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Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34
In Old Testament times the Ark of the Covenant symbolized the very presence of God. For years the Ark had sat virtually ignored in a field outside Jerusalem. David made two attempts to bring the Ark home. The first attempt led to disaster, but in 1 Chronicles 16 the Ark is finally brought to the City of David, its rightful place. The entire city joined in the celebration with music and dancing. God was back on His throne and the people were ecstatic!
David wrote a praise that Asaph, the temple worship leader, led the people in. The song was full of praise and worship to God for His faithfulness throughout the years. God had done exactly as He said He would do in spite of Israel’s inability to follow God.
There is a story behind the scenes each of us needs to be aware of as we travel through life. When the Ark was gone it was as though God’s blessing was absent. The people still went about their daily duties. Worship still happened on a limited basis, but there was something missing, the true presence of God.
Because of Jesus we can experience the presence of God at anytime and anyplace, any time of the day. Unlike the days of King David, we don’t need to rely on an ‘ark’ or a church building to worship God. He is always with us, always loving us, always ready to hold us in His everlasting arms of love.
Sometimes we can feel the way David did when the Ark was gone, as though the presence of God were missing in our lives. It’s easy to let things get in the way of our worship of God and the sense of His presence in our lives. It’s as though we have left Him in the field just as Israel left the Ark in the field. We know He is there. We think of Him occasionally through the day, but have no real meaningful communication with Him.
Many things can cause us to ‘leave God in the field’. For some it’s due to a hectic schedule. We have jobs to get to, friends to visit, school to attend and children to raise. The busier we get the more likely we are to neglect the most important thing: our relationship with God.
We leave God in the field when we become disappointed. Our disappointment may be with people when they let us down. This is especially true when people who claim to be ‘christian’ act nothing like Christ. We get burned by their religious bigotry and hypocrisy
Our disappointment may be with God Himself. We pray and get no answers. We read and don’t understand. Religious ritual becomes a meaningless waste of time and energy we would rather use on the golf course or with friends.
God doesn’t move away from us. We move away from Him in subtle, almost undetectable ways. The beauty of the situation is that we can bring God out of the field. He is always there waiting. His love never fails us. His compassion and mercy are there for us. He doesn’t hold grudges.
As Christ-followers it is imperative that we take God out of the field and bring Him into a prominent place in our lives so that we can feel His presence in a real and marvelous way. Make time on a daily basis to have some honest communication with God. Read His word. Talk to Him as you would a loving father or best friend. He’s in the field waiting for you now. He doesn’t care about ‘why you left Him in the field.’ He just wants to be a vital part of your life.
PRAYER: Father God. I’ve known You were in my life somewhere, but I have missed your presence. I realize today that I’ve let all sorts of things get in the way of our relationship. I don’t pray the way I used to. My Bible has dust on it. I miss you. I’m coming to the field. I ask that you will come back with me. I want to restore the passion I once had to follow you. I can’t do it alone. Empower me with your presence to get over the hurt I feel because of disappointment with You and others. Cleanse me from the emptiness of religion and fill me with relationship with you. In Jesus name, Amen.
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14
The Bible has always linked the mind with our intellect and the heart with our emotions. In Psalm 19 David proclaims the magnificent Glory of God. He recounts the many blessings each of us have received as a result of His love. He’s in awe of the majestic beauty of God’s wonderful creation.
As he nears the end of his ‘praise session’ it’s as if in the midst of his words he is reminded of his own inability to live worthy of the love God has for him. Even in things that seem so small in man’s eyes, the words we speak and the way we feel.
It’s really no surprise that David links our words with how we feel. Jesus likens harsh language towards a brother as equal to murder. James comments that if any man is perfect in the words he speaks he is a perfect man. The implication is that even if we could be perfect in every other action in our lives, and hold every thought captive, it’s our mouths that get us in the most trouble!
If we are honest with ourselves, most of the time our language gets us in trouble when we feel like we are being attacked physically, mentally or emotionally. Sometimes those feelings of attack are valid. There are people around us who use the subtle weapons of sarcasm, tone of voice and body language to tell us, in essence, that we don’t measure up.
