June 24 - Man of God

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Kings 11,12; 2 Chronicles 24; 1 Timothy 6

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

He who floats his boat on the tide of public opinion
will soon be shipwrecked.

Paul called his young protégé “Man of God” (6:11), while encouraging him to stand up against false teachers. It takes a real man to resist social pressure, be it from authority figures, peers, or those who serve under us. Scripture continually teaches and illustrates how we should be dependent on God; in fact, that is a sign of spiritual maturity. But that doesn’t mean we should be dependent on people or easily swayed by public opinion. Spiritual maturity often calls for us to go against the flow of people pressure, which isn’t always easy for a young man.

This gives us some context for the story of the young king, Joash. In some ways he was mature beyond his years, considering his dysfunctional (to say the least) family. After his father, King Ahaziah, died, his grandmother, Athaliah, proceeded to execute all her grandchildren so she could rule in her son’s place (not exactly a candidate for grandmother-of-the-year!). Fortunately Joash had a good aunt, Jehosheba, who protected him from Queen Athaliah, and a godly priest, Jehoiada, who instructed Joash throughout most of his reign: Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him (12:2). However, after Jehoiada died, Joash started to listen to the wrong people and completely went off the rails (24:17-25). He would be among the many Bible leaders who did not finish well.

While Timothy lived up to his “Man of God” title, Joash will be known as the “Boy King.” That may be mostly because he assumed the throne at age 7, but it could also be that he never quite grew into a “man.” Nor was he “of God.” He served God vicariously through Jehoiada, but he was really only serving people. That’s a critical distinction and a warning to all believers.

“Lord, my desire as a man is to obey You and You alone. While I hope I will always respect people and their opinions, I also hope they will never rule my life. I want to be known as a ‘Man of God’!”

June 23 - When We All Get to Heaven

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Kings 10; 2 Chronicles 22,23; 1 Timothy 5

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

If  we want to see how God’s judgment and mercy
come together, look to Jesus! 

If you’ve already read today’s passages you may be wondering where I found the inspiration for this title: “When We All Get To Heaven.” Forgive me, but it has more to do with a request from one of our residents than it does with today’s readings. Martha asked if we could sing this great hymn because she loves it, and because she longs for a better life in a better world. Well, after reading more about the sickening violence of pre-exilic Israel (“pre-exilic” means before they were taken into exile), I’m with Martha. In fact, I promised her we would sing her song in our next chapel!

In understanding God’s part in the violence of this era, we need to develop a perspective that embraces both God’s justice and His mercy. That’s not easy. Though we are created in His image, we are still far from understanding God’s ways. Our view is so finite, so limited to this world, this life, that we will never fully grasp his eternal plan. But in simple terms, God has the right to expect that His creation will honour Him and His commands. When we don’t obey the One who gave us life, we deserve and should expect death.

Often in history, the human condition deteriorated so much, God had to exact judgment. He intervened to postpone our eventual self-destruction, and to allow the time necessary for His plan of redemption. Throughout these times of judgment we see God’s mercy, especially when people responded with humility and repentance. In our New Testament reading we see His tender compassion for the widows, as one of many examples of a merciful God. Jesus was the clearest illustration of God’s judgment and mercy, in one moment clearing out the Temple money-changers with a whip and in another touching and healing unclean lepers.

“Lord, I am eternally grateful that Your judgment for me was poured out on Your Son, and that I have experienced first-hand Your great mercy. I do long for the day, though, when the time of judgment will be over and “we will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever!” (Psalms 89:1).

June 22 - Everything God Created Is Good!

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Kings 8,9; 2 Chronicles 21; 1 Timothy 4

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

God allows evil because real love requires free will.

“Everything God created is good!” It’s hard to reconcile these words from Paul’s inspired letter to Timothy (4:4) with the murderous corruption we read in the Old Testament. I had this discussion recently with the husband of one of our residents. His concern is a common one: “how can a good and loving God allow the innocent to suffer?”

