouldn't be to get calls from the refs. I don't feel that the refs dominated tonight's game, but I believe the Pack would have won on a neutral field or at Lambeau.

Hey, but there it is. Great season. Aaron Rodgers is working out beautifully in the post-Favre era. Many bright spots in our young lineup. We'll get 'em next year!

How It All Began

Genesis 1 from The Message Bible

There's so much talk these days about origin of life, creation vs. evolution, intelligent design. I'm into that discussion, but sometimes it's good to just read it from the Bible again.

Heaven and Earth

 ^1-2First this: God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don't see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God's Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.



 ^3-5 God spoke: "Light!"
      And light appeared.
   God saw that light was good
      and separated light from dark.
   God named the light Day,
      he named the dark Night.
   It was evening, it was morning—
   Day One.

 ^6-8 God spoke: "Sky! In the middle of the waters;
      separate water from water!"
   God made sky.
   He separated the water under sky
      from the water above sky.
   And there it was:
      he named sky the Heavens;
   It was evening, it was morning—
   Day Two.

 ^9-10 God spoke: "Separate!
      Water-beneath-Heaven, gather into one place;
   Land, appear!"
      And there it was.
   God named the land Earth.
      He named the pooled water Ocean.
   God saw that it was good.

 ^11-13 God spoke: "Earth, green up! Grow all varieties
      of seed-bearing plants,
   Every sort of fruit-bearing tree."
      And there it was.
   Earth produced green seed-bearing plants,
      all varieties,
   And fruit-bearing trees of all sorts.
      God saw that it was good.
   It was evening, it was morning—
   Day Three.

 ^14-15 God spoke: "Lights! Come out!
      Shine in Heaven's sky!
   Separate Day from Night.
      Mark seasons and days and years,
   Lights in Heaven's sky to give light to Earth."
      And there it was.

 ^16-19 God made two big lights, the larger
      to take charge of Day,
   The smaller to be in charge of Night;
      and he made the stars.
   God placed them in the heavenly sky
      to light up Earth
   And oversee Day and Night,
      to separate light and dark.
   God saw that it was good.
   It was evening, it was morning—
   Day Four.

 ^20-23 God spoke: "Swarm, Ocean, with fish and all sea life!
      Birds, fly through the sky over Earth!"
   God created the huge whales,
      all the swarm of life in the waters,
   And every kind and species of flying birds.
      God saw that it was good.
   God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Ocean!
      Birds, reproduce on Earth!"
   It was evening, it was morning—
   Day Five.

 ^24-25 God spoke: "Earth, generate life! Every sort and kind:
      cattle and reptiles and wild animals—all kinds."
   And there it was:
      wild animals of every kind,
   Cattle of all kinds, every sort of reptile and bug.
      God saw that it was good.

 ^26-28 God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them
      reflecting our nature
   So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea,
      the birds in the air, the cattle,
   And, yes, Earth itself,
      and every animal that moves on the face of Earth."
   God created human beings;
      he created them godlike,
   Reflecting God's nature.
      He created them male and female.
   God blessed them:
      "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!
   Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air,
      for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth."

 ^29-30 Then God said, "I've given you
      every sort of seed-bearing plant on Earth
   And every kind of fruit-bearing tree,
      given them to you for food.
   To all animals and all birds,
      everything that moves and breathes,
   I give whatever grows out of the ground for food."
      And there it was.

 ³¹ God looked over everything he had made;
      it was so good, so very good!
   It was evening, it was morning—
   Day Six.

David and Jonathan, Pt 4

Lessons in Friendship from David and Jonathan, Devotional #4

David kept his commitment by lamenting his loss.

To David’s credit, his memory of Jonathan’s faithful friendship was not diminished following Jonathan’s death in a battle against the Philistines on Mount Gilboa. David sang a moving lament over Saul and Jonathan. It begins and ends with a familiar exclamation: "How the mighty have fallen!" (2 Sam. 1:19, 27).

Mt Gilboa

David also kept his commitment by honoring Jonathan’s heir.

Two final episodes in 2 Samuel underscore the ties that continued to bind Jonathan to David, even after death.

• Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, lame from a young age (4:4), was his only surviving heir. To fulfill his promise to his friend, David was determined to show covenant "kindness," like that of God himself, to Mephibosheth (9:1, 3, 7). He therefore told Mephibosheth, "I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table" (v. 7).
• And that’s how it happened. Though David had not felt welcome at the table of Jonathan’s father (1 Sam. 20:29), Jonathan’s son would always be welcome at David’s table (2 Sam. 9:11, 13).

