Establishing a legacy of faith

The passing of a respected leader or a loved one is one of the most challenging things in life to deal with.  For most of us, the first time we experienced something like that occurred during our childhood.  On rare occasions, that experience is something we face for the first time later in life.

I was recently reading a book that included the life story of the author.  One interesting aspect of his story is that at the time of writing, he was still in his 30s, so the story of his life was still developing.

As he described the season of life that took place in his mid-20s, he mentioned that the patriarch of his family, his grandfather, passed away.  That experience had a profound effect on him and his view of life going forward.  He said he was highly aware of the fact that many of the blessings he enjoyed in his formative years were directly tied to the wisdom, hard work, and others-centered decisions his grandfather made for the overall benefit of the family.

It’s a beautiful thing when you can directly identify the generational impact a single life has had on the people who are born in subsequent generations.  David certainly wanted to have that kind of impact on the generations that were born after him.  He spent a considerable amount of time contemplating the promise God made to him about his royal lineage.  And even though David was a fallible man, I think it can be said that he made the attempt to set up his descendants for success.

Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David.  And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.  So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established. (1 Kings 2:10-12)

After forty years of serving as king, David died and the kingdom was transferred to his son Solomon.  Solomon was a young man at the time, possibly around 20 years old, but by the grace of God, his kingdom was made strong and his leadership was firmly established among the people.

I wonder what it was like for him to assume the kind of responsibility that would be required to lead a kingdom?  Growing up, I had the personality type that wanted to be thought of as older than I really was.  I wanted adults to trust me with tasks and responsibilities that they wouldn’t typically entrust to someone of a young age.  Some of that came from a genuine desire to serve, but I think part of that was also connected to how I wanted to be seen in the eyes of others.  Leadership seemed glamorous to me, but I’ve learned something important about leadership since my youth that I think all believers should eventually come to understand.

Leadership isn’t meant to be glamorous.  In fact, I would contend that if it feels glamorous to you, you probably aren’t actually leading.  You may be serving as a figurehead, and you may be getting credit for the work other people are doing, but that isn’t the real essence of biblical leadership.

Biblical leadership looks to Jesus as the ultimate example.  The kind of leadership Jesus demonstrated during His earthly ministry exemplified a heart of service.  Jesus was willing to do hard things, receive criticism from people who didn’t like His decisions, and serve people without the expectation of getting something equal from them in return.  Christ-like leadership involves humility and a willingness to suffer or make sacrifices for the benefit of other people even at a personal cost to yourself.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  (Philippians 2:3-8)

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. (John 13:1-5)

When Solomon followed David as king, he was in a position of leadership that he could have used to bring fame to his own name or bring benefit to the people he was called to serve.  I love reading about the heart he exhibited during the early years of his reign.  Solomon wanted to do what was right.  He didn’t assume that he had all the answers at such a young age, and he readily admitted that he would need the gift of God’s wisdom in order to lead well.

“Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”  (1 Kings 3:9)

When the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and offered to give him whatever he asked for, Solomon asked the Lord for an understanding mind so that he would be able to discern between good and evil and govern God’s people with wisdom.  What a beautiful thing to request!  Wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing if every leader prayed this way when assuming their role of leadership?  Just imagine the impact that could have on nations, corporations, churches, and households!

Solomon wasn’t asking the Lord for something natural.  He was requesting a supernatural intervention into how his mind would work.  He wanted to see things the way God sees things.  He wanted to understand things from more than a natural perspective.  He didn’t want to have to rely on his own limited experiences or the limited experiences of his advisors when he made decisions.  He was praying for wisdom that was divinely graced.  Is that something we’d also like to possess?  If so, how is it obtained?

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”  (Proverbs 9:10)

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”  (Romans 12:2)

To obtain the wisdom of God, we need to live in a trusting relationship with God.  If our lives and our ambitions conform to the same standard this world idolizes, we’ll see life, people, and circumstances the same way this world sees them.  But if we trust in Jesus and live with reverence toward the power and holiness of God, His power will transform the way we think.  We’ll enjoy real discernment and the ability to understand the will of God as we make decisions that impact our lives and the lives of others.

The Lord was pleased that Solomon desired that kind of understanding.  Solomon could have asked the Lord for wealth, power, and fame, but he didn’t.  Most people ask God to give them the pleasures, comforts, and esteem of this world, but Solomon knew he needed the mind of God more than he needed the treasures of this world.  God was pleased with Solomon’s request and told him He would receive what he asked for as well as all the things he could have asked for, but didn’t.

It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”  (1 Kings 3:10-14)

The Lord made good on this promise.  Solomon was blessed with wisdom.  His reign as king was prestigious and powerful.  He was also made one of the richest men who has ever walked the planet.  That was great, for a season, but Solomon’s life also demonstrated that the riches and other trappings of this world can become a snare that distracts us from what life is really all about.

The Lord invited Solomon to be a man who walked with Him faithfully.  He encouraged Solomon to keep his statutes and commandments as his father David had done.  God even told Solomon that his days on this earth would be lengthened if he did this, but Solomon’s life eventually went in a different direction, and it appears that he lived about a decade less than his father David.

“For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.”  (1 Kings 11:4)

I don’t know how your life on this earth began or the things you’ve endured during the course of your days leading you up to the point you’re at today, but wouldn’t it be nice to finish well?  David finished well.  Solomon did not.  What about us?  How do you want your life to be remembered?

I recently came across the obituary of a man named Harry Stamps.  Mr. Stamps passed away back in 2013, and I believe his daughter took the liberty to eulogize him with a few remembrances of his life.  In his obituary, she shared the following…

He had a life-long love affair with deviled eggs, Lane cakes, boiled peanuts, Vienna sausages on saltines, his homemade canned fig preserves, pork chops, turnip greens, and buttermilk served in martini glasses garnished with cornbread.

Harry took fashion cues from no one. His signature every day look was all his: a plain pocketed T-shirt designed by the fashion house Fruit of the Loom, his black-label elastic waist shorts worn above the navel and sold exclusively at the Sam's on Highway 49, and a pair of old school Wallabees (who can even remember where he got those?) that were always paired with a grass-stained MSU baseball cap.

Finally, the family asks that in honor of Harry that you write your Congressman and ask for the repeal of Day Light Saving Time. Harry wanted everyone to get back on the Lord's Time.

I appreciate that family’s sense of humor, but even in the humor, we’re being given a reminder that our lives will make an impact in this world.  We will leave a legacy.  It will either be a legacy of walking with Jesus and taking His Word seriously, or it won’t.  It will either be a legacy of genuine faith being expressed through serving others, or a legacy of wasted blessings and missed opportunities.

By God’s grace, my prayer for us is that we will leave a legacy of genuine faith in Jesus Christ.  There is no greater thing that could be said about you or me when our earthly days conclude than we knew Jesus and walked with Him daily.

©  John Stange, 2023

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.

If I could only tell you one more thing before I die...

When David's time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying,  “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’  (1 Kings 2:1-4)

____________________________________________________________________________

I recently watched a video that was recorded by a hospice nurse.  I imagine that for most people, her job would seem like a dreaded task.  It’s her responsibility each day to help and comfort people who are in the last stages of life.  That’s a unique calling that would most certainly require an added measure of mercy, compassion, and love.

As she was speaking, she mentioned that she’s learned a lot about death during her years of serving people in this capacity.  Much of what she’s learned has caused her not to fear death like she once did.  She said that sitting with people in the midst of those moments has also helped strengthen her faith because she can see the hand of God at work even in how He has designed our physical bodies to shut down.  

For most of her patients, their final moments have transpired peacefully, and as far as she can tell, without significant pain.  Many of them could tell, based on the changes that were happening in their bodies, that the time of their death was coming soon.  Hearing her description of what she commonly sees reminded me a lot of the evangelist Dwight Moody’s words to his son when he was in his final moments.

Moody had famously said that someday folks would read about his death in the newspaper. But do not believe it because those born in the Spirit would very much be alive – with Christ in heaven and for eternity.  At the end of his life, with his family at his bedside, Moody said aloud, “Earth recedes, and heaven opens before me.”

Moody’s son, Will, who was by his father’s bedside, assumed his father was dreaming. “No, this is no dream, Will,” Moody proclaimed. “It is beautiful! It is like a trance! If this is death, it is sweet. There is no valley here! God is calling me, and I must go.” And he died a brief time later, on Dec. 26, 1899.  -https://www.persecution.org/2022/09/11/moody/

I have often wondered if the Lord will grace me with the opportunity to formally say goodbye to my family and offer a few words of wisdom when my day comes, or if my transition to Heaven will happen in a sudden and unexpected way.  I guess in many respects, I’m glad I don’t know the answer to that question.

But when we look at 1 Kings 2:1-4, we can see that David was conscious of the fact that his final days were at hand.  In view of the promises God had made to him during his life, and in view of the fact that the responsibility to lead Israel was now about to fall on his young son Solomon who was roughly 20 years old at the time, David shared some final counsel with his son.  It’s counsel that we would do well to keep in mind when it comes to the way we conduct ourselves in this world and steward our responsibilities.

Be strong, and show yourself a man:  I’m grateful for the men the Lord has placed in my life who aren’t afraid to carry themselves like men.  They keep their word.  They look you in the eye.  They honor and respect women.  They work hard.  They know how to actually shake your hand.  They put Jesus first in their lives.

I’m grateful to be surrounded by family, friends, and mentors who exhibit these traits because we live in an era of weak men who struggle to understand what being a man actually means.  That struggle gets perpetuated by some men who spend their lives acting like toddlers who only want to do what feels good, but can’t be bothered to keep their commitments, care for their households, raise their own children, or make even the smallest sacrifices for the good of the nation and culture God has placed them in.

David’s counsel to young Solomon was to be strong in the strength the Lord supplied him and demonstrate that he actually knew what it meant to be a man of God.  Solomon wasn’t the kind of guy who was going to spend his 20s playing video games, eating his parents’ food, and living rent-free in the same room he used to wet the bed in when he was a 3-year-old.  He was about to lead a nation and continue his father’s legacy on the throne of Israel.

Keep the charge of the LORD your God:  It is not an accident that we live when and where we live.  We were born in this era of history according to God’s design, and He entrusts to us various responsibilities that we’re called to steward during the course of our adult lives.

I don’t know which responsibilities the Lord will entrust to you, but I’m sure He will eventually make those things clear.  I have been blessed by the examples of adults who don’t run from the responsibilities the Lord has given them.  I have also witnessed those who do run from their calling, and it isn’t inspiring to see.

Admittedly, there will be times when you may not feel like doing what God has asked you to do.  I have had those moments.  I’m guessing David may have as well, and he may have been anticipating future days when Solomon would feel the same way.  So he encouraged him to keep the charge God had given him without shrinking away from it on the hard days.

Walk in God’s ways and keep His statutes and commandments:  When my children were young, I felt an intense burden to help them know Jesus and understand the teaching of God’s Word.  We would sit down to discuss it, watch programs together that emphasized it, listen to music that proclaimed it, and talk about it on a deeper level during long car rides.

As they got older, my desire for them to walk with the Lord and know His ways continued.  I remember at one point they started asking me for more Internet access in our home because I was restricting how much time they could spend online.  In response, I came up with a system whereby they could earn additional time.  In exchange for a handwritten copy of the Ten Commandments, I would give them an additional hour.

David encouraged Solomon to be a man who walked with God and kept His commandments.  Admittedly, Solomon didn’t do this perfectly, but I do appreciate what we’re told of him in 1 Kings 3:3.

“Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places."  (1 Kings 3:3)

It’s not up to me what will be said about my children someday, but it would sure bring my heart great joy if it’s said that they loved the Lord and walked in his statutes.  I’m praying that for my future grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well.  Nothing would make me happier.

If you’re obedient to the Lord, your life will prosper:  David also made a point to help Solomon understand that he would need the favor and blessing of God to truly succeed.  If he wanted to prosper as a man and as a king, he needed to be careful not to harden his heart against God’s leading.  

Good leaders know what it’s like to be led.  As they seek to be an authority, they first need to accept what it means to be under authority.  And in the case of those who desire to understand the Lord’s will, their hearts need to remain in a place of submission to His guidance.  Otherwise, their eyes and ears will not be attuned to receiving His counsel.

***

As David was speaking all these things to Solomon, he also had in mind the fact that the Lord had made a very specific promise to him.  David spoke of that promise to Solomon when he said…

that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’  (1 Kings 2:4)

The Lord had promised David that even after his days on this earth were complete, one of his sons would sit on the throne of Israel.  We see this promise given in 2 Samuel 7 where it says…

When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.  (2 Samuel 7:12-13)

In one respect, it would seem logical to see at least a partial fulfillment of this promise in Solomon who would now reign in David’s place.  But there’s a deeper fulfillment of this promise that’s given to us in Scripture.  In fact, there’s a long-promised King that this prophetic word was ultimately pointing to, One whose reign would last longer than four or five decades, but would be established forever.  That King is the King of kings, Jesus.  Look at what we’re told in the gospel of Matthew…

Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw.  And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?”  (Matthew 12:22-23)

“The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.”  (Matthew 12:42)

During the days when Jesus was walking on this earth, the people of Israel lived under occupation from the Roman government and they resented it deeply.  In the midst of that humiliating season, they took consolation in the prophetic promises of God that the day would come when the Messiah, the Son of David would rule on the throne of Israel and lead the nation with benevolence once again.

They were looking for a king like David or Solomon to lead them, but what did Jesus reveal to those who had hearts of stone and those who had hearts of faith?  He made it clear to them that while they were looking for another Solomon, one who was greater than Solomon was right in front of their face.  The Messiah they were waiting for was the very man they were conversing with, but sadly, many of them failed to realize this.

We’re no different.  Many of us are looking for wisdom and guidance from people on this earth who strike us as great leaders and sages.  We’re looking for them to direct our lives and bring order to our chaos.  Yet it’s Jesus, the One who is greater than all other leaders and influencers who stands before us and offers us hope through Him.  No one can light a candle to His wisdom.  No one can compete for His authority.  Only He holds the rightful claim to the throne of our hearts.  Will we joyfully recognize Him as Lord and submit our lives to Him?

My king was born king. The Bible says He is the seven-way king. He is the king of the Jews. That’s a racial king. He is king of Israel. That’s a national king. He’s a king of righteousness. He’s a king of the ages. He’s the king of heaven. He is the king of glory. He’s the King of kings and Lord of lords. Now that’s my king.

Well, I wonder if you know Him. Do you know Him? Don’t try to mislead me. Do you know my king? David said, “The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handiwork.” No far-seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply. No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.

He’s enduringly strong, He’s entirely sincere, He’s eternally steadfast. He’s immortally graceful. He’s imperially powerful. He’s impartially merciful. That’s my king. He’s God’s Son. He’s a sinner’s savior. He’s the centerpiece of civilization. He stands alone in Himself. He’s unique. He’s unparalleled. He’s unprecedented. He’s supreme. He’s preeminent. He’s the loftiest idea in literature. He’s the highest idea in philosophy. He’s the fundamental truth in theology. He’s the cardinal necessity of spiritual religion. That’s my king.  -Dr. S. M. Lockridge, Dallas, Texas, quoted by Max Anders in Jesus, Knowing Our Savior, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publ., 1995), pp. 33-35

I don’t know what my final words will be, but whether I can speak coherent sentences at the end of my life, or if I’m not able to speak at all, I hope the prevailing testimony of my life will clearly testify to who Jesus is and why He is worthy of our worship and devotion.  He’s the King we’re waiting for.  He’s the King we need.  He’s the King we can worship and serve right now, and He’s the King I’m placing my full trust in forever.

©  John Stange, 2023

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.

What in this world can you really count on?

What makes you feel safe and secure?  What do you spend your time seeking because you’re convinced it will help place your life on a more stable footing?

Not long ago, I was listening to an interview with a musician who was part of a popular band a few decades back.  During the interview, he shared what it was like to enjoy fame and all the trappings that come with worldly esteem and riches.  He talked about the fact that everywhere he went, people knew who he was, and whenever he walked into the offices of his record label, he felt like a king.  His picture was plastered all over the building and everyone wanted to talk to him because his band made music that sold in the millions.

Those of us who have been around for a little while know that the recording industry is a fickle business.  Music styles change just as quickly as hairstyles and clothing styles.  What’s popular today might not be popular tomorrow, and that’s exactly what this musician learned.

He mentioned that when it came time for his band to record and release a follow-up album, he noticed that there didn’t seem to be a lot of interest.  When he visited the record label’s offices, the posters with his face had been replaced with newer artists.  The label quickly considered him and his band a relic that had gone out of fashion, and without the support of their company, album sales tanked.

Examples like that give us a good reminder that placing our faith in worldly metrics or the numbers that can be counted by man, is a form of misplaced faith.  Trusting in our number of album sales, the digits in our bank account, the reach of our social media, or anything that might come with an impressive number, doesn’t compare to the eternal value we receive when we learn to trust in Jesus.

The big lesson the Lord wants us to learn during the course of our life is the value of trusting Him.  It’s clear that David trusted the Lord during the course of his life, but there were certainly times when the application of his faith wavered, and one of those examples is illustrated for us in 2 Samuel 24.

That chapter of Scripture tells us that David got it in his mind to take a census of Israel and Judah.  Why do you suppose he wanted to do this?  Why does anyone count anything?

I’m guessing that David couldn’t help but notice the strength and influence of the nation he led.  He wanted the nation of Israel to be strong.  He wanted them to be able to fend off threats from surrounding nations.  I think he was also thinking about his legacy as king.  But what was the real source of the nation’s power?  Was their power found in their numbers or in the providential grace of God and the great favor He had shown them as a nation?

Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.” 2 So the king said to Joab, the commander of the army, who was with him, “Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and number the people, that I may know the number of the people.” 3 But Joab said to the king, “May the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see it, but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?” 4 But the king's word prevailed against Joab and the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army went out from the presence of the king to number the people of Israel. (2 Samuel 24:1-4)

David instructed Joab, the commander of his army to go throughout the land numbering the people, but Joab protested.  Why do you suppose he protested?  I believe Joab understood this was inherently wrong for David to do.  David’s eyes were temporarily blinded to that fact, but Joab could see right through this demonstration of pride and insecurity on David’s behalf.  In fact, elsewhere in Scripture, God revealed the fact that there would be negative consequences for taking an action like this if it wasn’t done a certain way.

“When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the Lord when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them. 13 Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the Lord.”  (Exodus 30:12-13)

In taking a census, David was acting like Israel belonged to him when in fact, the nation belonged to God.  If a census of the people was to be taken, that’s a decision God would have to make, not an earthly king.  For David to do such a thing was effectively an expression of his desire to trust more in the size of Israel’s population or army than in the Lord.  In time, David came to realize he had made a big mistake in doing this.

