"It Is about Him" April 30 Readings: 2 Kings 1-5

Today's Reading -  2 Kings 1-5

Background

Originally, 1 and 2 Kings (the same is true of 1 and 2 Chronicles) were one book, but they were separated to keep the scrolls from becoming too big. At the beginning of 2 Kings we see the transition from Elijah to Elisha. Elijah is taken up into heaven and Elisha receives a double portion of his power.

Devotional - It Is about Him

Sometimes, we forget what it is all about - no, WHO it is all about.

Elijah was a great man of God, one of the greatest found in the pages of the Bible. He was a man of uncompromising conviction who stood up to Ahab and Jezebel and proclaimed God's truth. His confrontation with the false prophets on Mt. Carmel was one of those truly inspiring moments.

But now he was gone. In 2 Kings 2:11, Elijah was taken up into heaven in a whirlwind, carried by chariots and horses of fire. It must have seemed to many that the glory was gone, the power was gone, even the hope was gone from Israel. But it was not.

When he left for glory, there was another to take his place. Elisha took up the mantle and carried on the work. In fact, Elisha asked for a double portion of the power so that the work could prosper. Think about it. Throughout the Bible, people come and people go but the work goes on. Moses dies and Joshua leads the people. David hands the kingdom to Solomon.

In fact, even Jesus left the earth and sent the Holy Spirit to carry on his work in us. We spend too much time venerating men (or women), as if the work belonged to them. But the church belongs to God and the power is his. The glory is his. The work is his. The future is his. People come and people go, but the work goes on. It's not about me, or you or anyone else. It is about the mighty power of a mighty God.

Elijah left, and I'm sure people were devastated. But the One who mattered was still there. The power didn't belong to Elijah, but to God himself. It is important that we would remember that. It's not about any man or woman, but about the God who empowers us.

Father, help us to remember that you are in charge, that the power is yours, the glory is yours, and the future is yours. 

Think and Pray

Remember that the work of God is about God, not about us! He uses us but it is God's work in us that matters.

"That They Might See God" April 29 Readings: Obadiah 1, Psalm 82-83

Today's Reading - Obadiah 1, Psalm 82-83

Background

Obadiah is the shortest book of the Old Testament, expressing the judgment of God on Edom, descendant nations of Esau.

The Psalms we read today are pleas for God's judgment against sinful nations.

Devotional - That They Might See God

It is not uncommon for us to see things in this world that make us angry, that horrify us, that set our teeth on edge. When those despicable Planned Parenthood videos came out showing them selling organs and body parts of aborted babies, we were sick. We hear of tragedies, horrors, evils, and injustices every day.  It makes us want to lash out against the evil of the world.

The psalmists knew that feeling. The Psalms are full of prayers that pour out anger over the sin of the world - often called imprecatory prayers. Psalm 109 is among the most extreme of these, but Psalm 83 is definitely in the category. In it, Asaph calls on God to destroy the enemies of Israel and invokes previous instances in which that took place.

He asks God to make these enemies like Sisera (83:9), who was killed when Jael drove a tent peg through his skull while he slept. I've had some enemies who I been pretty frustrated with, but none that I've wanted to see skewered with a tent peg. He mentions kings who came against Israel when Gideon was judge and were killed because they butchered Gideon's family. In verses 13 and 14 he calls out for God to make these enemies like whirling dust and chaff, and to rain fire down on them, to "pursue them with (his) tempest and terrify them with (his) storm."  That is harsh.

There are a lot of issues working here but the last verse of this Psalm explains the heart of this strident prayer-song coming from Asaph's lips. The fact was that these people had set themselves against God and against God's people. They were working against what God was doing and they were doing so with impunity. They lived as if there was no God in Israel who would take note of the evil deeds and respond.

So, Asaph prays, in verse 18,

That they may know that you alone,

    whose name is the Lord,

    are the Most High over all the earth.

The primary motivation of these prayers is the fact that people live in ignorance of the power and glory of God. They act as if they can do as they please, treat God's people any way that benefits them, and live with impunity. These sinful people need a wake-up call, a reminder that there is a God in heaven who sees, who will respond, who will accomplish his purposes, protect his people and to whom each of them must answer.

At its core, Asaph's prayer is that these sinful people will realize that there is a God and that he is sovereign over this world. 

When we pray for sinful, rebellious, destructive, abusive, hurtful people today, we need to pray the heart of this prayer. Jesus told us to love our enemies and one of the best ways to love them is to pray that they will see and understand God, that God alone is Most High over all the earth and that they need to live their lives in obedience and submission to him! We ought never pray for their destruction, but for their eyes to be opened to the power and glory of the God who created and rules this world and will one day consummate its history in his glory. 

Father, may we never be vengeful or destructive toward those who stand against you, against your church and who seek to hurt your people. But I pray that you would reveal yourself in such a way that these people know you are real, you are God, and you are all in all. 

Think and Pray

Are there people who have hurt you badly or done great evil?
Ask God to reveal himself to them, to show his great power and glory!

"A Wasted Life" April 28 Readings: 2 Chronicles 18-23

Today's Reading - 2 Chronicles 18-23

Background

Jehoshaphat was a good king who compromised by his involvement with Ahab, the evil king of Israel. These chapters tell of Jehoshaphat's reign and of Micaiah's prophecies. The effect of Jehoshaphat's compromise is seen in the life of Jehoram, his son, who followed him to the throne. Today's devotional explores his wasted life.

Devotional - A Wasted Life 

Have you ever thought about what you want on your tombstone? Is there some brief, pithy statement that encapsulates your life? Most reference

Ecclesiastes tells us that God has put eternity in our hearts. We have a deep, inborn, innate desire for our lives to matter, to do something that is significant, so that when we are gone we will be remembered and that the impact and effect our lives will continue.

But all too often our desire for eternal significance is squandered by our devotion to the things of this world - materialism, self-centeredness, lust, devotion to pleasure - or our lives of unholiness and sin. There are many, even among the redeemed, who fail to live their lives for the glory of God.

There is a troublesome verse in 2 Chronicles 21:20, concerning the death of King Jehoram of Judah, the son of Jehoshaphat. His father was a very good king who made an unfortunate alliance with evil King Ahab of Israel. He even allowed his son to marry Ahab's daughter. To no one's surprise, Jehoram followed the ways of the kings of Israel and did not serve Yahweh as his own father had. After 8 years as king, he died. Here is what was said of him.

He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one's regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

Wow. He died "with no one's regret." Jehoram was an evil king who did evil things and when he was gone it was to "no one's regret." No one cared. They were glad he was gone. His life was wasted. 

Jehoram was an extreme case, of course, and usually, even the most pointless life is met with someone's regret. But we must invest our lives in eternal things so that they will leave a lasting legacy of spiritual effect. 

I was only a boy when my grandfather died. He was a pastor, seminary professor, and Baptist leader. I remember at his funeral how person after person came up to my mom and dad and spoke of what a difference grandpa had made in their lives. He died in 1965 but his life did not end there. It went on in the lives of those he influenced. 

