Saturday, February 25, 2006

The Choice

Jeremiah 17: 5-8

5 Thus says the Lord: Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength, whose hearts turn away from the Lord. 6 They shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when relief comes. They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. 7 Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. 8 They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.

---------------------------------------------


The Lord does not say that He will curse those who turn away from Him and trust in mere mortals. He says “Cursed are those…” as if that is simply the inevitable consequence of those who trust in mortals and whose hearts turn away from the Lord. Just like the desert shrub cannot be a fruitful tree planted by the water because, unlike the tree, it is in a parched place in the wilderness with no access to water.

Likewise, the Lord does not say He will bless those who trust in the Lord. He says, “Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose confidence (NIV) is in the Lord.” Again, it’s just the way things are. The tree planted by the water grows and bears fruit, no matter what. It is just a natural outcome of where it is planted. The tree doesn’t do anything to grow like that. Roots tend naturally towards the waters. It hasn’t earned its green leaves or its fruit. It is a natural outcome of being planted by the water.

Unlike the shrub and tree, however, as human beings we have a choice: To trust in the Lord or not to trust in the Lord; to put our confidence in mortals and flesh, or to put our confidence in the Lord.

Which is it going to be?

Look at the natural outcome of our choice. Which would you choose?

I have a confession. Lately, I turned my heart away from the Lord. I put my trust in mere mortals and the flesh, rather than in God. Even went so far as to declare, “Not only do I not want to praise God, I don’t want anything to do with Him.”

Not a good place to be.

It felt exactly like the parched places of the wilderness, with no relief in sight. Cursed. I blamed God for cursing me, when, perhaps, it was simply the inevitable outcome of having a misplaced confidence, and of having turned away from the Lord.

I don’t want to be a relief-less shrub in the parched wilderness anymore. I don’t want to feel cursed. Thankfully, there is a way out: to turn back to the Lord and put my trust and confidence in Him.

That choice is mine to make. The rest is up to Him.

See how the tree is “planted” by water? There is a permanence about being planted. The tree doesn’t move from place to place. That tree’s roots have access to the stream and moves naturally towards it. So it thrives, not just in good weather, but in heat…and even in drought. It always bears fruit. The tree can’t take credit for either the green leaves or the fruit. It is just a natural outcome of having been planted by the water, so its roots have access to the stream.


My faith has been uprooted recently and consequently, even when it felt real, it was weak and temporary, completely subject to the vicissitudes of my life. In good weather, it blossomed. When the heat came, it wilted. When the drought came, it died. Eventually, it turned away from the Lord, and I found myself cursed, as a shrub in the desert, parched, and dying.

Am I speaking to someone who shares this experience? I don’t want to go on like this. Do you?

Notice how the Lord says, “when the heat comes…” and “in the season of drought…”

Both of these are a part of the tree's existence. But, still, its leaves are green and it never ceases to bear fruit. Great weather is not permanent. It never is. Not even for that tree planted by the water.

But, planted by the water, its leaves stay green and it keeps bearing fruit.

Put your trust in the Lord. Let it be permanent. Put your confidence in Him. Turn to Him. Then, the Lord says, “Blessed” are you, in any season.

So, are you ready to move from cursed to blessed? Maybe you can’t be sure about the outcome of trusting in the Lord. There is still a part of me, too, that is in unbelief. But, what have we to lose in turning to the Lord and trusting Him? We already know what it feels like to be cursed when our trust and confidence is not in Him.

Why not take a chance on Him? It’s a choice our life depends on.
------------------------------

Dear Lord,

Have mercy.

I have turned away from you and felt the consequences: Cursed. I want to choose another way. I want to turn back to you. I want to put my trust in you again. Please help me.

I want my confidence to be planted in You. Let my trust in You no longer vacillate. Let my confidence be in You and none other. The bearing of fruit, and the green of my leaves are up to You now.

Let me be planted by the water so that, even in this season of drought, my roots will turn to the living waters You provide.

