Given over to lewdness

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Ephesians 4:17-5:2

TO CHEW ON: "...you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who being past feeling have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness." Ephesians 4:17-19

Michael Leehan was mad at  God. After a difficult childhood and a painful divorce he made a decision:

"One Saturday afternoon as I sat on my red corduroy couch, my heart filled with anger toward a God who seemed distant even cruel. My tiny snatches of knowledge about this God of the Bible had built the picture of a tyrant in my mind's eye: a God who is never satisfied, just waiting for one of His followers to step out of line ....

Hadn't God created a fear-based system with the threat of hell that forced people to bend their knees to Him, not out of love, but out of self-preservation? What did free will mean in all this? I was consumed by my tortured thoughts.

Finally, I said, 'God, I will not serve You. I will not serve a God of fear and punishment who forces His victims into submission. I will serve the dark side.' And I blurted out, 'Satan, come into my life. You are now my god. Use me, have me, and control me for your purposes.' ....

Immediately, a power swept over me" - Michael Leehan, Ascent From Darkness, Kindle Location 486.

Leehan tells that story and what followed in his memoir Ascent From Darkness. His activities included multiple affairs, cutting (as in self-mutilation), and performing animal sacrifice. He particularly had it in for Christians and would do things like join Bible studies or attend church singles groups with the intention of sowing doctrinal confusion and seducing women.

Admittedly Michael Leehan is an extreme example of someone given over to lewdness.* But as I read his story, I got more than one 'Aha' moment as I saw traces of what he was and did reflected in the behaviors of unbelievers I know—indeed in my own behavior during the years I was backslidden.

Let's keep in mind the fact that Satan is still behind such rebellious attitudes and actions in whomever they occur. Let's not give ourselves over to any of them. And let's pray more fervently for our unsaved family members, friends and acquaintances, that they will be free to "learn Christ" - Ephesians 4:20, to "put off ... the old man" - Ephesians 4:22, and to "...put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God’s image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness" - Ephesians 4:24, Amplified.

PRAYER: Dear God, it is easy to rationalize rebellious attitudes in myself and others as a natural human response to authority. Help me to recognize its roots in the enemy Satan. Please continually renew my mind. Amen.

MORE: Lewdness

[*Lewdness - aselgeia means "Total debauchery, unashamed indecency, unbridled lust, unrestrained depravity. The person with this characteristic has an insolent defiance of public opinion, sinning in broad daylight with arrogance and contempt" - Dick Mills, Word Wealth, New Spirit-filled Life Bible, p. 1768.]

*********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Sin's bitter consequences

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Samuel 18:19-33

TO CHEW ON: "Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went he said thus: 'O my son Absalom—my son, my son Absalom—if only I had died in your place! O Absalom, my son, my son!'" 2 Samuel 18:33

David's only reaction to his army's victory over Absalom is grief. In fact he is so overwhelmed with that one emotion that Joab, his army captain, lectures him about the effect this is having on the army's morale (2 Samuel 19:1-7).

The writer of my Bible's notes makes an astute observation about David's sorrow: "Part of his grief has to be the awareness that his sin ultimately had killed his sons" - Jerry Cook, notes to 2 Samuel, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 425.

How so?

Remember the words of prophet Nathan who pronounced this consequence of his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband? "'Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife'" 2 Samuel 12:10.

Witness the fulfillment of that when:

• Absalom killed his brother Amnon in revenge for Amnon defiling Absalom's sister Tamar - 2 Samuel 13:28-29.

• Absalom himself was killed in battle - 2 Samuel 18:14.

• After David's death, Solomon executed his half-brother Adonijah after Adonijah's sneaky attempt to wrest power back into his hands by asking for Abishag (who had been King David's companion) as his wife - 1 Kings 2:25.

If anything, I believe it is easier than ever for us to feel that we will escape sin's consequences, living as we do in the era of grace. But maybe we shouldn't be so sure about that. For though God forgives our sins and casts them away "as far as the east is from the west" (Psalm 103:12), we may still need to deal with their aftermath and consequences in health, wealth, relationships, reputation etc.

Realizing this is an incentive for us to live life from this moment on with more attention than ever to uprightness and integrity.

PRAYER: Dear God, please point out to me areas in my life where there will be bad consequences if I stay the course. Help me to clean up my act and life with integrity before you and others. Amen.

MORE: Consequences of forgiven sin

"...the aim of God-sent consequences of forgiven sin is not to settle accounts demanded by retributive justice. The aim of the God-sent consequences of forgiven sin are (1) to demonstrate the exceeding evil of sin, (2) to show that God does not take sin lightly even when he lays aside his punishment, (3) to humble and sanctify the forgiven sinner

Thus Hebrews 12:6 teaches that “the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” This is immensely important to teach in a day when there is an imbalance of emphasis on the Father’s forgiving tenderness to the exclusion of the Father’s forgiving toughness. Thus many people have no categories to handle the consequences of the sins in their lives except to become less biblical and God-centered in their interpretation of life.

... We must not equate forgiveness with absence of painful impact. David’s life is a vivid illustration of this truth. May God give us the grace to learn it and live it."

- By John Piper, © 2012 Desiring God Foundation. Website: desiringGod.org (emphasis added).  Read all of Consequences of Forgiven Sin.

*********

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Pride's ironic fall

"Death of Absalom" 
by William Brassey Hole

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Samuel 18:1-18

TO CHEW ON: "And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him .... Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself which is in the King's Valley."  2 Samuel 18:17-18

Absalom's  story has several ironies in it.

