I’M SORRY! PLEASE FORGIVE ME?

The words usually flowed so easily!  He would sit down to write or compose, strum a few strings on the harp, and immediately the dam would break!  This was easy for David!  He’d been writing poems and songs since he was a young boy watching his father’s sheep.  The loneliness cultivated a quiet, humble attitude.  His voice and playing soothed the sheep.  His repertoire gradually grew to the point that he had songs for nearly every situation. 

Later in life, he was called to the court of King Saul to play comforting songs to ease his troubled mind.  It worked!  Saul was ministered to by David’s constant redirection to God and His faithfulness.  Saul came to love this young man because he was the only one who could calm Saul’s disturbed thinking.

Others came to know David’s songs.  Many of them became a regular part of the worship of the people!  It was an innovation added to the dry forms that had come to characterize worship in Jerusalem with its constant sacrifices and strict observations.  David’s songs were sung from the heart!  The people found themselves singing them in their homes, at their work and as they journeyed.

And now – to top it off – this beloved David had been their king for many years.  His succeeding of King Saul had been easy and natural.  He was beloved by the people!  His exploits and triumphs were legendary!  His reputation began with the killing of Goliath and continued with the radical expansion of his kingdom!  Many nations now paid tribute to David and the Kingdom of Judah,

But today, none of that mattered.  Today, his words didn’t flow.  Today it was as though there was an iron wall between David and Yahweh!  The strumming of the strings produced nothing.  He sat slumped in silence with his mind ruminating on deep, deep regrets. 

He sang several of his old songs, but none of them fit the need for today.  His grief and sorrow was real, but he had no means to express them. 

He was ashamed!  He had done dreadful things.  He had broken the commands of his God.  He had hurt people deeply.  He had betrayed his wives.  He was responsible for the taking of a life!  Oh, it had not been by his hand, but it had been done as a result of his instructions.  And to top it off, this man had been his friend and a respected leader in his army!  In fact, this man had been one of David’s ‘mighty men’; men who were deeply committed to David and his protection! 

It had all begun because David had not gone to battle with his army. This time – getting older – he had stayed home.  Instead of being where he should have been, he couldn’t sleep.  He went to the rooftop on a hot summer night.  He looked down and spotted a woman taking a bath.  He sent for her.  He seduced her.  She was the wife of Uriah, who was away fighting for Israel.  Shortly after, she sent David word that she was pregnant! 

And David’s world crumbled.  

In shame and desperation he set in motion a plan that would lead to Uriah’s death.  And David knew that things would never be the same. 

So here he sat, with nothing to say to the God he had so grossly disappointed and offended.

Till finally after sleepless nights and foodless days he lay in the dark completely defeated.  He woke up cold and wrapped his robe around him.  It was dark.  He hadn’t spoken to anyone for days. 

That’s when he finally found words that matched his desperation, despair and depression.

With tears quietly streaming down his face, he spoke to the One he had defied:

God,

Be merciful to me because You are loving.

Because You are always ready to be merciful, wipe out all my wrongs.

Wash away all my guilt and make me clean again.

 …weeping and sobbing…

 You are the one I have sinned against;

I have done what You say is wrong…

Take away my sin, and I will be clean.

Wash me and I will be whiter than snow.

Create in me a pure heart, God,

And make my spirit right again.

 

Do not send me away from You or take Your Holy Spirit away from me.

 

Give me back the joy of Your salvation!

_____________________________________________

Be reminded today that there is always a way back into God’s graces!  It involves humbling ourselves and expressing sorrow over our bad choices.  It requires honesty and submission added to a sincere sense of regret! 

But there is a way to be restored!  Don’t delay.  Carry your concerns to God today – right now! 

BLINDED PEOPLE

 II Corinthians 4:4

The god of this age [Satan] has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Does it surprise you to hear an intelligent person referring to the reality of a being named Satan?  Have we really come so far that we now depersonalize the reality of this cosmic enemy of God?  

I believe in his reality for two reasons primarily:

1. The Bible clearly teaches his reality and even his authority in this world.
2. I see evidence of his influence in my life daily!

This very important verse reveals his tactics.  He blinds the minds of unbelievers!  In doing so, he prevents them from seeing the truth of the gospel - and therefore the glory of Christ who is the image of God.  

And the church keeps meeting and having committees and building bigger and nicer buildings.