I no longer want to be cursed. I choose to trust you, O Lord.

In the name of the Son of God, who calls us by name and gives us life more abundantly, I pray; in Jesus Christ’ name.

Amen.

Sunday, February 19, 2006

The Proper Perspective

Psalm 103: 11-22

11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. 14 For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. 17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, 18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. 19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. 20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, obedient to his spoken word. 21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will. 22 Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul.

--------------------------------------------

I am so familiar with this Psalm. It has been the “Birthday Psalm” in my family, a tradition that was set by my grandfather. Good one. I would recommend it. Just look at its words. I use the word “look” deliberately. This is a very visual Psalm.

I’m looking at this section of Psalm 103 today in a whole new light. It’s giving me a whole new perspective. I think I’m getting a real appreciation for the Word of God as a living word. It just doesn’t get stale. It’s alive, and breathing. And, if you let it, it will help you live. Keep you alive when there might be reason to die.

I love the visuals that this psalm provides, and how they illustrate who we are, who God is and how He relates to us. Do you see? Next time I look up at the heavens, and see how far away they are, I will think “Wow. That’s how much God loves me with His steadfast love!” And my vision will probably start to blur as I consider such love. It’s almost beyond our imagination, that kind of love, both in its steadfastness and it’s enormity.

The dictionary definition of steadfast is: Not subject to change. So, there you have it. God’s love for us is not subject to change. Period. It doesn’t matter how much we change; how low we sink, how much our love for Him cools, or even disappears; or even if it turns to hate. All that is irrelevant to the Lord’s steadfast love towards us. And the enormity of it is staggering! As far as the heavens are from the earth! Wow. Do you know such love? You can. The Lord loves you and me that much. Steadfastly. This is what the Apostle Paul talks about when he is “convinced” that “ neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8: 38-39)

Wow.

When we encounter such love – the kind of love that will not separate itself from you, no matter what -- it is impossible not to respond. It is impossible not to have our hearts melt. Fight it all you want, in the end, it proves irresistible. I think the Lord of the heavens and the earth wants us to know Him like that. And, wants us to respond to His love with delight.

Look what He has done for us. Look at how He relates to us.

As far as the east is from the west, the Psalmist sings, “so far he removes our transgressions from us.” That’s a great distance! First, He loves us, then He removes our transgressions from us, so far that we are no longer associated with them. And then, the Lord is like a loving Father, “who has compassion for those who fear him.” I love how the issue of our transgressions is sandwiched between the Lord’s steadfast love and the Lord’s fatherly compassion.

Perhaps it’s because I need it now more than ever, that I am seeing what this Psalm offers in a whole new light.

Who am I? A transgressor. I am dust. My days are like grass. I wither away eventually. I am as fragile as a flower. All it takes is a wind to wipe away my existence. Then I’m gone. Forgotten.

Quite chastening those images! Rightly so. Puts me in my place, which is not a bad thing because in it all, I am still loved steadfastly and enormously. But, for me to respond with the appropriate gratitude and abandon, it takes humility - I need to rid myself of any sense of entitlement, any thought of merit. It takes humility to fear the Lord, that is, to give Him the reverential respect that is His due. Notice how fearing the Lord is a recurring theme in this Psalm. It is essential in the Psalmist’s mind.

It should be essential to us.

“But,” the Psalmist continues immediately after putting us in our place, “the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children.”

The Lord’s steadfast love is not bound by time or distance or even existence, as we know it, it seems. Here we are, transgressors made of dust, our days like grass. It doesn’t matter how accomplished we are, how rich we are, that is really, who we are before our Holy Creator of heaven and earth, who loves us like a compassionate Father.