His hair was a thing of wonder. The account goes that he was very handsome, praised for his good looks perhaps in large measure because of his thick head of hair which he cut annually to lighten its weight. Weighed, those shorn locks tipped the scale at 200 shekels—5 lbs. (2 Samuel 14:24-26).

How ironic, then, that it was his gorgeous hair that got caught in tree branches, putting him in the very undignified posture of "...hanging between heaven and earth..." and vulnerable to his father's soldiers.

After his death, Joab and the other soldiers heap over his body an inglorious pile of stones. The Bible account contrasts it with the monument he had made to himself:

"And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him .... Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself which is in the King's Valley."  2 Samuel 18:17-18

Absalom's story speaks to me of the trap of pride and God's way of bringing back to bite us the very things we're most proud of. They remind me of the words of Absalom's little brother Solomon:

"Pride goes before destruction
And a haughty spirit before a fall" - Proverbs 16:18.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to see my life as You see it. Point out to me where I am proud and ripening for a fall. Amen.

MORE: Terebinth tree

Check out these images of Terebinth trees to understand the hazard such a tree would have been to someone riding too close to its dense, low-growing branches.

***********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Lessons from Ahithophel

Absalom, Ahithophel, and Hushai (Artist unknown)

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Samuel 16:15-17:13

TO CHEW ON: "Now the advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if one had inquired at the oracle of God. So was all the advice of Ahithophel, both with David and Absalom - 2 Samuel 16:23

Ahithophel is an interesting character:
- His name means "brother of folly."

- In contradiction to his name, however,  he is known for his unusual wisdom.  He was King David's chief counselor (1 Chronicles 27:33), and in our reading he is also a counselor to Absalom. The commentary All the Men of the Bible says of him: "There was no one who could hold a candle to Ahithophel in his day as an able and famous politician. … Such counsel was a proverb in Israel and David's time" (accessed through Biblegateway.com).

- He is also the grandfather of Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:3 names Eliab as Bathsheba's father; 2 Samuel 23:34 names Ahithophel as Eliab's father). So there may be a personal reason why he does what he does when Absalom comes calling.

• As Absalom schemes for power, at some point he secretly sends for Ahithophel, who comes over to his side - 1 Samuel 15:12.

• David first discovers Ahithophel's defection from "someone" as he's fleeing from Jerusalem. David's prays, "O Lord, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness" - 2 Samuel 15:31.

• Ahithophel is with Absalom when he gets to Jerusalem to take it over (2 Samuel 16:15).

• He is the one who gives the advice that Absalom sleep with his father's concubines (who have been left in Jerusalem to take care of the palace).

- This is a sign of contempt.

- This action fulfills the judgment on David announced by Nathan the prophet (2 Samuel 12:11-12).

- This is also a motive-revealing move on Absalom's  part. The Reformation Study Bible says about this action: "To remove any thought in Absalom's followers of reconciliation with David, Ahithophel counsels Absalom to lie with David's concubines who have been left behind. This would make clear Absalom's desire for the throne. Whatever the motivation, such behavior was detestable to God (Leviticus 18)" - accessed through Biblegateway.com (emphasis added).

• Ahithophel then gives good advice about how to capture David, which Hushai (David's friend who is pretending to be on Absalom's side) contradicts (2 Samuel 17:1-13). Absalom ends up taking Hushai's advice.

• But the competition between Ahithophel and Hushai is an uneven match from the start, because God is against Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:14). As we carry on past today's reading we discover Ahithophel's fate. He is so distraught when Absalom doesn't take his advice that he goes home and commits suicide - 2 Samuel 17:23.

We can learn from Ahithophel and his story that even the most worldly wise may be foolish in some departments.

1.Though Ahithophel possesses military wisdom, he lacks loyalty and thinks only of himself: "Ahithophel, the wise and trusted counsellor, however, was found unfaithful because he also thought of himself and not of David" - All the Men of the Bible.

2. Unlike David, who spares God's anointed, Ahithophel has no such principles. He proves this when he joins Absalom, who is intent on harming God's anointed (David). He is on the opposite side of the One who whose opinion really matters (2 Samuel 17:14). And so God causes Absalom to favor the less-wise advice of Hushai.

Still today no person or scheme can thwart God and His plans. Let's take comfort from this as we pray for our nations, and our national, provincial (or state), and civic leaders, especially in times of decision. (Here in Canada our next federal election is only months away, in October 2015.)


PRAYER: Dear God, thank You that no "wisdom" from people can mess up your plans and defeat the people You have in place to accomplish Your purposes. Amen.

 *********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

"Let Him do to me as seems good to Him."

David flees Jerusalem - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Samuel 15:13-37

TO CHEW ON: Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, He will bring me back and show me both it and His dwelling place.  But if He says thus: ‘I have no delight in you,’ here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.”

If you follow North American politics, you will recognize the predicament in which David finds himself here. The tide of public opinion has turned against him as a leader and someone else is now on the upswing. In David's case his rival, son Absalom, has been secretly cultivating public approval for a while (2 Samuel 15:5,6).

When David gets word that Absalom is about to make a play for the throne, he seems to accept it without question or resistance.
- He and his supporters leave town  (2 Samuel 13:14).
- He tries to send his mercenary officer Ittai and men to join Absalom (though they don't go - 2 Samuel 13:19-20).
- He sends the priest Zadok and the Levites, who are carrying the ark, back to the city. He doesn't presume that God's favor is with him and it appears he doesn't want to get this religious icon tangled up in an uncertain battle.