The final event concerns the disposal of the remains of Saul and Jonathan.

• David retrieved their bones from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead and had them buried in the tomb of Saul’s father, Kish, in the land of Benjamin (21:12-14). Thus David’s final, tender act of covenant friendship toward the man who was closest to him was to ensure that he received an honorable burial.

Conclusion

Do you feel the richness of this? As I have poured over these passages this week, I have been stirred by the fact that this story of friendship is MY HERITAGE, and I choose to make it a part of me!

A lot has happened since 1000 BC: there’s the understatement of the day! There has been revealed a friendship that goes far beyond that of David and Jonathan. Jesus left the safety of heaven to walk with us here and show us a new level of love and self-sacrifice. He told the disciples in the upper room, "The greatest love a person can have for his friends is to give his life for them." (Jn 15.13).

Jesus’ friendship brings forgiveness and a new start. He can help you become the kind of friend to others that you really want to be.

[Amy Grant, Love of Another Kind, from Unguarded]

They say love is cruel

They say love is rather fragile

But I've found in You

A love of another kind.

They say love brings hurt

I say love brings healing

Understanding first

It's a love of another kind.

The love I know

Is a love so few discover

They need to know

Jesus' love is like no other.

They save love won't last

I say love is neverending

Cause in You I have

A love of another kind.

They would change their tune

They would add another measure

If they only knew

This love of another kind.

The love I know

Is a love so few discover

They need to know

Jesus' love is like no other.

David and Jonathan, Pt 3

Lessons in Friendship from David and Jonathan, Devotional #3

Keeping His Commitment

So the friendship of David and Jonathan begins rather dramatically and with strong words, but how does it play out?

Jonathan kept his commitment by protecting David.

David’s early successes on the battlefield prompted Saul to promote him (18:5), but Saul eventually became jealous and tried to kill David. Jonathan, however, "was very fond of David and warned him" (19:1-2). Putting aside any personal goals and ambitions, he did all he could to rescue David from Saul’s increasing paranoia.

He spoke well of David to his father, reminded Saul that David had risked his life for him, berated Saul’s murderous intent toward David, and kept David informed about Saul’s words and actions (vv. 3-7).

True friends protect when others are throwing spears.

Jonathan kept his commitment by affirming David.

Jonathan and David reasserted their mutual friendship with a series of solemn oaths, often taken in the Lord’s name (20:2-3, 9, 12-17, 21, 42). Each of the two main sections of chapter 20 ends with Jonathan’s heartfelt declaration: "The Lord is witness between you and me … forever" (vv. 23, 42).

Covenant terminology is everywhere present throughout the first half of 1 Samuel 20, especially in verses 8-17:

"brought him into a covenant,"

"do not ever cut off your kindness,"

"made a covenant,"

"reaffirm his oath,"

"love/loved."

David asks Jonathan to demonstrate covenant faithfulness to him ("show kindness to your servant," v. 8), and Jonathan responds in the same way (v. 14).

The Hebrew word for kindness is hesed, often called the most profound theological term in the Old Testament. The "kindness" they wanted is the loving, steadfast loyalty that is expected only when the parties are serious about what they have agreed to do for each other. That’s some pretty intense friendship.

The strange thing is that our social life is sometimes the thing that keeps us from having true friendships. Sometimes we spend so much time with people that we don’t have time to just be with a friend.

It goes both ways.

• You don’t see David and Jonathan isolated from the world and caught up in their little clique.
• But they were committed to getting past the shallowness.

Doesn’t it seem that we have a hard time striking a balance here? We have seasons of complete isolation from society and then seasons of complete absorption into society. Jesus was a great example of balance: time with the crowds, time with the disciples, time with friends, time alone.

David and Jonathan, Pt 2

Lessons in Friendship from David and Jonathan, Devotional #2

Submitting to God’s Choice

So this covenant between David and Jonathan became the foundation for the richness of that friendship. In ancient times, covenants were solemn agreements between two people who promised mutual kindness and eternal loyalty to one another. The covenant that Jonathan makes with David is only the first of a series of new or reaffirmed agreements between the two men over a long period of time (see 1 Sam. 20:16-17; 23:18). They came back to it and affirmed it a couple more times in chapters 20 and 23.

To demonstrate how serious he was about his covenant commitment, Jonathan "took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt" (18:4).

• As King Saul’s firstborn son, Jonathan was the heir apparent to Israel’s throne.
• By giving his robe (a symbol of the kingdom) to David, he was submitting to God’s will by affirming the Lord’s choice of David to become the next king (see 15:27-28).

