May 5 - The Desires of Your Heart

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Samuel 10; 1 Chronicles 20; Psalms 20; Matthew 22

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

 When God promised to give us the desires of our hearts He was promising to give us His desires!

Today is my son’s birthday and I’m actually home to enjoy it, although ironically Greg is away in Vista, California! From 1987 until 2013, I would miss his birthday (and Mother’s Day - sorry Jan!) while on the road with PLBC tour teams. Those two things were on my mind as I read the Bible today. When I read, May he give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed (Psa. 20:4), I thought of Greg making a lot of important life decisions right now. And I thought of life on the road, and how it illustrates real life.

Life, like college tours, is a journey. The destinations along the way may be exciting (we would often visit Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore, Niagara Falls, New York - oh, and the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota!). But because our ultimate destination is Heaven, life on this planet is more about the journey and making sure we keep our final goal in mind. That should affect every decision, the plans we make, and the desires behind those plans.

When David wrote this Psalm, I’m sure he was thinking of the daily decisions he had to make as King of Israel. We see from our other readings today that he was busy fighting battles and keeping his people safe from enemy oppression. He tells us why he was successful: Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God (20:7). His army was often out-numbered, surrounded by multiple nations conspiring against him, but God, time after time, would miraculously intervene.

I believe the secret for God’s blessing is found in this psalm. When David asked God to give him the desires of his heart, he was not talking about blessing his own human desires - he was asking God to give him His desires (note the capital “H”). David was called “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22). He was known for consulting God before every decision, at every turn in the road, before proceeding any further in his life’s journey.

“Lord, You said that I am to love You with all my heart, soul, and mind (Mat. 22:38,39). I pray for myself and for my son on his birthday, that You would give us Your desires for every decision we make on the road ahead!”

May 4 - Justice and Mercy

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Samuel 8,9; 1 Chronicles 18,19; Matthew 21

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
 Our God is consistently just and also
consistently merciful! 

Sometimes it’s hard to understand holy wars in the Old Testament and God’s righteous wrath in the New Testament. Our readings today have both, but, in each case, they are tempered with gripping illustrations of God’s tender mercies. How can these two godly qualities, justice and mercy, co-exist?

God’s blessing of David and Israel, the nation he governed, included victories in battle. It’s difficult for a pacifist like me (I’ve never really been in a fight, not counting siblings) to understand the bloodshed among the armies that opposed David. I have to remind myself that these nations, and the individuals within them, had the opportunity to make the God of Israel their God. Some did and, because of God’s mercy, were spared judgment. But the ones who defied God faced the promised consequences of their defiance. 

Yet, right in the middle of these accounts of God’s judgment executed by His appointed leader, King David, is this moving story of David and Mephibosheth. Wanting to honour the memory of his friend, Jonathan, David extends kindness to his last remaining heir. Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, was often overlooked because of his crippled feet. But David does not dismiss him. Instead he offers him all of Saul’s estate and invites him to become an honourary member of the King’s family, including all family dinners. Mephibosheth is shocked by the King’s kindness, especially since his grandfather was David’s mortal enemy: What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me? (9:7,8). What an amazing picture of God, our King, noticing you and I, despite our brokenness, and inviting us to be part of His family and joint heirs in His Kingdom!

While the Old Testament often portrays God’s judgment and wrath, Jesus, in the New Testament, often shows us His mercy and grace. But today’s reading reveals that Jesus is not some milk-toast hippy pacifist, as some would like Him to be. Here He is riding into Jerusalem as King, commanding the praise of His followers. Shortly after that, He is seen overturning tables and driving money changers out of the Temple. Follow that with a cursed fig tree and some pointed parables condemning the religious rulers and you have some glimpses into God’s righteous wrath. But remember that in less than a week’s time, Jesus, God’s only real Son, will be taking God’s judgment upon Himself, extending to all of us His incredible mercy and grace. “Lord, I acknowledge that You are consistently just, and that my sins must be paid for. But I am deeply grateful that You are also consistently merciful, and that You personally paid the wages of my sin with Your own life.”

May 3 - Attitude of Gratitude

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17 ; Psalms 2; Matthew 20

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
 If you want to be great, learn to lay down your lives
and serve others, not yourselves.

Those who have heard me teach or preach often, know that I have one favourite theme, one string on my guitar – it’s the “A” string, and it stands for “Attitude.” I see that topic in almost everything I hear, watch, or read, particularly when I study God’s Word. Attitude seems to be important to Him as well!

The parables and interactions of Jesus in our NT reading today seem random, but a theme of attitude emerges in each story. The parable of the vineyard challenges our sense of fairness when those who worked for an hour earned the same as those who worked all day. But the owner delivered on His promise to all of them (20:1-16). Some will come into eternal life with minutes to spare (like the thief who repented on the cross beside Jesus) while others have served God their whole lives. The reward is the same, Jesus paid for it with His life, none of us deserve it, and our only response should be gratitude.

