I Am NOT More Significant

2 Chronicles 1-2

Psalm 76

Philippians 2

-Devotion by JJ Fletcher (MN)

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

(Philippians 2:3 ESV)

Be humble. Paul says to count others as more important than yourselves. Selfish ambition and conceit have no place in a life of faith. Jesus doesn’t try to bypass God’s will and establish the Kingdom in his own timing; rather, he understands God’s redemption plan and the need for his sacrifice. He puts the lives of his friends and the future of the church ahead of his desire to escape pain. Succinctly put, he counted others as more important than himself. Contemplate what putting this into practice looks like day by day.

Don’t grumble. This may be hard to grasp, but grumbling and complaining are not spiritual gifts. I jest (kind of…), but if you have been around people for any length of time, even in the church, you have heard someone complain. Some people seemingly enjoy complaining or feel like it is their duty to point out everything that is “wrong” (maybe they were never taught how to channel those thoughts in a constructive way).

Sometimes we grumble and complain when things are tough and unpleasant, but other times we complain because we don’t like the way something is done. Maybe it’s due to our preferences, or maybe it’s because we think we could have done better (i.e., pride). Whatever the case may be, we should not be going through life with our default being set to complain about everything that does not go our way.  

There are tons of things that I don’t like. I don’t like Mondays; I don’t like it to be over 72 degrees outside, and I am not enamored by the chorus “As the Deer”. Whether it is the weather, the way we feel about starting our work week (also, what is a weekend?), or our worship preferences, we are responsible for how we conduct ourselves: our attitudes, our actions, our responses to all stimuli. I can choose to roll my eyes or be grumpy, or I can choose to have a good attitude. 

One mind. Paul’s desire is for the body to be of one mind. Being of one mind, Paul wants us to have the same mindset as Jesus. As we strive to work, worship, and live in unity, we should be following his examples of humility and conduct.

Fear and trembling. Paul says to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. All parts of our lives should be evaluated under this primary question: “Does this honor and glorify God?” This should impact our theology, our church structure, and our conduct toward others. There are lots of ways to live out our faith; some ways are correct, and some are not, but some are just flat out different than others and are equally useful for bringing God glory. 

Reflection Questions:

How does my behavior reflect my faith?

What message does grumbling and complaining send?

How can we effectively navigate disagreements in churches and in other areas of our lives?

What does having one mind look like in practical terms?

Prayer

Dear God – You have so much You could complain about me. Forgive me for the times I am proud, selfish and complaining. I want to have the mind of Christ. Help me see myself and others as You want me to. Help me catch when I am going in the wrong direction and make the changes necessary to be pleasing to You in my attitude, words and actions.

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Courage and Community

1 Chronicles 28-29

Psalm 76

Philippians 1

-Devotion by Kyle Shull (MN)

Since June just ended, the grad party season is starting to wind down for everyone. As a recent graduate from high school, it has been fun to host my own grad party and invite my family and friends to join the celebration. Beyond all the gifts, great food, and endless photos, one question always comes up. “What’s next?” For some, it’s college at a university, trade school, starting/joining a business, or even taking time to reflect on one’s next steps. Regardless, the level of responsibility increases substantially for many young people across America.

In 1 Chronicles 28-29, we see a young Solomon having his responsibilities skyrocket, as he officially takes his father’s place as King. His task from the Lord: build a house worthy of God through the plans that David possessed. This wasn’t a simple task, as v. 11-18 describe exactly everything that he had in mind for the Lord’s house. These verses describe divisions of the priests, the chambers, the treasuries, and detail the exact weight of every lampstand, table, gold dish, silver bowl, and many more items! I can’t imagine the feelings that Solomon would have as his father put his trust in him for one of the most sacred structures in the Bible.

However, David says to Solomon in verse 20-21, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He won’t leave you or abandon you until all the work for the service of the LORD’S house is finished. Here are the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of God’s house. Every willing person of any skill will be at your disposal for the work, and the leaders and all the people are at your every command (CSB).” Later, in chapter 29, David also prays for Solomon to give him an undivided heart for the work ahead.