But David's heart struck him after he had numbered the people. And David said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Lord, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”  (2 Samuel 24:10)

I have to admit that when I read verses like this, my level of respect for David’s leadership grows.  When you’re in any form of leadership, whether that be in your family, in your workplace, in the government, or in the church, it can be very difficult to admit when you’re wrong.  There’s a fear that if you admit you were wrong about something, it will diminish your ability to lead because people might lose respect for you.  But Scripture reveals, and I have personally seen, that the exact opposite of our fears is what will most often come to pass.  Leaders who can express humility and contrition are better leaders.  They can be trusted because their hearts have remained teachable.

Still, there were consequences for David’s sin, and those consequences were laid before him.

And when David arose in the morning, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, 12 “Go and say to David, ‘Thus says the Lord, Three things I offer you. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you.’” 13 So Gad came to David and told him, and said to him, “Shall three years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days' pestilence in your land? Now consider, and decide what answer I shall return to him who sent me.” 14 Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man.”  (2 Samuel 24:11-14)

When presented with these options, David could see that two options placed his nation at the mercy of men and one option placed them at the mercy of God.  None of these options seemed desirable to him, but of the three, he selected the third.  And as it was carried out, David’s heart was grieved.  It troubled him that the people were dying because of his mistake.  In fact, the Lord took the lives of 70,000 men as a result of David’s sin.  But was this only because of David’s sin that they were taken?

Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me and against my father's house.”  (2 Samuel 24:17)

I can understand David’s feelings at this moment, but was his assessment correct?  Were the people really innocent?  Remember what was said earlier in this chapter?  

Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”  (2 Samuel 24:1)

So it’s clear that David wasn’t the only one in the land whose heart was in a bad place.  It appears that the nation as a whole was drifting from the Lord.  That being the case, it appears that God told David to number the people to set them up for judgment, but did He?  It may be that the best way to look at what God said was to allow David to pursue what he had already set his heart to do.  A companion portion of Scripture helps shed a little light on what had taken place a little earlier that had influenced David’s thinking.

“Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel.”  (1 Chronicles 21:1)

Satan influenced David to make this mistake.  Now David could clearly see the error he had made and he wanted the blame to come upon him not others, but there seemed to be more going on than just David’s mistake.  This judgment was directly connected to the fact that the people of Israel had hearts that were drifting from the Lord, and the Lord was using this experience as a wake-up call.  As far as I can tell, it seems that Satan influenced David to take the census and God didn’t stand in David’s way because it was time for a severe lesson to be learned in the land.

Still, to see read David’s words as he asked God the Father to relent from His judgment against the people and bring His righteous wrath against him and his household instead is worth noting.  The reality of the situation is that David couldn’t fully stand in the place of the sinful people he led.  He was guilty of sin just as they were.  Any taste of judgment or condemnation that either party received was certainly justified.

But I believe portions of Scripture like this are given to us to keep our eyes focused on the One who really can stand in our place and take the wrath upon Himself that we actually deserved.  The message of Scripture teaches us in many different ways, even through historical narratives like this, that Jesus is uniquely able to accomplish that absorption of the wrath we were due.

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”  (1 Peter 2:24-25)

Jesus looked at us and saw a world full of sheep that were straying.  We were going our own way.  We were looking for the things of this world to save our wandering souls.  We were counting our riches, numbering our armies, and placing our faith in material objects that could be quickly lost or taken from us.  In our rebellion, we were indulging in every vice the Lord has told us is profane to Him.  We fed our flesh because we thought that would give us peace, but all it did was destroy us and leave us in a state of confusion and under the wrath of God.

The only remedy that could truly satisfy the righteous standard of God was for one who was perfectly innocent and pure to suffer in our place.  He would have to be sinless and have no stain of His own, but who could accomplish such a task?  The only one who could truly satisfy God’s righteous requirements of holiness and perfection was God Himself.  So Scripture tells us that God took on flesh, walked among us, and took our punishment upon Himself when He experienced death on the cross.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.  (Galatians 3:13-14)

I’m so grateful Jesus did this for us.  Now He offers us the privilege of receiving His Spirit and eternal blessings through faith in Him.  We were doomed to be condemned, but now through Jesus, we’re offered the gift of life.  Is it too much of Him to ask us for anything less than our full devotion, complete trust, and deepest friendship?

“Make sure of your commitment to Jesus Christ, and seek to follow Him every day. Don't be swayed by the false values and goals of this world, but put Christ and His will first in everything you do.”  -Billy Graham

©  John Stange, 2023

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.

Our God delivers from trials and rebellion

“After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.  And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And when he said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,”  Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.”  Then Absalom would say, “Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.”  And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.  Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.  ”

— 2 Samuel 15:1-6

Have you ever gone through a season of rebellion?  Rebellion is a common trait that is often exhibited by the human heart.  From our earliest days we have a bad habit of practicing it.  Children rebel against their parents.  Citizens rebel against their governments.  Man rebels against God.  It isn’t pretty and it isn’t uncommon.

I remember a season in my own adolescence when I think much of my personality was characterized by rebellion.  I looked the part.  I fed my mind the anthems of rebellion through the music I listened to on repeat.  The walls of my bedroom became a shrine dedicated to the honor of my rebellious heroes.  Whatever my parents approved of, I approved of the opposite.  Whatever they wanted, I dismissed as silliness or irrelevant.  That season of rebellion lasted for several years until the Lord gripped my heart, opened my eyes to see the truth, and changed my mind.

Rebellion isn’t something God is unfamiliar with.  He’s seen it and experienced it up close.  Even before He created man and we rebelled against Him in the garden, there was an angelic rebellion that took place in Heaven.  Satan grew proud and enamored with his own beauty.  He elevated himself in his own eyes above God, so God cast him out of His presence.

“You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you. ”

— Ezekiel 28:14-17

As Satan rebelled against God, and we’ve rebelled against both God and our parents, so too did Absalom choose to rebel against David, his father.

Assuming the role of a king is a dangerous thing and certainly isn’t a role for the faint of heart.  When you serve in that role, there are people who will attempt to manipulate you in order to get something from you.  There are others who will conspire against you, usurp your authority, and attempt to take your life.  Sometimes those aggressors will be your own family.

This, sadly, is something David knew all too well.  In 2 Samuel 15, we’re given a vivid picture of the ways in which his son Absalom attempted to wrestle his authority out of his hand.  When David himself rebelled against the Lord, sinned with Bathsheba, and had Uriah executed, he was warned that there were going to be consequences for his rebellion.  Absalom’s attempt to steal the throne of David was one of those consequences.

It’s interesting to read the crafty ways Absalom went about orchestrating his attempted overthrow of David’s leadership.  When the people of Israel tried to go to David for his judgment on a matter, Absalom would meet them at the gate, flatter them, imply that there wasn’t anyone available to attend to their requests, then put the thought in their heads that things would go better for just about everyone if he personally had more authority.

In time, Absalom won over the people of Israel, and many became loyal to him.  After four years of this behavior, when he sensed that enough people were united with him, he incited a rebellion against David which forced David and those who were loyal to him to flee Jerusalem.

“And a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.”  Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.” ”

— 2 Samuel 15:13-14

As David and his servants fled, he experienced all kinds of things from those he encountered along the way.  Some demonstrated their unshakable loyalty to him.  Others attempted to manipulate him in his time of need.  We’re also told of a man who threw rocks and dirt at David while cursing him as he fled.

By far, this was one of the saddest moments in David’s life.  I think he understood that the calamity he was experiencing was directly connected to his rebellion years earlier. We’re told that David walked barefoot, covered his head, and openly wept as he went.  It was a sad sight to see, but what would you have done if you were him?

When we experience low moments, it’s natural to want those moments to come to an end.  We may try to escape our trials.  In some cases, we may even try to ignore them.  But I think David’s response is a helpful thing to observe.  In the midst of great conflict and sorrow, he purposed in his heart to trust the Lord and accept whatever outcome the Lord saw fit to orchestrate.

“And Abiathar came up, and behold, Zadok came also with all the Levites, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God until the people had all passed out of the city.  Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place.  But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.” ”

— 2 Samuel 15:24-26

This is a painful moment in David’s life to read about, but it’s certainly instructive.  Whether this situation resolved with David’s restoration or his destruction, he was content to entrust the outcome to the hand and will of God.

For those of us who walk with Jesus, isn’t this the best we can do as well?  I know it’s tempting to fight and complain against His will, but is there any point in doing so?  In the end, who can truly thwart the Lord’s will?  In the end, doesn’t it make the most sense to seek His favor while also admitting that if we receive it, it’s really a matter of grace because favor is far from what our rebellious hearts deserve?

In the midst of this turmoil, David trusted the Lord and he lifted up his heart in prayer.  In fact, we’re given a glimpse of his prayer when we read Psalm 3 which he composed in the midst of this trial.  In that powerful psalm, David prayed…

“O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul,   “There is no salvation for him in God.”  Selah

But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill.  Selah

I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.”

— Psalm 3:1-6

David was surrounded by enemies.  He was being slandered.  People thought his situation was utterly hopeless, but David knew otherwise.  He knew he could trust the Lord to be a shield that protected him.  He knew the Lord would hear and answer his prayers.  David even knew that he could lay down and sleep without fear because the Lord would sustain him.

Sometimes it’s helpful to be brought to a place where our only real option is to trust the Lord.  Satan puffed himself up in pride and attempted to set himself as a god.  Absalom did a similar thing to David.  But lest we point fingers at others, we do the exact same thing.  Far too often, we mistakenly trust our own wisdom and abilities instead of entrusting our lives over to the Lord who is truly in control.  I think the Lord makes great use of our most painful trials to teach us that our trust in ourselves is misplaced.  He’s the one who deserves our faith.

““The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.” ”

— Nahum 1:7

““Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” ”

— John 14:27

Jesus, the Son of God, came to this earth to give us His peace in the midst of this ongoing culture of rebellion we’ve been born into.  This world can’t give us that kind of peace because the peace of Christ is contentment regardless of our present trials.  The peace of Christ is the kind of rest our souls can only experience when we’re absolutely confident that our lives and the outcome of our circumstances are being securely and benevolently held in the palm of His hand.  Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is worthy of our trust.

I recently read something that was shared by Dr. Michelle Bengston.  She said…

It’s that time again. Blood work, port flushes, and CT scans. As a cancer patient and his caregiver, tests are necessary to determine if the treatment is working. But there’s this almost reflexive breath-holding that takes place during the wait for results.

Yet the wait also allows for a time of reflection. While I personally have rarely found it helpful to ask God, “Why?” I have come to experience great growth when instead I ask, “Lord, what do you want me to learn from this?” It was quite the year, and although I wouldn’t wish the events we faced that year on anyone, I am so grateful for the lessons I have learned through it:

1. God is faithful

2. We are never alone

3. When we are weak, He is strong

4. Trials are a season, not a destination.  We will get through them.

5. Trials help us grow in our faith.

6. Waiting is active, not passive.

7. We can rest in the assurance that God’s plans for us are good. 
   

David was ultimately rescued from his trial in a way that most certainly would have been unexpected by many.  Absalom rode a mule under the thick branches of an oak tree and his hair became entangled in them.  The mule kept moving which left Absalom dangling from the tree and unable to free himself.  Joab, the commander of David’s army was informed of this and he and his men struck Absalom down and took his life.  Soon after, David was restored to the throne of Israel.

I don’t know what trials you may be called to endure, but know this, you can entrust your life to the care of the Lord.  Jesus, our Savior, has secured salvation for all who trust in Him.  And just as He is fully capable of delivering us from eternal separation from Him, so too is He able to deliver us in the midst of the momentary trials we experience during our time in this fallen world.  In Jesus, we find rest.  We can rest in the assurance that He will never abandon His own, even while we’re going through our lowest and most painful seasons.

©  John Stange, 2023

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.

Jesus said, "Peace be with you"

The time following the crucifixion of Jesus was a confusing and fearful time for the disciples.  They expected Jesus to be recognized as king and they anticipated reigning with Him as His inner circle.  They saw Him perform miracles and heal multitudes, but then they saw Him arrested and killed.  For fear that the same thing would happen to them, they hid.  In fact, we're told here that the room the disciples were in was locked because of their fear of being found and potentially captured and killed.

We find peace in the presence of Christ

“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them,  “Peace be with you.”  When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.  Jesus said to them again,  “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”   And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.   If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” ”

— John 20:19-23

At this point, Jesus had risen from the grave and was appearing to people in His resurrected body.  Some day, we too will have a resurrected, glorified body and it's interesting to observe some of the things Jesus was doing because it gives us a picture of our future reality.  One of the things we can see He did was walk through solid walls and appear among His friends.

Naturally, experiencing something like this would freak just about anybody out, so Jesus attempted to calm them down and reassure them that He had peaceful intentions.  He said to them, "Peace be with you."  He was encouraging them not to be consumed with fear.  Then, to make it clear who they were seeing, Jesus showed them the scars on His hands and side.  He wasn't there to capture them or harm them like they must have feared.  He was there to encourage them and build them up through faith in Him.

I had a conversation the other day with a friend who is a software developer.  He mentioned to me that one of the hardest aspects of his profession is the many hours he spends in solitude.  I admitted to him that I often struggle with the same thing, but we both agreed that the nature of our work often demands that.  I imagine that just about all of us have at times wrestled with feeling alone, and I think that this was something that the disciples were feeling as well.  They felt both fearful and alone, but Jesus interrupted that perspective, returned to them in His resurrected body, and offered them peace.  

When we mistakenly believe we are abandoned or alone, we experience anxiety and fear.  When we remember that Jesus is present with us, we can experience a sense of peace through His presence.

Having established His presence with them, Jesus breathed on His disciples and the Holy Spirit indwelled them.  Jesus then invited His followers to proclaim forgiveness of sins in His name.  It is Jesus' role to forgive sin, and these men would be used by Jesus to proclaim forgiveness throughout the known world.

We find peace through faith in Christ

“Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.  So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them,  “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them.  Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said,  “Peace be with you.”  Then he said to Thomas,  “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him,  “My Lord and my God!”  Jesus said to him,  “Have you believed because you have seen me?  Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” ”

— John 20:24-29

One of my favorite things to do with my family is sit down for a good conversation.  With each of my children, I have had the privilege to spend some time together, usually in the evenings, to recap our day and talk about some of the things we experienced over the past 24 hours.  When I’m sharing my stories, they don’t seem to question or doubt me, and they haven’t given me reasons to doubt their stories either.  We believe each other's testimonies.

I don't know what was going through the Apostle Thomas' head, but when the other disciples told him what they had seen, he wouldn't believe them.  Now personally, I think Thomas gets a bad rap because of this account.  Historians believe that in the years following this account, he travelled to what is modern-day India and faithfully proclaimed the gospel there, but it seems like the primary thing people remember about him was that he was a doubter.  Now of course, the Lord inspired this account to be recorded for our benefit because if we're truly honest, we all wrestle with doubt from time to time.

As I read this passage, I can't help but wonder if Thomas was still feeling emotionally crushed by everything that had taken place in recent days.  I wonder if at this point, he was trying his best to protect his heart from being hurt again, and in his defensiveness, he decided that the message the disciples were sharing with him was exactly what he wanted to hear, but it felt too emotionally dangerous to let his heart accept it, so he demanded proof.

Eight days later, Jesus provided proof.  He appeared to the disciples again and this time, Thomas was present.  Jesus showed Thomas His scars and invited him to stop doubting and believe.

A while back, I heard of an accident where a heavy storage container hit someone on the head and they needed to have the back of their head stapled.  I thought to myself, "That's going to leave a bad scar."  I have a whole series of scars on my body and with each one, there's a story to go with it.  But I don't believe that these scars will be present on my resurrected body.  

So why did Jesus still have the scars of His crucifixion?  These scars are an intentionally visible and eternal reminder on the body of Christ that serves as a testimony of the fact that He was wounded so we could be healed.  He bore our sin on His body so we could live sinlessly.

““And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw  a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain””

— Revelation 5:6a

Thomas accepted Christ's invitation to believe and he testified that Jesus was indeed, "My Lord and my God!"  And Jesus reminds us that we are blessed if we believe without having seen.

We find life in the name of Christ

““Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;  31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing  you may have life in his name.””

— John 20:30-31

I like to read biographies.  I find them very interesting, and in many cases, I like biographies that have been written by someone else as opposed to autobiographies that have been written personally by the subject of the book.  I find that when someone tries to tell their own life story, it can get rather dull because instead of getting to the highlights, they have a tendency to bog you down with every little detail because they can't figure out what to include and what to omit. 

I tried reading a presidential autobiography a while back and I stopped because the author felt the need to tell you about the geography of his hometown, its placement on the map, and the rivers that ran near it.  It was boring me to tears.  I wanted to hear about the man, not the maps.

If you were in the Apostle John's shoes and were tasked with writing down a brief account of the earthly ministry of Jesus, what would you include?  What would you omit?  John says there were many other miraculous acts Jesus did in front of him and the other disciples, but John didn't write them down in this book.  I would love to know more about these things, but they aren't included.

Rather, as the Holy Spirit carried John along and guided his pen, he was compelled not to bog us down with excessive details of topography, fashion, or other unnecessary information, but rather, he was inspired to share what needed to be shared in order for the reader of this gospel to come to a place where they personally trusted in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and that through faith in Jesus, they would receive life in His name. 

““This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.  And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” ”

— Acts 4:11-12

Jesus offers us life, but I think we struggle to know what He's really offering us.  He offers us life, but are we settling for predictable routines instead?

In an average lifetime, the average American spends:

• 3 years in business meetings

• 13 years watching TV

• $89,281 on food

• Consumes 109,354 pounds of food

• Makes 1811 trips to McDonalds

• Spends $6881 in vending machines

• Eats 35,138 cookies and 1483 pounds of candy

• Catches 304 colds

• Is involved in 6 motor vehicle accidents,

• Is hospitalized 8 times (men) or 12 times (women)

• Spends 24 years sleeping. (Source:  In an Average Lifetime, Tom Heymann)

There is much more to the kind of life Jesus is offering us than that.  He's taking us from death and condemnation to eternal life and restoration.  From slavery to freedom.  From despair to hope.  From cowardice to bravery.  Just as sin, Satan, and death were unable to defeat Him, He defeats their power in our lives when we trust Him as our Savior and Lord.  

As we celebrate Christ’s resurrection, we do so with grateful hearts knowing that He offers us peace in His presence and new life through faith in Him.  Don’t minimize or forget what Jesus has done on our behalf.  Don’t hold any part of yourself back from Him.  Receive the gift of salvation He’s offering you, and experience the kind of life that cannot be obtained any other way.

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.

You've been offered a seat at the King's table

In the Spring of 2020, when much of the world felt shut down, I was asked by my family to officiate for the funeral of my Great-Aunt Janice. Because of gathering restrictions that were in place at the time, the funeral was going to be very small. We were limited by the funeral home to under 10 people, including me. To be honest, it felt like a sad way to say goodbye because so many of the people who loved her were unable to be present.

I have always considered it a privilege to officiate at funerals. Many people assume that would be a part of my job that I don't like, but for some reason, I have always considered it a privilege to be the person who was given the opportunity to speak on behalf of a family to honor the life and legacy of the deceased.

