Throughout the Bible, the phrases “do not be afraid” and “do not fear” are repeated over and over. This phrase is first used in Genesis 15:1, which says, “After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.’” The last time the Bible says this is in Revelation 2:10, which says, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
In Psalm 46, we are given the reason why we should not fear. Verse 1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46 says this is the reason we will not fear. When God is our refuge and strength, nothing can defeat us. As nothing is stronger than God, when our strength is God, nothing can overpower us. Therefore, we should not fear anything. Verses 2-3 continue to tell us that there is no reason to fear, even if the earth should change, the mountains fall into the sea, the oceans roar, and/or the mountains shake.
Further on in the psalm, it says, “The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah. Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has wrought desolations in the earth. He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire.” If you didn’t have enough reason to not fear from verse 1, these 3 verses give you even more reasons. The God who is our stronghold has brought about desolations on the earth against those who have opposed Him. He has stopped wars and defeated men and their weapons over and over again. Therefore, there is no longer any reason to fear. We need to trust in God as our refuge, strength, and stronghold.
-Kaitlyn Hamilton
Reflection Questions
What are your top five fears?
How often does fear interfere with what you think God wants you to be doing or thinking?
It’s easy to say, “Do not fear.” But harder to do. What are some practical daily steps you can take to help your brain overcome fear?
How is God greater than all the things we fear?
Introduction to Philemon
The book of Philemon is Paul’s shortest letter that is included in our Bible. Paul wrote it while in prison to his dear friend and fellow Christian, Philemon.
Philemon’s slave, Onesimus, had run away, had come to Paul, and had helped Paul while he was in chains for the gospel. While there, Onesimus became a believer. This book is Paul’s letter to Philemon urging him to accept Onesimus back, not as a slave, but as a dear brother in Christ; asking that Philemon welcome Onesimus “as you would welcome me.”
This book shows Paul’s mastery of persuasion. He started by praising Philemon, then laid out a logical argument for kindly accepting Onesimus back, followed by an emotional argument. Ending with “Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.” Not only was Paul an amazing missionary, he was a master strategist.
There is an expression about starting a family that has passed down from one generation to the next that goes something like this: “If you wait to start having children until you’re ready, you will never have them.” There is much truth in this. While you can prepare for being a parent by accumulating wealth, knowledge, and supplies, no one can really be prepared to take care of a tiny, fragile human 24 hours a day without on-the-job training. Being that my wife and I’s first experience of inexperience was with twins, we felt conservatively confident that we could manage it when we found out child three was going to be a singleton birth. However, I wasn’t ready for what would happen prior to Violet being born.
As I mentioned in the first blog in this series, my health spiraled out of control a couple months ago, which culminated in a scary visit to the ER. Out of all the doubts and worries that penetrated my mind, I wondered how I would be an effective father when my heart was beating rapidly and I couldn’t catch my breath putting my children in their car seats. God, why now? My Heavenly Father and I talked a lot about it, and He gave me peace in my restlessness. How I see it now. He placed me there to deliver me. He broke me then to prepare me for my present. He worked through the people around me to heal me for my growing family. His timing is always perfect, and I wish I always saw it this clearly.
“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.” – Psalm 40:1,3
Throughout the course of this week, we have focused on Trusting God’s plan. He will most certainly take us where we need to go to align our steps closer to His. It is possible we need to spend time in the desert to clearly focus on what God is calling us to. Sometimes, we need a season of mourning to remember His promise of the life to come. It could be that we need our possessions removed to see every good and perfect gift. God makes it clear He will deliver us, but He sets the schedule. He does not hang healing over our heads so we learn a lesson. He helps us to see Him more clearly, and He uses both our struggle and restoration as a testimony to Him. The words of Job ring true with this when he states, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth. Yet in my flesh I will see God.” (Job 19:25-27) While this speaks of a promise to come, literal restored men and women being with their God, we can also see God as He works in us in the seasons of feast and famine.
“‘Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’… Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!'” – John 20: 11, 16
God has promised to hear our cry, so why are we bemoaning? Why are we crying? We don’t grieve like those who have no hope. There is nothing that can be taken away that God cannot restore one-hundred-fold. Our Rabboni, Jesus Christ, is the firstfruits, and we will be restored like Him at the hour the Father has set. We cannot accumulate enough wealth, knowledge, or supplies to be prepared for every downfall or pitfall set before us, but in our dire circumstances, we can wait on the Lord for He will renew our strength in his perfect time.
