Day 30 – Celebration! (2 Chronicles)

Celebrations are a wonderful time.  There is always great food, great company, and a spirit of rejoicing among all of the participants.  It’s usually centered around important events like birthdays, weddings, and holidays, or because of an accomplishment like purchasing a house or achieving retirement.  Completing the Lord’s temple was no exception.  They partied like I’ve never seen!

To mark this great event, Solomon calls the people together, blesses them, and prays.  His prayer thanks God for fulfilling the promises to David, requests that God dwell in the temple (though God cannot be contained), and begs God to be forgiving when the people sin but come to him in repentance.  “…fire came down from heaven…and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.” (2 Chronicles 7:1)  Can you imagine how awesome the sight?!?!  Then the temple was dedicated.  This part gets a little overwhelming for me.  King Solomon alone sacrifices 22, 000 oxen and 120,000 sheep!  Oh, the blood!!  What a sight?!?!  But then, King Solomon held a feast for 7 days.  They celebrated and celebrated, until “…he sent the people away to their homes, joyful and glad of heart…” (2 Chronicles 7:10)  What a wonderful example this passage gives us about celebration, fellowship, and rejoicing in the Lord!

I have much to celebrate.  I am grateful to the Lord for all of those things, too numerous to name.  But one comes to mind so quickly: Jesus.  There is no need for me to offer animals as sacrifice for my sin; Jesus is my everlasting sacrifice.  I need not fear that God will turn from me and refuse to hear my call for forgiveness;  Jesus is my intercessor.  The price has been paid, the ticket purchased, and the destination final.  As a bonus, as if salvation needed a bonus, the Holy Spirit is my personal flight crew, already in service.  Praise God!  Be joyful and glad in your heart!

My prayer today:

Lord, thank you for the wonderful times of celebration!  At times, they seem so few compared to the trials, so help me to remember to celebrate the joy in my salvation – the victory that cannot be lost!  Lord, but also, help me to celebrate your presence in my life in such a way that others will seek you.  Amen

Add a comment June 14, 2010

Day 25 – Dancing (2 Samuel)

Is your heart and soul ever so full that you can’t help but leap for joy, dance, and rejoice?  David was so excited as the ark of the Lord came into the city that he was “…leaping and dancing before the Lord…” (2 Samuel 6:16)  He couldn’t contain his joy and openlyl demonstrated his love for the Lord.  He told Michal, “…I will celebrate before the Lord.  I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.” (2 Samuel 6:21b-22a)  Are you willing to embarass yourself or act foolish for the Lord?  I’m not sure how humiliated I would be willing to experience to honor and celebrate the Lord.  If I were to dance in public, it would certainly qualify.

Though I may not be as gutsy as David, I certainly wouldn’t follow in Michal’s footsteps.  When she saw David dancing for the Lord, “…she despised him in her heart.” (2 Samuel 6:16b)  She had contempt for him like her father did.  (I wonder what David ever saw in her in the first place.)  She didn’t keep her disdain to herself, though.  As she greets David, the first thing out of her mouth is, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself before the eyes of his servants’ female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”  Her insult on David and God results in childlessness. 

Are you a David or a Michal?  Are you willing to embarrass yourself to honor and glorify God, or do you sit back and criticize those who do?  I admit that I still tend to fall in the middle where it is safe and comfortable.  You won’t see me dancing or offering to sing before the congregation.  (Be thankful for that!)

My prayer for today:

Lord, thank you for the example of David who was flawed in many ways but loved You openly.  He sought to do the right thing, honor You, and praise You enthusiastically.  Let me be fearless in worshipping You even in the presence of Michals.  Forgive me for being too embarrassed at times to do so.  Amen

Add a comment June 9, 2010

Day 23 – Renewal and Revival Week Recap

After giving a brief testimony at our church, Edward and I left on Sunday, May 30th, for NY for week of Renewal and Revival.  The plan was to complete a few work projects at the church, attend a revival service on Friday and share our salvation story, renew our vows on Saturday, and give a full-length version of our testimony on Sunday.  It was a great week – but a busy one!

We had several hard-working, faithful workers from the church (and mom!) working alongside us to complete the work projects.  We repainted the entire downstairs floor of the church, moved a wall to extend a Sunday School class, painted the nursery, and did landscaping work around the church and parsonage.  We made some great friends last week! (Brad, Charity, Tom, Patti, George, Melissa, Mr. & Mrs. Tremper, Pastor, and several kids)

We got to spend time with my mom, stepdad, grandparents from both sides, great grandma, aunts, uncles, my brother, great aunts and uncles, and a cousin.

I managed to ask an important spiritual question to my mom and grandfather: What were some of the most significant spiritual events in your life?  Mom and I had a good laugh remembering the fire and brimstone services that were so prominent when she was a kid and even into my early years…”Don’t be like the young man that felt the tug of the Lord but REFUUUSSSSDAA to come forward and give his life to Christ.  He walked out the front doors of the church with a hardened heart and was STRUCK DOWN by a bus.”  How the preacher knew that the man had felt the tug of the Lord – I have no idea.  If you weren’t saved, leaving church was a dangerous proposition in those days!  You were likely to get struck by lightening, choke on your gum, get hit by car, truck, or bus, or any other variety of instantaneous means of death.

My grandfather shared a few spiritually significant events, but also said, “Obedience is not enough.  One day, my father instructed me to cultivate the upper field.  As I was obediently doing so, I could see the cows in the lower field where they did not belong.  I went down and got them back to where they should be and returned to doing what I had been instructed to do: cultivate the field.  If I had only done what I was instructed to do, I would not have done what I was supposed to do.  Obedience is not enough.”

After the Sunday service when we shared our extended testimony for the first time, we were warmly greeted by our family and new friends.  Many encouraged us and pledged to pray for us.  The most powerful moment for me was having the Pastor pray for our ministry and marriage as family and friends laid hands on us and called upon the Lord.  During this prayer, my mom stood in front of me with her hand on my shoulder.  She shed a tear that hit my skin – there is something powerful and overwhelming about a parent crying and praying over her child.  I thought of our Lord in that moment.  He hung from that cross crying and praying over me, too.  I am so small and undeserving.

1 comment June 7, 2010