DAD.S RAMBLINGS -- THE BUILDER

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE BUILDER

"But Solomon took thirteen years to build his own house so he finished all his house. He also built the House of the Forest of Lebanon.....He also made the Hall of Pillars....Then he made a hall for the throne, the Hall of Judgment, where he might judge....Solomon also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh's daughter, whom he had taken as a wife." (I Kings 7:1, 2a, 6, 7, 8b)

King Solomon liked to build buildings. In addition to building the Temple for the LORD God, he also put a lot of effort into building other houses and buildings. Part of this was his quest for meaning in life. In Ecclesiastes, he wrote that in his quest of meaning in life, in his words, "I made works great, I built myself houses" (Ecclesiastes 2:4). He wasn't just blowing smoke. These were not just cottages. They were huge.

God has not gifted me with the ability (or desire) to build houses. When I was a kid, my father built houses in his spare time. He was not trained as a carpenter but had an innate sense of how to do it. One day when I was about 12 years old, he asked me to help him as he worked on a house. He told me what he wanted me to do, but after about fifteen minutes, he said, "Alvin (as I was called then), go play." That was the extent of my training in carpentry.

I may not be able to build houses, but like most people, I want to build something I can say that I accomplished. At times, it has been a reputation that I have tried to build. At other times, it was a retirement fund. At other times, it has been building network of friends. And on and on it goes.

In my later years, I have one desire: to build the kingdom of God. All of my other attempts to build something have crumbled, or will crumble in the future. "Only one life, twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last." I truly want to build something that will last for eternity. Everything else, to use Solomon's verbage, is vanity, emptiness, a mirage, or a bunch of smoke.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- WHAT WENT WRONG

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – WHAT WENT WRONG?

"And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceeding great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore. Thus Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt." (I Kings 4:29-30)

What a man! The name Solomon means peace (from Shalom), and the nation of Israel enjoyed peace with other nations throughout his reign. That takes a lot of wisdom of navigate the stormy waters between nations.

God had written a blank check to Solomon when he asked, "What shall I give you?" (3:5). Solomon's request is found in verse 9: "Therefore, give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil." God was pleased with this request, and promised not only an understanding heart, but also what Solomon did not ask for: riches and honor (vs. 12-13). And what does "largeness of heart like the sand of the seashore" mean? I think it may mean that the breadth of his curiosity and knowledge included many subjects. Just reading the Proverbs shows the expansiveness of his thinking.

So what in the world went wrong with the wisest man who ever lived? I have pondered this over the years. God was so gracious and giving to Solomon. Yet Solomon did so many foolish things. For starters, he married women from foreign nations who brought their gods into Israel, and Solomon built temples for them. One would think if he had such wisdom, that he would have seen the problems that would come from that. The book of Ecclesiastes shows Solomon's search for meaning in the things of this world. He had all of God's blessings, but was not satisfied. Perhaps what went wrong was that Solomon didn't listen to his own preaching. After all, it was he who penned the famous words: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding" (Proverbs 9:10).

Does this sound like me or what? God has been so good to me. Not that I have a lot of wisdom, but God has blessed me abundantly. Yet I have found myself wandering away, trying to find life and meaning in the things of this world. I desire what Solomon asked for: to know the difference between good and evil.

We have no other need than God's blessings. Anything else pales in comparison.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- DISCERNMENT

DAD'S RAMBLING – DISCERNMENT

"Now Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. So she said, 'Do you come peaceably?' And he said, 'Peaceably.' Moreover he said, 'I have something to say to you.' And she said, 'Say it.' Then he said, 'You know that the kingdom was mine, and all Israel had set their expectations on me, that I should reign. However, the kingdom has been turned over, and has become my brother's for it was his from the Lord. Now I ask one petition of you; do not deny me.' And she said to him, 'Say it' Then he said, 'Please speak to King Solomon for he will not refuse you, that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife.' So Bathsheba said, 'Very well, I will speak for you to the king.' " (I Kings 2:13-18)