The funeral for my Aunt Janice was in Scranton, Pennsylvania which is a couple of hours from where I live. As I drove there, I had a lot of time by myself to think, and one particular thought kept coming to mind. My Aunt Janice's father was John N. Stange, Sr., the man my grandfather, father, son, and myself are all named after. And here I was, John N. Stange IV being called upon to officiate for the funeral of my great-grandfather's daughter.

As a father myself, I kept thinking about the fact that many decades ago, Aunt Janice was the original John Stange's little girl. He would hold her on his lap, read to her, play games with her, and let her help him around his grocery store in Scranton's East Mountain neighborhood.

As I prepared to speak, I kept thinking about the fact that this wasn't just an opportunity to honor my aunt. This was also an opportunity to honor my great-grandfather, the man I'm named after. And I wanted to do a good job honoring the life and memory of his little girl.

Have you ever decided to do something because you knew it would have pleased someone who is now long gone? In 2 Samuel 9, David found himself in that exact position. In the years prior to his ascendency to the throne, David had a best friend named Jonathan. Jonathan was no longer living, but David wanted to honor him and his family. Jonathan was the son of King Saul, and David was closer to him than anyone else in his life.

Back in the days when Saul was trying to kill David, Jonathan helped protect him. As he did so, he accepted the fact that the day would come when David would be king, and he made a covenant with David, saying, "If I am still alive, show me the steadfast love of the Lord, that I may not die; and do not cut off your steadfast love from my house forever, when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord take vengeance on David's enemies.” (1 Samuel 20:14-16)

By the time we get to 2 Samuel 9, those days had long since passed. Both Saul and Jonathan were dead, and David was thinking back to an earlier season of life and the promises he made to Jonathan. In the midst of his contemplation, David asked, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” (2 Samuel 9:1)

David was told that Jonathan's son Mephibosheth was still living, but he was crippled in both of his feet. Earlier in the book of 2 Samuel, we're told how that injury occurred.

““Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.” ”

— 2 Samuel 4:4

David sent for Mephibosheth and had him brought before him. Historically, kings have had a habit of executing the descendants of rival kings upon replacing them, so I'm pretty confident Mephibosheth was quite nervous about being summoned. And as he appeared before David, we're told that he bowed down, humbled himself, and called himself both a servant and a dead dog. He wanted to make it abundantly clear to David that he didn't consider himself worthy of standing before him, and I'm sure he also feared that if he came across arrogantly in any way, his life might be taken from him on the spot.

But it wasn't David's intention to harm Mephibosheth. On the contrary, out of his love and respect for Mephibosheth's deceased father Jonathan, David wanted to bless him.

“And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” ”

— 2 Samuel 9:8

Could you imagine being Mephibosheth in that moment as David pronounced this blessing? Mephibosheth had lived a challenging life. He lost his father when he was a child. In the process of being cared for by his nurse, he was permanently injured. And I would suspect that he may have always wondered if the day would come when the king would decide to take some form of retribution against him because of his lineage. And yet here he was being shown favor by the king instead.

“Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table, like one of the king’s sons.”

— 2 Samuel 9:9-11

With one quick sentence, Mephibosheth went from living at a distance from the king to eating at his table like one of his own sons. He went from obscurity to being a wealthy landowner whose fields would be farmed by someone else, yet he would receive the produce and the profit. It's amazing how a life can be changed drastically over the course of just one day.

I don't know if it occurred to you while reading the account of Mephibosheth's experiences, but this is exactly what the Lord desires to do for us. He delights to take lost and lame people and give them a seat at His table. He loves to look at people who have nothing to offer Him and bless them in spite of that.

The gift of salvation and new life through Jesus Christ is an amazing thing. God offers us this gift, not for His benefit, but for ours. There isn't anything He needed that He didn't already have. There isn't anything we could offer Him that He couldn't have spoken into existence without our help. Yet in His compassion, He offers us an honored seat at His table.

Jesus gave us a picture of what it looks like when we model the example God has set for us...

“He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” ”

— Luke 14:12-14

We cannot truly repay our Heavenly Father for the goodness He has blessed us with through His Son, Jesus Christ. But we can follow His example. As men and women who are grateful for His willingness to reach into our lives of spiritual poverty and infirmity, and make us rich in spiritual blessings and honor, we can start reaching into the lives of others, in Jesus' name. We do this when we model the gospel, share its message, and serve someone else for Christ's glory.

I see a great example of this in the lives of my friends Fred and Deb. They grew up together in Wisconsin, got married young, moved to Florida to pastor a church, raised a family together, adopted several children, and continue to be a blessing to those the Lord sends their way.

Recently, they learned that the foster care system in their community was overwhelmed with needs. One of the needs they had was for stable families to be willing to allow temporarily displaced children to live with them. Fred and Deb said they were available to help, and very soon after twin 14-year-olds, a boy and a girl, were sent to live with them for 30 days while their mother finished serving a brief prison sentence.

Fred and Deb soon learned that these children had never met their father. They didn't even know his name or where he lived, but they thought about him all the time. As their month-long placement stretched on, it became clear to Fred that the boy in particular was latching on to him. He wanted to do everything Fred did. If Fred was carrying heavy things, he wanted to help. If Fred went shopping at a hardware store, he wanted to come. At the end of the month when their mother was about to be released, the siblings told Fred and Deb that they didn't want to leave.

I don't know what you feel when you hear a story like that, but one of the emotions I certainly feel is gratefulness that our Lord looks with compassion upon spiritual orphans like us and assures us that we have a home with him forever. He's the Father who will never leave, and His table is open to anyone who believes. Regardless of background, ethnicity, or social status, anyone who will trust in Jesus and accept the sacrificial atonement He accomplished for them on the cross, will be given a seat at the banquet table in the kingdom of God.

““And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” ”

— Luke 13:29-30

In his book, "Your Place at God's Table," Max Lucado shares this experience...

Some months ago I was late to catch a plane out of the San Antonio airport. I wasn’t terribly late, but I was late enough to be bumped and have my seat given to a stand-by passenger.

When the ticket agent told me that I would have to miss the flight, I put to work my best persuasive powers.

“But the flight hasn’t left yet.”

“Yes, but you got here too late.”

“I got here before the plane left; is that too late?”

“The regulation says you must arrive ten minutes before the flight is scheduled to depart. That was two minutes ago.”

“But, ma’am,” I pleaded, “I’ve got to be in Houston by this evening.”

She was patient but firm. “I’m sorry, sir, but the rules say passengers must be at the gate ten minutes before scheduled departure time.”

“I know what the rules say,” I explained. “But I’m not asking for justice; I’m asking for mercy.”

She didn’t give it to me.

But God does. Even though by the “book” I’m guilty, by God’s love I get another chance. Even though by the law I’m indicted, by mercy I’m given a fresh start.

“For it is by grace you have been saved…not by works, so that no one can boast.”

No other world religion offers such a message. All other demand the right performance, the right sacrifice, the right chant, the right ritual, the right séance or experience. Theirs is a kingdom of trade-offs and barterdom. You do this, and God will give you that.

The result? Either arrogance or fear. Arrogance if you think you’ve achieved it, fear if you think you haven’t.

Christ’s kingdom is just the opposite. It is a kingdom for the poor. A kingdom where membership is granted, not purchased. You are placed into God’s kingdom. You are “adopted.” And this occurs not when you do enough, but when you admit you can’t do enough. You don’t earn it; you simply accept it. As a result, you serve, not out of arrogance or fear, but out of gratitude.

Mephibosheth was grateful to be given a seat at the king's table that he didn't deserve. Through Jesus, we're given a seat at the King's table as well. We came broken, lame, and with a disgraced family name, but He heals us, stands us up straight, and gives us His name as our heritage forever.

© John Stange, 2023

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.

When it's time to pour out your heart to God

In my immaturity, I used to think that the goal of life was to make it through mistake-free. I have since learned that isn't possible, nor is it healthy to make that your aim. It produces a form of legalism that can result in unhealthy self-reliance and the inability to process mistakes or outright acts of rebellion when they occur in your life. And when you can't process those things in a healthy way, you will drift toward shame and despair.

Without a doubt, you can point to the worst decision you've ever made. Everyone has one. At some point during the course of your life, you hit your low point. You crossed a line that you never thought you'd cross. You may have even done something that you used to castigate others for doing.

As a follower of Christ, how should you process those mistakes? What should you do if you find yourself in the midst of your biggest sin, mistake, or act of rebellion toward God? And what should you do if someone loves you enough to point it out to you even before you are willing to admit it to yourself?

In 2 Samuel 11-12, we read about David's mistakes and the fallout that resulted from them. Generally speaking, David was a godly man. He loved the Lord, sought to honor the Lord with his life, modeled what it was like to worship the Lord, and encouraged the people of Israel to do the same.

At the same time, David was a man with an obvious weakness for women. And if we're being frank, I think just about every man I've ever met has that same weakness. We just haven't had our biographies printed in the best-selling book of all time as David did.

David caught a glimpse of Bathsheba bathing on a rooftop. His sinful heart longed to take her as his own, even though she was the wife of another man. He committed adultery with her anyway, impregnated her, attempted to disguise his indiscretion, and arranged for Bathsheba's husband Uriah to be unfairly executed in battle. For a time, he thought he had gotten away with it too, until the prophet Nathan was sent to David and confronted him about it all. God revealed David's hidden sins and Nathan addressed these hidden acts head-on.

If you were David, what would you have done? Would you have attempted to deny it? Would you have tried to kill the messenger? Would you have confessed your hidden sins and repented of them? By God's grace, David confessed and repented after being confronted. And under the Holy Spirit's inspiration, David wrote Psalm 51 to express his thankfulness to God for the healing and restoration he experienced, and to aid us in our times of confession, repentance, and restoration.

So what can we do when our sin is exposed and we can't bear the weight of it any longer? What can we do if we desire to experience restored fellowship with our Lord after embracing wickedness?

I. Seek God's mercy

““Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!””

— Psalm 51:1-2

There are many people who never seek God's mercy, largely because they don't actually believe they need it. But without the mercy of God, we would be doomed to eternal condemnation. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we become objects of mercy where we once were considered objects of God's wrath.

David was well aware of the fact that he messed up. He knew he deserved judgment and condemnation. He knew that he had no other hope than to seek the mercy of God in the midst of his sin. So he offered up a prayer for mercy. He clung to his knowledge of the unfailing love of God when he made his plea and humbly asked the Lord to blot out his sins like a stain being removed from a garment and cleanse him so he could be restored.

What a relief it must have been for him to come to this point. Many people spend their lives carrying a weight of regret around with them everywhere they go. The reminders of their sins are too much for their minds and hearts to bear, and that heaviness eventually affects all other areas of their lives. Their relationships suffer. Their drive and sense of confidence are diminished as well. Yet the solution was staring them in the face the whole time.

Don't carry a weight that's always been too heavy for you to bear. Seek God's mercy and hand your regrets over to Him. Jesus bore the weight of your sin upon Himself at the cross. Receive the gift of His mercy and find relief from the burden you're bearing.

II. Admit your sin

““For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” ”

— Psalm 51:3-5

My friend Lorenzo was once asked by his aunt to do her a favor when he was about ten years old. She asked him to bring some glassware she had borrowed from his grandmother back to her house. The glassware was packed carefully in a bag, and he walked that bag from his aunt's home to his grandmother's house. Along the way, he took an aggressive step off the sidewalk, and the second he did that, he could hear the sound of glass breaking in the bag.

The glassware was old and sentimental to his grandmother. As a boy, he probably shouldn't have been asked to transport it, but regardless, he knew it was damaged and his grandmother was going to be upset. He thought about hiding what he had done, but realized there wasn't any way he could really get away with doing that, so when he arrived at her house, he handed her the bag and confessed that he had broken the glassware. He felt bad about his mistake, but there was never a doubt in his mind that his grandmother loved him.

Admitting our sin to God is somewhat similar to Lorenzo's experience. We will be tempted to hide it, but nothing can be hidden from Him, so we might as well admit what we've done and call it out into the light. Amazingly, His love for us never changes even in the midst of our darkest moments.

David had been thinking about his sin for a long time at this point. It was something that had been eating him up, but now he was willing to admit that he had sinned against the Lord and that he understood that by nature, this was an ongoing struggle in his life.

Our best option when our sin becomes clear to us is to admit it. It's pointless to attempt to hide it. And when we admit it, remember that we're confessing it to One who loves us.

III. Find joy again

““Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.””

— Psalm 51:6-12

Have you ever met someone who seemed to exist in a perpetually downcast state? I remember observing that tendency in certain adults when I was still in high school and an older friend told me, "There's a good reason for that." I never asked her why she thought there was a good reason for seeming continually down, but I did reply, "I don't care what their reasons are. I just hope I don't find myself doing the same thing when I'm at their season of life."

As I've aged, my opinions are slightly more nuanced, but I can say that I think I know one reason some people seem continually down. I think they don't understand what joy is or where it can be found. David prayed, "Restore to me the joy of your salvation." Real joy can only be found in a state of surrender and complete trust in the goodness of God. If my life isn't surrendered to Him, I'll find myself in a state of internal conflict and that doesn't produce joy. If I refuse to trust that He is good, I'll question every test or trial that comes my way and blame God for the outcomes that differ from my preferences or expectations.

God delights in restoration. He enjoys restoring the lost and hurting. David confessed that in the midst of his struggles, he entertained thoughts of God casting him away from His presence or removing the anointing of the Holy Spirit from upon him. He may have wondered about these things after observing what happened in King Saul's life, and how the kingdom was eventually taken away from him.

I'm grateful that we can testify that the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit is a permanent reality for those who have been redeemed and restored through Jesus Christ. The Spirit who remains present in your life will counsel you and comfort you. He will point you in the direction of the truth and will help you find joy in Christ again if that's something you've been losing sight of.

IV. Tell someone what God has done for you

““Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.””

— Psalm 51:13-15

I often joke with my family that when I like something or get excited about something, I can't help telling everyone I know about it. It seems like David must have had the same propensity. He was a man of many words, and he was eager to tell others what the Lord had done for him.

David spoke of teaching others who were caught in sin the ways of God so they too could return to Him. He sang of God's righteousness as he contemplated his own deliverance. He declared God's praise because the Lord had been abundantly good to him.

Our Lord seeks the same response from our mouths. If you're convinced He's been good to you. tell someone about it.

V. Understand what God really wants from you

““For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.” ”

— Psalm 51:16-19

During the Old Testament era, God put a temporary sacrificial system in place. It was a temporary solution that pointed to the ultimate solution. The only blood sacrifice that could truly atone for the sin of man was the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross whose blood was spilled to pay for our transgressions.

Even though David was living during the era of animal sacrifice, he understood that God was looking for something much deeper that the spilled blood of an animal. That was never meant to be a permanent solution for our deepest problems.

As the Holy Spirit gave David the words to pen in this Psalm, He inspired him to express that what God really wants from us is a heart that's open to His intervention and presence. David said, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." God wanted this from David, and He wants it from us as well.

I don't know if it feels safe or if it feels dangerous for you to pour out your heart to God in confession and repentance, but I can assure you that's exactly what He wants you to do. Jesus didn't come to this earth for us to continue to bear the burden of our sin. He came to take it upon Himself so we could experience true joy and true liberty.

If your heart is heavy today, please open it to Jesus. Unload whatever is weighing you down, and accept the work of restoration and renewal He wants to do within you.

© John Stange, 2023

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.

Can I be honest with you?

It may not always feel like a blessing, but if you have a few people in your life who are willing to tell you the truth in love, you're a blessed person indeed.

I have a theory that I think is pretty accurate. It's a relational test, and something most people hesitate to practice. My theory goes like this; A true friend will always tell you if you have food on your face. An acquaintance or casual friend may or may not.

For all our quirks, I'm grateful for the relational honesty that I experienced growing up as a member of my family. My siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins never hesitated to tell me their real opinions about my life during my formative years. If I was making a poor decision, I heard about it. If they didn't like the way I cut my hair, I heard about it. If they noticed I was making a humming noise while I was eating, I heard about that too. Nothing was off limits.

The beauty of that relational style is that I rarely had to guess what my family was thinking, and I was given wisdom and correction before I might make a poor decision. Admittedly, I didn't always listen to the counsel I was given right away, but at least I had the blunt, but loving counsel of my family rattling around in my head while I tried to progress through the awkward years of my early life.

It can be tough for people in leadership to experience the blessing of lovingly honest counsel. Leaders are often attacked and nit-picked unfairly, so critique sometimes makes them feel defensive. Some leaders are so insecure that when they receive correction, they go on the offensive and attack their critics, even if the critic took a loving approach.

I suspect there weren't too many people in Israel who relished the thought of correcting David when he was in error. David was a powerful king. He was a mighty warrior who didn't have a habit of backing down from a challenge. He wasn't the type of guy most people in their right mind would be eager to confront, but sometimes he needed that confrontation, especially in the midst of seasons when he was drifting away from obedience to the teaching of God's word.

I grew up hearing the Ten Commandments at home and at church. The Ten Commandments advise us on what it looks like to love and honor God and love and honor other people. David was highly familiar with the Ten Commandments as well. I'm sure he could rattle them off verbatim without any hesitation. But it's one thing to know something in your head and another thing to actually live out what you claim to believe.

In 2 Samuel 11, we're shown examples of David blatantly breaking at least three commandments. The tenth commandment tells us not to covet another man's wife, yet David willingly coveted Uriah's wife, Bathsheba, without restraint. The seventh commandment tells us not to commit adultery, yet David was more than willing to sleep with Bathsheba the first opportunity he had to do so. The sixth commandment instructs us not to commit murder, yet David orchestrated the unjust execution of Uriah through trickery on the battlefield in an attempt to cover his own sin.

If all of this information was made known to you, would you have been willing to confront David about it? That's exactly the position Nathan found himself in. Nathan was a prophet, and when you observe the ministry of prophets during the days of the Old Testament, you can see that they often served as the conscience of the nation. In addition to their divinely enabled ability to foretell future things, they were also compelled by the Lord to bring out into the open the hidden wickedness kings and the nation as a whole were hiding in their hearts.

Prophets often experienced being ostracized by the community because their words were so unpopular. Frequently, their lives were taken from them because few people wanted to hear the uncomfortable truths they would speak. God would regularly make His appeal to the nation of Israel through the prophets He sent to them, and most often, the nation would reject that appeal.

After David committed adultery with Bathsheba and had Uriah killed, the Lord revealed these hidden acts to the prophet Nathan, and Nathan came to David to appeal to his heart about it.

I appreciate the approach Nathan took. He used a technique Jesus would often use during His earthly ministry when it was time to convey deeper level knowledge. If you've read the gospels, you've seen the many parables Jesus shared with the crowds. He would use parables to help them understand things they were missing. He also used parables to conceal certain things from those who had wicked intentions toward Him.