That is the kind of life I want. I don't much care what is on my tombstone, but I want my life to impact others who will carry on the work of Christ when I am gone. 

Father, may my life be used for your glory and the purposes of your eternal kingdom!

Think and Pray

Is your life leaving a legacy of spiritual impact?
Or, like Jehoram, are you wasting your life on the thing of this world?

"Kill the Messenger" April 27 Readings: 1 Kings 17-22

Today's Reading - 1 Kings 17-22

Background

This reading details the battle between Elijah and evil king Ahab, and later the story of Micaiah and Ahab. Ahab is the worst of Israel's kings, embracing idolatry at the insistence of his wife Jezebel and Ahab and Micaiah are both men who stood for God against him.

Devotional - Kill the Messenger

"Don't kill the messenger."

That is exactly what Ahab wanted to do. The phrase is meant to show the absurdity of attacking the bearer of bad news. It was not uncommon in the days when kings had absolute and sometimes capricious power that they would take unjust vengeance on the person who delivered an unwanted message.

Elijah was just such a messenger. In 1 Kings 17 he delivered the message of God's judgment on sinful Israel. The blessings of heaven would be cut off as long as Ahab and his people continued 18in their sin. Look at verse 1.

“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.”

This was not Elijah's idea or his doing. It was the judgment of God. There would be no rain for years until repentance came. This would bring a drought and great pain and suffering. But it did not bring repentance in Ahab's hardened heart. Instead of blaming himself and getting right with God, he turned his ire at the prophet who carried the message of God. 

Finally, after over three years of drought and famine, Elijah appeared before Ahab. it was clear that his heart had not softened to God, that repentance had not come. He looked at Elijah and put all the blame on him. 

"Is it you, you troubler of Israel?

Ahab was blaming the messenger. You, Elijah, you are the problem. For preaching the truth. For telling people what God really said. For exposing people's sins. Ahab would not take the blame for his sins, he wanted to pin the blame on Elijah for shining a light on it. 

Elijah wouldn't have it. He came back at Ahab in 1 Kings 18:18. 

“I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father's house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals."

He went on to challenge him to a contest on Mt. Carmel to demonstrate that Yahweh truly was the real God of Israel. But the point is this: the world will often blame us for our message. Those in sin hate the truth. In fact, sometimes we may not like the truth much ourselves. But our duty is to be messengers of the truth even if it is unpopular, even if the world hates us for our message.

Truth is defined by God's Word, not the reaction of Ahab when we proclaim what God says. Just because Ahab hates the truth and hates us for proclaiming it doesn't make the truth any less true. Remember how the story ended. At the end, Israel saw who the real God was and cried out, "Yahweh, he is God. Yahweh, he is God."

Father, may I be responsible to you, not to the opinions and reactions of those who live in sin.  

Think and Pray

Are you willing to receive the rebuke of God and his word, or do you insist on only hearing "pleasant things?"

"The Heavenly View" April 26 Readings: 1 Kings 15:25-16:24, 2 Chronicles 17

Today's Reading - 1 Kings 15:25-16:24, 2 Chronicles 17

Background

Our readings today bounce between the kings of Israel and Judah. In 2 Chronicles we see Jehoshaphat, one of the second tier kings - good but not great. The 1 Kings readings focus on Israel's increasingly evil kings.

Devotional - The Heavenly View

My college was not exactly a fundamentalist stronghold! Professors regularly taught us that the Bible's teachings were inaccurate, biased or historically faulty. I recall my Old Testament professor waxing eloquent (and skeptical) about the Bible's view of Omri and Ahab, two of the kings of Israel. In the text of 1 Kings, there is little good that is said of them. Omri bought a hill from Shemer and built the capital city of Israel there, called Samaria. Ahab, his son, continued after him and is best known for marrying Jezebel, the daughter of the king of Sidon, and a passionate worshiper of Baal.

The professor told us about the exploits of these kings, their impressive building projects and political success. And yet, in spite of all of that, the Bible gives them no respect. None. According to 1 Kings 16:25, Omri did more evil than all the kings of Israel who came before him, until his son broke his record, according to verse 30.

So, the verdict of history is that Omri and Ahab may have been among the most effective and impressive kings of Israel. The verdict of Scripture is very different. According to the Word, they are sinners who lived in idolatry and rebellion. So, what is the difference? Why does Scripture give such a different verdict than history?

According to my professor, the answer was prejudice. The book of 1 Kings was written by those loyal to the kings of Judah and therefore the text records a skewed and negative view of them, refusing to give them credit for their effective reigns. But I think there is something very different at work here. God does not judge the way we do. Heaven's view of our lives, our successes, and failures, our achievements - it's very different than the way we view ourselves or the way the world judges us.

Human beings judge on the basis of power, success, money - those things that can be measured by earthly metrics. By those standards, Omri and Ahab were far more successful than other kings. But that is not how God judges. He looks at faithfulness and obedience. He asks if our hearts are pure and devoted to him. He looks for those who are willing to walk in his ways and serve his purposes. Whether we accomplish great things by earthly metrics is not a significant issue from heaven's view.

So, my professor was wrong. The issue was not Judah's prejudice against the kings of Israel. It was God's view of success. We are not successes for getting rich or powerful or famous. True success is measured in obedience and faithfulness and those things that please God.

Father, may my life be a success in your eyes - faithful, obedience, and persevering in the Word

Think and Pray

"Trusting Aram" April 25 Readings: 1 Kings 15:1-24, 2 Chronicles 13-16

Today's Reading -  1 Kings 15:1-24, 2 Chronicles 13-16  

Background

We begin to work through the kings of Israel and Judah. In Kings, we see both nations' kings while Chronicles only looks at Judah. All of the kings of Israel are condemned because they continued the sin of Jeroboam, idolatry. But the kings of Judah are essentially graded in four different ways.

• The top grade goes to the good kings who obeyed God and also got rid of idols and high places. 
• The second tier was the good kings who obeyed God but were not willing to cleanse the nation of idols or shut down the high places. 
• The third tier was bad kings who disobeyed God. 
• The lowest level was those bad kings who not only disobeyed God but also engaged in the heinous practice of child sacrifice. 

Devotional - Trusting Aram

Asa started out so well as the king of Judah. His fathers had strayed from the path set by King David and had led Judah towards compromise and idolatry. Asa came along and led the nation in a spiritual revival, turning people back to God and cleaning up the nation's idolatrous practices. He was so committed to God that he deposed his own grandmother Maacah as Queen Mother because of her devotion to false gods.

Many of the kings of Judah started out well and then fell into sin later in their lives. That happened to Asa. His long reign started with such promise and blessing as he devoted his heart to God. But somewhere along the way, something changed. The man of God stopped putting his faith in the Almighty and started trusting in worldly things for help.

In 2 Chronicles 14, Judah is invaded by the Cushites and Asa called out to God for help.

