spared

Then David set out and came to the place where Saul had encamped; and David saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner son of Ner, the commander of his army. Saul was lying within the encampment, while the army was encamped around him. Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, “Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” So David and Abishai went to the army by night; there Saul lay sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the army lay around him. Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand today; now therefore let me pin him to the ground with one stroke of the spear; I will not strike him twice.” But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him; for who can raise his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless?” David said, “As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him down; or his day will come to die; or he will go down into battle and perish. The LORD forbid that I should raise my hand against the LORD’S anointed; but now take the spear that is at his head, and the water jar, and let us go.” So David took the spear that was at Saul’s head and the water jar, and they went away. No one saw it, or knew it, nor did anyone awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen upon them. Then David went over to the other side, and stood on top of a hill far away, with a great distance between them. David called to the army and to Abner son of Ner, saying, “Abner! Will you not answer?” Then Abner replied, “Who are you that calls to the king?” David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king. This thing that you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, you deserve to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD’S anointed. See now, where is the king’s spear, or the water jar that was at his head?” Saul recognized David’s voice, and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.” And he added, “Why does my lord pursue his servant? For what have I done? What guilt is on my hands? Now therefore let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is the LORD who has stirred you up against me, may he accept an offering; but if it is mortals, may they be cursed before the LORD, for they have driven me out today from my share in the heritage of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ Now therefore, do not let my blood fall to the ground, away from the presence of the LORD; for the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flea, like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.” Then Saul said, “I have done wrong; come back, my son David, for I will never harm you again, because my life was precious in your sight today; I have been a fool, and have made a great mistake.” David replied, “Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and get it. The LORD rewards everyone for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the LORD gave you into my hand today, but I would not raise my hand against the LORD’S anointed. As your life was precious today in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the LORD, and may he rescue me from all tribulation.” Then Saul said to David, “Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place. (1 Samuel 26:5-25, NRSV)

David could have killed the person who was chasing him. He could have eliminated the threat. He was standing over Saul as he slept and could have easily ended his life…

But would that have ended the hunt of David?

In actuality it probably would have made the armies of Saul want to hunt him down all the more.

Sometimes the easy answer, here that was killing of your pursuer, is not the best answer.

David tells Abishai not to kill Saul, but they take the spear and water jug to prove they were there and could have easily killed Saul. They show their superiority over the armies of Saul, or the weakness of the armies of Saul, either way, they show their compassion.

We need to think through the options before us, before jumping to what seems to be the easy answer and weigh the options correctly to discover what the best answer is and follow through on that.

That is what David did, will we have cool enough heads to do the same?

back from the dead…

Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. I will provide for you there—since there are five more years of famine to come—so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.’ And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. You must tell my father how greatly I am honored in Egypt, and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him. (Genesis 45:1-15, NRSV)

What would you do if someone you had hurt badly and you thought was dead, was now standing in front of you and able to make you sit in prison for the rest of your life or worse?

Most of us will never be in the place Joseph’s brothers were, but we have been in similar places standing before those we have hurt. We fear the worst in these situations, not knowing how the other will act, but knowing they are justified in almost whatever they do.

But here Joseph shows mercy, as God does to us. Joseph shows grace to his brothers. For the family he had lost was now back with him, and he could be reconciled to them.

Sometimes the things we do intended to harm, are the things that lead others to greater fulfillment in the life that God has called them to. Adversity is not the absence of God, but striving through adversity knowing God is with us, will lead us to a greater understanding of god’s grace and mercy, so we will be better equipped to show these traits to others.

unexpected welcome

Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids. He put the maids with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. He himself went on ahead of them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near his brother. But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” Then the maids drew near, they and their children, and bowed down; Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down; and finally Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor with my lord.” But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” Jacob said, “No, please; if I find favor with you, then accept my present from my hand; for truly to see your face is like seeing the face of God—since you have received me with such favor. Please accept my gift that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have everything I want.” So he urged him, and he took it. Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go alongside you.” But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herds, which are nursing, are a care to me; and if they are overdriven for one day, all the flocks will die. Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, according to the pace of the cattle that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.” So Esau said, “Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “Why should my lord be so kind to me?” So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. (Genesis 33:1-16, NRSV)

Did you ever know someone was coming who you were worried about how the interaction would be?

