A REMARKABLY PERSONAL PSALM

Psalm 16 would probably be considered an unremarkable one.  If MANY have memorized Psalm 23, I imagine that very few have made any attempt to memorize Psalm 16.  Yet, as I read it this morning, I experienced God's blessing.  Let me unpack some of it for you.

In verse 1, David acknowledges:

"Protect me, God, for the only safety I know is found in the moments I seek You."

[All quotes from The Voice Bible unless otherwise noted]

I realized that the calmest moments of my day are when I sit in the darkness of my study early in the morning and have a talk with God.  Even then, however, my mind is beginning to churn with thoughts about my day and things on my 'to-do' list.  Repeatedly, I have to return to my conversation with Him apologizing for my wandering mind.  But He's patient with me.  :-)  It's a cuddling time and I highly value it!

In verse 2, David speaks directly to God:

I told You, Eternal One, "You are my Lord, for the only good I know in this world is found in You alone."

I was taught to pray when I was quite young by my mother.  "God is good.  God is great!"  He has never let me down!  In spite of living a blessed life, Debbie and I have faced some pretty serious challenges.  I could start to enumerate them here, but you'd quickly get tired of reading.  Suffice it to say that I used to always open worship with the phrase:

GOD IS GOOD - ALL THE TIME!

 The congregation quickly learned to respond:

AND ALL THE TIME - GOD IS GOOD!  😊

 In verse 3, David expresses gratitude for his fellow believers.

"The beauty of faith-filled people encompasses me.  They are true, and my heart is thrilled beyond measure."

Our Christian family and friends have proven to be faithful to us over the years!  

• They've blessed us with financial help so many times!
• They've comforted us in times of deep sorrow!
• They've shared their resources with us!
• They've inconvenienced themselves so many times to help us!
• They've proven their love for us so many times and in so many ways!

Verse 5 is David's testimony of confidence in God!

"You, Eternal One, are my sustenance and my life-giving cup. In that cup, You hold my future and my eternal riches."

Although I don't know for certain, I suspect that David may be an older man when he writes this.  As I grow older, I find my trust in God growing more and more significant.  I'm more aware now than I've ever been that my days are limited.  Debbie and I have had 'the talk' repeatedly about who will go first, and what life will be like for the one who remains.  

But we mutually agree that God has been so good to us! And we know - with certainty - that according to John 11:36, [Jesus speaking] "...And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.”  You see, we believe we have built up treasure in Heaven AND the possibility of rewards as well!  

In verse 6, David speaks of his home.

"My home is surrounded in beauty;  You have gifted me with abundance and a rich legacy."

After living most of our lives in parsonages, we now - in retirement - have our own home!  We can put a nail in the wall anywhere we want!  We're currently remodeling our living room!  Our home is nestled into a hillside of pines and other trees.  We look out over two lovely ponds and fields of grazing sheep!  David would love this place!  

Our kids love and serve the Lord!  We have so much to be thankful for!  

In verse 8, David senses God's presence.

"He is ever present with me; at all times He goes before me.  I will not live in fear or abandon my calling because He stands at my right hand."

Although I am not aware of God's presence in my life every minute - or even close to that.  However, I believe His Word and trust in His protective and guiding hand!

In verse 9, David is satisfied.

"This is a good life - my heart is glad, my soul is full of joy, and my body is at rest.  Who could want for more?  

True contentment is a wonderful thing!  All is well!  This experience is never more complete than when you have experienced peace with God and are walking in His ways!

Well, this has gone on long enough.  Oh, just one more!  😂

In verses 10-11, David's peace is based on the fact that he is eternally secure in the promises of his God!

"You will not abandon me to experience death and the grave or leave me to rot alone.  Instead, You direct me on the path that leads to a beautiful life. As I walk with You, the pleasures are never ending, and I know true joy and contentment."

David's walk with God has brought him to a place of assurance that has taken away any fear of death!  His mind seems to be on Heaven as he writes these words.  Although - at this point in his life - David does not have much to go on regarding Heaven, he seems to intuit that he will somehow not be separated from God.

We - on the other hand - have loads of information about Heaven in our Bibles!  Detailing that information is for another time and place.  However, just a hint from I John 3:2,

"Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is."