But then a little spark of resistance bursts into flame. He asks Zadok and the Levites to be his eyes and ears in the city and send him word about what's happening (2 Samuel 13:27-28). When he  meets his wise counselor Hushai, who has come to join the refugees, more kingly craftiness kicks in (or maybe these are divine "aha" moments). He suggests to Hushai that instead of joining them, he play the part of a turncoat and try to counteract the wisdom of Ahithophel, who is genuinely on Absalom's side (2 Samuel 13: 33-37). Will it work? We'll find out in the next couple of days.

What strikes me about this part of the story is how David expresses complete faith in God. He interprets even Absalom's treachery in terms of God working, showing disapproval or approval of his kingship.  

I think we would do well to view our circumstances more consistently through the lens of God in control of them, like David does here, instead of blaming ourselves, other people, or even chance for what's happening to us.

PRAYER: Dear God, it's hard to tease apart my actions and their consequences from Your will. Help me to consistently view the happenings in my life (whether I feel I or someone else caused them or not) as filtered through Your wisdom about me and Your love for me. Amen.

 *********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The bread of God

TODAY'S SPECIAL: John 6:22-35

TO CHEW ON: " ' For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.' … and Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.' " John 6:33,35

The crowd is determined to not let this wonder-working rabbi get away—this man who can turn a meager five loaves and two fish into a meal for five thousand. The following morning when His boat is empty, they hunt him down eventually finding Him across the lake near Capernaum.

A discussion follows about how God sent daily manna to their forefathers, and how can they do the work of God? Jesus answers that they do the work of God by believing in Him.

When they further press Him to name a work He will do to impress them even more, He makes the startling claim: " 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst' " - John 6:35. He is pretty much saying, I am that miracle, that greater work. Come to Me, believe in Me and you'll experience something that's even better than wilderness manna.

How was Jesus the bread of life for them? How is He this for us? He explains it in the rest of John 6:

• He is the source and means of our eternal life, accomplished through His death:

" ' And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life' " - John 6:33.

and

" 'I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever, and the bread that I shall give is My flesh which I shall give for the world' " - John 6:51.

• This is a spiritual eating and drinking, enabled and available by the Holy Spirit even after Jesus returns bodily to heaven:

" ' What then if you should see the son of Man ascend where He was before?
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I speak to you are spirit and they are life' " - John 6:62-63.

How do we eat this bead in our daily lives? A sidebar article in my Bible states:

"Feed on Jesus the Bread of Life. Do this practically through regularly celebrating communion and reading the Word of God" - Leslyn Musch, Truth-In-Action-Through John - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1483 (emphasis added).

As we do these things—regularly read the Bible and remember Jesus' death as we eat the bread and drink the wine of the Lord's Supper—we will discover that like the physical manna, this spiritual food:

- Is there for us as we make room in our lives to gather it.

- Still needs to be gathered regularly. Just like we don't do well if we eat irregularly, so we don't flourish spiritually with hit-and-miss feedings.


PRAYER: Dear Jesus, please sharpen my appetite for You, the bread of God. Amen.

 *********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Testing, testing...

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Exodus 16:1-16

TO CHEW ON: "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day that I may test them whether they will walk in my law or not.'" Exodus 16:4

In today's reading we see that the very mundane instructions for the gathering and handling of manna were were not options or suggestions but a God-designed test. What God was testing here was whether the people took Him and His instructions seriously.

[Test - nasah  means to put to the test, prove, tempt. The basic idea is to put someone to the test to see how he will respond - Dick Mills, "Word Wealth" New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 747.]


Other places this word us used shows various ways God may test us.

"Nasah" is the word used of what God did to Abraham when He asked Him to sacrifice Isaac - Genesis 22:1.

God sent a nasah-test in the form of the ten commandments followed by fearful trumpet sounds and an electrical storm. This was to impress the people with how seriously they should take these commands and Moses' instructions about staying off Mount Sinai - Exodus 20:18-20.

Nasah is also the word used to describe what Moses accused the Israelites of doing to God at Rephidim when they demanded water as a proof of His presence - Exodus 17:1-7. Later, in his final instructions, Moses told them testing God was something they should not do - Deuteronomy 6:16.

Again in his Deuteronomy sermon, Moses reiterated how the desert wanderings were a test: "And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not" - Deuteronomy 8:2 (emphasis added).

Which brings me to the question, what things in our lives may be God's tests?

It could be an Abraham-sized test like an accident or tragedy happening to a loved one or to us as a test of whether our faith is in God or someone or something else. Or perhaps it's a little manna-sized test—an item on the grocery cart missed by the checkout lady to test honesty; a string of rainy days to test contentment; someone cutting us off in traffic to test love ("...love suffers long ... does not behave rudely ... is not provoked" - 1 Corinthians 13:4,5).

Rich Warren defines life: "The Bible offers three metaphors that teach us God's view of life: Life is a test, life is a trust, and life is a temporary assignment."

Of the test part he says:

"Character is both developed and revealed by tests, and all of life is a test. You are always being tested. God constantly watches your response to people, problems, success, conflict, illness, disappointment, and even the weather! He even watches the simplest actions such as when you open a door for others, when you pick up a piece of trash, or when you're polite toward a clerk or waitress" - Rick Warren - The Purpose Drive Life, p. 42, 43.   