We find more intrigue in the royal family. Adonijah, an older step-brother of Solomon born to Haggith, had proclaimed himself as king over Israel without the knowledge of King David (I Kings 1:11). But King David had promised that Solomon would succeed him to the throne by the word of the LORD (see I Chronicles 22:9-10). Adonijah wanted to usurp the throne from Solomon. He was the brother of Absolom, who had also formed an insurrection against King David to become king. Apparently, Adonijah had the same ambitions. So he hatched this plan to get Solomon to give him Abishag, the Shunammite, to be his wife. Abishag was a lovely, young virgin who was conscripted to care for King David when he was in his final days. David was cold, and though they covered him with covers, he still could not get warm. So Abishai would cuddle up next to David on his bed to keep him warm. There is no sexual connotation (I Kings 1:1-4). Now that David was dead, Abishag was free to marry.

Adonijah apparently figured that if he could have Abishai as his wife, then he could make some claim to succeed David. In his wisdom, Solomon saw through this scheme, saying to Bathsheba, " 'Now why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also...' " (vs.22) Solomon could figure that if Adonijah had a following, which he did, he would cause all kinds of problems to his young kingship. Solomon summarily executed Adonijah, thus eliminating any contender to the throne.

It takes wisdom to see through the schemes of people who have their own agenda. Not everything is as it appears. Bathsheba did not have this wisdom, but Solomon did. Without being too suspicious of people, we need to have discernment of their true motives. God is the source of all knowledge and wisdom and we need to seek Him and His wisdom for discernment.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LAST WORDS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – FINAL WORDS

"Now there are the last words of David." (II Samuel 23:1)

We see them in movies and on television, especially in the old western films. The person lays dying, and with his final breath, speaks what is most important to him.

I have often wondered what my dying words would be. Would they be words of regret? Would they be words of admonition to those who are left? Would they be words of hope and comfort? I don't know. I don't have the script.

I do know that there are many famous quotations of famous men's last words.  According to a Google search, Frank Sinatra said, "I'm losing it." Benjamin Franklin's last words were, "A dying man can do nothing easy." Murderer James W. Rodgers, who was in front of a firing squad for execution was asked his last request. His reply: "Bring me a bullet-proof vest." Groucho Marx said, "This is no way to live!" Winston Churchill's parting words were, "I'm bored with it all." Joan Crawford yelled at her housekeeper who was praying for her, "Don't you dare ask God to help me!" Emily Dickinson's last words were, "I must go in, for the fog is rising."

We often think that our last words would be grand thoughts. But in looking at some of these examples, they are usually mundane. But listen to David's last words. "The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue" (vs. 3). I would desire that my final words would be words of praise to the Savior. I would like to have His word on my tongue.

Now is a good time to start. Why wait until the last breath? Let my tongue speak praises to God. As King David sang, "I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth" (Psalm 34:1). If I am continually blessing the Lord, then maybe my last words will be praise to Him.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- RELATIVES OF THE GIANT

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – RELATIVES OF THE GIANT

"These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants." (II Samuel 21:22)

The giant from Gath. We remember him from the time that David defeated the giant and routed the Philistines. It was a great victory.

But it was not the end of the story. Just because Goliath had been defeated did not mean that the battle was over. Goliath had sons and other relatives who were also giants.

We find here in II Samuel 21, that the relatives of Goliath were still alive and needed to be defeated. The first was Ishbi-benob, a son of the giant, who was killed by Abishai, a nephew, of David (vs 17a). Next, Saph, another son of Goliath, was killed by Sibbechai the Hushathite (vs. 18). Then there was Lahmi, a brother of the Goliath, who was killed by Elhanan, also called Jair (vs. 19; see I Chronicles 20:5). Then there was another unnamed son of the giant who was killed by Jonathan, another nephew of David.

Now, we have an adversary – Satan – who was defeated by the Lord Jesus at the Cross. But there other giants who keep popping up to challenge us.

Just because we have won a great victory over some giant in our life does not mean that the battle is over. There will be other giants who invade our territory that need to be defeated. The victory over the giants will not be complete until we get to heaven.