I don’t think we can truly fear the Lord if we don’t realize the truth about ourselves. We can’t even breathe without Him. And, we are frail, forgettable transgressors weighed down with our sin without Him. Hardly a way to live. Add the Lord to our lives, and suddenly, no longer burdened by our transgressions, we can gallop around as people who are loved with an everlasting love beyond bounds and reason, or merit. And, we cannot fully appreciate, and fully respond to His incredible love if don’t have a proper view of who we are. We will just be indifferent or lukewarm. A proper perspective will deepen our relationship with our God, giving us a fuller realization of His love for us, which is beyond our wildest dreams.

I think, thanks to this Psalm, the next time I go for a walk, as I step out on grass and dust and pass the flowers along the way, I will remember my frailty, my weakness, and then I will look up and see the heavens, and remember that God loves me that much, and there’s nothing that will change that love, and then I’ll look beyond the horizons, and realize that my transgressions are far removed from me, well beyond the horizon; that I no longer need to feel their weight, because He has graciously removed them from me. And, I think it will be enough to bring me to my knees, in tears right then and there, to worship a Heavenly Creator who loves me so and who will never let me go.

And I will cry out with love and gratitude, “Bless the Lord, O my Soul. Bless His Holy Name!” Amen.

Friday, February 10, 2006

A Reputation to Protect

Luke 7: 36-50

36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and took his place at the table. 37 And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. 38 She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner." 40 Jesus spoke up and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." "Teacher," he replied, "speak." 41 "A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?" 43 Simon answered, "I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt." And Jesus said to him, "You have judged rightly." 44 Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little." 48 Then he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." 49 But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" 50 And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

---------------------------------------------

I imagine that Simon the Pharisee’s house was one where respectable and learned members of society were frequent dinner guests. They probably gathered in his home for a good meal and stimulating theological discussion. Conversation might well have centered on the Law and the Prophets, a Holy God and the importance of clean living.

God forbid that anyone of ill-repute would come to his table! People probably looked up to Simon and, as can be reasonably expected, he had a reputation to protect, and an example to set. And he wasn’t about to sully his reputation. Certainly, Simon would know better than to encourage the attention of a “sinful woman.” That would just look terrible, lower his standing, and probably ruin his reputation just by association.

That makes sense, doesn’t it?

Not as a follower of Christ.

Jesus’ reputation had spread far and wide by the time we reach this chapter in Luke’s Gospel. People have marveled at His teaching, and crowds have followed Him everywhere, many having been healed miraculously.

Apparently, His reputation as one who loves and forgives sinners has spread, too. How else can we account for the woman’s shocking boldness? Perhaps she was in the crowd when He taught His disciples to “Be compassionate as your Father in Heaven is compassionate.” (Luke 6:36) Perhaps she heard about how He touched and healed lepers, who were not supposed to be touched. Perhaps she was around when He talked about God’s upside-down hierarchy in the beatitudes. Whatever it is, when she hears that Jesus is close by, she goes to Him determinedly and gratefully, expecting someone who will not shun her.

She is not disappointed.

Let’s be clear here. Jesus does not commend her sin. But, He graciously and unconditionally receives the sinner. He forgives her. He commends her faith. It takes bold faith for Her to come to Him. But because of His reputation, she knew where to go. And when she gets to Jesus, she shows Him her gratitude unreservedly and unashamedly.

She comes prepared with alabaster oil. She weeps. She pours the perfume on His feet and wipes them with her hair! She doesn’t say a word to Him, but her actions speak louder than words to Jesus. And, in Simon the reputable law keeper’s home, Jesus commends her faith and actions -- only underlining the reputation that precedes Him. He is someone who will not turn away sinners. It says a lot about Jesus Christ. It should say a lot to His followers.

What does someone like me, who professes to follow Christ, do with that? First, I know that as a sinner myself I can approach Jesus Christ with boldness, knowing that He will forgive my sins. My life depends on that. This remarkable story is a wonderful testimony to that fact. Now, as a forgiven follower of Jesus Christ, I must be His witness. Which means that I have to have the same reputation that He did.

The Bible tells us that sinners have an advocate in Jesus Christ. We, who profess to follow Him, must testify to that fact. Our words and our actions must develop a reputation that reflects the true character of Christ. To be faithful witnesses for our Lord, we can do no less than unconditionally love, forgive and show compassion as He did,

...having received it ourselves.

