Becoming: Part 5 - Living Hands Free

     It is commonly suggested that men are not very good at multi-tasking, yet quite good at compartmentalizing. Though this may or may not be the case, I have come to realize my own personal weakness in multi-tasking. Because of this realization, I have had to give myself a reminder that I cannot carry as big a load as God. The phrase I have begun to tell myself is, “God can care for that at the moment.” As I remind myself in this way, God seems to chime in as well. He seems to say to me, “that’s Mine, keep your hands off.” No matter how good or not so good you may be at multi-tasking, there will be times when God reminds you to keep your hands off what only He will touch. In these times, we are to learn the difficult yet profitable task of living hands free. At times, we are to live hands free.      In 1 Samuel 25-31, David though anointed to be King over Israel, is on the run from the current King, King Saul. Saul had for some time been attempting to kill David ever since the people of Israel began to see David as a more powerful warrior. In this last section of 1 Samuel, we come to the end of David’s journey fleeing from Saul. This time is a time of living hands free for David and in the end God paves the way for him to become king. Though there is much we could say about this time in David’s life, I want to focus particularly on how and why David chose to live hands free. I believe that he can be an example of how we may do the same as we are living in the process of God’s making. Please consider the following:
1. Living hands free, frees us from guilt. 26:6-12
2. Living hands free is accepting the possibility of the worst. 27:1-4
3. Living hands free is being honest and blameless in difficulty. 29:6-11
4. Living hands free is not grabbing all you can. 30:21-25
     Through the above, David serves as an example. We may then ask how David was able to live hands free in this manner? The answer is very simply found in the sixth verse of chapter thirty were we see that David received his strength from the Lord. For us this is the key as well.
     One of the many things that make it difficult to live hands free, is our own idea of who we should be. Part of growing up is coming to understand who we are as individuals. Because of so many developmental issues we tend to create a false-self. This usually creates an unsustainable living situation. Sue Monk Kidd in her book When the Heart Waits, helps us understand how we must confront the false-self and let it go. She suggest:
A. Let go of Your own self-image.
B. Let go of societies definition of you.
C. Let go of the compilation of your heroes.
D. Let go of your failures.
E. Let go of who unhealthy people say you are. 
     As we release the above, we are to embrace our true selves as defined by our Creator. These things help us to discover who He has created us. I think you would agree that the creator of a thing has the right to determine the identity and its purpose. Consider embracing the following: 
A. You are the reflection of God’s image.
B. You are valuable and worthy of the most immense love.
C. You possess world-changing gifts, talents, and abilities.
D. You are worth chasing.

Becoming: Living in the Process of God's Making - Part 4 "A Cry to Settle"

            During times of seeking God’s will Susan and I did not always agree on how much we should tell our children. I thought we should tell them everything, but she disagreed because she did not want them to live with the same sense of unsettledness as we did. Much of my children’s teen years were like this, and I probably could have done better provided stability for them.

            Most people cry out for a sense of settling down. Getting married and having a family is seen by many as “settling down”. Those with toddlers may argue with that definition. It is very much the opposite is it not? Truth be known we are individuals seeking to settle in an unsettled society. Not much about our world is settled. Observe the following descriptions.

            A settled society is defined as “traditions and common sense”. A controlled society refines and reinforces skills and habits while relying on the tried-and-true strategies of action.  An unsettled society is defined as one where ideas not habits are the “motor-force of life”.  Leaders create new strategies for action. Long-term influence depends on survival of competing ideologies. The later seems to the reality in which we live.

            In our longing to be settled, we tend to think of the Bible presenting a settled society, but it is the very opposite. All of history has been filled with unsettledness yet our human nature cries out to be settled. Part of living in the process of God’s making is learning to be settled in unsettledness until the restoration of all things through Christ. Therefore, let us consider this idea. Living in process often leaves us unsettled among family, friends, and strangers.

            A look into how David and Jonathan navigated a strong unsettling can be found in 1 Samuel chapters 19-21. When things seemed to settle, they became unsettled as before we need (1 Samuel 19) To needs displayed in this chapter are the love of a true friend and the power of God’s protection. Chapter 20 seems to reveal the idea that unsettled families call for settled friendship. Here the friendship of David and Jonathon was healthier that Jonathan’s relationship with his own father King Saul. Finally, chapter 21 reveals the necessity of navigating through the fears of other.

            With all that can be unsettled, who we trust becomes evident by who we worship. What Notice the harsh words spoken to King Hezekiah in Isaiah 36:4-7. He was being spoken to by the king of Assyria who basically stated that Hezekiah did not trust in the LORD because he did not worship in public. It is important to know that those who reject God see the hypocrisy of us who claim to trust God yet fail to worship Him as LORD in public. Here a church family finds a strong reminder. If we claim to trust God, we ought to worship is LORD.

            This worship will build a community that can be trusted. Two components of this are unity in prayer and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1-2). With this infilling comes the fruit of the Holy Spirit as described in Galatians 5:22-26. May Yucaipa Valley Church of the Nazarene be a place of trust during an unsettled world.

Becoming: #3 – Remaining Humble 1 Samuel 18

            Once I stopped being jealous because of how God used others pastors, I began to learn from them. Learning from them means understanding the reasons why they have such a positive impact on their churches and communities. I understand the typical answer of its not them its God, but why then do some pastors fail to have much of an impact? Does God fail? If everything is up to God, then He has a spotty record of success and failure. I personally believe that God provides all that is needed for churches and pastors to make powerful impacts on their communities. Success will depend on our cooperating with Him. We don’t sit by and watch God do all the all the work. He calls, equips, and sends us into the lives of others. Yes, it is His plan, and His power, but we must cooperate in order to participate.  

            We see this in the lives of many biblical and historical figures. The focus here is the process God leads His people through as He guides them to places of impact. A very powerful perspective is gained through the life of David. He was a shepherd turned king. In this process David had to cooperate with God through faith, patience, and obedience. As he did, those around him had mixed feelings. He experienced love and praise from some, but jealousy and rage from others. Remaining humble through these experiences was part of David’s cooperation with God. However, God is leading you into lives around you, the challenge will be to live humbly in His plan.

            This post focuses on 1 Samuel Ch.18 where we see David successfully remain humble in the face of various reactions to God’s work in his life. Here, we draw several conclusions concerning jealousy and humility. Jealousy destroys appreciation yet love destroys jealousy (V. 1-9). Though he was naturally inline to become king, Jonathan loved David without a hint of jealousy. The exact opposite was the case with King Saul as he sought to destroy David, because David received all the praise. Jealousy also blinds us from the good God does in others (V.10-16).

            As we see jealousy at work in this text, we also see the work of humility. David displays the idea that humility is not thinking of yourself beyond who you are (V. 17-27). It also allows us to live within the jealously of some and the praise of others (V. 28-30). By observing how jealousy and humility work in David’s life, we receive the challenge to receive God’s favor through humble cooperation.

            A foundational truth to support this challenge is found in Proverbs 3:34 which states “Toward the scorners He is scornful, but to the humble He gives favor” (ESV). This foundational truth is displayed though a parable of Jesus in Luke 18:9-14.  As we live up to this challenge, may our church be filled with Jesus’ example of humility as found in Philippians 2:1-11.

“1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”