Sparrows and Nightingales (Genesis 11:27-32)
“This is the genealogy of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran begot Lot. And Haran died before his father Terah in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans…And Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan…and Terah died in Haran.”
Genesis 11:27-32
As I read this passage I can’t help but notice how rough life was even for the guys and gals in the Bible.
Followed by the introduction of a dad (Terah), and his three sons (Abram, Nahor, and Haran), we go on a rollercoaster ride of news, rising high on emotion as Baby Lot is born to Haran, and then the devastating fall out of Haran’s death. I’m sure Terah was grieved over the fact his youngest died before him. Soon after these events the family is uprooted to a new place. While en route Terah dies, and Abram is thrust into the position of “Head of the Household”. Not only is Abram trying to pick up the pieces of a broken and grieving family, he’s also in a foreign land separated from everything he was once familiar with. To add insult to injury he discovers his wife cannot bear children, bringing the dilemma of not being able to continue the family name (which was a big deal in the ancient Middle East).
Abram was stuck in the territory of Haran, he had followed his father there in obedience and now he is in the place where God, his heavenly father, will begin to command and lead, and Abram will learn to follow his new father.
“Be still, and know that I am God”
Psalm 46:10
Sometimes I find myself forgetting the fact that these biblical heroes got run over by life just like you and I today. It’s encouraging to me to see that even with the difficult life that Abram had, in the end, God worked amazing things from hopeless situations. This gives me a bit of hope in my seeming hopeless situations.
Let’s be real, all of us have had times where it seemed like the whole world was falling apart on top of us, and we get buried alive under the rubble. I’m sure Abram wasn’t exactly stoked in the midst of his current difficulties. However, God had a plan, and He was going to use this broken life and family to establish peace, restoration, and salvation to the whole human race.
“It is only when our lives are hid with Christ in God that we learn how to be silent unto God, not silent about Him, but silent with the strong restful certainty that all is well, behind everything stands God, and the strength of the soul is that it knows it. There are no panics intellectual or moral. What a lot of panicky sparrows we are, the majority of us. We chatter and tweet under God’s eaves until we cannot hear His voice at all-until we learn the wonderful life and music of the Lord Jesus telling us that our heavenly Father is the God of the sparrows, and by the marvelous transformation of grace He can turn the sparrows into His nightingales that can sing through every night of sorrow. A sparrow cannot sing through a night of sorrow, and no soul can sing through a night of sorrow unless it has learned to be silent unto God -one look, one thought about my Father in heaven, and it is all right.”
-Oswald Chambers (If you will be perfect pg.91)
No matter what gnarly situation you might be facing today, remember that God is working the present difficulty together for His future glory… through you. (Romans 8:28) You are part of His plan, and believe it or not He is using you, and your situation, to prepare the way for the arrival of His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus essentially takes the broken pieces and returns to us peace. (Jeremiah 29:11)
“I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of His wrath. He has led me and made me walk in darkness and not in light…He has hedged me in so that I cannot get out; He has made my chain heavy. Even when I cry and shout, He has made me desolate. He has also broken my teeth with gravel, and covered me with ashes. You have moved my soul far from peace; I have forgotten prosperity…Through the Lords mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness…The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord…For the Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief, Yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies.”
-The Lament of the Prophet Jeremiah (Lamentations 3:1-32)
For Unto Us A Child Is Born!
For Unto Us A Child is Born…
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel…
Isaiah 7:14(NKJV)
You can catch it pretty often around this time of year.
Whether it’s driving down the main drag of your town, hearing it during the Christmas pageant, singing it in a Christmas carol, or it’s just the Spanish guy that lives next door; the word “Immanuel” becomes part of the traditional vocab we use during the Christmas season. However, it seems over time the word has become nothing more than another catch phrase to usher in nicely wrapped gifts and overly active shopping centers. Although I poke a little fun at the misdirected focus often held during Christmas, the truth of the matter is at one point in history the whole concept of “Immanuel” or “God with us” was way more than just an annual holiday…it was the fulfillment of a promise a long time in the making. It carried hope and healing to those that longingly waited in the midst of some seriously dark and difficult times.