As David pondered the greatness of his God he came to a point where his desire was that even in his words God would be glorified. People can’t see our minds and our thoughts. They can, however hear our words and see how emotions control us. Our words and emotions should reflect who we are in Jesus Christ. When we live according to the facts of who we are in Him then the attacks of other people won’t affect us because we know the truth about ourselves.
As we grow closer in relationship to Jesus through prayer, Bible study/reading and body life our words and feelings about ourselves and others will reflect the Glory of God and be pleasing in His sight. We will be a sweet aroma and soothing oil to God and others.
PRAYER: Holy God. I am in awe of your majestic creation. I see the lofty mountains and the fertile plains. I see the animal world in perfect harmony with your will. Your beauty and splendor is unmatched and I give you all the praise and all the glory. I ask that you would help me to better see who I am in you. When the attacks come against me I ask that I would respond according to who I am and not react the way my attacker has. Forgive me for the sarcastic words, the belittling comments and the other tools I use to defend who I am. As your child I realize I have no need to defend myself. I am yours and that is enough. Amen.
One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Samuel 9:1 (NLT)
The story of David and Mephibosheth is a beautiful picture of God’s grace to us. There was nothing the Mephibosheth did to draw David to himself. David probably didn’t even know Jonathan had a son, which is why he asked if anyone from Saul’s household was still alive. Had he known Jonathan had children he would have asked about Jonathan’s family.
There was nothing noble about his gesture to a ‘cripple’ either. Today we applaud people who reach out to those who are handicapped but in David’s day those people were often ignored completely or left to beg on the side of the road. David reached out to a helpless person just as God in His grace has reached out to us.
David’s action was based on a covenant he made with Jonathan. Mephibosheth had nothing to do with the transaction. In the same way, our relationship with God is based solely on what Jesus did on the cross. We are weak, helpless, stubborn people who live in sin. Yet Jesus reached out to us on the cross based on the covenant God made with Abraham and we can approach God because of Jesus. We did nothing to deserve a relationship with God and we can do nothing to maintain it.
It was by grace that Mephibosheth was given the highest place in David’s kingdom. In the same way, those of us who are Christ-followers are given the highest place of honor in God’s kingdom. We don’t deserve the many blessings we receive from Him. Yet, in spite of our unworthiness, He has elevated us to the position of sonship.
Mephibosheth saw himself as nothing more than a cripple, a dead dog, even though he was a member of royalty. His self-image kept him in a mindset of worthlessness even though he continued to live in comfort. Even though he had given up on life, God reached out to him by sending David to him and bless him far beyond what he could have imagined.
God wants to do the same for you. Even though you may have made many poor decisions or ignored God all together He seeks you to have a meaningful relationship with you. Don’t allow your weaknesses to keep you from living a life of power and love. Never give up. Mephibosheth lived for years thinking that what he had was the best that could be. God showed him differently and he ended up living in a palace and treated like a king.
PRAYER: Father God, I thank you for the grace you have given to me. Grace I don’t deserve. Grace I didn’t seek out. I acknowledge to you that the blessings I have received have nothing to do with who I am or what I have done. Everything I am; everything I have is a result of your grace. Help me to leave the negative thoughts of who I am behind. Empower me to see me as you see me, a son/daughter worthy of all your riches. In Jesus name, Amen.
Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” 2 Samuel 9:8
For years David ran from King Saul, fearing for his life and waiting for God to make good on His promise to place David on the throne as Israel’s king. Finally, God’s promise came true and David was made King. Scripture gives accounts of David’s great victories over all of Israel’s enemies until there was peace throughout the land.
One day David sat with his advisors. Life was good. God was good. He no doubt was looking back over the years and thinking of how he’d finally gotten to where he was. Then a thought came to David. He missed his very best friend in the world, Jonathan, the son of Saul. Jonathan had been the bright spot in David’s years of running. He’d protected David, advised David and become his most trusted friend. But Jonathan had been killed in battle alongside his father, Saul.