PRAYER: Dear God, it sure changes the complexion of life when I view the details of my day as tests. Help me to pass today's tests. Amen.

MORE: More about life's tests

"When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life. Even the smallest incident has significance for your character development. Every day is an important day, and every second is a growth opportunity to deepen your character, to demonstrate love, or to depend on God. Some tests seem overwhelming, while others you don't even notice. But all of them have eternal implications" - Rick Warren, Op. cit., p. 43.

*********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Jesus' descent

Golgotha - from The Children's Friend - Part 5

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Ephesians 4:1-16

TO CHEW ON: "He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all heavens, that He might fill all things." Ephesians 4:10

Where was Jesus in the hours between His death and resurrection?

Paul suggests one possibility here as he explains a quote from Psalm 68:28, applying it to the ascended Christ:  "Now this, 'He ascended'—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? ..."(verse 9).

What that descent meant has been a source of discussion. Peter, preaching in Acts 2 from the text of Psalm 16:8-11 says:

"…he (David, the writer of the psalm) foreseeing this (the resurrection) spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption" (Acts 2:31). 

Isn't Peter implying that Christ visited Hades? Was that what we call hell? It was some aspect of the underworld in any case.  Peter refers to this again in 1 Peter 3:19-20.

Another view is that Jesus' descent refers to His coming to earth from heaven. Paul describes the extent of that lowering beautifully in Philippians 2:5-11:

"… Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross..." - Philippians 2:5-8.

Still another view is that Jesus suffered in hell. Of that view the writer of my Bible's notes on Ephesians says, "… there is no biblical support for the notion that Jesus suffered in hell, only that He descended to hell to release the righteous dead into eternal glory, proclaiming the adequacy of the Atonement and validating the testimony of the prophets" - Jack W. Hayford, notes on Ephesians,  New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1650.

Surely He was enjoying Paradise, for at least part of the time. After all, He said to the believing thief on the cross, "Today you will be with Me in Paradise" - Luke 23:43.

Whatever, wherever, it was enough! No part of earth or hell has been unaffected by His death and resurrection. As Paul says it in our focus verse:

"He who descended is the [very] same as He who also has ascended high above all the heavens, that He [His presence] might fill all things—the whole universe, from the lowest to the highest" - Ephesians 3:10 (Amplified Bible).

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for Jesus and Your plan for my atonement, which was enough. Amen.

MORE: It Is Finished - Gaither Vocal Band

***********

The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

Amplified Bible (AMP) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation - Used with permission.

Rulers serve

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Mark 10:35-45

TO CHEW ON: "… whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all." Mark 10:43,44

James and John's idea of ruling was to sit in a high place next to Jesus and share the glory of His position.

Jesus looked at the job of a ruler quite differently. To Him it was drinking the cup—of betrayal, mocking, beating, nailing—and experiencing the baptism of death to resurrection. Being a ruler or leader was all summed up in the word 'servant.'

[What is a servant? My dictionary defines it as "A person hired to assist in domestic matters, sometimes living within the employer's house." The Greek word used here is diakonos  that means servant, servant of a king, waiter, deacon. Other places it occurs it is translated deacon, servant, minister.]

What do servants do?

• A household servant does all kinds of jobs from washing toilets to driving the boss to the embassy.

• If a servant lives in-house, he is accessible at all hours. He may have his defined workday but if there's an emergency, the master will get him up.

• A good servant works with the right attitude: willing, eager, enthusiastic, always doing the job to the best of his or her ability, not only when the master is watching.

Keri Wyatt Kent in her book about New Testament words says in her "Serve/Service" entry:

"For the Christian, service is not an occasional activity, somehow separate from the rest of our lives. As Bob Dylan famously sang, 'You gotta serve somebody.' Whether we're aware of it or not, each of us has decided to orient our life around someone or something. That decision colors all our other choices" - Keri Wyatt Kent, Deeper Into the Word - New Testament, p. 188 (emphasis added).

We do well to ask, who am I serving—Jesus or someone else? Maybe it's myself. If we settle in our hearts that we're serving Jesus, we might ask, what sort of servant am I?

• Am I available for any job—high or low?

• Am I always available?

• Do I serve with the right attitude?

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for Your example of extreme servanthood. I want to be Your good servant. Help me to grow in this. Amen.

MORE: Bob Dylan singing "Gotta Serve Somebody"

Lyrics to "Gotta Serve Somebody"

***********

The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

Would we pass this test?

Jesus & the Multitude - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: John 6:1-21

TO CHEW ON: "Then Jesus lifted up His eyes and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, 'Where shall we buy bread that these may eat?' "
But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do." John 6:5,6


Jesus, seeing the crowds approaching, asks Philip, How are we going to feed these people? What a curious little aside John mentions here—cluing us in to Jesus' motives. For Jesus asks, not to get ideas or information. This is not a problem-solving brainstorm but a probe of Philip's own heart. It's a test.

[Tested - peirazo  "means to explore, test, try, assay, examine, prove, attempt, tempt. The word describes the testing of the believer's loyalty, strength, opinions, disposition, condition, faith, patience or character. Peirazo determines which way one is going and what one is made of" - Dick Mills, Word Wealth, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1820.]

Philip answers, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them that every one of them may have a little."  I wonder how Jesus feels about that response.

