Why it Matters - Numbers

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 24, 1 Chronicles 21-22, Psalms 30

I am blessed to lead a growing church. We are filling up our worship space on Sunday mornings. Our kids programming is bursting at the seems. Our student ministry is growing. Our ten year trends are up significantly. Our people are incredibly generous. We are engaged in all kinds of Kingdom work locally and globally. We also live in a community that is growing. We are getting younger as more families move into our area. We are getting more affluent as people build successful businesses and careers. We are getting more diverse ethnically and culturally. It’s amazing to be part of. But it’s also tempting. It’s tempting to place our hope in numbers. It’s tempting to place our confidence in our growth curve. It’s tempting to assume our trend lines will always be up and to the right. That’s why it’s good for me to remember the sin of David’s census.

David was tempted by Satan to measure his own strength. This is why he called for a census of the military men in his kingdom. He foolishly believed his power depended on the numbers he could call on. This is what happens when we forget the Lord. When we start to become complacent. When we lose sight of all God has done for us and try to preserve our own position and power. David’s kingship is coming apart on him. He’s allowing his anxiety and fears to get the best of him. The civil war with his son. The rebellion of men like Sheba. His rape of Bathsheba and his murder of Uriah. I imagine these things haunted David so he does what many of us do when we give into fear. He looks for comfort. He looks for control. So he counts the number of men under his command with the hope it will help him feel more secure. Tragically, it has the opposite effect. A plague strikes, killing thousands. The lesson is clear. David is not in control. David has no power except that which God grants him. David’s only comfort must come from the Lord.

How do you respond when you feel under pressure? When you feel stress? Anxiety? Fear? Do you look to your own strength or do you look to Christ? Do you trust in your own ability to power through or do you humble yourself before God? Do you turn to temporary things to help you feel in control or do you keep your eyes fixed on what is eternal and unchanging? Times of testing reveal where our hope truly lies. Does it lie with the Lord?

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 108-109

Why it Matters - Salvation

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 22-23, Psalms 57

Salvation is real. It’s based on real events within human history. It’s an accurate record of God’s miraculous intervention on behalf of His chosen people which is why it retains such a hold on our imaginations. When I was in seminary, I remember debating fellow students and even some of my professors over the nature of salvation. They believed the events of the Bible to be largely mythological. They believed salvation to be a spiritual metaphor describing the basic human longing for freedom or liberation. They couldn’t conceive of a God who would act within history. They rejected the historicity of events like the Exodus or people like David or even the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. They began with the a priori philosophical assumption that miracles were impossible and therefore the Bible must be wrong or using hyperbole when it describes them. Everything must have a naturalistic or humanistic or scientific explanation. The problem with this approach is it doesn’t adequately explain why events like the Exodus remain so influential over the centuries.

In today’s reading, David composes a song of thanksgiving. It’s a song commemorating his victories over all his enemies. David is finally at peace. He has won all his wars. He has secured his line of succession. He has united the nation of Israel under his rule. And he rightfully gives God all the glory. As he writes his poetry, he draws on the image of the Exodus to describe all God has done. “The Lord thundered from the sky; the sovereign One shouted loudly. He shot arrows and scattered them, lightning and routed them. The depths of the sea were exposed; the inner regions of the world were uncovered by the Lord’s battle cry, by the powerful breath from his nose.” (2 Samuel‬ ‭22‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NET‬‬) He goes on to talk about God lifting him out of the deep waters to bring him to a safe place. He talks about God’s deliverance from all his enemies and how God gave him victory after victory everywhere he went. Clearly, David has in mind specific battles in specific places against specific people. These are not abstract ideas. David isn’t just talking about spiritual metaphors. He is talking about salvation in the literal sense. A real God acting on behalf of His people within real time and space. And David relates his own experiences to the experiences of God’s people throughout their history.

The question I often posed to my fellow students and professors when we would debate is how we could honestly talk about God as “Savior” if He never actually saved anyone? Why would we call Him names like “Deliverer”, “Rescuer”, “Liberator”, etc. if He wasn’t actually engaged in the business of deliverance, rescue, and liberation? It’s baffling to me that people would worship a god who never actually does anything. I am honestly stumped why anyone would seek to follow such a god? Why would we believe or trust anything this supposed god actually said? How is this not just wishful thinking? How is this not just blind hope? No, I worship a God who saves. I worship a God who delivers. I worship a God who parted the Red Sea, saved David from all his enemies, and raised Jesus Christ from the dead. I worship a God who still intervenes miraculously to save His people even today.

