365 Reflections

Are you like me? Do you languish over the state of our world? Do you see the oppression and injustice and long to give up? Do you wonder where hope is to be found? That was Solomon's case in Ecclesiastes 4.  Ecclesiastes 4:1 (ESV) Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. The world is full of oppressors and oppression. They are those who take power or gain power and abuse power over those whom they overpower. It hurts to see and it causes many to question God's existence.  What is at the heart of oppression? It is segregation of mankind. The division of brother and sister, neighbors, boss and employee or ruler and citizen. When we forget that we belong to each other, oppression is one of the inevitable results.  Then Solomon looks at the rat race: Ecclesiastes 4:4 (ESV) Then I saw that all ...

In 1 Kings 16 we have seen Israel (the Northern Kingdom) degenerate from one king to another, through betrayal and coups. Now we see even the northern kingdom which first divided from the Southern kingdom of Judah further divides into two factions: 1 Kings 16:21–22 (ESV) Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts. Half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri. 22 But the people who followed Omri overcame the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath. So Tibni died, and Omri became king. It's interesting to see how sin affects an entire nation. We tend to think that sin is a personal issue alone. "Don't judge me!" we like to say to others who may dare to question what we want to do in the privacy of our lives. But Scripture is clear page after page, sin is a communal infection that destroys the fellowship we are made to have both with God and one another. What does the exploitation of the poor do to a co...

The Kingdom of Israel is divided in two, with 10 tribes in the north aligned with the sons of Jeroboam and 2 tribes in the south (Judah) aligned with the sons of David. We have in 1 Kings a picture of national deterioration. For just when Israel had achieved rest from their foreign enemies and prosperity within their borders, internal troubled ensued. A divided nation slowly ebbs itself away. 1 Kings 15:16–17 (ESV)  And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 17 Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might permit no one to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.  First there was internal conflict growing between the north and south to such an extent that they sought to thwart one another. Asa in the south is caught in a trap set by Baasha in the north. This is what happens when a nation is at peace with their enemies and accomplished in accumulation. What do we see in America but such similar divisions. Could it be t...

David makes a bold move here in 2 Samuel 3. His kingdom is pretty much assured after his greatest threat, Abner has been put to death by Joab out of revenge for his brother's murder. Yet instead of cheering this event accomplished by his closest ally, David is saddened and mourns his loss. He mourns so much the people seek to care for him. 2 Samuel 3:35–37 (ESV)   Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day. But David swore, saying, “God do so to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till the sun goes down!” 36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as everything that the king did pleased all the people. 37 So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s will to put to death Abner the son of Ner. The death David is mourning is that of a former enemy and right-hand assistant to Saul - the man who desperately wanted David dead. This episode beautifully expresses the kin...

For the one who is not against us is for us. (Mark 9:40 ESV) Simply put - Don't make enemies. It seems we don't listen to Jesus here more often than not. John tells Jesus about a man casting out demons who didn't "follow them ." The disciples tried to stop him.  This was on the heals of the disciples arguing who was the greatest.  Having been rebuked by Jesus for such thoughts, they turn toward those "other Christians" over there. It's so crazy how often we act the same way.  Our church is the greatest!  Our denomination is the true church. Notice Jesus doesn't say, "Did you check his doctrinal statement?" Or "First find a flaw in his liturgy before you try to stop someone." Jesus said simply, don't create division where there's obvious opportunity for unity.  Separation is the desire of Satan.  Division in the body of Christ is anathema to Christ. He prayed for us to be united as One just as He and the Fa...