GOD ADVOCATES FOR HIS PEOPLE

In Genesis 12 and 20, we have unusual stories of God protecting Abraham and Sarah while they were living in areas controlled by the Egyptian Empire.   In chapter 20, they were actually in an area that would later become part of Israel - very near what we would call the Gaza strip today.

In both cases we see what appears to be a lack of faith on Abraham's part to trust God to protect him and Sarah.  He literally lies to the local kings, telling them that his wife, Sarah, is actually his sister.  This is only partly a lie [Genesis 20:12], since she was the daughter of Abraham's father, but not his mother.  

In each case, Sarah - being noticeably beautiful, even at an older age - was taken into the harem of these foreign kings.  This is preposterous to us as we read it today!  It seems completely inconsiderate of Abraham to allow such a thing to happen!  Abraham's self-preservation offends us!  In the first case, Sarah is there long enough to have made an impression on the king!   

However, in each situation God takes up Sarah's case by intervening with these foreign kings.  

In chapter 12, the king's household begins to suffer a severe skin disease as a punishment for the Pharaoh's sin.  He realizes that it is because of his sin with Sarah and immediately releases her.  Having given tremendous wealth to Abraham, the Pharaoh then asked Abraham to leave the area with his massive flocks and family system.  

In chapter 20, God spoke to Abimelech in a dream, warning him: "'Look, you are a dead man because the woman you have taken into your harem is a married woman.'  Up to this point, Abimelech had not physically approached her."  [v.3-4]  

This episode is peculiarly interesting because of God's validation of the King of Gerar:

ABIMELECH:  I took her in my harem without knowing the truth.  I acted with integrity.  I am completely innocent.

Then God replied to him still in his dream.

ETERNAL ONE:  Yes, I know you did this with integrity in your heart.  It was I who prevented you from crossing the line.  I protected you from yourself by not letting you touch her.  Now do the right thing. Return the man's wife.  He is one of my prophets.  He will pray and intercede for you, and you will live. But if you do not give her back, I assure you, you will die - you and everyone associated with you.  [vs.5-7]  [All scriptures are from The Voice Bible]

 The odd thing about these passages is that Abraham comes off as being the one with a lack of faith!  But, in his shortfall, God steps in to protect him and Sarah, as well as the Egyptian kings and their families!  

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There are several things we can presuppose from these incidents:

1. God is always watching!  He knows the intricate details of our lives and circumstances.  He misses nothing!

2.  Not only is God always watching, but He intervenes!  God has not left this world like a clock that is wound and is now winding down!  He is engaged!  He inserts Himself in the affairs of His people!  He cares!  God acts!

3. God protects us!  One of the wonders we will marvel at someday in the distant future is when God reveals His actions on our behalf!  We have benefitted from His protection at times and in ways that we have no awareness of!  Some of our greatest - most passionate praise - will come when these things are revealed!  Some of us have stretched the duty of our guardian angels by our careless and wreckless behavior!  😉

4. There are people who cross our lives who are faith-driven although we may never know it!  Abimelech was clearly a God-fearing man who was concerned to live his life with integrity!  We should never assume that people we deal with in the discourse of our day are spiritually lost people!  God's people are sprinkled everywhere!  The person who rear-ended you last week may be a believer who was simply distracted.  Bring an awareness into every connection you make, watching for signs that this person (or these people) may be Christ-followers!  

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Kind and Loving God,

Thank You for protecting us 24/7!  Thank You for advocating for us even when we are unaware that You are doing so!  Thank You that You are always pressing forward in people and places that might surprise us - to make Your love and Word known!  

You're an awesome God, and it's our privilege to serve You!  Amen.

 

GOD'S STAFF MEETINGS

There are some strong similarities between Job 1 and Job 2. 

Apparently, God had periodic staff meetings (1:6, 2:1) in which He heard reports and gave assignments.  In both of these instances, Satan appears at these meetings. 

In the first, God asks him what he has been doing.  Satan reports that he’s been roaming the earth, observing its inhabitants.

God asks if he has checked out Job and then declares him to be “unlike any other person on the whole earth” because of his character and integrity.

It is immediately clear that Satan knows of Job, for he complains that God has put a hedge of protection around him!  We can assume from this that Satan has tried to tempt Job, but was unsuccessful in doing so!  Satan suggests that if this protection was removed, Job would not be so pious.