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Why it Matters - Role Models

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 19-21, Psalms 5, 38, 42

There are some who look to David as a great role model for faith. They extol his virtues. They lift up the fact that he has a heart after God. He refuses to strike down the Lord’s anointed. He is humble. He is charismatic. He is a leader for God’s people. He is a song-writer. He is a poet. He is a warrior. Without a doubt, David is a gifted man. However, David is also a deeply flawed man. In many ways, he is a product of his culture just like we are products of our cultures. David is a classic ancient near east warlord. He uses violence to accomplish his goals. He is more than willing to sacrifice others in pursuit of his ends. He often takes matters into his own hands rather than listen to God. And he frequently refuses to accept responsibility for his actions. For example, he weeps over Absalom. While his grief is understandable, he never owns the fact that it was his actions - or inactions as it were - that led Israel to civil war. He refuses to hold Joab responsible for murdering one man after another. And when it comes to the matter of the Gibeonites, he seeks the Lord to find out the reason for the famine in the land but doesn’t ask God how he should resolve it. Instead, he takes matters into his own hands and sacrifices seven men to atone for Saul’s crimes. It’s a classic pagan, ancient near east move.

Thankfully, God has provided a greater David to serve as our example. He has provided the perfect Man to follow and pattern our life after. While we can learn from the saints of the Bible, the only role model we should seek is Jesus. He reveals the perfect will of God for our lives. He shows us the perfect way to live. He never leads us astray. He is full of the grace and truth. He is the light and life of the world. Every single saint in the Old Testament longed for the day when Messiah would appear. Every single Christian in the New Testament looked to Christ not only as their Savior but as their Lord as well. He was the one they were to be like. Him and no other. Sadly, I see far too many ministries and far too many books and far too many conference speakers lifting up the flawed human beings of the Old and New Testaments as role models for the faith. Far too often, they use their sinful actions to justify their current social and political and personal beliefs. And, again, while I can appreciate their strengths as well as their weaknesses, the only person I am going to model my life after is the Person of Jesus. What about you?

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 22-23, Psalms 57

Why it Matters - Regret

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 16-18

I have many regrets in my life. I have regrets over how I squandered the success my parents helped me achieve when I was growing up. I literally drank myself out of college after two years. Thankfully, the Lord saved me, set my feet on a new path, and I was able to finish college. I have regrets over my failure to love and serve my wife in the early years of our marriage. Thankfully, she stuck with me and we were able to work through things to get to a much better place. I have regrets over how I raised my children. I had an anger issue as a dad and I know it created a lot of pain and hurt along the way. Praise the Lord for godly counselors, the grace of God, the forgiveness of my kids, and the closeness of our relationships today. I have regrets from the last thirty years of my ministry career. The many ways I failed to love and serve those in need. The many ways I let my pride and ego get in the way. The many ways I lost sight of God’s heart and God’s mission. Thankfully, God’s steadfast love and faithfulness never failed and He continues to allow me to serve as a leader for His people.

I imagine David must have felt much the same way. Especially when he got the news about his beloved son, Absalom. I imagine he thought back over his many mistakes. His many failures. His many regrets. No wonder he cried out in agony and grief. “My son, Absalom! My son, my son, Absalom! If only I could have died in your place! Absalom, my son, my son!” (2 Samuel 18:33 NET) David understood it was his decisions that paved the way to this tragic event. It was his actions that led to Israel being divided and at war. He was culpable. He was responsible. And the weight of it all was crushing to him.