Maybe like Jacob you mistreated the person coming to see you. Maybe your Esau is coming and you do not know how they are going to react. And when you see them coming they have a group of people coming with them.

You expect the worst…

Yet when they get to you, or close to you, they start running and embrace you. One of the warmest embraces you have ever had, as if the sun were shining down on you and making your day!

Esau had every reason to want to kill Jacob for all the things that had happened, yet Esau was changed and knew the gift he had in receiveing his brother back. How often do we see the gift of our brothers and sisters in Christ all around us?

Maybe if we can be open to the workings of God we will see in those around us brothers and sisters rather than people who are out to get us. We are in this together and are the body of our Lord. Let us see Him in everyone around us.

Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?

Then the LORD said, “How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know.” So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the LORD. Then Abraham came near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” And the LORD said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.” Abraham answered, “Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” Again he spoke to him, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” Then he said, “Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” He said, “Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” Then he said, “Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” And the LORD went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place. (Genesis 18:20-33, NRSV)

This passage always strikes me as funny…

Who would really bargain with God?

If God told you He was going to destroy New York, would you have the gumption to say, “What if you find fifty righteous people?”

I don’t think I would…

But Abraham was so concerned for the people who would be destroyed that did not deserve the wrath that was coming, he was compelled to say something.

I would think that the righteous judge of all the earth will do what is just for all of His creation.

It will not be fair, and we will not think it is right, but God will judge the world the way He as judge has to.

So do not be afraid to ask God a question, because He is big enough to handle it, and might be moved.

You will only strengthen your relationship by conversing with Him and show others the love and compassion, mercy and grace that only come from Him.

rent free

rent freeThen Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” (Matthew 18:21-35, NRSV)

How many times do you have to forgive some one?

Seven times…

Jesus says here seventy-seven times…. another place He says 70 times 7 or 490 times…

Does He literally mean 77 or 490? Like we are to keep track and when someone sins against us the 491st time, “Nope that’s it. I don’t have to forgive you any more!”

And here is the kicker to these verses… In the parable of the kingdom, the slave asks for time, or patience, not forgiveness. And the king forgives, and Peter’s quesiton is if some one sins against me, how many times do I have to forgive. There is no mention from Peter or Jesus about repentance here… Now it is true last weeks verses about if someone sins against you go and tell them and seek to repair the relationship. But here there is no mention of the person who sinned against Peter being repentant…

And is repentance needed for forgiveness…

There are many answers to that question and many of them depend on the whole situation. But in our lives are there people who will never seek to repent for something they have done to us but have to be forgiven by us?

I would say yes. There are people in my life who have sinned against me, who will never seek me out for repentance, but I have forgiven them. Why?

Because that forgivenness is for me to allow God to work in my life. If I am holding on to a grudge, then there is no room in my life for love to grow, there is no room for the love of God to fill into me and give me the life that I deserve from Him. If I am using up all my space by holding on to a past hurt, I will never free myself to receive the wonderful blessing of today and tomorrow from my Lord.

We need to forgive others to give God room to live in our lives. We need to forgive others as God has forgiven us. We did not and do not deserve His love. Yet we have it, and it is ours not to hold onto, but to share!