One of those dark and difficult times began in 745 B.C., Tiglath-Pileser III was extending Assyrian rule further west and in doing so began to knock on Israel’s door. Only ten years earlier Isaiah had begun his ministry in Israel, speaking warning and wisdom to the nation wasn’t exactly on the top ten jobs list. The nation that once worshipped and obeyed Jehovah had grown rebellious and in their hard heartedness turned away from the One who had established them in the first place.
The nation grew tenser as the pressure from the Assyrian empire began to weigh on the northern kingdom. Women would whisper in the market about the rumored violence, and husbands grew nervous when hearing of the way Assyrian warriors would kill children in cold blood while stripping the prisoners naked and leading them away by hooks through the nose. This was the atmosphere that Isaiah was dealing with, and in such an atmosphere is where the promise of Immanuel was voiced.
“Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who isdistressed, as when at first He lightly esteemed the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward more heavily oppressed her, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles.”
Isaiah 9:1(NKJV)
Isaiah began voicing the promise of a radical change to come in the midst of some pretty terrible and tough times. The Assyrians hit the Northern tribes from every side with three campaigns in 733 B.C. By the way of the sea, from beyond the river Jordan, and through Galilee of the Gentiles they came and executed such a merciless takeover it would make Hitler’s Holocaust look almost humane.
While death and darkness began to fall down and fearful force was being applied Isaiah brought the illuminating promise of a “mashiyach” or “Messiah” the One who would bring deliverance from the violence with exacting Power, bringing Peace to the frightened hearts of the people and war weathered borders of the land. He would bring a new Wonder and Counsel that would re-establish a nation with Everlasting authority.
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined. You have multiplied the nation and increased its joy; they rejoice before You according to the joy of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For You have broken the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. For every warrior’s sandal from the noisy battle, and garments rolled in blood, will be used for burning and fuel of fire. For unto us a Child is born,
unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”
Isaiah 9:2-7 (NKJV)
The promise was fulfilled many years later but not exactly in the way that many expected. The Messiah came in the body of a child by the Spirit of God, and lived up to every name that was prophesied over Him.
Much like the “Assyrians” sin had come and executed death and darkness unto a rebellious and hard hearted people; difficult days and uncertain times seemed to come from every direction and carried not just a nation, but all of mankind into captivity.
Then Immanuel arrived.
Christmas is the time where we acknowledge and celebrate outworking of Peace, Might, Wisdom, and Wonder that Jesus Christ brought to the world. Jesus went on to win for us liberty and righteousness through the finished work of the cross.
Perhaps this Christmas you feel a bit like Israel of old…
Are the soldiers of sin holding you captive?
Maybe it’s not sin, Perhaps you already have salvation through faith in Jesus but something else is oppressing you.
The footmen of fear are attacking from the sea, the warriors of worry are coming from beyond the Jordan to overcome you, maybe it’s a death, divorce, or a financial struggle that is hitting you hard this season.
Whatever the case, don’t take for granted the message of Immanuel…God with us. It’s true and it’s for you in your personal battle today.
He’s Wonderful when the wonder seems to be lost
He Counsels when you don’t know what to do
He’ll stand Mighty on your behalf when you’re helpless
He’s Everlasting when it seems like life is passing you by
He is Peace that will not fail
He is Jesus
Merry Christmas!
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever! (Psalm 23:6)
“And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.”
Psalm 23:6
The pursuit of satisfaction is one of the most common conflicts of the human heart. History tells us of a King who sought satisfaction and what he met along the way. Intellectually he had no rival, he drank of the finest of wines and the feasts were so lavish that a country could have fed for a week upon what was presented at his dining room table in one night. He experienced romance with the most beautiful women and held respect and prestige throughout the entire world. Money was no object, and luxury became commonplace compared to the extravagance of this man’s lifestyle. In all of this you would think this guy had all the right ingredients for the recipe of satisfaction, but you’d be wrong. After all the wisdom, wonder, indulgence, and success this man penned the words:
“So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my reward from all my labor. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.”