After teaching His disciples this parable and then explaining His plan to pay their wages with His own life (20:17-19), can you imagine how Jesus felt when he heard from the mother of James and John (they were called the Sons of Thunder so I guess she was Mrs. Thunder!)? She asked Jesus for preferred seating, power positions, for her boys in His coming kingdom. Jesus patiently reminded her and all the disciples of His example - if you want to be great, learn to lay down your lives and serve others, not yourselves (20:20-28).

Next, they met two blind men on the road outside of Jericho, who, unlike the disciples sometimes, had exactly the right attitude. Because of their desperate need, their approach was perfect: Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us! They knew they had nothing to offer but their need and their gratitude for anything they would receive.

Our OT readings show us the attitude of this same David, the ancestor and foreshadow of Jesus, the Messiah. After hearing of God’s promise of protection and prosperity for him and his family, this is how David responded: Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: “Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?....O Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your words are trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant” (2 Sam. 7:18,28; 1 Chron. 17:16,26).

My prayer today is like David’s: “Lord, I deserve nothing, yet You have given me everything I need, freely by Your grace alone. When we combine “grace” with “attitude” we get “gratitude” - all I can do is say, thank You!”

May 2 - Jesus “Needles” His Disciples

Read today’s texts first: 1 Chronicles 16; Psalms 106; Matthew 19

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
 If we want to follow Jesus into eternity,
we must be willing to leave everything else behind.

One of the more controversial conversations of Jesus ended with this statement: it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God (19:24). The person on the other end of this discussion was a sincere young man who simply wanted to know how to receive eternal life. He had kept God’s commandments from his youth, but according to Jesus, he also needed to go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me (19:21). After that conversation killer, the young man walked away discouraged because he was very wealthy.

So what did Jesus mean by the camel comment? Some have taught that there was a short gate in the outer wall of Jerusalem called the “Needle’s Eye,” where camels needed to kneel and be unloaded before entering the city of God. While this story beautifully illustrates how we should approach God, it lacks historical support. More likely, Jesus, the Master Teacher, was using a common Jewish teaching technique called hyperbole - exaggeration to make a point. He used it often, like removing a plank from our eye (Mat. 7:3-5) or swallowing a camel (23:24).

The point He was making is the need to love God first, above everyone and everything else. The commands He talked about with the rich ruler covered those which relate to loving our neighbor as ourselves. But when Jesus asked the young man to sell his assets and give to the poor He was questioning whether he loved money more than God. The truth is, if we want to follow Jesus into eternity, we must be willing to leave everything else behind (19:29). That’s what it means to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30). The money is not the barrier; it’s the love of money (1 Tim. 6:10). From our OT reading we can see that you can still be rich, as David clearly was, as long as you put God first, as David clearly did.

“Lord, I will seek You first today, setting aside the other things of life I tend to worry about. You reminded me today to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself (Mat. 6:33,34).

May 1 - Who Is The Greatest?

  Read today’s texts first: 1 Chronicles 14,15; Psalms 132; Matthew 18

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
We can only be great when we completely
depend on the One who is the greatest!

Muhammad Ali was mentioned in the news recently - on April 28, in 1967, Ali dodged the war draft for religious reasons. A year before his conversion to Islam he said these now famous words: “I must be the greatest. I showed the world. I talk to God every day. I know the real God. I shook up the world, I’m the king of the world. You must listen to me. I am the greatest!”

I’m sorry Ali, but if you knew the real God you wouldn’t have boasted “I am the greatest” and you certainly wouldn’t have embraced Muhammad as your god. Every man worshipped as a god is now dead; every man-made statue once worshipped as a god was never alive. But the one, true God, who created all of us and this world we live in, is not dead. He’s alive and well, and He stands alone as the Greatest!

In our OT reading today, the Philistines learned that the hard way! They had heard about David’s coronation as King and decided to assert themselves, mustering their “full force” against him at Baal Perazim, which ironically means “God has broken through.” The true God did indeed break through and the Philistines were routed. They abandoned their gods there, and David gave orders to burn them in the fire (14:12). David was consistently successful in battle and in life because he consistently “inquired of the Lord” (14:10,14).

David illustrated what Jesus was saying in our NT reading. The disciples aspired to greatness, as do we (18:1). Unlike Ali, we know God is the greatest, but we still want to be among the greatest in His Kingdom. Jesus responded to them, and to us, by holding a little child and saying, whoever takes the lowly position of this child will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (18:4). The great quality of child-like faith is complete trust. Like David, we need to realize we can only be great when we completely depend on the One who is the greatest!

“Lord, You stand alone as the greatest, the real God, the King of the world. Any great plans You have for me depend on how much I will depend on You!”