-Aaron Winner
Reflection Questions
As part of your personal testimony, can you tell of a time God has used both your struggle and your restoration to draw you closer to Him?
What does waiting patiently on the Lord look and sound like?
From God’s word and/or from your own life, what have you learned about God’s timing?
What has God shown you about Himself in your Bible reading today?
Whether it is my teenagers at school or my three-agers at home, much of my day is filled with offering corrections for behavior. I have often wondered how many times I say “no” within the course of 24 hours. As both a teacher and a father, I know that the guidance that I offer is constructive and for the benefit of my children, but rarely is it received with thanks. I get it. When I am offered criticism, even more so when it is justified, I am defensive. If I would put the same effort in my adjustment as I did my defense, I would find myself rapidly growing professionally, personally, and spiritually. For every one of us, we should be glad of just criticism with good intentions because someone has decided to improve us instead of letting us remain as we once were.
“Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him. This also will be my salvation, For a godless person cannot come before His presence.” Job 13:15-16
More than anyone else, our Heavenly Father is interested in improving the quality of our life we have now to prepare us for the life to come. When we are in a rut, He doesn’t let us lay in the muck and the mire. Our God is actively working on our hearts, imploring us to read His Holy Word or listen to His people speaking truth into our lives. Either one of these can be a tough pill to swallow. According to Hebrew chapter 4, the Word of God is a two-edged sword that cuts deeps, separating the bone and marrow. It isn’t merely a flesh wound, but a fatal strike against our spirit of selfishness in order to die, so Christ may live in us. (Gal 2:20)
“They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.” – John 17:16-19
But are we glad for this guidance? Are we asking for these amendments to be placed into our lives? Maybe this is where we need to change our prideful spirit in order to trust in God’s plan and walk closer to Him. This means letting go of our justifications for the negligence and sin we continue to carry in our lives. If you really are putting your hope in God Almighty, let Him slay your heart. He is beckoning you to forgive your neighbor. He is challenging you to share the Gospel with your friends. He is calling you to set aside your ambition and choose church. He is imploring you to seek help for addiction. He is challenging your will and way, so He can help you live your life more abundantly.
“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.” Psalm 37:4-6
The desires of our heart are on the other side of God’s guidance. To delight in God is to live the life He is setting before you. Trust the process because the Lord will give you gains like no other. He will vindicate and exonerate those who choose Jesus Christ, His Son, above anything else. Rejoice and be glad that our Heavenly Father is offering direction to help each one of us stay on His straight and narrow way that leads to the coming Kingdom.
-Aaron Winner
Reflection Questions
What is your typical response to constructive criticism or guidance? Is your response sometimes prompted by selfishness or pride rather than truth?
What do you think of Aaron’s statement: “More than anyone else, our Heavenly Father is interested in improving the quality of our life we have now to prepare us for the life to come”?
How can you better seek God’s guidance, receiving it with gladness and acting upon it?
It is not unusual for me to carry around a Ziploc bag full of fruits and vegetables as I meander across the cafeteria crunching through school lunch. A few years ago, I made changes for the sake of my health, improving my diet and exercising regularly. I dropped some weight, I felt better, and I was healthier in my late 30s than in the whole of my 20s. I had finally mastered my body once and for all; however, this control was an illusion.
Early this summer I experienced significant changes to my health. My heart was beating out of control. I went from marathon running to huffing and puffing up the short flight of stairs at my house. I was sweaty, panicked, and dropping pounds no matter what I ate. I was heading, as I now know, full-throttle into a thyroid storm and quickly losing the gains that I had worked so hard to maintain. It was then I was given this sobering reminder: I’m not in control; not even a little bit.
Throughout the course of this week, my goal is to focus on trusting God’s plan. The rain equally falls on the just and the unjust, but we often fix our gaze on our wet shoes in the puddles and mud. This is where we find Job in Chapter 7. He ponders the calamities that befall him, and even torment him in his sleep. He is looking for a reason that God has placed him in this circumstance and even “targeted” him (v.20), removing his wealth, health, and happiness. In what looks like an ironic spin of Psalm 8, Job asks “What is mankind, that you make so much of them? That you give them so much attention?” It is a fair question. Why would God place so much attention on my life, seemingly ruining it, especially when I have put in so much time, effort, and energy into making something good?
