Adam
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Posts by Adam
Bible in a Year – Day 135: Balancing the Equation
May 14th
Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 18, 19 & 20
I used to think I understood the Old Testament. God made rules, people broke the rules, God punished them, they repented and everything was good for a little while. I mean, that’s a pattern we see repeated over and over as we read these books and chapters. And yet, if you dig a little deeper, you discover that it’s never really as simple as that.
Sure, God does punish people when they don’t follow his commands, but he also shows grace at times and even leniency. At first, there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to why God punishes one person severely and the next mildly. But that is where I think my old understanding of scripture was flawed. You see, I was always looking for the magic formula that went something like this:
A Certain Action + God’s Anger/Wrath = A Certain Punishment
I (along with countless others) have tried in vain to figure out God’s ways using that formula. I now understand that the formula itself is flawed. In reality, God is not nearly as concerned with his rules and our ability to follow them as he is about his plan and our ability to play a part in it. The equation that seems to really matter is:
God’s Plan + Our Action + God’s Action = God’s Desired Outcome
When we look at the world that way, it’s easy to see that things are ultimately going to work out – that God will ultimately prevail. It’s also easy to see the weak link in the chain – us. God has a plan and he is perfectly capable of executing that plan, but he decides to insert us into the equation. Perhaps it should be rewritten like this:
God’s Plan – Our Action + God’s Action = God’s Desired Outcome
It sure seems like, more often than not, the things we do actually just create more work for God. And yet, he still wants us to play a part. In today’s reading, there are several people who are in the equation of God’s plan. The 200 prophets and the 1 prophet, the king of Israel (who thought he could outfox God’s plan) and the king of Judah (who sometimes got it right and sometimes got it wrong). These individuals were all making their own choice – not being forced by God to do anything. But God’s desired outcome still prevailed.
When Ahab and Jehoshaphat went into battle, God’s desired outcome was that Ahab be killed. By dressing in disguise and having Jehoshaphat wear his royal robes, Ahab thought he had tilted the equation in his favor. But the “weak link” was overcome by the strong one – God’s Actions – and, though he was a sitting duck, Jehoshaphat survived while Ahab was killed.
Here we have two kings – one with little regard for God and the other with high regard for God – whose actions threaten to throw the grand equation out of balance. For Jehoshaphat, his mistakes seem to be made mostly out of naivete or foolishness. For Ahab, his mistakes seem to be calculated decisions. In both cases, God takes the required action to balance the equation and to ensure his desired outcome.
He will do the same in our lives. Whether through foolishness or deliberate disobedience, we are all guilty, at times, of throwing the equation out of balance. It’s reassuring to know that there is nothing we can do that God can’t right!
Bible in a Year – Day 134: A Good Deal
May 13th
Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 13, 14, 15, 16 & 17
You’ve heard it said that “God helps those who help themselves.” And while that is certainly true in many circumstances, I think there is a much more profound, yet simple, definition of those who God “helps.” Simply put, God is for you if you are for him. He is the ultimate ally!
The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. (2 Chronicles 15:2b)
What a powerful statement: “The Lord is with you when you are with him.” The onus, then, is on us, not him. If we desire God’s help, his provision, his wisdom, grace, peace, love – if we desire all of the great things of God, then we need to be close to him. That’s it. Simple. If we are close to him, loving him and serving him, then he will be on our side.
I don’t know how many times I’ve said this in print or out loud: God will not force himself on you! His relationship with you is one of reciprocity – he will be as involved in your life as you desire for him to be. And he will be as engaged with you as you are with him.
What does that mean for us? It means that if we desire all that God has for us, we must give him all we have to give. God has offered us his life – perfect and rich – in exchange for ours – broken and messed up. Why wouldn’t we take that deal?
Bible in a Year – Day 133: God, Dylan and Self-Reliance
May 12th
Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 9, 10, 11 & 12
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody- Bob Dylan, “Gotta Serve Somebody”
There is an incredible dichotomy built into the human condition. On one hand, we absolutely detest not being in control. But, on the other hand, if we are really honest with ourselves, we know that we can never truly be in control. Freeing ourselves from the control of one force will ultimately just land us in the hands of another. Truly, in the words of Dylan, we’re “gonna have to serve somebody.”
Rehoboam and the people of Judah would have to learn this lesson the hard way. You see, they thought they had figured this whole human experiment out. They could take care of themselves. They were tired of being under God’s thumb and they were going to make a change. Out with this whole God thing.
There were a couple of problems with their plan, however. First, they would soon learn that whether or not you acknowledge him, God is in control. Second, they would discover that not serving God didn’t mean that you weren’t serving somebody. In fact, life is much better serving the compassionate God than it is serving any of the other alternatives.