We do have victory in Jesus, but as we stand against Satan and his hoard, we need to be alert to their tactics – we are not ignorant of their devices (II Corinthians 2:11) – and be sure to wear our armor (Ephesians 6:10-18).

O victory in Jesus, our Savior forever.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD'S STANDARD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – GOD'S STANDARD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

"So Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was concerned about Absalom." (II Samuel 14:1)

This a difficult part of David's history for me to get my head around. Absalom had killed his half-brother, Amnon, because Amnon had violated his sister, Tamar. So Absalom fled to his grandfather, Talmai, in Geshur. Absalom's mother, a wife King David, was Maacah, a daughter of Talmai who was the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur (II Samuel 3:3). Absalom found a place of refuge in his relatives' home.

Apparently, Absalom was a favored son of David. David longed to go to Absalom (13:39). But there had to be some kind of protocol. David couldn't just run after his son after what he had done. And even when Joab persuaded David to allow Absalom to return to Jerusalem, David kept his distance and would not allow Absalom to come to the palace. Absalom was in Jerusalem two years before he was allowed to come to King David, again at the behest of Joab.

I think Absalom was a proud, spoiled brat, with a lot of ego. He thought he was special and could do anything he wanted. He even hired chariots and horses and fifty men to run before him. And his hair. His hair was his pride and glory. He was so vain that he thought that he should be king instead of his father, David. He had such charisma that he swayed people to follow him in insurrection against King David. "So Absalom stole the hearts of the people" (15:6b).

King David did not confront Absalom about his sin. And when faced with Absalom's rebellion, David fled. But that seemed to be the way it had always been. He had never been able to discipline his son. As a father, I understand how hard it is to confront an adult son or daughter about their sin. And possibly David still harbored guilt in his heart about Uriah. How could he reproach his son when he had also sinned so grievously? It is hard for parents to speak righteousness when they have had failures in their past.

But God's righteousness is not contingent on my righteousness. I can speak what God says is true even if I have violated his standard. God's holiness remains in spite of my own failures. God's standard of righteousness was, is, and always will be the same, and I need to allow that to be the criteria, not my own experience.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- CONFESSION TIME

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – CONFESSION TIME

"So David said to Nathan, 'I have sinned against the LORD.' And Nathan said to David, 'The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.' " (II Sam. 12:13-14)

I have to admire Nathan. The prophet did not mince any words with David when he nailed David for his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah. It takes a lot of guts to stand up to the king. I think it was Chuck Colson who said that many times religious leaders proclaimed that they would speak the truth to then President Nixon, but when they got their audience, they lost their nerve. Nathan did not white-wash God's message to David. David confessed and repented.

When we read his David's Psalm of repentance (Psalm 51), we catch the devastation of his soul. "Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgress-ions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight" (Psalm 51:1-4a). His conscience was tormented, and he understood that his sin was really against God. He wanted cleansing. "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" (vs. 7). "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me" (vs. 10). "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation" (vs. 12). He acknowledged that "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and a contrite heart-- these, O God, You will not despise" (vs. 17). David confessed his sin and repented, and God forgave.

However, sadly, there were still consequences – the death of the child – because his sin brought reproach on God and caused God's enemies to blaspheme.

When I think of preachers who have failed morally, I have no doubt that God forgives the repentant heart. But I also know that their failures have brought much reproach to God's name which still lingers to this day, even 40 years later.

May we continually understand that our sins are not just against people but against God, and bring reproach to the name of our Savior. That should be a motivation to live pure lives. "Create in me a clean heart."

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE KINDNESS OF GRACE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE KINDNESS OF GRACE

"Now David said, 'Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?' " (II Samuel 9:1)

I am always blessed when I read this incident in the life of King David – How he was faithful to a promise that he had made to Jonathan, the son of King Saul.

The covenant between David and Jonathan was made during the time that King Saul wanted to kill David because Saul was so very jealous of David's popularity with the people of Israel after he slew the giant.