May 1 - May Devo - Bloom Where You Are Planted

My dad loved to spend his spare time gardening. As the youngest of six kids, I discovered the only way to hang out with him was by offering to help. When I did that, I learned a lot about flowers, but even more about life.  When I complained about the rain, dad would say, “April showers bring May flowers!”  When I complained about my school, my friends, or my family, he would say “bloom where you are planted!”  What he was saying (I learned later in life) was, “stop complaining about your surroundings; instead focus on making the world you live in a better place!”

The Bible often reinforces that idea. When the Apostle Paul said we should learn to be content no matter what our circumstances (Philippians 4:11-13), he was  saying “Bloom where you are planted.” When Jesus said not to worry about     tomorrow because tomorrow would take care of itself (Matthew 6:25-34), he was saying “Bloom where you are planted.” In writing to the Corinthian Church, Paul said, “Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you” (1 Corinthians 7:17). He was reminding them and us to bloom where we are planted.

This Missionary Poem carries the same wise message:

Bloom where you are planted,

Shine where you are sent,

Know that God has used you here,

Just the way He meant.

 

Love where you are living,

Serve where it’s His will,

Know that God has plans for you,

Only He can fill.

 

Grow where you are going,

Weep when you’re in pain,

Know that God restores your soul,

Makes you whole again.

 

Pray when you are breathing,

Laugh when you exhale,

Know that God is near you,

Never will He fail.

 

Cherish all the memories,

Make a brand new start,

Know that God has placed you

Forever in our hearts.

April 30 - The Miraculous in the Mundane

Read today’s texts first: 2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 13; Psalms 68; Matthew 17

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY
We can be ourselves with God; He knows us better than anyone….When it comes to God’s presence,
passion is more important than protocol! 

Today is the last day to file our taxes and, coincidentally, today we read about Jesus paying His. He notes the irony; technically, he is the King of Kings but here He is required to pay taxes to an earthly king (17:24-27). What is remarkable about all of our readings today is how the miraculous presence of God is lived out in the mundane matters of life.

In our OT stories we read about David bringing the Ark of God’s Presence back to where it belongs - Mt. Zion, the eventual location of the Temple. When God is taken for granted, things will not go well, as Uzzah learned the hard way (6:6,7 - hopefully he wasn’t an ancestor of the Buzza clan). But when God’s presence is accepted gratefully and respectfully, as Obed-Edom and his family discovered, God’s blessing is poured out (6:10-12).

When some may consider certain behavior or dress (or undress) inappropriate in God’s presence (eg. Michal, David’s wife - 6:17,20), David showed us that passion is more important than protocol (6:16,21,22). He said, I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes (6:21b-22a). Attitude is everything. When we truly love God and are genuinely grateful for His presence in our everyday life, we don’t have to be stuffy or uptight. I say this to help those who tend to judge fellow parishioners based on the way they dress and act in church. We can be ourselves with God; He knows us better than anyone!

Our NT reading illustrates the same thing. It starts with a glorious revelation of God’s presence on what became known as the Mount of Transfiguration and ends with Jesus and Peter filing their taxes. Notice that Matthew, the former tax collector, is the only gospel writer to include this story. He obviously had a special appreciation for the way Jesus, King of Heaven, dealt with terrestrial trivialities. Even in that very ordinary moment, the extraordinary, miracle-working power of God was present (17:27).

“Lord, as I send my tax returns in today, I know that You are with me. You know me and care about me even in my most mundane moments. I say with David, Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Selah (pause and think about it!) (68:19).”

April 29 - Show Me a Sign

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Samuel 4,5; Psalms 139; Matthew 16

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
Don’t seek after signs; seek after God and He will
confirm everything we need to know!

One of my favourite moments from Bruce Almighty is Bruce crying out to God for a sign. After driving around a road sign saying “caution” and a truckload of other warning signs, Bruce crashes his car into a lamp standard. This is where he gets angry at God: “Smite me oh Mighty Smiter, c’mon answer me!” When his pager starts beeping with a number he doesn’t recognize, Bruce mutters to himself: “Sorry, don’t know ya; wouldn’t call you if I did!”

That scene is typical of most sign-seekers. It certainly describes the religious rulers of Jesus’ day, who couldn’t recognize a sign from God if it smacked them in their forehead phylacteries! The sign Jesus suggested they look for was the “sign of Jonah”, a reference to His impending death and resurrection (Mat. 16:4; 12:38-41).

The most powerful proof of God’s existence and His plans for us is found in this indisputable fact: Jesus actually lived among us, told us He was sent from God, and then proved it by dying for us and rising from the grave! Anyone with an open mind and an open heart that disputes this truth needs to investigate the evidence for himself (or study the research of other former cynics, like Frank Morrison, Josh McDowell, or Lee Strobel).