God then assures Satan that this protection will be removed and that all of Job’s possessions are subject to Satan’s wishes.  However, Satan is not to lay a hand on Job!

Immediately Satan goes to work!  In one day, his flocks and herds are all destroyed or stolen.  Then, in a surprising and devastating move, his seven sons and three daughters are all killed in a tornado! 

Job is devastated, but “tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell to the ground.  Face down, Job sprawled in the dirt to worship…In all of this Job neither sinned nor did he make foolish charges against God.”  [vs.21,22 The Voice]. 

At the beginning of chapter two, God is holding another staff meeting and again Satan appears.  Again, God asks what he has been doing.

Again, Satan explains that he has been roaming the earth and observing its inhabitants.

Ironically, God asks if he’s looked into His faithful servant, Job? 

This time, Satan complains that because God has protected him by preserving his health, he remains true to God. 

So, God grants Satan the opportunity to attack Job’s health – however, he cannot take his life!

Immediately, Job breaks out in sores from head to foot!  He is in agony and scrapes his sores with broken pottery as he sits in the ashes outside of town.  Even his wife suggests that he curse God and die! 

But Job’s response is PRICELESS! 

“Are we to accept the good that comes from God, but not accept the bad?” [2:10 The Voice]. 

It’s at this point that three of Job’s friends [who happen to be from different regions] come to sit with him in

mourning and silence for seven days!

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OBSERVATIONS:

1.    God’s protection is real!  We should pray for it for ourselves and those we love!

2.    Satan’s aggression is real!  He prowls the earth looking for faithful ones to attack!

3.    The faithful stick together encouraging and counseling one another!

4.    If you read the rest of the book, you will see that faithfulness is always rewarded!

THE PROTECTION OF GOD

 In Genesis 35, God tells Jacob to leave where he's been living and go up to Bethel.  Bethel is the place where Jacob had a vision of God when he was fleeing his brother Esau many years earlier.  This time, God wants Jacob to build an altar there.  Jacob immediately packs up his family and begins the journey.  

Now, Jacob and his family and his herds and flocks were simply living in open country.  Family clans were the functional forms of this day and region.  Jacob and his sons had just had a major conflict with the Shechemites when Jacob's daughter, Dinah, was raped!   This was a journey that put them at risk!  They had little to no protection as they journeyed.  

However, notice verse 5,

Then they set out, and the terror of God fell upon the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.

Moses is considered the writer of Genesis with the Holy Spirit guiding him in the process.  How would Jacob have even known of this protection?  God simply took the initiative to protect Jacob and his entourage to guard His interests!   

The next verse tells us that Jacob made it to Bethel without any incident and built his altar before God.  This was the moment that God gave him the same call that He had given to Abraham and Isaac;  it is also the moment when God officially changed Jacob's name to Israel!  

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How many times have we experienced the protection of God - and not known it?

When we moved from Akron to New Middletown, I made frequent trips back to Akron for various reasons.  One wintry, snowy day, I was returning to New Middletown with a good six inches of snow on the road.  I was overconfident because I drove a four-wheel-drive Explorer at the time.  Suddenly, I began drifting toward the side of the road and a long, downhill bank.  I cried out loud to the Lord:  "Oh God!"  And suddenly, it was as if an invisible hand took control of my vehicle and simply guided me back into my lane!  I wish we had video of my face in that moment.  I was SHOCKED!  I was also safe!

I don't very often say much about my Mom - which is curious because she was the dominant influence in my life for the first seventeen years!  She was a remarkable woman of faith and prayer.  She believed in the providence of God more than anyone I ever knew.  If we were delayed in starting out on a journey, she would simply console my Dad by saying:  "Leonard, if we're running late, it's because the Lord is protecting us from something down the road."  Many times, we'd see an accident and Mom would say, "See, Leonard, if we'd have left five minutes earlier, we might have been in that accident."  This scenario replayed itself MANY times over!  She believed it with all her heart!  

Now, do bad things still happen in the lives of believers?  Duh...of course they do.  Remember, God is more concerned about our eternal souls than about our bodies or possessions.  All of us are going to die at some point.  But this does not deny that God does indeed look after His children.  