Lord, there is no one besides you to help the mighty and those without strength. Help us, Lord our God, for we depend on you, and in your name we have come against this large army. Lord, you are our God. Do not let a mere mortal hinder you. 2 Chronicles 14:11

God responded with power and routed the invading army. He showed himself able and willing to save the king who looked to him and depended on him. Azariah came to Asa in 2 Chronicles 15:2 and gave him a prophecy.

Asa and all Judah and Benjamin, hear me. The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you.

If Asa would continue to follow God's will he would see the continued power and provision of God in his kingdom. But Azariah warned him against abandoning God to walk in his own ways. Unfortunately, that is precisely what Asa did. 

At some point, he stopped trusting in God and started trusting in the power of the nations around him. It was 36 years into Asa's reign and evil king Baasha of Israel came against him. In his fear, he did not turn to God for help, but he turned to the Aramean king Ben-Hadad. 

“There’s a treaty between me and you, between my father and your father. Look, I have sent you silver and gold. Go break your treaty with Israel’s King Baasha so that he will withdraw from me.” 2 Chronicles 16:3

When he turned away from God, God removed his hand of blessing. Hanani the prophet reminded him of God's faithfulness and of the failure of his alliance with Aram. Asa, the great king, had become a fool because he trusted in man and man's help instead of in God.

I wish I was not so much like Asa!

Lord, you have always been faithful to me. Help me to always turn to you and to seek you when I am in distress. When life is hard and when things are bad, I turn to you. 

Think and Pray 

Do you trust in your own power to solve problems? Do you rely on the help of others, on the things of this world? Or do you seek God and his power?

"choices Have Consequences" April 24 Readings: 1 Kings 12-14, 2 Chronicles 10-12

Today's Reading - 1 Kings 12-14, 2 Chronicles 10-12

Background

Devotional - Choices Have Consequences 

The Bible makes it clear that each of us stands before God and accounts for our own sin, that we are not given grace because our parents are Christians nor are we held liable for our parent's sins. On the other hand, God revealed to Moses as he gave the Ten Commandments that the sins of the fathers would be visited on the children for generations to come. That is not a contradiction. We are not guilty for our parent's sins but we are affected by them.

That is precisely what happened to Rehoboam. Remember that the entire book of Proverbs was written to Solomon's sons to teach how to live and especially how to rule Israel. When Solomon said "my sons" over and over again, he had Rehoboam in mind. But the Solomon fell into sin and the example that he set negated the wisdom that he taught.

Our children learn much more from our example than they do from our instruction. 

Life is choices and choices have consequences - you reap what you sow. That's what Proverbs is all about. And Rehoboam had a choice. He could listen to wise counselors and follow their wisdom or he could reject them, follow his own passions and do as he pleased. That is the root of folly - doing what you feel like doing instead of doing what God's word commands. When Rehoboam acted in folly, the nation split and for the next 200 years, there was both an Israel in the north and a Judah in the south.

Jeroboam was just as much a failure as Rehoboam, though his failure took on a different form. He was confronted with a choice as well. Would he do what God said or would he follow his own reason and common sense? It seemed clear that if the people returned to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple they would be drawn back to unity eventually. But idolatry was forbidden. So he compromised. He never intended to lead Israel into idolatry, but he set up worship centers other than the Temple and he set up idols for the worship of Yahweh. All of this led Israel into two centuries of unbroken idolatry.

Rehoboam followed his own passions and pride instead of following the dictates of wisdom. Jeroboam followed his own reason instead of the revelation of God. Both led their nations astray because they did not obey God.

Obedience to God is often (always?) difficult but it is the path to blessing. Disobedience will make sense to us and will satisfy our passions, but it will always lead to destruction.

Father, may I always listen to and obey your word, not the passions of my heart or the logic of my mind. 

Think and Pray

Are you careful to walk in obedience to the word of God, or are you ruled by your own emotions or common sense?

"The Wise and Fool of Solomon" April 23 Readings: 1 Kings 10-11, 2 Chronicles 9

Today's Reading - 1 Kings 10-11, 2 Chronicles 9

Background

Solomon's descent into sin, alluded to in our examination of Ecclesiastes, is our focus today.

Devotional - The Wise and Fool of Solomon

Solomon is one of the tragic stories in the Bible. In many ways, he was a great success, and by worldly terms, the glory of his kingdom surpassed even that of his father's, King David. The borders of Israel were expanded, buildings were built, including the Temple, and the wealth and fame of Solomon spread throughout the world.

Of course, his wisdom was the thing that gave him his greatest fame. He had a grasp and understanding of the principles of wisdom, of how to make a wise decision and walk the right path in life, like no one else ever.

And yet he became a fool. 1 Kings 11 tells how a man of great wisdom made some very foolish choices. In Proverbs, there are stern warnings against the wrong kinds of women and the importance of godly relationships. But as Solomon grew older, he must have grown overconfident and felt that he was above temptation. He ignored all his own principles and the consequences he predicted would come fell on his own head.

I find it interesting how often a person's strength can also be his or her weakness. David's strength? He was a man after God's own heart, but he drifted far from God into sin and became an adulterous murderer. Solomon was a man of wisdom who made the foolish choice (he KNEW better) to marry foreign women and they left him astray to worship their own gods, provoking the jealousy of the God of Heaven.

When we have a strong point, a character quality in which God's work has advanced, it is a good thing. But when we become overconfident, when we think it can never happen to us, when we stop being careful and stop taking precautions against sin, we can actually fall at exactly the point where we thought our faith was so strong and unshakable.

No matter how long I walk with Christ or how deeply I know him, I must still be careful to walk daily in the fullness of the Spirit, to practice repentance on a daily basis and to walk carefully in this sinful world. We must not become self-reliant or confident in our own abilities.

Just when you think you are impervious, that Satan's attacks will never reach you, that is when you are in the greatest danger.

Father, protect me from the arrogance of self-confidence, of the sin of taking credit for the work you have done in me. Help me to realize that I need you every hour, every day.

Think and Pray

Consider how you can balance confidence in Christ and commitment to him with a sense of humility and a realization that "it can happen to you."
What are some strengths in your life that could become areas of temptation?

"Bad Stuff Happens" April 22 Readings: Ecclesiastes 7-12

Today's Reading - Ecclesiastes 7-12

Background

A brief overview of Ecclesiastes

Introduction: (1:1-11) "Everything is meaningless
Investigating the Meaninglessness of life (1:12-6:9)
Conclusions about the Meaninglessness of life (6:10-11:6)

1. Introduction (6:10-12)
2. Man cannot discover what is good for him to do. (7:1-8:17) 
3. Man has no idea what comes after him. (9:1-11:6)

Concluding poem (11:7-12:8)
Epilogue (12:9-14)

Devotional - Bad Stuff Happens

What is Solomon's problem?

In Proverbs, Solomon sets forth clear teachings of wisdom, explaining that life is choices and choices have consequences and that the path to wise living is to make wise choices that bring God's blessing. Proverbs has its dark moments, but it is encouraging and positive about what happens to the man or woman who walks in God's will.