Saul had vowed to destroy David as a challenge to his kingship, but Jonathan loved David, even though David would some day take his place. The heart of Jonathan was knit to David (I Samuel 18:1). So Jonathan helped David escape from King Saul. When they met together for the last time, "Jonathan said to David, 'Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, 'May the LORD be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever." ' " (I Samuel 20:42)

David never forgot this covenant he had made with Jonathan. Now King Saul is dead, and Jonathan is dead, and David wants to fulfill his promise. So he sought out whether there was anyone left of Jonathan's children. He learned that there was one son, Mephibosheth, who had been spared after the death of Jonathan. But he was an invalid, being lame in his feet after being dropped while he was being hustled away to safety by his nurse. (You'll find that in II Samuel 4:4).

David brought Mephibosheth into the palace and took care of him. Mephibosheth had nothing to offer David, but David's mercy and grace allowed Mephibosheth to eat at the King's table (vs. 7).

The thing that blesses me is the thought that even though I had nothing to offer because I was lame, without strength in my sin, King Jesus had mercy on me and allows me to set at His table. As the Shunamite woman in the Song of Solomon said, "He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love" (Solomon 2:4). What a gracious, merciful, loving God we serve.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- WHO AM I?

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – WHO AM I

"Then King David went in and sat before the LORD; and he said, 'Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that you have brought me this far? And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord GOD: and You have also spoken of Your servant's house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD? Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord GOD, know Your servant.' " (II Samuel 7:18-20)

King David served God with a humble heart. He had not let his success go to his head. God had brought him from being a young shepherd – a lowly, smelly vocation – from the village of Bethlehem, to the pinnacle of being King over a nation. He understood that this was not the manner of men. That is not the way society usually works, especially in his culture. In America, there is the opportunity for anyone to be president. But not in ancient cultures. Being king was usually by birthright – being the son of a king.

So David is at a loss for words. "What can I say? You know me – what I was and what I am."

This reminds me of David's song recorded in the book of the Psalms: "What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?" (Psalm 8:4). We are nothing but dust. But God has deigned to put His love on us, and make us into something far greater than dust.

So I sit before the Lord, and marvel at His great plan. He knows who and what I am, and yet He loves me and has plans for me, as David said, "For a great while to come" – like eternity. I can't even imagine what He has in store for me in the ages to come. He has brought me this far, and I know He will take me home.

The songwriter puts it in these words: "Who am I that the King should live and die for? Who am I that He should say, 'Not my will, but Thine' for. The answer I will never know, why He should ever love me so, but to an old rugged cross he came, for who am I."

So, again I echo David's song in Psalm 8: "O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth."

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LIFE IS MESSY

DAD'S RABLINGS – LIFE IS MESSY

"Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel." (II Samuel 5:3)

David had reigned as king over the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin for 7 years at Hebron, while Ishbosheth, Saul's son, reigned over the 10 northern tribes of Israel. David was destined to reign over all the nation of Israel. The story of the unification of the nation was a story of intrigue.

It happened this way. Abner was the commander of the army of the 10 northern tribes of Israel. Even though Ishbosheth was the king, Abner was the real power and authority. Abner had installed Ishbosheth as king (II Samuel 2:8-9), but Ishbosheth was under the thumb of Abner. Under Abner, Israel waged war against Judah, whose army was under the leadership of Joab, a nephew of King David. During a battle, Abner's army was defeated by Joab's army, and Abner fled. He was pursued by the brother of Joab, Asahel, and Abner ended up killing Asahel. That would have severe consequences.

As time went by, David's kingdom became stronger and the northern tribes became weaker. In addition, the friction between King Ishbosheth and Abner came to a head when Ishbosheth accused Abner of having an affair with one of his concubines. As a result, Abner decided to deliver the northern tribes of Israel to King David. So Abner went to King David to make peace, and they made a covenant that would make David king over all Israel.

Joab was on a military venture while this was happening, and when he learned of it, he was filled with wrath and took a personal vendetta against Abner because Abner had killed his brother. So Joab killed Abner by deceit. This was not David's intention, since he had no ill-will against either Abner or Ishbosheth, who had been assassinated. But through it all, the northern tribes accepted David as King and stayed submitted to King David throughout his reign. This was God's plan.