David knew the task God had granted to Solomon was challenging. However, David’s words echo the need to trust in the LORD and to rely on one’s community. Today, we aren’t the kings of nations, but we are faced with increasing responsibilities and freedoms each day we live. My relevant example was for graduates, but that isn’t the only limitation. Maybe it’s something that we want to do, like take an extraordinary trip with our family. Our responsibilities might be difficult to fulfill, such as taking care of someone in your neighborhood who is experiencing a long-term illness. 

Whatever your next task is, I pray you will ask God for guidance as you navigate the path you must follow. He might not answer everything instantly, but still trust our Father up above, even when your path is narrow. God can also reveal guidance through the people we interact with. David gave all his leaders to Solomon to help with any task that needed to be accomplished. For many of us, that group of people is our church community. Whatever your next step in life is, ask your pastors, teachers, and people inside the church body. The Holy Spirit can work in mysterious ways through people we don’t even expect. 

We can see this sense of community also in Philippians 1. Here, Paul gives gratitude to the Philippian church for their support in spreading the gospel (especially during his imprisonment in Acts 16). Even the Bible’s greatest evangelicals needed support from fellow believers. This emphasizes the need to reinforce our fellow community members on the right steps or the right people to seek help.

Paul ends Chapter One with a wish to the church: “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel (v. 27 ESV).” Whatever the next chapter is for you, do it while still living with Christ as the center of action.

Reflection Questions:

  1.  The ideas of strength and courage are found in many Biblical leaders in power. Who are some of the people who stand out to you? In what ways can we live with the same biblical courage that these leaders had in our everyday tasks?
  1. In both passages, we see leaders, citizens, and early church members supporting people doing hard tasks through prayer, giving, and service. How can we support our church leaders, missionaries, and young people through our own experience and skills?
  1. How do you put Christ first in a new world where life is changing on all sides? What sustainable disciplines could you add to make the good news at the center of your heart?

Prayer:

Great and Mighty God, 

Thank you for being our Father and for always letting us put our trust in you when we do difficult things. Please keep our hearts aligned with Christ in the center, wherever our next step is. Help us to be strong and courageous with you and our community supporting us.

In Jesus’ Name, 

Amen.

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Jobs for Everyone

1 Chronicles 26-27

Psalm 75

Ephesians 6

-Devotion by Kevin Shull (MN)

1 Chronicles 26-27 are chapters that can be easy to skim past as you are reading through the Bible.  However, hidden within these lists of names and positions, we can gain a glimpse of God’s order.  The Israelites were a nation that were set apart by God.  This can be seen in Leviticus 20:26 and 1 Chronicles 17:21.  What separated Israel from the rest of the nations was God’s Law, which provided the Israelites with the order that they needed to live a holy life.

1 Chronicles 26-27 puts a focus on the specific structure and design that God engineered for the Israelites’ success.  Within these chapters we see how King David is organizing the Levites to serve in the temple.  1 Chronicles 26:1-19 details the divisions of Levitical gatekeepers.  It is specific to their leading men, which gate they are assigned to, and how each watch should run.  26:20-28 focuses on the treasuries of God’s temple, and the individuals responsible for them.  26:29-32 highlights the work of the Levites outside of the temple, who are assigned to be judges and overseers for the tribes of Israel.  Each listing is detailed with their families and locations. 

This is continued in chapter 27, starting with the military.  From verse 1 we learn that the military is to be split into twelve divisions, with 24,000 in each division.  27:2-15 then lists the commanders of these divisions by name for their appropriate division.  In 27:16-22, the heads of tribes of Israel are also listed by name.  The chapter continues in 27:25-31 by listing those who were placed over the king’s various affairs and property.  Finally, 27:32-34 lists the king’s counselors and the commander of the king’s army.

As I was reading through these lists, chapter 27 verse 30 stuck out to me.  “Obil the Ishmaelite was in charge of the camels.  Jehdeiah the Meronothite was in charge of the donkeys.”  In the greater scope of the Bible, I would not think of these as particularly noteworthy roles that would need to be listed.  But in the time of David, both camels and donkeys were vital to the success of the kingdom.  Camels were of key importance for desert transport and trade.  Donkeys were needed for their agricultural work and carrying heavy loads.  While not particularly flashy jobs, both Obil and Jehdeiah’s work was needed within the Israelite nation. 