Nathan felt led to utilize that same approach when he confronted David. When he had David's ear, he started telling him a story of a poor man who wasn't rich in the things of this world but owned a little lamb that he cared for and fed like it was his own child.

“And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds, 3 but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. 4 Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” ”

— 2 Samuel 12:1-4

David didn't realize this was a parable, and he couldn't help but feel compassion for the poor man Nathan was telling him about. The whole story disturbed him immensely. Scripture makes it clear that the Lord has compassion for the poor, and I believe David often reflected the Lord's compassion for the destitute. After hearing this story, David was angry, and he wanted to see justice done.

“Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.””

— 2 Samuel 12:5-6

It's interesting to note how honest we can be when we feel like we're analyzing someone else's faults, but it's much harder to be objective when it's time to assess our own. David believed the rich man deserved death or at least a severe form of punishment for his sin, but Nathan was about to drop a bomb on David.

“Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. 8 And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. 9 Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.”

— 2 Samuel 12:7-9

Think about the life David had been blessed with and the providential ways the Lord had lifted him up from obscurity to a place of prominence. The Lord gave David strength. He made his name great in the land. He protected David from those who sought to harm him. He gave David power, riches, and frankly, as many wives and concubines as he wanted. And if this somehow wasn't enough, the Lord was willing to give him even more. But as we've seen in our own lives, if our heart isn't finding satisfaction and rest in the Lord, there's no fleshly craving that will successfully satisfy that void.

David was caught. What he thought was hidden was now out in the open, and his heart was grieved. The word of the Lord that was spoken through Nathan prompted swift conviction and repentance from David. There was nothing David could do besides admit that he had sinned and deserved the consequences of his actions.

“David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die.” Then Nathan went to his house.”

— 2 Samuel 12:13-15

Nathan did his job that day. I can only imagine what was going through his head when he walked back to his house after confronting the most powerful man in the land. David was now on the path to repentance, but the fallout from his actions would be severe.

There will be times in each of our lives when repentance will be necessary. In fact, I believe it's God's desire that we live with a spirit of ongoing repentance. Biblical repentance is more than just admitting fault and saying you're sorry. It involves a new way of thinking and believing. It necessitates a change in behavior. It's facilitated by a divinely orchestrated transformation where one willingly forsakes the things of this world to fully embrace Jesus, the giver of true life.

In His patience, the Lord has graced us with time to repent from our unbelief. We once ignored Christ's offer to forgive our sins and renew our minds, but now we value that opportunity.

"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent," (Acts 17:30)

John the Baptist preached a message of repentance. Jesus did as well.

“From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” ”

— Matthew 4:17

Repentance may seem like a scary word, but it's actually a delightful privilege. Consider what Jesus is giving us the opportunity to do. He lovingly invites us to stop wrapping our arms around the very things that seek to destroy us so we can experience the unfettered blessing of enjoying life in His kingdom. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Will we lose the eternal for the things that are passing, or will we seek first Christ's kingdom and Christ's righteousness?

In his book I Surrender, Patrick Morley writes that the church’s integrity problem is in the misconception “that we can add Christ to our lives, but not subtract sin. It is a change in belief without a change in behavior.” He goes on to say, “It is revival without reformation, without repentance.”

“In his book I Surrender, Patrick Morley writes that the church’s integrity problem is in the misconception “that we can add Christ to our lives, but not subtract sin. It is a change in belief without a change in behavior.” He goes on to say, “It is revival without reformation, without repentance.””

— Quoted in John The Baptizer, Bible Study Guide by C. Swindoll, p. 16

It can be easier to be honest with others than with ourselves, but a portion of Scripture like 2 Samuel 12 can help us in this process of gradual growth and reflection. For God's glory, let's embrace the repentance He prompts, the revival He fans into flame, and the reformation of our lives as we become new creations in Christ Jesus.

© John Stange, 2023

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.

How sensitive is your conscience?

The other day, I received a message from a friend I haven't seen or spoken to in several years. In his message, he filled me in on all the things he's been dealing with in his life and business since we last spoke. The past few years have been a particularly challenging time for him, and he's had to make many changes.

At the end of his message, he brought up the fact that he believed he owed me money from something I shared with him a while back, and he wanted to settle that debt. To be honest with you, that was the furthest thing from my mind, and as I thought about it, I wasn't under the impression that he actually owed me anything.

I appreciated, however, his willingness to bring it up. My guess is that it has been weighing on his mind for a couple of years. That means every time he heard my name or read something I posted online, a little voice in his head was probably saying, "You know, you owe John money. You should get around to paying that." I guess he finally got sick of rehashing that conversation in his mind.

There are times in all of our lives when we've probably attempted to squelch our conscience. The process of doing so begins in our childhood when we try to get away with things our parents have cautioned us against. It continues into our adulthood when we resist obeying a law, workplace rule, personal pledge, or command of God.

Some people spend their whole lives squelching their consciences. Their entire demeanor is fake. The person they present themself to be isn't anything like they really are. You can choose to live that way if you want to, but there's a price you pay for duplicity. It will cost you your self-respect, the ability to sleep at night, and your reputation. There are no secrets with God. Everything we think we're concealing will be completely revealed on the day of His choosing. None of us are exempt.

The story of David and Bathsheba is recorded in Scripture and widely known, but it includes many details that David initially thought would never be known publicly. He violated his conscience, disregarded God's commandments, and attempted to hide his duplicity, but the Lord brought everything to light in due time.

Even before examining the details of David's indiscretion with Bathsheba, I think it's helpful to acknowledge a pattern we can see throughout Scripture when it speaks of people we're often tempted to idolize. It's for our benefit that their low moments are recorded along with their achievements and acts of faith. We're shown these things so we don't mistakenly turn these men and women into objects of worship. Their lives serve as great examples to us, but they were far from perfect. Only one sinless man walked the face of this earth, and His name was Jesus. Never forget that, even when you're reading about the great works of people you admire.

The longer David was in power as king of Israel, the easier it became for him to drift from taking all aspects of his faith in the Lord seriously. David became used to many of the privileges and perks that come with high governmental positions. He lived in opulence. He ate well. He was highly respected. Many of his subjects revered him. While serving in that context, David became a little too accustomed to getting whatever he wanted, and that started to spoil him a little.

Would you want a life where you could get whatever you wanted? Do you think that would change you? Have you heard the story of Jack Whittaker? In 2002, he bought a lottery ticket and won $314 million. Jack pledged to use it to feed the poor, start and support churches, and bless his family. He got off to a good start, but the temptations that came with having more money than he knew what to do with eventually got the best of him. Within a few years, he developed addictions to gambling, alcohol, and strip clubs. His wife divorced him, his granddaughter died mysteriously (possibly from a drug overdose), his house burned to the ground, and Jack eventually died a devastated man with a damaged reputation.

David grew used to getting whatever he wanted, and one day while his army was off at war with the Ammonites, something new caught his eye. While walking around on the roof of his residence, David's eyes caught the sight of a beautiful woman bathing. His lustful heart kicked into overdrive and he had her brought to the palace.

Even though he was told she was the wife of Uriah, a soldier who was fiercely loyal to David and was listed among David's mightiest warriors (2 Sam. 23:39), David still chose to take advantage of her. Scripture says he slept with her and a child was conceived in this act.

David wanted to protect his reputation, so he attempted to disguise the fact that this child was his. In our era, many people utilize abortion to hide their pregnancies. I have a friend who recently decided to share publicly that when she was younger, she had two abortions in an attempt to escape the consequences of the lifestyle she was living. I'm grateful to be able to say that now she uses her testimony to encourage young women to find hope in Jesus instead of reverting to the world's solutions.

“So David sent word to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab was doing and how the people were doing and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” And Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.”

— 2 Samuel 11:6-9

In a vain attempt to cover his tracks, David requested that Uriah be brought back from the battle. His plan was to attempt to encourage Uriah to go home, sleep with Bathsheba, and give off the appearance that the baby she carried was his. But Uriah was a man of integrity and refused to enjoy the comforts of home while the rest of the army in which he served was at battle.

David's plan wasn't working, so he devised something more devious. Even though Scripture refers to David as a man after God's own heart (1 Sam. 13:14), he certainly wasn't acting with godliness during this brief season of his life. David's backup plan was to orchestrate Uriah's death in battle and then take Bathsheba as his own wife after Uriah was dead.

“In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.” And as Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant men. And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died. ”

— 2 Samuel 11:14-17

David is someone I have a lot of respect for, but this episode in his life is troubling on many levels. Not only did David squelch his conscience and sleep with another man's wife, but he also had that same man deliver the letter with his own hand which would result in his death. That's dark and quite painful to contemplate.

Put yourself in Uriah's shoes for just a moment. He was a strong and valiant man of integrity who loved his wife, loved his nation, and loved his king. Uriah was someone who was fiercely loyal to protecting David's life. If anything, David should have given Uriah the world, but instead, he took everything from him. What a sad thing to see Uriah betrayed by the man he had given his life to serve.

This story really demonstrates the depths of the darkness of the human heart. Sadly, if we make a habit of remaining ignorant of the counsel of God's Word and fail to heed the prodding of the Holy Spirit on our hearts, this is the same direction our lives will go. The exact circumstances may be a little different, but the carnage and consequences will be real.

But I'm going to tell you a little secret that's worth knowing if your heart is currently weighed down with regret or you're still in the process of trying to hide what you're ashamed of. Jesus understands it all, and there's a road back to a clear conscience and spiritual vitality.

““By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.” ”

— 1 John 3:19-20

There isn't a single mistake you've made in your life that came as a surprise to Jesus. There isn't a single season of rebellion and regret that His grace isn't sufficient to restore and His mercy isn't strong enough to forgive. Even if your heart is presently condemning you for past mistakes, God is greater than your heart. The road of faith and repentance leads back to Him. Walk away from what violates your conscience and run toward Him.

When reading about Uriah's demise, I can't help but think about everything Jesus endured at the end of His earthly ministry. Uriah was betrayed by someone he loved. He had been loyal to David but didn't receive loyalty in return. Jesus experienced betrayal that also led to His physical death, yet He endured even more emotional pain than Uriah because His betrayal was known to Him. He was aware that it was happening while it was taking place.

““Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.” ”

— Luke 22:3-6

Isn't it interesting to observe the fruit of a seared conscience? David tried to betray Uriah in secret. Judas sought an opportunity to betray Jesus in the absence of a crowd. Sin can't stand up to the light, so it loves to operate in secret. But again, secrecy is an illusion. In the end, there is nothing that will be hidden.

““For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.” ”

— Luke 8:17

David is easy to pick on. So is Judas. From a safe distance, we throw our stones and find the faults we want to find. But these men aren't the only ones guilty of betrayal. Our hands are just as filthy. I don't really like to think about it, but every time I've praised Jesus with my lips and gone my own way in my life, I've betrayed Him. Every time He has tugged at the strings of my heart and I've persisted in my own rebellion, I've betrayed Him.

Mercy, patience, and time are valuable gifts that we as Christians have been blessed to receive. It's a gift to know that through Jesus, we have been made objects of God's perfect mercy. It's a gift to know that our Lord abounds in patience toward His rebellious children. It's a gift to be given enough time to realize that desensitizing our consciences will eventually make us sick to our stomachs and ruin our quality of life.

So what's the alternative? The alternative is to rely on the power of Christ to resist the allure of this world's vain attempts to take the place of Jesus in our lives. This world tells you it will make you happy and soothe your pain, but it doesn't really have the capacity to do that. Its promises are empty because this world can't offer eternal solutions. Eternal solutions for our grief, loneliness, and pain can only be found through Jesus.

How sensitive is your conscience? Stay sensitive to the Lord's leading. He remains forever faithful and will expose the deceitful schemes of the evil one that stand against you.

© John Stange, 2023

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.

Never be too dignified to seek the Lord's presence

One of the stranger moments in my life occurred when I was mowing the lawn soon after becoming a pastor. I was in my early 20s, and on a hot summer day, I stepped outside to do some yard work. We didn't own a home of our own yet, but the church I served had a parsonage with a very small yard right next door to the church building.

The church and parsonage were on one of the busier streets in town which is great in some respects, and not so great in others. It was helpful for the church because our building was highly visible and easy to find, but it wasn't ideal for me because my already public life was made even more public because of the traffic.

Whenever I worked outside, people would often politely beep or wave. I'm a social person, so I actually enjoyed that. But some people didn't beep. They just stared and observed whatever I was doing, and I soon learned that at least one elderly woman had a strong opinion about the way I mowed the parsonage lawn. She didn't care about the path of the mower or the blade height. Her big concern was the clothing I wore while working.

I'll never forget when she confronted me a few days after that mowing and said, "I saw you mowing the other day... in shorts!" She was not pleased. Apparently, in her mind, that wasn't a dignified manner of dressing. I soon learned that there was a time, decades earlier when some of the local clergy really would wear suits and formal clothing while working outside.

In my opinion, there is a time when formal attire is appropriate, and other times when it isn't quite as necessary. Admittedly, that's a subjective opinion. In the end, what matters most is our heart before the Lord. It matters more than outward appearances or formalities.

That's something I really appreciate about David. Scripture lets us see glimpses into his life that reveal he had a heart for the things that mattered to God. Sometimes, he was even accused of not being as formal or dignified as he could have been while giving God praise, but David desired to live his life in the midst of the Lord's presence.

For that reason, during the early years of his kingship, David wanted the ark of the covenant brought to Jerusalem where he reigned. Decades earlier, the ark had been captured by the Philistines in battle. After they experienced clear evidence of judgment for their theft, they returned it to Israel, and for 20 years it was kept in the home of Abinadab whose son, Eleazor, looked after it.

The ark was a visible sign of the covenant God made with the people of Israel during the time of Moses. It was a chest made from acacia wood and overlaid with gold. Inside the ark were the stone tablets on which God inscribed the Ten Commandments. The ark was to be kept in the inner area of the tabernacle and was later housed in the temple after that structure was built.

The lid or covering that was over the ark was called the "Mercy Seat." Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter the place where the ark was kept and atone for his sins and the sins of the people of Israel by sprinkling the blood of a sacrificed animal on the Mercy Seat. There was great prophetic significance to this act that I'll come back to in a few moments.

In 2 Samuel 6, we're told about the process David orchestrated to bring the ark from Abinidab's home to Jerusalem. The ark was placed on a new cart, and David celebrated with the people of Israel as the ark was being brought toward the city. In a very real way, God's presence went with the ark, and David loved the thought of living and serving in the presence of the Lord.

As the ark was being transported on a new cart that was pulled by oxen, the oxen stumbled and Uzzah, one of the sons of Abinidab, reached out to keep the ark from falling off the cart. His motives were good, but his methods were not in accordance with the clearly stated will of God. In Numbers 4, God declared that when the ark needed to be moved, it should only be transported on poles that were carried by the Levites. Uzzah died because of this error as God struck him down.

With that event fresh in our minds, let me ask a personal question. Have you ever questioned God's plans? Have you ever become irritated or angry with God over the way He chooses to do things? If you were David, how would you have felt seeing Uzzah struck down while attempting to do what he thought was right? Would that have bothered you?

Scripture tells us that David got rather angry over this. I think he also became frustrated, and he directed the ark to be placed in the house of Obed-edom instead of being brought into the city. I don't know what David thought was going to happen to Obed-edom when the ark was brought into his home, but three months later, David received a very positive report. Obed-edom and his household were being divinely blessed.

“And it was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing.  And when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal.  And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod.  So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn.”

— 2 Samuel 6:12-15

This is one of my favorite Scriptures regarding David and his propensity to worship the Lord. We're told here that David wasn't dressed in kingly robes, but rather chose to wear a simple linen ephod like the priests would wear. As the ark was brought into Jerusalem, he danced with all his might. Just picture David spinning around and jumping for joy, working up a sweat, shouting at the top of his lungs as the ark was brought into the city. This was a great day, and he wasn't inclined to keep his feelings under wraps as he expressed his joy.

Do you ever wonder if we're trying too hard to remain dignified when we express our thankfulness to the Lord? Do you ever sing in your car when you're driving alone? Do you ever drum on your steering wheel when a song inspires you? Have you ever been caught singing or drumming by another driver? Do you fight to allow yourself to express something that touches your heart because it isn't as dignified as when something touches your head?

David had a wonderful time worshiping the Lord as the ark was brought into the city. He celebrated the reality of God's presence being right there with him and the people he led. But of course, not everyone shared this joy. David had multiple wives, one of which was Michal, the daughter of Saul, and she seemed disgusted with David's dancing and exuberance. It was all too undignified for her snooty and pretentious tastes.

“And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”  And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord.  I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.”  And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.”

— 2 Samuel 6:20-23

Instead of sharing in David's joy, Michal mocked it. I get the impression she may have struggled with jealousy like her father Saul often did. Maybe she was bothered to observe the obvious ways the Lord was blessing David and the ways in which the people celebrated right along with him because that wasn't the kind of blessing her father experienced during his reign. Either way, she tried to put David down, but her insults couldn't quench his desire to honor the Lord. In modern language, his response to her could be translated, "You thought that was undignified? You haven't seen anything yet!"

There's a lesson for us in this story that I hope we'll contemplate. Don't always expect your joy in the Lord to be appreciated or reciprocated by everyone in your life, even your own family. You are likely to encounter people who will mock you, misunderstand you, put you down, and openly attempt to discourage you. Don't let their harsh and hurtful words rob you of what Jesus has blessed you with.

I mentioned a few details about the ark of the covenant and its covering, the Mercy Seat, a few moments ago. Have you ever considered what the Mercy Seat was foreshadowing? During the days of David, there was one place where the sins of the people could be atoned. It was at the Mercy Seat, the lid or covering for the ark. It was there that sacrificial blood was shed and the wrath of God against the sin of man was appeased.

The Mercy Seat foreshadowed the atoning death of Jesus on the cross. The blood of animals being sprinkled on the lid of that wooden chest was a precursor to the blood of Jesus being shed on our behalf on a wooden cross. In the era in which we live, the cross is the one place where our sin could be atoned for good. No further sacrifice needs to be made. No additional blood needs to be shed.

Like the Mercy Seat over the ark of the covenant, Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God, is our covering.

For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:28)

According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. (1 Peter 1:2)

just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” (Romans 4:6-8)

How joyful are you at the thought of receiving the mercy of God through the atoning sacrifice Jesus made on your behalf? How joyful are you at the realization that the blood of Christ was sufficient to cover your sins? Is that something you find easy to contain, or would you be willing to risk a little dignity in this world's eyes as you express your gratitude?

© John Stange, 2023

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.

Becoming great, but not in your own eyes

The other day, I had the awkward experience of having to listen to someone praise himself. I guess I shouldn't truly say that I "had to" listen to him do it because I was technically listening to an audiobook and I could have turned it off, but just the same, it was a little awkward to hear him sing his own praises. The book literally began with five straight minutes of the author listing everything he had ever succeeded at, and every credential he ever earned. To a degree, I understood that he was trying to establish his credibility before elaborating on his subject, but just the same, I wouldn't have minded if he did without the self-praise.