Ecclesiastes 2:9-11
You see, God divinely blessed King Solomon with wealth, wisdom, and wandering.
“What do you mean by wandering?” You might ask.
Charles Spurgeon said this of Solomon, “The wisest of men was permitted to make experiments for us all, and to do for us what we must not dare to do for ourselves.[1]”
Solomon wandered through the vast pleasures of life looking for a purposeful satisfaction. The interesting thing is he received lengthy instruction from his father, King David, the man after God’s own heart, on where and how to find this purposeful satisfaction.
“And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.” He wrote so that those who followed would know.
It’s by dwelling with the Lord that we find our purpose
And it’s in His house that satisfaction is found
The times in life that I have wondered what my purpose was in life have always been answered when I stopped looking to this world and started looking in His Word. When I came to church and purposefully sought the Lord in His house. At church is where we have access to God’s word, and God has access to us through worship. That’s why it’s so important to come away from the hustle and bustle of life and present ourselves before the Lord.
Many people have needlessly wandered through the journey that Solomon went on. They move from pleasure to pleasure in a pursuit to fill the void they experience in their hearts. The only problem is outward experiences will never bring lasting satisfaction to the inward conditions of the heart.
That’s why the King of Kings came down from heaven to dwell among us. Jesus Christ, God Himself, came down and became one of us. Fully divine in Holiness never committing a sin, yet fully human in the flesh, He gave His innocent life so that all who were guilty of sin might have hope. Through faith in His completed work of salvation we can enjoy the eternal destination of His house forever…Heaven.
When you place your faith in the work that Jesus did on the cross His spirit comes and makes His home in your heart…satisfying you. He goes on to dwell with you so that one day you might express that which King David believed and confessed:
“And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever!”
[1]Spurgeon, Charles H.: Morning and Evening: Daily Readings. Complete and unabridged; New modern edition. Peabody, MA : Hendrickson Publishers, 2006, S. December 2 PM
Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my life (Psalm 23:6)
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…”
Psalm 23:6
Have you ever felt like you’re being followed?
While living in Queens, New York I used to go jogging late at night or early in the morning. I’m kind of a night owl so dusk and dawn were often the times I had available to stay in shape (not to mention that New York sidewalks are easier to run on when no one is on them). I had the music in my headphones and the sound of my own breathing as my mute to the cityscape around me. As nice as that was there was often one thing that loomed in the back of my mind…the possibility that someone was following me.
We’ve all been there.
Whether you imagined it as a kid, watched one too many creepy movies, or walked towards your car in the supermarket parking lot with the soccer mom minivan stalking you…the truth is most of us have wondered and then peered over our shoulder.
I’ve often noticed that to be a common perspective people hold of God. For whatever reason they believe God to be a ticked off old guy with a big stick of wrath looking to come down on anyone that doesn’t carry a Bible or pray for several hours a day. Although God does have wrath and holds the authority to judge, He isn’t out to get us…at least not in the scary stalker type of way. David tells us here that, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…” You see, it’s not judgment and wrath that are following you; it’s the goodness and mercy of the Lord that is looking to catch up to you in your lifetime.
During the Battle of Spires, between the French and Prussians, Napoleon had ordered all medical personnel to be stationed two and half miles back from where the battle was being waged. The chief physician became distressed at the increasing amount of deaths due to the fact that many of the wounded couldn’t be cared for until the hostilities ceased. In turn, he designed “ambulance volantes” or flying ambulances, the speedier four wheeled carriages were able to cruise in and out of the scene of battle and usher the dying to safety.
We too have a Chief Physician who became concerned with the mounting reality of death in a world of sin. He too designed a speedy and effective way to rescue the endangered from the grave. With the wheels of goodness and mercy under His carriage of grace, Jesus Christ came and delivered our sin struck bodies from death and brought us back to life.
Perhaps you’ve been fighting for life
You’re on the frontlines of a failing marriage, or facing the enemy of sickness, maybe even gunned down by loss or addiction.
Whatever the case, take a good hard look over your shoulder and realize that the Lord is following you…available to tend to your needs.
