Monday, April 30, 2012

1 Chronicles 1-2

Daily Reading
Daily Thought

The genealogy of man begins with Adam (1Chronicles 1:1), the first man. "God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good" (Genesis 1:31). Then Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah (vv 1-4). "And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart" (Genesis 6:6). Ten generations, that's all. From very good to very bad, one bite from a delightful piece of fruit turned loose a flood.

Jesus described life now, with a warning, "Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came..." (Luke 17:26-27). The generations continue, but the fruit has done its damage. 

First Chronicles continues its genealogy through Abraham and Jacob and David, establishing the bloodline of the nation of Judah. It is, regrettably, a genealogy filled with sin and sinners. Thankfully, another genealogy at the beginning of the New Testament continues where Chronicles leaves off, all the way to, "and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ" (Matthew 1:16). 

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost (1Timothy 1:15). 

Daily Prayer

Oh God, the record of my life matches the record of all lives, I seek my own way. I look at the fruit as Eve did, that it is pleasing to the eye and delicious, and I bite into it, as well. I'm so glad You had a plan to deal with that, to save me without me even asking for a Savior. You are my Creator, the author of life, and the Source of all that is good. I say that's what I want from life, goodness and love, but I found the opposite on my own. 

God, You are good and You are love. I want to know You more. I want to know the depths of Your wisdom, and the breadth of Your love. May I always seek You and follow You. Lead me in the way of righteousness and life. Lead me always to Jesus.

Amen.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

2 Kings 23-25

Daily Reading
Daily Thought

A siege is slow relentless death, and the fall of Jerusalem is told in one long methodical twelve-verse sentence (2Kings 25:1-12, the original Hebrew connects one phrase after another with "and"). "And in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month" (v 1), skips to "the ninth day of the fourth month" (v 3) of year eleven, and in eighteen months all is done. A breach in the wall, the Chaldean army rushes in and chases the last king of Judah to the plains of Jericho. A fitting end, where it all began when Joshua fought the battle of Jericho and the people shouted and the trumpets blew and the walls came tumbling down (Joshua 6). Now it was Jerusalem's turn, "and all the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down the walls around Jerusalem" (2Kings 25:10).

There is no emotion in this account. God's prophet Jeremiah weeps over the fall of Jerusalem in his book of Lamentations, but here is the dispassionate voice of a court reporter recounting the execution of judgment. Judah had her good kings, but not enough, and the country is judged for the whole of her sins. Josiah's reign (2Kings 22-23) had been a brief reprieve, but he was followed by Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin and Zedekiah, and a nation cannot endure evil upon evil upon evil. 

"For the wages of sin is death," for nations, as well as for you and me, "but" there is hope and salvation, because there is a new king, a righteous one whose reign will not be brief, but forever, and for us "the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." ~Romans 6:23

Daily Prayer

My God, You are righteous and good and holy and just. I am not. Created in Your image, I chose my own way rather than yours, and my sin led to judgment and that judgment is death. There was such hopelessness in life without You. Thank You for rescuing me, for delivering me from death, returning me to hope, and giving me a life that overflows with Your love.

May my thankfulness be evident in a life changed by Your love. May I walk in Your truth, full of grace, sharing Your goodness by word and deed with all who cross my path. May I seek opportunities to share Your love in the same way You sought me. Thank You for so great a salvation, such a wonderful Savior.

Amen.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

2 Kings 20-22

Daily Reading
Daily Thought

That Hezekiah enjoyed prosperity was obvious. An envoy of visitors bearing gifts sent by the king of Babylon became an excuse to show off. "Hezekiah welcomed them, and he showed them all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them" (2Kings 20:13). Babylon would visit again someday, to make this treasure their own, but this was of little concern to Hezekiah as long as there was "peace and security in my days" (2Kings 20:19). 

Hezekiah had begun beautifully. "The Lord was with him; wherever he went out, he prospered" (2Kings 18:7), but success became too much a good thing. You would hope that one who had trusted God with his life would trust God with his death, but that was not the case for Hezekiah. When Isaiah the prophet came to him and said, "Thus says the Lord, 'Set your house in order, for you shall die'" (2Kings 20:1), Hezekiah pleaded with God and wept bitterly, and fifteen years were added to his life. 