It is strange, then, to see pessimism and even cynicism in the book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon now catalogs the things that he has observed going wrong in the world. In Ecclesiastes 9:3, he laments the fact that everyone faces the same fate - both good and evil. We all die. In verse 11, he catalogs some of the inequities and injustices in the world. Bad "luck" seems to happen to people who deserve better. In verse 12 he describes how life sometimes "traps" people in evil situations. In 10:6, Solomon observes that sometimes the wrong people get to the top and people who deserve better end up at the bottom. Throughout chapter 10 he mentions example after example of unfairness and injustice in this world.

Solomon has come face to face with a truth - this is one messed-up, sinful world. Bad stuff happens. He has realized how unfair life can be. So, is he changing his mind about the wisdom he taught in Proverbs? Does he no longer believe what he taught about wisdom?

No, Solomon here still calls on people to walk in wisdom and in obedience to God. But he also has come to realize that just because you do the right thing does not guarantee that everything will work out okay. It is always better to live God's way, but in a sinful world, bad things can still fall even on the wise.

What's the lesson here? It certainly isn't cynicism or pessimism. God doesn't want us to be angry and bitter. But we must realize that the world can still throw curve balls at us even when we are walking in careful obedience. Our goal is to serve God for his glory and because it is right, not simply to guarantee a desired outcome.

We serve God because he is God. We serve God because he is good. We serve God because we believe that the way he commands is the best way to live life. We serve God to please him. We serve God because it is always better to serve God than to serve sin.

But we do NOT serve God to guarantee a life of comfort, ease, and freedom from hardship. Oh, that will come - it is called heaven! But in this messed up world, we cannot avoid the consequences of the curse. Tornadoes don't wind through a town picking out the homes of drug dealers, adulterers and perverts to destroy. Life happens, and serving God is no guarantee of protection against life.

But Solomon's assertion throughout Ecclesiastes is this - even in a messed up world, even without guarantees, even when things go wrong, it is still better to serve God.

Father, may I serve you faithfully and for the right reasons!

Think and Pray

"Eternity in Our Hearts" April 21 Readings: Ecclesiastes 1-6

Today's Reading - Ecclesiastes 1-6

Background

Ecclesiastes is a mysterious book, written from an earthly and even somewhat cynical viewpoint. It says some strange and confusing things, mixed in with some powerful wisdom.

It is generally believed that Solomon was the author, but he is not identified by some. Some believe that the "son of David" (which can also mean descendent) might have been Hezekiah. Both ideas had support in Rabbinical traditions. It is most likely that Solomon was the author.

We know of three periods in Solomon's life, the third only known because of this book. In his youth, Solomon was a man of God and a man of wisdom  - the greatest man in the world. But then he turned to sin, something we will read about in a later reading, embracing the folly he warned his sons against in the Book of Proverbs. Here, in Ecclesiastes, we have a restored but wounded Solomon. He has returned to God but bears the scars of his sinful days. Even when we repent of sin there are often consequences that remain.

In Ecclesiastes, we see a man who has seen the dark side and has figured out how to apply God's wisdom to life situations when life in this world has become messy.

There are two key concepts in Ecclesiastes. First, Solomon is dealing with life "under the sun." He is not dealing in heavenly, eternal, theological truth, but examining life as it is here on earth. Second, he observes that life is meaningless. The word means fleeting or empty and speaks to the vapidity of life. It is not that life has no meaning, but that life under the sun has no meaning without God. We must do right and honor God even when things do not make sense.

Devotional - Eternity in Our Hearts

Pete Seeger wrote a song called, "Turn, Turn, Turn" which became a hit in the 60s by a band called the Byrds. The lyrics actually belonged to Solomon and the translators of the King James Version of the Bible - they are almost verbatim from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.

In those verses, Solomon tells us that there is a rhythym to life - up and down, good and bad, life and death, win and lose. That is the way that things are in this world. We want to find ways to guarantee ease and comfort in life, to avoid all the hard times and difficult days, but it never works out that way. Life is fun and then it is a grind. It is a joy then it is a burden. That is the way of things in this world.

That's why Solomon said everything was meaningless and empty under the sun. No matter how wisely you live your life you will still suffer the consequences of the sin of others. Even the most holy, the most innocent and righteous people will face tragedy. There are no guarantees.

But in Ecclesiastes 3:11 Solomon drops a nugget of truth (there are several of these treasures hidden in this meanderings of the life-weary writer of the book).

He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts.

God is working in the affairs of this life. The seeming randomness of life, the up and down is not without purpose. God is at work. But it all has a higher and nobler goal. God has put eternity in our hearts.

Why is it that earthly things can never satisfy? If you had a million dollars, or a billion, it would not satisfy your soul. If you attained fame and power, you would not find contentment. Even Romeo and Juliet's love story ended in tragedy. The things of earth always seem to grow strangely dim. Why is that?

Because you and I have eternity in our hearts and only the eternal love of Jesus can satsify the soul. You are made for God and unless you are connected to him, walking with him, and serving him faithfully, you will always feel that meaninglessness that life under the sun is doomed to bring.

Father, I thank you for every blessing I have under the sun, but help me to remember that all my true blessings are eternal and that all I really need comes to me in glory and from you. 

Think and Pray

Are you seeking fulfillment, contentment, and happiness "under the sun" or are you living to satisfy the eternity that God has placed in your heart?

"The Power of Words" April 20 Readings: Proverbs 25-31

Today's Reading - Proverbs 25-31

Background

Today we complete the book of Proverbs, reading various collections of wisdom from different authors.

Devotional - The Power of Words

No, that is not a sidewalk. It is a trail worn in the rock of the Tsankawi Ruins near Santa Fe, New Mexico. Over the centuries the feet of the people living on that hill cut deep paths into the solid rock. Amazing.

Had Solomon known about the Tsankawi, he might have worded Proverbs 25:15 a little differently. Proverbs are inspired observations about life which reveal God's truth. Some are simple statements of wisdom and others are vivid illustrations, like the one we focus on today.

A ruler can be persuaded through patience,and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

What on earth can that second line mean? There is no tongue that is strong enough or hard enough to shatter a bone. It's impossible. But the figure of speech tells a story. Words have a powerful effect. One who patiently speaks what is right and good over time can build great things. One who speaks with malice, who tears down and insults can destroy. Like the paths of the Tsankawi worn in the rock over time, words have their effects - both good and evil.

When someone is not listening to the gospel you proclaim or the advice you are giving, don't freak out and lose your cool. It isn't necessary. When you are speaking the truth of God you can wait patiently for the Spirit to use you and to bring about their desired effect. Like the grooves in the rock, it may take time, but God will use your words if they are from his word to accomplish great things.

Father, may the words of my mouth and meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord. And may they, over time, wear grooves of truth in this world. 

Think and Pray

Your words have powerful effects. Are they cutting channels for the flow of the gospel, of the truth of God? Or are they breaking bones?

"Fallen Stones" April 19 Readings: 1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 8

Today's Reading - 1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 8

Background

In today's readings, we see the finishing of the Temple and the rest of Solomon's amazing and extensive building projects. Though David was a man after God's own heart, Solomon was the man who built Israel into a regional powerhouse. He was a man to be reckoned with.