If that’s not enough, just take a look in the mirror. Consider, like David did, where you came from! For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well (139:13,14). David wasn’t stupid; you can’t have trillions of cells appear from nothing by accident and assemble themselves into a living, breathing, seeing, walking, talking, thinking human being. Those who believe that are like the idiot who looks at a painting and says there is no painter, or a building and says there is no builder!

That’s why David said, The fool says in his heart, “There is no God” .... The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God (Psa. 14:1,2). That’s the real issue. We shouldn’t seek after signs; we should seek after God. Once we do that, believe me, He will confirm everything we need to know!

“Lord, You have fully convinced me that You are real, You are alive, and Your Spirit is with me right now. In fact, the presence of Your Spirit is a deposit, a guarantee, that everything You promised us is true” (2 Cor. 1:20-22).

April 28 - Love Your Enemies - Really?

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Samuel 3; 1 Chronicles 12; Matthew 15

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY
 Anyone can love a friend but only God
can help us love our enemies. 

Sometimes our kids surprise us, in a good way. One such shocker came from our son-in-law, Matt, so no credit to us for good upbringing!  Matt became quite a renowned wedding photographer, to the point where he ran an on-line academy to teach his techniques to other photographers. His colleagues discovered another rogue photographer who had stolen one of Matt’s well-known shots, photoshopped his couple into the picture, then had the nerve to put his own copy write on it. To the surprise of Matt’s friends, who had hoped for some revenge and maybe a law suit, Matt called the imposter and offered him a free course on how to learn his techniques for himself! That act of unconditional love illustrates why Matt became a role model within his community and why God blessed his business.

David lived the same way. He continually surprised his followers by showing kindness to his arch enemies. His defense of Saul, during and after his life, showed a supernatural love and loyalty that transcends typical human emotion. In today’s reading, he does the same for Abner, Saul’s number one hit man, who had devoted his life to destroying David and undermining his reign. But at least three factors turned Abner at the end of his life: division and false accusations among Saul’s supporters (2 Sam. 3:6-10), David’s growing military support (1 Chron. 12:38), and no doubt David’s unwavering kindness to the house of Saul.

We see evidence throughout David’s life why he was known as “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22). When typical human response would be to retaliate against his enemies, David, long before Jesus arrived on the planet to show us the true heart of God, turned the other cheek (Matt. 5:39) and loved his enemies (Matt. 5:44). This God-like love, while surprising to his followers, strengthened David’s reputation and increased his support: All the people took note and were pleased; indeed, everything the king did pleased them (3:36).

Jesus said it best. When criticized by the Pharisees for not performing their hand washing ritual before eating, Jesus said: What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him “unclean,” but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him “unclean” (15:11). “Lord, thank You for Your example, and for godly men like David and Matt, showing me how to guard my words and actions. When my emotions tell me to strike back against those who hurt me, help me choose to speak and act with Your unconditional love!”

April 27 - The Three

Read today’s texts first: 2 Samuel 2; 1 Chronicles 11; Psalms 142; Matthew 14

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
Like David’s “Mighty Men” or the motley crew
of disciples Jesus chose, often the best followers and
eventual leaders have little to offer.

As a child I loved the story of the Three Musketeers. I even had the rubber épée which I used to repeatedly stab my brother Barry until he finally broke it over his knee (bet that never happened to d’Artagnan or his three friends). As a teenager I even wrote a book report on the Dumas novel for English class (I never actually read the full novel - I scanned the Classic Comic Book version). But I love the story in today’s Bible reading even more. It’s about three warriors so brave, so cool, that they were known simply as The Three (muskets weren’t invented yet). 

The Three were Josheb-Basshebeth, Eleazar, and Shammah. Individually, they each had lengthy resumes of battlefield heroism (2 Sam. 23:8-12), but they distinguished themselves as The Three when they risked their lives as a unit for their commander-in-chief, David. After an exhausting day, David wistfully expressed longing for a drink of cool, clear water from the well just outside the gate of Bethlehem, his home town. Three of his 30 Mighty Men overheard his request, traversed the 13 miles between the caves of Adullam and Bethlehem, infiltrated behind enemy lines, and risked their lives to bring back a flask of well water to David. He was so humbled by their loyalty that he felt unworthy to drink the water. Instead he poured it out on the ground as a sacrifice to God (11:15-19).

When I first heard this story as a child, I thought, “how rude, what a waste!” I felt sorry for the three soldiers who risked life and limb for a useless puddle of water. But my Sunday School teacher opened my eyes to the honour David showed them by bringing their heroism before God. When these men first came to David, like all of David’s followers during his life on the run, they were either “distressed, in debt, or discontented” (1 Sam. 22:2). Much like the motley crew of disciples Jesus assembled, often the best followers and eventual leaders have little to offer. They seem to learn more quickly how to rely on God in everything they do. David’s Mighty Men and Christ’s disciples knew they didn’t deserve love and respect but it was given to them nonetheless! 