History is messy. We scratch our heads wondering how anything good could come of it. But God will use even the messy circumstances to fulfill His plan. Not only for a nation, but for our personal lives. We can know that He is in control, and His will will be done. Remember: The crucifixion of Christ was messy, but it brought our salvation.

Love, Dad

EASTER MEDITATION

EASTER MEDITATION

2022

"But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits

of those who have fallen asleep."

(I Corinthians 15:20)

Death is the destiny of all men. The ratio is one to one – 100%. Untold billions of people who have lived here on earth have died. Even the Lord Jesus had to die. So what makes his death so special?

There is only one thing that separates His death from all of the others. The manner of His death is not what sets Him apart from the rest. Even His crucifixion, with all its suffering, was not what made His death unique. After all, many, many people have been crucified. It was third day after His death when He rose from the grave that was so crucial.

So why was the Resurrection so important?

His Resurrection gave meaning to His death. If Jesus had not risen from the dead, His death would have been like just any other person. He would be no better than Buddha, or Confucius, or Mohammed. His resurrection was the proof that God accepted the sacrifice that Jesus made for sin.

His Resurrection gives the foundation for my faith. As it is written, "If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile" (I Corinthians 15:17). Without the Resurrection, the Christian faith is empty – a hollow shell – and has no intrinsic value.

His Resurrection gives hope for the future. We know that there is life after death because Jesus has proven it by His Resurrection. Without it, I have no assurance that there is something awaiting me after I die. "If in this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable" (I Corinthians 15:19).

I am so glad for Easter, and the celebration of Resurrection Sunday. It gives meaning to life. Without it, life itself would be empty with no future. We have hope of heaven because Jesus is alive.

Praise God for Easter.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- STRANGE BEDFELLOWS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – STRANGE BEDFELLOWS

"And David said in his heart, 'Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand.' Then David arose and went over with the six hundred men, who were with him to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath." (I Samuel 27:1-2)

hat is wrong with this picture? Here is David, who had a great victory over the Philistines by defeating Goliath – who was from Gath – moving in with the enemy. Something does not seem quite right. In addition, it is strange that Achish, the son of the king of Gath, would welcome David and his army to settle down in his territory. In fact, he regarded David as an angel of God (29:30). It is not as though Achish did not know that this was the same David that killed Goliath. The princes of the Philistines were angry with Achish for making league with David. They said, " 'Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands"?' " (29:5).

David had to sacrifice his own integrity to live in Gath. When he and his men went out on raids, he had to lie and kill innocent people in order to remain in the good graces of Achish (27:8-11).

Here's the deal. When we make our bed with the enemy, we have to sacrifice our own faith and integrity in order to live there. If our goal is to make friends with the world, then we have to compromise our faith to have peace with it.

We need to remember the words of James, who wrote: "Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God" (James 4:4b) If I want to crawl into bed with the world, then I have to expect that there will be illegitimate children born out of that relationship.

My relationship with God is more important than anything the world has to offer. God says, "Do not love not the world or the things in the world" because "the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" (I John 2:15-17). Any benefit of making our bed with the world is fleeting. Our relationship with God is eternal.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- STRENGTHENING OTHERS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A FRIEND IN NEED

"Then Jonathan. Saul's son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God." (I Samuel 23:16)

The relationship of Jonathan and David is a wonderful part of this saga.

Their friendship blossomed early on while David was still in Saul's palace. Jonathan recognized that God's hand was upon David, and that someday David would be king.However, "The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul" (I Samuel 18:1; 20:17). "Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted greatly in David" (I Samuel 19:1). He even strategized to protect David from the wrath of his father, Saul. This despite the fact that Jonathan was the heir apparent to the throne after Saul's death. There was no hint of jealousy or selfishness on Jonathan's part. This is an amazing thing.

Jonathan was the kind of person who would strengthen the soul of someone who would eventually supplant him. He was willing to encourage David in his time of distress. This is a God-given love. Human love would fail in times like that.