We pray for results, and God answers with opportunities. Hezekiah was given a longer life, so he didn't put his house in order. He would finish badly. He had another son and named him Manasseh, "and Manasseh led them astray to do more evil than the nations had done whom the Lord destroyed before the people of Israel" (2Kings 21:9).

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. ~1Corinthians 9:24-27

Daily Prayer

My Lord, my God, Your commandments will be upon my heart, because they are good for life, my life, and my children's and their children's. I will impress them on my children, talk about them when I sit at home and when I walk along the road, when I lie down and when I get up. I will not only teach them, I will live them. 

God, bless my household. May my family, my spouse and children, follow You all the days of our lives. As for me and my house, we will serve You. 

Amen.

Friday, April 27, 2012

2 Kings 18-19

Daily Reading
Daily Thought

Hezekiah removed the high places. The high places were set on hills near cities where people could worship and bring offerings, often to foreign gods, sometimes to the true God. How many times have we heard of kings, "they did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, except the high places were not taken down"? Kings Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Amaziah, Azariah, and Jotham each did right, but left the high places. Hezekiah removed the high places. God desired the gathering of his people in one place for worship, his Temple. The Temple was due for some repairs.

Hezekiah got right on it. In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them. He said to them, "Hear me, Levites! Now consecrate yourselves, and consecrate the house of the Lord." They began to consecrate on the first day of the first month (2Chronicles 29:3, 5, 17). 

Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, (Genesis 4:4). 

The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God (Exodus 23:19). 

Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33). 

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world (Romans 1:8). 

They gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us (2Corinthians 8:5). 

You have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first (Revelation 2:4-5).

First things first.

Hezekiah got it right. He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him. For he held fast to the Lord. He did not depart from following him, but kept the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses. And the Lord was with him; wherever he went out, he prospered (2Kings 18:5-7). 

Daily Prayer

My Lord and My God, I worship You and love You with all that I am. Which makes sense, since all that I am was created by You. You had an idea for me before I was born, and You formed me and watched me grow. I grow best, Father, when I remember from Whom I came. 

You are the First and, also, the Last. The Beginning and the End, Alpha and Omega, A and Z. You are before all things, and in You all things hold together. There is no life without You. Why would I even think of living my life without You. You are my God. May I wake each morning and think first of You, beginning each day with anticipation. You are God, One and only, first in all things, first in my heart. 

Amen.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

2 Kings 15-17

Daily Reading
Daily Thought

The Lord spoke to Moses, "I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob" (Exodus 6:7-8). This was the covenant God made with Israel.

Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord (2Kings 15:8-9). Menahem the son of Gadi began to reign over Israel, and he reigned ten years in Samaria. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord (vv 17-18). Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned two years. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord (vv 23-24). Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned twenty years. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord (vv 27-28). Hoshea the son of Elah began to reign in Samaria over Israel, and he reigned nine years. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord (2Kings 17:1-2). 

You shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you.
~2Kings 17:38

Selecting his wedding band was easy; deciding on an engraving was her challenge. The jeweler suggested, "I choo choo choose you." Uh, no. "How about 'Today, I married my best friend'?" A little sappy. "You could do your wedding date - April 25, 2012." Hmmm, it would help him remember our anniversary...  "Two hearts, one soul?" I don't think so. "Eternally Yours"; "Today, Tomorrow, Forever"; "My Dream Came True"; "This Day And Always" - No, No, No, No! 

On the wedding night, he pulled off his ring to read the inscription: "Put it back on." 

But Israel kept taking hers off, and in 722BC, "in the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria, and he carried the Israelites away" (2Kings 17:6). 

Daily Prayer

Loving God, You sought me out and rescued me from the darkness I was in. You paid the price of my redemption. You spilled blood for my salvation. You gave Your life for me.

I love You back. I promise. 

I will not seek other ways, other ideas, other gods. You did not need to seek me. You desired to. I, on the other hand, need to seek You. I pray, my God, that You will be and will always be my one desire, my full desire. 