Unfortunately, as we will see in future readings, his life would become a model of the proverb that says, "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall."

Devotional - Fallen Stones

On my second trip to Israel, we were escorted through a tunnel that connects the Ancient City of David to the Temple Mount. Along the way, we had to duck because of huge rectangular boulders - the size of busses - that protruded from the ceiling of the tunnel. Our guide told us that these were stones from the Temple that Nebuchadnezzar's men threw off when they destroyed God's house of worship.

This is a direct fulfillment of the warning that God gave Solomon in 1 Kings 9:4-9. After the Temple was constructed, God made a promise to Solomon (one the king unfortunately broke). He told him that if he would walk in obedience as his father David had, God would establish his throne until the end of time. If Solomon had not fallen into sin, there would be a descendant of David and Solomon on the throne of Israel today.

But God also warned that things could go a different direction. If Solomon sinned against God and drifted into idolatry, he would bring devastation to his nation and destruction to the Temple. People would wander by the Temple (as I did 3000 years later) and marvel at the destruction. Solomon followed that course and the worst happened.

There are two levels at which the blessing of God happens. Our relationship with God is based on the finished work of Christ and is settled - not resting on my work or yours, my merit or yours. Jesus paid it all and we owe it all to him. There was a covenant that God made with David that was eternal and unshakable - it went on regardless of Solomon's sin. When Israel split away and there were two kingdoms, David's lineage continued. Even after the kingdom was destroyed, the line of David continued until the King of kings was born in Bethlehem. The promise of God never fails.

But Israel did not experience the blessing of God on a daily basis because of Solomon's sin and their subsequent love of idolatry. Though God's faithfulness continued they strayed and they suffered the loss of their potential, their blessings, their rewards.

You are saved by God's grace and that cannot change - you are secure in Christ. But experiencing the daily blessings of grace, to know the joys of Christ in daily life, is a product of obedience. When we wander as Israel did and embrace sin, we forfeit those blessings and the stones of discipline fall on us. God's faithful love preserves us but we lose God's boundless blessings.

Solomon had a choice. Walk in obedience and be blessed or disobey and have the Temple stones he had just constructed come crashing down. He made a poor choice. May we make a better choice!

Father, I thank you that my salvation is secure in you, but may I choose to walk daily in obedience that I may experience blessing. 

Think and Pray

Think of your life as a choice such as Solomon was given.
Are you choosing the blessing of God or are you choosing to bring judgment and discipline down?

"The Lord's Delight" April 18 Readings: Psalm 134, 146-150

Today's Reading -  Psalm 134, 146-150

Background

Today we wrap up the book of Psalms, though there are random Psalms from later times that will appear in subsequent readings. There will be no more days in which the Psalms are the primary focus of readings.

The last few Psalms are "Hallelujah Psalms" which focus on reasons and methods of praising the Lord.

Devotional - The Lord's Delight

What makes God happy?

Obviously, God's emotions are not like ours, so a question such as that are not easily answered, but the Bible does speak anthropomorphically of God's pleasure and happiness and the things that cause it. In Psalm 149:4 we read of one of those things.

For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;he adorns the humble with salvation.

The Lord takes pleasure in his people!

I am a sinner and so are you, and when we come into the presence of God we are often made deeply aware of that sin. It is a good thing to repent and to humble ourselves before God, to face our sin and deal with it. But it is also easy to fall into a sort of sad-sack view of ourselves that God reluctantly accepts us into his family and tolerates us.

That is not the way the Bible presents it at all. The Lord delights in us. He takes pleasure in us. That is the extent of the grace and love of Jesus. He did not send Christ to the Cross to open the back gate of heaven and allow us into heaven's low rent trailer park. He throws open the gates and welcomes us as his beloved children.

We are wanted. Prized. Valued. As one preacher has said, we are the pictures on the refrigerator of heaven. It is not because of our greatness or merit that this is so, but because of the riches of God's grace, the extent of his love. But the Lord of heaven takes pleasure in those he has redeemed.

Father, it boggles my mind that you not only redeemed me but that by your grace, you delight in me. so often I do not even delight in myself, but your grace is greater than my sin. 

Think and Pray

Spend time today meditating on this unlikely reality - not only did God send his Son to redeem you from your sins, but he also delights in you. The redeemed bring pleasure to God as he works in you.

"Forever Faithful" April 17 Readings: 2 Chronicles 6-7, Psalm 136

Today's Reading - 2 Chronicles 6-7, Psalm 136

Background

The fire of God falls on the Temple as God's powerful presence fills the place after it is constructed.

Devotional - Forever Faithful

Don't you hate those "7-11" choruses with all their repetition?

Evidently, the Psalmist didn't get the memo that repetition was bad. The 26 verses of this hymn contain the same two-word Hebrew phrase - leolam chesdu. Literally, that is, "to forever (is) his steadfast love." The faithful love of God is a faithful and eternal constant in the life of his people.

The Psalm begins with God's sovereign power in Creation, then reminds the reader how God saved Israel from Egypt and gave them the Promised Land by acts of power. His faithfulness even in the light of Israel's sin is constant. That is seen in the repetition of "leolam chesdu" in verse after verse.

There are two realities in your life as a believer. First, you have not always been faithful to God. We seek him and we struggle, but we fail. We fall into sin and we stray from the fold. Like the hymn says, "Prone to wander, Lord I feel it."

But there is a second reality we must cling to. God's faithfulness is neverending. When we are weak, he is strong. When the storms of life blow, he is a faithful refuge. When life crashes against us with circumstantial tsunamis, he is a refuge of grace. When the enemy marshals his forces to attack, greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world. The faithfulness of God is bigger than any problem we have or any failure in us.

Leolam Chesdu. That is worth repeating!

Thank you, Lord, for you constant faithfulness. May I never presume on your grace, but may I always rely on it. Your grace is greater than my sin. 

Think and Pray

Consider writing your own Psalm 136, detailing the events of your life and then reminding yourself that at every moment of that life, "leolam chesdu" - God was faithful.

"The Presence of God" April 16 Readings: 1 Kings 7-8, 2 Chronicles 4-5

Today's Reading - 1 Kings 7-8, 2 Chronicles 4-5

Background

The readings today examine the finishing of the Temple and its dedication to the glory of God.

Devotional - The Presence of God 

Solomon built a magnificent structure. The temple in Jerusalem was by all accounts among the more impressive buildings of the time. And Solomon was clearly among the most impressive people. His fame spread far and wide. He was rich, powerful, honored, the wisest man on earth.

And this magnificent temple was his creation. His people did the work. What part had God played in it all? Scripture records no miracles during the building. It did not spring suddenly from the earth. There was no divinely empowered reversal of Jericho - where the walls came a tumbling UP! No, it was hard work - the blood, sweat, and tears of thousands of nameless men who produced this house of worship.

And yet, as it was being completed, Solomon prayed a prayer in which he sought God's blessing and gave God credit. In 1 Kings 8:15 he says,

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to David my father.