How often do we work overtime to protect our own turf? This happens a lot in the business world and in politics. But, sadly, it also happens in God's church. People who think that a particular ministry is their own, and they are jealous of anyone who might be a threat to their position of leadership. It ought not to be. If God raises up someone else to take our place, can we with great joy, love and accept that person as a God-sent replacement, and even help them be prepared to take our place? Often the answer is no. "I've played the piano here for 45 years. Some young whippersnapper is not going to take my place!" We often act as though the ministry belongs to us rather than God. Even if God has a different idea, we hang on to our position with iron fists.

It seems to me that we should be willing to encourage those whom God has placed in our path who might take our place. They may go through some tough times of doubt and questioning, but we can uplift their spirits to do what God has place in their hearts. This is the heart of discipleship – growing and maturing people to minister – even if it means they may displace us. It is a gracious spirit that makes room for his or her replacement.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- TO FLEE OR NOT TO FLEE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – TO FLEE OR NOT TO FLEE

"So Michal let David down through a window. And he went and fled and escaped" (I Samuel 19:12); "Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah...." (20:1); "Now David came to Nob" (21:1); "Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul...." (I Samuel 21:10)

What's going on here? Not long before, David had stood up to the giant Goliath with unflinching fear. Now he is running for his life. Am I missing something?

Saul had determined to kill David because he was jealous of the praise the people were giving David. When Saul heard his subjects singing, "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands," it must have been like a stab in his ego.

Saul had tried to kill David once before. One time as David was playing music for Saul, "Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul's presence; and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night" (19:10).

Was David afraid of Saul or was something else going on? When is it proper to flee and when is it necessary to stand our ground?

The Apostle Paul faced this same scenario. The Jewish leaders were plotting to kill him, but the believers took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket, and he escaped (Acts 9:23-25; II Corinthians 11:32-33).

Even the Lord Jesus faced this question. "Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand," (John 10:39). Jesus knew that it was not His time to die.

I think the answer is that there is a time to stand and a time to flee. It takes discernment to know how to respond. There are times when we must take a stand for truth and godly principles. But there are other times when we need to back off and avoid the confrontation. As the old saying goes, "Choose your battles wisely." There are some things that are not worth dying for, or at least not at that time. But there are other times when we must be bold to stand for truth, regardless of the outcome. May God help us to know the difference.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- INTIMIDATION OR FAITH?

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – INTIMIDATION OR FAITH?

"Then he (Goliath) stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, 'Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.' … When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid." (I Samuel 17:8-10, 12)

The story of David and Goliath is another one of those great stories that we remember from Sunday School. And how many sermons have been preached about David's bravery and faith in his God? So, what can we say that is new?

Something struck me when I reread this narrative. The question arose: What caused so much fear among the Israeli soldiers? Certainly there was the fear of Goliath. I mean, this guy was a brute beast. He was six cubits and a span. That would be about 9 ¾ feet tall. He would make a great basketball player! The weight of his coat of armor was 125 pounds. His spear alone weighed at 15 pounds. So do I have any takers?

Then there was the fear of being killed. No one wants to die like that.

But I think there might have been another fear – the fear of being considered an idiot. If you have enough ego to face Goliath, there must be something wrong with you. You are putting the whole country in jeopardy of being made slaves to the Philistines. It is one thing to be lined up for battle with the crowd as a nameless nobody to face the enemy. But what kind of fool will risk putting himself out in front when failure means the whole nation will be conquered?

As we read the rest of the story, David's confidence was not in himself or his own abilities, but in the God who had delivered him from the lion and the bear (vs. 37). As he stood before Goliath, David said, "I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel" (vs. 45). And again in verse 47, "the battle is the LORD's and He will give you into our hands."

God calls people of faith to stand out from the crowd. When we are faced with situations that intimidate the group, we will also cower unless our confidence is in the Lord and His calling. He is our deliverer.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- MEMORIAL STONES

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – MEMORIAL STONES

MEMORIAL STONES

"Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, 'Thus far the LORD has helped us.' " (I Samuel 7:12)

Israel was facing another battle with the Philistines. This caused fear to arise in among the Israelites, so they came to Samuel and beseeched him to call out to God for help. God answered their prayer and caused a great thundering that confused the Philistines, and Israel defeated them.