Through some vital connections, I have been closely watching the developments in the country of  Myanmar.  Debbie and I spent a couple of weeks in Yangon some years ago.  We met the beautiful people there and saw their orphanages and schools.  They make much happen from very meager resources.  One church there served us 'foreigners' by washing all of our clothes for us and also by serving us a delicious meal.  I distinctly remember the line of teenage girls squatting at basins and washing our dishes as we finished our meal!  They understand servanthood!  

The military intervention that took place there a couple of months ago has cast the country into chaos and confusion.  This has happened repeatedly throughout their history.  The people are disappointed and angry.  Protests in the streets have cost lives.  None of this is secret;  with a simple search you can turn up reports and even videos.

And guess what?

The church is growing in converts as a result!  In desperate times, people turn to God!  

Now, many would say that we've been facing desperate times here in America over the past year.  Yet where is our harvest?  

I think there are two main explanations for this lack of spiritual renewal.

FIRST

The church is still focused on a 'come and see' approach.  We build beautiful facilities and try to get the crowd to come.  Churches use night-club contrivances, the latest video techniques, a constant barrage of new music and sermons bought from the most successful preachers in the country.  But what if lost people - for whatever reasons - just don't want to come to our churches?

SECOND

Christians are indistinguishable from spiritually lost people!  We look alike, dress alike, drink alike, talk the same, watch the same movies and TV shows, and our divorce rate is even higher than theirs!  BUT, we do go to church most Sundays!  That's our understanding of letting our light shine...

Yet, I'm trying to recall when Jesus spoke of gathering crowds to do evangelism.  What I do remember is Him telling His followers to GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND MAKE DISCIPLES.  There's a creative thought!  Go to the lost!  Make friends with them.  Help them.  Serve them.  Influence them.  Go to where they are sick and dying (like Jesus did).  Feed the ones who are hungry (like Jesus did).  Attend their feasts (like Jesus did).  Develop a reputation of being a friend of sinners (like Jesus did).  

In doing these things, we rip Satan's hands from their minds and eyes!  We disarm Satan!  We show the love of Christ!  We reveal a Savior who can calm their fears, forgive their sins, and give them eternal hope!  

During our three years in China, the churches we were connected to would get extremely excited when Americans would come to teach them how to do church.  I had an ongoing discussion over this with a dear Chinese friend who shared this exuberance.  

The facts are that the Church grew phenomenally in China from the 1950's through the end of the century during severe times of persecution.  For four decades there was no outside presence in China!  The seed of faith planted by missionaries prospered and grew through the direct intervention of the Holy Spirit.  

I contended to my friend that the Chinese Church doesn't need to be taught by Americans.  The American Church is anemic and has failed in its mission.  It DESPERATELY needs an intervention from outside its borders!  

My prayer was and is:  God, protect China, Myanmar and other countries where You are at work from interventions by a church that has lost the fire and is nearly fruitless.  

Almighty God,

Thank You for the work You're doing in China, Myanmar, India, Cambodia and in many other places and countries! 

Renew Your work in the hearts and lives of American Christians!

Refresh Your Call on our lives.

Forgive our sins and lack of concern.

Open our eyes to Your mission - which is great in our land!

Make us a spiritual force in this world as we once were!

Help us to rebuild a platform that will give us the right to teach others and do it effectively and fruitfully.

For the Kingdom's sake.  Amen.

IT FEELS GOOD TO SET A BOUNDARY!

Several years ago, a new television show was put forward on ABC.  Because it seemed to have remote connections to the previous show, 24, (in particular the leading character is played by Kiefer Sutherland) we decided to give it a try.

For those who don't know, Designated Survivor was about the sudden, unexpected destruction of the US Congress during a State of the Union address.  An unlikely candidate, (Sutherland) is thrust into leadership of a nation without a Congress and in utter chaos and fear.

The portrayal of these events was realistic and effective.  It was a fantastically plausible plot that allowed for creative, fast-moving development.  To be short, we enjoyed the show and were quite surprised at the end of year two when ABC cancelled it.

However, there was clatter that Netflix might pick it up and produce a third season of ten episodes - which they did.  This third season aired on Netflix beginning June 7.  When we opened Netflix and saw it offered, we were excited and immediately watched episode one.

We were quickly shocked at the changes in language and the general tenor of the show.  Things were clearly "different" under this new guiding hand.  We immediately felt tenuous about this new, edgier presentation of the storyline.

The deterioration was similar to what we'd observed in other shows;  one example was Madam Secretary, which we quit watching after the second season.  In both shows the change was palpable. By this, I mean it was more 'in-your-face', shocking and seeming to embrace as many radical issues as they could squeeze into their available forty-five minutes.