We find our focus in the lens of eternity. When we surrender our lives to Christ, our possessions, our status, our health, and the whole of our lives are assets of the Gospel message. There is profound peace in the perfect plan of our Heavenly Father, but it requires us to relax the white knuckle grip we have over the course of our life. We must surrender in faith, fully trusting that our storm, our season, our suffering is for the glory of God. Psalm 34 states when we seek the Lord, our fears are quelled (v. 4) and in His time, he will deliver us (v. 6, 17, 19, & 22). While it is hard not to let our hearts be troubled (John 14:1), God is still good in our struggle, and for many of us, more present to taste and see it, when we are broken, poor, ill, hungry, or in peril.
When things seem out of control, we have to realize they were never in our hands. Thinking we have the power to redeem or fix our struggle alone means we are intoxicated with our own glory, one that will ultimately fail. Conversely, if we hand our lives over to Christ, declaring our lives are forfeit for His glory in faith, God will use us in a way that will infinitely diminish what we can accomplish by ourselves. Thank God, I am not in control, and His perfect will can redeem us all.
“I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.” – Psalm 34:1-2
-Aaron Winner
Reflection Questions
What do you think and feel when you hear you are not in control?
What evidence do you have to prove you are, or are not, in control?
How can you bring glory to God, even if your feet are in (or have been in) a muddy puddle?
Today we again check in on the history of the ancient kings, with 2 Chronicles 11-13. The twelve tribes of Israel were just split into two nations, confusingly known as Israel (to the north) and Judah (to the south). Civil war would have broken out but God sent a message: “You shall not go up or fight against your relatives; return every man to his house, for this thing is from Me.” (11:4). It is good that the Lord prevented bloodshed in this case, and that the people were prepared to listen, but it could almost be seen as comical: ‘don’t fight, chalk this one up to me and just draw a new border.’
King Rehoboam of Judah didn’t assume peace would last, he began preparing fortresses and weapons. It did him no good at all because he prepared physically, and not spiritually. “When the kingdom of Rehoboam was established and strong, he and all Israel with him forsook the law of the Lord.” (12:1). Just five years into his reign he lost his grip on what really mattered – his relationship with God. He barely restored the connection in time, humbling himself before God when Shishak of Egypt and his allies attacked. Still, they took “everything” from God’s own temple treasuries, and those of the palace (9).
Rehoboam should have spent more time reading the copy of the Law which, as the king, he was supposed to be guided by (Deuteronomy 17:14-20). That book lists a whole series of curses that God promised to bring on the nation if it abandoned Him, and He worked through them over the years. But God accepted Rehoboam’s humility, and He held back from further destruction in his lifetime (1 Chronicles 12:10-12). The books of kings show that only a quarter of the kings of Judah were viewed with favor by God, so you might consider that the nation just limped along.
In comparison none of the northern leaders had God’s favor, though we hear less about them in the Chronicles than in the books of the kings. We do read here that the Levites left for the south when it became clear that King Jeroboam of Israel had no interest in proper worship of God. That choice was folly on his part, of course. He feared that if the people worshipped at the Jerusalem Temple they would be influenced toward loyalty to Judah’s king while they visited there, so he provided golden idols for the people to worship in his territory (1 Kings 12:26-33). But that meant severing them from true worship, their history, and any hope for righteousness.
We do see signs for hope in these chapters. God acts to defend the people, and He guides them. Those from out of all the tribes who wanted to worship God gathered into the southern kingdom (11:16-17), where the Temple was, which provided a faithful remnant of the nation. During most of its history the city of David may have been only a shadow of what it was intended to be, but it was at least a rallying symbol for the people – the covenant with David had been made and it would be fulfilled, no matter how far from it any individual king might be.