“Lord, I know what they felt. Those who have been forgiven much naturally want to love much (Luke 7:47). Thank You for including me among Your Mighty Men.”

April 26 - Heaven is for Real

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Samuel 1; Psalms 140; Matthew 13

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY
Heaven is for real, but it is not really for everyone. 

I remember watching the film sensation, Heaven is for Real (and more recently from the same producer, Miracles from Heaven). This morning I read through Matthew 13 and would like to add, heaven is for real, but it is not really for everyone. Unlike some Christian critics, I enjoyed the movie. Colton’s memories of heaven are believable and consistent with other near death accounts, but there should be more to the story.

The story in the movie is limited, one-sided. Taken by itself, it creates the impression that everyone goes to heaven when they die. I wish Pastor Burpo (that’s his real name) actually delivered sermons in the movie based on Scripture instead of just his son’s visit to heaven. That’s the danger with books, movies, and preachers who interpret God’s Word based on experiences instead of interpreting experiences based on God’s Word.

The truth is, heaven is for real, but Jesus made it clear that not everyone will spend eternity with Him there. The parables we read today speak of the day when there will be a separation of the wheat from the weeds (13:39-43), the good fish from the bad (13:47-50). We know from earlier in the chapter and from other Scriptures that the terms “good” and “bad” do not refer to our works, our ability to earn a place in heaven. The parable of the sower helps us understand that the comparison is more like good or bad soil (13:18-23), spiritual acceptance of God’s Word, the gospel message of a free gift of salvation paid in full by our Saviour, Jesus, who died in our place. Accepting Him and his forgiveness is what makes the possibility of heaven real for us!

“Lord, thank You for Your promise that you have gone ahead to prepare a place for us (John 14:1-3). Like Colton Burpo, I’m not afraid of death, or anything for that matter, because heaven is for real, and really for me!”

April 25 - The Law of Love

 Read today’s texts first: 1 Samuel 30,31; 1 Chronicles 10; Matthew 12

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
 If you want to understand the Spirit of the Law,
get to know the Lawgiver.

Jesus encountered them all the time, and so do we: people who love the law, but fail to realize the law of love. Most of the religious rulers in Jesus’ day had become so preoccupied with the law, expanding it, explaining its nuances, that they lost sight of the reason for it.

To explain the fourth commandment, remember the sabbath day by keeping it holy (Ex. 20:8), the rabbis had identified, in the Mishneh, 39 prohibited activities, along with hundreds of applications for each of those activities. When Jesus (the Son of God, the One who wrote the law) arrived on the scene, the religious rulers constantly criticized Him for violating the Sabbath. In our reading today, Jesus allowed His disciples to glean grain on the Sabbath and He healed a man with a shrivelled hand. While the Pharisees piously gasped in shock, Jesus reminded them of Hosea’s words, for I desire mercy, not sacrifice, which is followed by, and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings (12:7; Hos. 6:6). I love this section of Hosea, which took on new life for me in the 70s with the chorus “Let's Press On to Know the Lord” (Hos. 6:3).

When we take the time to know Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath (Mat. 12:8), we will start to understand the reason for the law. Jesus summed up the entire law with two commands: love God and love others. Most of the Pharisees missed it. They had pressed on to know the law, but they didn’t know the lawgiver. They didn’t really love God and they certainly didn’t seem to love people. 

The contrast between Jesus and the Pharisees is similar to the one between David and Saul. Saul, who became more and more infatuated with himself, learned the hard way how self-destructive a self-centered life can be (31:4). David, on the other hand, pressed on to know and love God, which became evident in his compassion for those less fortunate. David’s parallel to Jesus healing the man with the withered hand was his feeding of the abused Egyptian slave. That seemingly random act of kindness was rewarded with information that led to David rescuing his family and restoring everything his enemies had stolen from him and his men.

“Lord, I want to press on to know and love You, and to fully love the people You bring into my life today!”

April 24 - Choose Prayer

 Read today’s texts first: 1 Samuel 28,29; Psalms 109; Matthew 11

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
Does God choose us or do we choose Him?
The answer is yes! 

Does God choose us or do we choose Him? The answer is yes, to both questions! Some would say that God’s choice alone is determinative, that He has predetermined some to be saved and, by logical extension, some to be damned. But if that were true, it would violate God’s nature. God is love and love requires choice. For God to love us He must choose us, and if we are to love God we must choose Him.

Our readings today reflect that tension of mutual choice. Saul and David had equal opportunity to choose God, to choose a life of prayer, of intimate relationship with a loving God. But for Saul, prayer was the means to tell God what he wanted, not to hear what God wanted. God was not his friend, his lover; in Saul’s mind, God was his good luck charm, his secret amulet to help him win battles and the praise of his subjects.