In yesterday's Gleaning, the Israelites tried to use the Ark of the Covenant as their help in battling the Philistines, and we saw how that worked for them. This time, they came to Samuel and asked him to pray, they put away their idols, and fasted and repented. They truly trusted the Lord, rather than some earthly thing, and God gave a great victory.

Samuel built a monument to the Lord, calling it "Ebenezer." Ebenezer means "the stone of help." It was a testimony to the gracious work of the LORD that gave them victory over the Philistines.

I have set up my own memorial stone. In fact, I look back over the past 80 years and remember memorials set up that are testimony to the Lord's help. Were it not for those blessed times that God intervened, my life would be totally different today.

You also probably have those times of God's help etched in your memory.

I still need His help, and I am still erecting memorials in my mind of the times that God manifests Himself in deliverance. There are times when I echo the words of King David in Psalm 12:1: "Help, LORD!" And God is faithful to answer that cry from the heart.

We serve a great God, who said that we can cast all our burdens on Him for He cares for us (I Peter 5:7). What a wonderful God we serve.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A GOOD-LUCK CHARM

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A GOOD-LUCK CHARM

"Then the Philistines took the ark of God and bought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod." (I Samuel 5:1)

In our society, people often consider their religion to be a good-luck charm. They hang a cross from their car's rear view mirror. They claim to be of a certain denomination or faith as though that would give them some credibility or special standing. But our Gleaning for today shows that this is not the case.

To begin with, the Israelites had brought the Ark of the Covenant from it's resting place at Shiloh to be with them in battle against the Philistines. They thought that if the Ark was with them, they would surely defeat the Philistines. But it did not work for them, and the Philistines defeated them and captured the Ark.

The Philistines took the Ark to Ashod and put it besides the idol of their god, Dagon. But the idol fell on its face to the ground before the Ark of the Lord, breaking its hands off. In addition, a plague of tumors came upon the people. The people of Ashdod knew this was not a good sign, so they sent the Ark to Gath. The citizens of Gath also experienced a plague of tumors, so they sent the Ark to Ekron, where again, the city was stricken with tumors. The presence of the Ark in these ungodly places was not a blessing. It was a curse.

So what to do? They decided to send the Ark back to Israel, where it belonged.

When we hear politicians use religious talk, we need to be very suspect. Just because they talk about their religion, God, and faith, does not mean that God is on their side. They may be using these godly things to enhance their own agendas.

The name "Ebenezer" means "stone of help." God is truly our Ebenezer – our rock of help. But even Christians need to be careful not to use God as a good-luck charm. God is God. He is holy. He needs to be held in high esteem, not just some amulet added to our life to advance our own agenda.

May God help us to keep a right perspective of the God we serve.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- HEARING GOD'S VOICE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – HEARING GOD'S VOICE

"Now the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, 'Samuel! Samuel! And Samuel answered, 'Speak, for Your servant hears." (I Samuel 3:10)

Most of us have probably heard the story of the child Samuel since were knee-high to a grasshopper. It is one of the great Sunday School stories.

We remember that Samuel was given to the LORD by his mother, Hannah, to live in the tabernacle and serve Eli, the high priest. One night God called to the child Samuel while he was sleeping, "Samuel." Samuel thought that it was Eli calling his name, so he went to his mentor and said, "Here I am." Eli said that he did not call, so Samuel went back to bed. A second time, God called Samuel, and again, Samuel went to Eli. But Eli had not called him, and told Samuel to go back to bed. A third time, God called to Samuel, and by this time, Eli discerned that it was God who was calling Samuel. He told Samuel that if God called again, he should say, "Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening." It took four times for Samuel to understand that God was speaking to him.

This reminds me of myself. How many times does it take for me to understand that God is speaking to me? How many times did God call my name for salvation before I responded, "Here I am, Lord"?

God patiently and graciously speaks to me even when I don't respond correctly. I hear a sermon by the Pastor. Then I hear a radio or television preacher say the same thing. Then my wife talks to me. It usually takes three or four times before it dawns on me that God is trying to give me a message.

It may be wise to listen for confirmation of the message. I get a lot of thoughts in my brain that are just my own imagination gone wild. But if I hear the message several times, I need to respond to God, "Speak, for I am listening."