We can apply these same concepts into our Church today.  The Church needs members in different roles to thrive.  We have all been given unique spiritual gifts for the purpose of serving our church.  1 Peter 4:10, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”  Not everyone is called to be a pastor or musician, but we can still find ways to serve.  God has given you gifts to better your church, even if it isn’t always in the flashiest positions.  1 Corinthians 12:21 reminds us that no part of the body of Christ should be looked down upon. “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’”  It is pivotal that we don’t lose faith by neglecting the gifts God has given us.

While 1 Chronicles 26-27 are not the most riveting chapters of the Bible, I believe they are truly just as important.  God had a specific plan for the Israelites’ success, a clear order to ensure prosperity.  Lists like these remind me that God used each of these individuals for a specific purpose, as hard as their names might be to pronounce.  God used these people to orchestrate all the inner workings of complex bureaucracy that was David’s kingdom.  In comparison to a kingdom, imagine how simple our own lives must be to him.  Our God is a God of order, so why do we have such a hard time letting him lead?  I pray that we will be able to let go and follow where God’s plan is taking us.

Reflection Questions

  1. What did you find interesting in the description of the organization of the Levites and David’s kingdom?
  2. Of the jobs listed in 1 Chronicles 26-27, which one(s) would you have applied for if you lived during David’s reign and why?
  3. How has God gifted you for service? What role do you play in the church body? Why does it need to be done? What skills does it require?
  4. Where have you witnessed the God of order at work?

Prayer

Dear God, I thank You for creating the church as a body – not because You need us, but because we need You and we need one another. Help us to serve You well as an active, talented, giving part of the body of Christ.

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The Judge

1 Chronicles 24-25

Psalm 75

Ephesians 5

-Devotion by Philip Kirkpatrick (MN & MI)

Judgment: the act or process of forming an opinion or evaluation by discerning and comparing.

Judging people is an inherent thing that everyone does.  In the English definition, at least of the word, it’s not inherently a bad thing to do.  For example, if I walk into my college class on a given day and notice there’s a different group of people, I might jump to a judgment, in this case, that this is not my class.  Or you see something in front of you, it has two arms, two legs, a head, upright, and a human face, you make the judgment automatically that this is, in fact, a human.  These are both judgments you’ve made, and they are
both useful. It’s your brain distilling information into a conclusion that’s easier to work with.

On a larger scale, there are scenarios though, that we are in no place to be the judge of.  In reality, even if we form judgments, we should think them through and not act upon those judgments.  We are told in Matthew as well to be careful of our judgments and not to think too highly of our own judgment. For we have one whose judgment will always be just and always be right. Psalm 75 speaks of this.  God is the ultimate judge, and he will judge without fault.

In many books I’ve read recently, this idea comes across of people making hard choices and having to live with the consequences. Whenever I read this, I am so grateful I am not the hero in those stories, having to make those calls and having to wonder if it was the right call. As the psalmist here does, I also thank God for being the judge. We do not have to worry about some of the hard judgments in life because we serve a God who will make the right judgments every time where we would not. We often thank God for the food he provides, or the home he gives, we should also thank him for this. Thank him for being the ultimate judge who judges with equity.

Reflection Questions

When have you made a false or poor judgment? What was the result? When do you feel you have been judged unfairly by others?

What qualities/characteristics of God make Him the perfect judge? What does God base all His judgments on?

What other things might you be able to thank God for beyond the normal
ones you pray for?

Prayer

Dear Father and Judge – Thank You for Your love and thank You for Your right and just judgments. Please give me a piece of Your wisdom and discernment, Lord. Help me know what is right and what is wrong, what is of You and what is not. Help me to make good choices and speak words that are pleasing to You. Thank You for seeing me through the gift of Your precious Son. In his name I pray. Amen

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Anger, Sin, and the Sun

1 Chronicles 22-23

Psalm 74

Ephesians 4

-Devotion by Philip Kirkpatrick (MN & MI)

In Ephesians 4, the second half of the chapter is entitled “The Christian’s Walk,” and it lays down some guidelines for us.  There’s enough there to pull from that you could spend days just going through every sentence and applying it to your life. But there isn’t enough time for that now, so I’ll just focus on one section. Verses 26 and 27 read,

 “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,  and do not give the devil an opportunity.”