It is realistic and practical. It focuses on the big need and the expense they will incur to fill it. But I can't help but think Jesus is disappointed in it. For there is not a whiff of faith here. Nothing to suggest that Philip has been impacted by Jesus' presence, that his faith has grown as a result of witnessing the healings and other miraculous signs Jesus has performed.

(In my Bible's Harmony of the Gospels, Jesus does many miracles between His selection of the twelve apostles and this feeding of the 5,000 event. Philip has probably witnessed these: the centurion's servant healed - Luke 7:1-10; widow's son raised from the dead - Luke 7:11-17; sea calmed - Matthew 8:23-27; Gadarene demoniac healed - Luke 8:25-39; the twelve sent out to heal and preach - Luke 9:1-6).

Somehow Philip's first response despite all he has seen and heard, is still to look at the big problem and cast about for a common sense, material solution.

Aren't we also a lot like that? We view difficult people, accidents, challenges to our resources, illnesses etc. as things that shouldn't be happening to us. They're from the devil, we say. And in a way every problem and brokenness does have its roots in the falleness of us and our world.

But here we see they may also be God-designed tests—the things that show God and us—mostly us—what we really lean on and trust in, where our confidence is. They demonstrate the focus, size and quality of our faith.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, when I'm challenged by life and circumstances, help me to perceive Your view of what this really is. I want to begin to pass these tests. Amen.

MORE: How could Philip have passed this test?

• What answer from Philip do you think would have pleased Jesus (or maybe you think Philip's answer did please him)?

• What might a test-answering response to the challenges of life be for us?

"Comments" would love to record your answers.

 *********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Are you a fool?

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Psalm 14:1-7

TO CHEW ON: "The fool has said in is heart, 'There is no God.'
They are corrupt,
They have done abominable works,
There is none who does good." Psalm 14:1

Why would someone deny the existence of God?

I can think of several reasons:

• He is invisible. He appears and feels absent because we can't apprehend Him with our senses. Even believers sometimes grapple with this (Job 13:24; Psalm 89:46).

• The way He is defined and the way the world runs appear to conflict. A big objection I  encounter for the existence of God is "How can an all-loving, all-powerful God permit evil?"

• We don't want anyone, not even God, to tell us how to live. We want to be god unto ourselves, to live like we please. My Bible's footnotes allude to this reason in its explanation of Psam 14:1:

"The fool is not someone of diminished intellectual capacity nor a court jester, but one who makes an intellectual decision to choose moral perversion as a lifestyle" - K.R. "Dick" Iverson (in the study notes on Psalms) New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 694.

How does David expand on his psalm's opening statement?

The rest of the psalm seems to be his attempt to explain the behavior and outlook of the people around him. Why do they act the way they do? Because they don't believe God will ever hold them accountable. But, David reassures himself, time will change all this. When the fortunes of the poor man who has stayed true to God turn around, when God shows Himself true to His word by restoring His people (the Jews), then 'we'll see who's laughing.'

In many ways our situation is like David's. In our society the majority of people either deny the existence of God outright or have redefined Him. Very few are open to being convinced of His existence. When it comes right down to it, the reason for that is because of the lifestyle implications ("If He really exists, then the way I live my life will have to change—and I'm not ready for that!").

Of course God has His ways of intervening in lives to convince people of His reality. That is, in the end, a job the Holy Spirit does, not you and me with our apologetics and arguments (though those things may help).

The caution for me in this verse is the possibility that I might say I believe God exists, but then live as if He didn't. Fools may come in more than one guise.

PRAYER: Dear God, I believe You exist and have revealed Yourself through Jesus and the Bible. Please help me to live my life consistent with what I say I believe. Amen.
 
MORE: An argument from logic

In his article "The Presumptuousness of Atheism" Paul Copan makes the following four points to counter atheist Antony Flew's statement that the "onus of proof (for God's existence) must lie with the theist," and  Michael Scriven's assertion that "The lack of evidence for God's existence and the lack of evidence for Santa Claus are on the same level":

1. First, even if the theist could not muster good arguments for God’s existence, atheism still would not be shown to be true....

2. Second, the "presumption of atheism" demonstrates a rigging of the rules of philosophical debate in order to play into the hands of the atheist, who himself makes a truth claim.... The atheist assumes that if one has no evidence for God’s existence, then one is obligated to believe that God does not exist—whether or not one has evidence against God’s existence...

3. Third, in the absence of evidence for God’s existence, agnosticism, not atheism, is the logical presumption...

4. Fourth, to place belief in Santa Claus or mermaids and belief in God on the same level is mistaken...

Read all of  "The Presumptuousness of Atheism."

***********

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Do we hear but not hear?

Pisidian Antioch - Illustrations from Thomas Lewin's Life of Paul

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Acts 13:13-35

TO CHEW ON: "'For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him'" - Acts 13:27

Here Paul is preaching in the Antioch synagogue. In his talk he tells the story of his people and God's dealings with them. He mentions their enslavement in Egypt, their wilderness wanderings, their conquest of Canaan, their rule by judges, their first kings Saul and David. That latter was to be father of Messiah. Then Paul identifies Him—Messiah—as Jesus and describes how their own rulers put Him to death.

What's chilling in the way he tells it is that these leaders should have known better. Because of their exposure to the Prophets "which are read every Sabbath" they should have recognized how Jesus fulfilled prophecies spoken in Isaiah 7:14, 11:1; Micah 5:2; Daniel 9:25; Zechariah 9:9 and elsewhere. But they didn't. What an irony when they ended up fulfilling more of those very prophecies as they condemned Jesus to death: Psalm 69:21; Isaiah 53:1-9.

