Numbers

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

More and more studies are being conducted on the impact of social media on our mental health. The results are scary. It is becoming clear that prolonged social media use presents like addiction with similar accompanying symptoms. (Neglect of personal life, mental preoccupation, escapism, etc.) The more we use social media, the less happy we seem to be and the more socially isolated we become. The comparisons social media invites is not good for our well-being. Furthermore, social media is specifically designed to trigger dopamine “highs” in the brain. Dopamine release is triggered by unpredictability, small bits of information that can be digested quickly, and most importantly, reward cues. (i.e. number of “likes” on FB, number of “followers” on Instagram, number of “retweets” on Twitter, etc.)  

I think about the number of people I know who draw at least part of their self-worth off of the number of friends they have on Facebook. The number of times people hit the “heart” button on an Instagram pic. The number of retweets and likes a pithy phrase gets on X or the amount of views on a YouTube video. This is especially true for young people. But it’s not just social media. I think of the number of pastors I know who draw their self-worth off the number of people who show up on a weekend for worship. I think of the pressure there is in most churches for numerical growth. I think of the uncritical assumptions too many Christians make that larger churches must be doing something “right” and smaller churches must be doing something “wrong.”

Why are we so obsessed with numbers? It does seem to be an American phenomenon. I travel the world fairly regularly. I’ve been to China, South Korea, Mexico, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Uganda. In fact, I just arrived in Ethiopia this morning. I’ve interacted with pastors from all around the world in lots of different settings. In my experience, they just don’t seem as hung up as we are on numbers. That isn’t to say they ignore them. They pay attention. They evaluate. They are wise and discerning. But there isn’t the emotional attachment American Christians, and especially American pastors, seem to have with attendance, buildings, and budgets. It’s like we get a dopamine “high” every time the sanctuary is full.  

It’s why I find this story about David from 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21 so convicting. David wants to number his people. He wants to know the size of his army. He wants to measure his influence and power. He wants to feel safe and in control. The images I have in my head are of third-world despots throwing military parades to show off their strength. David is clearly feeling insecure and in that moment, Satan strikes. The results are tragic. “This is what the Lord says: ‘Take your choice: three years of famine, or three months of devastation by your foes with the sword of your enemy overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the Lord, a plague on the land, the angel of the Lord bringing destruction to the whole territory of Israel.’” (1 Chronicles‬ ‭21‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭CSB‬‬) God is teaching David a lesson in humility. He is teaching David about true strength. He is teaching David about true security. David’s trust must remain in God alone.

70,000 die from the plague. This is where the story gets confusing and difficult. Why would God do such a thing? Is it just a coincidence and the Biblical authors are choosing to interpret the event theologically? After all, the ancient people believed God was involved in everything and they were far more willing to accept God’s judgment as well as His grace. Is it because David is king and, in the ancient near east, the king’s decisions had consequences? Not just for himself but for the people he ruled. Again, we don’t understand this way of thinking because we are far more individualistic as a society. Then again, maybe we do? How many times do you hear pastors interpret natural disasters as the judgment of God? How many times do our political leaders make decisions that result in real pain and suffering for real people in our country or another nation? David decides to number his fighting men and around the same time, a plague begins. It is brutal. Virulent. And it kills. Somewhere in David’s mind, Gad’s mind, Joab’s mind and the minds of many others, these events are related. The plague is perceived as God’s punishment on Israel for David’s sinful choices. And perhaps it is. We cannot dismiss the possibility out of hand for God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. He has clearly told His people over and over again that there are consequences...real, life-threatening consequences...for sin. God’s justice and righteousness will not be mocked. 

So how do we respond? What does this mean for our lives? What’s our takeaway from our reading today? First and foremost, it should lead us to confession and repentance. I think of all the times I too have made the mistake of placing my faith in numbers or drawn my mental health and well-being from the number of likes on social media or worked for the affirmation of others. None of us is immune. Second, we let our failures lead us to the cross. To the place where the penalty for our sin was paid. To the place where God’s judgment was fully and completely and utterly satisfied by the death of our Lord and Savior. We are not condemned and that is truly good news. Third, it should inspire us to live more faithfully for Christ. To place all my hope and all my trust in Him. To rest secure under the shadow of His wings.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 108-109