Anger can be a sore subject for many; it can lead to decisions and actions that cause divisions between people.  That can be even more of an issue in the church itself.  Yet the verse here highlights an aspect that can always be kept in mind: anger can lead to those actions, but it is not a direct indication that they will happen.  I’m not a psychologist and won’t pretend to be an expert, but anger is a mental reaction to something unpleasant happening, but it is not external.


Healthy expression of anger is something we all can struggle with and it is the unhealthy expression of anger that this verse warns us against.  Everyone has different methods that work well for them. In the end, though, we must all work to not let the anger drive us to sin.  To not let it lead us to those actions that would harm others.  A task easier said than done.

There is another part here to discuss as well, not letting the sun go down on your anger.  This is not saying that you must get all anger out of your system before the sun goes down every day, but rather advising us not to hold on to our anger.  Sometimes it might be easier to let anger sink somewhere where you can’t see it rather than address the cause of that anger.  But we mustn’t let this be the case; you’re not resolving the issue, just pushing it off and potentially making it worse.  Not that I’m saying you should hash it all the way out right away, that is situational, and if you’re not sure, asking someone wise who is disconnected from the situation can be useful.

Letting anger rule your actions is hazardous to you and everyone around you.  Don’t let it lead you into sin, into those terrible situations.  Today, I pray you can watch for the next time that anger might come about and not let it lead to sin, and resolve the conflict in a way that doesn’t leave the anger to fester.

Discussion Questions

At what times in your day do you often see your anger taking hold and leading to bad decisions?

Is there a recent time you might have gotten angry at someone? How could you go about letting that anger go?

What does the Bible teach us about God’s anger? In what ways could you work towards handling your anger in a godly manner?

Prayer

Dear God, I praise You for Your righteousness and love. Thank You for being a God who is slow to anger. Help me to learn from You, Your Son, and the words You have given in Your Word. Help me to be more patient with people and situations and when my anger does rise, help me to deal with it well, in healthy ways that do not lead to sin. In my anger and in my life help me stand strong against the devil and his schemes. In Your victorious Son’s name I pray. Amen

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The Last of the Rephaim

1 Chronicles 20-21

Psalm 74

Ephesians 3

~ Devotion by Cayce Fletcher (SC)

Cayce Fletcher is a wife and homeschool mom of three. She writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com where she helps women grow in grace, build with purpose, and live beautifully. Read the latest post in the Systematic Theology series here. 

“Okay, everyone, here’s your order of service,” I said, as I started passing around the papers with handwritten songs and Bible lessons scribbled across the top. After running through announcements and singing a few worship songs led by my brothers, I gathered up my cousins and headed behind our podium (some bar stools with a blanket draped across the top). 

Up popped a little stuffed Beanie Baby chihuahua who exclaimed that he was David, ready to fight Goliath. On cue, someone lifted up our 10 lb (real-life) chihuahua, Max, who played his part well as he scoffed at the little David below. When the pretend slingshot hit its target, the beach condo living room cheered. The enemy was vanquished! The giant slain! God and his people were victorious! 

Many years have passed since that Sunday morning on vacation, but the story of David and Goliath captures my imagination just the same. Sometimes, we may be tempted to read the story (found in 1 Samuel 17) and assume that this guy, Goliath, just came out of nowhere. Or, we may think he is just the product of exaggeration. Giants didn’t really exist, did they? 

That’s a complicated question, but it is made even more mysterious when we place it against the backdrop of today’s reading. In 1 Chronicles 20:4-8, we read about the Philistines, along with descendants of the giants who had come to fight David. Three battles ensued – one of which was against the brother of Goliath, whose spear was like a weaver’s beam (thicker and about 5 ft long). In each of these battles, David and his men were victorious.

Importantly, these weren’t random large men who were intent on picking a fight with David. We are told they are the descendants of the Rephaim. Who are the Rephaim? One of the first mentions is back in Genesis 14 when a king that Abraham would eventually defeat first defeated a group of Rephaites. 