Debbie's sensitivities are quicker than mine.  She decided after episode one that she would not watch anymore.  So, while she was with her mom, I watched the next couple of episodes alone.  All-the-while, I had a growing discomfort that this is not something I should be watching.

Last night, as I was watching, a scene came on that was so vile that I quickly grabbed for the remote to end the stream.  I sat in the silence shocked and disappointed.  I went to bed but couldn't sleep.  I quietly prayed.

I prayed for forgiveness for not picking up on the signs earlier.  I prayed for the producers who created this show.  I prayed for the actors and for our nation.  Then Debbie spoke in the darkness:  "Are you praying?"  My answer:  "Yes."  Her response:  "Good!  I could hear you whispering."  I'm so accustomed to my hearing disability that I tend to forget just how well she can hear!  :-)

I continued to pray until I eventually fell asleep.

This morning I rose and immediately went to my study to read and pray.  Among my sections for today I read the second chapter of Titus (from The Voice Bible).  It includes the following passage (verse 12):

Grace arrives with its own instruction:  run away from anything that leads us away from God;  abandon the lusts and passions of this world;  live life now in this age with awareness and self-control, doing the right thing and keeping yourselves holy.   

It solidified my decision and reinforced my commitment to be on guard for those things and experiences that lead me away from God!

I have drawn a boundary for myself!  It feels good to have done so!

I want to be a good man.  I want to be a godly man!  This is not an easy thing to accomplish in the current age with so many diversions and distractions.

I began driving for Lyft back around Christmas time.  My pattern has been to leave early to catch the morning demand for rides.  I tend to leave anytime between 5:00 AM to 6:30 AM and often drive until late morning.  I've had good intentions to return home and have my Bible and prayer time.  However, there are so many things to do when I get back!  You guessed it.  My well-established disciplines have been decimated.

That is - until this week.  God's voice finally got through to me and I reestablished my priorities - something that we all need to do periodically.  This week, I've returned to rising early and heading straight for my study.  On day one, the restoration of joy in God's Word was immediate!  The channels were clear as I heard His voice and experienced communion with my God!

A peace and sense of balance has quickly been restored.  I am grateful.

Perhaps your time with God has been compromised.  Maybe you need to reevaluate.

Acts 3:19 says, (again from The Voice Bible):

So now you need to rethink everything and turn to God so your sins will be forgiven and a new day can dawn, days of refreshing times flowing from the Lord. 

 You may discover - as I have - how good it is to have this primary relationship restored!

KOREAN FRIENDS

I attended my pastor's group meeting yesterday.  We shared our morning with a group of about twenty pastors and leaders from South Korea.  Our translator was a friend from Akron named Sunhee Starkey.  She did a marvelous job of helping us to communicate.  It was wonderful to hear prayers lifted in two languages.

Many of the Korean pastors are women - young and older.  They are vibrant in their love for God - and VERY RESPONSIVE!!  Energetic for God and His Kingdom work! 

Bishop Cho spoke to us about opportunities to reach out to Asians who are hungry for God!  He has made ninety trips to China!  He has a great passion for seeing the millions of lost people in China come to Christ!  He was humble, but powerful in the Word! 

I am forever changed by the exciting things he shared! 

Remember the scene from the Grinch cartoon, where his heart began to grow three sizes in his chest?  A love for the people of the Hoo Village consumed him!  My love for the Asian Church has grown similarly!  I must find a way to be actively involved in this historical movement of God's Spirit!

RETREAT CHANGES ME

Three or four days of silence and solitude transforms me.  My heart and attitude change.  I seem to see more from God’s perspective than when I’m stuck in the muck of everyday living.  Part of me mirrors Peter:  Rabbi, it is good for us to be here;  let us make three tabernacles...”  I want to stay here even longer and soak in the nearness to God.

However, that would make me largely ineffective!  There’s a world to be won and people to be influenced.  Retreat is retreat;  it strengthens us and re-connects us to our Lord.  But then we return to work!  Refreshed.  With clearer vision. 

Oh, how I wish that more would schedule times like this.  You may not be able to take four or five days, but some time away for reflection and meditation would do so many of you so much good!  It’s really not impossible.  Face it - we do what we want to do!  If we want it bad enough, we make it happen! 

Years ago, I led lay and clergy retreats.  Some of them were even ‘silent’ retreats.  I never had anyone say (after a retreat), “This was a waste of time.” 

If you’d be interested in participating in a weekend retreat this fall, let me know.  I can be found on Facebook or via email:  halhaire@sbcglobal.net