Happy ~ Pharrell Williams meets David…

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. While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Then 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. Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. (Psalm 32:1-7, NRSV)

It might seem crazy what I’m about to say
The Lord won’t blame , where there’s no deceit
If I kept silent I just waisted away
Groaning all day long dried up in the pain

But now I’m happy
Tell the Lord what you’ve done and He’ll lift it off of you
And you’ll be happy
Tell the Lord what you’ve done and He’ll lift it off of you
And you’ll be happy
Tell the Lord what you’ve done and He’ll lift it off of you
And you’ll be happy
Tell the Lord what you’ve done and He’ll lift it off of you

Here come bad news talking this and that, yeah,
well, give God all you got, and don’t hold back, yeah,
just, confess you’re wrongs to God you’ll be just fine, yeah,
He’ll be your hiding place in the trouble time

But now I’m happy
Tell the Lord what you’ve done and He’ll lift it off of you
And you’ll be happy
Tell the Lord what you’ve done and He’ll lift it off of you
And you’ll be happy
Tell the Lord what you’ve done and He’ll lift it off of you
And you’ll be happy
Tell the Lord what you’ve done and He’ll lift it off of you

edifying lifestyle

So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:25-32, NRSV)

What builds us up?

What is they way we should live so we are building ourselves up and building up those around us?

We need to “put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you…”

We need to treat others as God treats us, accepting them where they are and working with them to help them see the life God calls them to. This does nto mean that we change them, but we live in such a way that God shines through our lives and they are moved and changed by God.

We need to love them, as God loved us, forgiving them, as God forgave us. Not hating them, or holding them in contempt or treating them with malice or falsehoods, but lifting them up as we are lifted up by God.

forgiving

As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:12-15, NRSV)

as I read this passage from Colossians one verse struck me. Or actually a part of a verse struck me.

We are to put on, or clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, to bear with one another, and above all clothe ourselves with love…

That would be a pretty place if everyone was dressed this way…

Yet I left part out of the above description, the part that really struck me as I read this passage, on this day…

“if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

Just as the Lord has forgiven you…

When you confess something to God, does He ask you why you did it?

How could you do that to me

to them…

What were you thinking?

God doesn’t question us or wonder if we really mean we are sorry, we are forgiven. And that is how we are to forgive. With out question. If a person comes to you and tells you a fault they have done and ask for forgiveness, you must forgive, no questions…

Forgive as you were forgiven…

milestone

Jesus said to his disciples, “Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come! It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble. Be on your guard! If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive.” (Luke 17:1-4, NRSV)

This is a verse I keep close to my heart! As a spiritual leader it would be bad for me to lead someone astray to do something that God did not call them to do or be.

We need to point out sins and keep brothers and sisters as part of the fold, so if we lead others astray or cause them to sin, we should just tie a millstone around our neck and throw ourselves into the sea… Now a millstone is no small stone. You can see from the pictures here, one of someone tieing the millstone around their neck and falling into the water, and another of a millstone by itself. Look at the building in the background of the picture. Jesus is serious here about us not leading others astray…

Yet have I?

Have all of us led someone astray.

This could be like welcoming, we do not mean to be unwelcoming, it just happens…

Have you ever offered a drink of alcohol to someone you just met? Could they have been an alcoholic, and thus you were enabling their addiction and leading them astray…

The point is we all must forgive others, and try to keep ourselves and our brothers and sisters focused on the Lord!

Do not

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” He also told them a parable: “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye. (Luke 6:37-42, NRSV)

Does the Bible say Do not Judge?

Do not condemn?

No…

It says do not judge or condemn and you will not be judged or condemned. Or on Matthew it says, do not judge unless you want to be judged.

We assume we are not supposed to judge others, but we all do.

Seen the girl in the short skirt and assumed she was someone who probably did things that would make her parents cringe…

Seen the boy with the blue hair in the leather jacket with chains and assumed that he was into drugs…

Seen the group riding in on their Harley’s and assume they are drug runners or into some kind of illegal activity…

We all see the spec in others eyes, but will not acknowledge the plank in ours.

The point is we all fall short, and we all are judged just like we judge others. We need to see everyone as God sees us, flawed and imperfect, but loved anyhow. And then lift each other up and help each other, rather than tear each other down!