To do anything other than that is to sully Christ’s reputation.

------------------------------

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the way in which you love and forgive sinners like myself. I want to be your faithful witness. Help me love, forgive and be compassionate just like you are, so that more and more people will come to you.

In the Jesus Christ, my Lord’s name, I pray.

Amen.

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Who's Coming?

Matthew 24: 32-44

32 "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 36 "But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, 39 and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. 42 Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

---------------------------

Have you ever longed with all your heart to see someone again? Have you ever thought that you would just die if you didn’t see someone again? If so, wouldn’t your heart soar to unimaginable heights to know that you will, even if it meant waiting…a long time.

When is this true? Only when you are apart from someone you know and love and want to be with; someone with whom you already have a deep, loving and committed relationship; someone you knew loved you and would do anything for you.

If, however, the relationship were a bad one, then you’d dread a reunion of any sort. If it were a lukewarm one, you would just get on with your life; go your separate ways. But, if your lives are already completely bound in heart, mind, body and soul, well, then the idea of moving on with your life doesn’t even arise.

Now, you can only have that kind of relationship with someone you spend a lot of time with, getting to know that person more and more intimately. A beloved spouse, for example.

So, as I think about Jesus' Second Coming I wonder, “What kind of relationship do I have with Jesus while He is physically away? Do I know Him intimately? Am I purposefully preparing for our reunion?

The truth is, I’ve been giving Him too little of my time.

Jesus goes on about the End Times (through the whole chapter), describing it in dramatic ways, talking about the return of the Son of Man. It’s fantastic. It’s frightening. It’s unimaginable. And, Jesus says, its timing is unknown to anyone but the Father. So, divining the time of the Second Coming is a waste of our time.

Here’s what’s not a waste of time: Working on a relationship with the Son of Man, so that when He does come back – and He is coming – He will return as your Lord.

Did you catch that? You could almost miss it. As Jesus talks about the Son of Man’s return, He suddenly throws in this line: "Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming."

Is He your Lord?

He certainly is “the Son of Man” who will come in glory, and at whose name every knee shall bow. But, is He your Lord? Do you have a personal relationship with Him? Do you even know Him? He cannot be your Lord, if you don’t know Him. Like any relationship, it takes time, it takes listening -- and giving oneself. For the real thing, it involves heart, mind, soul and strength.

And when you know Him, you know He isn’t a thief that you want to lock out. I think Jesus sets up this illustration as a deliberate and striking contrast to who He is: One who loves us, and wants to give us life abundantly. Not one who steals from us.

Still, His coming could be terrifying if you don’t know Him. But, when you do…ah, that’s a different story. All the time that you are waiting, you’d be getting ready for the reunion. It would just be the way you live. The way things were.

When your Lord, your beloved, was at the gates, wild horses couldn’t keep you from running to Him. You’d be so ready for His arrival.

Who is the Son of Man to you?

-----------------------------

Dear Lord,

Forgive me that I have been negligent in spending time with you. I know you love me. And, I want to be ready. I want to receive you with open arms, tears in my eyes, saying “My Lord! I have been waiting so long for you, my beloved.”

Help me know you like that.

In Jesus my Lord’s name I pray.

Amen

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

He's Talking to Me!

Psalm 32: 8-11

8 I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. 9 Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not stay near you. 10 Many are the torments of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord. 11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.

---------------------------

“Speak, Lord, your servant is listening,” I prayed yesterday. He has spoken! Am I listening?

The Lord Himself will instruct me. His eye is upon me. He is not indifferent to, or ignorant about, my life. I don’t know about you, but this sound very personal to me. And it blows me away that the Lord would speak to me like this – like someone who wants to be intimately involved in my life.

I…You, My…You. “You and I” the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth, seems to be saying. “This is about how you and I will relate to one another.”

