Absalom, Absalom!

Taken Up Between

Absalom, Absalom!

And Absalom met the servants of David.  And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.

                                                                                                …2 Samuel 18:9

            It was kind of hard for Bill to imitate Absalom, as he acted out the part of throwing his long hair back; partially bald he found it difficult.  As a congregation we really overworked the imagination trying to see Bill with long flowing hair, like the Bible describes Absalom.  Now Bill is good looking, only the hair is partially lacking.

            The last Sunday Evening I suggested to him he ought to wear a long wig, to look more the part.  I hunted all over during the week to find the perfect one.  Sunday evening came, and Bill trots into the informal Sunday night setting, flipping his hair back like a natural.  It was a bit scary I must say.  Of course the congregation took a while to gain composure, after seeing such a sight. 

            Bill needs no hair piece; I find him handsome the way he is.  If he wore a “rug,” I’d probably lose him to himself, like in the son of David’s case.   In the end, Absalom’s beautiful hair is what took him down.  Interesting isn’t it, after all the trickery of trying to gain his father’s throne, he ends up hung in a tree.

            No throne will be seized, no throne will be occupied if God desires it not too, and no presidency is bigger than God.  We can make all the deceiving attempts to act like God doesn’t exist, and go on with our own plans, but no power is big enough to go against God Almighty; even United States of America. 

            God had plans for David, but it was not going to be accomplished through his son Absalom.  David knows the acts of his son lay on him, for the sins he committed against God.  His sin, selfishness, and pride have cost him much.  But God still loves him!  Joab finished off Absalom with darts through the heart, as he hung, still alive in the tree. 

            Hair or no hair, that is not the question--heart or no heart, is!  Do you have a heart for God?  Or do you have a greedy heart full of selfish desire?  Are you like Absalom that through trickery, you will do whatever it takes to get what you want?  Watch out don’t let your hair grow too long, and certainly watch out for Oak trees.

Father,

May you help me, to not be deceitful in my ways.  Take away the greed that lies in wait for me to eye something, something material that I long for and feel I can’t live without.  Show me I can live without it.  Turn my eyes away from “ things” that are appealing, so I might see you more clearly.

I'm not Monk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Down

I’m not Monk!

Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house.

                                                                                                …2 Chronicles 7:1

            I love the TV series Monk, and have a good laugh at myself with my own idiosyncrasies. I really am concerned though when someone that says to me, “Oh, You’re one of them! I figured you to be like that.”  The subject was about making the bed. 

            In the class I attended, a woman student made a point to say all this in front of the rest of the students.  I thought, if I make my bed, I’m a perfectionist?  What is wrong with making my bed?  At the end of a long day, it does look more inviting to crawl into.  Allowing my self 5 minutes more is nothing so difficult.

            If you keep your house up a little each day, it doesn’t take a bulldozer to clean at the end of the week.  I remember my mother saying, “If you wipe off the stove and the refrigerator, each time we have a meal, the grime won’t build up.” I have picked up that habit in most areas of my life.  It’s not a bad lesson. 

            I want to be found faithful with all that God has given me.  Now my house is not spotless or perfect, but when my house is in order, I feel my home is a bit more in order.  I never have wanted my husband to ever be embarrassed to come home. If he found it a total disaster, he may not find it appealing to come home. 

            What about my spiritual life?  That clutter bothers me too.  How can I do great things for God when my life is full of unfinished business in need of attention? 

            Christian, take a step back for a moment and ask God to help you sort your life out.  Don’t dread it, because it will be the beginning of a less complicated life.  So many have depression, and wonder why as they sit amongst piles of boxes of muddle.  They think they have too much to do, so choose to not deal with it at all.

            We carry a lot of habits we form into our Christian life also. You might say, “I can’t change, I was raised this way!”  Wrong!  You just don’t see the necessity to change, and excuses come in the form of laziness, wrong priorities.  Making your bed is one thing, but total disarray and filth is another. 

            Open the curtains, let in some light, throw out old newspapers, and clean out the clutter.  Spiritually, God loves a clean place to dwell also.  Give Him what ever frenzy there is in your life that keeps you from giving your all to Him.  Whether you choose to make your bed or not, may the Glory of the Lord fill your house!