One of the greatest obstacles to covenant friendships is the idea of fairness. You can go right back to toddlers and toys and you better believe that fairness and friendship are related. It takes a great deal of maturity in adults to be able to hang out comfortably with someone on a different socioeconomic level: richer or poorer.

But it’s more than just money. When you have a strong idea that someone else has received some sort of preferential treatment or you have been overlooked, it’s tough to not feel jilted.

…it’s just about impossible.

How would you like to spend your life being groomed to be the next king and then have that taken away?! But then Jonathan goes the step farther and willingly submits to the Lord’s plan, and offers lifelong friendship to the usurper. But it wasn’t usurping or manipulating at all. It was just God getting the right people in the right places.

You’re going to have opportunity after opportunity in life to be the victim. The moment you believe it is the moment it happens. You can be so easily hurt. But to refuse to ever go there is to become great friend material. The Holy Spirit will help you work through that stuff. Get some prayer and some healing so you can move on!

David and Jonathan, Pt 1

Lessons in Friendship from David and Jonathan, Devotional #1

There are many friendships manifested in Tolkien’s trilogy “The Lord of the Rings”, and the friendship between Frodo and Sam is put to the test over and over again. At the climax of the story, Sam picks up his exhausted friend in his arms and says, “I may not be able to carry the ring, but I can carry you.”

It’s interesting that the gentleness of their friendship and the harshness of their task is similar in many ways to a friendship that took place just east of the Mediterranean Sea about 3000 years ago. If Jonathan could steal a line from Return of the King, he might say to David “I may not be able to carry the crown, but I can carry you!”

Background

Jonathan was the firstborn son of Saul, the first king of Israel. Saul had walked away from the anointing and blessing of God, and young David had already been anointed as the next king of Israel by the prophet Samuel. All of this took place right about 1000 BC, so we’re right in the heart of the historical books of the Old Testament.

Jonathan first appears in 1 Samuel 13:2-3 as the capable leader of a third of the troops in King Saul’s army. Prince Jonathan was a powerful warrior, not pathetic, spoiled royalty.

1 Sam 14 – Jonathan’s greatest exploit, with armorbearer

His greatest military exploit comes in 1 Samuel 14 in a time when the Israelite army was being oppressed and ridiculed by the Philistines.

Before David ever had the chance to take a shot at Goliath, the Philistine giant, Jonathan took a shot of his own. Without telling anyone, Jonathan proposed to his young armor-bearer that they attack a Philistine outpost (14:1, 6). Jonathan showed his faith as he told his armor-bearer in v. 6 : "Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few”. After receiving a clear sign from God, the two men climbed a cliff and engaged the Philistines in battle. Although outnumbered ten to one, Jonathan and his armor-bearer annihilated their enemies in this legendary battle (vv. 11-14).

David’s unremarkable entrance to the story comes when he delivers food to his brothers at the frontlines of the battle with the Philistines. His bravery also came to the forefront very quickly and soon he had killed the giant and won the day for Israel.

1 Samuel 17:57-58; 18:1-4

As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistine's head.
   "Whose son are you, young man?" Saul asked him.
   David said, "I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem."

After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.  From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father's house. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.  Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.

We aren’t told exactly what triggered their friendship. The transition from chapter 17 to chapter 18 is pretty stark. But when we compare Jonathan’s heroics with David’s heroics and then look at these opening moments of their friendship, the clues are pretty strong.

God had put in Jonathan a heart that listened for God’s direction and a wild abandon to embrace God’s purposes.  That is EXACTLY the spirit that we see in David as he approaches the frontlines and Goliath. They recognized that God had put something unique in each of them. It resonated within them like a like a low E on an acoustic bass when they came to the same place. It was godly humility and spiritual royalty converging on that day. They both submitted to God’s purposes and began a loyal friendship that would stand the test of time.

Let me ask you something. If they had found their common ground in secretly stealing palace treasures and hawking them on Ebay, do you really think the whole friendship would have been something special? You can find friends in a lot of places, and good for YOU! Hey, a friend’s a friend.

But if you really want something special, start by listening carefully to the heart of God, responding as he calls you, and just see what comes of that.

• He’ll build your character and give you a calling.
• He’ll build your maturity and give you a ministry.
• And THEN, you just watch how you resonate when that friend comes along.

Do you really think that if David had skipped the whole Goliath thing, these guys would have had this sort of friendship? I don’t think so. I think we’ll reap the same kind of benefits when we go with God’s leading in our lives.