While thinking about that, I started today’s readings from 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. It was not happy reading: wars (21:10), the cold-blooded murder of six brothers (21:4), vile disease (21:18), the assassination of three kings (8:12-15; 9:24-27), and a queen thrown out a window and devoured by street dogs (9:32-37). The most shocking part was reading how some of these events were predicted and possibly orchestrated by God. How can a good and loving God be involved in this kind of mayhem?

There’s a much better long answer but here is the short version: this kind of world was not God’s preferred plan. His initial creation was perfect: no sin, no disease, no death. His final creation will be similar, but even better. But this present world has been so contaminated by sin that even innocent people are affected. God allows it because love demands free will. Sometimes God has to judge sin when it happens to slow down our self-destructive ways, as we read today. However, if God decided to judge everyone who has ever rebelled against Him, we would all be dead. But He withheld His judgment from us, and poured it out instead on His own Son. That’s an incredibly good and loving God!

“Lord Jesus, what You did for us, for me, was far more loving than we deserve. And yet, I gratefully receive Your free gift of forgiveness and look forward to joining You in the perfect creation yet to come, where there is no more sin, no more disease, and no more death.”

June 21 - The Battle is the Lord’s

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Kings 6,7; 2 Chronicles 20; 1 Timothy 3

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

We are never out-numbered when God is on our side. 

Two of my favourite stories from the Old Testament are found in our readings today. At first I was torn as to which I would write about until I realized how the message from both is the same. The first involves four lepers going out for dinner, the second is a badly outnumbered army led by their worship team.

The Arameans were subjugated under Solomon, but when the kingdom split under his son Rehoboam, they pulled away and became a powerful enemy of Israel. Their language, Aramaic, would become the common language of northern Palestine and surrounding regions, and the language Jesus spoke.

Israel was starving to death because of their oppression, until Elijah asked God to intervene. The Arameans ran for the hills and abandoned their camps when they heard God’s special sound effects of a massive approaching army. Four desperate, almost suicidal lepers strolled into their empty camps and pigged out on Aramean delicacies. It’s a funny story of unlikely heroes who discovered first-hand how we are never out-numbered when God is on our side.

In the second story, Jehoshaphat was also out-numbered trying to protect Judah from a three nation alliance. Unlike most leaders, who abide by the “fake it until you make it” motto, Jehoshaphat was honest and transparent before His people and his God: For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you. In response God spoke through Jahaziel: Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s (20:12,15). Same God, different miracle: musicians instead of lepers, and instead of sound effects, confused allies who killed each other.

“Lord, so often I think I have to fight my own battles, but You challenge me with impossible odds so I learn to rely on You. When I do that, my response will be like Jehoshaphat’s worship team: Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.”

June 20 - Missionary or Mercenary?

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Kings 4,5; Psalms 83; 1 Timothy 2

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

If we rely solely on our own resources
we can miss out on the miraculous!

Elisha got what he asked for, a double portion of what God had given his mentor, Elijah. At the time, it may have seemed self-serving, but, as we read about Elisha’s ministry, we know that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Like the widow’s oil, God could pour His blessing into Elisha knowing he would keep pouring it out for others (4:5,6).

The miracles he performed were easily marketable. He could have charged high fees and retired a very wealthy man. But we read of a prophet who relied on the generosity of others for food and shelter (4:8-10), who had to trust God to make a bad pot of stew edible for himself and his fellow prophets (4:38-41), and who took 20 donated barley loaves and miraculously fed 100 men (4:42-44). His life sounded very similar to the One who came to serve and give His life a ransom for all (2:6).

When Elisha healed Namaan he refused his gifts in return, despite having earned them and cultural protocol demanding he graciously accept them. Elisha had no interest in material things. He knew God would provide everything he needed, just as He had done for his mentor, Elijah. If you have your own resources you miss out on ravens delivering your breakfast and dinner (1 Kings 17:2-6), and angel-food cake (okay, bread) made by an actual angel (19:5-8). That’s why Elisha was so upset with his protégé, Gehazi, for going back for Namaan’s gifts, lying about his reasons, keeping them for himself, and then covering it up (5:20-27).