Simply raise your hands to Him, believe in His goodness and receive His mercy.
You’ll do more than just fight another day…You’ll live to experience His victory!
Psalm 23:5b “…My Cup Runs Over.”
“…My cup runs over.”
Psalm 23:5b
It’s quiet right now as I write this… all I hear is the hum from the fan inside my laptop. The sun hasn’t risen yet and I’m hours away from the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving morning. Soon the house will awaken with the scents of home cooking mixed with the voices of family and friends hanging out. As I enjoy the silence and sip the first drippings of today’s coffee I can’t help but consider the abundance I’m blessed with on days like today.
Massive amounts of food waiting to be eaten during the thanksgiving dinner
Awesome time with family where conversations and company are plentiful
A wonderful 12 cup tap of flavorful Java that is invading the air with its aroma
It seems the four words that David penned would be so fitting for such a setting.
Ironically, David wasn’t talking about the good ol’ American tradition of Thanksgiving. It wasn’t the abundance of family, food, or even coffee that was filling and overflowing his cup.
It was his personal connection with the Lord that was abundantly filling his life.
He’s not talking about his goblet, mug, glass, or tumbler…his cup is a figurative illustration of the satisfaction that is being filled up to overflowing from the wellspring of God Almighty.
David wasn’t surrounded by people and platefuls when he wrote the words, “My cup runs over.”
He was surrounded by The Lord’s presence.
Oftentimes we try to jam more into our mouths, take more into our ears, cram more into our hearts, and clutch more in our hands thinking that we’ll breathe easier at night while sleeping in satisfaction…the truth is we’re still empty, hungry, deaf, and sighing at the reality of our situation.
When was the last time you enjoyed the type of abundance that David is speaking of?
If you’re feeling stressed out, burnt out, left out, or kicked out I encourage you to get away with the Lord.
Shut down the computer
Turn off the cell phone
Get away from the business
And let the Lord pour into your life… you’ll never see the bottom of your cup again!
You anoint my head with oil (Psalm 23:5b)
“You anoint my head with oil…”
Psalm 23:5
The anointing of oil on a person’s head might seem extremely bizarre and undesirable to the average person in today’s day and age. Let’s be honest, if anyone approached you with a flask of oil fully intending to drench your little noggin it’s more than likely you’d start swinging (for those less likely to throw a punch, perhaps a stern talking to). After all the attention and T.L.C. people give to their hair I don’t think oil is a desired product for the ol’ noodle, but perhaps it’s a different story for sheep.
The practice of anointing one’s head with oil was packed with honor and purpose. As King David continues to describe his relationship with the Lord we begin to hear about certain practices that are completely foreign to the average guy and gal. Make no mistake though, just because this practice is unfamiliar to us today it was a commonly known and highly important practice for shepherds and sheep in the time of David. Although there is a massive and meaningful direction we could head towards concerning the anointing of a man’s head with oil, I have chosen instead to pursue the significance of why a sheep would be anointed with oil, and how that might be applicable to us today.
Which finally brings about the question, “What is the significance of anointing a sheep’s head with oil?” and more importantly, “How does any of this apply to me today?”
I suggest a couple connections that are significant.
Being that sheep are often the victims of parasites, viruses, and infection a shepherd will sometimes apply oil to the head of the sheep as a preventative measure to form a layer of protection on the vulnerable areas of the sheep’s eyes, nose, ears, and mouth.
In the Bible, oil is a representation of the Holy Spirit. And like sheep, we too are vulnerable to infections that fester, not outwardly but inwardly, not wounds of the flesh but wounds of the heart. Maybe it was years ago when she died, Dad left, or the finances went south; whatever the case may be, if wounds are left unattended they begin to fester, slowly infecting and consuming the healthy areas of flesh…the same can also be said in regards to the heart and mind. It might be some bitterness eating away at you, or the parasite of pride sucking the life out of you; maybe it’s the sickness of sin that’s left you in a bed of shame; Whatever the case, our Good Shepherd has poured out over us the promised Holy Spirit to alleviate any ailments that might interfere with our ability to worship, witness, and work unto the Lord. The anointing will essentially be keeping our eyes from losing sight of the Lord, hearts from growing weak in the Lord, ears from becoming deaf to the Lord, and mouths from complaining against the Lord.