I guess to some degree, we're all tempted to praise ourselves. I have certainly done so, and I suspect I'm not alone. But hearing this author praise himself at length was a healthy reminder to me that extolling our own praises isn't flattering, isn't wise, and doesn't really convey the kind of heart the Lord wants us to demonstrate.

““Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.””

— Proverbs 27:2

During the days of his service to Israel as a warrior and a king, David certainly could have praised himself, but thankfully, he made a pattern of reserving his praise for the Lord. He also seemed to retain great respect for others, even when those people treated him with contempt and disrespect.

A powerful example of this can be seen in the respectful way David continued to respond to Saul and Saul's household, even though King Saul was jealous of David and fearful of David usurping his authority. Sadly, in 2 Samuel 1, David learned of Saul's death, and he grieved heavily for him. He even wrote a lament about Saul and Saul's son Jonathan and instructed the people of Judah to learn it and repeat it.

But now the time had come for David to assume the throne that was promised to him by the prophet Samuel. The process began in the land of Judah, then was eventually completed in all the land of Israel. The Lord instructed David to go to Hebron, and there the men of Judah anointed him as their king.

Many people, when they assume a role of leadership, display their insecurities in a very particular way. Maybe you've noticed this as well. From what I have seen, when new leaders take the helm in corporations, teams, governments, and even ministries, it can be common for them to disparage the work of their immediate predecessors. I often see this done by political leaders, but I've also seen ministry leaders follow that pattern on more than one occasion. It's not wise, but it is common.

Even though Saul certainly deserved to be disparaged, what did David choose to do? David honored his predecessor and also made a point to honor those who did the same. When he learned that the men of Jabesh-gilead gave Saul a respectable burial, David spoke a blessing over them and asked the Lord to show His steadfast love and faithfulness to these men who were loyal to Saul, even in death.

Again, that's not a common way to respond to the demise of a leader who slandered you and sought your life. But the Holy Spirit was guiding David's temperament and gave him the desire to honor those He had anointed for service, including Saul.

Have you ever been placed in a similar position to David where you could have spoken ill of someone, but you chose to honor them instead? If you had the opportunity to trash them with your words, but you followed the prompting of the Spirit to hold your tongue, that most certainly is evidence of the Lord fostering spiritual maturity within you. Naturally speaking, we desire revenge. Spiritually speaking, we understand that the Lord is the only one with truly innocent hands, so vengeance should always be left up to Him.

I will also warn you that should you ever choose to step into a role of business or ministry leadership, this is precisely where you're going to be tested. One of the hardest things for me to adjust to when I started serving in more public roles was the amount of criticism and slander I sometimes received. It actually shocked me, and it took me a long time to adjust to it, but the gracious example of people like David has helped me understand there's a healthier way to respond. More often than not, I don't respond defensively. The Lord has been helping me to grow comfortable trusting Him to handle it for me.

Jesus put this all in perspective for us in His Sermon on the Mount when He said, "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:11-12)

After Saul died and the people of Judah anointed David as their king, the rest of Israel made Saul's son, Ish-bosheth king of Israel. Ish-bosheth served in that capacity for two years, even though that position was rightfully David's by prophetic decree. Ish-bosheth was eventually murdered by two men who were captains of raiding bands. After his death, all the tribes of Israel sent elders to David at Hebron where he made a covenant with them and they anointed him to be the king over a united Israel.

Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. 2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. (2 Samuel 5:1-5)

By virtue of the fact that David reigned for 40 years and people are still talking about him to this day, you can certainly say he was a great man. But what does it mean to really become great? And how can we become "great" without being "great in our own eyes?"

If we're going to be great in the biblical sense of that term, I believe the process begins by living in close proximity to the Lord. There are many people in this world, even some professing believers, who seem to treat the presence of the Lord like a burden and not a blessing. They think of Him as one who seeks to stifle their fun or place a wet blanket over their ambitions. But that's not how David saw the Lord. He wanted to live in the center of the Lord's will and live his days with a strong sense of the fact that the Lord was right there with him in the midst of his joys and his struggles. True greatness cannot be obtained if we're living distant from God.

““And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.” ”

— 2 Samuel 5:10

The concept of becoming great isn't something that's only spoken of in David's context. During Christ's earthly ministry, the concept of greatness seemed to fascinate His disciples. They brought the subject up repeatedly, and I assume they were thinking about it because crowds were swarming to Jesus and many expected Him to establish Himself as King over Israel in the political and military sense. The disciples seemed to believe they would serve as Jesus' cabinet or inner circle of leaders once He overthrew the Roman government. But that's not the kind of kingdom Jesus came to establish, and He wasn't espousing greatness in the way many people of this world assume that the term should be used.

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”  And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

— Matthew 18:1-4

To be great in the kingdom of heaven, we must repent of our desire for worldly greatness and become like children. Children accept the fact that they don't know everything. They walk by faith, trusting others to meet their needs. They go about their daily lives with humility because of what they can't reach, read, or do. That's the kind of trust and reliance Jesus wants to see in our lives toward Him. Greatness in the kingdom of God can't be obtained apart from that kind of faith.

The other evening, our family sat down to watch home videos I took when our oldest children were just little. It was so cute to watch them learn to walk and talk. They literally trusted us for their every need. God wants that from us as well, even though it can be hard to walk by faith when you're living in the prime of life and it feels like you're operating under your own strength.

Jesus also explained that greatness in His kingdom doesn't resemble the leadership styles of earthly authorities. Most people cannot handle money, power, or influence. In the vast majority of contexts where any one of those three is obtained, they're abused. You don't have to look far to find contemporary examples of that abuse either. How many politicians have you seen become drunk with power the second they obtained it? What do most of them do with their power if they aren't restrained? Most often, they misuse it by becoming overbearing, domineering, and controlling.

“But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” ”

— Matthew 20:25-28

Greatness in the kingdom of God isn't about controlling or dominating other people. It's about serving. That's exactly what Jesus chose to do for us. All creation was spoken into existence through Him, yet He humbly took the form of a servant and gave His life for us. He healed the sick, counseled the confused, washed the feet of His students, and gave His life to rescue the lost. He is the ultimate example of greatness. The pattern of selfless service that He established is the pattern we should model our lives after.

Early in the earthly ministry of Jesus, He said something worth noticing about John the Baptist. Jesus said of him, "I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” (Luke 7:28)

John was a humble servant of the Lord who didn't waste his time caring about the trivial things that matter to most people. He gave his time, and ultimately his life, to proclaim the message of repentance that the Lord had entrusted to him. Yet Jesus also says that the one who is least in the kingdom of God is even greater than John. What did He mean by that?

John lived and ministered before the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. There are blessings that you and I as believers under the New Covenant get to experience that John didn't taste during his earthly life. We are a blessed people who have been showered with eternal gifts we couldn't earn and didn't deserve. We were dead in sin, yet Jesus made us alive in Him. We were low, but He has made us great in His eyes. And now, with respect for Him and all He has done for us, He invites us to approach the rest of our earthly lives with an eye toward humbly serving others in His name.

David was raised up to glorify God and serve the people of Israel. Jesus has raised us up so that we would glorify His name and serve others as well. Your service will start in your home, continue in the church, and very likely extend beyond it. But as the Lord lifts you up, don't seek to be great in your own eyes. Keep singing His praises, not your own.

© John Stange, 2023

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.

Are you stuck in the embrace of foolishness?

Lately, I've been paying attention to a lot of sports coverage, particularly coverage of the Philadelphia Eagles - the team I have been cheering on before I could even read or write. In the midst of the stories and commentary I have been reading and watching, I came across some comments about quarterback Jalen Hurts that were shared by former Eagles' quarterbacks; Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick.

Jalen Hurts is in the early stretch of his professional football career, but he has developed a reputation for remaining calm and keeping himself under control. Hurts' demeanor has caught the attention of the sports media as well as his predecessors. When asked about Hurts, McNabb and Vick both agreed that if they could go back in time to their early years as professional athletes, they would have liked to carry themselves more like Hurts is doing.

I would suspect almost all of us might be willing to say something similar about our own lives when we think back to some of our earlier seasons. I certainly feel that way about my life. With some lingering embarrassment, I often think about my earlier days when I made some poor choices or spoke words in a careless manner that I wish I could take back. It's fair to say there were seasons of life when I willingly embraced foolishness without even realizing I was doing so.

1 Samuel 25 paints a picture of foolishness and what it's like to be caught in its embrace. In fact, this portion of Scripture shows us the effects of foolishness on the one who embraces it and on those who live in close proximity to it.

In this passage, we're told that after the death of Samuel, David and his men did some traveling. They ventured into the wilderness of Paran where their paths crossed with those who kept sheep for Nabal, a very wealthy man who did business in Carmel. Nabal had thousands of sheep and goats, and those who tended his sheep were protected by David and his men while they were in the area. David's men made sure that no harm came to Nabal's belongings, and they protected his wealth like a great wall of defense.

Having been served in this way, you would assume Nabal would have been grateful for the blessings and protection he received, but I get the impression that Nabal was a short-sighted man who didn't express gratefulness for his blessings very often. In fact, the name Nabal means "foolish", and we're shown a startling example of how he managed to live up (or down) to that name.

After being served by David and his men, Nabal rejected returning the favor. We're told that David sent ten men to Nabal to request whatever food or provision he would be willing to spare for David and the men traveling with him. David's request was perfectly reasonable and was truly more of a request than a demand. I believe that Nabal could have said yes or no to the men David sent, and his answer would have been accepted had it been expressed respectfully.

But instead of giving a respectful answer, Nabal demonstrated the depth of his foolishness and lack of gratitude. Not only did he decline the request, but he also made a point to mock and insult David and his men.

“And Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters. Shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men who come from I do not know where?””

— 1 Samuel 25:10-11

When David was informed of this insult, he was incensed, and he instructed his men to wreak havoc upon Nabal's household. They strapped their swords to their waists and prepared to slaughter Nabal and every man under his roof. Four hundred men joined David as they began making their way toward Nabal's home, but they were providentially interrupted by Nabal's wife, Abigail.

When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. 25 Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. 26 Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. 27 And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live." (1 Samuel 25:23-28)

The other day, I was having a conversation with two other men who serve in leadership roles, and I expressed an observation I first made when I was in my early twenties and started regularly attending board meetings. I wondered if they had made the same observation, and I asked, "Have you ever noticed the difference it makes in the tone of a meeting if there's at least one woman present in the room? From what I see, it tends to go better. The conversation tends to be better articulated and the tone becomes softer."

That concept crossed my mind again when I was reading Abigail's actions in this passage. With great wisdom, prudence, and humility, she was able to stop an army of 400 angry men from killing her husband and destroying her household. She blessed them with the provisions Nabal should have gladly given them. She offered to bear the blame for his foolishness. She even reminded David of the high calling God had placed on his life.

Have you ever been interrupted by one of your brothers or sisters in Christ who providentially prevented you from making a rash decision or engaging in foolishness? In retrospect, wasn't that a huge blessing to you?

I still remember a time in college when some of my friends and I decided to do some rock climbing in an area park. We didn't have any safety equipment and we really didn't know what we were doing. As we prepared to ascend, a jogger came by, engaged us in conversation, and said, "I know it's tempting to try to climb that, but I don't think you should. It's almost a guarantee that one of you is going to get hurt." His words persuaded us to give up the idea. I think God sent him our way on purpose to prevent us from making a big mistake.

And David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! 33 Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand! 34 For as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male.” 35 Then David received from her hand what she had brought him. And he said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. See, I have obeyed your voice, and I have granted your petition.” (1 Samuel 25:32-35)

David praised the Lord for sending Abigail to intervene. He obeyed her counsel and assured her there would be no bloodshed that day. Afterward, Abigail returned home to Nabal who was very drunk and blissfully unaware that he would have been exterminated if she hadn't intervened. The next morning after he sobered up, she told him everything that took place. Upon hearing the news, he either had a heart attack or a stroke, but within ten days, he died.

When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord who has avenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from wrongdoing. The Lord has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head.” Then David sent and spoke to Abigail, to take her as his wife. 40 When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife.” (1 Samuel 25:39-40)

I don't know all the details of what Abigail's marriage to Nabal was like, but I'm pretty confident it wasn't pleasant. Nabal certainly hadn't earned her respect. It's clear that Abigail thought he was a foolish man, and I'm certain she didn't appreciate having to bail him out of trouble or having her life placed in danger because of his arrogance and selfishness. For a season of her life, she was stuck in the embrace of foolishness, but now that season had come to an end and she was becoming the bride of the soon-to-be king of Israel.

Some people look at their earthy lives and think their best years occurred during the first half. Others feel like their best years came during the second half of life. I'm guessing that's how Abigail probably felt. She went from union with foolishness to becoming the bride of a king. And when you look at Abigail's story, I hope you see a glimpse of your story in her example.

Before we knew Jesus, we too were united with foolishness.

““For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Claiming to be wise, they became fools,” ”

— Romans 1:21-22

But Jesus looked at us with compassion and wasn't content to allow us to remain caught in the embrace of foolishness. He directly intervened, forgave our insults and offenses, and took us to be His bride. Now, everyone who humbly trusts in Jesus and entrusts their life over to Him becomes united to Him forever in a spiritual marriage that cannot be severed.

““Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” ”

— Ephesians 5:25-27

The other day, a friend of mine shared this statement on her social media. She said, "You are not the sum of your mistakes." Aren't you glad that's true? I used to think it was my goal to try to make it through life mistake-free. I've since lived long enough to know that isn't possible for me. Maybe you've lived long enough to know that's not possible for you either. Isn't it wonderful to know that when Jesus looks at those who trust in Him, He isn't seeing us for our mistakes? He sees the church as His bride. Holy. Spotless. Without blemish. No longer bound to foolishness, but free. Not abandoned or in peril, but united to Him, the King of kings.

Please do yourself a favor today. Don't burden your heart with the weight of your mistakes or the foolishness you were once bound to. Jesus has set you free, and He sees you differently now. He's not ashamed to call you His own. He's not ashamed to give you His name. Get ready for the second half of life to be immeasurably better than the first.

© John Stange, 2023

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.

Set apart and anointed for the work of God

When I was in sixth grade, I went shopping with my grandmother and her sister, my great-aunt, who was like a bonus grandmother to me. In their later years, they shared a home, and whenever my sisters and I would visit, they would plan all sorts of fun things for us to do, including regular visits to the stores on Public Square in downtown Wilkes-Barre, PA.

One afternoon while we were shopping, we came across a watch counter in one of the stores that featured a brand of watches that was trendy in the mid to late 1980s. If you remember Swatch watches, they were "must-have" items at the time, and my aunt offered to buy one for me. Looking at the various styles and all the loud designs, I finally settled on a watch that was completely transparent. That meant the gears and other parts were completely visible to the eye. Even the wristbands were see-through.

If you've ever seen the inner workings of a watch, you know that there are lots of gears and intricate parts that need to work together in perfect harmony for that watch to keep time. If you remove any one of those tiny pieces, the watch will immediately stop functioning properly.

The church operates in a similar way. We all have an important function, even if we feel like we play a smaller role. If any one of us is missing, the entire body is going to be impacted. All believers have been set apart or anointed for the work God wants to accomplish through our lives, and we all play a valuable role in the great work He's doing.

The concept of being anointed for a specific task has been illustrated several times in the book of 1 Samuel. Saul was anointed with oil by the prophet Samuel to serve as Israel's first king. Years later, David was anointed by Samuel to replace Saul in that role. But in the years where there was overlap, Saul was insanely jealous of David, so much so that he devoted considerable time and manpower to capturing and attempting to kill him.

That's what was taking place in 1 Samuel 24. Ever since David killed Goliath with just a sling and a stone, he was a person of note in Israel. He was like a celebrity to the people, and many were devoted and loyal to him, including the hundreds of men who surrounded him and regularly fought with him in battle. Saul, being insecure and protective of his own power, viewed David as a threat to be eliminated, not a man to honor or cooperate with.

Scripture tells us that Saul took three thousand men and went after David. In this pursuit, Saul came upon a deep cave and chose to relieve himself inside where he assumed he'd have some privacy. Providentially, David and his men were also in that cave, and as Saul approached, it was the belief of David's men that this would provide the perfect opportunity to kill Saul and end his murderous pursuit. But it was never in David's heart to hurt or kill Saul. Rather, he quietly approached Saul in the darkness and cut off a corner of his robe.

Interestingly, Scripture indicates that David actually felt a little bad about doing that, even though he had just spared Saul's life. The robe of a king was one of the ways in which his authority was visually conveyed. It very likely would have been stitched from choice fabrics which made it rather uncommon in texture and appearance. Instead of cutting Saul down, David cut off that corner piece of material which would later be used to illustrate that he had mercifully spared Saul's life.

“And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.  He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.”  So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way. ”

— 1 Samuel 24:5-7

After Saul left the cave, David emerged and called out to him. David grieved over the malice that Saul had in his heart toward him. He knew it was irrational. He also didn't reciprocate those emotions. David even went so far as to show honor toward Saul even though Saul brought thousands of men into the wilderness to pursue David and end his life.

““Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’  See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand.””

— 1 Samuel 24:10-11a

Why did David demonstrate such mercy and respect toward Saul? Would you have done the same? It's clear that David wasn't weak, nor was he afraid to end the lives of soldiers from warring nations that attempted to harm the people of Israel. But when it came to Saul, he couldn't bring himself to hurt him. I believe this reluctance can be attributed to the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in David's life. The Spirit of God was shaping David's heart. He was helping Him understand deeper-level concepts that need to be spiritually perceived in order to be grasped. The Spirit of God was compelling David not to harm someone who had been anointed by the Lord, and even though Saul was in rebellion against the Lord, he had still been divinely anointed or set apart as king.

The concept of bringing no harm to the Lord's anointed is spoken of elsewhere in God's Word, even though that concept was regularly disregarded by the people of Israel. When we read through the Old Testament, we see examples of people the Lord divinely anointed for their task. We learn of patriarchs and prophets that God called out from among the people. Years later, David himself referenced the concept of bringing no harm to the Lord's anointed when he sang to the Lord after the ark of the covenant was brought back to Jerusalem. He sang the words, “Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!” (1 Chronicles 16:22)

The concept of the Lord's anointing is a fascinating thing to contemplate. In our era, I often hear people describe certain church leaders as "anointed", and I've seen that perspective manipulated and misused. There are some in leadership who attempt to convey that they're above making mistakes, are uncommonly holy, and can't be challenged because their ministry has been anointed. That's a misapplication of this concept.

In fact, as believers living under the New Covenant, we were anointed with the Holy Spirit the moment we trusted in Jesus. We've been baptized by the Spirit, sealed by the Spirit, and consecrated for the work the Lord plans to accomplish through our lives. "But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge." (1 John 2:20)

As His public ministry began, the anointing of the Holy Spirit was demonstrated in Jesus' life when He was set apart and consecrated for His mission. At the time of His baptism we're told, "the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, 'You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.'” (Luke 3:22)

Multiple accounts are also given in the gospels of Jesus being anointed with oil in preparation for His death and burial, and also to acknowledge His authority as the Messiah and King.

“Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” ”

— John 12:3-8

"Jesus Christ is God’s anointed Messiah. The word Messiah means 'anointed one' and derives directly from the Hebrew word for 'anointed.' Christ comes from the Greek word Christos, also meaning 'anointed one.' Thus, Christ is the Greek equivalent to Messiah. -https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-anointed.html

It's my belief that when David expressed reluctance to raise his hand in aggression against the Lord's anointed, He was demonstrating that the internal witness of the Holy Spirit was guiding and directing his thoughts and actions. He may not have been able to fully articulate the full theological significance of his reluctance to strike Saul, but I believe it can be said that his respect for the Lord's anointed was actually a form of respect for the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

When I think about the broader application of a portion of Scripture like 1 Samuel 24, I think about the anointed ministry of Jesus, the work we've been anointed to do in His name, and the respect we have the opportunity to show Him in the process of taking the steps of obedience He calls us to take.

In the eleventh century, King Henry III of Bavaria grew tired of court life and the pressures of being a monarch. He made application to Prior Richard at a local monastery, asking to be accepted as a contemplative and spend the rest of his life in the monastery.

“Your Majesty,” said Prior Richard, “do you understand that the pledge here is one of obedience? That will be hard because you have been a king.”

“I understand,” said Henry. “The rest of my life I will be obedient to you, as Christ leads you.”

“Then I will tell you what to do,” said Prior Richard. “Go back to your throne and serve faithfully in the place where God has put you.”

When King Henry died, a statement was written: “The King learned to rule by being obedient.”

When we tire of our roles and responsibilities, it helps to remember God has planted us in a certain place and told us to be a good accountant or teacher or mother or father. Christ expects us to be faithful where he puts us, and when he returns, we’ll rule together with him.

-Steve Brown, Key Biscayne, Florida (Bible.org)

Our lives serve as a continuation of the work Jesus inaugurated during His earthly ministry. The Holy Spirit has anointed us to obediently serve Christ in various ways. The fields we serve in, and the manner in which we serve may look drastically different, but they're all part of a greater plan.

I believe the Lord intentionally places believers in all kinds of areas, doing different things, so that the fragrance of Christ might permeate all kinds of industries and vocations. Some of us are anointed to lead in the church. Some of us have been sent to the local school district. Others are sent to the various offices, retail hubs, restaurants, and manufacturing centers in our community. A few of us have been sent to be the fragrance of Christ in the halls of government, the streets of law enforcement and emergency services, and the hospitals. It's all by design. It's all on purpose.

Respect for God's anointing, and His anointed servants, can ultimately serve as a form of respect for the Anointed One, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Out of our reverence and respect for Jesus, let's joyfully and obediently complete the mission His Spirit has anointed us to fulfill.

© John Stange, 2023

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.

What would you attempt if you knew you couldn't fail?

There are several stories in the Bible that seem to be universally known, and the biblical account of David and Goliath is certainly toward the top of that list. Sometimes, it's hard to make it a day without hearing it referenced. Even last week while I was watching a football game, I heard one of the commentators bring up the story as he described a running back blasting through a large line of defenders to score a touchdown.

When you hear the story of David and Goliath referenced, what applications come to your mind? What do you believe the Lord wants us to glean from an account like this? Frankly, I think there are multiple applications, and I intend to highlight some of them, but one particular application stands out to me when I read a passage like this that might be helpful to ask as a question.

What would you attempt if you knew you couldn't fail?

That's a question I'd like you to be thinking about as we work our way through the content of this Scripture.

As 1 Samuel 17 begins, we're told of a conflict that was in the midst of taking place between the Philistines and the army of Israel. Historically, conflict between these two nations was rather common, but a new element of this conflict is introduced in this passage. We're told here that day after day, the Philistine army and Israeli army would line up and face each other in battle formation. And when they lined up, the Philistines would bring their champion Goliath out to mock and intimidate the men of Israel.

Goliath was absolutely huge. In English measurements, he would be approximately 9 ft. 9 inches tall. I guarantee you've never seen someone anywhere near that height. The tallest contemporary example on record with the Guinness Book of World Records is a man named Robert Wadlow who stood 8 ft. 11 inches. I'm guessing Mr. Wadlow was frequently compared to Goliath when he lived back in the 1930s and 1940s, but the comparison, in my opinion, isn't sufficient.

Wadlow was tall and lanky, but Goliath was tall and muscular. He wore a coat of armor that weighed 125 lbs. like it was a light jacket. His chest must have been massive and his legs were probably thick like the trunk of a tree. Goliath wasn't just tall, he was strong and mobile. He was someone who could use his massive size in battle, and he seemed to take delight in watching others cower in fear before him. I get the impression that his whole sense of identity and worth were wrapped up in his great size and fighting ability.

Each day, Goliath would come before the men of Israel and challenge them to fight, but no one wanted to volunteer for the task. It seemed illogical to the men of Israel. Who among them could physically subdue this powerful, armor-covered, weapon-wielding giant? As this spectacle of mockery continued for 40 successive days, King Saul and the army of Israel looked weaker and weaker, and I'm sure their morale was quickly waning. Not even Saul who was a head taller than the average man was willing to put his life on the line to fight the Philistine champion.

David's older brothers were among the men serving in Israel's army, and his father Jesse instructed David to bring them grain and bread, along with some cheese to share with their commander. While fulfilling Jesse's request, David learned more about what was taking place.

“And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”   And the people answered him in the same way, “So shall it be done to the man who kills him.” ”

— 1 Samuel 17:26-27

Why was David asking these men about what was going on? His oldest brother, Eliab, didn't seem terribly fond of David's inquiry. He snapped at him and accused him of just showing up so he could watch a fight. But word got back to Saul that David was taking a heightened interest in what was taking place, and I think Saul had the impression that David was going to offer a suggestion or a solution, so he summoned him to come before him.

“And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” ”

— 1 Samuel 17:32

Again, let me go back to my original question. What would you attempt if you knew you couldn't fail? There was something in David's heart that was stirring. In ways that might be hard for others to understand, David was certain he would be granted victory if he fought Goliath.

I hope that at some point in your life, the Lord leads you toward something that seems impossible to everyone else, but deep in your heart you have no doubt that it's all going to work out. I hope He gives you the faith to see the outcome as certain before you even begin the process of working toward the impossible goal He sets before you. I can point to four moments in my life when the Lord graced me with complete certainty that I would not experience failure when I attempted a seemingly impossible task He gave me to do. Few things have ever made me feel so alive as I felt in those moments.

One chapter earlier, in 1 Samuel 16:13, we were told that the Spirit of the Lord "rushed" upon David after Samuel anointed him to replace Saul as king. Now, we can see that the Holy Spirit was guiding David's thoughts and empowering his actions. In faith, David could see Goliath defeated even before the battle began.

You can see the confidence David had in the Lord on display in his conversation with Saul. David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!” (1 Samuel 17:37)

At that point, Saul placed his armor on David, but David wasn't used to wearing something like that, so he took it back off. Frankly, I think the Lord wanted to display that His strength is sufficient in battle, and facing Goliath without armor would provide a greater demonstration of the Lord's power. Instead of bringing a sword into battle, David brought a staff, a sling, and five smooth stones, even though he only needed one.

And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42 And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. 43 And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.” 45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand.”

48 When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. (1 Samuel 17:41-49)

After 40 days of mocking the people of Israel, mocking David, and mocking God, Goliath was brought down by a young, unarmored man, with a sling and a rock. The Spirit of God was guiding David. The Spirit of God told him he could not fail. The Spirit of God empowered the words David said, the running steps David took, and the trajectory of the rock David slung. Now, the champion of the Philistines was dead, lying face-forward on the ground.

I can't help but wonder how the conversation went when David came home to his elderly father, and Jesse asked him if his brothers enjoyed the bread.

When Goliath spent 40 days mocking the men of Israel, he wasn't just mocking their army. He came out twice a day to mock their God. His actions remind me of the activity we commonly see Satan engaged in. Satan is a mocker. He mocks God's people, and he mocks the Lord. In fact, during the earthly ministry of Jesus, we see Satan taking a similar approach to Goliath at the end of a 40-day timespan.

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.  And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”  But he answered, “It is written,

“‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” ”

— Matthew 4:1-4

We're also told that Satan tried to tempt Jesus to throw Himself down from the pinnacle of the temple to see if the angels would catch Him, then he offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if He would worship him. But Jesus resisted Satan's mockery and tempting offers. Instead, He responded with the same offensive weapon we've been entrusted with - the Word of God. Jesus quoted Scripture from the book of Deuteronomy and told Satan to scram.

If you're engaged in living the Christian life, what's your overall impression of the kind of life you've been called to? Is it a life of strength, or a life of weakness? Is it a life of victory, or is it a life of defeat? Are you running toward the impossible things you've been promised in Christ, or are you cowering in fear at the intimidating voice of mockery that comes at you from another direction?

When David secured victory over Goliath, that was a victory that was shared with the entire army of Israel who then went and plundered the Philistines. When David stepped forward in battle, he was representing them all, and when he won the battle, they all won.

Jesus secured victory over Satan when He rose from the grave. That is a victory that is supernaturally shared with everyone who trusts in Christ. Jesus stepped in on behalf of all humanity, and when He won, all who are united to Him by faith also won.

"But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere." (2 Cor. 2:14)

"And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him." (Col. 2:13-15)

What would you attempt if you knew you couldn't fail? Guess what? In Christ, you can't fail. The spiritual forces that stand against you are already defeated foes. They've been subject to open shame, and Jesus has triumphed over them. Now His victory is your victory.

© John Stange, 2023

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.

The Lord looks at the heart

Where I grew up, parking was often a problem. You've probably noticed that in many parts of the country where the cities and towns were developed before the automobile came into use, it can be challenging to find a place to park a car. That was very much the case where I lived as a young man, so when I bought my first car, I was often forced to figure out creative solutions as to where to park it, especially because we lived on a main road without street parking.

One option I utilized for a while was to park my car in a neighborhood that was one block away from our home. I found a spot on the edge of a street near the backyard of a nearby home. That seemed to work for a while, until one afternoon when I parked the car and a small boy walked up to me. He said, "Why do you park your car behind our house? We don't like it."

Apparently, my decision to park my car there bothered his family. They never said anything about it because the car wasn't parked illegally. They just didn't want it there. I didn't want to upset them or cause any conflict, so I told the boy I'd be happy to move it somewhere else. As I started the car and pulled away, my window was down and I could hear the comments his family was making. They were amazed that their little son had the courage to ask a teenager to park somewhere else, and they were just as amazed that I was willing to honor his request. Admittedly, the whole experience felt a little odd to me, but I've never forgotten it.

It's a good reminder that leaders don't always look how you thought they'd look. They aren't always as old as you might expect them to be, and they don't always come with the titles or authority you'd expect them to carry.

The opening verses of 1 Samuel 16 describe a very similar scenario. In that portion of God's Word, we're taught that while this world loves to look at outside appearances and worldly credentials when selecting its leaders, the Lord goes deeper than surface appearances and looks at the heart. When everyone else lets their eyes fool them into believing something incorrect, the Lord can see what a person is really made of and what their real motivations happen to be.

At the time the events recorded in this passage were taking place, the nation of Israel was in the midst of growing acclimated to a new form of leadership. For roughly 400 years, they had been led by judges, but during the reign of Samuel who was the last judge and the first prophet of Israel, they asked to be led by a king so they could be more like the nations that surrounded them. Samuel warned them that this was an idea that had many negative drawbacks, but the people of Israel didn't care. They wanted a king, so the Lord permitted Samuel to anoint a king for them. Israel's first king was a man named Saul.

Saul was the kind of guy who looked like a king. He was an impressive guy and a "head taller" than the other men. Initially, Saul was terrified of the thought of becoming king, but after being selected for that privilege, and serving in that capacity for some time, he grew protective of his power and authority. He even started taking liberties with his role that were in direct opposition to God's will. Saul grew proud, erected monuments to himself, and acted in ways that demonstrated he didn't have a heart that was sensitive to the will of God.

In time, God rejected Saul as king and instructed Samuel to anoint someone new. Scripture tells us, "The Lord said to Samuel, 'How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.'” (1 Samuel 16:1)

Samuel was obedient to the Lord's directions, but he was terrified at the possibility of Saul finding out he had anointed someone new to serve as king. I don't know if you've ever noticed, but most grown men don't take too kindly to hearing that you're participating in their removal from their job. This is particularly true of kings.

Just recently, I heard the story of a professional wrestling promoter who oversaw a territory in the southern United States for a group of years. Because of the conflict, he was having with one of the men who wrestled for his promotion, he abruptly fired him one evening. That man was so angry about it that he stalked that promoter night after night. He would sit in a car on a hill that overlooked the promoter's house staring in his direction, and he ignored repeated requests from the police to leave the area.

One evening, that man took a gun and started firing at the promoter's home, barely missing his daughter. At that point, tired of the threats to his life and the life of his family, the promoter tracked him down at gunpoint and came within a second of ending his life, but relented.

I think of reactions like this when I read Samuel's response to God's direction to anoint a new king. Samuel knew that if Saul caught wind of this, he'd be dead. So God gave Samuel additional instructions that would provide cover should it be needed. God said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.” (1 Samuel 16:2b-3)

At the Lord's direction, Samuel traveled to Bethlehem to meet with Jesse's family. If you remember from the genealogy that's listed at the end of the book of Ruth, Jesse was the grandson of Boaz and Ruth. Jesse had many sons, and Samuel invited them to join him for the sacrifice he was about to make.

As each of the sons passed by Samuel, he attempted to determine whom the Lord had selected to be the new king in Saul's place. It would have been easy to select a new king based on outward appearance, but the Lord made it clear to Samuel that visual traits were not a deciding factor in who would be selected.

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.””

— 1 Samuel 16:7

Eventually, once all the obvious choices were exhausted, Samuel asked Jesse if he had any other sons. Jesse mentioned that his youngest son wasn't present because he was tending the sheep.

“Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward.”

— 1 Samuel 16:11-13a

This is the manner in which David was selected as king. He was a young man at the time, not a little boy like some people imply. From that moment on, David was indwelled with the Holy Spirit who gave him guidance, direction, comfort, and counsel. The Spirit of God empowered David to live and serve in a manner that honored the Lord. And as we'll see as we continue studying the work the Lord accomplished in David's life, David had a heart for what the Lord desired. He remained sensitive to the Lord's leading for the rest of his life.

It's interesting to consider some of the spiritual implications and applications we can take from the events that are recorded in this portion of God's Word. There are several things that stand out to me that I think are worth highlighting.

The first thing that stands out to me is the way the Lord emphasizes that He pays careful attention to what takes place in our hearts. I think it can be easy to mistakenly believe that we can impress God like we try to impress one another. We try to look good in front of one another in order to gain each other's favor, but that's not the way our relationship with God operates. God is greatly concerned with what's going on in our hearts and what's motivating the actions we're taking.

When we come to faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, we're given a brand new heart. Our perspective changes and our motivations change as well. We see things differently and we live differently as a result.

I also think it's interesting to hear the Lord say that our outward appearance is of no consequence to Him when He selects whom He will raise up to a place of leadership. That statement reminds me of an important prophecy we're given in the book of Isaiah regarding Jesus. Isaiah prophesied, "he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him." (Isaiah 53:2b).

Knowing that people tend to be drawn to others based on external appearance, Jesus intentionally came to this earth and took on an appearance that wouldn't stand out as particularly attractive. He desired that people trust in Him because they knew He was the Son of God and Savior of the world, not because of superficial reasons like how He looked. I think this also helps us clarify the question, "Why am I drawn to Jesus?" Is it for superficial reasons that are only skin-deep, or do we understand who He really is and why we need Him?

One other important application that stands out to me from 1 Samuel 16 is the reference to the fact that the Spirit of God "rushed" or "came upon" David from that day forward. One of the benefits we have as believers who live under the New Covenant is the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. From the moment you trust in Jesus, the Holy Spirit indwells you and empowers you. But believers under the Old Covenant didn't enjoy this same benefit. During that era, the Spirit would indwell certain people for set periods of time to enable them to accomplish something specific. Then He would leave them.

If you have genuine faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit who indwells you will never leave you. Right now, He is at work to empower you to do things you don't have the natural strength to do. He is giving you wisdom that you haven't lived long enough to accumulate naturally. He's producing character and holiness in your life that you couldn't produce on your own.

Through faith in Jesus, and with the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, your life can be used in amazing ways. It doesn't matter what you look like, how old you are, or what kind of experience you've had up to this point. If the Lord calls you, He will qualify you. If He directs you, He will empower you.

The Lord will shape the new heart He's given you. And while the world might keep getting stuck on superficial metrics, the Lord will keep looking at your brand new heart. If your faith is genuine, God the Father will see God the Son and God the Holy Spirit within you, and when that's the case, hold on, because it wouldn't surprise me to see Him do a work in your life that very likely will stand out to us all and result in God receiving much deserved glory and praise.

The Lord looked at David's heart, saw genuine faith, and empowered Him by the Holy Spirit to do amazing things for the rest of his days. When the Lord looks at your heart, what will He see? And what do you expect Him to do through you for the rest of your days?

© John Stange, 2023

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.

Jesus came to save, not condemn

The other day, I was having a conversation with my daughter about the importance of living out our faith in public while also staying relatable and relational in the process. She completely agreed, then we discussed the challenge it can sometimes be to do that well.

In the midst of that discussion, she described a friend of hers who struggles with that balance. As she described him to me she said that it's clear that he takes his faith seriously, which she certainly appreciates, but at the same time, he has a bad habit of making people feel awkward and condemned. Instead of engaging in friendly conversation, he over-spiritualizes things and doesn't hesitate to make sure others know that his beliefs are superior to theirs.

Even though it isn't his intention, he seems to be chasing people away from experiencing genuine faith in Christ, more so than he's inviting them to consider the benefits of following Him.

Have you ever met a well-intentioned believer who seemed to engage in some of the same practices as this young man? Do you think this is a struggle all believers wrestle with to some degree?

When the unbelieving world interacts with Christians who take their faith very seriously, it's not uncommon for them to fear experiencing a sense of condemnation. Right or wrong, I think that's what they've come to expect. Yet Jesus made a point to express a different perspective when He described the reason for which He was sent into this world.

In John 3:16, Jesus made it very clear that anyone who genuinely believes in Him will receive the gift of eternal life. Jesus said, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16). That statement is one of the most commonly quoted sentences from the entire Bible. In that sentence, Jesus explained that God genuinely loves the people of this world. He loves us so much that He sent His Son into the world to atone for our sin so that through faith in Him, we would live forever. That's a beautiful thing, and certainly something worth thinking long and hard about on a day like today.

But have you also considered the statement Jesus made immediately after explaining how the gift of salvation is obtained? Jesus said, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." (John 3:17).