Amen.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

2 Kings 12-14

Daily Reading
Daily Thought

Elisha was old and sick and would soon die, and Joash king of Israel rushed to his side. King's don't run to anyone, but this was the prophet of God. "My father, my father!" cried Joash, "The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" (2Kings 13:14). It seemed a strange utterance, but it had been said before by Elisha when his mentor Elijah was caught up by whirlwind into heaven (2Kings 2:11-12). Joash borrowed Elisha's words to sum up Elisha's life as a worthy heir of God's great prophet; but there was more. Kings count their strength in chariots and horsemen, but Joash was proclaiming the strength of Israel is the God of Elijah and Elisha.  

Elisha instructed Joash to take a bow and arrow, and then he laid his hands on the hands of Joash and together they drew the bow eastward toward Syria, God guiding the king. "Shoot," and he shot. And Elisha said, "The Lord's arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Syria! For you shall fight the Syrians in Aphek until you have made an end of them" (2Kings 13:17). The prophet would die, but God would still guide Israel. "Take the arrows," said Elisha, and Joash took them. "Strike the ground with them." It was an invitation to raise the bar, to reach the heavens, to embrace the power of God Almighty, but instead Joash tapped three times and stopped, too soon, too timid. He should have pummeled the ground and moved mountains. 

"Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him." ~Mark 11:23

Daily Prayer

My God, You have created such an incredible world. It displays Your handiwork, Your wisdom, Your majesty. You placed me in this world to rule it, subdue it, master it, and care for it. You are the giver of all good things, and yet, because of pride and fear, because of my love of my self, I delight in doing things myself, apart from You.

God, my desires lead to my downfall. Pursuing Your delights leads to an abundant life, overflowing with goodness. I am more than a conqueror when I trust fully in my Creator, the God of the heavens and the earth. May I trust in You fully and find satisfaction in following You. 

Amen.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

2 Kings 9-11

Daily Reading
Daily Thought

When Baasha became king of Israel, he secured his throne by putting an end to the dynasty of Jeroboam. "He left to the house of Jeroboam not one that breathed, until he had destroyed it" (1Kings 15:29). Zimri, in turn, did the same to Baasha. "When he began to reign, as soon as he had seated himself on his throne, he struck down all the house of Baasha. He did not leave him a single male of his relatives or his friends" (1Kings 16:11). 

In 2Kings 9-10, Jehu took the throne, but there remained seventy sons in Ahab in Samaria (2Kings 10:1). Jehu followed the precedent of kings when he asked for their heads. Literally, "they took the king's sons and slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel" (2Kings 10:7). Jehu did this, because that's what kings do. They secure the throne. But there is more to the story.

God's prophet Elijah had prophesied against evil King Ahab, "Because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel. And I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the anger to which you have provoked me, and because you have made Israel to sin (1Kings 21:20-22). Jehu ended the dynasty of Ahab, but he did not do it solely because that's what kings do. He did it because God is in charge. History is written with the pen of God.  

Jehu also emptied the throne of Judah by killing Ahaziah (2Kings 9:27), so Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, took over. To establish her reign, she sought a bigger prize, to put an end to the dynasty of David. She ordered the execution of all the royal family, "but Jehosheba, the sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him away" (2Kings 11:2). Joash (also called Jehoash) was hidden away for six years in a bedroom in the house of the Lord. Athaliah would not find him there. She worshipped in the house of Baal. Athaliah tried to destroy David's dynasty, and Jehosheba sought to save it, but there is more to the story.

God's prophet Nathan had prophesied to righteous King David, "Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever" (2Samuel 7:16). God is in charge.

Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign (2Kings 11:21) and the throne of David continued, but God is sovereign over all.

Daily Prayer

My God, You are King of kings and Lord of lords. My kings sit on earthly thrones, while You sit on the throne of heaven. I pledge my allegiance to You and Your kingdom forever. Your will be done as it has always been. 

I serve at Your pleasure and for Your pleasure, God. May the desires of my heart be shaped by You, so that I will seek after what is righteous and good, pure and holy. May I delight in following You and may You be praised by my works and my words. May all that I do declare that You are my King. I will love others because You taught me love, and first loved me.

Amen.