We too can hear and not hear. Jesus describes such deaf hearing in His parable of the sower. He diagnoses it three ways:

• People hear but the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts - Luke 8:12.

• People hear and respond but the response is superficial. Temptation pulls up their shallow-rooted new life - Luke 8:13.

• People hear but immediately crowd out any chance that the word will germinate with other things: cares, riches, and pleasures - Luke 8:14 (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, the news, TV?).

Perhaps their closed-ear reaction is one reason Paul says one verse earlier: "Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of salvation has been sent" - Acts 13:26 (emphasis added)

We too can prove that this "word of salvation" has been sent to us by fearing God and really hearing and taking His word—about us, our sinful state, how we need a Savior, and how our life will change as we become His disciples—seriously.

PRAYER: Dear God, I don't want to be one of the people exposed to truth but unresponsive to it. Please help me to listen, hear, and 'fear.' Amen.

***********

The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

A parent's prayers

David prays for his child - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Samuel 12:15b-25

TO CHEW ON: "David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground." 2 Samuel 12:16

Though Nathan told David the child he had with Bathsheba would die, yet David continued to intercede, fast, and plead for the baby's life until it actually died.

I get that. I'm sure you do too. As parents, we are the ones most invested in the lives brought into the world through us. No one else cares for our kids and grand-kids like we do. Seeing them grow and develop is like opening a package—so this is what God has gifted us with.

Sometimes, along with the pleasant surprises, come some not so pleasant. This child has a physical challenge, that one a learning disability, another has trouble keeping friends. Whatever the issue, we're the constant in their lives—their cheering section, helping them cope, loving them through it all, and praying for them every step of the way.

We're in good company here, joining the ranks of David in our today's reading, and:

• of Abraham and Job who prayed for the spiritual well-being of their children - Genesis 17:18 and Job 1:5.

• of the father who pleaded for his epileptic son - Matthew 17:15.

• of the Greek mother whose persistent requests for her daughter with an unclean spirit moved Jesus to heal her - Mark 7:25-28.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help us to have the faith of these Bible parents to persistently bring my children's and grand-children's illnesses, troubles, challenges, and spiritual well-being to You. Amen.

 *********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Do our lives cast a shadow on God's name?

"You are the man" - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Samuel 12:1-15a

TO CHEW ON: " … by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme…" 2 Samuel 12:14

David's outrage at the unfairness of the rich man stealing the poor man's sheep in Nathan's story, and his moralistic prescription, show how callous and blind to his own sin his heart had become.

Nathan's response to him: "You are the man!" must have felt like a plunge into cold water for David - Oh, oh! Busted!

It was during the time that David was cleaning this up and getting back into a good relationship with God that he wrote Psalm 51. It shows the depth of his regret and the extent of his repentance.

However, life events can't be undone no matter how sincere the "sorry" is. There are consequences. For David they were serious:

• Killing and death would characterize his family (2 Samuel 12:10).

• He would be humiliated by someone ("from your own house… your neighbour") having his way with David's own harem (2 Samuel 12:11,12.

•  Because his actions brought disgrace on all God's followers and gave reason "to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme," the child Bathsheba had conceived with him would die (2 Samuel 12:14).

Thinking especially of the last one, these many years later it's not unusual for the sin of prominent Christians to cause God's enemies to continue that blasphemy. Just a few weeks ago another example of such a case came to light in Canada when a senator—a married family man and pastor of a church—was outed as having had an affair with a 16-year-old girl. All of Christendom gets a black eye from these cases.

However, before we get too self-righteous about this, we do well to examine our own lives for habits, reactions, and incidents that have contributed to bringing disgrace on God and His people. Things like lashing out in anger, spreading gossip, telling questionable jokes, small cheats in business or relationships are just a few examples of things that can be just as damaging to God's holy name as outright adultery (Romans 2:21-24).

If we have such things hiding in our lives, instead of waiting for a Nathan to come along and expose us, let's ask God to show us where we're kidding ourselves that everything is just fine. And then let's make it right—apologize, repay what isn't rightfully ours, clean up our mouths, end the questionable relationship—do all we can to thwart the enemy's opportunities to blaspheme because of us.

PRAYER: Dear God, please open my eyes to the sins in my own life that could cause Christians and non-Christians to disrespect You. Help me to deal with my own sins instead of judging others. Amen.

 *********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

A slide into sin

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Samuel 11:14-27

TO CHEW ON: "In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah." 2 Samuel 11:14

In the saddest of ironies, loyal and principled Uriah is returned to the battlefield carrying his own death sentence. David, in our reading today, acts more like a mafia boss than a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).

This is the same David who wrote;

"Offer the sacrifices of righteousness…" - Psalm 4:5

"You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,
Nor shall evil dwell with You" - Psalm 5:4.

"You have tested my heart;
You have visited me in the night,
You have tried me and found nothing.
I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress" - Psalm 17:3

etc.

How does he find himself here? It doesn't happen overnight but is a slide
- from duty avoidance, idleness, boredom  (2 Samuel 11:1)
- to letting his eyes linger on what is not his (2 Samuel 11:2)
- to fantasy followed by adultery (2 Samuel 11:3-4)
- to an attempt to cover up the pregnancy that results by bringing Uriah,  Bathsheba's husband, home from the battlefield, urging him to sleep with her, even getting him drunk, and when that doesn't work out (2 Samuel 11:6-12)
- to murder (2 Samuel 11:15).