Jesus wasn't sent here to condemn us. That wasn't the mission of His incarnation. The action He took when taking on flesh was a rescue mission, not a mission of retribution. He offered to save us because we already stood condemned. We were already under the cloud of condemnation. We were already guilty of sin, steeped in shamefulness, and distant from our Creator.

When Jesus came to this earth, He came to take our condemnation upon Himself so that we will no longer remain under the wrath of God. Jesus said, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." (John 3:18). We experience true liberty in its fullest sense when we trust in Jesus.

In my years as a pastor, I have been invited to spend time with people in some of their low moments and challenging circumstances. Often that has involved visiting prisons and other detention centers to have conversations and pray with those who have been condemned for various offenses. I will confess that those experiences have regularly caused conflicting emotions.

Some of those experiences have left me feeling depressed. It's depressing when someone chooses to live in a perpetual state of condemnation - when they're convinced there's no hope for them beyond their present circumstances. At the same time, it's uplifting to encounter those who once lived under a sense of condemnation, but now they've been spiritually liberated through an encounter with Jesus who has forgiven them and set them free.

A couple of nights ago, I heard my wife's voice call out to my son from the kitchen. She asked, "Daniel, how many peppermint patties have you eaten?" For context, I should let you know we were just given a large box of peppermint patties as a Christmas gift from a family friend.

My son confessed to my wife, "I think I eat one every time I walk into the kitchen." She replied, "Well, based on how many are left in the box, I think you'll only be able to make one more trip to the kitchen."

Hearing this, I felt a little bad because I knew how many of those candies I had eaten too. He was taking the blame, but my conscience was feeling condemned, so I confessed, "I too am guilty."

We laughed about it because the matter was inconsequential, but I can't help but wonder how many people live the bulk of their lives in this world under a cloud of condemnation because they hesitate to confess what's troubling their conscience. They forget Jesus came to save them because their mistaken belief is that He'd rather condemn them.

Christ's desire is to save and liberate us from condemnation. Sadly, many people reject this offer, largely because they prefer to embrace the darkness of this world. Jesus said, "And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil." (John 3:19).

Jesus, the light of God's holiness, came into this world. He came because He loves humanity, but does humanity love Him? What does mankind love? According to Jesus, apart from the intervention of the Holy Spirit, we love darkness. Our misplaced love is so destructive and counterintuitive, yet that's the state we were in when He came for us. He loved us, but we loved the dark.

In a strange way, that dilemma reminds me a lot of a girl I went to high school with. I could never understand why she would always date guys who treated her like garbage. As soon as one relationship would end, she'd barely take a pause, and would run after another one, only to be hurt and treated poorly again.

Her behavior used to frustrate and puzzle me. I watched it happen year after year, and in the end, it negatively impacted my view of her sense of discernment. But then I look at the words of Jesus in this passage, and I realize that my behavior, and the behavior of us all, must have looked even worse than a young person chasing after failed relationships. The darkness is trying to snuff out our lives, yet we keep chasing after it and showing it our affection. It hurts us, yet we love it. It's amazing to think that our discernment could be so faulty, but that was the state of humanity apart from Christ's intervention.

So now, in view of the light of Christ that has come into this world, we are presented with a choice. We can continue to embrace the darkness and live under condemnation, or we can embrace the light and have our condemnation removed. As Jesus explained, "For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (John 3:20-21).

There are two major ways to live our lives in this world. We either run from the light, or we run toward the light. If we're running from the light, we're demonstrating that we're fearful of our motives and actions being exposed. But if we're running toward the light, we're demonstrating that we're trusting in the work Jesus did on our behalf and relying on the power of God to carry out His work in our lives.

Have you ever considered the work God wants to do in your life? Jesus spoke of the opportunity for us to experience works that "have been carried out in God." Is that something you'd like to see the Lord accomplish in your life? Are you interested in Him doing something amazing and unexpected through you?

I grew up in an area where many of the people I knew didn't seem to expect anything amazing to happen in their life or through their life. It's an area that seems to have the cultural expectation that its best days are behind it, and that attitude can easily seep into the mindsets of those who live in the region. I wish that wasn't a common perspective of the area because I truly think the people and the region are lovely, but I have definitely noticed that pattern.

I'm not exempt from wrestling with that perspective as well, but the Lord provided a few people in my life during my formative years who would often challenge me not to adopt that mindset. One of those people was my Sunday School teacher. Her name was Jean Constantine, and I thought she was a lovely person. She was the same age as my grandmother, and she faithfully taught our class every single week.

I never wanted to disappoint her, but her words would often puzzle me because it was obvious that she saw me differently than I saw myself. At some of the lowest seasons of my childhood when I felt a genuine sense of discouragement and despair, she would make a point to tell me, "John, I don't know what God has planned for you, but I'm convinced He's going to do something amazing through your life." She told me that regularly, and she believed it long before I ever did.

And then I read the words Jesus spoke in John 3:21 where He said, "But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God." Do you believe God wants to carry out an amazing work in your life? Are you willing to depend on Him, welcome His help, and listen to His leading? Do you think He cares enough about your life to actually make a meaningful contribution in the world through you?

I'm convinced He cares because I believe what Jesus said and what Jesus did. Jesus said there are works, carried out in the power of God, that are done in and through the lives of those who trust in Him. He said it, I believe it, and I've seen Him do it.

I also believe this is true because of what Jesus did when He came to this earth to take on flesh. Why would He bother to go through such pain, shame, and humiliation on behalf of humanity if He wasn't going to facilitate amazing things in and through us as a result? He didn't just come to this earth to be observed, He came to redeem and transform. We were under condemnation, but through Him, we're set free. We were bound, but through Him, we're liberated.

This world misses the point of what Jesus came to do. It's their mistaken understanding that He came to condemn when really He came to save. Do you share His perspective and understanding of His mission? Are you ready to accept your part in His unfolding and ongoing efforts to save the lost?

““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” ”

— John 3:16-17

© John Stange, 2022

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.

What is the cure for perfectionism?

Are you a perfectionist? Do you ever struggle with that perspective? Are you trying to get everything right, perform at the highest level, and make it through life mistake free?

A few years ago, I had a really deep conversation with a member of our family who struggles with perfectionism. I felt compassion for her immediately because this is something I have often struggled with as well. As she shared her story and struggles with me, she also revealed one of the biggest downsides to perfectionism and I'll explain it to you right now.

If you're trying to be perfect in your own strength, and think that somehow perfectionism can be obtained prior to your glorification in Christ's presence, you're not going to know what to do when you make a mistake or mess something up. You're either going to attempt to deny to yourself that it happened at all, or you're going to struggle with such a heavy load of shame that you'll end up running away and trying to hide from those who love you most, including the Lord.

If your sense of shame is allowed to persist for an abnormally long period of time, it runs the risk of driving you crazy. Your personality will change, your relationships will be damaged, you may even start to hate yourself and then gravitate toward unhealthy solutions to medicate your pain or dull your memory.

But that doesn't need to be the approach you take to shame. You don't need to continue to preach an unbiblical message of perfectionism to your heart. In fact, there's a completely different approach you can take toward every struggle or bad decision you've ever made. Instead of living with a sense of shame over your poor choices, you can confess them to the Lord and accept the fact that the payment Jesus made for your sin truly was sufficient to cover it.

If you're struggling with perfectionism and the shame that goes with it, that tells me a lot about a false gospel you've been unknowingly preaching to your heart. You've been mistakenly allowing yourself to believe that you need to somehow become the perfect sacrifice to atone for your sin, so you keep beating yourself up in the hopes of accomplishing that. But it won't work. If that could possibly work, there would have been no need for Jesus to come to this earth to become the perfect sacrifice for sin. If there was a way for us to permanently take care of the problem of our sinfulness, Jesus wouldn't have needed to do what He did because His sacrifice would have been redundant and unnecessary.

But since we couldn't permanently atone for our sin, Jesus did it for us. He is the once-for-all sacrifice for the sin of mankind. That's what the writer of Hebrews made a point to explain in Hebrews 10:1-14.

If you've ever taken the opportunity to read through the Old Testament, it's probably occurred to you that many of the religious practices of that era were quite different from what we presently practice. During the days of the Old Testament, it was common to make various sacrifices in response to human sinfulness. Hebrews 10:1-4 tells us...

““For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.””

— Hebrews 10:1-4

During that era, repeated animal sacrifices were made, year after year, but they couldn't perfect the people or the priests who offered them. At best, they were a temporary appeasement of God's righteous wrath against sin because they didn't have a permanent effect on the worshipper. That person would still struggle with sin and the guilt and shame that accompanies it. Then they'd repeat the animal sacrifices they made previously, but as the writer of Hebrews tells us in 10:4, "it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."

So, since the blood of bulls and goats couldn't take away the culpability, shame, and separation that comes as a result of sin, another solution would eventually need to be offered. That solution was Jesus. The sacrificial blood that was shed during the Old Testament era foreshadowed the blood Jesus would shed when He came to this earth and took on flesh. It's in the shedding of His blood that our sin is actually atoned for. It's through Him alone that our sin is taken away.

5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,

“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
    but a body have you prepared for me;
6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings
    you have taken no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
    as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” (Hebrews 10:5-7)

During the Christmas season, we regularly acknowledge the fact that the Son of God took on flesh and dwelt among us, but we don't often give as much thought as we should as to why He did that. So the writer of Hebrews made that clear to us when quoting from Psalm 40. The psalm speaks of the Messiah as coming to this earth with a body that the Father prepared for Him. It also states that the Messiah came to use that body to do the will of God the Father. Jesus, the fulfillment of this prophetic psalm, became an offering and a sacrifice that would be different from the sacrifices of the past. His sacrificial death would satisfy the righteous wrath of the Father against sin, and would be the means by which the problem of human sinfulness would be permanently dealt with.

Sin is a tempting reality of our present lives on this planet. While sin has consequences, and in many respects, we're well aware of those consequences, we still find sin tempting. The things that tempt us are quite common. In fact, we're all struggling with different versions of the same thing. I think there's a part of us all that might still think we can find some level of relief from our pain or our grief if we give in to the temptations of this world.

But if you really want to get serious about your faith, force yourself to remember what Jesus has done on your behalf to atone for your sin. He was born to do this very thing. His incarnation was carried out with a full understanding of the kind of death He would endure in the body. When I think about the price Jesus paid to atone for my sin, both physically and spiritually, my areas of temptation don't seem quite as tempting to me any longer. In fact, I really appreciate the perspective John Piper once shared regarding the incarnation of Jesus...

““The incarnation is the preparation of nerve endings for the nails. That is what the incarnation is. The incarnation is the preparation of a brow for thorns to press through. He needed to have a broad back so that there was a place for the whip. He needed to have feet so that there was a place for spikes. He needed to have a side so that there was a place for the sword to go in. He needed cheeks, fleshy cheeks, so that Judas would have a place to kiss and there would be a place for the spit to run down that the soldiers put on him. He needed a brain and a spinal column with no vinegar and no gall so that the exquisiteness of the pain could be fully felt.” ”

— John Piper

Jesus endured it all because of the joy that was set before Him. He endured momentary torture so we could enjoy eternal peace. He endured pain so we could find the solution to our pain in Him.

During the days before Christ's incarnation, the priests would repeatedly offer animal sacrifices, over and over. But Jesus came to be the once-for-all sacrifice for sin, and the work He accomplished on the cross never needs to be repeated.

““And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” ”

— Hebrews 10:11-14

What a blessing it is to know that Jesus accomplished this for us. What a blessing to know that His single sacrifice for sin was sufficient to pay for our mistakes and acts of rebellion. What a blessing it is to know that the day is coming when we will be perfected in His presence, and sin will never be something we struggle with ever again.

In the meantime, while we look forward to the ultimate effects of the miraculous work Jesus accomplished on our behalf, please take encouragement from some of the present-day blessings we are invited to enjoy through our relationship with Him.

Through Jesus, your conscience is cleansed. I don't know if you're presently wrestling with shame or regret over past mistakes or decisions you made at a less mature season of your life, but if you're still wrestling with shame, I hope you'll be willing to give it over to Jesus today and stop returning to it or recycling it in your mind. It has already been paid for. It has already been dealt with. Jesus took care of it for you. If you believe that the sacrifice He made in the flesh on your behalf was sufficient, then allow yourself to also believe that what He's done for you is likewise sufficient to cleanse your conscience.

Through Jesus, your sins are forgiven. Do you believe that? Can I give you a quick test that will help you understand whether or not you truly believe that statement? When you think about standing before God someday and looking at Him, face to face, does thinking about that experience fill you with dread and fear, or does it fill you with a sense of relief? If you don't actually believe your sins are forgiven, then the thought of being face-to-face with God will no doubt terrify you. But if you truly believe your sins are forgiven and that the sacrifice Christ made in His body fully satisfied the wrath of the Father against sin, that day will be one to look forward to. As God the Father sees God the Son as holy and blameless, so too does He see all those who are united to Jesus by faith.

Through Jesus, you will be made perfect. You may have plenty of struggles right now, but you won't always struggle as you do. The day is coming when, in the presence of Jesus, you'll be blessed with a glorified, sinless body. You won't make any more mistakes. You won't rebel against God. That day is coming, and since it's coming, you should look forward to it. You will be made perfect, but it won't be through your own efforts. It will be accomplished for you by God based on the work Jesus has already done on your behalf.

When Jesus came to this earth, He was made the perfect sacrifice for sins. Let's rejoice in this truth together and give ourselves permission to believe it, and all of the implications it brings with it, completely.

© John Stange, 2022

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.

How are we adopted into God's family?

In February 2020, our family experienced a very sad event. My stepmother who had been dealing with the effects of dementia for several years succumbed to the disease and passed away. As you would expect, our family gathered together for her funeral and for a large meal immediately afterward. A group picture was taken after the meal, and even though it was a sad day for us all, our spirits were lifted by the presence of so many people we loved.

Then, just a couple of weeks later, in early March 2020, life drastically changed. Lockdowns began and people were mandated to avoid one another. As the weeks stretched into months, family events were canceled one at a time because of the varying degrees of comfort we had regarding in-person gatherings. Our extended family, which had a long-standing tradition of getting together frequently, stopped seeing each other. It was sad, and unfortunately, it continued for just a few months shy of three years.

It wasn't until last weekend, December 2, 2022, that our extended family got together again. We celebrated my aunt and uncle's 50th wedding anniversary, and I was thrilled to see everyone again. When you're close to your family, prolonged separation can be very painful to endure. I don't know how many times I have told my wife since that dinner just how happy it made me to see everyone again.

Family is an important thing in God's economy. It's how He's structured us to live, operate, and relate. He knows that we long for it. When our families struggle, we feel pain. When our families thrive, we rejoice. But our longing to be part of a family isn't something that's exclusive to our time on this earth. In fact, our present longing for family is directly connected to a desire the Lord has placed within us that can only be satisfied by Him.

When Jesus came to this earth and took on flesh in His incarnation, He did so in order to make us part of the eternal family of God. His incarnation secured our adoption into God's family. So in the midst of the family celebrations and special events we enjoy during this time of year with our church family, let's be reminded of the bigger reality of what Jesus has accomplished on our behalf.

Galatians 4:4-7 gives us a powerful explanation of how our adoption into the family of God took place. That passage begins by stating, "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law," (Gal. 4:4). I love that statement "the fullness of time." As the Apostle Paul was writing these words, what was he trying to convey?

Paul was teaching us some important details about how God sovereignly acts. He isn't surprised by human history. Rather, He's operating in it and directing its outcome. At just the right moment in human history for Christ's earthy ministry to have the effect He desired it to, God the Father sent His Son into the world to be born a man. The hearts of people were being prepared to receive Him. The activities of the nations were prepared for His arrival. World events, trade routes, relationships, and the spiritual longing of those lost in sin were made ready for Christ's arrival. The stage was set for the message of the gospel to spread rapidly and effectively, and that's exactly what took place in the centuries since.

Have you ever considered just how miraculous it is that you and I have heard and responded to the gospel? It's miraculous to consider that the birth of a Jewish carpenter a little over two thousand years ago would impact us the way it has. That a small initial group would follow Him and carry His teachings as far as they could, even under the threat of death. Yet the gospel has spread, person to person, nation to nation, transforming lives ever since. Jesus was sent by the Father in the "fullness of time" in order to have the greatest effect on the most people.

We're also told in this same passage that Jesus was "born of a woman." That's an interesting statement that has long-term historical implications in God's redemptive plan for humanity. If you recall, right after Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God revealed the remedy for sin as He confronted the serpent.

““I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” ”

— Genesis 3:15

It's interesting that God referenced the offspring or the "seed" of the woman as being the one who would right the wrongs that had been committed in the garden, but that language was very intentional. It was a statement that pointed to Jesus who would be born of a woman without a human father. His birth would be miraculous and divinely accomplished without the seed of a man.

I believe Scripture teaches that the sinful nature we're born with is passed down to us from our earthly fathers. But Jesus is sinless, so for Him to take on flesh without also taking on a sinful nature with it, He would need to be born of a virgin without the aid of the seed of a human father.

““Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned-“ ”

— Romans 5:12

Galatians 4:4 also tells us that Jesus was "born under the law." Have you ever read the requirements of the Old Testament Law? The first five books of the Bible, Genesis through Deuteronomy, are traditionally called the books of the law. They outline the sinfulness of man and the righteous requirements of God. We're shown the many ways our lives conflict with His holiness, and we're invited to live up to a higher standard. Unfortunately, we fail to meet that standard. In fact, we fail in every respect. There isn't a single category of sin we haven't violated.

When Jesus came to earth and was born as a man, the requirements of the Old Testament Law were still in effect. Jesus was born under the law. But He responded to it differently than we did. We felt provoked to sin by its requirements, but He delighted to keep and fulfill them. Jesus satisfied the requirements of the Law because we couldn't do it. He did it for us and demonstrated His righteousness in the process. Now, through faith in Him, His righteousness is given to us as if we ourselves had kept the Law's requirements.

The Scripture also tells us that Jesus did this "to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." (Gal. 4:5). We were in a hopeless state of spiritual poverty and slavery to sin. Jesus paid for our sin with His blood, gifted us with His righteousness, set us free from slavery, and made us His family. As Jesus, the Son of God, lives within us, we too are reckoned as sons of God. We have been adopted into God's eternal family.

““Nobody is born into this world a child of the family of God. We are born as children of wrath. The only way we enter into the family of God is by adoption, and that adoption occurs when we are united to God’s only begotten Son by faith. When by faith we are united with Christ, we are then adopted into that family of whom Christ is the firstborn.” ”

— R.C. Sproul

As sons of God, we are blessed with inheritance privileges in His kingdom. We are treated like heirs. Have you ever inherited something from a parent, grandparent, or other relatives? What if you inherited an old pair of jeans dating to the 19th century? One pair of such jeans was passed down through a family in a wooden trunk that once belonged to Arizona pioneer Solomon Warner, eventually coming into the hands of his great-great-grandson, Jock Taylor.