Regret is a burden that grows heavier by the year. Left unresolved, it piles up on a person. Left unaddressed, it can be soul-crushing. It’s one of the reasons I am such a big believer in keeping short accounts. As soon as I know I have sinned or failed or made a mistake, I try to acknowledge it. I confess it immediately. I ask for forgiveness and seek to reconcile with those who may be impacted. Most of all, I seek to change my ways so I don’t have to live with any regrets. I open my heart to the Holy Spirit for His sanctifying work in me. I surrender to His will and His way so I might become more like Jesus who came to serve and not be served. The more I serve. The more I give. The more I love. The more God frees me from any regret.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 26, 40, 41, 58, 61, 62, 64

Why it Matters - Justice

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 13-15

Injustice is a curse upon any land. It destroys relationships between individuals. Tears apart families and clans. It shatters the peace and stability of a nation. I think of the places I have been where there is no justice. National governments are corrupt, enriching themselves off of foreign aid while their own people starve. Villages are at the mercy of roving gangs who routinely raid in order to kill, steal, and destroy. There are no police. At least any that a person would trust. There are no laws. At least any that are consistently and fairly enforced. There is no hope. Only perpetual cycles of helplessness. It’s heartbreaking to witness.

We see the devastating impact of injustice in our reading for today. In the ancient kingdom of Israel, justice was one of the primary responsibilities of the king. Sadly, David’s rape of Bathsheba and murder of her husband, Uriah, leads to a series of similar crimes within his own family. Amnon rapes his half-sister Tamar. Rather than marry her, her casts her out of his home, dooming her to a life full of shame as a “ruined” woman. Rather than execute justice and punish Amnon, David seems to let it go. This leads to Absalom taking matters into his own hands. He kills Amnon in an act of vigilante violence and then flees the king’s justice himself. After three years, Absalom is allowed to return but David refuses to see him. Two more years pass. Finally, David relents to restore Absalom but it is clear there is distance between them. Absalom takes advantage of his restoration by acting in the king’s stead and offering justice to the people of Israel. As a result, their hearts turn towards him, leading to a civil war. It’s a heartbreaking cycle that only comes to an end when Absalom is killed.

Consider the cost of David’s unwillingness to promote justice in his family and in his kingdom. He loses two sons. His daughter suffers the trauma and shame of rape. His household is divided. He is betrayed by some of those closest to him. His own son rises up against him to try to steal his throne. Many of his people will die in the battles that follow. The seeds are sown for the future, more permanent, division of the kingdom of Israel. This is why we must not only pray for justice in our own country but do all we can to promote justice as well. We must hold our leaders accountable when they act selfishly and engage in corruption. We must not look away from oppression but instead rise up to fight back. Most of all, we must make sure to act justly and love mercy and walk humbly with our God in our own lives so our families and our communities will be blessed.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 3, 4, 13, 28, 55

Why it Matters - Repentance

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 11-12, 1 Chronicles 20, Psalms 51

Repentance is a consistent theme throughout the Bible. It is the key to maintaining a right relationship with God. God isn’t interested in religion. He isn’t interested in us performing a bunch of rituals if our hearts are not in it. He doesn’t want us going through the motions. As David sings after being confronted by the prophet Nathan, “The sacrifices God desires are a humble spirit – O God, a humble and repentant heart you will not reject.” (Psalms‬ ‭51‬:‭17‬ ‭NET‬‬)

Over the years, I’ve made a lot of promises to God. Promises to be faithful. Promises to obey Him. Promises to make great sacrifices to honor Him. Sometimes I deliver on those promises, sometimes I do not. Sometimes I am faithful, sometimes I am not. Sometimes I do make great sacrifices but not always for God. I am a sinner. I am saved by grace alone through faith alone by Christ alone. And the Holy Spirit has to continually remind me that the sacrifices God desires must from me are not outward expressions of piety so much as inward humility of the heart. God wants me to live my life in a constant state of repentance. Not to make me miserable but to set me free. Not to take all the joy and fun out of life but to help me learn what it means to walk by faith and not by sight and depend on God alone.

David learned this lesson the hard way. Rather than fulfilling his duty to lead his armies in battle, he stayed home. Rather than remain faithful, he committed adultery. Rather than confess his sin, he murdered one of his mighty men and closest followers. It’s a brutal cycle. One that is tragically all too common. But God will not be mocked. He sees what David attempts to cover up and He sends Nathan to confront him. David repents but his choices still result in significant consequences. The death of a child. The disruption of a kingdom. Eventual civil war.