Unfortunately, because he consistently chose to disobey God, God stopped talking to Saul (28:5,16-18). So desperate was he for God’s help, he consulted a spiritist, a medium, after rightly banning them from Israel. Mediums are forbidden because they use deception and demonic power as a counterfeit for God, but in this case, the witch of Endor freaked out when the true God intervened (28:12). God allowed Samuel (the spirits of believers are not ghosts who roam the earth, but they do live forever with God) one more opportunity to remind Saul of the consequences of his choices to ignore God’s will (28:19).

David, on the other hand, was a “man of prayer” (109:4). David and God were so close, God provided him a way out of a difficult dilemma (29:6,7). David was put in the position of having to fight against his own people to protect his family and to prove his loyalty to the Philistines who had kept him safe from Saul. But because David consistently chose to love God with all of his heart, soul, and strength (a.k.a. integrity), God protected him in that moment and throughout his reign over Israel (Psa. 25:21; 1 Kings 9:4,5).

We also see the tension of mutual choice in the words of Jesus. God chooses to reveal Himself to all those who choose to come to Him (11:27,28). “Lord, I choose to come to You today, and to be yoked together with You for the rest of my life. I want to learn from You, from Your gentle and humble heart, and to find rest for my soul” (11:29).

April 23 - Sheep Among Wolves

 Read today’s texts first: 1 Samuel 27; Psalms 141; 1 Chronicles 9; Matthew 10

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
 We must learn, and help our children to learn,
how to be the influencers instead of the influencees!

Again, there is a common thread in our readings today: David moved his family into enemy territory to escape from Saul (1 Sam. 27), his psalm was a prayer for protection from evil influence (Psa. 141), the last of the genealogies records the generations who survived captivity in Babylon (1 Chr. 9), and Jesus sent His disciples out into inevitable persecution (Mat. 10). Each of these accounts has clear application to us and the world we live in today.

Jan and I just had a discussion with some good friends on the challenges parents face in protecting their children. We now have the perfect storm of immorality coming at us from all sides: from drug pushers targeting younger children, to graphic pornography accessible to anyone at the touch of an iPhone, to public school teachers endorsing homosexuality, to celebrities selling sin as the American Dream. What’s the answer: Christian schools, home schooling, communes, fortresses surrounded by moats infested with crocodiles? How do we keep ourselves and our children safe from evil influence?

The truth is we can’t. We live on a sin-polluted planet and the sooner we learn, and help our children to learn, how to be the influencers instead of the influencees, the better. Jesus said to His disciples, which includes us: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard (10:16,17). We don’t have to be afraid because His Spirit will be with us, even giving us the words to speak when we face persecution (10:19,20).

This truth of God’s presence and protection applies even to our children. There may be setbacks and we may make some serious mistakes, but God is good all the time. We can trust Him, for ourselves and for our children. We may be sheep but we always have the Good Shepherd with us. We must believe like David when we pray: my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge - do not give me over to death. Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, from the traps set by evildoers. Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by in safety (141:8-10).

April 22 - Leaders Listen

Read today’s texts first: 1 Samuel 25, 26; Psalms 63; Matthew 9

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY
 Good leaders are confident enough to make executive decisions and humble enough to listen to better ideas. 

We are coming to the end of Saul’s legacy as a leader and there’s at least one obvious observation: he was not a good listener. He heard the words of those who questioned his rash choices, but he consistently rejected their advice. David, on the other hand, while confident enough to make executive decisions, was also humble enough to listen to better ideas. Today’s story of Abigail’s intervention shows David’s ability to set aside emotional impulses and listen to sound advice.

Abigail’s husband, Nabal, refused to give out of his abundance to take care of David and his men, even though they provided protection for his workers. It was expected in those days that wealthy landowners would offer food and shelter to the men who had left their own homes and risked their lives to keep them safe. In Nabal’s case, he heard directly from his own servants how David and his men had protected them without touching their livestock, but Nabal was not a good listener!

David was so incensed by Nabal’s ingratitude that he prepared his men to attack. But Abigail intervened with such compelling wisdom, David remarked: May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day (25:33). He was also perceptive enough to sense God speaking through Abigail (25:34), and learned a lesson that would characterize the rest of his life. He learned that vengeance belongs to God alone, and this truth would guide him in his ongoing struggles with Saul.

Not to sound sexist but David was not only listening to a stranger’s advice, he was listening to a woman, about military matters of all things. In that day, such openness was remarkable. But David’s heart was soft, no doubt because he was so careful to worship his God every day (Psalms 63 captures his prayers during this time). He could sense God’s voice, even when he heard it through the lips of a woman. I have heard your words and granted your request (25:35).

“Lord, my prayer today echoes David’s: Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me (63:7-9). I hear Your words to me today: I do not have to defend myself; You are my defense against those who would do me harm.”

April 21 - Crocodile Tears

 Read today’s texts first: 1 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 8; Psalms 57; 58; Matthew 8

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
 Pride, selfishness, hypocrisy, meaningless tears, can
overtake any life that stops recognizing God’s authority.

