May 13 - The Devil Made Me Do It!

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21; Psalms 30; 1 Thessalonians 2

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
 Neither God nor Satan can ever be blamed for our sin. The blame falls squarely on our shoulders!

The hilarious Geraldine Jones (aka Flip Wilson), along with her boyfriend “Killer,” made this a catch phrase in the early 70s, to explain why they were always in trouble! But the devil has been influencing rebellion against God since the very first man and woman arrived on planet earth. He doesn’t exactly make us sin, but he does all he can to encourage it.

Satan isn’t talked about a lot in the Old Testament but he is mentioned by name near the end of David’s life: Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel (21:1). Note that the parallel passage in 2 Samuel says that God incited David (24:1). That’s because Hebrew thinking doesn’t always differentiate between first and second cause. Reading both passages helps us understand that God allowed Satan to tempt David, but we know God never tempts us to sin (James 1:13). In fact, neither God nor Satan can ever be blamed for our sin. The blame falls squarely on our shoulders!

David knew he shouldn’t do it. When Joab, who was not the most spiritually sensitive man, tells him it’s a bad idea, that should have been a clue (24:3). After he had completed the census, David was suddenly “conscience-stricken” (24:10). When we feel remorse immediately after we sin, that’s a good indication that we knew it was wrong ahead of time.

Numbering his people was not inherently wrong, but it is obvious from this story that David’s motives were. Contrary to the humility David had consistently shown throughout his life, he was allowing an attitude of pride to infect his life and the national identity of Israel. If God had not intervened, that pride would have swept through Israel with greater devastation and loss of life than the plague David chose as their punishment. If left unchecked, Israel would have been overrun again by their enemies.

“Lord, I know I have an enemy who is determined to separate me from You forever. Thank You for reminding me how powerless Satan is when I turn to You before I sin instead of after” (30:1).

May 12 - A Flawed, but Faithful Leader

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Samuel 21-23; 1 Thessalonians 1

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
 When I am justified by God,
it is “just-if-I’d” never sinned.

As we look back at the life of David, we see a man who was clearly flawed, like all of us, but still an effective leader. Despite serious sin, God blessed David, and Israel reached her zenith under his 40 years of rulership. But I must admit, for the first time in reading these passages (I’ve been reading through the Bible every year for decades), I was disappointed in my childhood “superhero.”

I grew up listening to the exciting and inspirational stories from David’s life. His fearless fight against Goliath was, and still is, my favourite. But like Batman and Spiderman, David had his dark side that somehow I missed as a kid. When I read through the list of his faithful mighty men (23:8-39), I noticed for the first time that Uriah was among them (v. 39). These men risked their lives, over and over again, to protect their king. They were proof of how effective David was as a leader to inspire that kind of dedication. But David, my hero, showed shockingly selfish disregard for Uriah’s loyalty by stealing his wife and then setting him up to be killed in battle.

As I thought about that, I reflected on today’s psalm, when David sang: For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I have not done evil by turning from my God. All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees. I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin. The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight (22:22-25). Yah, right!  But as I thought about it, though David sinned deeply, he also repented deeply. He knew that God had forgiven him, cleansed his sins, and washed him until he was “whiter than snow” (Psa. 51:7).

This is true for all of us, including me. When I am justified by God, it is “just-if-I’d” never sinned. God looks at the orientation of our heart. He seems to bless those who humbly head toward Him at all times, whether we are doing well or not. But if we proudly turn away from him, like Saul did, He will turn against us. You save the humble, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low (22:28). 

“Lord, I can be no more disappointed in David than I am in myself. But like David, I will sing, The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my Savior” (22:2).

May 11 - Make Your Death Count

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Samuel 19,20; Psalms 55; Matthew 28

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY
 God simply must come first! No one, not even our family, cares for us more deeply or more purely.

“The Amazing Spider-Man 2” features Spidey’s girlfriend, Gwen Stacey, who gives this quotable valedictorian speech: “I know we all think that we are immortal, but what makes life valuable is that it ends. So make yours count for something, fight for what matters to you, because even if we fall short, what better way is there to live.” Sorry Gwen – good conclusion, but wrong premise.