Trust

Readings for today: Judges 6-9

I love the story of Gideon. He reminds me of me so much of the time. How many times over the course of my life has the Lord come to me? Spoken to me? Reached out to me? Reminded me He is with me? And what is my typical response? Why has all this happened to me? Why have all these bad things taken place? Where are all Your signs and wonders, Lord? Why haven’t you delivered me or my family or Your people from injustice, oppression, and the power of sin in this world? Why do you allow young people to harm themselves? Why do my friends lose jobs and livelihoods? Why do those I love and serve get cancer? Why do women I know suffer abuse? Why do immigrants I know find it almost impossible to navigate the visa process? Why do pastoral colleagues of mine find themselves battling depression and despair? Why do church planters I know around the world get imprisoned, beaten, tortured, and even killed for their faith? I ask these questions a lot in prayer which is why I resonate to how Gideon responds to the Lord. “Please, my Lord, if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened? And where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about? They said, ‘Hasn’t the Lord brought us out of Egypt? ’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian.” (Judges 6:13 CSB)

And what is the Lord’s answer? Almost every single time? “I am sending you.” You are My instrument. You are My servant. You are the one I have chosen to preach good news to the poor, release for the captives, and deliverance for the oppressed. You are the one I am sending to proclaim the gospel to those who have never heard. You are the one I am calling to fight injustice and raise up a banner for righteousness and take a stand for the truth in this world. “The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and deliver Israel from the grasp of Midian. I am sending you!” (Judges 6:14 CSB) Be careful what you ask for! Be careful what you complain about! God may just choose you like He chose Gideon and like He has chosen me. The great news, of course, is that we don’t go alone. God had already promised to be with Gideon. I have always found that those whom God calls, God equips. He doesn’t send us out without the resources we need to accomplish His plans for us.

However, just like Gideon, I like to make excuses. The reality is I don’t want this responsibility. I want someone else to shoulder the burden. I want someone else to lead the charge. “Gideon said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Look, my family is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s family.” (Judges 6:15 CSB) But once the Lord has spoken, the issue is settled. God doesn’t always choose the strongest, wealthiest, or most powerful and influential. He doesn’t look on the outward appearance but on the heart. Your station in life doesn’t matter. Your caste doesn’t matter. Your education doesn’t matter. Your native ability doesn’t matter. All that matters is your obedience. Your willingness to go when and where the Lord sends.

Here’s the truth of the matter. God’s presence is more than enough to overcome every obstacle. God’s presence is more than enough to break down every barrier. God’s presence is more than enough to tear down every dividing wall of hostility that prevents us from accomplishing His goal for our lives and for our world. Our job is to simply believe Him. Our job is simply to trust Him. Like Abraham, we must be fully confident God is able to deliver on what He promises. “But I will be with you,” the Lord said to him. “You will strike Midian down as if it were one man.” (Judges 6:16 CSB) So the only question you or I have to answer is NOT am I strong enough? Am I smart enough? Am I powerful enough? Am I wise enough? Am I good enough? None of those things matter. The only question we need to answer is this…do we trust God?

Readings for tomorrow: Judges 10-13

Belief

Readings for today: Genesis 14-16

What does it mean to believe God? Too often, we apply a modern lens to our reading and interpreting of Scripture. We fail to acknowledge that though the Bible was written for us, it was not written to us. It was written to a particular people who lived at a particular time in a particular culture with a particular worldview. One that is far different than our own. We live in a post-Enlightenment world. A world shaped and formed by rational processes. A culture built on the dictum, “I think therefore I am.” Therefore, when we talk about “belief”, we shift into the realm of philosophy. Abstractions. Theories. We ask a set of questions that would never have even crossed Abram’s mind. We ask things like, “Is there a god? How would I know? What evidence is there for or against god?” These questions are the hallmarks of what Charles Taylor calls the “disenchanted world.” A world where the bias is against God. A world where God has to prove His own existence. A material world where “reality” is confined to what our five senses can confirm.

Abram lived in a far different world. An “enchanted” world where the spiritual was just as “real” as the material. God was taken for granted. His existence provided the foundation for all of life. “Belief” in Abram’s world was not philosophical. Those questions were assumed. It was deeply practical. Abram didn’t just believe in God as an abstract concept. He trusted God with his life. He trusted God would make good on His promises. He was fully convinced God was able to do what He said He would do. So when God tells Abram he will have a son, Abram believes God. He trusts God. He puts it in the bank. And this is why Abram is declared righteous.