If esteemed David can fall like this, how vulnerable are we? Apostle Paul warns New Testament Christians in 1 Corinthians 10 of exactly this descent into sin (1 Corinthians 10:6-11). Let's let his warning and advice to the Corinthians ring in our ears:

"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.  No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it - 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (emphasis added).

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to recognize my first wandering steps from You as the beginning of the slide that they are. Help me to find a way out of temptation at its earliest stages. Amen.

 *********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Self-indulgent and bored

David Sees Bathsheba Bathing - James Tissot

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Samuel 11:1-13

TO CHEW ON: "In the spring when kings go off to war, David sent Joab .... One evening, David got up from his couch and was pacing back and forth on the roof of the palace ..." 2 Samuel 11:1,2

The two opening verses of this incident speak eloquently of why David was vulnerable to temptation:

1. He was taking a break from his normal routine. It was spring and he was usually off fighting. But not this year.

2. He was bored. What was he doing on his couch so late in the day (without any TV too) so that it was evening when he "got up from his couch" and was "pacing back and forth on the roof of the palace"?

Ripe for some excitement, for a little spice in his humdrum existence, the sight of Bathsheba bathing on a rooftop was just the ticket.

It's a cautionary tale for us during this holiday time of year. Vacations and holidays—a break from the work routine—are part of the yearly cycle for many of us. But when our attitude becomes too self-indulgent we may be opening ourselves up to temptation. The old saying "The devil finds work for idle hands to do" is another way of expressing the danger of boredom.

This summer let's be on guard against self-indulgence and boredom. As our pastor admonished us in a last Sunday sermon before summer: "Read your Bible in the extra time you have during the holidays. Pray with your spouse and children. Play praise music and sing along as you travel..."

PRAYER: Dear God, I never want to take a vacation from You. Help me to get to know You better during the holidays instead of drifting into danger. Amen.  

********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Petrified hearts

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Mark 6:45-56

TO CHEW ON: "Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marvelled. For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened." Mark 6:51-52

We expect to see the masses with "hardened hearts" but the disciples?

[Hardened - poroo means to petrify, form a callous, make hard. the word is used metaphorically of spiritual deafness and blindness" - Word Wealth, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1364.]

In what ways were the disciples' hearts hard? They were not Jesus's enemies, resisting and arguing with his teachings like the scribes and Pharisees, were they?

Mark tells us their shock at seeing Jesus walk on the water and then calm the storm was proof of their hard hearts. It showed they hadn't understood the loaves and fishes miracle and let it change them in a fundamental way.

 So what was there to understand about it?

Perhaps foremost that Jesus had power over nature and natural processes? Their minds were so set on the natural interpretation of life that even seeing and eating Jesus' miracle meal made no lasting impression

Could we be guilty of the same thing? We're in need, we pray, we get answers to prayer. But somehow, the next time a storm comes along we find we haven't let those answers change our outlook. We demonstrate by our fearful and jumpy reaction to trouble that our hearts are the same. We're still expecting to do life on our own and at some deep level believe that things can't possibly turn out well because the situation looks so bad.

May the fact of God's omnipotent all-sufficiency penetrate and soften our stony hearts so they beat with a lively, vibrant faith in Him in all situations.

PRAYER: Dear God, I confess I have been guilty of this kind of hard heart that hasn't learned to trust You through Your past interventions. Please soften my hard heart. Amen.

********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

An interrupted vacation

"Miracle of the Loves and Fishes" by James Tissot

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Mark 6:30-44

TO CHEW ON: "And He said to them, 'Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.' For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. .. But the multitudes saw them departing and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him." Mark 6:31,33

Visualize the scene. Jesus' twelve disciples have just returned from a mission trip of their own. On it they healed the sick, cast out evil spirits, lived on the hospitality of strangers, and experienced not only popularity but also rejection (Mark 6:7-13). They're back and exhausted but the crowds don't let up, in fact, the needs are so urgent and persistent Jesus and his disciples don't even have time to eat (Mark 6:31).

" 'Come aside… and rest…' " Jesus urges them. So they board a boat for some deserted beach, looking forward to a bit of R&R.

Imagine their surprise, then, when they get to land and another crowd is waiting for them. Some observant Israelites know Jesus' favourite "deserted" places and have led the crowd straight to this one. Instead of a break, Jesus & company face more work and eventually the need to feed 5,000+.

We're in the middle of holiday season ourselves. Maybe you're on vacation as you read this. You need the break too, have anticipated it, planned for it, set up your out-of-office message, cancelled the mail, done everything you can to guarantee your holiday is truly a break. And then something comes up and you have to put on your uniform and get back into the battle.

I admire the disciples here. There's not a whisper of complaint or self-pity. The only impatience I pick up is when they make the practical suggestion that Jesus send the crowd away to get food at the end of the "far spent" day. But when He requests, they ask around for food and come up with the meager five-loaf, two-fish ration.

Ah, but then comes the miracle when everyone gets to eat! And I wouldn't be surprised if the disciples aren't more energized by their participation in this amazing scene than if they'd been lying around all day.

Some lessons we can learn from this incident.

1. When our plans conflict with what God is allowing to come across our path, it's good to be as flexible as the disciples are here.