Father,

I give to you the areas of my life that need attention.  I have put it off for way too long.  I know what they are.  I have known all along.  Clear the path in all this muddle, confusion, and untidiness is keeping me from seeing your perfect will in my life.  Clean my heart from this sin that so easily discourages me and show me the plan you have for my life. May Your Glory be seen in me, your dwelling place!

Entering into Rest

Entering into Rest

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

                                                                                                …Hebrews 4:1

            In Pouso Alegre, Brazil, the man on the sidewalk in front of the bakery caught my eye.  The huge open wound made me turn my head as nausea became apparent; the desired effect from the beggar.  Inside the bakery I asked about this man.  I was told he scraped his wound daily to gain more sympathy; for more money to be slipped into his bucket of change.  Every day this was the routine, a fresh looking wound for the public to see; becoming a part of the daily scene.

            Did he not fear of losing his leg, or worse, his life?  Eventually the man nearly always slightly in a drunken state, lost his leg to gangrene; all because of the sound of money in the bucket.  Many doctors of the town would have helped this man, but the drinking took over his mind, and greed followed.

            Scraping wounds was common to me.  Maybe that is why I became nauseated so.  Then I hit rock bottom and like the man, held out my bucket for sympathy, but no one gave heed.  Having no rest from the enter turmoil for so many years, I was tired, and it showed in my attitude. I knew true rest in Jesus, but just didn’t claim it.  Just like the man, the Great Physician stood there with the solution, but I refused and went about my way.

            The rest here and now, I couldn’t enjoy.  It was there all the time.  Was I waiting for rest in heaven one day?  Did I not realize rest from this weary world started the day I asked Christ to save me?  I am no better than the Children of Israel refusing rest, and walking the desert for 40 years lost. I kept scraping my wounds, which left me no room for rest or celebrating much. 

            At forty years of age, I began to live as God had intended me to live, but only when I decided to give my hurts and open wounds over to him to heal.  Wow! Does it feel good to rest in God’s open arms!  Come try it and let the wounds begin to heal, and don’t wait as long as I did.  Come into His rest!

Father,

Thank you for bringing me back to find complete rest.  What a difference I feel. I give you my hurts and disappointments over to you as I gain new ones in this life; it is inevitable.  Give me rest, your rest in the here and now.  In Jesus name I pray.

Banana Too Green: Please Let Me Preach!

Banana Too Green: Please Let Me Preach!: "Up! Let Me Preach! And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to..."

Please Let Me Preach!

Up!

Let Me Preach!

And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

                                                                                              …Matthew 14:19-20

            All night the branches broke around us every few minutes, sounding sometimes like a gunshot, waking us from our attempted sleep. Hard to rest when nature is in it’s full fury.  The eeriness that hung overhead was all so disturbing, as everyone tried to find warmth in the close to zero weather, by any means possible.

            My husband Bill fell to the flu bug with all of us cuddling in this small place sure to catch it from him.  Hard enough to keep warm normally when you’re sick, but now with no heat for a few days was even more difficult. Besides, he is ill about the fact he isn’t preaching.

            Most churches have been closed for two Sundays now. Bill is wanting to preach so bad that next Sunday I’m sure he will make up for it.  I tell everyone he plans to speak 14 hours; everybody better take their lunch!  It is hard to see someone called to preach, not be able to do just that. 

            Christ loved preaching and declaring the Words of His Father. Here He preached as he had many times, but this time lunch was served by His own hand at the feeding of the five thousand.  It is hard to imagine a group like that having a picnic in the presence of the Savior.  Maybe not everyone wanted to hear His teaching in the beginning, but out of curiosity found themselves on the hillside. 

            Christian, not even curiosity can move many today.  There is no newness, no “I can’t wait till next Sunday,” anymore. Tune your heart in during the music, prayer and message, tuning out the cares of the world.  Then maybe focusing, you might say “Let me preach, teach, sing or praise the Lord!” Tune into the Savior, and you’ll be itching to meet and fellowship again at His house.

Father,

Let not my heart grow cold, unfocused, and drawn away from thee.  Woo me back close to your bosom, that I may rest, renew and regain strength I have lost because of my own attempts to make it on my own.  Help me to feel like Bro. Levergood when he could’nt wait to proclaim your name to the congregation.  In your Son’s name I pray.

