1st and 2nd Kings

It's been a while since I shared about my readings... so I am going to pick just where I left off: 1st and 2nd Kings.

If I had to pick just one word to describe these two books it would be "infuriating". It was really hard for me to get through the books. It's hard to explain why I felt that way. ..well, maybe not that hard. Most likely it was the familiarity I felt with the some of the obnoxious Kings and the people of Israel repeatedly defying God and making excuses every time. How many times can one make the same mistake over and over again? Irritating!

When I stopped to reflect on aspects of my life that followed the same pattern, I realized that I was infuriated with myself. I was getting tired of asking for forgiveness for things I keep doing over and over. I was getting tired of apologizing to my Heavenly Father for things, I should have "under control" by now. (Control? What is control anyway?)

Despite these strong feelings, I could see God working through these flawed people to show me that I AM flawed, and that it's OK. It is OK to be flawed, and confused and broken. It's OK to feel lost and insecure. That's why He is God and I am not. It sounds like the standards are set pretty low, but that's where grace, holiness, sanctification come into play. That's why He sent His only son. I am not going to turn into a perfect person overnight, but I can strive to live a life that is honoring to My Heavenly Father.

One verse that really spoke to me, and that I am hanging on to is from 2 Kings 8:19. After years of rebellion, and rejection of God's teaching to worship Him and Him only, I was finally happy to see the people of Israel get what was coming to them. That was until:

"... for the sake of his servant David, the LORD was not willing to destroy Judah. He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants forever"

I have read (and experienced) countless stories of God grace and mercy, but this one really got to me. He made a promise and He kept His promise, regardless of how corrupt and defiant David's descendants were. I think of the promises He still makes today, and I am just thankful that He cares more about His promises than my actions.

Maybe 1st and 2nd Kings were not so infuriating after all... maybe a better word would be eye opening.

Thank you, Father

EED

Note: I can't wait to read it again in a while...

Just a few notes...

Just a couple of notes and questions from the second book of Samuel...

2 Samuel 3:39- King David? Scared? Weak? "Where does my help come from?"

2 Samuel 5: 10- What is power? How do you get power? Can you ever get be truly powerful without having the Lord on your side?

2 Samuel 6: 22- Humility and worship from the King of Israel to the Higher power... Kind of answers my previous questions in reference to verse 2 Samuel 5:10

2 Samuel 7: 18- Who am I to receive such blessings from the Lord?
David then turns around, shares "God's kindness" with Jonathan's son, and gets asked the same question in 2 Samuel 9: 8. Yes, David made a pact with Jonathan, but I really think this is what happens to people after they personally experience God's touch: they turn around and extend the same touch, kindness, love to others...

EED

Begging for a new king

Interesting that my reading of the Old Testament led me to the book of Samuel as these uncertain times (at least uncertain for us, not for our Heavenly Father) unfold...

After years of fully relying on God (with some major and memorable bad decisions), the Israelites decided, or actually demanded to have a human king reign over them. Before the Israelites demanded their king, there were a few mentions in the book of Judges that God was the supreme authority, and the Israelites did NOT need a king to rule over them.

"In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit" Judges 21:25

Yet, they insisted, pleaded, cried and begged Samuel to ask God for a king!

[Before I move any further, I need to mention that Samuel is one of my heroes... Conceived as a response to Hannah's constant and faithful prayer, he was destined to be a servant to the Lord. I try to remember the following verse when I struggle with hearing the voice of the Lord:
"Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD : The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him." 1 Samuel 3:7
Note to self: need to dedicate an entire post to Samuel...]

Now, back to the Israelites begging for a king... They were given fair warning... "Are you sure this is what you want?". This sounds a lot like me, trying to "make it happen"... So many times, I tried to run ahead of Him, thinking I could make it all by myself. It's easier to give myself credit for good things, than to thank God for everything He does for me EVERY single day. Hopefully, I am getting better at listening to warnings, especially when they are as specific as this one:

- "[When that day comes,] you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day" 1 Samuel 8:18

Of course he answered the Israelites, of course He listened to their cries, of course He cares for me... Always cleaning up after me.

Thank you, Father.

EED

The book of Judges, or stories of disobedience and mercy

Continuing my reading of the Old Testament...I recently finished reading the book of Judges. It was so exiting!

I was seriously blown away by God's mercy! Mercy for his forgetful people, mercy for his flawed judges/leaders, mercy for me! It's so easy to break eye contact with God, so easy to get distracted, so easy to worship others gods, whether work, money, TV, stars...or even worse, ourselves. It's so easy to get lost!

"Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD... "

This verse is repeated multiple times throughout the book. After the Israelites realized they were lost, they suddenly remembered how their God heard them, answered their prayers, and led them out of the land despair. It is hard for me to imagine why He keeps forgiving their sins; fully knowing that they will sin again.

"The LORD replied, "When the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Sidonians, the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you and you cried to me for help, did I not save you from their hands? But you have forsaken me and served other gods, so I will no longer save you. Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble!" Judges 10: 11-14

Almost immediately followed by:

"Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the LORD. And He could bear Israel's misery no longer." Judges 10:16

I can't possibly imagine why He keeps coming to my rescue. Is that what love is? Unconditional love? Wow! Obviously, I am speechless...

EED

Failures and disappointments

Reading through the book of Exodus had me thinking about failures, tribulations and God's promises for our lives.

From the first few chapters, the promise is clearly established, when Moses is told:

-"So now, go, I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt" Exodus 3:10

Throughout the next few chapters, Moses almost continuously goes back and asks the same question: "Me? Are you sure?". This is from a man, who practically spoke face to face with God. I almost cringed when I heard Moses say:

- "O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all." Exodus 5: 22-23

If this is how Moses felt, can you now imagine how the Israelites were feeling? I could not find any passages where God instructed Moses to share with the Israelites the details of how He would deliver them out of Egypt. In fact, when Moses shared with the Israelites that God would lead them out of Egypt, they refused to believe him because of their "discouragement and cruel bondage" (Exodus 6:9). I think a part of them was secretly hoping and praying that Moses was telling the truth.

Can you imagine how the Israelites were feeling? Each time Pharaoh pleaded with Moses to stop a plague, and promised to let them go; hope would start rising again amongst the Israelites. Each time Pharaoh's heart hardened, they had to wake up and face another day of forced labor and crushed hope. Imagine the door being slammed in your face over and over. Imagine waking up in the morning, having received a promise from God, and going to bed at night knowing that yet another door was closed...

Knowing that I have a promise doesn't make any easier for me to make sense of the failures and disappointments in life. I find it very challenging to see beyond the current disappointments and remember the bigger picture. I still like to be reminded of where to look for hope.

"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still" Exodus 14:14



We all know how the story ends, the Israelites are led out of Egypt, where the adventure really starts.

EED

Genesis 9:15-16

"I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." Genesis 9:16

As I read these verses, my mind went back to the first day we worked at Beulah Land Baptist Church in New Orleans. At the end of the workday, while pastor Michael Zachary was delivering a great sermon, and sharing some promises with us; it rained for a long time... I have to admit that I was a little scared being inside the church, the weather forecast called for all sorts of warnings.

At the end of the service, we all went outside and saw not one, but two rainbows in the sky. We all intuitively knew that God was smiling down on us. It was such an incredible moment. Reading these verses just took me back to that day, and I am so grateful that the church was not only protected from hurricane Gustav, but Ike as well.


So faithful!

EED