Faith does not make one perfect. Abram is obviously not a perfect man. One chapter after he is declared righteous for believing God will provide a child, he takes matters into his own hands. He grows impatient and decides to follow his own plan and the plans of his wife, Sarai. The Hagar/Ishmael story is a tragic one though God eventually brings good out of Abram’s sinful decision. Hagar will be saved. Ishmael will become great in his own right and the father of many nations. Sadly, many of those nations will become the blood enemies of the descendants of Isaac, the promised child. But still Abram is lifted up as righteous. And this is the insight that hit the Apostle Paul like a thunderbolt. His righteousness must come by faith not by sight. It must be dependent on Abram’s trust in the Lord not the works of his hands. Despite his many mistakes and failures, Abram truly believed God. He trusted God. He followed God. He put His life in God’s hands over and over again. This is what it means to believe in a biblical sense and it remains our challenge to this day.

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 17-19

Trust

Readings for today: 2 Kings 18-19, Psalms 106

Trust is the most important currency when it comes to leadership. If one trusts a leader, one will be willing to do just about anything for them. If one doesn’t trust a leader, they will do as little as possible. It’s been said that organizations move at the speed of trust. Families depend on trust. Friendships are built on trust. Trust is everything.

One of the most striking parts of the story we read today is the trust God’s people have in King Hezekiah. The Assyrians were one of the most fearsome and brutal empires of the ancient world. Sennacherib was one of their greatest kings. Assyria had already wiped out the northern kingdom of Israel. They had taken the people into exile, scattering them in different places so they would never rise up in rebellion. This was Assyria’s standard operating procedure. Now it was the southern kingdom’s turn to feel their wrath and come under their control. They brought a massive army to the gates of Jerusalem and laid siege to the city. There was no hope of fighting back. No chance of escape. The sight must have been completely demoralizing. To add insult to injury, Sennacherib sends his envoy to the city to call for their surrender. He cites the litany of victories his king has won. He talks about all the so-called gods who have fallen before them. He even claims divine sanction for his mission of violence. The whole point of this exercise is to shake the faith of the people in Hezekiah. But the people refuse to respond. Their trust in Hezekiah is absolute and well-founded. Hezekiah turns to God for help and the Assyrians are destroyed.

It’s an incredible testimony to the power of trust. Trust in God. Trust in godly leadership. Trust in one another. And such trust doesn’t rise in a vacuum. It was built on years of faithful leadership from their king. Hezekiah turned the hearts of his people back to God. He tore down the high places. He destroyed all the idols. He prospered in all sorts of ways because he trusted God. And because Hezekiah trusted God, his people trusted him. They believed in him. They followed him. Even in the face of insurmountable odds, they never lost their faith in Hezekiah’s leadership.

Now consider your own life. All of us lead in all sorts of ways in all kinds of situation. We lead in our families. We lead in our places of work. We lead in our churches. We are all given influence on some level. We are all given a certain amount of authority. What do we with it? Do we seek to build trust among those we lead by serving them? By doing all we can to make them successful and set them free? Or do we cling to our power and influence in order to control others? When we are able to trust one another, God can do great things in and through us. When trust is lost, life becomes a struggle. Where do you find yourself today?

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 20-22, Psalms 107

Sacred Trust

Readings for today: Leviticus 24-25, Psalm 38

Leviticus 25 is one of my favorite chapters because it gives us a snapshot of what life looks like under the reign and rule of God. If you’ve ever wondered what life will be like once heaven comes to earth and Jesus returns again, spend some time meditating on these verses. Consider the care God exercises over creation. Ponder God’s perspective on personal property. Think deeply about God’s special love and provision for the poor. Fundamentally, these laws are designed to build trust. Sacred trust.

Will you trust God to provide when you give your land a Sabbath rest? Will you trust the land to yield up enough of a crop on its own to feed your family and your livestock? Will you trust God to bless the land and make it fruitful? Allowing land to lie fallow for a period of time is important. It allows nutrients to replenish so it can produce during the years where you sow seed.

Will you trust God with your personal property? The Year of Jubilee was designed to serve as a reset for the people of Israel. All property was returned every fifty years to the original owners. Those who had fallen on hard times over the previous fifty years and were forced to sell off their inheritance as a result had the opportunity to get it back and start over. Those who had accumulated much and grown wealthy during the previous fifty years were reminded who truly owned the land and therefore were set free to be generous. While there is no evidence Israel ever declared a Year of Jubilee, the principle is a beautiful one. We are all essentially “stewards” of what we’ve been given. Everything we own is God’s and is intended to be used for the blessing of others.

Will you trust God as you care for the poor? No charging him interest. No enslaving him for economic gain. No price gouging or huge markups to take advantage of his helpless condition. On the contrary, you are called to take him into your home. Care for him as you would your own. Treat him as part of the family. You do this to honor the memory of your family’s slavery in Egypt and to honor the redemption of God.