We can imagine a better history, one where Solomon did not allow the nation to go into idolatry, and the nation was not split in two (1 Kings 11:29-39). Or where Jeroboam remembered the terms under which God gave him the kingdom of Israel, and he did not abandon the worship of God. I could keep giving suggestions, but is there much point in reimagining the Bible with Israel ruled by people who followed God perfectly? Wouldn’t that mean it was the kingdom we are waiting for? Solomon understood better than that when he prayed at the dedication of the Temple: “When [your people] sin against You (for there is no man who does not sin) . . . if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul . . .then hear from heaven, from Your dwelling place, their prayer and supplications, and maintain their cause and forgive Your people who have sinned against You.” (2 Chronicles 6:36, 38, 39). We all sin, and we need to have a way back to God. That’s why God kept offering us systems that provide them.
Lord, thank you for allowing your power and your mercy to be shown to us in so many accounts of the history of your people in the Bible. I am glad to be able to learn from their experiences, though I am also glad I have not needed to wrestle with some of the choices they had to make. Please help us to view these events with wisdom, to compare passages carefully to gain from the connections that exist among them, and let our memories serve us well when it is fruitful to draw on what we have learned. And I thank you, Lord, that one day we will see the perfect version of what was hinted at in these texts, a Temple that cannot be attacked by armies, a King who will never deny you, a nation undivided and fully committed to your will. Until that day, let me serve you in the world I have. Amen.
-Daniel Smead
Reflection Questions
Do you think Rehoboam replaced the golden shields of Solomon with bronze ones so it would look like he still had that great wealth, or to remind himself of the wealth he had lost, and the humility he needed to maintain (2 Chronicles 9:15-16; 12:9-11)? In what ways can we develop our humility to help ourselves have a good relationship with God?
Deuteronomy 17:17 said that Hebrew kings were not to have many wives. What changes do you think it would have made if the kings had followed that rule? Why do you think they may have thought it unimportant to follow that rule? Are there things you think God wants you to do but which you have decided not to do, for now, or for reasons you think are good enough?
If you intended to fight a battle, do you think the spiritual or the physical is the more important area to prepare? Do you apply that to all areas of your life?
1 & 2 Timothy Introduction
Paul wrote First and Second Timothy to Timothy, Paul’s “true son in the faith”.
In 1 Timothy, Paul wrote to warn Timothy against false teachers in Ephesus – where Timothy was serving. Paul gave many instructions for running a church, including rules and actions for overseers and deacons, even those who shouldn’t teach or have authority. Paul also stressed the importance of holy living.
Paul wrote 2 Timothy while Paul was in prison awaiting execution. This was his farewell letter in which he also asked Timothy to come quickly to visit. Paul tried to encourage Timothy to live a holy life and remain faithful despite persecution. He strongly stressed living a holy life and gave warnings about godlessness in the last days.
Here are some well-known passages in 1 and 2 Timothy:
1 Tim 2:5 “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”
1 Tim 4:8 “For physical training has some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
1 Tim 4:12 “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.”
1 Tim 4:16 “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
1 Tim 5:6-7 “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.”
1 Tim 6:10 “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and have pierced themselves with many griefs.”
2 Tim 1:12 “…I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.”
2 Tim 2:2 “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”
2 Tim 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
2 Tim 3:16-17 “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Tim 4:2-3 “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”
I hope to eventually be able to say, like Paul did in 2 Tim 4:7-8, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” I hope you will be able to say this too.
Last year, the young adults at my church went through an in-depth study of the gospel. We discussed what the gospel is and why it is so important to be able to “give an answer for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). What is your understanding of the gospel? Go ahead a pause for a minute and try to sum up what you think the gospel is in a few sentences.
It’s important to be able to quickly and succinctly sum up what the gospel is. Yes, we can go deeper in our theology. Some things about our Christian walk take a whole life time of wisdom to be able to truly understand. However, when it comes to the basic building blocks of our faith, we need to have an answer for it. We need to understand what we believe. This is the first step towards spiritual maturity.
In today’s reading, Paul begins his letter to the Colossian church. He give thanks to God for the people in the church and then describes to them why Christ should be so highly esteemed. This passage is a good go-to passage for understanding what the gospel is. Paul begins in Colossians 1:18-20, “And [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was please to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” The gospel, or good news, is the reconciling of us to God through the blood of Jesus. Jesus’ sacrifice made peace between God and man. Not only that, the gospel also points to our hope. Jesus was the firstborn from the dead. His resurrection is proof and assurance of our future resurrection.