He is giving thanks to God and praising him. He continues throughout the chapter to give honor and glory to God for all that he has done. Why is Solomon so careful to give God credit for that which he himself built? He realized something important. 

He understood that ultimately, the temple's design was initiated by God for the purposes of God. This was something that originated in the heart of God. The only projects in life worth doing are those that originate in the heart of God. He only blesses that which he begins. Solomon knew that the temple was a GOD-project and that even though his own labors had contributed, ultimately it was something that was birthed in the heart of God. 

The things you are doing, the goals of your life, your purposes, and projects - where did they begin? If they are your own, they will have no eternal impact or import. Only that which begins in the heart of God is significant. 

Solomon also understood that his project was worth nothing unless God inhabited the temple. As the glory of the Lord dwelt in the Tabernacle, he desired that the fire would fall on the temple. As with Moses and the tent in the wilderness, he did everything "just as God commanded." And in this passage, he seeks the blessing and presence of God to come among his people and to guide them. And we will see that God does, in fact, send his glory into the temple. 

God sends his presence and power among the obedient and accomplishes his will through them. Is God's power and presence dwelling among you? Are you walking in submission and obedience that he might use you in his work? 

When our lives are lived on God's agenda and we are walking in obedience to him, the glory of the Lord descends upon us and we are changed, empowered and used for his purposes. As God inhabited the Temple in Jerusalem, may his glory inhabit and empower us. 

This is what Solomon knew that caused him to seek God. Yes, he built the temple. But he knew that without the presence of God, without the glory of the Lord, it would all mean nothing. 

Father, fill me with your glory as I walk in submission to you!

Think and Pray

Do you walk in obedience to God and in the power of God?
Do you give God full credit, even for the work you do?

"Excellence" April 15 Readings: 1 Kings 5-6, 2 Chronicles 2-3

Today's Reading - 1 Kings 5-6, 2 Chronicles 2-3

Background

Today's readings in 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles tell of the building of the Temple by Solomon.

Devotional - Excellence 

It is an argument that has been had often in choirs and music programs around the country, especially back when "special music" was more a part of worship than it is in many churches today. There are many who over-evaluate their own musical talents. I have heard many a solo sung in church by folks who should be reluctant to sing anywhere but the shower.

"Sing a joyful noise to the Lord," someone will respond. It's more about your heart for worship than the quality with which you worship. It is more about the beauty of our praise than the beauty of our buildings that ought to matter. It is more about enthusiasm than excellence, right?

There is certainly truth there. If our hearts are not right then all the production value, grandiose beauty, or musical excellence will not suffice. But that does not mean that God cares nothing for beauty or excellence. When we examine the building of the Temple and its staffing, we see a God of order and excellence and beauty. one who also cares about skill.

As we live our lives it matters most that we do things from a pure heart, a heart of joy and humility. Our desire must be to serve God with passion and purity. But as we serve him it is also good to seek to do things well and to serve Christ with skill and excellence. These can be at odds and we must always seek to keep them in balance.

Father, may I serve you with a pure heart, but also seek to do all things well. 

Think and Pray

In your service to God do you seek to keep the balance between a pure heart of passion and a desire for skill and excellence?

"The Key to EVERYTHING" April 14 Readings: Proverbs 20-24

Today's Reading - Proverbs 20-24

Background

Devotional - The Key to Everything

How is that title for a little bit of hyperbole? But when you read Proverbs, it actually isn't. In fact, the point I will make today is one of the clear teachings in all of Scripture.

What is the root of all sin? The Bible makes that pretty clear. We read stories of what caused the greatest of the angelic beings to rebel against God and become Satan, the accuser, the enemy of God. We then see that same creature, in the form of a serpent, speaking to Adam and Eve and appealing to them on the same basis. The sin was pride. Rather than serving God, Adam and Eve could "become like gods" instead, if they only sinned.

Pride is an insult to God - when we lift ourselves up to a standing we do not deserve we automatically demean God. Pride is rebellion, the failure to recognize God for who he is and see ourselves in the light of his glory and greatness.

And pride is self-destructive. The proud cannot experience God's blessings or power, eliminating themselves by their arrogance.

Proverbs has a lot to say about the dangers of pride and the blessings of humility.  Proverbs 22:4 is one of those verses.

The reward for humility and fear of the Lord

    is riches and honor and life.

I would direct the reader, if you are using the links above, to the note at the bottom of the page. It gives a secondary translation. "The reward for humility is the fear of the Lord and riches and honor and life." What is clear in this verse and in the rest of Proverbs is that the fear of the Lord is the key to all the blessings that God has for us as his people. But to fear God we must humble ourselves - stop relying on our own wisdom and thinking so highly of ourselves.

Humility is part and parcel of a proper relationship with God and an attitude of holy awe, of respectful fear. We cannot walk with God and walk in pride at the same time. "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord," God's word commands.

When we humble ourselves before God, he lifts us up and pours out blessings on us. Our verse today describes them as wealth, honor and life. Humility brings blessing.

Father, may I walk in humility, recognizing that I am nothing without you, that it is only by your grace that I stand. 

Think and Pray

Do you live in the fear of the Lord?
That is the key to everything else in life!

"A Healthy Diet" April 13 Readings: Proverbs 15-19

Today's Reading - Proverbs 15-19

Background

Today's reading ends the first section of 184 contrasts between wisdom and folly, which ends at the end of chapter 15, and begins the 191 proverbs (going through 22:16) that apply wisdom to life.

Devotional - A Healthy Diet

"You are what you eat."
"Garbage in; garbage out."

These are modern-day proverbs that draw life principles from our observation of everyday life. We see that people who eat well tend to feel good and be healthy, while those who gorge on the wrong foods tend to feel those effects. If the data we feed into a computer is garbage, the results we get from that computation will also be garbage. What we feed our bodies or our computers has consequences.

But what we feed our minds and our hearts is just as consequential. Solomon knew that nearly 3000 years ago and reminded us of the principle in Proverbs 15:14.

The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,

    but the mouths of fools feed on folly.

The discerning mind, the mind focused on knowing God's word, distinguishing right and wrong and doing the will of God, is going to seek out knowledge - not only general knowledge but specifically the knowledge of the God learned through his word.

But the fool, the one who is intent on going his own way, doing his own thing and living for himself, is going to feed on the foolishness of life. He will listen to the wisdom of the world instead of the truth of God.

These two people will both learn the truth of the principle of this proverb. Garbage in and garbage out. The mind that is fed the world's garbage will produce a harvest of sin and folly. The mind that is focused on Christ and on the word will produce a harvest of righteousness.

I know that I need to watch my diet and choose my food more carefully. But much more importantly, I need to guard my mind and my heart, focus them on the word of God and resist feeding them the refuse of this sinful world.

Father, may my mind and heart be your sanctuary. May I so feed on your word that I truly "become what I eat." 

Think and Pray

Do you feed your mind and heart carefully with the knowledge of God?