Sweet William by Carol Levergood

Outward

Sweet William

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.  For our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

                                                                                                …2 Corinthians 4:16-17

            One day Bill and I decided to plant a flower garden using railroad ties to frame it.  This “small” flower-bed ended up being sixteen feet by four feet, and required a ton of dirt to fill.  While working around it one day, Bill and I joked that there was enough dirt to bury us both, and we already have the flowers.   Our own decorated plots!  We even goofed around, arguing who would sleep on which side of the flower garden.

            “We’ll sleep like we sleep in our bed. You know how I like to hang my left arm over the side of the bed.” Bill exclaimed. 

            I thought this is getting too strange now!

            The day caught up with us as we sat on the edge of the masterpiece, just having planted a few more Sweet Williams.

            I sighed, “I’m tired!”

            Bill pipes up, “Come on, we just have a few more flowers to plant!”

            With glaring eyes I replied, “I am not planting Sweet Williams anymore today, unless it’s the six-foot one, with glasses!” We did finish it and even admired our accomplishment.

            The flower bed was beautiful from the highway, and the outward appearance added to the front of the house.  No one would ever know the struggle of finishing this project.  We sure were weary by the end of the day, sort of like Paul referred to in the written Word.  He is physically weary as age seems to be the big factor, plus his ministry wasn’t an easy ministry with beatings, imprisonment, travels, etc. 

            Paul is comforted by the thought that spiritually he is being renewed daily; a refreshing thought to me.  Spiritually he is in great shape, led and strengthened by the Holy Spirit. He exercises his faith, and understood when his physical body wore out he was prepared to meet the Lord.  Outwardly Christian, old age will come to most of us unless the Lord comes, but like Paul our hope or trust in Christ, sustains us for all eternity; it won’t fail us like our physical body most certainly will. 

            Take your eyes off the physical and place them on the eternal.  Yes, even me and my “Sweet William” will go back to dust.  We might be buried together here, but we will walk together there.

Father,

We praise you God Almighty and thank you for your promises to each of us as believers. Remind us we are fragile and we are dust and that no plans made on this earth, are permanent, written in stone, except the guarantee that each of us will meet our Maker.  May my tombstone say the world, “Carol is forgiven!  She believed in Jesus.”

In All Their Journeys

In All Their Journeys

And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.

                                                                                                            …Exodus 40:36-37

            “I am moving North today no matter what Moses says!  We have been in this desert long enough!  Pull up stakes woman! We’re getting out of here!” 

            Can you see someone trying to leave when it wasn’t time to pull up stakes?  I get restless at times and get ahead of God.  If we are honest with ourselves, most of us have one day or another.  Tugging on the tent material would be my first step, then pulling up the stakes and packing them in back packs for the journey. How did we get so much stuff?   

            “Gather up some of that quail and manna for our trip!” Bill said. 

            “But Bill, God instructed through Moses to not gather manna for the next day, that he would provide enough for us each morning.” 

            “Well there might not be any out where we are going!” He hurriedly adds, “I ‘m sure He will understand.”

            Questioning him further, “But what about the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, those can’t be duplicated?”

            Why would we think we’d act any differently than the Children of Israel?  We grumble and complain so much like they did. 

            When the cloud by day or pillar of fire by night moved, so would the Children of Israel, and not until then. When God acted …the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: No picking up stakes and moving onward was allowed without God’s instructions to do so.

            Let the Power of God move ahead of you just as the cloud did for the Israelites, preparing the way.  Tug at the heavy tent material and pull hard at the stakes, but sorry to say you won’t get far without him. 

            If we were to look at the grave sights of those in the wilderness wanderings, we might see many who dared to go ahead of God---on their own; actually left behind in the dessert; even generations.

            Go with God’s blessings moving onward in all your journeys. 

Father,

I am nothing on my own.  Teach me how to listen and obey your instructions.  Help me not to want to pull up stakes every time life is hard.  I wish not to be one of those casualties in the dessert.  I am weary! Please give me strength to keep going onward in all my earthly journeys, Gracious Father. In the Name of Your Son Jesus, I pray.