My last few journal entries have talked about taking a stand in life for God. Jesus challenged us with these words: Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. But the verses before these give us the reason why we should boldly put God first and make Him known to others.

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows (Matt. 10:28-33).

It was that conviction that kept David strong in his faith while facing the betrayal of his son and Jesus determined to obey His Father during the denial and desertion of His disciples. It was that realization that not only shaped their lives, but also inspired their willingness to lay them down. Christ’s resurrection should always remind us who holds eternity and who should determine how we live our lives on earth.

God simply must come first! No one, not even our family, cares for us more deeply or more purely. He knows everything about us, including the constantly changing number of hairs our heads, and yet His love never changes. Give your burdens to the Lord, he will take care of you. He will not let the godly slip and fall (55:22). Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age (28:20).

“Lord, the truth is, I am immortal. What makes my life valuable is that it never ends. You hold my eternity in Your hands so I will trust those hands to guide me in this life on into the life to come!”

May 10 - What Can Man Do To Me?

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Samuel 18; Psalms 56; Matthew 27

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY
 Whose favour do we want, God’s or man’s? 

In today’s readings I noticed something that may be a factor behind the betrayal and denial we talked about yesterday. In the movie, “God’s Not Dead,” the reason our protagonist, Josh Wheaton, struggled with his decision to defend the existence of God is the pressure he faced from his fiancé, family, and fellow students. His choice was between gaining favour with God or man. That is a daily dilemma for all of us. We are all insecure, to varying degrees, and the affirmation of the people around us is one of the main ways we prop up our sagging egos.

Absalom’s craving for public attention completely undermined his love for God and his love for his own father. The disciples caved under public pressure to the point of denying they even knew Jesus in the moment He needed them most! In our readings today both David and Jesus faced that same pressure.

David faced it on all sides, from Absalom and his army of usurpers to his own men who wanted to crush Absalom. But David, while no doubt fearing for his life and certainly his future as King, only wanted to trust God’s plans. He made these kinds of decisions a lot in his life and his psalms reflected his thinking process in those moments:  In the Lord, whose word I praise, in God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? (56:4 and 10,11).

Jesus faced even greater pressure hanging helplessly on the cross: Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”  (27:39,40). Jesus had already made His decision in prayer the night before, Your will be done, not mine (26:39). He knew if He didn’t defend Himself, His Father would, and He did: When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!'” (27:54).

“Lord, right now I too need to choose between what people want and what You want from my life. As a chronic people-pleaser I need Your strength to say with David: in God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

May 9 - Stand By the Man

                                Read today’s texts first: 2 Samuel 17; Psalms 71; Matthew 26

                                    MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Public opinion is exchanging the authority of God’s Word for the words of atheistic scientists and professors, who may be intelligent but not very smart. 

The movie, “God Is Not Dead,” received some harsh reviews from the cynics out there. But that’s kind of the point of the story. Our western world is drifting from its solid Christian moorings and attaching itself to the free floating dock of so-called “science.” Public opinion is exchanging the authority of God’s Word for the words of atheistic scientists and professors, who may be intelligent but not very smart. Paul predicted it: Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools ....They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator (Rom. 1:22,25).

Here’s the premise, without spoiling the movie (which everyone should watch): a freshman is faced with the decision to join the rest of his philosophy class and unanimously agree that God is dead (or does not exist). If he takes a stand for God, he faces the wrath of his professor, the rejection of his friends, family, and fiancé, and the possible derailment of his career plans. Believe it or not, Willie Robertson of Duck Dynasty (one of my fav “reality” shows) makes a guest appearance in the movie, setting the plot with Christ’s words, Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven (Matt. 10:32,33).

Our readings today feature similar stories of betrayal and denial. We have Absalom trying to kill his own father, King David, and usurp his throne. We also have Christ’s most promising disciple, Judas, betraying Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Compound that disappointment with the rest of the disciples denying or at least deserting Jesus after vowing they would stand by Him (26:35). These are the critical moments in life that define our faith. Fortunately eleven of the disciples had a second chance to redefine their faithfulness to Jesus. All but one (who survived being boiled in oil) gave their lives for the Man.