To whom much is given, much is expected. The more power and position and influence and authority a person is given, the more their choices impact those around them. David was a king so his choices impact a nation. The same holds true for our national, state, and local leaders today. I am a pastor so my choices impact the church I serve. I am a husband and a father and my choices impact my wife and children. What choices are you making? What impact are they having? What sacrifices are you offering to the Lord?

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 32, 86, 102, 103, 122

Why it Matters - Suspicion

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 10, 1 Chronicles 19, Psalms 20, 53, 60, 75

Human beings tend to be naturally suspicious. Especially those who have been hurt before. It is hard to earn trust and when it is lost, it is almost impossible to regain. There is an old Nigerian proverb that says, “Any animal that escapes from a trap will be suspicious of every bent stick.” This rings true to me especially in our culture today. The rise of social media has led to an exponential increase in bullying and abusive behavior. The hurt and pain so many suffer online bleeds over into everyday relationships. It creates a posture where we assume the worst rather than the best of each other. We question each other’s motives and/or character rather than offer trust. We are quick to pounce on mistakes rather than extend grace. The result is a toxic emotional system which perpetuates pain and suffering on a local, national, even global scale.

There is nothing new under the sun. In our reading for today, King David reaches out to King Hanun of the Ammonites to offer his condolences after his father dies. Sadly, Hanun is deeply insecure and perceives a threat where there is none. In an effort of self-protection, he shames David’s messengers and sends them back home. This represents a significant act of aggression in the Ancient Near East so David goes to war. He defeats the Ammonites in a major battle that costs the lives of thousands of soldiers. All because one man reacted with suspicion to a compassionate gesture.

In one of my favorite all time passages, the Apostle Paul writes, “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬) Those who are in Christ are set free from a life of suspicion. We are set free from a life of caution and distrust. We are set free from the burden of being guarded and self-protective. We are set free to love. Love unconditionally. Love generously. Love sacrificially just as Jesus did. And as the Apostle John so famously said, “Perfect love casts out all fear.” So let me challenge you to set aside any and all of your suspicions. Step into the freedom Christ won for you on the cross. Step into the freedom Christ offers you through His Spirit. Embrace the way of love and watch how it changes your relationships with those you love and the world around you.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 65, 66, 67, 69, 70

Why it Matters - Hyperbole

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 8-9, 1 Chronicles 18

One of the challenges in reading the Old Testament is the use of hyperbole. This was a common rhetorical device among Ancient Near East writers especially when it came to reporting on military encounters. For the Biblical authors, the purpose was the magnify the glory of God and the overwhelming nature of His victories. This was especially true when Israel won victories against much stronger enemies. Additionally, round numbers were often used to signify the “completeness” of a victory. You see similar “epic” rhetoric used by the Egyptian Pharaohs or the Assyrian kings.

Take today’s reading for example. The author of 2 Samuel writes that David put two thirds of the Moabites to death after a battle, seized 1,700 charioteers and 20,000 infantry, and killed 22,000 Arameans. He then writes about another battle in the Valley of Salt where David defeats 18,000 more Arameans. The author of 1 Chronicles comes up with some different numbers in David’s battle with the king of Zobah - 1,000 chariots and 7,000 charioteers rather than 1,700. Is this a contradiction? Not if we are reading from an Ancient Near East point of view. The point was not to provide accurate data for a census but to magnify the successes of King David against the enemies of Israel and the fulfillment of God’s promise.

One of the key questions to ask as you read the Bible, especially the Old Testament, is what did it mean to the people it was written to. The Bible was written for us but it wasn’t originally written to us. It was written to a particular people in a particular culture who saw life through a particular worldview. This is essential for us to keep in mind lest we lose sight of the true meaning of the text or fall into the trap of anachronism. I see this happen all the time. People projecting our cultural values and ways of seeing the world back onto the text of Scripture. It never works out well and it fails to treat the Bible as a serious conversation partner when it comes to faith.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 10, 1 Chronicles 19, Psalms 20, 53, 60, 75

Why it Matters - Credit

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 7, 1 Chronicles 17, Psalms 1, 2, 33, 127, 133

I love today’s reading. It’s one of my favorite stories in the Old Testament. David, a man after God’s own heart, looks around at his beautiful palace and the first thing he thinks about is the disparity between his house and God’s house. God lives in a tent so how can David live in a house of cedar? What does it say about David that he would live in a palace while God still has no permanent place to place His glory? So David begins to plan. He intends to build God a magnificent Temple. But this is not God’s will for David. God refuses to allow David to take any credit for what has taken place in his life. It is God who raised David up from the pasture. God who took a shepherd boy and made him king. God who defeated all David’s enemies. God who made his name famous in the region. It is God who will continue to give David success as he sits on throne and it will be God who will guarantee his dynasty for eternity.