We read another mention of them in Deuteronomy 2-3. In this passage, the Israelites defeat Og, the king of Bashan, who is described as the last of the Raphaites. His bed is described as 14 feet long and 6 feet wide. 

We know that the spies described Canaan as a land of giants in Numbers 13. (These are the Anakim, or the descendants of the Anak.) Joshua fought these giants in Joshua 11 and destroyed almost all of them, but a few escaped and took refuge in Philistine cities. 

That brings us to today’s reading. For hundreds of years, the Israelites fought against these giants; finally, during David’s time, the giants were actually defeated. We aren’t quite sure where these giants came from (though there’s plenty of lore behind that you can research yourself). What we do know is that after David’s reign, we do not hear about giants again. 

We don’t see giants today, but the echoes of what David accomplished during his reign can be found in our lives today. Later Jewish writings started using the term Rephaim to refer to shades (or the people who were dead in Sheol, the grave). David defeated physical giants, but what he did foreshadows what Christ has done on the cross: The giants of sin and death are defeated. We are victorious! 

Hallelujah! Amen! 

Reflection Questions

  1. Where do you think these giants came from in the Old Testament? Do you believe that it is significant that they keep popping up throughout the first half of the Old Testament? 
  2. We’ve read about David has his mighty acts in battle. How did David have the courage to face down these giants? What do you learn from that? 
  3. What giants are you facing? How does this passage encourage you to stand your ground and fight? 

Prayer

Lord, 

Thank you for the battle that has already been won! Thank you for the victory against the giants of sin and death. Please strengthen me in my walk. Help me to be courageous as we stand and fight! 

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

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Peace with God through Christ

1 Chronicles 18-19

Psalm 73

Ephesians 2

~ Devotion by Cayce Fletcher (SC)

Cayce Fletcher is a wife and homeschool mom of three. She writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com where she helps women grow in grace, build with purpose, and live beautifully. Read the latest post in the Systematic Theology series here. 

My brothers were older when I was born, so apart from occasionally being hit on the head with a basketball and called dumb when I teased them about girls, I didn’t live through the brunt of a boy’s household. With the birth of my oldest, however, I have been immersed in all things monster truck, dinos, and tractors—Minecraft, sports, and construction. The highlight of his day – no matter what I do – is to play ‘dinos’ with his dad, which really just means wrestling for 15 minutes. 

When his cousins are over, he loves to play ‘battle,’ and he’ll tell me sometimes of the preparations he’s making in his room for when the next war erupts between the girls and the boys. (It really is comical to watch the boys find wherever they can in the house to hit each other, while the girls play ‘kids’ and rock their little stuffed animals to sleep.) 

Today, we read of the battles that David waged against the neighboring nations. David is described in 1 Samuel 16:18 as someone “who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with him.” We just get a glimpse of these exploits today in our readings from 1 Chronicles. In 1 Chronicles 18:6b says, “The Lord made David victorious wherever he went.” 

David was continuing the work that the first Israelites who entered the promised land were called to do. He was conquering the land for the Lord and ridding it of the influence of the Canaanites. 

Interestingly, later on, one of the reasons that God gave David for not being able to build the temple is the fact that he is a warrior. 1 Chronicles 28:3 says, “but God said to me, ‘You are not to build a house for my name because you are a man of war and have shed blood.’” 

David followed God’s command to conquer the land, but in doing so, he was also limited in what he was able to do. In obedience, he had to let the dream of building the temple pass to his son. He used the time he reigned to help gather and prepare so that Solomon would have what he needed to build the temple. 

Solomon, whose name means peace (it is derived from the Hebrew word Shalom), would go on to build the temple. In his reign, the Israelites experienced unprecedented peace and prosperity. 

I find it interesting to think about the battles that David faced (and the foreshadowing of the peace of Solomon’s reign) as we consider Ephesians 2. This chapter lays out the gospel in its full glory. Ephesians 2:14 says, “For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility.”

In the gospel, we recognize our original place before God – as someone removed from him, hostile to him, and dead in sin. And, we also recognize our way to peace: Through Christ, the hostility between God and us is torn down. 