God really does want to communicate with us. May we be sensitive to hear His voice calling us. He may have to call us several times before we get the message. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- NAOMI OR MARA?

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – NAOMI OR MARA?

"But she said to them, 'Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the LORD has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?' " (Ruth 1:20-21)

Naomi had suffered some terrible things in her life. Her husband, Elimelech, had uprooted her and the family to take them to Moab because of famine in the land. Elimelech was only doing what he thought was the right thing. But it was no doubt hard on Naomi to be separated from her roots and her extended family.

To add to her misery, while they were in Moab, her husband died. Then her two sons died, leaving her alone in a foreign land. No wonder she was so bitter. Her whole outlook on life had been shattered. Before all of this came down, she had probably been a joy to be around, since the name Naomi means "my delight," or "pleasant." But now she takes the name Mara, which means bitter. From a natural standpoint, she probably had every reason to be bitter.

Naomi was negativism personified. Her outlook was very pessimistic. Have you been around negative, pessimistic people? They always see the dark side of life. They are like the man in the Dick Tracy comic strip who always had a cloud hanging over his head. They can never see anything positive – only darkness. That was Naomi, or Mara, as she called herself.

Naomi's real struggle was with the LORD God Almighty. Instead of blaming her husband, or the weather, or the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of her husband and her sons, she thought that God had caused all of these things. Her attitude was, "God has afflicted me." People who blame God for everything are hard to be around.

It is an indication of Ruth's character that she stuck with this bitter old woman. Ruth was committed to staying with her even thought it meant that she would be separated from her own family. She lived up to her name which means "friend or companion." Ruth was a delight to be around. She was a balm to Naomi's shattered soul. You can see her gentleness with Naomi throughout the story.

Personally, I would rather be a Naomi than a Mara. May I keep the perspective that God is good even in the negative times of life, and that He will use the negative to accomplish good, as he did with Naomi. I want to be the kind of friend committed to being a balm for someone's battered life. The Lord Jesus is such a friend. He is a companion who does not leave us, even when life is bitter.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- OUR SOURCE OF STRENGTH

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – OUR SOURCE OF STRENGTH

"So the woman bore a son and called his name Samson; and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him." (Judges 13:24)

As we read the story of Samson, we think – "What a sad story." A man who had so much going for him, and yet his life was a disaster. The name Samson means "like the sun" – that is, distinguished or strong. He certainly was distinguished and strong in his body. He had a lot going for him, but he had weakness in his character.

His life is one failure after another. With all of his blessing from God, he was not able to overcome his weaknesses. One of his great weaknesses was his moral failures. First he saw a Philistine woman whom he desired to marry. His parents tried to talk him out of it, but he would not listen to them. He said, "Get her for me, for she pleases me well" (14:4). Even though God used this failure to attack the Philistines, still, it shows Samson's lack of godliness.

Then there was Delilah. Samson came under her spell, and lost his rationality. One would think that after being fooled three times, that he would have had enough sense to get away from her. Fooled once, shame on you; fooled twice, shame on me.

But no, because she kept nagging him for the truth, he finally told her the secret of his strength – that he was a Nazirite who had never cut his hair as a part of his vow to God. When we submit to fleshly desires, we lose our ability to think clearly.

It must have been an awful moment when he awoke from his sleep to find his hair cut and his strength gone. He thought he could break the bonds as he had before, but "he did not know that the LORD had departed from him" (16:20 ). It is a sad thing to see mighty men of God fail who have been used in dynamic ministry .

There is only one thing that will keep any of us from falling, and that is keeping ourselves close to God. As the Scripture says, "Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (I Corinthians 10:12), and, "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life" (Jude 20-21).

This means growing in our faith as we find in II Peter 5-8. Peter concludes by saying, "Brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble," or as the KJV say, "never fall (vs. 10)."

None of us are immune from falling. We cannot trust our own strength or abilities. The only security we have is in our commitment to the Lord Jesus. The only strength we have is His strength. Staying close to Him will keep us from falling.

Love, Dad