What is David’s response? Does he argue with God? Does he point out all the work he’s put in over the course of his life? Does he seek to take credit for any of his accomplishments? Not at all. David humbles himself before the Lord. He falls on his knees in worship and praises God for all He has done. “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that should have brought me to this point?” (2 Samuel 7:18 NET) As David reflects on all that has happened in his life, he immediately turns to praise. He gives God all the glory. He gives God all the credit.

Who gets the credit for your life? It’s a very important question. Especially for a Christian. Do I claim all the credit for myself or do I give glory to God? When I look back on my life, do I attribute all I’ve accomplished to my own hard work or do I thank God for the grace He has given me? When I consider all I have experienced, do I consider it the natural result of my own effort or can I see God’s hand at work, carefully orchestrating things according to His sovereign will? The fundamental reality is this…I didn’t choose where I would be born. I didn’t choose my family. I didn’t choose my gifts and talents and abilities. God gave me all of those things. He blessed me in more ways than I could possibly imagine and it is what has allowed me to achieve whatever success I have achieved in my life. What about you?

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 8-9, 1 Chronicles 18

Why it Matters - Friendship

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 1-4

I got a call from my oldest friend the other day. His mom passed away recently and he asked me if I would officiate at the memorial service. I was honored. After all, I’ve known Kyle since I first moved to Colorado. He and I went to elementary school together. We were in Boy Scouts. We hung out all the time in high school. We attended each other’s weddings. When he lost his mom, I too was grieved because of all the memories I have of her from growing up.

I reached out to another friend when I was in Central Asia last week. I met Tim in college right after becoming a Christian. Tim and I did Bible study together and served in our campus ministry together. When I got married, Tim was my best man. When he got married - literally two weeks later - I was one of his groomsmen. When he and his wife went on staff with a parachurch ministry, my wife and I were one of his early supporters. It’s been an honor to stay in touch with him over the years and follow the work God has done in and through him. That’s why I reached out to him while overseas. The people I was with are part of the same ministry Tim is with and it made me so grateful for our friendship and partnership in the gospel over so many years.

I hope you have friends like Kyle and Tim in your life. People who are close to you. People you could call at 2AM if you were in crisis. People who would pray for you, support you, encourage you, and bless you. People who are very dear to you. That’s what Jonathan was to David. He was David’s closest and dearest friend. Though they were technically rivals for the throne of Israel, Jonathan willingly gave up his rights for the sake of their friendship and David honored Jonathan in return. When Jonathan dies, David grieves. The loss is painful and personal for him. In fact, he even says his love for Jonathan was more special to him than the love of women. “I grieve over you, my brother Jonathan! You were very dear to me. Your love was more special to me than the love of women.” (2 Samuel 1:26 NET) The loss of Jonathan represents not only the loss of a close friend but the death of their dreams of ruling Israel together.

Now some have suggested this passage is an oblique ancient reference to a homoerotic relationship. It’s utter nonsense. Those who support such a view are reading their own point of view back into the text. Sadly, in our culture today, we have hypersexualized every relationship. We falsely believe that if we feel a deep, emotional connection to someone then we must desire them sexually. We don’t have modern categories for platonic friendships anymore whereas such things were common in the ancient world. Our lives are the poorer for it. The epidemic of loneliness and isolation is largely due in part to the loss of deep friendships. The reality is far too many of us don’t have a close friend. We don’t have someone we can call at 2AM in a crisis. We don’t have someone with whom we can bare our soul. This is not God’s design. He created us for deep friendships, especially in the Body of Christ.

p.s. If you need help getting started, let me recommend picking up the book, Receive, by Jeff Kemp. It’s geared towards men but is equally applicable to women. Very practical guide to how to begin forming deep friendships.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 6, 9, 10, 14, 16, 21