Did you ever lament for something that was unworthy of it?
Thinking about David's actions led me to think about my own. There have been times where I lamented losing things that were harmful to me and others. It was better to have it out of my life, yet I continued to look back over my shoulder at it. We can get so caught up in our desires we tend to focus only upon them. And looking back upon sin is no way to lead a family forward.
I suppose it will come down to what we set our eyes upon. Will we keep looking forward upon the LORD or will we keep our eyes backwards and down upon that which will perish.
I was working on cleaning up a hedge tree a while ago. If you haven't worked with one you just need to imagine incredibly hard wood with 2 inch thorns. As I was dragging a branch to the burn pile it flipped on me and jabbed a thorn just under my knee cap. It hurt really really bad. Really bad.
Anyways, we are called to minister to worthless men. We are not called to participate with worthless men. They are like thorns. You don't go playing around with a thorn tree because it will just end up stabbing you in the hand or knee. Don't expect to go the parties, talk bad about others, curse at the ball games, and not have it come back and jab a thorn under your kneecap.
There is only one end for our lives if we live in a worthless way ...
I drive one of my co-workers crazy with the saying ... "The squeaky wheel gets the grease".
The sad truth of the matter is that people who complain A LOT tend to get stuff just to make them shut up. What makes my co-worker mad is that it really isn't fair.
Many times the person who complains doesn't deserve what they get. They are just used to getting what they want by whining. And the people who have real needs, or who need justice, are usually silent in their suffering.
It is up to us to be a good judge. To be men and women who do what is right no matter how the winds blow. To be honest with those who should be told ... "That is enough. Be patient with what you have". And to give what is needed, when it is needed, and to give justice to those who are silent. We can only do this by actively looking for them in our lives.
This is one area of my life that I need to improve.
... by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord.
Do you ever think that when you sin you have utterly scorned the Lord? Anger, scorn, sexual sin, adultery, murder. We tend to think of those as being "between us". That there is a victim of the sin and a sinner. Not often do we stop to think that by sinning we are utterly scorning God. We spit in the face of His sacrifice on the cross.
I wonder how often we would sin if the gateway to get there was standing before Jesus on the cross ... and spitting on Him as we walk by to fulfill our desires.
If only I were in charge how different things would be! Yes everyone would have a free home. You would not pay anymore taxes ... that would be only for those that have taken from the poor. We all will ride unicorns that eat rainbows and save the rain forest.
I was trying to be funny, but beware of those that speak well and promise good things. Their heart is usually only upon themselves.
Pride comes before the fall. The Jebusites felt that Jerusalem was so safe that the blind and lame could fight off David. They were wrong.
Myself, I like to argue ... a lot. And part of that is a pride that I have in figuring out what is right or wrong in a debate. It is my job ( teaching mathematics / logic classes ) and I really like to break down things until I know the why's and how's.
But, pride is a very dangerous thing. Having honorable pride in what we do is a good thing. It drives you to work hard and do well. Having a false pride based on past experience can lead laziness and a fall.
Who am I. That is on my mind a lot. It is so hard to access yourself honestly. To not lift yourself up and to not cut yourself down. Just to be honest in looking at where you are, who you are, and what you have done.
I know my weakness and my strengths. And sometimes they are one in the same. O LORD God ... just ... lead me.
While listening to the parables of the lost sheep and coins I was thinking about the times I lost something at home. You are running around the house getting angry and upset over not finding it. You rip open the curtains to let in more light and shake bags upside down. Take the covers off the bed and the cushions from the couch. Get on the floor and rub your hands on the carpet to see if you can feel it. Yell at the kids in case one of them took it.
And then the feeling you get when you find it. The release you feel in your stomach at finally having it in your hand. It is like you can breathe again.
Or ....
may be it is like this ....
We were at the mall ... And I lost track of my son.
My heart hit my stomach and I got scared and angry and ... I can't even find the words. I thought maybe he went to the restroom. I go in and look under each of the doors.
Not there.
As I go out I notice that the door next to the restrooms that leads outside is propped open ...
That isn't supposed to be like that.
Now I'm really angry and scared. Heading back down the hallway I see a play area with a corner that is kind of hidden. Looking over the wall ...
There he is.
NOW I can't describe the feeling of ... completeness ... that I felt just looking at him.
I suppose that is what God feels when we come home.