"Venting Folly" April 12 Readings: Proverbs 10-14

Today's Reading - Proverbs 10-14

Background

In our readings today we move into the more random section of Proverbs, though things are still not as random as they seem. Proverbs 10:1-15:33 contain 184 couplets - two line proverbs - that are contrasts between wisdom and folly. "The wise man does this but the fool does that." From Proverbs 16:1-22:16 we have 191 proverbs on applying wisdom to life. A few are also contrasts, but most are applications of wisdom to life. The rest of the book is six different collections of wisdom-sayings by various authors.

Devotional - Venting Folly 

We call it "honesty." We call it "venting." We use all sorts of positive and euphemistic terms to describe the unhindered and unfiltered flow of words that come from our mouths, trying to turn into a virtue what God's Word clearly labels folly and sin.

Look at Proverbs 10:19.

When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
    but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.

The abundance of words will almost always lead to sin. (That's bad news for someone like me who makes his living by talking - preaching, counseling, discussing, having meetings!) James warned us in the New Testament that only the wisest and most mature of believers is able to control the deadly poison that the human tongue contains.

The problem today, though, is that we have switched the price tags all around. Those who vomit out every angry thought and word, who tell people exactly what they think and hold nothing back - they are held out as heroes for their brutal "honesty."

But Solomon holds a very different view. He realizes that the human heart is deceitful and that it tends to feed the tongue with deceptive signals. Simply "speaking our minds" is not such a good idea if "every imagination of the human heart was only evil all the time." Sure, that was a description of the world just before the flood, but it is also a general description of human depravity. Our hearts and minds are sinful and therefore our words must not simply flow from our hearts.

No, Solomon says, there must be a filter, a restraint.

The water I drink at my home has been treated twice. It comes from a well over 200 feet under the ground in our backyard and the man who tested it said it was some of the hardest water he has found. So, we have a water softener that treats the water, then we run it all through a filtering system before we drink it. The water tastes foul and needs to be cleansed before it is consumed.

The very same thing is true with my words. My heart is a deep well, and while the Spirit of God dwells within me producing springs of living water, there is also pollution that comes from my flesh that finds its way into that stream. Sin's pollution needs to be filtered from every word I speak before it leaves my mouth.

Solomon calls that "restraint," and it is the essence of prudence. A wise man doesn't just live by his feelings or according to his passions. He recognizes the power of sin and folly within and relies on the power of God and his Word to guide him, restrain him, and inhibit his sinful tendencies.

Proverbs 29:11 tells us this: 

A fool gives full vent to his spirit,
    but a wise man quietly holds it back.

The sinful fool just lets it fly, fully venting his anger (and anger is vented through words, of course). But the wise man walks under the control of God, under the Spirit of God and the power of the Word. He has the restraining power to "hold it back," to restrict the power of sin and walk in victory.

Oh, Lord, restrain the sin that is in me! Do not let my foolish and sinful nature find its way through my words, but may Jesus control me in all things. May my tongue be under your control. 

Think and Pray

Do you vent all your feelings, or do you take them to God and show restraint?

"How to Be Dumb and Mess Up Your Life" April 11 Readings: Proverbs 5-9

Today's Reading - Proverbs 5-9

Background

Proverbs 5-7 gives us a series of four sermons on the consequences of folly will lead us. Three of these sermons have to do with the devastating consequences of sexual immorality, of adultery. Since Solomon was writing to his sons who would rule Israel, he presented adultery in a female form. That is in no way intended to put the burden of the sin on the woman. His whole point was that his sons were responsible for their choices. The other sermon deals with financial issues. Money and morality - the two areas where foolish choices have the most visible consequences.

Chapters 8 and 9 reiterate the calls of wisdom and folly and are essentially a marriage proposal from wisdom. "Walk with me down the path of life," she says.

Devotional - How to Be Dumb and Mess Up Your Life

Proverbs 7 demonstrates how Solomon gathered the principles of wisdom he recorded in the book. It was a simple process - observation, evaluation, expression. He would observe something going on around him and evaluate it, drawing an important life principle from it. Look at that ant, how hard he works. Look at that sluggard, how all his stuff falls apart. He would then take those principles and state them in a pithy, memorable way.

In Proverbs 7:6-8 Solomon saw a young man behaving in a foolish way. There are four evidences of his folly.

⁶ For at the window of my house
    I have looked out through my lattice,
⁷ and I have seen among the simple,
    I have perceived among the youths,
    a young man lacking sense,
⁸ passing along the street near her corner,
    taking the road to her house
⁹ in the twilight, in the evening,
    at the time of night and darkness.

He was the wrong kind of young man. He lacked understanding - that inner sense of right and wrong that develops when one listens to God's Word and obeys it. He lacked the moral compass that God's Word gives to those who immerse themselves in it.

He also had the wrong kind of friends. He was hanging out with other young men in the same moral quandary he was in. Bad company corrupts good character, according to 1 Corinthians 15. Think of what it does to a young man who lacks character. A young man of low character hanging out with other men of low character is in deep trouble.

He was hanging out in the wrong kind of places. Verse 8 says he was near "her corner" - the woman of low moral character who would eventually lead him astray.

At the risk of sounding like an old fogey, he was also in the wrong place at the wrong time. When he should have been home sleeping, studying or doing something productive, he was out with his buddies getting in trouble.

Solomon observed all of this, evaluated it with his wisdom principles and spent the rest of the chapter expressing both the trouble this young man would find himself in as this woman seduced him and brought shame and trouble on him and the course of correction others should take to avoid the destruction he was bringing on himself.

A key lesson here for us to immerse ourselves in the Word so that we build that inner guidance system governed by the Holy Spirit to keep us on the right path. But perhaps even more important is that we must avoid people and places of temptation. Wise folks do not simply fight temptation, they avoid it. An alcoholic should stay out of bars. A shopaholic ought perhaps to avoid the mall. And those of us who want to break the hold of sin in our lives ought to avoid situations in which we will find temptation welling up.

Father, I thank you for the Holy Spirit who uses this precious Word to build that inner moral guidance system within me. May I immerse myself in the Word daily. Give me strength not only to resist temptation, but also the wisdom to avoid it by wisdom. 

Think and Pray

Do you walk carefully to avoid the devastating consequences of folly - especially sexual and financial folly?
Or do you play the dangerous games this young man did?

"Life is Choices" April 10 Readings: Proverbs 1-4

Today's Reading -  Proverbs 1-4

Background

It is often mistakenly assumed that Proverbs is a book without structure. That is largely true from chapter 10 on, but Proverbs 1-9 is organized and detailed - highly structured. After Proverbs 1:1-7, the introduction to the book, there is a series of 10 exhortations, or sermons, on wisdom and folly. The first sermon, in chapter 1, introduces us to the path of wisdom and the path of folly. Then, sermons 2-4, chapters 2-4, are the call of wisdom, telling us why wisdom is better than folly. Chapter 5-7, which contain sermons 5-8 (chapter 6 has two sermons) examines the terrible consequences of folly and tells us what we should avoid that path. Chapters 8 and 9, sermons 9 and 10, are the final appeals to walk in wisdom instead of folly.