Another typical reason for oil being applied to the head of Sheep is due to the instinctual desire to establish dominance among the flock. From butting heads to poking and cutting each other with their horns, sheep often hurt their own pals for the sake of establishing a superior esteem. The oil in these situations serves as a lubricant easing the blows and comforting the prods and cuts that sheep might inflict on each other. Again, the anointing oil serving as a picture of the Holy Spirit being poured out is such a blessing when being applied to those moments when we butt heads with those around us.
“He rubs me the wrong way”
“She pushes me to my limit”
Naturally all of us suffer from the heredity of sin. Issues of pride are present in each of us, so it’s only to be expected that we will be frustrated and irritate each other. The solution isn’t cursing our enemy or counting to ten…the answer is found in the inner work done by the Holy Spirit. All we have to do is ask God for this outpouring of His Spirit.
What happens when we ask?
God promises to give generously to our need. (Matthew 7:11)
When it seems that the people around us are irritating us, pushing us around, or even sucking the life out of us, all we have to do is simply ask for the Lord to freshly pour out anew the Holy Spirit in our lives. It will give you the increased grace you need for those people that tend to rub you the wrong way, and the peace you need to continue living a life of unhindered joy.
You prepared a table before me (Psalm 23:5)
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies…”
Psalm 23:5
Sometimes sheep face an enemy far more intelligent, threatening, and successful than the usual wolf, bear, or lion. This predator doesn’t scatter and strike as the others do, he sneaks and steals. He waits until the cover of night, undetected the thief will come to take for himself what is not rightfully his.
”Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
John 10:1-5
It wasn’t unusual that the shepherd would find one of his sheep missing and after searching near and far he would find his sheep in another pasture among another flock.
What could the shepherd do in this situation?
How could he prove that his sheep were stolen?
How does he regain his property?
In Psalm 23:5 the word “prepare” in the Hebrew is normally translated “to set in order” as a waiter setting the table for the dinner guests, I find it interesting that this same word can also mean “to set forth” as a legal case.
The little shepherd boy who became a king tells us of another King who would shepherd into freedom those who had been stolen by the enemy and imprisoned due to sin. After all the evidence was prepared Jesus set forth His case on the table of communion, testifying of the body that would be broken and the blood that would be shed as a remission for our sin. Based upon undeniable evidence God the father, the Righteous Judge declared us clear of all charges.
We’re forgiven, and upon faith in Jesus we are Holy and can enjoy intimacy with Almighty God. Just as the shepherd called to his sheep in John 10, Jesus calls to us through the open door of salvation and it’s our responsibility as the sheep to respond to His voice, to come to Him, to believe and walk out of the prison of sin and into the freedom of salvation.
”Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said:
“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”“
Hebrews 3:12-15
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:4)
“Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
Psalm 23:4c
When spying out the gear of a shepherd one would find a couple things that are essential to the task. The rod and staff are often the stereotyped “tools of the trade” in the area of shepherding. The Hebrew word for rod has many different facets.
For a king the rod is a scepter of authority
For a tree the rod is an offshoot of Life
For the tradesman the rod is a standard of measurement
All of these are perfectly fitting of Our Lord because all of these give so much insight to the character traits of our Lord, King, Creator, and Tree of Life.
In this particular passage however, the word rod describes a club-like instrument often used by the shepherd to defend his flock. When any danger threatened the beloved life of his flock the shepherd is diligent to defend, with rod in hand he will crush the bones of the enemy that preys on his possession. We are the possession of the Good Shepherd, as His beloved flock the Lord is so diligent to defend us from the enemies that seek to prey on the peace, joy, love, and intimacy of our relationship with the Lord himself and those around us. With the rod of His truth the Lord comes down and crushes the lies that this world, Satan and his demons, and the flesh try to deceive us with.
Some might ask “Well if that’s true; why is it that my circumstances have chewed me up and spit me out?”