Can you imagine how different life would be if we would follow these principles? Imagine a world where the church was on the frontlines of caring for creation, caring for the poor, and held all things in common. You actually don’t have to imagine it. Just look to the early church. This describes the life they pursued and it’s what gave their witness such power. From the first to the fourth century, the number of believers grew from a few thousand to almost twenty million! They literally conquered an empire! Not by military might but by the sacrificial way they lived. Look at the global church. They are following these very principles in communities all over the world. May our churches hear and respond to the call of the gospel! May our lives become a reflection of what it means to live in God’s Kingdom!

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 26-27, Psalm 39

Trusting God

Readings for today: Romans 9-12

One of the biggest questions one has to grapple with in reading the Bible has to do with the nature and character of God.  Is He a God who can be trusted? Is He a good God? A righteous God? A holy God? If one concludes the answer to these questions is “Yes”, then these narratives begin to make sense. If one concludes the answer to these questions is “No” or “Not sure”, then these narratives get messy and really difficult to understand. Why does God allow Noah to curse his grandson for something his father did? Why does God seem to overlook Abraham’s lying? Why does God turn Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt simply for a glance backwards and yet seemingly does nothing to Lot’s daughters when they rape their father to get pregnant? How could God allow Hagar and Ishmael to be treated so terribly by Sarah? And what are we to make of the conflict between Esau and Jacob which began before they were even born? 

These are all honest, real questions that should be raised by any reflective, thoughtful, engaged Christians. They press us to the primary question which has undergirded our entire journey through the Bible this year...Will we let God be God? Can we agree His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts? Can we agree that in standing outside of time and space, He has a perspective we can never grasp? Can we agree that God is infinite in wisdom and understanding? Omniscient and omnipotent? Again, will we let God be God? Will we trust His sovereign decision to choose Israel and not the other nations? Will we trust His sovereign plan to use Israel for the sake of the other nations? Will we trust His sovereign decision to use this particular family, the family of Abraham, with all of its baggage and dysfunction?  

This is essentially what the Apostle Paul says we should do in our reading from Romans today. “Who in the world do you think you are to second-guess God? Do you for one moment suppose any of us knows enough to call God into question? Clay doesn’t talk back to the fingers that mold it, saying, “Why did you shape me like this?” Isn’t it obvious that a potter has a perfect right to shape one lump of clay into a vase for holding flowers and another into a pot for cooking beans?” (Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭MSG‬‬) Now, does this mean we can’t ask our questions?  Is Paul trying to shame us all into silence? I don’t think so. He simply calls us to place our faith in the character and nature of God. He calls us to faith rather than doubt when it comes to the goodness and faithfulness of God. He calls us to believe God has a plan, even when we don’t understand it. 

All of this is running in the background when Paul writes his letter to the Roman Christians. Essentially, he argues that when we let God be God, everything else falls into place. We can look back into the Old Testament and see the guidance of God as He leads the servant of Abraham miraculously to Rebekah. We see the hand of God as Abraham settles his estate and dies peacefully among his people. His funeral attended by his two boys, Ishmael and Isaac, who reunite to bury their father in what must have been a tender scene. We see both Ishmael and Isaac receive the blessing of God as their families grow. We see God heal Rebekah’s barren womb in what will become a pattern throughout the Old Testament. We witness the sovereign choice of God to elect Jacob to carry on the promise even though Esau is the firstborn. We see Esau confirm that decision as he despises his birthright, selling it to Jacob for a bowl of stew. Finally, we see God renew His covenant with Isaac, almost immediately followed by Isaac’s repetition of the same mistakes his father had made. Time and again we are reminded that unless God acts to preserve His promise, we are doomed. The human race is just too dysfunctional. Too prone to evil. To easily seduced by sin.

This should challenge us as well as comfort us. God calls us into relationship with Himself because He wants to use us as His instruments to fill the earth with His glory. And this demands something of us. Actually, it demands everything from us! At the same time, the successful completion of God’s plan doesn’t depend on human effort. Again, I love what Paul says in Romans 9:16, “Compassion doesn’t originate in our bleeding hearts or moral sweat, but in God’s mercy.” (Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭16 ‭MSG‬‬) Thankfully, God is moving ahead of us, always with His plan in mind. And as we link arms with Him, align our will with His will, the Kingdom of God comes on earth as it is in heaven.

Readings for tomorrow: Romans 13-16