Paul goes on to describe how the gospel changes us in verses 21-22. He says, “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.” When we were not reconciled, we lived doing evil deeds. We were in darkness. Because we have been justified before God, we also can be sanctified. This is the process of being made holy, blameless, and above reproach before God. We are learning how to be made righteous, be made perfect. This is a process that takes a lifetime. The gospel changes everything about us, maybe not right away – but instead through consistently trying to live for God in the best way we can.
This is why it is so important to understand the gospel and be committed to living for God throughout our life. We will be sanctified “if indeed [we] continue in the fath, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that [we] heard” (v. 23). Hold fast to the one who saves!
I love a good adventure story. One of my favorites is The Lord of the Rings (the original series of course). The movies came out when I was young, and I loved the epic battle between good and evil that they portrayed. One of my favorite parts is in the second movie during the Battle of Helm’s Deep. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this scene, let me paint the picture for you. The people were terrified as they were locked away in a fortress that was described as impenetrable. However, the defenses were failing as a massive army of mindless monsters had lined up before the fortress with the sole purpose of annihilating everyone within them. The people inside felt hopeless. They had sent the women and children to hide in caves. The men were putting on armor, knowing that the outcome of the war was a seemingly hopeless situation, that the fight they were putting up was futile, symbolic. They would not back down.
I imagine that the people in Helm’s deep would empathize with the Psalm we read today. David, who was also on the run from his enemies, faced imminent danger. Because of Saul’s jealousy, he was out to kill David. In Saul’s mind, David was a threat to his throne, and that threat must be taken care of even though David had been nothing but respectful of Saul’s authority throughout his life. David knew what it was like to be in a seemingly hopeless situation. He explains in Psalm 140:1-3, “Deliver me, O LORD, from evil men; preserve me from violent men, who plan evil things in their heart and stir up wars continually. They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s, and under their lips is the venom of asps.” David was pursued by evil men and felt like he was almost in their clutches. Without God, his situation would have been hopeless.
In the battle of Helm’s Deep, the people were saved after the third day when Gandalf returned with another army that was able to defeat the army of the enemies. This is an obvious allusion to our ultimate hope that J.R.R. Tolkien, a Christian, included in his book. David also points to this hope in Psalm 140 when he says in verse 12-13, “I know the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted and will execute justice for the needy. Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell in your presence.” Though David’s situation was difficult and dangerous, he knew that there was hope in his situation that seemed hopeless. His hope was God, and he knew that God would come to his aid.
God has also come to our aid through his son. Jesus is the light at the third day coming to defeat the forces of darkness in the world. The genealogies of 1 Chronicles point to this perfect salvation, the son of David. He is “the true light, which gives light to everyone” (John 1:9). This “light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).
When we face down our enemies, when we feel like we are in a seemingly hopeless situation, we can remember of the light, the hope, that we have in Jesus. He has already saved us.
~ Cayce Fletcher
Reflection Questions:
Are there areas of your life that feel hopeless? How does this Psalm give encouragement to you?
Now that we are not fighting physical battles as frequently as in David’s time, some of the Psalms can seem a little archaic. Who are our enemies now? How do we fight against them?
Why do you think that 1 Chronicles begins with a focus on genealogies? How does knowing your history help you live well today?
Colossians Introduction
Paul, possibly with the help of Timothy, wrote the book of Colossians to the church at Colossi while in prison in Rome. He had never been to Colossi when he wrote the letter to them.
Paul wrote this letter warning the Colossians about doctrinal errors in 2:8, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” This sounds like particularly good advice to us today.
Paul highlighted the importance of living a holy life. 3:1-6 is just a sampling, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.”
I’ll close with Paul’s advice as recorded in 3:23-25, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.”
In the midst of all of our discussions of punishment for sin and idolatry, it can paint a picture of a harsh, just God. We know that God is doing the right thing, but it seems like the right thing is also cruel. Today’s scripture brings into focus another aspect of God that proves how loving and truly kind God is. Psalm 139 is a famous scripture and for good reason. Here are some truths we can learn about God from this beautiful and comforting Psalm.
God knows who we truly are. We cannot hide from God, and we don’t need to feel like we have to. The Psalm begins, “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! […] Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether” (v. 1, 4). We can find great comfort in that all the ugly, messed up parts of ourselves is already known to God. We don’t need to try to “flee from [his] presence” (v. 7) because he is already there. This shouldn’t make us feel afraid. Instead, we should feel like we can bring everything we are to God and lay it at his feet. He already knows anyway.