Monday, April 23, 2012

2 Kings 6-8

Daily Reading
Daily Thought

Blaise Pascal, 17th-Century French philosopher, proposed that at the very least belief in God is a good bet. God cannot be proved or disproved rationally, he argued. If God is, there is great gain in believing in him and great loss in not. If God is not, then neither matters. It is most reasonable, therefore, to believe, since it is the only course that provides an advantage. It is not a strong faith, but it is a beginning.

Four lepers, sitting outside the gates of the city of Samaria, made a similar wager. Ben-hadad, king of Syria, led his entire army and laid siege to Samaria, and a great famine ensued. The lepers reasoned, "If we say, 'Let us enter the city,' the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. So now come, let us go over to the camp of the Syrians. If they spare our lives we shall live, and if they kill us we shall but die" (2Kings 7:4). It was the only choice with an advantage, so they went to the Syrian camp, and discovered a mighty work of God. The Lord had made the army of the Syrians hear the sound of chariots and of horses, the sound of a great army (v 6), so the Syrians fled, and left behind food and drink, silver and gold, clothing, horses, and tents. The siege of Israel was ended. God had saved them.

It was not a strong faith, but it was a beginning, and the beginning of faith changed their hearts. For a time they feast on God's goodness, but then, they said to one another, "We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news" (2Kings 7:9). It must be shared. They called to the gatekeepers, and the gatekeepers called to the king and his household,  and the king cried out to the city. 

"The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches." ~Matthew 13:31-32

Daily Prayer

My God, Your grace calls me to You. It is good and it satisfying. May I taste of Your goodness and share it with others. You have given me life, a life so abundant that I dare not keep silent. 

Lord God, in You I find life. I know why I am here and what I am to do. Your love is great, and though I first came hesitantly, I now follow fully. You are everything to me, and I give You my heart, my soul, my mind, and my strength. May my life overflow and may Your glory be evident in all that I do. 

Amen.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

2 Kings 4-5

Daily Reading
Daily Thought

Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. This mighty man of valor showed up at the door of Elisha with horses and chariots, silver and gold, a great man, but he was a leper (2Kings 5:1). God, however, is not impressed with our power. Naaman thought himself a great man who happened to be a leper. Elisha treated the leper, not the great man, "Go, wash yourself." Naaman went away angry. Naaman was a hero and expected a hero's cure. "I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place" (2Kings 5:11). He thought his problem was leprosy. Elisha treated a deadlier disease called pride.  

A Roman centurion showed up at the door of Jesus with humility, his servant paralyzed and suffering. "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed" (Matthew 8:8-9). God is delighted with our faith. Jesus said, "Go; let it be done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment (Matthew 8:13). 

Daily Prayer

Heavenly Father, why do I try to impress You with what I can do? As if I can bring anything to You that You need. You created all things, You own the cattle on a thousand hills. It's not because You have any need that You delight in my company. You simply delight in my company. I don't understand that, but I'm thrilled.

God, I bring nothing to You except my faith, my devotion, my obedience, and my love.

Amen

Saturday, April 21, 2012

2 Kings 1-3

Daily Reading
Daily Thought

Elijah, the prototypical prophet of God, was nearing the end of his mission. "Do you know," Elijah said to Elisha, "that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?" (2Kings 2:3). Elisha would be his successor. 

Three times Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay put," to see if he would, and three times Elisha didn't stay put, but followed instead. Elisha said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you" (2Kings 2:2, 4, 6). If Elisha was to pick up Elijah's prophetic mantle, then Elisha would follow closely to the end. At the very end, fifty sons of the prophets watched Elijah part the Jordan River, then walk across on dry land with Elisha. Some time later, the fifty watched Elisha, like Elijah, part the Jordan River and return alone. The mantle of the prophet had passed to the next generation. Two miracles followed.

The first was simple and basic. The water of Jericho was bad, literally "evil." Spend time in a third-world country and you know what evil water can do to you. It could not be drunk and it would not nourish crops. Symbolically, Elisha threw salt in the water, but what healed the evil was "the word that Elisha spoke" (2Kings 2:22). It was a miracle that returned life to a parched city, and it was a miracle that endured. Elisha wore the mantle of Elijah.