If you are ever eaten by a crocodile, let’s say while vacationing in Florida, you may feel better knowing that the croc is crying at the same time. You won’t feel better, though, after learning there is no remorse behind those tears – it’s merely an emotionless, physiological reaction. Hence the term, “crocodile tears” - applied to hypocrites who say they feel bad but their behaviour doesn’t change.

Saul provides several classic examples. He had so many God-given opportunities to turn his life around. Samuel, his son Jonathan, his own soldiers, and now David, all confronted Saul, some more than once, about his self-centeredness, to no avail. Almost every time, there was apparent repentance (15:24,25; 19:6; 24:16-21), but no change. In our story today, when David refused to retaliate against Saul when he inadvertently mistook David’s cave for a porta-potty, Saul was so overwhelmed by David’s mercy that he “wept aloud.”  But the tears were a “croc” and a few days later he went out with 3,000 of his best men on another search and destroy mission, with David as his target.

I’m not sure we can say that Saul never felt remorse, but we can say that he seldom acted on that remorse. True repentance requires change. It literally means “to change one’s mind for the better,” to stop going one way, turn around, and go the other way. Saul illustrates what James was talking about: For if you just listen and don’t obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like (James 1:23,24). He later explains that faith without works is dead (2:20, 26).

Some who dismiss free will might say that Saul was never a believer and his true colours surfaced later in his life. I believe the Bible suggests otherwise. Saul started out after his anointing as a humble, teachable man of God, at one point filled with God’s Spirit and prophesying. But human pride hardened his heart and twisted his thinking. It can happen to any one of us, and it can happen to me. Pride, selfishness, hypocrisy, meaningless tears, can overtake any life that stops recognizing God’s authority.

I love the emphasis of Christ’s authority in our NT reading today. Leprosy, paralysis, fever, windstorms, even demons are subject to the power of Jesus. If we forget that we too are subject to Jesus, and start serving ourselves instead of Him, pride will begin to pervert our hearts, minds, and actions. “Lord, that’s why I spend time each day in Your Word and at Your feet. Keep my heart soft and my tears real!”

April 20 - Do Unto Others

 Read today’s texts first: 1 Samuel 23; Psalms 31; 54; Matthew 7

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY
The world says “do unto others what they do to you”
but Jesus says “ “Do unto others as you would have
them do unto you.”  (Sorry, Don Cherry!) 

Basic human justice sets a fairly low standard: “do unto others what they do to you.” The civil law of the Hebrews was similar: “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” (Ex. 21:24; Deut. 19:21). According to Don Cherry, the same should apply to good Canadian boys in rock’m sock’m hockey!

It certainly would have been justifiable for David to retaliate against Saul’s repeated attempts on his life. But in the chapters to come, we see “a man after God’s own heart.” He had several golden opportunities to strike back, including a vulnerable moment when Saul was relieving himself in the very cave where David was hiding from him (24:3,4). Talk about catching a man with his pants down! But David refused to “touch the Lord's anointed” (24:6,10). He was already putting into practice the standard Jesus would introduce to His followers: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (aka: the Golden Rule - 7:12).

I remember taking care of the grand kids for a whole week when they were on their best behavior. Their parents’ point system (with points equal to actual dollars) may have been a contributing factor. But one breakdown happened while Zack and Katie were supposed to be sharing a scooter between them. Injustice over time on said scooter led to complaints to Papa. I know better than to arbitrate a “he said/she said” civil case so I simply empowered them to work it out themselves or they would be confined to the house. When they couldn’t resolve things on their own I brought them in for a crash course on the Golden Rule and sent them out with a second chance to put it into practice.  Shockingly, it worked! They got more points and I gave myself a gold star for excellence in grand-parenting.

Jesus “taught as one having authority” (7:28,29) because He put every word He spoke into practice. The Easter season we have just come through reminds us of the moment when He took the punishment of death that we deserved, according to human justice, and paid it Himself, modelling God’s higher standard of unconditional love. “Lord, the way I can honour what You have done for me is by doing the same for others. Help me reflect Your love by practicing Your standard of doing for others what I would want them to do for me!”

April 19 - Secret Service Saint

 Read today’s texts first: 1 Samuel 22; Psalms 17; 35; Matthew 6

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY
The Secret Service Saint doesn’t keep his faith quiet,
just his faithfulness!

While David was running for his life, he learned the importance of solitude and secrecy. At this point in his story, not only was his life in danger but all those who stood with him were also in jeopardy. In those moments, David would retreat into his refuge, under the “shadow of His wings” (Ps. 17:6-9). Just as Saul’s life was an illustration of the symptoms and consequences of pride, David’s life shows us the signs and rewards of humility. Spiritual disciplines like solitude and secrecy are some of the ways we can keep our spirits humble and dependent on God.