If you doubt this, re-read Psalm 91.  It ends with these words:

God says, “I will save those who love me and will protect those who acknowledge me as LORD. When they call to me, I will answer them; when they are in trouble, I will be with them. I will rescue them and honor them. I will reward them with long life; I will save them.”

The great reformer, Martin Luther understood this concept:

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;

our helper He amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.

For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;

his craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate,

on earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,

were not the Right Man on our side, the Man of God's own choosing.

Dost ask who That may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;

Lord Sabaoth, His name, from age to age the same,

and He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,

we will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us.

The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;

his rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure;

one little word shall fell him.

That Word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;

the Spirit and the gifts are ours, thru Him who with us sideth.

Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;

the body they may kill; God's truth abideth still;

His kingdom is forever. 

JACOB HEADS HOME

 REVIEW:

• Esau and Jacob (twins) were born to Isaac and Rebecca
• Esau was born first
• As young men, Jacob (which means deceiver) bought his brother's birthright for a bowl of stew
• Later - with the help of his mother - Jacob deceived Isaac and stole his brother's blessing
• Esau threatened to kill Jacob, so his mother sent him to her homeland to find a wife and save him from his brother
• Upon arriving in Haran, Jacob begins working for his uncle Laban
• He agrees to work for seven years to have Laban's daughter, Rachel, as his wife
• After seven years, Laban tricks him and gives him his daughter, Leah, instead
• Jacob agrees to work seven more years and immediately marries Rachel as well
• Leah and her handmaiden, and Rachel and her handmaiden give Jacob twelve sons over the years
• God blesses Jacob in the management of the flocks and his wealth grows significantly
• After twenty years, God tells Jacob to return to his homeland
• Jacob leaves without telling Laban, who pursues him for seven days and finally catches up with him in Gilead
• God warns Laban in a dream to do no harm to Jacob

It's interesting that Scripture doesn't give a clear indication that Jacob's wives, or even Jacob himself, had been solely devoted to God.  They had seen Him protect them, and bless them, but they had yet to make a clear committment to worship Him exclusively!  Jacob refers to God as the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac [v.42].  Eventually, God will be known as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but at this point, Jacob hasn't fully committed.

Laban and Jacob have an uncomfortable confrontation.  Laban feels that everything Jacob has is his.  Jacob reminds Laban that he worked for twenty years for everything that he has.  

In the midst of all this, Rachel had stolen her father's household gods and hidden them in her saddle.  She refuses to allow him to search her, making the excuse that she is having her period.  The matter is left unresolved.  

Ancient law, such as the Hurrian, provided for part of the bride payment to be reserved for the woman herself.  Possession of the household gods insured the right of inheritance;  hence, Rachel may have sought compensation for the loss of the bride payment.

When Jacob suggests to Leah and Rachel that thy leave, they respond:

Do we still have any share in the inheritance of our father's estate?  Does he not regard us as foreigners?  Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us.  Surely all the wealth that God took away from our father belongs to us and our children.  [vs.14-16]

In spite of the disagreement, Jacob and Laban build a pillar together and make an agreement not to cross that barrier in violence toward one another.  They eat together and bless one another.  Then, Laban kisses his daughters and grandchildren and heads back to Haran.  

The next morning, Jacob resumed his journey and was met by the angels of God [32:1].  

But caution is in the air, for he still has to deal with the wrath of his brother, Esau!...

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God is clearly at work in Jacob's life!  God has provided family, servants, and flocks for Jacob.  Now God has protected Jacob from the potential violence of his father-in-law.  Before the dreadful meeting with his brother, Esau, God sends an army of angels to encourage Jacob and reassure him of God's presence and protection!  

But this all took place 3,500 years ago, and after all, Jacob was one of the Patriarchs!  Does God still exhibit this kind of care over His children?  Is God watching over us with the same kind of commitment?  Is God still blessing, providing, guiding and protecting us - like He did for Jacob?

YES! YES! YES!

This whole story is one of God wooing and winning Jacob's heart and commitment.  

Our Bible tells us that:    [II Peter 3:9]

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.     

Psalm 121:4

...indeed, he who watches over Israel [Jacob] will neither slumber nor sleep. 

The Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 4:19 (New Living Translation):

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

And as Barretta used to say:  You can take that to the bank!  :-) 

 

  

Feeling Grateful

Yesterday, since it was rainy and I couldn't work outside, I decided to drive up to my brother's house in northcentral Pennsylvania.  He's downsizing and offered me his riding mower.  So, I hitched up my little flatbed trailer and headed off in the late morning.

It's a four-and-a-half-hour trip;  I arrived at 3:00 PM.  Joyce had a nice lunch for me and we sat and talked for a while.  Then Ira and I went out to load the mower and tie it down.  They invited me to spend the night and the better part of wisdom said I should do that;  however I took off a little after five o'clock.  

By the time I reached route 80, it was already dark.  It made for a long, lonely trip.  In spite of having the trailer loaded, I was still able to roll along with traffic at 70 miles-per-hour.  I expected to arrive home a little after 10:00 PM, watch some TV and go to bed.  That's NOT the way it happened.

Around 8:45, as I was accelerating up an incline, my Xterra began to shudder.  I couldn't tell if I had a flat on the vehicle or the trailer.  I immediately slowed down but did not pull off.  The Emlenton exit was coming up and I hoped to make it.  I did.  

There was a truck stop there!  Yay!  I pulled under some lights and disconnected the trailer so I could locate the sound.  It was definitely coming from the car.  I crawled under the car with my flashlight and checked the tie-rods and springs.  Everything looked good.  I gripped each wheel and they all seemed tight.  

I  notified the people inside that I would be sleeping in my vehicle.  After calling Debbie, I hunkered down to spend a long night in the Xterra.  UNCOMFORTABLE!!  And rather chilly!  I forced myself to stay put until 6:00 AM.  Then I went inside for breakfast.

After talking with some locals, I discovered that there was a repair shop across the street!  :-)   I pulled over and waited for them to arrive;  they opened at 8:30 AM.  

The owner was more than happy to take it for a short ride.  He then pulled it inside and jacked up the front right.  The wheel wobbled significantly!   Two lug bolts had sheared off!  Two other lug nuts had fallen off along the way.  Of the remaining two, one was loose.  

Now mind you, I had been rolling along at 70 mph with one lug nut holding my tire on!!!!!    See why I'm feeling grateful?   

Psalm 46:1  
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

POST SCRIPT

My Mom had a peculiar way of thinking about things.  I suppose it emerged from her Reformed Presbyterian upbringing.  She strongly believed in God's protection!  I can't tell you how many times, when we were traveling, that she would see an accident and say something like:  "Leonard, if we hadn't ______________  [fill in the blank:  gotten that long light, or stopped for iced cream, or left a little late...] we might have been involved in that accident."   I'm sure that each of my siblings would smile at this explanation;  they all heard it as often as I did!  

I thought of Mom this morning after my car was fixed and I was back on route 80 - again going 70 mph!  A few miles down the road there was evidence of a MAJOR accident:  deep black skid marks for several hundred feet and crumpled guard rails for an equal distance.

You know what leaped to my mind?

If I hadn't pulled off last night because of my problem...

;-)  

LOOK AGAIN!

I just read one of my favorite passages in the Old Testament! 

Elisha is a prophet (godly man).  He is generally respected by everyone - including the kings of his day.  He has an assistant who travels with him.

The king of Syria keeps setting plots against Israel;  God lets Elisha know about each plot.  Elisha keeps warning the king of Israel.

Finally, the king of Syria gets mad about this and sends his army to a village where Elisha is staying.

In the morning, Elisha's assistant steps outside to see the village surrounded by the army of Syria.  Terrified, he runs inside to tell Elisha.

Calmly, Elisha prays, "Lord, open his eyes and let him see!"  His assistant suddenly saw horses of fire and chariots of fire everywhere upon the mountain!

Why was Elisha calm?  Because he was tuned in to God's provision and protection!  He KNEW that he had no reason to fear!

Lord,
Help us to look again!  Help us to see Your provision and protection and to rest in You!  We have no reason to fear!  You've got us covered!  We must simply trust in You!
Oh Yeah!

[The rest of this story is hilarious.  If you care to read it, follow this link and read verses 8-23:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=II%20Kings%206&version=NIV]