The second miracle was of an odd sort. Elisha came out of Bethel, and "some small boys jeered at him, saying, 'Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!'" (2Kings 2:23). Small boys may be better translated young men, and there were at minimum 42 of the them. "Go up, you baldhead!" would be an insult today, and it was meant to be then. "Go up" means "Keep on going," and so this gang of youth was telling Elisha he was not welcome in Bethel. "Get out of town, Baldy!" They wanted nothing to do with a prophet. They wanted nothing to do with the word of the Lord.

"Can the liberties of a nation be sure when we remove their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift from God?" ~Thomas Jefferson, 1782

“God governs in the affairs of man. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?” ~Benjamin Franklin, Constitutional Convention of 1787

"Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly implore His protection and favor." ~George Washington, October 3, 1789

In God We Trust. ~The National Motto of the United States of America

Elisha cursed them and two female bears tore into the boys. His name is Elisha, heir of the prophet Elijah, and he speaks the word of God. Don’t mess with him. 

Daily Prayer

My Lord and Creator, I believe fully in You, loving You with all of my being. I will stand for You and confess You before men. You are King of kings and Lord of lords.  I pray, God, that I will be a bright light, that my faith will not be hidden, but will shine in the darkness. That by all my actions people will know that You are God. 

May I live the way all should live, under God, knowing and proclaiming that you are the source of all of life and all that is good.  God, I pray that the land in which I live will acknowledge You and trust in You.  I pray that we will be good people under a great God.

Amen

Friday, April 20, 2012

1 Kings 21-22

Daily Reading
Daily Thought

Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and Ahab, king of Israel, went to war together against the Syrians.  Before the battle, however, Jehoshaphat insisted on hearing from God. Ahab called his 400 prophets who always told him what he wanted to hear, and they did as they always do, "Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king" (1Kings 22:6). 

I coached my son's T-ball team. The parents in charge decided not to keep score in this league. Every game would end in a tie. It will make the kids happy, they said. We played a game and we tied (they said). On the way home in the car, my son frowned, "We lost 8-3." He knew the score. Every kid knew the score. Of every game. (So did the parents.) "So, why did they tell us we tied?" You know what made him sad? The lie, not the score. 

Jehoshaphat knew the score. He knew the king's prophets wanted the king happy. "Is there not here another prophet of the Lord of whom we may inquire?" "Micaiah," Ahab admitted, "but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil." (1Kings 22:7-8). When you hear the truth and it is not good, you have two choices: change the truth or change your plans. Ahab preferred to change the truth, but he knew the score. "The Lord has declared disaster for you" (1Kings 22:23). Ahab believed the word of the Lord enough to disguise himself, but not enough to change his plans (v 30). At evening he died (v 35). 

Daily Prayer

My Lord and Savior, the Truth is I am a sinner and I need a Savior.  I need You.  You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The world does not like the truth, preferring darkness over light, preferring to hear what they want to hear. We would rather hear that I'm okay and you're okay.  That everything will work out in the end.  But it won't.  Telling the Truth is dangerous. You told it anyway, and You were crucified. 

But death cannot stop the Truth. You rose again, and offered salvation to all who follow You.  The Truth sets me free from the power of sin and death.  May I love Your Truth, stand for the Truth, desire Truth and share Truth.  I know the score.  I am a sinner and I deserve death.  I need a Savior.  That is the Truth.

Amen

Thursday, April 19, 2012

1 Kings 18-20

Daily Reading
Daily Thought

Elijah chides the people of Israel, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him" (1Kings 18:21). The people had no answer. Many secretly believed in the Lord, but because of the public advantage of Baal worship, were devoted to both. Most, however, simply saw no difference. Why could not the Lord be God, and Baal, also. Two paths up the same mountain. Why must I choose?

Because God is true, Baal is a lie, and Ahab would have Israel follow a lie. Because the truth brings life, and a lie leads to destruction and death. The Lord warned Israel when Elijah said to Ahab, "As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word" (1Kings 17:1). The true God holds the rain, so he says, if you would follow Baal, ask him for water. Now, three dry years later, Elijah calls the question, "How long will you go limping?" This wishy-washy way of compromise and indecision must end. 