In David’s time, the enemy was the surrounding nations, but we know that our enemy is not against flesh and blood (Eph. 6:12). David had to wage war, and victory against the enemy was only accomplished through bloodshed. We have victory in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57)! The battle is already won. David could not build a temple but had to wait for peace in this world. Our peace is not tied to any physical circumstance; it rests on the peace we already have in Christ. 

“Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory in Christ!” 

Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think that God told David he was not able to build the temple? Why did the temple need to be constructed by a man of peace, not war? 
  2. If the Israelites were battling against surrounding nations, what are we battling against now? How does this change how we live? 

Prayer

Lord, 

Thank you for the gift of your son! We praise you and are so thankful that we have peace with you in Christ! Help us to fight the battles we are called to against sin and darkness in the world – knowing that you have the victory in Christ! 

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

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The Legacy of Asaph

1 Chronicles 16-17

Psalm 73

Ephesians 1

~ Devotion by Cayce Fletcher (SC)

Cayce Fletcher is a wife and homeschool mom of three. She writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com where she helps women grow in grace, build with purpose, and live beautifully. Read the latest post in the Systematic Theology series here. 

We’ve talked about legacy this week as the sum total of our life and our work. Another way we describe legacy is the way that work, skills, and even ministry are passed down through generations. 

My family was not a sports family (I don’t think I can emphasize that enough). Even though my dad was about 6’3” and played basketball in high school, none of my siblings really inherited the sports gene. My husband, however, is a football (and golf) fan, and I have learned more than I ever really wanted to know watching Sunday Ticket on lazy fall afternoons. 

Football and sports are a skill legacy passed down, with the Mannings a notable example. In the world of Golf, I remember watching one pre-Masters tournament when Jack Nicklaus’ grandson shot a hole-in-one during the pre-tournament ‘family’ round. It’s a legacy.

I did not inherit the ‘sports’ gene from my father, but I did inherit – and was encouraged to pursue – the music gene. We took piano lessons from a young age from Miss Alma Carter, who served up Cokes in the bottle and let us watch SpongeBob in her sun porch as we waited for the lessons to start. We were in every church program and cantata. And, we learned the VBS songs before anyone else so that our mom could lead the music when it started each summer. 

The legacy that started with my grandmother singing folksy Appalachian hymns on the local radio has continued to me singing harmony on Sunday mornings during worship. 

We often think of spiritual disciplines in terms of words. We read the Bible, we pray, and we journal. But a crucial spiritual discipline is worship. Worship gets us out of our heads and gets us focused on God. It is something that we do on our own, but we love to do in a group. There is such a special moment when you pause and listen to everyone singing in a song. The sound is a picture of the church – individual notes combined together to meld into something beautiful and transcendent. 

Music has always been a central part of how we interact with God. When we learn more about God, we are moved to worship him. When the ark returned to Jerusalem, David was immediately moved to celebrate. He offered sacrifices and then called some Levites “to be ministers before the ark of the Lord, to celebrate the Lord God of Israel, and to give thanks and praise to him” (1 Chronicles 16:4). 

The chief minister of musicians was named Asaph. He was a Levite who was a skilled musician and also described as a seer (or prophet) (2 Chron. 29:30). 1 Chronicles 9:33-34 describes how these musicians “stayed in the temple chambers and were exempt from other tasks because they were on duty day and night.” 

What may seem like a trivial detail about the daily routines of temple life actually speaks to something incredibly important: Worship was so important to the Jewish people that they had a dedicated team of people whose only duty was to sing to God. It wasn’t just something tacked onto a worship service to ‘spice it up.’ It was crucial. Someone was on duty day and night, worshipping before God. 

GotQuestions makes an important point: “The church musicians of our day can be considered spiritual ‘children of Asaph.’” Anyone who sings psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (which should be all of us) is part of the legacy of Asaph. We walk in his footsteps as we minister before the Lord. Worship is not just ‘filler’ to add to a service; it is how we glorify God and testify to who he is. 

As you read through Psalm 73, you are walking in the footsteps of your spiritual great(+)-grandfather worshipping our great God and singing of the good he has done for us. 