If you feel the Lord is addressing you as well, perhaps that’s because He takes the time to have a relationship with us individually. We are not some collective, faceless form He addresses, part of the unidentified masses. Far from it! He calls us by name, as He called Bezalel, and wants to counsel us personally, as He did with David.

“My eye is on you.”

Wow. Think about that for a minute. God Almighty has his eye on you and on me. There is something terribly intimate about that. And terrifying. It is enough to make us tremble with fear – appropriately so in front of a Holy God.

Yet, look at the context. These words are spoken to David. David – who should know –begins by declaring, “Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit… I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord," and you forgave the guilt of my sin.”

David has confidence in the Lord, even as he acknowledges that he has transgressed, or perhaps because he acknowledges his sin and knows he’s been forgiven. There is nothing theoretical or abstract about David’s trust.

“You are a hiding place for me…you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.”

He has broken the law and his hiding place is in the Lord! Glad cries of deliverance surround David, provided by the Lord. The Lord not only affirms David’s trust, He goes a step further: “steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.”

“You won’t just be delivered,” the Lord seems to be saying, “You will also be surrounded by steadfast love.”

Who cannot take comfort in David’s confidence and the Lord’s response? It is an extravagantly generous, grace-filled personal response to every transgressor, who has confessed his or her sin to the Lord. Do you see the look of love in God’s watchful eye, as He counsels you? Can you see why we can trust Him?

As He did with David, God calls sinners – you and I -- to a personal relationship based on love and forgiveness. Make no mistake that it is a relationship in which He remains Lord; it is a relationship in which sin must be acknowledged before Him. But, it is reason to rejoice and be glad. For He forgives and shows us the way, and His love remains steadfast.

Hear Him today as He counsels you, and look around you for His steadfast love.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Lord,

Thank you for forgiving my transgressions. Thank you that you impute no iniquity to my name. Thank you for being my hiding place from condemnation. Help me follow your teaching, and listen to your counsel as you show me the way that I should go. I don’t want to be stubborn like a mule. I want to stay by your side. Let your steadfast love carry me through.

In Jesus, my redeemer’s name, I pray.

Amen.

Monday, February 06, 2006

Read the Book!

1 Timothy 3: 14-17

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, 15 and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

-------------

Yesterday I asked, “What does the Lord need me to do?” That was a quick response!

He knows that I have fallen away from the practice of reading Scripture, of abiding in the Word. “Continue in what you have learned and firmly believed,” He says, gently, as is His way with sinners. “This is what I need you to do,” He seems to be saying to me.

I did “firmly believed” – until recently.

I have not walked away from the faith, but I have surely stumbled, and my belief has slipped, almost drowned in despair. Here, the Lord seems to be saying to me “Continue, my child…” The Scriptures have instruction for my salvation, though faith in Christ Jesus. It is where I find my training. It is how I become proficient in the ways of God, and equipped for God’s work, which is always good.

I am one of the fortunate ones. Much like Timothy, this faith has been mine since my childhood. I have been weaned on these ‘sacred writings.” My mother, my grandmother, my grandfather and marvelous Christian witnesses that God has sent my way have taught me well. At every stage of my faith journey, they have proved trustworthy in their instruction. My grandfather, for example, used to quote verse sixteen to me, to underscore the importance of reading Scripture. So, I’ve come this far, carried on the firm shoulders of many God-given saints, though they would not see themselves that way.

On my resume, I list a proficiency in French. I have sometimes wondered what my faith resume would look like. I have nothing to boast to God. I could not confidently take my faith resume and go to Jesus Christ for a Kingdom job. Yet, He comes to me with a job vacancy – just for me! He comes to me! He hasn’t even asked to see my resume! His grace is sufficient! He seems to be saying, “You’ve already got the job. Stop trying to pad your resume. You’ve already got what you need. Continue in it. You have the instruction manual. Don’t throw it away. I’m going to equip you for my work with my word.”

Do you hear Him, too?