The one problem that often leaves us wide open to attack is the sheep-like tendency we all have to stray from the truth of God’s word. Like it says in Isaiah 53 “we all like sheep have gone astray” and so it is for us in life, we get distracted by that relationship that wasn’t so fruitful, we get derailed by that desire that was sinful, and we like sheep find ourselves straying off the path of righteousness right into dangerous territory.
“What now?” You might ask
“I’ve walked off the path so many times and I’ve wandered so far that there’s no hope for me!”
Not True!
You see, the shepherd also carries a staff for situations such as these. When sheep would get lost, straying a bit too far after this or that, the shepherd’s priority is to search out and rescue that which is lost. He tracks the lost sheep down and skillfully cradles them with the staff, and lifts them from their trouble, carrying them back to safety.
Perhaps that’s where you are today.
You’ve strayed off the path, lost your direction, and don’t think that returning is an option.
If so, then know this…the staff of His Holy Spirit will support you in your weakness and direct you safely back into His loving arms.
The rod of defense and the staff of direction are present in the hands of the Good Shepherd, and because His heart is one that loves us so radically and so deeply we have nothing to fear. This truth was David’s comfort in his moments of delight and despair and so it will be for you as well.
All you have to do is call out to the Shepherd.
Don’t worry.
He’s very familiar with your voice. (John 10)
For You are with me (Psalm 23:4)
“For You are with me.”
Psalm 23:4c
While vacationing in Williamsburg, Virginia I visited a “Ripley’s believe it or not!” gallery, the home of bizarre stories, international oddities, and strange discoveries. Along the journey of browsing I saw a life size version of the tallest man in the world, standing at a towering eight feet and eleven inches I found myself just about eye level with his belt. While in the gallery I couldn’t help but think of another giant who stood just about the same height as the display in front of me.
His spear was bigger than most flagpoles, his coat of armor weighed about 200 pounds, and his voice scared an army of well weathered warriors. Goliath was no joke; you didn’t catch any Israelites giggling when the giant stood morning after morning to mock the God of Israel. A massive detachment of troops feared one man; he was head, shoulders, and even belly above everyone else. To be perfectly fair, I couldn’t blame them, I was intimidated by a nine foot statue; they were dealing with the real deal, a man of war who toted a coat of armor that weighs more than I do.
With all of that said, it seems a bit odd that the only guy that stepped on the scene with enough boldness to face a giant was not much bigger than a high school point guard. What is even more curious is where this youthful shepherd boy got his courage.
His brothers thought it was youthful pride.
His King thought it was youthful ignorance.
His heart knew it as child-like faith.
It wasn’t because of an enlarged ego, or some positive thinking technique, it was from a faith that the Lord Himself was with him to deliver as times before (1 Samuel 17:37). I personally believe the words of Psalm 23 were written while David was in the field tending sheep, the very same field that he mentions while testifying to King Saul. You see, When God showed Himself faithful in the life of David, he wrote it down, when he penned these words he allowed faith to permanently be written on his soul. I encourage you to do the same.
Write it down!
When God delivers you out of trouble, stop… and write a note of remembrance.
Here’s why:
When days turn to weeks and weeks turn to years we as human beings tend to forget stuff, and when the next trial arises you will be tempted to doubt. In times like these I’ve learned that a personal record of God’s faithfulness is a huge help to boosting your faith, lifting your head, and bringing praise from your lips. When the situation tells you, “You don’t stand a chance; you’re so small compared to that giant!” You can remind yourself that, “If God did it before, then He can do it again!”