More Than Ever - Vineyard Music

OK, another Dwell tune tonight. This is Jason's favorite (my seven year old). One of our favorite activities is to push the furniture back and watch Jason rock out to this song with a mixture of dance moves and Les Parkour. Good times!

(To listen along: right click this link and click "Open link in new tab/window")


More Than Ever

It's Your love, it's Your kindness

It's Your faithfulness and Your guidance

You bring me to my knees

I'll give You everything

I want You, I need You

I love You more than ever

I want You, I need You

I love You more than ever

It's Your peace, it's Your goodness

It's Your gentleness and Your patience

All in all, Jason has the right idea. This song is an outright celebration of the goodness of God and the clarity of our desire to know him! Maush-worthy!

Some lament the lack of depth in modern worship choruses. Point taken. But we can also wade chest-deep in depth and never feel the all-out passion of God's presence...and how fun it is to share that an elbow-poke away from our chums.

And sometimes I take my personal aside and just sit and think or feel whatever's resonating in my spirit at the moment. Holy Spirit has a way of making it unique and relevant over and over. Here's to depth and to expression, under small roofs and big ones!

John Lennon - Imagine

"Can He love me?" the former Beatle asked Oral Roberts. "I want out of hell."
An excerpt from The Gospel According to the Beatles by Steve Turner | posted 1/03/2007
Referenced here.

John Lennon's Imagine is an anthem of religion-free utopia. Funny, but in a strange way it almost feels irreverent to take it apart and think it through. Lennon's philosophy lifted him to a sort of messianic level in his own right, martyrdom and all.

That said, I have very mixed feelings when I listen to this song. You can start it if you want...we'll chat along the way...

(To listen while reading, right click on the song title below and click "Open link in new tab/window.")

Imagine

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

The article referenced above talks about a season of Lennon's life where he reached out to faith and Jesus and preachers, much to the chagrin of Yoko Ono (his wife). He had a deep seated fear of hell that he had to act on by reaching out to spiritual mentors. Lennon's "born again" period only lasted a season, though, and then he became pretty antagonistic to things of faith and church.

I see this opening verse coming from that place of fear. If that's true, the whole thing becomes fairly pathetic. A grown man trying to imagine away the fate he fears after death. I'm not mocking John though. He's writing honestly. Maybe if the whole world would embrace this "living for today" idea, it would validate his rejection of faith.

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

Verse 2 takes aim at countries as well as religion. "Lennon commented that Imagine was an 'anti-religious, anti-nationalistic, anti-conventional, anti-capitalistic [song], but because it's sugar-coated, it's accepted.'" (here) Yes! The sugar coating is the kum-ba-yah quality of the song that makes everyone who hears it pine for utopia. Everyone becomes "dreamers" like John talks about in the chorus next.


But, as he says in the quote, Lennon is taking aim at religion, nationalism, convention and capitalism in a very direct, confrontational manner! This song is intense! It sugar coats with peace the aggressive overthrow of the global institutions of humanity! And is there merit?

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one


Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

One of the intriguing aspects of the song here is that John is appealing to the noblest desires in all of humanity...to care for one another and share selflessly. But, by his own words, he has coupled that desire with a very specific set of religious and political beliefs, really just because he wants to. He's saying, in effect, "If you believe in Jesus and America, you're causing the pain and violence in the world." I just can't disagree more!

First of all, separate "religion" from genuine faith. The world is full of religions that are sets of rules that do tend to separate people like John sings about. So I'm with him on that, and honestly, that could explain the rest of the song! Jesus' greatest anger came out against the religious people of his day! So I'm with JL there. But to reject genuine faith is to throw the Baby Jesus out with the bath water.

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

For anyone sitting on a barstool and mad at the world because you've been burned by "God-lovin' Americans", I'm sorry. I really am. I've been burned a couple of times myself, but I see a very clear difference between the archaic relgiosity in the system and the vibrant, compassionate faith that I believe comes from God's heart.

My challenge is this, seek out genuine faith. Maybe even ask God to show you where it exists and who you can hang out with to experience it. Then ask yourself, "Is this person (or are these people) the cause of the pain and suffering in the world?" My take is that there will always be evil, but that genuine faith in Jesus brings hope and life into very dark places.

My take, also, is that the dark spiritual things are real but do not need to be imagined away. In Jesus, the power of God comes and brings a sound mind that doesn't need to be numbed and medicated to make the pain and fear go away. From the sincerest place in my heart, I know that to be true.