Reflection Questions

  1. Have you ever thought about how important worship is for our spiritual life? Why is it important? How does worship change our hearts? 
  2. Why do you think one of David’s first acts when the ark arrived was to worship with singing? 
  3. Some of us may not feel musically inclined. Why should we still make a point to participate in worship? 

Prayer

Lord, 

Thank you for the gift of worship. Thank you for the gift of music, songs, and harmony. Lord, we praise you!

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

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The Burdens We Carry

1 Chronicles 14-15

Psalm 72

Galatians 6

~ Devotion by Cayce Fletcher (SC)

Cayce Fletcher is a wife and homeschool mom of three. She writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com where she helps women grow in grace, build with purpose, and live beautifully. Read the latest post in the Systematic Theology series here. 

I was recently tasked with an errand by my husband. I was to go to the store and return to silt screens (big tarps with pickets attached to help with run-off on construction sites). When I pulled up to the store, I noticed there were no carts nearby, so I tried – with my three-year-old daughter in tow – to somehow lift the two rolls while she hung onto my shirt. (Any moms reading this probably are nodding their heads. You’ve done something similar.) 

As we walked through the parking lot, I could feel the plastic start to slip down, and white-knuckling it, I tried to maneuver the tarps to the side to lift it back up without stopping in the middle of the road. About that time, a guy walked up with his wife and child, looked over, and immediately said, “Hey, do you need help with that?” Laughing, I responded that help would be great. 

No matter who you are, this truth applies to you: We are all limited by our bodies. As parents with more than two children like to say, you only have two hands. We can only lift so much, and even the strongest person in the world has a limit to their ability. (If you are wondering, that title goes to Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, who deadlifted 1,124 lbs(!).) We can only carry so much. 

Today’s readings dealt with the idea of carrying burdens. In 1 Chronicles 14-15, we read the second part of the ark’s journey back to Jerusalem. After Uzzah died when the men tried to return the ark on a cart, David left the ark at a man’s house. In 1 Chronicles 15, David had done his research, and this time, he brought Levites who would carry the ark in the proper way back to Jerusalem. 

Exodus 25:10-22 describes the way that the ark was meant to be carried – the ark was to be lifted up on poles. According to BibleHub, “The method of carrying the Ark on poles symbolizes the separation between the divine and the human, emphasizing God’s holiness and the need for reverence in worship. It also signifies the role of the Levites as mediators between God and the people, entrusted with the sacred duty of handling holy objects.”

Carrying the ark was the burden of the Israelites – one they could not shirk without dire circumstances. 

In Galatians 6, we read more about burdens, but in this passage, we read about our own burdens as the new royal priesthood. After Paul lays out the freedom we find in Christ in the first half of Galatians, he then moves to encourage the people ‘to not bite and devour one another’ (Gal. 5:15) and instead produce fruit in keeping with the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). 

In Galatians 6, he turns his focus from our own individual spiritual growth to how we can support each other in overcoming sin. In Galatians 6:2, we read, “Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” The Enduring Word Commentary explains it like this, “When Paul brought up the idea [in verse 1] of the one overtaken in any trespass, it painted the picture of a person sagging under a heavy load. Here he expanded the idea to encourage every Christian to bear one another’s burdens.”

We don’t bear the weight as the Levites did of the ark. We are not the mediator between God and the people. But, we can lift each other up – just as the Levites lifted up the ark – towards God. When we come alongside each other and support one another in our spiritual growth, we are doing the good work we are called to do (verse 9-10). 

Interestingly, right after this passage, we have a seeming contradiction in verse 5 when Paul seems to say that each person will have to carry their own load. 

Some commentators say that this is due to the differences in translation. Load, in verse 2, comes from a word that emphasizes the heaviness of the burden. It paints the burden as excessive, something you would stumble under. Whereas in verse 5, load or burden is a word that comes from the word for a backpack a soldier would have. Verse 5 is in reference to loads that other people cannot carry for us (think: calling, marriage, family, etc.). 

Other commentators say that this is actually a counter-example. Verse 2 is the optimal, Spirit-led response to burdens: We should bear each other’s burdens. However, if we want to respond ‘in the flesh’, we may try to think of ourselves as more highly than we ought. We take pride in ourselves alone and are responsible for our own work. Thus, we have to shoulder our own burdens. 