One foggy night at sea the captain of a ship saw what looked like the lights of another ship heading toward him. He signaled the ship, "Change your course ten degrees to the south." The reply, "No. You change your course ten degrees north." "I am a captain in this navy," he insisted, "so you change course ten degrees south." Answered the light, "I am a seaman first class. Change your course north." Infuriated, the captain blustered, "I am a battleship. Change your course immediately!" The final response came, "I am a lighthouse. Your call."

It was time to decide, so Elijah clarified the choices. 450 prophets placed a bull on the altar and cried to Baal for fire. From morning until noon they pleaded, but they knew inside they were speaking to nobody. For three minutes or three hours or three days they could beg, but nobody produces nothing. Elijah prepared his bull, adding dramatic touches for effect, drenching the altar with water. He spoke to God, but only once, because his God was there. Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench (1Kings 18:38). 

Your call, Israel. 

Daily Prayer

My God, I am glad to boast in You. Truth that You declare, I speak with confidence. When You say something will happen, I know it is as true as if it had already occurred. What you say will happen, happens. I trust in You and You alone.

Let the truth I know become the praise I declare. I stand by this, that I know the God of Creation, who exercises justice and kindness and righteousness on this earth. That I know Jesus Christ, my Savior and Lord. That I know the Truth and the Truth has set me free to live a life of wonder and worship.

Amen.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

1 Kings 15-17

Daily Reading
Daily Thought

While Asa reigned forty-one years king of Judah, and did right in the eyes of the Lord, six kings ruled over Israel to the north: Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri, and Ahab. The reigns of the kings lasted from 7 days (Zimri) to 24 years (Baasha), but no matter, each life was summed up in a phrase, by their relation to God, and these kings did evil in the eyes of the Lord. (It doesn't actually say Elah did evil. He was too drunk and too dead within two years to cause too much trouble.) 

That each king of Israel did evil was shared by one other trait, they walked in the sinful way of Jeroboam. Jeroboam slipped off the path toward idolatry and, left unchecked, each successive king strayed farther, until Omri did more evil than all who were before him (1Kings 16:25), and Ahab more evil still (v 30). Judah's king Asa, on the other hand, did as David his father had done. David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite (1Kings 15:5). 

Stop! David had sex with Uriah's wife, then David murdered Uriah. That is no small sin. How does David end up right and Jeroboam wrong? The difference is not the sin, but later, when the prophets came. Both were confronted, but Jeroboam did not repent and David did. "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" (A Psalm of David 51:3-4). As big as David's sin, God's grace is bigger still. 

Create in me a clean heart, O God, 
and renew a right spirit within me. 
Restore to me the joy of your salvation.
~Psalm 51:10, 12

Daily Prayer

My God, blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. 

Thank You, God, for Your grace. 

Amen

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

1 Kings 12-14

Daily Reading
Daily Thought

There are three ways to rule.

By faith. By the word of the prophet Ahijah, Jeroboam was to be one king of a divided kingdom, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and will give you ten tribes'" (1Kings 11:31). The servant of Solomon, not the son, would be king of the northern tribes of Israel. 

By force. "To his son I will give one tribe" (1Kings 11:36). Rehoboam would rule the south. The son of Solomon the wise, Rehoboam preferred strength, and said to his people, "My little finger is thicker than my father's thighs. And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions" (1Kings 12:10-11). Little wonder many rebelled and turned to Jeroboam.

By fear. Anointed by God, Jeroboam nevertheless was afraid that "if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah" (1Kings 12:27). The Temple was in the south at Jerusalem, so Jeroboam made religion convenient to the north. Rather than travel to the Temple, he brought God to the people in the likeness of two golden calves, placed close to home in Bethel and Dan. Pleasing the people, he set up altars throughout the land and chose priests from any tribe, not God's chosen tribe of Levi. By convenience and accommodation, faith was made weak.

By faith, Israel would be one nation under God, but Rehoboam ruled by force and Jeroboam  by fear, "and there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually" (1Kings 14:30).

