365 Reflections

When construction begins on the Temple in 1 Kings 6 the Lord interrupts the work's description to speak to Solomon about what he's undertaking. Here's what the Lord says: 1 Kings 6:11–13 (ESV) Now the word of the Lord came to Solomon, 12 “Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. 13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel.” A few things should catch us in this passage: First, God interrupts what Solomon is DOING to make sure Solomon understands that what's in his heart is far more important than what his hands perform. This is what God wants from all of us. The greatest commandment is not the do things for the Lord but the Love the Lord our God will all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. In the end, the Lord wants us to love Him. Thi...

I believe a Christian needs regular reminders that they are saved by grace through faith which is a gift from God SO THAT success, talents, abilities, and their own morality do not become false idols leading them away from the finished work of Christ. I've seen many Christians slip out of faith into works-righteous living without even realizing it. David almost does that here in 2 Samuel 7. David is at rest in 2 Samuel 7. He is also secured by his many military victories and successful campaigns politically. It's the first time since Goliath we have seen him have a moment to breathe. He considers what to do in this new season and sees the Ark resting in a tent while he enjoyed paneled walls of Cedar. 2 Samuel 7:1–3 (ESV) Now when the king lived in his house and the LORD had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” 3 And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do ...

There are many kinds of religious adherence that have nothing to do with true conversion to Christ. In 1 Samuel 6, the Philistines are determined to return the Ark of the Covenant to Israel for fear it will utterly destroy them. The Ark has humiliated their god Dagon and caused their cities to suffer. Now their hope is that sending the Ark away will bring them the peace they lost. So notice how this goes down: 1 Samuel 6:3–4 (ESV) They said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty, but by all means return him a guilt offering. Then you will be healed , and it will be known to you why his hand does not turn away from you.” 4 And they said, “What is the guilt offering that we shall return to him?” They answered, “Five golden tumors and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for the same plague was on all of you and on your lords. 1 Samuel 6:7–8 (ESV)  Now then, take and prepare a new cart and two milk cows on whi...

There's a danger to not understanding the grace of God. Jephthah is exhibit "A". His fear of an unsuccessful war led him to bargain with God for victory. Judges 11:30–31 (ESV) And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD and said, “If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, 31 then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the LORD’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.” It was a needless bargain for Jephthah. He already had something from God far more valuable than any military success. Note how his military campaign begins: Judges 11:29 (ESV)  Then the Spirit of the LORD was upon Jephthah ,... Jephthah was anointed but sadly it wasn't enough for him. He wanted a self-centered guarantee that God would give him victory. He feigned good religious practice to garner divine intervention. Many Americans do the same exact thing every day.  His story reveals the danger of a relationsh...

No single verse sums up the activity of God throughout scripture better than this: Genesis 29:31 (ESV) When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. The human desire to be loved is a strong as anything. People will do almost anything to be loved by someone. Leah wanted desperately to be loved by the man she plotted with her father to marry unbeknownst to him.  Some people may look at Leah's predicament and think she deserved what she got. After all, she should have refused to marry Jacob. But that argument assumes that young women in those days had the rights they have today. We don't know for sure. What we do know is that no matter how she got into this marriage, it was void of love, and it hurt badly.  But God saw Leah not being loved. And God acted on her behalf.  FACT: God choses the unlovely. The New Testament makes that plain as day. While Jacob met the love of his life at a well who was a virgin, pure and beautiful, J...

Genesis 21:11–12 (ESV) And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named. Sarah wants Hagar and Ishmael out. Her child Isaac has been weaned and the son of the slave woman is laughing and taunting him.  Paul will use this story to illustrate our salvation. Amazingly, he sees this passage as an allegory to compare works righteousness with God's righteousness. Hagar was Abraham's best efforts - his works to secure God's work in his life. But God would not let Abraham come to understand the promises of God depend on man's best effort. No. They are promises of what God will do for us, not what we will do for Him.  When Sarah demand Hagar and son be exiled, it says this was "very displeasing" to Abraham. The word is also translated, "wick...