2. When we fit in with God's plans, we put ourselves in a place where surprises and even miracles are possible.

3. God has unique and wonderful ways of renewing us—and it's not always with a vacation - Isaiah 40:30; Ephesians 3:16-19; Colossians 1:9-11.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to put myself at Your disposal and to fit in with Your plans all the time, even when I'm on vacation. Amen.

 *********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Let God father you

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Psalm 89:19-37

TO CHEW ON: "He shall cry to me, 'You are my Father,

My God and the rock of my salvation." Psalm 89:26

Dr. David Popenoe, a sociologist who researches fathers and fatherhood talks, without equivocation, about the importance of fathers: "'Fathers are far more than just "second adults" in the home. Involved fathers bring positive benefits to their children that no other person is as likely to bring.'" The article from which this quote was taken (to child protection workers in the U.S.) goes on to discuss how children with involved, caring fathers have better education outcomes, are more emotionally secure, and feel safer than children who grow up in homes without a father present.

In our reading today Ethan the Ezrahite draws our attention to the son-father relationship that David had with God (Psalm 89:26). Jesus often talked about and referred to God as His Father too (e.g. Mark 11:27).

["The word 'father' is ab. It is one of the first words a baby can speak. The Aramaic form of 'ab' is 'abba' which has become common in Hebrew as the word Israelite children use for 'daddy.' Jesus applied this toddler's word to His divine Father in Mark 14:36" - Dick Mills, "Word Wealth", New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 736.]

We too are God's children. He is our Father (2 Corinthians 6:18), a fact we accept by faith (Galatians 3:26). How does God father us?

• He forms us - Isaiah 64:8.

• He adopts us - Romans 8:15.

• He guides us - Jeremiah 3:4

• We talk to Him in prayer - Matthew 6:6.

• He promises to give us good things - Matthew 7:11.

• He gives us a heritage - Jeremiah 3:19.

• He will judge our performance fairly - 1 Peter 1:17.

• We have the promise that we will be like Him someday - 1 John 3:2.

Transferring the feelings that we have for our earthly fathers to our heavenly Father is always tricky—even if our earthly father was a good one. It is even more difficult if our earthly father was absent, abusive, or a negative influence. However, even in this God fathers us. For convincing us of the fact that we are God's children and what that means is one of the jobs of God the Holy Spirit:

"And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, 'Abba Father'"- Galatians 4:6.

and

"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God" - Romans 8:16.

Let's let God father us today.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for being my Father. Help me to learn more and more what this means in my everyday life. Amen.

MORE: "Father Me" by Brian Doerksen

*********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Hospitable Machir

Mephibosheth & Machir - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Samuel 9:1-13

TO CHEW ON: "Then king David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar." - 2 Samuel 9:5

David, wanting to be sure he kept his word to his old friend Jonathan, set about looking for any descendants of Saul to whom he could show kindness. He discovered Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan.

We see an earlier installment of Mephibosheth's life in 2 Samuel where immediately after Saul and Jonathan's deaths, their families fled for their lives. During that flight the nanny dropped five-year-old Mephibosheth. The drop injured his feet so that all his life he was lame (2 Samuel 4:4).

Now David found out about his existence. He was living at the home of Machir in Lo Debar. My footnotes describe Machir as "a wealthy man who took the young orphan into his house after Jonathan's death" - Jerry Cook, writer of 2 Samuel notes, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 413.

Machir is mentioned as well in 2 Samuel 17. It's the story of the time when Absalom declared himself king causing David and his loyalists to flee from Jerusalem. Stuck in the desert—and a long way from Safeway or Costco—who should come laden with "...beds and basins, earthen vessels and wheat, barley, flour, parched grain and beans, lentils and parched seeds, honey and curds, sheep and cheese of the herd..." but Mahanaim, Barzillai and Machir from Lo Debar, musing "the people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness" - 2 Samuel 17:27-29.

This Machir is only mentioned in the Bible these two times (as far as I can tell) and in both it is for generous hospitality. What a great Old Testament example of someone living out the New Testament spiritual gift of mercy through hospitality (Romans 12:8). It's a lifestyle we should still emulate:

"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels" - Hebrews 43:2.

"Be hospitable to one another without grumbling" - 1 Peter 4:9

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, the hospitality of Bible characters like Machir is only a reflection of Your hospitable, welcoming attitude toward me. Help me to be so secure in Your love that a generous, hospitable spirit becomes second-nature to me. Amen.

MORE: A Hospitality Prayer

"Lord,

Thank You for having given Yourself in intimate inexplicable hospitality.

You have been the Host to all creation...

Without a table You have banqueted us,

inviting us, yea, to be married unto You.

Over our heads flies the banner of Your love.

We are entertained with the mysteries of faith,

the songs of the Spirit, holy laughter

You have garmented us in festal righteousness.

As we wandered in wastelands,

You sought us before we called.

You extended eager welcome

though we had scarcely knocked.

You embraced us when we were filthy

and oppressed and undeserving...

Through eternity You have been and will be utterly hospitable.

Help me,

poor, faltering, unfeeling me,

to be like You,

with breath-beat and soul-heart

poured out

emptied

opened.

Help me

to be given to hospitality."

- Excerpts from "A Prayer,"  by Karen Burton Mains from the book Open Heart, Open Home: How to find joy through sharing your home with others, pp. 197-199 (1976 edition).

The book Open Heart, Open Home gives a wonderful rationale for Christian hospitality. My old copy is copyrighted 1976 (I bought it from a church library discards table), but it was re-released in 2002.

***********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.