Verse 9-10 sum up our work and should be our motto as we do ministry: “Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.” Amen!

Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you believe the ark had to be carried in this way? What does it symbolize?
  2. What do you think is the most likely interpretation of Galatians 6:2-5? 
  3. What is a burden you could share with others? And, what is a burden someone has that you can help bear?

Prayer

Lord, 

Please help us to be a people who support one another, not bite and devour one another. Help us to lift each other up to you. Let us not grow weary of doing good. 

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

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The Shepherd King of Israel

1Chronicles 10-11 

Psalm 72

Galatians 5

~ Devotion by Cayce Fletcher (SC)

Cayce Fletcher is a wife and homeschool mom of three. She writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com where she helps women grow in grace, build with purpose, and live beautifully. Read the latest post in the Systematic Theology series here. 

I live on family land, and over the years, there have been several different kinds of livestock that we’ve had ‘out to pasture.’ Cows, goats, and chickens all have their challenges, but what they all will do, when given a chance, is escape. 

Several years ago, before we moved back to the Farm (as we call it), we got home after a long week at Southeast Camp only to find that the cows had escaped the fence and were busy eating up the vegetable garden and walking on the flowers in the yard. We had to shepherd them back into the fence. 

Israel often follows the same path. In the story of Israel, we see their propensity for ‘escape’ – or their ability to wander off the good path of God and pursue their own desires. They desperately needed a shepherd to care for them. God was their shepherd king, but in the time of Samuel, they rejected him. David stepped in to care for the people as the kingdom was handed to him. 

What did the shepherd king do for his people? 

The shepherd king guided them to green pastures. 

The shepherd king needed to bring the people to good pastures. That means he needed to guide the people to the place where they would get life – and that place is in God’s presence. David recognized the importance of bringing people to God. 1 Chronicles 13:3, “Then let’s bring back the ark of our God, for we did not inquire of him in Saul’s days.” 

During the time of the judges and Saul, the Israelites did not have a close relationship with God. As king, he could bring the people to God and show them how good God was. This is why bringing the ark back was one of his first actions as king. 

The shepherd king protected them from harm. 

David was a man of war. This was one way that David used his unique abilities in obedience to God. The people had not fully conquered the land in the time of Joshua. David continued this work during his time as king. 

In 1 Samuel 17:34-36, he describes what a shepherd does: “David answered Saul, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, I went after it, struck it down, and rescued the lamb from its mouth. If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur, strike it down, and kill it. 36 Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.”

The shepherd had to protect his flock from dangerous animals. The shepherd king had to protect his people from the surrounding nations and influences that would harm the people and lead them away from God. 

The shepherd king watched out for the weakest in the flock. 

1 Chronicles 12 describes the people who came to support David when he was on the run from Saul. 1 Samuel 22:2 gives more insight into who they were when it says, “All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him.” 

David looked out for the outcast, the ‘weak links’, the poor. He took them in and led them in such a way that they turned into the mighty men we read about in 1 Chronicles 11-12. They were men of valor with such jaw-dropping military exploits that we can’t really comprehend them today. 

In Psalm 72, we read about a prayer for this shepherd king. Verses 12-14 say, “12 For he will rescue the poor who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper. He will have pity on the poor and helpless and save the lives of the poor. He will redeem them from oppression and violence,

for their lives are precious in his sight.”

The shepherd king sees with the people the eyes of God. Each one is precious in his sight. 

Every person who leads someone else has to step into the role of shepherd. That is why we call ‘pastors’ pastors – it is a word derived from the Latin pastor, which means shepherd. When we shepherd others, we don’t do it for our own glory, but to bring people to glorify God. The ultimate example of this type of shepherd is Jesus – the perfect fulfillment of the shepherd king. 

May we humbly follow his example! 

Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think that the shepherd imagery is so strong throughout the scriptures? What can we learn from this today? 
  2. Who has been a ‘shepherd’ in your life, leading you to God? 
  3. How can you be a better shepherd to others? 

Prayer

Lord, 

Help me to guide other people to you through my words and deeds. Please bless the shepherds around me. Strengthen them for the task at hand. May we approach all things with humility and dependence on you. 

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

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