God’s boundaries are good boundaries. Verse 5 says, “You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.” When we think of God’s law, we can think of it as the rules that keep us safe. It reminds me of the baby gates in my house. My little girl is just starting to crawl. The one place in the house that she always wants to get to is the stairs. She has no idea how to go down them though! The baby gates in my house protect her from the thing that she wants to do. It is a boundary, a law, of protection that turns out to be provision for her.
God knows our days. We can find great comfort in the sovereignty of God. As we face trials and uncertainties, we know that “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” (v. 16). We believe that God is a good God, and we know that he has good things in store for us. It may not always work out like we hope. But, it will be something that works out for the glory of God. And ultimately, that is the best good.
As we consider the punishment that God gives, its always important to center that conversation on the never-changing character of God. Exodus 34:6-7 describes the character of God in this way, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and fourth generations.” We see here the story of Israel played out. Yes, God punished a few generations of children because of the iniquity of the Israelites. But, before that, God was faithful and stood by the Israelites. Not only that, after the Israelites were in exile for a few generations, God brought them back. He remembered them and brought them home to the Promised Land. Truly how “Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” (Ps. 139:14).
~ Cayce Fletcher
Reflection Questions:
How does reading about the punishment for idolatry make you feel? Does reading about the character of God change those feelings?
Read Ps. 139:7-12. What does it mean to you that God’s presence is everywhere? How does that change the way you live?
Pray over verses 23 and 24. Bring to God any of the areas of your life that you feel like a “grevious” to him.
1 & 2 Chronicles Introduction
The word chronicles means “a factual written account of important or historical events in the order of their occurrence.” The books of 1 & 2 Chronicles list two such important pieces of information for post-exilic Jews.
The first is the list of genealogies recorded in the first 9 chapters of 1 Chronicles. This was important for Jews after the exile to be able to trace their lineage to God’s promised people, and therefore to the promises God made to Abraham.
The second reason for the name “Chronicles” is that 1 & 2 Chronicles retells the story that was originally told in 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings. The difference is that 1 & 2 Chronicles gives only information on the kings of the Southern Kingdon (King David and his descendants).
These books were written after the fall of the Southern Kingdom to Nebuchadnezzar’s army around 587 BC. And since the last chapter also includes information about the edict of Cyrus – allowing the Jews to return to Israel –, which took place in 539 BC, these books were likely written in or shortly after 539 BC.
While 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings share much of the same historical narrative as 1 & 2 Chronicles, Samuel and Kings point out that Israel is being punished for her sins. Chronicles was written to inspire hope and faith in God.
Another example of the difference is that Chronicles shows the kings in a more favorable light, including evil king Manasseh, who 2 Chronicles records as repenting of his sins – a fact not recorded in 2 Kings.
Finally, Chronicles shows more cause and effect within a king’s lifetime for his decision to follow or forsake God.
As you read through 1 & 2 Chronicles, may you too recognize the results of not only the kings’ life choices but also the consequences of your own life choices. And may you also experience the hope Chronicles tries to convey. And may you be among those people God is referring to when he said, in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
The place where we live is so central to who we are as people. It truly is one of the most important parts of our identity. It changes everything: from the foods we like, the music we listen to, the political parties we vote for, our priorities… basically everything. I’m from the south, and I remember going to our national church camp, FUEL, in the summer and being teased for the way we talk, the types of drinks we like (Who doesn’t like sweet tea? Oh right, all you northerners.), and the music we listen to. Before going to these camps, none of those things even struck me as weird. It was just the way everyone around me lived. Where we live can define us. But, we have a more important citizenship – a more important place of belonging – than just our physical address.
Today, we read about the final demise of the Israelite nation. From the beginning, when God called Abraham out of the future land of Babylon and into the promised land of Canaan – the future land of Israel, there was a beacon of hope and assurance that God was for the Israelite people and would come to their aid. They were his people.
