Saturday, May 16, 2020

May 16

Over the past few days, I’ve been cleaning out closets. There is so much excess, that I couldn’t possibly need all of it. It was full of useless items that have created clutter. Of course, as I pilfered through the mess, I came across photos that stir my memories; my children when they were younger, school pictures, and our rambling adventures from our vacations, and other times spent together. You see, among the clutter and useless items, are precious memories, even among the items that have become too much; it’s what you do with them that matters the most. It is so important that we clean up our memory, and refine it with the fire of the Holy Spirit. We need to look at our past as stepping stones that got us where we are, whether that is good or bad. Many people have gone through trauma that has led to disaster within their heart, and need for God to use his refining fire to reclaim it for his good. No matter how heinous the crime against you, remember that this world never changes, and the enemy uses the same tools over and over again. You didn’t go through what you went through to let it go to waste; use it to help someone else, let them see that healing is possible with Jesus. Clean out the closet of your heart, and let Jesus show you the good that can come from your experience. 

For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance. Psalms 66:10-12

Friday, May 15, 2020

May 15

Can you imagine getting a call from the king for you to come before him so he could show you the kindness of God? God’s kindness is the pinnacle of kindness, and with that kindness, God had King David restore to Mephibosheth all that his grandfather, King Saul, had owned, appointed servants to work the land for him, and gave him a place at the king's table. Mephibosheth was crippled, and now he would never have to worry about where his next meal would come from. King David did this to honor Jonathan, Mephibosheth’s father, who had died in battle, and to fulfill the covenant he had with him. 

Be patient in your waiting; God has heard your prayers and is aligning things so that those prayers may be answered. Write down those prayers so you don’t forget about them, and can give God all the glory he deserves when he shows you godly kindness.

"And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.”" 2 Samuel 9:3

Thursday, May 14, 2020

May 14

And just like that, things change! We make plans, but the Lord establishes our steps. For as long as I can remember, my mother has been a hairdresser, my hairdresser! After this coronavirus shut down, she decided that it was time for her to retire. I know a lot of people are disappointed; she is truly an artist, and her skills go beyond hair. This new lifestyle is going to be quite a transition for her, but believe me, she will find things to do; she doesn’t sit still for very long. When you are an artist, you are usually creative in other areas; she is a gardener, painter, flutist, pianist, and the list goes on. She never stopped doing those things, but now she will have a little more time to enjoy them. I’m so blessed to have her, and now I will be able to spend a little more time with her. God truly knows what the heart needs, and he blessed me with an amazing mother to guide and direct my path. Happy retirement mom!!

Would you join me in praying for my mother today? Pray that she would continue with good health for many years to come, and that she would do well with her transition into retirement. 

The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. Proverbs 16:9

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

May 13

Have you ever watched a clock with hands as the seconds tick away the time? It is amazing how quickly it changes. I’m reminded of this because I have two clocks in my living area, and when it’s quiet, I can hear time dying, never to be recovered again. The older I get, the more I realize how precious time is, and it disappears with every tick of the clock. However, each of our personal time span is different, and our clock may tick faster or slower than others because we are not the ones who set the alarm to tell when time is up; it is God. Life is not about things, it’s about a relationship with God through our Savior, Jesus. Many will not realize this until they begin to see the end, if they get that opportunity. If you set your heart on God, time won’t matter anymore; and if you truly believe that all things happen in God’s timing, then you will leave anxiety with the being who created it, the enemy. Place your trust in God’s hands, and you will live a peaceful life, even when the world is tumultuous.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

May 12

We judge people so severely without knowing what’s going on in their heart. Remember the story of King David bringing the ark of the covenant into the City of David? Scripture says he danced before the Lord with all his might; he was a happy man! However, Michal, the daughter that Saul gave to David as a wife when he paid a brides price, was embarrassed by the way he acted and lashed out at him. It made me angry at her for being unkind to the king we all love.

There is a backstory that is forgotten because we read chapter by chapter, and don’t put the storyline together; at least that’s my experience. Out of anger for David, Saul gave Michal to another man after she had become David’s wife, but David never forgot about her, and asked the King of Israel, Ish-bosheth, to return Michal to him as part of a covenant between them. Ish-bosheth took her away from her husband, all while her husband followed her sobbing, and returned her to David.

Her anger towards David for dancing in the street nearly naked may have had little to do with the dancing, and more to do with her circumstances. She had probably never forgiven David for upending her life. It wasn’t her fault that her dad the king, had given her away to another man, and it wasn’t her fault the Ish-bosheth took her away from that husband. My heart breaks for her now that I know the rest of the story. Some people are just nasty because they’re nasty, but some have suffered; all the more reason to be kind to others, even when they lash out.

As the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, and she despised him in her heart. 2 Samuel 6:16

Monday, May 11, 2020

May 11

The Christian and secular world are always in turmoil when Bible scholars, and translators try to correct inaccuracies found in some translations of the Bible. Unless you read Greek or Hebrew, you are getting a translation. Today’s versions are not a re-translation of other older versions, but a new, and probably a more accurate version of the original manuscripts, and more understandable to us in the current language we speak.

The reason I mention this is because as I read the story of David and Goliath, I wonder why Saul speaks as if he doesn’t know David at all. The order of the story would place David in his home playing the lyre the help him calm his angry mind. Saul was a little crazy because the Spirit of the Lord had left him, and that could be why he didn’t recognize him after he killed Goliath. According to the scholars that I follow, if you placed the story of David working in Saul’s home playing the lyre (1 Samuel 16:14-23) between Joshua 18:9 and Joshua 18:10, then it would make more sense as to why Saul didn’t recognize David after he killed Goliath. In doing that, it would disrupt the whole world, and that’s most likely where Samuel put it, so it must stay there; but that’s probably why it reads the way it does. This is not up for debate, just me thinking out loud. Your Bible is not wrong, and you have all you need to make a good decision about following Jesus.

And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” And David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.” 1 Samuel 17:58

Sunday, May 10, 2020

May 10

We, as Christians, don’t fully understand how much God is for us, and how he fights the evil that comes against us. I think it behooves us to refrain from becoming overzealous when going after our own because they are still chosen. We are imperfect as humans, and sometimes we get it wrong, but God is still for us. We may suffer the consequences for our behavior, but we are forgiven in the eyes of God because of our Savior Jesus. There are ministers and denominations that I don’t agree with, but other than making corrections to their misunderstandings by showing proper backing in the scriptures, we should not pursue to kill, but to correct. 

King David, even though Saul had pursued him to kill him, he didn’t commend the one who killed Saul, but had him killed. Saul was still chosen, even though he did evil. During the time when there were two kingdoms, Israel and Judah, Rechab and Baanah killed Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, king of Israel, and brought the head to King David. Though they thought they had done a good thing, David considered it evil, and called Ish-bosheth a righteous man, and had Rechab and Baanah killed. Let us not slay one another, but wait for the recompense of the wicked to be brought about by God.

when one told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?” 2 Samuel 4:10-11