My prayer today again is David’s, In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; Let me never be ashamed.... I will hope continually, and will praise You, yet more and more. My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and of Your salvation all day long (71:1,14,15).

May 8 - Blind Ambition

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Samuel 15,16; Psalms 32; Matthew 25

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
 Do not strive for position or power
unless God is assigning it to you. 

The comparisons continue. The differences we observed between David and Saul are similar to what we read today about David and his son Absalom. Despite the serious mistakes David made, with Bathsheba, Uriah, and his own children, he kept coming back to the Lord.  He knew he became king and stayed king only because of God’s appointing and anointing. David never aspired to rule, but like Saul, Absalom was driven by blind ambition.

Like Saul, Absalom was the people’s choice. He was tall, good-looking, with long flowing hair. He was the consummate politician, promising what he couldn’t deliver, literally kissing up to his supporters (15:1-6). He tried to use God to get what he wanted, offering sacrifices and seeking godly counsel (15:12). But he seemed to have no personal relationship with God and was convinced that he could achieve power through his own manipulation.

Even though David was still king, he didn’t fight back. Just like when he refused to strike out at Saul, David would not lift a hand to harm Absalom. As he was fleeing Jerusalem, he said to his men, If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again (15:25). David knew that all human ambition is blind; God alone sees and controls our future. He wanted nothing to do with position or power unless God was assigning it to him.

Our NT reading illustrates how our future is in God’s hands and our part is to be ready when He comes for us (25:1-13). It’s human nature to want to take back control. I remember a few years ago at this time, for the first time in 40 years, when I was looking for employment. Other than my first job, short-order cook at Burger Chef, I had never applied for work. God clearly opened doors for me and I simply trusted Him enough to walk through them. Like David, I felt God telling me then and today that He will continue to lead me. There will be no need for human striving or manipulation, no blind ambition! Finding my way to become a Chaplain was yet another miracle of God’s leading.

David’s prayer is mine today, You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. “Selah”. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you (32:7,8).

May 7 - Tough Love

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Samuel 13,14; Matthew 24

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
We can’t let our children play hookey
from the school of hard knocks! 

Yesterday we talked about good friends who care so deeply for us that they are willing to challenge us when we go astray. Parents should fall into that category. The problem is, who doesn’t want to be the “cool” parents, the ones who are so chill that the kids want to invite their friends over. But to properly guide your children in the way they should go (Prov. 22:6), we will soon discover they don’t always want to go that way. The resulting clash of wills often ends with the child, or teenager, saying “I hate you!” That is not cool.

Tough love hurts everyone involved. I remember teaching my daughter’s Ladies Bible Study group about spiritual gifts. All of them were young mothers, and many of them had the gift of mercy. They instinctively wanted to alleviate their child’s pain, and if they were brave enough to try tough love, their own sensitive hearts would break when the child lashed out.

King David had a sensitive heart too (study his psalms and you’ll know that’s true). He also had a troubled family life, with too many competitive wives and lots of competitive children (1 Chron. 3:1-9). While that was the culture of his day, (and particularly true of kings), it was never God’s plan. He designed marriage with one man and one woman in mind (Gen. 2:24). While it is unfair to always blame parents when their children make bad decisions, we do get a sense that David pampered his kids. He certainly avoided confrontation with them over bad behaviour (eg. Adonijah – 1 Kings 1:6). The result - Amnon rapes his half-sister Tamar; her brother, Absalom, has Amnon killed, sleeps with his dad’s concubines, and then tries to usurp his throne; later Adonijah tries the same thing. Can you say “dysfunctional”?

David became stronger in his faith as he went through adversity. But his children played hookey from the school of hard knocks. Like David, if we coddle, appease, and excuse our kids, they can become spoiled and entitled. The judgments prophesied in Matthew 24 shows us that God is not afraid of attaching consequences to sinful behaviour. “Lord, help me to love my children and grandchildren the way you do, even in those tough moments when they may not love me back!”