Even though Josiah instituted reforms to bring his people back to God, the evil the people of Judah had done was so great that God promised, “I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there” (2 Kings 23: 27). The devastating consequence of sin is the removal of belonging with God. This meant that the people of Judah – the last remnant of the Israelites who had settled in Canaan – could no longer find their citizenship in the Promised Land. Instead, they were taken captive by the Babylonians and returned to the land that God had called them out of. This is a harsh statement of rejection of the Israelite people. The one whom God had said, ‘I called you out of Egypt to be my chosen possession’ had been returned to the places of captivity.
Citizenship, rejection. Freedom, captivity. These opposite poles of human existence that the Israelites could choose based on how obedient they were to God’s commands. Because they rejected God’s commands, he rejected them. The freedom they would have in submitting to God and setting boundaries on their freedom based on his law became captivity under other rulers due to their desire to do whatever they pleased.
We have the same promise and warning today. The same choice is set before us. We can choose for our citizenship – our place of belonging – to be in heaven (Phil. 3:20-21) or to be enemies of Christ (v. 18). Phil. 3:19 describes these enemies in the following way: “Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame.” This statement could have been written for the people in Judah and Israel. And it could be written to those today who choose to do whatever is right in their eyes rather than follow God’s word.
To be citizens of heaven, we must follow Paul’s example. I “press on to make it [the resurrection of the dead, aka the Kingdom Life we are promised] my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (v. 12-14). Hold fast to God, and obey his commands! Choose to be a citizen of God’s Kingdom!
~ Cayce Fletcher
Reflection Questions:
How does the place where you live affect who you are as a person?
How would a citizen of the Kingdom act differently than those of the world? Where do you find your citizenship?
There’s a glimmer of hope in 2 Kings 25:27-30. Jehoiachin is able to “put off his prison garments. Every day of his life he dined regularly at the king’s table.” How do you put off your prison garments of sin and dine at the table of the King in your everyday life?
My son, Jonah, is afraid of the dark. For a while, after we would read him a bedtime story and sing “Silent Night” as a lullaby, we would close the door to a dark, quiet room. And, a few moments later, we would hear the pitter-patter of feet as he would get out of his toddler bed, go over to the lamp in his room, and click it on. One day while he was playing, he told me that he had to turn his light on because he doesn’t like the dark because there are monsters in the dark.
Even though I am grown, I can empathize with his fears. I remember – and I bet you do too – those moments of fear when the lights go out. I remember begging my parents to leave the closet light on because I was unsure what was lurking out there in the dark past my bed. It seems only natural to be a little afraid of the dark, those places you can’t see. It’s a built-in defense mechanism that humans have to navigate nighttime in our world.
The Bible is full of themes that occur from beginning to end. You could trace the way water is used as a symbol of chaos and cleansing or the way trees represent a strong, godly life. One theme that occurs from beginning to end is the contrast between dark and light. Darkness is always connected with sin and evil, whereas light is connected with righteousness and God himself.
This is a quick overview of the way this theme is used in scripture. In the beginning, God created the light and called it good (Gen. 1:4). After the fall, the world is described as being in darkness. God is constantly beckoning his people to be a light to the surrounding nations (Gen. 15:5), but Israel repeatedly chose darkness. Jesus is the true light that shines out into the dark world – and his light “gives light to everyone” (John 1:9). We are now the torchbearers that continue to shine a light in the world. We are called to “shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15). We “cast off our works of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Rom. 13:12, see also Eph. 5:7-14).
We see an example of being a light to the world in Judah’s king Josiah. After two dark, wicked kings of Judah, Josiah repairs the temple. He becomes a light to the nation calling them back to worship God and obey him after over half a century of disobedience. He repairs the temple and shares the law with Judah. The people were in darkness because of the evil kings, but Josiah was being a light pointing them back toward God. Just like the nation of Judah, we also have a tendency to pull toward darkness. In fact, sometimes we seem to like darkness; we prefer it over having our deeds exposed in the light. However, since we are in Christ, we need to put aside those worldly desires and choose to follow God completely. God is light and there is no darkness in him (1 John 1:5). We cannot do the deeds of darkness and follow God at the same time. Let’s be like King Josiah, and be a leader of light to those around us.
~ Cayce Fletcher
Reflection Questions:
Why do you think that the Bible uses the imagery of light and darkness to represent good and evil?
How was King Josiah a light to his country?
How can you be a light that represents Jesus to others today? What are some actions you could take?