But even a compassionate God sometimes needs to teach us a lesson. Look at chapter 12, verses 7 & 8:
“My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak. They will, however, become subject to him, so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands.” (2 Chronicles 12:7b-8)
Absence truly makes the heart grow fonder – especially when we’re talking about the absence of God. But you see, God will leave you alone if you want him to. If I were to say, “You know what, I’m done with this God thing. I’m going to go it on my own,” God would say, “Alright, but you’re going to find it’s a tough world out there without me.” That’s what he did with Judah. He gave them exactly what they wanted. Be careful what you wish for!
In a time and culture where self-reliance is promoted from political podiums and preached from pulpits, God has to sit back and shake his head. He’s been trying to teach us this lesson since the very beginning of time. We cannot do this alone. We will need someone else. We will serve someone else. He’s just waiting for us to figure out that we’re better off serving him than any of the alternatives.
Bible in a Year – Day 132: Fiery Flashback
May 11th
Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 6, 7 & 8
As I read today about the dedication of the temple, I was reminded of our reading 100 or so days ago, when Moses dedicated the tabernacle. In much the same way that Moses had done before him, Solomon stood before the people and prayed a prayer of dedication. Then, in much the same way as he had done before, God sent this immense fireball to consume the sacrifice. It was as if God was putting his stamp of approval on the temple – his signature on this massive undertaking. It served as a reminder, too, that the same God who brought the people out of Egypt and who had commissioned and blessed the tabernacle was now blessing this temple.
God’s fire from heaven was his initial, public response to the completion and dedication of the temple. But there is also a second, more private response God offers to Solomon. Away from all the festivities and crowds, God appears to Solomon at night and offers these words:
“I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.” (2 Chronicles 7:12)
What an incredible assurance for a king who had worked his entire adult life to make sure that the temple was completed. Then came this:
“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:13-14)
Now, verse 14 may be familiar to you if you’ve spent any time around church. It is an incredible promise not only for the ancient Israelites, but for us as well. However, I think it’s important to read the sentence (it is, after all, only one sentence divided into two verses) in its entirety. You see, verse 13, the first part of the sentence, says “When” (not if) God shuts the heavens or commands locusts or sends a plague. When God does those things, if the people respond appropriately, God will will hear them, forgive them and heal them.
There are a few things going on here. First, God fully expects that the Israelites are going to screw up. (As I’ve mentioned before, he actually prescribed, in advance, ways for them to make amends for their sins.) Second, he is sending Solomon a subtle reminder that there will be consequences for the sins of the Israelites in the form of droughts, locusts, plagues and the like. And third, he is reminding Solomon that even as he acts as judge over the people, he also acts as defense counsel. If the people – his people – will humble themselves, pray, seek and turn, then he will commute the sentence, pardon the offenders and restore them to relationship with himself.
Verse 14 is an incredible offer of grace that you and I still get to take part in. However, it’s important to remember the truth of verse 13 – that there are consequences for our actions and that God doesn’t simply look the other way. His grace is freely given, but must be received. And, in order to receive it and to receive the pardon that comes along with it, we have to be humble, pray, seek and turn to him.
Bible in a Year – Day 131: The Big Ask
May 10th
Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 2, 3, 4 & 5
“You’ll never know unless you ask.”
That’s what my mom used to tell me about…well…any number of things. It seems that Solomon was heeding this advice when he sent a letter to Hiram, king of Tyre. Sure, Solomon was paying for the lumber and services he was asking for, but this was far more than a business transaction. You’ll notice that Hiram didn’t just respond to Solomon’s request by agreeing to his terms. Instead, he responded with praise and encouragement, as well as offering to send one of his most skilled workers.
You have to wonder why a man like Hiram would so generously respond to this request. Was it because of the power and influence that Solomon had in the region? We it because Hiram was hoping for a little quid pro quo down the road? Was it a supernatural working of God to soften this man’s heart toward Solomon? Whatever the case, it’s reassuring to know that God has set us up to receive the same kind of response when we make “the big ask.”
I have said it before that God doesn’t seem to look at our bank account before he asks us to do something. The truth is that he doesn’t need to. Instead, he looks at his bank account and knows that there are plenty of resources to be used to carry out his mission. However, sometimes our part of the equation is to swallow our pride, buck up and make the big ask.
And perhaps pride is our biggest obstacle. Imagine being Solomon. Here was the wisest human walking the earth – a man who had riches beyond compare and who dispensed profound wisdom like water flowing from a river. And yet, for all his wisdom, Solomon knew he didn’t have the skills necessary to build the temple. Not only did he not have the skills, he didn’t even have the materials. But he knew a guy who did. All he had to do was ask for help.
For those of us who are considered “wise” or “experts”, sometimes simply asking for help can feel like defeat. After all, shouldn’t we be able to handle this ourselves? I take some comfort in knowing that even the wisest man, with riches at his disposal, still relied on the generosity of others in order to walk out his God-given mission. It should serve as a reminder to us all that God has put us on this planet, in part, to work together toward his purposes. Don’t deny someone else an opportunity to participate in God’s plan with you. Don’t be afraid to make the “big ask.”