The design of the jeans showed that they were made by Levi Strauss & Co. The fact that they had just one back pocket meant that they were made prior to 1901, when the company added a second pocket to their well-known jeans. Eager to own the artifact, Levi Strauss & Co. offered Taylor $50,000 for the jeans. Taylor decided to wait for a better offer. The jeans eventually sold for almost $100,000. https://www.moneytalksnews.com/slideshows/heirs-chosen-at-random-and-6-other-incredible-inheritance-tales/

Earthly inheritances have a brief shelf life, but our inheritance in the kingdom of God is ongoing, incorruptible, and guaranteed to us by Jesus.

““Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,” ”

— 1 Peter 1:3-4

The Father has caused us to be born again into this living hope. None of this is accidental. You weren't adopted into the family of God by accident. He isn't reluctant about offering you an eternal relationship with Him. Because Jesus took on flesh, you have the opportunity to be adopted into the family of God. Because Jesus shed His blood on the cross, your redemption has been paid for. Because Jesus rose from the grave, you share the hope of a resurrection like His and an inheritance that can't be ruined or defiled. By the power of God, that inheritance is being kept in Heaven for you, awaiting your arrival.

Now I realize it can be tempting to think of inheritances in legal terms, but the Scripture makes a point to explain that there's more than just a legal relationship taking place here. Through Jesus, we're made the family of God, and we're invited to speak to the Father with that level of familiarity.

We're told, "And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”' (Gal. 4:6). God is more than just our Creator, He's our Father and we have a relationship with Him. "Abba" is Aramaic for "father." Often, I hear people say it's like coming to God and calling Him "Dad" or "Daddy." That's precisely how He wants us to approach Him.

The other day, I came across a screenshot of a text I received from one of my sons when he was 12 years old. The conversation went like this, "Are we leaving soon? Dad? Daaaaaad? Dad. Dad. Daddy. Dada. Dod. Deed. Daaad!" At the time, I joked that this was why you should never allow a child to have access to a cell phone. But at the same time, I got a big kick out of it, particularly because it demonstrated the closeness of our relationship.

God delights to enjoy a close relationship with His children. He wouldn't have put up with all He has put up with if He didn't. He wouldn't have orchestrated our rescue if this wasn't what He wanted. Through Jesus, He's fixing the problem of our separation from Him. He's reconciling us to Himself. We who were far away are being brought near, and we're being blessed with all the benefits of a place in His family as if we had never been living outside of it.

The passage we're looking at today closes with this statement, "So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God." (Gal. 4:7). It's a summary statement that all ties back to the work Jesus accomplished. Through faith in Jesus, we are no longer slaves to sin. We enjoy the blessings of being sons and heirs of God because in the fulness of time, Jesus was born a man and He secured spiritual blessings for us that we couldn't secure for ourselves.

In response to all of this, do yourself a favor that will directly improve the quality of your life. Live like someone who knows your real identity. Stop living like someone who doesn't know who they are.

Stop living like a slave to sin, Satan, or the things of this world. Start living like a son who has been assured of a glorious future in God's kingdom.

© John Stange, 2022

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.

The long-term value of humble service

As we grow older, I think it's wise and logical to treat our bodies with more intentional care than we may have done in earlier seasons of life. The older we get, the more sensitive we grow to temperature changes, unsafe walking conditions, or activities that run the risk of causing us physical harm. I don't blame anyone who makes wise choices that result in the care of their physical body.

At the same time, I also admire people who aren't afraid to take certain calculated risks that might result in physical discomfort, but have the potential to serve others for their greater good. Let me give you an example of what I mean.

When I was growing up, one of the most important places in the world to me was the Pocono Mountain Bible Conference. It was through their camping ministry that I came to know Jesus, and it was while working on staff there as a teenager that I became serious about my walk with Christ. Their property isn't abnormally large for a ministry of its kind, but there are buildings that require constant care and attention.

In addition to the staff that serves with the summer camping program and the year-round retreats, the camp also has a board of volunteers who help oversee that ministry. Each year, the board elects a president to chair the meetings and provide other forms of oversight and accountability. When I was in high school, they elected a pastor named Bernard Murphy to serve in that role. Bernie took the job seriously, and he wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty or risk his safety while working on the property, even though he was an older gentleman that was past the age of traditional retirement.

I can remember multiple examples of acts of service he carried out on that property, but one will forever remain in my mind. During one particular winter, the camp received an abnormal amount of snow. A blizzard blanketed the area with snow that was being measured in feet, not inches, and two buildings on the property, a picnic pavilion and a guest trailer, collapsed under the weight. There were concerns that the weight of the snow was going to damage some of the more critical buildings as well, particularly the dining hall.

This concerned Pastor Murphy, so he devised a plan. With the help of a few other men, he climbed onto the roof of the dining hall, then had them hoist a snowblower onto that roof with him. He then proceeded to use the snowblower to clear the snow off the roof and avert a potential roof collapse. It wasn't a glamorous task, and multiple people tried to talk him out of it, but he insisted on serving in the manner even though he was risking harm to his body.

I think of examples like that when I read a portion of Scripture like Philippians 2:5-11. This passage gives us great details about the humble, sacrificial service of Jesus, and it encourages us to approach life with the same mindset He demonstrated and the same willingness to serve others even when doing so seems beneath our sense of dignity or authority.

The passage begins by encouraging us to, "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus," (Phil. 2:5). The way we think impacts the way we live. The way we think impacts the way we treat others. And thankfully, we who know Jesus by faith have been graced with a new way of thinking that resembles Him and the way He thinks.

The actions we take and the words that proceed from our mouths will reveal a lot about what's going on in our minds. I have noticed, and maybe you have too, that many people in this world spend most of their conversations complaining about something. They always have a negative spin on whatever subject they've been dwelling on, and they want you to share it as well. Politics is always "bad." Weather is always "bad." The people they work with are "bad." Their roads are "bad." It's exhausting and uninspiring to listen to, and I'm grateful that Christ has given us new minds that can see beyond the temporary inconveniences of this world because we're looking forward to the world to come.

But the primary application of thinking like Jesus that this passage is trying to exemplify is a willingness to put others before yourself. To humble yourself and serve instead of puffing yourself up and expecting to be served or praised.

If anyone deserved to be served or praised, Jesus certainly did. In fact, in the very next verse it says of Him, "who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped," (Phil 2:6). This passage is trying to help us grasp the fact that by nature, Jesus is divine. Before coming to this earth and being born as a man, Jesus existed for all eternity with the fullness of all the attributes of deity. Jesus is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, and Scripture calls Him the creator and sustainer of the universe.

““Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” ”

— Hebrews 1:1-3a

Yet Jesus didn't selfishly hold onto the privileges of His equality with God the Father. That's what it means when it says He didn't grasp His equality with God. He didn't hold onto it in an uncaring way or in a manner that lacked compassion. On the contrary, He "emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men." (Phil. 2:7). The very God who made and upholds creation took the form of a servant and was born a man in order that He could serve all humanity in a unique and sacrificial way. If you had that kind of status, would you set it aside to serve someone else?

The other day, I was watching a football game. During nationally televised, high-profile games, most broadcast networks usually scan the box seats to highlight any celebrities in attendance. That happened during this game as well, but they also showed something that impressed me much more than celebrity ever could. As they panned to the field during pre-game warm-ups, they showed a young boy who was probably about eight years old cheering on one of his favorite players. That player paused his workout, came to the sidelines, reached up to the child, and lowered him down onto the field. Then he tossed a football with him and gave that child an experience he will talk about for the rest of his life.

That action certainly doesn't fully compare with the depths of Christ's willingness to humble Himself to serve us, but it reminds me of the attitude of humble service we're called to adopt in response to the actions Jesus took on our behalf. It was a beautiful thing to see.

We know from reading God's Word, that Jesus was willing to go to the greatest lengths to serve us and provide the way for us to experience union with Him and a permanent place in His eternal kingdom. How far was He willing to go? Scripture tells us that, "being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Phil. 2:8). The first generation of believers who would have read this passage would have certainly understood why the passage said "even death on a cross." That was the most humiliating, shameful, and painful form of death that had been devised by the human mind, yet Jesus was willing to demonstrate that level of humility and obedience to the perfect will of the Father. He endured it all as an act of service for the benefit of those He will unite to Himself.

Have you ever heard the phrase, "there's a cross before a crown?" That phrase is often used to describe the hard things we endure before receiving the positive outcomes we seek. It's a phrase that's inspired by the earthly pain Jesus was willing to experience in view of the glorious benefits that would come from it. Scripture tells us, "Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil 2:9-11)

Jesus was born a man, became a servant, was murdered on a cross, and is now highly exalted. His name is above every name. All knees will bow before His authority. Every tongue will one day confess that Jesus is Lord, and God the Father will be glorified in this response.

This is an amazing process to witness taking place, and it carries eternal implications for every person who has ever lived. We will all eventually bow the knee in respect to Jesus and His authority. Some will do so dreading the fact that they rejected the opportunity to do so during the course of their earthly life, but we have the privilege of worshipping Jesus and acknowledging His role as our Sovereign Lord right now. Jesus, our Savior who was willing to humble Himself in order to lift us up deserves our loyalty, praise, and worship.

If we're truly thankful for what Jesus did on our behalf, and we're likewise thankful to know that He is our God, we can demonstrate our thankfulness by honoring His role as our Lord in multiple ways.

We can honor Jesus as Lord of our hopes and dreams. Each of us has a vision for our future that either aligns or conflicts with Christ's desires for us. If our hopes and dreams are entirely focused on gaining the best things of this world or gaining glory for ourselves, that's a mistake. But if Christ is Lord of our hopes, His desires will shape our dreams.

We can honor Jesus as Lord of our thought life. Our minds can go in all kinds of directions, and the diet we feed our minds will eventually show up in our lives. If we feed our minds with the lusts of the flesh and the boastfulness of what we have or want, our lives will reflect that. But if our minds are submitted over to the lordship of Jesus, we will see the things of this world with a redeemed perspective.

We can honor Jesus as Lord of our home. Honoring Him in this manner will transform the way we treat our spouses and children. My ultimate goal is to interact with my wife and children in such a way as to give them a glimpse of the work Jesus is doing within me. This also provides an ideal opportunity to practice humble service like Jesus demonstrated during the course of His earthly ministry.

We can honor Jesus as Lord of our blessings. We're all blessed with a certain amount of time, talent, and treasure. We can look at these blessings as something to selfishly hold onto or we can treat these blessings the way Jesus treated the benefits of His divine nature. He didn't grasp the benefits of divinity in a selfish way. He used what He had to benefit us and bring glory to God the Father. If Jesus is Lord of our blessings, we'll treat our time, talent, and treasures the way He treated His.

We can honor Jesus as Lord of our actions and ambitions. Our lives are moving in a very specific direction. Our ambitions and our actions function hand-in-hand. If Jesus is Lord of both, our lives will move in the direction of honoring His name and demonstrating that we prioritize His will above our own.

It's a blessing that Jesus took on flesh in His incarnation. He came to this earth to humbly serve us even though we weren't seeking Him out and even though we treated Him with hostility. But now that our eyes have been opened to the truth of who He is and what He was ultimately seeking to accomplish, we have the opportunity to honor Him as Lord.

© John Stange, 2022

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.

Jesus will restore your life

*Read Ruth 4:13-22

---

In our home, there are a few unique pieces of furniture. They aren't necessarily unique because they were expensive or came from some exquisite place in the world. Their unique nature is connected more to their story and the people in our family who gave them to us.

One of those unique pieces of furniture is an old coal stove that's right by our front door. It's about the size of an end table, and when I was a child, my grandparents had it in their entryway. As a child, I was fascinated by it, so my grandmother made sure it was given to me when she passed away. Apparently, it initially belonged to my great-great grandparents who used it on their farm in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. I restored it a few years ago to make it look like it probably looked when it was new.

Another unique furniture piece is our dining room table. In many respects, it's the most important piece of furniture in our home because of the guests we've been able to eat with and the conversations we've been able to enjoy around it.

Before it was a table, it had a completely different life. It actually started out as a large barrel at a food manufacturing plant in Western New York where my father-in-law, George Pilgrim, worked as a food chemist. When it wasn't needed at the plant, he brought it home with him and turned it into a backyard shed for tools and lawn care items. After a couple of decades as a shed, he decided to extend its life by taking it completely apart, plank by plank, then building a beautiful dining room table with the wood he was able to salvage and restore. He gave the table to my wife and me as a gift.

Restoration projects are often fun to watch and participate in. It's certainly rewarding to see the outcome once they're finished. And as we look at the teaching of God's word, we quickly realize that our lives are a restoration project to the Lord. The Father looked at us in our lost and decomposing state and offered to make us a brand new creation through His Son, Jesus Christ.

A beautiful picture of the restoration we're offered through Jesus is shown to us in the events that are spoken of at the end of the book of Ruth. In the previous chapters, we were able to see the providential hand of God guiding and directing the lives of the people mentioned in these pages. Naomi was living a happy life with her husband Elimelech and their two sons, but famine forced them to leave Bethlehem, move to Moab, and set up a new life there.

In Moab, their sons grew up and got married, but Elimelech and both boys passed away much younger than traditionally expected. This forced Naomi and her daughters-in-law to make big decisions about what to do with their lives. Her daughter-in-law Orpah left Naomi and returned to her birth family, but Ruth, her other daughter-in-law remained with her and went with her to Bethlehem where she gleaned grain as a peasant in the fields of Naomi's relative Boaz.

In the first portion of Ruth 4, we're told that Boaz agreed to redeem Naomi's land and marry Ruth as his wife, according to the customs in ancient Israel that are explained in Leviticus 25 and Deuteronomy 25. The closing verses of Ruth 4 give us details related to their marriage and how their union played an important part in God's redemptive plan for the world.

After their marriage was made official, Boaz and Ruth conceived and gave birth to a son. That son was named "Obed" by the women of their neighborhood who looked at him as a great blessing, not only to Boaz and Ruth, but to Naomi as well. The name Obed means "serving" or "worshipping." He was a man whose name indicated that he would serve and worship the Lord. I love the meaning of his name, and if it could be said of me or my children that we served and worshipped the Lord, I would certainly be grateful.

Obed's birth and all the circumstances surrounding it, served as a powerful testimony to the providential care of God toward Naomi and Ruth. It's very clear when reading the book of Ruth that the lives of these women were on full display to the people in Bethlehem. They were clearly well-known. Naomi in particular didn't escape notice when she returned to her homeland after a decade away. Her story of adversity was widely discussed in the land, but the Lord used her experiences to help the people of that day, and the people of our day, come to know Him in a deeper way.

The women of the community openly testified that the Lord had not left Naomi without a redeemer. At first glance, it might be tempting to think they were speaking of Boaz who had just assumed the responsibilities of kinsman-redeemer for their family, but that doesn't seem to be who the women were speaking of. In Ruth 4:14-15, as they celebrated the birth of Obed, they said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”

When you consider the ways in which women were cared for during the days in which Naomi and Ruth lived, you can see why the women of the community would speak of Obed in this way. While Boaz had assumed the role of redeemer by purchasing Naomi's land, marrying Ruth, and thereby providing for each of these women, we're also told earlier in this story that he was notably older than Ruth. That meant, ironically, that even though he was presently able to offer them his help, he also was likely to pass away much sooner than these women would. That meant the help he could offer them was really only temporary in nature.

But now, with the birth of Obed, it was clear that the Lord was providing generational help for these women for years to come. When Boaz died, Obed would continue his legacy of caring for Naomi and Ruth. He would assume the redemptive responsibilities his father had initiated.

Amazingly, as we celebrate the ongoing, generational work of redemption that we see playing out in this passage, there's more to this story of redemption than meets the eye. Ruth 4:21-22 gives us a picture of the generations that came from this redemption story. We're told, "Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David." The David that is spoken of here would one day become king of Israel and would offer us a foretaste of the ultimate kingly reign of Jesus.

During the course of David's life and reign, the Lord promised him that one with an everlasting kingdom would come from his own lineage. This future King from David's line would lead a divinely established kingdom. He would build a house for the name of God, and His kingdom would endure for all time. These references find their ultimate fulfillment in the one who was referred to as both the Son of David and the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

““When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” ”

— 2 Samuel 7:12-13

When I was 12 years old, I attended Sunday School at our church. At that season of life, I was not very interested in being there. I often attempted to skip out, but got caught every time I tried. One Sunday, our regular teacher became ill and a last-minute substitute filled in for her. She was a woman who knew the Bible very well, but didn't have time to prepare a lesson because she was given no notice. So she walked into our classroom and asked, "From what you know about the Bible, what do you consider the most boring part?" I don't remember what my answer was, but one of the girls in the class said, "The begats!"

I had no idea what "the begats" were, but I quickly found out that she was referencing the portions of Scripture that list genealogies. In some translations, those lists of names say things like, "this person begat this person, etc." So our teacher said, "Great! Let's open our Bibles to the genealogy found in Matthew Chapter 1." Then she proceeded to teach us why portions of Scripture like this matter.

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king. (Matthew 1:1-6a)

This genealogy demonstrates the fulfillment of the Father's longstanding promise to send His Son into the world. God made this promise to Adam and Eve. The promise was elaborated on further to Abraham and his great-grandson Judah. The promise was given to David as well. And as we look at the earthly genealogy of Jesus, we trace the longstanding promise of God being fulfilled through the lineage of people like Abraham, Judah, and David. We also read the names of Boaz, Ruth, and Obed in Christ's list of earthly ancestors.

So while it's tempting to read the book of Ruth like it's a story about her or even a story about her great-grandson David, it's really a story that's revealing an important link in the redemptive chain that ultimately brings us to the divine Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

When Obed was born, the women of Bethlehem said of him that; the Lord had not left Naomi's family without a redeemer, his name would be great in Israel, and he would restore her life and nourish her in her old age. Naomi obviously took great joy in this blessing, and we're even told that she nursed Obed, offering him nourishment from her own body in the midst of his infancy.

But let's not miss the greater story that we're being shown here. It's true that a child was born in Bethlehem who would redeem His people, whose name would be great, who would restore life to the dead, and nourish those who felt worn out. Obed wasn't the ultimate fulfillment of these great promises, but he most certainly was a sneak peek at what was to come. Jesus, the Son of David and Son of God, born in Bethlehem just as the prophets foretold, would fulfill these promises with eternal ramifications.

Jesus came to this earth to redeem us. He came to fulfill the prophesies and pictures that foretold His arrival. He came to inaugurate an eternal kingdom and offer us a permanent part in that kingdom if we place our trust in Him.

While the rest of this world tries to build their own kingdoms and attempts to redeem themselves (if they even admit they need redemption), let's not forget who Jesus is and what He has promised to do on our behalf. Receive His offer to redeem you. Trust in Him and follow Him as your everlasting King.

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14-15)

© John Stange, 2022

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy John Stange a coffee.