Do you stand convicted, as I do, as someone who had cast aside the Scriptures, in anger, in disbelief, in disappointment, in despair, in disobedience, in busyness? If you are, then we are being charged to “continue” in the Scriptures. Paul’s charge to Timothy echoes what the Lord says to us: “Don’t give up on the word of God. Continue. Persevere in it. There you will find instruction for your salvation, through faith in me.”

You can count on what God says, even when you can’t count on your faith.

----------

Dear Lord,

Forgive me for discarding your word. Forgive me for forsaking your instruction. Forgive me for nullifying your grace. Thank you that I can count on you, even when I cannot count on my faith. Thank you for reminding me of my faith inheritance. Help me continue on that path. You are the Way. You are the Word become flesh. Thank you for speaking to me, even when I didn’t want to speak to you, or listen to you.

Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.

In Jesus Christ my Savior’s name, I pray.

Sunday, February 05, 2006

"Wasting" Time and Talent

Exodus 37:1-9

1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; it was two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. 2 He overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold around it. 3 He cast for it four rings of gold for its four feet, two rings on its one side and two rings on its other side. 4 He made poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold, 5 and put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark. 6 He made a mercy seat of pure gold; two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its width. 7 He made two cherubim of hammered gold; at the two ends of the mercy seat he made them, 8 one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end; of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim at its two ends. 9 The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings. They faced one another; the faces of the cherubim were turned toward the mercy seat.

------------------

Reluctantly, but with very good Kingdom sense, I recently gave up a very good job, and – perhaps with less sense -- made no plans about what to do next. Now, I’m wondering, “What do I do next?” I know God required me to leave that job behind. But, He hasn’t been clear about what to do next. One option is to continue in the same line. But, easy as that might be, it does not appeal to me at all.

What does the Lord (whose call I have surely heard) need me to do?

Today’s reading describes Bezalel building the ark. Read before and further, and you find the remarkable attention to detail, the incredible skill and creativity brought to bear – and you get a sense of the sheer extravagance of it all, both in terms of time spent on the endeavor and the material used: lots of pure gold. It’s worth remembering that the people of Israel are wandering through the desert towards the Promised Land. Shouldn’t they hurry to their destination? Shouldn’t they be doing something productive to fulfill that goal? Wouldn’t Bezalel’s skills be better used to facilitate the journey? Designing a new flying machine, perhaps? And what about all that gold? What appalling extravagance!

And, yet, all of this pleases God, meeting His requirements.

So, back to my question: What do I do here in the desert, a place to which God has brought me as surely as He brought the Israelites to the Sinai?

I read up a little about Bezalel, whom I hadn’t heard about before. Turns out that the Lord called him, too: (35: 30-33) "See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; he has filled him with divine spirit, with skill, intelligence, and knowledge in every kind of craft, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, in every kind of craft . . ."

His talent does not seem to match his place or circumstances; you wouldn’t think it was particularly useful to people wandering in the desert. But, here he was, a skilled artisan, given this talent by the Lord Himself, and called by Him to use it for His glory at this inconvenient time, in this unlikely place.

So, is the Lord calling me to use skills that He has given me in this unlikely place, too? Is He calling you? Is He calling us to use our talents extravagantly for His purpose and His glory, with no obvious productivity to show for? Will it mean “wasting” our time and “wasting” our talents and resources as far as the world is concerned – all for God’s glory and God’s purpose?

At the end of Exodus, Bezalel’s completed work – the Tabernacle -- is filled with the glory of the Lord.

So much for a wasting his time and talent.

What “Tabernacle” does the Lord require us “to build” with our skills, so that, wherever He has placed us, His glory may have a place to fill?

------------------

Dear Lord,

You called Bezalel to use his God-given skills in a way that made little earthly sense, and yet it pleased you and brought you great glory. Please help me hear your voice. I know you have called me, too. Let your call drown out the common sense of the world, including my own, and direct me to use my skills -- all for your glory and your purpose.

Amen.