Help Me See How Difficult Circumstances Are For God's Glory

Today's Reading
Ruth Chps 1-4

Naomi's husband and two sons both died and she then grieved and felt "afflicted" by the Lord:

²⁰ “Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. ²¹ I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”  (Ruth 1:20-21)

This of course is natural - I would do this too (and I have).  Key though is to take a step back and instead ask the question, how is God using me and my experiences for his glory and what blessings may result either for me or others?

Ultimately, the blessing was the birth of Obed, the grandfather of David.

¹³ So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. ¹⁴ The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! ¹⁵ He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.” 

 ¹⁶ Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. ¹⁷ The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. (Ruth 4:13-17)

My Prayer: Lord, I understand that your plans while not revealed to me, are great and I am humbled that you would use me for your glory.  You are great and I am truly humbled that you can use me.  Forgive me when I don't see this.  Help me see how my current experiences are for your glory that I may find joy no matter the circumstances and bring glory to you each and every day.  Help me desire you more every day, draw closer to you, be more like you, trust you more, and be obedient to you.

Do We Need An Earthly Leader?

Today's Reading
Judges Chp 21

Must we as humans have an earthly leader to provide direction and protection?  The Israelites clearly seemed to think so and without one, sin ruled.

The last few chapters of Judges begin with "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. "  And the last chapter of Judges ends with this statement.

After God spoke directly to the Israelites through the fire and cloud at the base of Mt Sinai the Israelites, out of fear, requested to speak to God only through others such as Moses and Joshua.  Without such a leader or king, the Israelites cannot sustain their faith, trust and obedience in God. 

The question becomes, don't we place earthly people ahead of God in our lives.  We may place pastors often ahead of our own relationship with God.  For example, if we only attend church and hear the sermon once a week, don't we place emphasis of the pastor and the church above our own daily relationship with God?

My Prayer: Lord, you are powerful, wise, loving, and merciful.  Forgive me when I seek this through others - a king if you may.  Help me deepen my relationship with you, desire for you, love for you, trust of you, faith in you, and obedience to you.

God Can Redeem All That We Have Done for His Glory

Today's Reading
Judges Chp 16

Although today's reading and post is similar to yestereday's, I feel greater clarity today.  Many times I have struggled with my own sin and history and whether I can ever be free of the consequences.  Yet, here, with Samson, we see that if we can finally submit to God's great and perfect will, God can redeem and use all of our experiences, sin, and consequences for his glory.

With Samson, his final revenge on the Philistines is when he is captured after his head is shaved and he is chained to the temple:

²⁸ Then Samson prayed to the LORD, “Sovereign LORD, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.” ²⁹ Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, ³⁰ Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.  (Judges 16:28-30)

I pray that I can submit to God's will as Samson did.

My Prayer: Lord, I now that you have used me for your great glory as I have seen your work through me with your own hands and with my own eyes.  Oh how you are awesome that you can use me - as I feel I am an ordinary person strengthened ONLY through you!  Forgive me for neglect and scattered attention.  Help me draw near to you, understand your will for me, submit to your will, and to be obedient and more like you.  Help me love you more each day Lord.

God Allows Us and Others to Sin For His Perfect Purpose

Today's Reading
Judges Chp 14

As Samson does here (see previous entry where Joshua implores the Israelites not to associate with sinners), I have many times ignored the clear will of God and sinned anyway.   Yet God allows Samson's sin to occur and He is able to use it for his glory and perfect plan.  See verse 4:

(His parents did not know that this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel.) (Judges: 14:4)

Today I am not following the way of the Lord that says:

 ⁴ Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)

I am a controlling person and this is a weakness that I need to give up to God and perhaps this is the way he wants me to do this - for Zach to be strong willed child and for me let Zach be and allow God to be in control - for me to submit to God's perfect will and plan.