Notice these disciplines are woven throughout the greatest message ever preached, Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. His big idea for this portion of His sermon was, be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them (6:1). This is how we avoid the pride of the Pharisees, who lived to impress others. When you give, do it as quietly and anonymously as possible (6:4); when you pray, don’t grandstand, go into your prayer closet (6:5,6); and when you are fasting, don’t announce it to others (6:16-18).

If we practice these signs of humility, we learn how to reflect the likeness of Jesus, caring for others with an eternal perspective instead of seeking selfish attention for ourselves on earth (6:19-21). We also protect ourselves from the god of this world, mammon, the love of money, which is the root of evil (6:24; 1 Tim. 6:10).  When we focus our attention on God’s kingdom first, instead of on our own little world, we discover how to live without worry (6:25-34). As David learned, God will take care of us. He will defend us so we don’t have to defend ourselves (Ps. 35:24).

“Lord, I would like to be able to say with David as I face each new day, when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing Your likeness (Ps. 17:15), hopefully through everything I say and do.”

April 18 - Blessed are the Broken-Hearted

 Read today’s texts first: 1 Samuel 20,21; Psalms 34; Matthew 5

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
You’ve heard about the thrill of victory followed by
the agony of defeat, but for those who follow Jesus,
victory often follows defeat! 

We again see incredible congruity today with our readings. The sermon of Jesus in Matthew 5, starting with the beatitudes, is remarkably similar to David’s lessons on fearing God from Psalm 34, which he wrote while he was hiding from Saul in Gath, a story recorded in 1 Samuel 21. One of several lessons to be learned from these intense passages is how God seems to bless us the most during the most difficult times. I recently had a conversation with a newly appointed leader who has come through the same thing – a new lease on life arising out of what seemed to be a near-death experience. It happens so often it has a name, “death of a vision”, and I’ve experienced it several times myself.

Why do so many Christian leaders, in Bible days and today, have to come through trials before God pours out His blessing? That question seems especially appropriate right now. We just went through the Easter season with its fresh reminder that the death-to-life process is at the very heart of the gospel. Jesus modeled for us how you snatch victory out of defeat, and triumph over death with eternal life!

David went through 18 years of hell on earth between his anointing and his appointment as king. That may have been why he was able to stay humble and close to God throughout his 40 year reign. Saul, on the other hand, quickly moved from anointing to appointing to a meteoric rise in power and popularity, seemingly without struggle. That may have been a reason why he succumbed to pride later on and the self-destruction that always accompanies it (Prov. 16:18).

“Lord, today I apply Your promise: The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Ps. 34:18) and Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:3).”

April 17 - Truth or Consequences

 Read today’s texts first: 1 Samuel 19; 1 Chronicles 7; Psalms 59; Matthew 4

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
God’s Truth sets us free but obeying the Father of Lies leads to serious consequences!”

One of the reasons I enjoy the New Hope Reading Plan is the thought given to historical chronology and coinciding themes. We see both in today’s readings. As we read about Saul’s foiled attempts at killing David and the miraculous way God spared his life, we also get to read a Psalm written by David at that exact moment. These are his thoughts, his prayers, after his wife Michal helps him escape from her father’s hit men: O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God. God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me. But do not kill them, O Lord our shield, or my people will forget. In your might make them wander about, and bring them down. For the sins of their mouths, for the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride. For the curses and lies they utter, consume them in wrath, consume them till they are no more (Ps. 59:9-13).

Pride had so twisted Saul’s soul that he tried several times to kill David, the man who helped him achieve victory over his enemies, served as his personal armour bearer, played music to soothe his troubled spirit, and eventually married his own daughter. And his attempts on David’s life came after Saul had sworn an oath to his son, Jonathan, David’s best friend, that he would never harm him (19:6). So much for family first! But David’s prayers, at that moment, were answered. Because of Saul’s pride, curses, and lies, he wandered and wallowed in self-delusion until he literally fell on his own sword (31:4).  Such are the eventual consequences of living a lie.

Truth, however, was clearly on David’s side. God answered his prayer for protection with an amazing series of miracles, including an outpouring of God’s Spirit so strong that even three separate hit squads and finally Saul himself found themselves overcome when they got close to David (19:18-24). In some bizarre irony, Saul found himself stripped naked and prophesying of God’s great power.

The theme continues in our NT reading as well, when Jesus stares down His enemy, Satan, in a toe-to-toe battle of wills. Satan, as usual, is telling lies (hence the nickname Jesus gave him, the Father of Lies – John 8:44), but Jesus is answering with the truth of God’s unchanging Word (4:1-11). He did so because the Son of God knows better than anyone the vastly different consequences of a life devoted to the Truth and a life perverted by lies!

“Lord, help me to always remember that Your Truth has set me free! I never want to return to the consequences that come from even entertaining the twisted words of the Father of Lies!”