I made the same decision years ago about being a missionary, not a mercenary. I’ve never really been motivated by money and never demanded a higher salary in my 50 plus years of ministry. My wife and children have urged me to, and I know other ministers do, but I want to experience God’s miraculous provision. I haven’t been fed by ravens yet (I did accidentally kill a crow with my car recently – didn’t eat it though), but God has always provided more than I’ve needed. I may not have a big nest egg set aside for my declining years but I serve a big God!

“Lord, this verse and chorus from ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus’ says what I feel today: I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee, precious Jesus, Saviour, friend; and I know that Thou art with me, wilt be with me to the end. Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er; Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! Oh, for grace to trust Him more!”

June 19 - Finishing Well

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Kings 1-3; Psalms 82; 1 Timothy 1

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

No matter how you may have faltered in your life to
this point, you can and you must finish strong.

It is an ongoing concern in churches and in theological schools. I used to talk about it almost every day when I was a pastor and Bible college president, preparing Christian leaders to “finish well!” The average throughout history tells us that 70% of leaders will not. My role then was preventative, trying to steer young leaders down the road of faithfulness and consistency. 

Well, it is even more of a concern in a seniors facility. Now, as a chaplain at Buchanan, my role is more redemptive, trying to help older leaders make needed adjustments in their final days on earth. My goal is to reassure these dear saints (the sinners too) that, no matter how they may have faltered during their life, they can still finish strong. It is the theme emerging from our readings today and it will be my message for an upcoming chapel service!

Contrast the kings of Israel with the prophets God sent to help them. Ahab’s life ended badly because he failed to listen to God. Then his son, Ahaziah, did the same thing. In today’s reading, he’s fallen and he can’t get up, literally, so he consults the non-god of Ekron. Word comes to him from Elijah that he will never get up again (his dad and the prophet Micaiah all over again!). “So he died” is his sad legacy (1:17). Compare his ignominious end with Elijah’s big finish. He ended his time on earth literally in a blaze of glory, or more specifically, in a chariot of fire!

Paul’s words to his young protégé sums it up well: Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith (1:18,19). May we all learn from the examples in Scripture, both good and bad, how to fight the good fight, holding on to our faith right to the end.

“Lord, my prayer in this assignment as chaplain is that I will become a model for others on how to finish well!”

June 18 - No Yes Men!

 Read today’s texts first: 1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18,19; Colossians 4

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Surround yourself with godly people who speak the truth even when you may not want to hear it.

I learned this lesson early on in my ministry and it has served me well: “say no to yes men!” (or “yes women” for that matter). Foursquare polity allows for leaders to lead, but that can be dangerous if we surround ourselves with people who always agree just to be agreeable. Leaders who look for those people are often insecure, arrogant, or, as in Ahab’s case, intractable.

Now on the flipside, I don’t look for disagreeable people, because I like to make decisions with full consensus. Making good group decisions requires servant-hearted leaders who have no personal agenda, care more for the good of others, and can clearly hear from God. Micaiah was just such a man, and Ahab wanted nothing to do with him: Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of Him?” So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things!”  (22:7,8).

It’s a funny story, if you don’t mind a violent ending - all the “yes men” prophets lining up to encourage the king, the prepping of Micaiah to make sure he doesn’t spoil the roll they’re on, Micaiah’s tongue-in-cheek prophesy, Ahab asking for the real truth, getting it and not liking it, ignoring him and going to war, disguising himself to avoid being a target, then getting shot by a random arrow between the plates of his armour, and, oh yeah, the dogs licking up his blood just like Elijah prophesied (another prophet Ahab hated!).

“Lord, it’s really not that funny when we become so afraid of the truth that we hide from it and from people who speak it. Help me to always surround myself with godly people who will tell me the truth even when I may not want to hear it.”