Often we make the mistake of having the “we’ll cross that bridge when we get there” mentality. We turn the dial to cruise control and begin to think that we’ll sail over our rough waters simply because “we’ve gotten this far!” Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way, we must apply the truth of God’s word as presently active and absolute to overcome the giants that are camping in our territory. The truth is the same for us as it was for David; boldness, courage, victory and valor, are all birthed in a faith that trusts that the Lord is personally involved with us. I believe the more this faith is applied in our lives the more we will see obstacles fall, foggy paths become clear, and fear begin to fade.
absence makes the heart grow fonder
Hello again scribbles fam,
As we are all very aware I’ve been missing in action for a while now…yikes almost a month! Honestly, there are some really good reason that I could throw out there that might be considered legitamite excuses, however i’ll save you the comprehensive energy and just say, “It’s been a while, and I’m back.” Bam, there it is. So while I’ve been traveling the Lord ministered quite a few things to me that i’m just about ready to share….but not yet. You see, i’m still fine tuning and praying through what is personal and stays in my journal and what the Lord has for me to post on this platform. So while you’re holding your baited breath, and the suspense thickens i’ll leave you with a little poem I ran into recently that really blessed me.
Oh, every year has its winter,
And every year has its rain-
But a day is always coming
When the birds go north again.
When new leaves sprout in the forest,
And grass springs green on the plain,
And tulips boast their blossoms-
And the birds go north again.
Oh, every heart has its sorrow,
And every heart has its pain-
But a day is always coming
When the birds go north again.
It’s the sweetest thing to remember,
If your courage starts to wane,
When the cold, dark days are over-
That the birds go north again.
Streams in the Desert, Excerpt from October 9th
Time has proved to me that seasons are exactly that…seasons. They all have a beginning and an end. If you are going through a season that is perhaps your winter; cold, lonely, and bare… take heart, there is an end. Put your hope in the truth of Jesus Christ, this time will soon be over, and the sprouts of spring will begin to show. You will feel the warmth of the sunshine again, and the Son in all the fullness of His glory will shine again when He returns. Take heart, keep your courage, hang in there weary soul…the season will soon be over, and hope will reveal the truth of tomorrow; that the present is but a moment of wait, as the vehicle of faith carries us to our destination of eternity.
I will fear no evil (Psalm 23:4)
“I will fear no evil…”
Psalm 23:4
When listening to these words I often get the idea that David was some type of superman. Being able to eat steel and spit nails might be the kind of tough criteria that enables some to cry out, “I Will Fear No Evil!”… But what criteria does it take to overcome the things that even valiant men are vulnerable to? Perhaps it isn’t the “boogie man” that frightens you, but what about when the doctor says, “I’m afraid I have some bad news…” or when that foreclosure letter arrives in the mail? I find myself wondering if David might have had it easier back in the day than those of us who live here in the future. Just as I begin to start rationalizing my fears however, I find the statement of this shepherd turned king much more profound and applicable to our time than its length and eloquence lets on.
The Hebrew word “yare’” or “fear” used in this passage gives a bit more insight as to the reality of fear and the confidence that our author proclaims. Yare’ speaks of an inspired reverence, awe, or respect to the point of terror. The sensation that is experienced when faced with conflict is founded upon the perspectives we hold and the faith which we apply therein. So if I believe that a certain situation is impossible, and my faith is based on my abilities, the result will be a sensation of despairing inadequacy or fear. On the other side of the coin, if I happen to believe that the situation I have in front of me is somehow manageable, and my faith is invested upon the abilities of one who was up to the task, my emotions in turn are equally hopeful and bright. What fear often does is distort our sense of reality; it enlarges our understanding of vulnerability and leaves us emotionally in fetal position, cowering from the victory that is available. When penning this part of the chapter, I don’t think David was placing his faith in himself as a shepherd, but in the Lord, Who is immeasurably capable no matter the difficulty. In short, what David was trying to say was, “I’ve seen God, I’ve experienced already a reverence, awe, respect, and terror that has driven me beyond what anything else has ever caused in my heart…fact is, everything that seemed pretty big and bad pales in comparison to the “fear” of God, or the respect and awe that God’s presence has demanded of me.”
It reminds me of a story about three young Jews. In a time when the nation of Israel was in captivity and the laws of Babylon seemed frightfully sovereign, three teenage boys kept their perspective, stood firm in the truth, and in result their gritty faith shook a nation aware to the sovereignty of God.