David asked if there was anyone left from the house of Saul that he could show kindness to for the sake of his dear friend Jonathan. This wasn’t an odd question. Traditionally, when someone became King, the previous king’s family was wiped out to prevent any dissention. David was told of a son of Jonathan’s named Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth had been tragically hurt when Saul’s family fled after Saul’s death. As a result of his injuries, he was crippled for life. He lived for years in hiding from David in an obscure town.
You can imagine the fear that came over Mephibosheth when he saw David’s entourage coming down the road! All his hiding was for naught. Most likely, death was imminent. Hoping for mercy, he bowed down before David, referring to himself as a dead dog. He was, in his eyes, just a worthless cripple and of no value to anyone.
But David wasn’t there for revenge. He was there to show grace. He took Mephibosheth to the palace where he lived in luxury for the rest of his life!
Mephibosheth wasn’t taken to the palace because of anything he had done. He didn’t live in luxury because he deserved anything. David certainly wasn’t obligated, but societies standards, to show any kindness at all. It was only because of David’s friendship and covenant with Jonathan that Mephibosheth was shown any kindness at all.
There are times in each of our lives when we may feel like Mephibosheth. We see how we look in the mirror and see fat and ugly. We reflect on our past and see failure as a result of one poor decision after another. We doubt we are of any use of any value to anyone. But God sees us differently.
Because of Jesus we are welcomed into God’s family. We have the right, because of His forgiveness to live as kings. It doesn’t matter what physical or emotional deformities we have. Our past is of no concern to Him because He washed all those failures away at the cross.
Don’t look at yourself as a dead dog; as one that is of no value or worth to anyone. Because of Jesus you are a child of the King.
PRAYER: Father God, I thank you for the story of Mephibosheth and for the reminder that in your eyes I am not a failure but a beloved son. There are so many times when I find myself wishing I was better at this thing or that; so many times when my past mistakes come back to haunt me. Empower me by your Spirit to see myself the way you do and to live with the assurance of your love and acceptance even when others see me as a failure. Amen.
At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She exclaimed, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?” Ruth 2:10
Stereotypically speaking, we guys are supposed to run frantically at the mere mention of a love story. But the story of Ruth and Naomi has always been one of my favorite Bible stories. Imagine for a moment what it must have been like for Naomi. Like any mom, she watched her boys grow with hopes of having grandchildren running around the hut someday, hearing the little pitter-patter of feet on the clay floor, etc. etc.
Naomi and her husband moved with their two sons to a far off land due to famine. Naomi’s husband died and left her alone, as a widow. Hard as that must have been for her, she still had hope since her sons had married two wonderful women that Naomi loved dearly. Someday she would be cared for by her sons and she, in turn, could be the grandma she always hoped to be. Then tragedy struck. Both sons died. Naomi was left alone in a foreign land with no family and no hope. Her only recourse was to return to her homeland and hope to find family, and perhaps a life.
One of her daughters-in-law, Ruth, insisted that she go with Naomi. She would rather die with Ruth than to stay in her homeland. That’s loyalty. That’s love! The story gets better when Ruth goes out into the fields and begins to pick up grain after the harvesters came through. She’s noticed by the owner of the field who happens to be related to Naomi. Ruth and found favor in the eyes of Boaz. They fell in love and got married. Naomi finally got her grandson and little could she know that her great-great grandson would be King of Israel. His name? David!
That’s how God works sometimes. He seems to wait until the last possible moment to ‘rescue’ us from bad situations. Naomi could have given up. Ruth could have stayed home and remarried someone from her homeland. Both of these women stepped into the unknown, gave up what little they had and trusted God for the rest. In the midst of their darkest hour God not only provided their immediate needs, He used this situation for good years down the road! We can never know how our decisions for God today will impact our tomorrows.
Don’t let the enemy discourage you. God can use you where ever you are and in whatever circumstance you are in for His glory. Boaz looked on Ruth with favor for no apparent reason and changed Naomi’s and her future. In the same way, God looks on each of His children with favor and wants to change your world. He is preparing you today for whatever you will need to face tomorrow.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, the story of Ruth is one more reminder to me that you are an Awesome God of love and provision. Forgive me for the times I fail to remember how much you love me. Help me to live with the realization that my decisions for today will have an eternal impact on those who go behind me. Help me to trust you completely as I make choices that will draw others into a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 