Presumption

After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.” Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you.” -  I Chronicles 17:1-2 Upon reading the above passage and the verses which follow, I was struck by my tendency to think and plan without taking the time to get the big picture.  From a position of comfort and security, I start thinking I know what God needs and when he needs it.  I start making plans and ask God to bless them. That's called presumption!

• Presumptuous thinking and planning often start with good intentions. David wanted to build a house that would honor God's name. But did God ever say he wanted a house, let alone that David would be the one to build it?  David's motivation was good, but he lacked the broader perspective of what God was doing through the generations and with a whole nation. He lacked vision. He need God's perspective.

• Presumptuous thinking and planning is often rooted in comfort and security.  David was settled in his palace. Comfort and security have a way of dulling our senses. The danger is to equate good times and good feelings with God's blessing and favor.  I'm not saying that God doesn't desire to bless and give good gifts to his children; He certainly does. But King David was reminded that God's plan went far beyond his own personal comfort and present state of feeling blessed.

God was quick to remind David that He doesn't operate on a need basis. He doesn't need anything.  Instead, He works to accomplish His vision for the sake of the people He loves and for the blessed future He envisions for them.  He desires to communicate His vision to us so that we have the ability to partner effectively with Him.

Once God had spoken, I believe a burden was lifted from David's shoulders - the burden to do something for God which we often carry with us. The burden to please by doing something for Him rather than being with Him. That day I believe King David traded his self-induced, short term, presumptuous thinking for God's long-term vision. And just maybe, the king slept a little better that night as he reflected on God's words...

“‘I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you..." - I Chronicles 17:10b

Distinguished

"...and he separated the light from the darkness." - Genesis 1:4b I'm thankful for the way in which our Creator distinguishes and separates His creation. His work of separation in creation brings order out of chaos.  Light from darkness.  Night from day.  He makes a distinction between the plants, animals, and the climax of his creation humankind. We exist because of God's intentional, supernatural act of creating order, functionality and beauty out of chaos.

While we take for granted God's work of distinguishing in creation and the physical order, are we aware that He also does this in the spiritual realm? He takes us out of darkness and distinguishes us as children of the day. He calls us out of bondage into freedom. He brings us out sinful habits and lifestyles into His holiness.

Although God created this world for us in all its vast beauty, He also created us for another world, our heavenly home. We are a peculiar people, unique and set apart for His glory. God's purpose in distinguishing us is twofold: to give us a peculiar platform by which we can share his love here on earth, all the while preparing us for an eternity with Him.

For Reflection:

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." - 1 Peter 2:9

Hard Work, Low Pay, Miserable Conditions

Hard Work, Low Pay, Miserable Conditions.  This was the slogan of the CCC (California Conservation Corps) in the 80's when I signed up.  At twenty years of age, no direction in life, and a love for the outdoors, somehow it appealed to me.  By the way, I just took a peek at their website.  The slogan remains the same except that they've added "and more" at the end.  I wonder what "more" could possibly be?

Jacob experienced his share of hard work, low pay and miserable conditions.  In recounting his time of toil to his father-in-law Laban he states, "This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times...."  - Genesis 31:40-41

Jacob the deceiver had finally met his match in the person of Laban. Laban treated him unfairly, squeezing as much as he could possibly get out of his son-in-law.  It seems that that Jacob needed to have this experience of hard work under cruel conditions for his own personal growth and maturity.

Nevertheless, God's favor and blessing was upon Jacob.  With the exception of some jealousy and rivalry between his wives, Jacob prospered, revealing that God's hand was clearly upon him.  I've read this story many times, but this time I noticed something different - a connection between hardship and blessing, perseverance and reward.  God's blessing often comes as a result of years of difficulty, enabling us not merely to survive, but to thrive in the furnace of testing.  In the process He works on our character and disciplines us when needed, as He did with Jacob, until we have the capacity to be faithful stewards of that which He entrusts to us. And ultimately we are rewarded for our faithfulness. 

As Jacob processes his long and often difficult history with Laban, he continued, "But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands..." (Genesis 31:42).  I'm thankful that we can know God's favor in the midst of challenging times. Whatever we might go through - hard work, low pay, miserable conditions - these can become opportunities to experience God in deeper ways.  Today, I choose to lift my eyes to a God who is able to leverage my present circumstances to fulfill His greater purposes.

For Reflection: "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." - Genesis 50:20