Today's reading, after the seven-verse introduction, presents the calls of wisdom and folly and tells us why we should listen to wisdom - why the life of wisdom is so much superior.

Devotional - Life is Choices

The book of Proverbs has its own vocabulary, words that are used in a specific way throughout. But two words form the foundation for the entire book, words found in Proverbs 1:2 and repeatedly thereafter.

For learning wisdom and discipline;for understanding insightful sayings;

The first word is wisdom  - hokmah in the Hebrew. For us, wisdom is a mental thing - intelligence, insight, brains. But to the Hebrew, it was a practical word. It meant skill, the ability to do something well. A craftsman who produced beautiful woodwork would be called wise. A musician who plays well would be hokmah. Wisdom is the ability to do something well.

In Proverbs, hokmah is about living life well. It is the ability to live our lives well by honoring God and doing what is right. Wisdom is "skill in living." If you are wise, you live your life the way God commanded and walk in his blessing. Folly, of course, the opposite of wisdom, is rejecting God and going your own way and suffering the consequences.

The second word is "understanding," though I prefer the translation discernment. The Hebrew word, Bijn, is actually a conjunction. "Between." Discernment is "betweening" - the ability to look at a choice and know which one is right.

"Life is choices and choices have consequences." That is the message of Proverbs. Your life is a series of choices that you make. Discernment is the God-given, Word-driven ability to figure out which option is right and which is wrong, which is path of wisdom and which is the path of folly. Wisdom, then, is the ability to choose the right path. Wisdom and discernment work together in Proverbs and in life. You understand right and wrong and discern what the right path is and what the wrong path is and then, with the power of God and wisdom of his Spirit inside, you choose against your sin nature and inborn folly to do what is right. You discern your choices and make the right one.

You get to choose your path but you do not get to choose where that path leads you. If you choose wisdom, it will lead you to God's blessing. If you choose folly, there will be consequences. You will reap what you sow.

Father, may I choose what is right and good, what is wise and best, so that I may see your blessing every day. 

Think and Pray

Do you have a knowledge of God's word sufficient to give you discernment when you face choices?
Do you choose what is right or what you want?

"Love, Bible Style" April 9 Readings: Song of Songs 1-8

Today's Reading - Song of Songs 1-8 

Background

The Song of Solomon, also known as the Song of Songs, or the Canticles, is one of the harder books of the Bible to interpret and understand. Frankly, I'm not sure how to do a devotional from the book, other than to say that it teaches us something pretty important about the marital relationship - that it is holy to God who created it. 

The fact is that the wording of the Song is so vivid, so sensual, that many through the years have taken to interpreting the Song as an allegory. For many of the rabbinic Jewish interpreters, the song was an illustration of the love between Israel and God. Many Christian interpreters have allegorized this Song to make it speak of Christ and the church. 

That is simply not what the text says and is an unfortunate misreading of the intent of the book. If we fail to understand the important message of the book, and the approach of the church toward sexual and moral matters is skewed. Too often, evangelical Christians have had negative attitudes toward sex - as if it is something dirty, shameful and ungodly. The Song reminds us that it was God who created us male and female and called his creation very good. Within the boundaries of marriage, sex is holy and sacred, a beautiful gift of God. It is only when God's intent for marriage - one man and one woman for life - is forgotten that sex becomes sinful. 

Devotional - Love, Bible Style

Is that what it really says?

Yeah, the Song of Songs is a unique book of the Bible. It doesn't mention God or the law or holiness or righteousness or any of those concepts the rest of the Bible is about. It is two lovers whose focus is on each other and their love for one another. There is a chorus that celebrates the two and their love as well. Opinions about authorship, about the identity of the various characters, about the themes and purposes, differ widely. The book has been commonly attributed to Solomon but recent scholars (even conservative ones) have raised questions about that. A brief devotional such as this one doesn't have the time to explore these.

It is truly a struggle to bring a "devotional" thought. This is a sexual poem about a man and his wife and the love they share. The imagery is PG-13 at best and some of the inferences, properly understood in Hebrew, stray beyond that. What do we say about this?

One simple thought to remember. Hugh Hefner and the other pornographers did not make us male and female. God did. Modern culture only corrupts and perverts what God made. God created us male and female and he called his creation very good. He is the author of sex and there is nothing shameful about a man and woman enjoying what God created within the boundaries God created.

We are far too likely to allow our values to be reactionary. We see what the world is saying and doing and we go in the opposite direction. In a sex-crazed, filth-obsessed world, it has been all too easy for the church to act as if physical pleasure in marriage is bad or dirty.

Our values need to be shaped by the word of God, and it says that God created us male and female and Song of Songs celebrates that. It is not an ugly thing but a God-honoring, life-affirming, spiritually beautiful thing for a husband and wife to put Song of Songs into action.

Father, thank you for your creation, which is beautiful in so many ways. May I never treat what you created as if it is ugly, dirty, or shameful. 

Think and Pray

Thank God for all that he has created.
Are you properly valuing the creation of God - within the limits God has set.

"The Greatest Treasure" April 8 Readings: 1 Kings 3-4, 2 Chronicles 1, Psalm 72

Today's Reading - 1 Kings 3-4, 2 Chronicles 1, Psalm 72

Background

Today's reading is the famous story of Gods gift of wisdom to Solomon to establish his throne and to guide him in ruling God's people.

Devotional - The Greatest Treasure

It wasn't a fictional genie in a bottle, but it was the real, living God from heaven. It wasn't three wishes to be spent frivolously, but one wish to be granted by God. Solomon received one of the greatest blessings a man has ever received from God.

Ask what I shall give you. 1 Kings 3:5

There were many options. Solomon could have asked for wealth beyond measure, for a life of ease and pleasure, for victory over his foes and a peace that comes through conquering all. Anything he wanted. But Solomon made the right choice. He asked for discernment.

“Lord my God, you have now made your servant king in my father David’s place. Yet I am just a youth with no experience in leadership. Your servant is among your people you have chosen, a people too many to be numbered or counted. So give your servant a receptive heart to judge your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of yours?” 1 Kings 3:7-9

He knew that the task God had given him was difficult and that he needed resources beyond his own abilities, so he asked for an obedient heart that would enable him to discern good and evil. He wanted the ability to discern good and evil so that he could make wise choices as he led the people of God.

Discernment is the ability to distinguish the right path from the wrong path. Wisdom is the strength to choose what is right. Solomon wanted discernment so he could walk in wisdom.

But the irony is that through choosing the best thing, God gave him everything else as well. He got anything he could have asked for by asking for the thing he could get from no one but God. By choosing wisdom he received all of life's blessings.

When we seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, all these other things are added to us as well. When we seek the things of the world, we lose everything of eternal value. When we seek God, and God's wisdom, and the blessing that God's wisdom brings, we gain all things of real value.

Lord, may I always choose you and your ways - that which is best. Thank you for the blessings you give to me day by day when I do!

Think and Pray

If God gave such an offer to you, would you choose as well as Solomon did?