Daily Prayer

God, may You always be first place in my life. May You be my first love, my full devotion. With all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, may my love never waver or cease. May I seek Your Word, Your ways, Your will. 

Keep me from fear. May I live not for position or popularity or power, but for Your pleasure. 

Amen

Monday, April 16, 2012

1 Kings 10-11

Daily Reading
Daily Thought

The Queen of Sheba visited the kingdom of Solomon. When the Queen of Sheba exclaims, "Behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard" (1Kings 10:7), you know you have all you need and more. It was not just the wealth, but the women. Many foreign women. God said, "You shall not enter into marriage with them, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods" (1Kings 11:1). He did and they did. Having everything you want is not always best.

Remember the nursery rhyme, "Humpty Dumpty"? Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall; Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the kings horses and all the kings men -- "Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem (1Kings 10:26) -- they couldn't put Solomon together again. Solomon's father, David, had been fully devoted. Solomon was fully divided. The kingdom would be divided as well.

If Satan cannot ruin you by failure, he will try by success. 

Daily Prayer

God of Love, I only know what love is because of You. My kind of love leans toward selfishness. What is in it for me? But You, the God of all creation, considered me, the one You created, better than Yourself. Even while I had my back turned to You, You died for me. Your love is sacrificial. It is good. It is life.

God, I have one first love, and that is You. Above all else and all others. What is amazing is I am able to love others better because I love You fully. Thank You for loving me first.

Amen

Sunday, April 15, 2012

1 Kings 8-9

Daily Reading
Daily Thought

The Temple was complete and beautiful, yet Solomon knew no house built by man could hold God.  "Will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! (1Kings 8:27). Why then exert the effort, take the time, pay the price to build a house for God? Not because God needs the Temple, but because the Temple and its people need God. 

An Episcopal church in Manhattan, The Church of the Holy Communion, opened its doors in 1844 as a place of worship and a help to the needy. It had a good run, but by mid-20th century, neglect began taking its toll. In 1983, The Church of the Holy Communion was converted into the Limelight Nightclub, the once reverent spot into a house of decadence. Yet, it would sink lower still. In the Spring of 2010, the Church turned Nightclub was reborn as the Limelight Marketplace, with 35 upscale boutiques and restaurants, complete with stained-glass windows. What had become of the house of worship?

God warned Solomon that there could come a time when, "Everyone passing by it will be astonished and will hiss, and they will say, 'Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?' Then they will say, 'Because they abandoned the Lord their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them'" (1Kings 9:8-9).

The first Temple, 960-586BC, Solomon's, was destroyed by the Babylonians. The second, 516BC-70AD, by the Romans. These temples lasted a long time, but they did not last forever. No building of man can. The prophet Isaiah cried, "Thus says the Lord: 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me?'" (Isaiah 66:1).

This is the Church, the people of God. You are that house. "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" (1Corinthians 3:16). Built to last, because the Church is not a building of man, but the handiwork of God. "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Daily Prayer

Heavenly Father, You are holy and righteous. I am not. You made me in Your image, so deep inside I have always known what I should be like. But, on my own, I wouldn't do anything to change. Thank You for seeking me and inviting me to follow You. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life.

Jesus said, "Follow Me." God, I commit to following You with all that I am. Help me keep that promise. Do not allow me to chase after empty religion, but may my religion be the kind of religion that You embrace, that I will keep myself pure, unpolluted by the world, and that I will look after and serve the poor, the marginalized, the orphans and widows. You are, and shall always be my first love. With all of my heart, with all of my mind, with all of my strength, I will love You, follow You, and serve You.

Amen

Saturday, April 14, 2012

1 Kings 6-7

Daily Reading
Daily Thought

Now the word of the Lord came to Solomon, "Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel." ~1Kings 6:11-13

King David was a man after God's heart, but that does not mean he did not sin. "I have sinned greatly" (2Samuel 24:10), was David's confession to his God after commanding a census. By God's will David was chosen king, and by God's power David attained the throne, but when he counted his people he was counting his soldiers, relying on his own strength to rule his kingdom. Repenting of this sin, David purchased property on Mount Moriah where he built an alter to worship the Lord. A greater sin yet was David's adultery with Bathsheba and murder of her husband, Uriah. Out of this sin, David married Bathsheba, and later they had a child, naming him Solomon (2Samuel 12:24). 