My Prayer: Lord, your plan is glorious as I have seen you work in my heart and my life and in the life of others - praise God that you are in my life!  Forgive me for my laziness in seeking you out.  Help me submit to your will in all areas of my life, particularly with my children and Zach in particular for me not to exasperate him.  Help me with this Lord.

Do NOT Command the Lord - Show Respect and Humility!

Today's Reading
Judges Chp 13

I know I have done this before - just as Manoah (father of Samson) has - which is to be so bold as to to challenge the will of the Lord.  Manoah and his wife are to give birth to Samson and Manoah is busy focusing on his OWN will and desires:

¹⁵ Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “We would like you to stay until we prepare a young goat for you.”

 ¹⁶ The angel of the LORD replied, “Even though you detain me, I will not eat any of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the LORD.” (Manoah did not realize that it was the angel of the LORD.) (Judges 13:15-16)

Manoah continues to question the angel of the Lord, and then the angel grows impatient:

¹⁷ Then Manoah inquired of the angel of the LORD, “What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?”

  

¹⁸ He replied, “Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.” ¹⁹ Then Manoah took a young goat, together with the grain offering, and sacrificed it on a rock to the LORD. And the LORD did an amazing thing while Manoah and his wife watched: ²⁰ As the flame blazed up from the altar toward heaven, the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame.  Seeing this, Manoah and his wife fell with their faces to the ground. ²¹ When the angel of the LORD did not show himself again to Manoah and his wife, Manoah realized that it was the angel of the LORD. (Judges 13:17-21)

I see God's words and God's work throughout the day yet I question God at every turn...who AM I to question and command the Lord?  I should trust and follow God.

My Prayer: Lord, I am truly blessed as I so many ways.  You are awesome.  Yet I find myself questioning you often - forgive me.  Help me trust you, love you, follow you and obey.

Submit to God's Plan Because It is His Glory We Seek, Not Our Own

Today's Reading
Judges 7

² The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ ³ Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.

  

⁴ But the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”

 ⁵ So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” ⁶ Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.

 ⁷ The LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” ⁸ So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.

Here we see how Gideon seeks to defeat the Midianites yet he desires his OWN plan vs the glory of God.  Yet God speaks to Gideon and reminds him that it is the glory of God that must be the outcome.  While Gideon's men ultimately defeat the Midianites, the message of glory to God is ultimately lost on the Israelites as they return to their evil ways:

³³ No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They set up Baal-Berith as their god ³⁴ and did not remember the LORD their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side. ³⁵ They also failed to show any loyalty to the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) in spite of all the good things he had done for them. (Judges 8: 33-35)

How can we focus on the glory of God.

First of all, we must remind ourselves daily of what He has done for us and we must live in the light of the Lord - to be in scripture and in relationship with Him.  See my previous entry.

My Prayer:  Lord, you are truly great - I have seen you bless me and others.  You are AWESOME! Thank you for all that you have done for me and all that you are!  Forgive me if I am not as obedient as you wish.  Help me know you more, desire you more, love you more, trust you more, follow you and become more like you Lord.

Must Continue to Teach Ways of the Lord and Retell His Glory...Lest We Forget

Today's Reading
Judges Chps 1-2

After Joshua dies, the Israelites once again fall away from the Lord.

¹⁰ After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. ¹¹ Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals. ¹² They forsook the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the LORD’s anger ¹³ because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. ¹⁴ In his anger against Israel the LORD gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. ¹⁵ Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the LORD was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress.  (Judges 2:10-15)

No surprise.  We must remain present to the Lord daily lest we forget.  Study, pray, remember your blessings, worship, etc.

This reminds me of words I read in Deuteronomy:

⁵ Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.(Deuteronomy 6:5-9)

For God to be visible to us we must make Him visible.


My Prayer: Lord I DO love you yet I desire to love you more.  Forgive me that I don't love you with all of my heart - I am lazy and I am disobedient.  Help me Lord.  Help me draw nearer to you Lord.