The king of Babylon had raised a massive statue in his own likeness, and then with a compelling hostility persuaded everyone to bow down and revere the image. In a way, that’s what fear does; it drives us forcefully to pay an enlarged amount of attention and reverence to something. When the flutes and trumpets sounded, it was three young guys who were committed to appropriately directing their attention to the only One Who deserved such awe, and with a short trial they were sent to their deaths…or so it seemed. In the face of impending danger, they spoke the words that echo in my mind when I consider the equally faith filled words from King David.
“I’ll give you one more chance to bow down!” yelled Nebuchadnezzar furiously
“We do not need to defend ourselves before you.” Replied the boys
“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if He doesn’t, Your Majesty can be sure that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
In other words, “I will fear no evil”
And into the fire they went…and the result was wonderful. Not a scent of smoke on them, not a hair singed, not a thread bared; they paid the proper respect to the Lord and God honored them with confidence, security, blessing, and peace.
The moment we lose sight of the reality of Who God is and What He is capable of, is the same moment fear comes in and peace is hindered. By willfully conceding to an authority of power that is not over us, we in a way are saying to the Lord that we are uncertain of His authority. David chose otherwise…he tells us, “I will not”. You see, fear is a choice not a mandate. Evil will never be able to harm us when our faith is in Jesus Christ. Threats will come, fiery trials may surround, but as the three young men said, “the God whom we serve is able to save us.” God is mightier than that which we fear.
As we begin to trust and live out this faith in Jesus, those who are bowing down will start to raise their eyes and see the truth. They will be as Nebuchadnezzar, seeing one who looks like “the Son of God”.
They’ll see Jesus
So Fear not
Through the valley of the shadow (Psalm 23:4)
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…”
Psalm 23:4
Take a good look at what David is saying here.
He didn’t say, “…though I walk to the valley…”
No, he clearly states, “Yea, though I walk through the valley…”
Sometimes in the midst of the darker moments in life we tend to lose our bearings on where our destination is. When things start to get tough there is the temptation to wonder if God has abandoned us in the valley moments of life. Nothing could be farther from the truth! In fact, the valley moments are the special places where we see the Lord working so clearly and faithfully through our soul and into our spirit.
As he grew up I’m sure he never imagined all the time he would spend in the valley, much less the result it would bring in his life. Raised in a family where dad had four wives, it would seem that dysfunctional would be an understatement for our guy. From early in his childhood he was traveling, not because he was touring the world but because his dad had the family fleeing his mother’s brother. Finally that uncle caught up to them and through deception they separated ways, things went from bad to worse when his mother’s health starts failing. On top of an already hard time comes more bad news when he learns that his uncle on his father’s side is now marching towards them after many years of bad blood. Not knowing what that uncle’s intentions where dad decides to send the family ahead to intercept the uncle hoping that he would have mercy on women and children. Eventually that relationship is cleared up and instead of going to meet up with his brother; dad lies again and relocates the family farther away where mom die’s en route during childbirth, when they finally settle down his sister gets raped by one of the locals of the town, enraged his two older brother’s head out on a vengeful killing spree annihilating all the men of the village. Eventually all of his older brothers get jealous of him, throwing him in an old cistern while they decide if they should kill him or sell him into slavery. Sold into slavery he gets carried away to a foreign country, works hard for many years winning favor in his masters house only to be falsely accused and thrown into jail for a crime that he didn’t commit. Finally, when he thought that he would rot in jail till his pathetic life was over. Then it happened, the Lord lead him “through” the valley and made him the second greatest man in a nation and saving the lives of an entire empire, including the brothers that treated him so horribly.
Most of us don’t have it this bad. However, we can all relate to dark times in life. We’re told in the Psalms that God lead Joseph through these valleys because in these times of testing is where his soul was made to be as iron. Sometimes we see our own lives and are convinced that the trials and testing will only devour us, but what the Lord worked in the life of Joe is also being worked into our character through our hard and hopeless times.
As sheep of the shepherd it’s important to understand that we aren’t meant to be comfortable sheep, instead He desires to have healthy and mature sheep. Maturity is only possible through the strain and pain of running into the hard and challenging moments of life. Through the instruction and gracious love of our relationship with Jesus we find our journey through the valley is a necessary route leading and preparing us for the glorious heights of intimate victory that await us .