David's sins came with great cost, but even in the darkness of sin shines the power of God's redemption. "Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more" (Romans 5:20). From the depths of sin, God produced a man and a mountain, and "Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah" (2Chronicles 3:1). This does not justify sin but displays grace and reminds us to trust God's salvation. Satan would have us deflated by failure, but we are made large through salvation and must press on confidently, because we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Romans 8:37).

Daily Prayer

Holy God, how great a salvation. As your servant King David asked, "O LORD, who am I that You care for me," I am amazed by Your grace, that You turn your attention toward me. I keep turning my attention away, yet You look upon me and care about me and restore me. 

God, may my focus never waver. Keep me from being distracted by things. May I look to You first, may I seek Your kingdom, your goodness, You always.

Amen

Friday, April 13, 2012

1 Kings 3-5

Daily Reading
Daily Thought

My oldest was 4-years old when Disney's Aladdin premiered in the theaters. I asked her what she'd ask for if a genie appeared offering her "three wishes, to be exact. And ixnay on the wishing for more wishes." Not a problem for my 4-year old. Abby said, "I'd wish for three more genies." Abby was clever. 

God said to Solomon, "Ask what I shall give you" (1Kings 3:5). It is the same offer without conditions. What would you ask for? God anticipated a request for long life or wealth or for some tortuous death of a particularly awful enemy, but no; "Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil" (1Kings 3:9). Solomon asked for wisdom. Solomon was already wise. 

Two women approached Solomon, each having given birth, but one child died, and whose the live child belonged to was in dispute. Solomon pulled a sword and threatened to divide the child, half to each mother. The false mother thought that fair, but the true gave her son away, if only to keep him whole. "And so the king knew the true mother, and all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice" (1Kings 3:28). There are few things less common than common sense. 

Daily Prayer

Righteous God, You are just and good. You promise wisdom if I ask for it, but You warn me to ask with a pure and faithful heart. God, may I love You with all my heart, with all my strength, with all my mind. No division. May I seek You and You alone. 

May I have the heart of Your Son, Jesus, who considered others better than Himself. Better than Himself! He is God. Your Son. Yet He washed the feet of His followers. Father, break into my heart. Teach me the humility of Christ.  Let my love for You be displayed in my care and compassion for others.  Give me wisdom to serve.

Amen

Thursday, April 12, 2012

1 Kings 1-2

Daily Reading
Daily Thought

God tells David of his son, Solomon, "Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days" (1Chronicles 22:9). Except the first chapter of his reign was bloody. His inauguration was marked by violent justice, because true and lasting peace comes, not from wishfulness, but righteousness. Solomon would be the man of peace who delivers righteousness, cleansing a land stained in blood.

Adonijah, the opportunist son, had attempted but failed to wrest the kingdom from David on his deathbed. He claimed peace, but asked for Abishag as his wife. Abishag had been King David's concubine. If she became his wife, it was a claim to the throne. Unfortunately for Abishag, Solomon was wise to this, "Ask for him the kingdom also!" (1King 2:22), he cried.  The treason that remained in the heart of Adonijah was exposed, and he was struck down. 

Two others had displayed treachery in the past and could not be trusted in the future, and they, too, would feel the sword of justice. Joab had spilled the innocent blood of Abner and Amasa while David was king. Shimei, a relative of Saul, aroused rebellion in the people. "Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity" (Proverbs 22:8); "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap" (Galatians 6:7). You reap what you sow is scattered through Scripture, and at the inauguration of his reign, Solomon gives evidence to this truth. Justice shall rule the land; and through justice, righteousness; and out of righteousness, peace. 

Daily Prayer

God of peace, I know that You are good and You made this world good. When I follow You, I am blessed. Your discipline is good. It comes from Your love and Your desire to see me live a life of righteousness and peace.

Your correction is painful, at times, but I am glad for it. It puts me back on the right track. Do not let me become blind and deaf to the consequences of evil, but help me remember the joy of walking with You, so I will always long for it.

Amen