Golden Tumors and Golden Mice

Truly, there are some strange things in the Bible. Like golden tumors and golden mice. This morning as I read 1 Samuel 5 and 6 about the Philistines and the ark of the covenant. I wondered, why in the world would they think sending the ark off in a cart carrying golden tumors and golden mice would be a good thing? Lol. 

First, we need to know and recognize that the ark of the covenant represented the presence of God and when they sat the ark next to Dagon, their god made of stone, Dagon kept getting knocked over and eventually decapitated. They started to recognize that the presence of the ark in their territory was not a good thing. The plague made them realize they needed to do something.

Apparently, the illness they were struck with was most likely the bubonic plague. This disease was caused by mice and it affected the lymp nodes. So of course they thought, if we turn these into little gold idols God will leave us alone.

Their diviners said, 

"So you must make images of your tumors and make images of your mice that ravaged the land, and give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps He will lighten his hand from you and your gods in the land." (1 Sam 6:5)

This always makes me laugh, but this morning I realized that when you do not know the One True God or how to worship Him of course you would try to do something that would appease Him. When you don't know that He desires pure hearts not sacrifices, a golden object seems like a good offering. 

It did work in that the presence of God was removed and they could go back to worshipping gods made by human hands. But they missed the opportunity to know and worship the one true God. 

Then I thought, how often do I find myself trying to appease God rather than worshipping Him? How often do I try to do a ritual or focus on an object rather than my Savior hoping to find the magic bullet? 

Truly, this is a crazy story with even more twists like a nursing cow wandering with the cart carrying the golden tumors, mice, and the ark of the covenant. Can you imagine them watching the cows lowing over the hills headed to the field of Joshua in Beth-shemesh? They figured the milking cows would go back to their locked up calves, but if they returned the ark to the Isrselites they would know the One True God was at work against them.

They removed the object that they thought was causing harm and did have relief from the removal, but they did not know the gift of a relationship with the One True God. 

Did any believe that day? We don't know. Unlikely since we aren't told. What a sad thing to recognize the presence of God, but to settle for appeasement and not a relationship.

There are so many deeper lessons in this story, but the one that seems to resonante today is I need to keep the sacred, sacred by worshipping the One True God. This cannot be done through appeasement with idols fashioned by human hands or from tests to see if He is at work. It is done through the humbling of a human hearts and a desire to know Him, celebrate Him, and to worship Him alone.

I will be with you

I am with you! by Nordeman & Grant

Every night I pray with my Mom, Papa , and Aunt Janie there is one thing I always pray. Thankfulness for being together and that God is with us. 

This morning God so blessed me with this song and the reminder of the beauty of saying, "I am with you." I was listening and decided to play it again as I read and then God had me read Isaiah 43:2. God gave us this verse when we flooded and lost everything. Mom and Poddy let us live with them while our home was restored. I just realized that we are blessing them the way they blessed us.

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned and the flame shall not consume you" (Isaiah 43:2).

I love those whispers. I heard God whisper His reminder this morning, "I will be with you."

Our lives are blessed and good. We are under no trial or tribulation. Our blessing is that in both our good times and bad times we know that God is with us and we are together.  

We are so thankful.

Simply, God says to me and you, "I am with you!"

How to pray

I was recently asked how I pray. Here are two videos that share what has been the most transformational in my spiritual walk. These videos provide my persinal prayer walk journey. 

How to pray Scripture from Genesis to Revelation

How to pray a specific verse from a section of Scripture

The Sacred Rhythm of the Storytelling Process

At our ASM retreat, Naomi asked me to teach on curiosity from two Bible stories of my choice. God surprised me by the two Bible stories He put on my heart. The first one was Naaman's healing. Wozer! Once I got into the story, I was blown away at how curiosity was demonstrated by every person and we were able to see both the good and bad of a king and a servant using curiosity. There were two kings and several key servants. We see the use of curiosity for good and for bad in such a profound way that it is almost embarrassing to watch the bad. Crazy! Go check it out in 2 Kings 5 or you can watch the video I created of it on YouTube.

The second story made sense because Paul used the curiosity he found in culture to share about the One True God in Acts 17. 

I started practicing this story for a week before the retreat. I am always trying to train myself in a new story and as I prepared this story, God reminded me of a time when trying to tell a story like this one would have been overwhelming to me. But now that I have created mental story maps for years and used them consistently over time, I was able to settle into the sacred rhythm of the storytelling practice to trust its process and to trust the story to do its work in me.

God is blessing me with seeing the fruit of faithfulness in staying consistent in the process. It bears its own kind of peaceful fruit. I love it and want everyone to know and find the peace of such a gift in their service to our LORD. 

I feel that God is giving me a deeper sense of trust and peace which is even harder to explain. 

FATHER, please bless my dear beloved with the fruit of consistent processes that develop peace as they use their gifts faithfully for Your kingdom. Show them how You are at work in this sacred rhythm of growing their gifts and talents. Show them there is blessing that comes through the struggle and time. Allow them to know the grace of just being in the process and how it builds trust and hope. Kiss their souls today. In Jesus name, amen.

Here is the new story I learned.

Paul reasons in Athens

The Spirit Stirred Up!

I started Ezra this morning. I needed a change of pace in my reading. I felt God wanted me to read it as I glanced over books I had not read in my Bible this go through. I am caught by two things this morning.

1. The Spirit of God stirred in a political figure that was not Jewish to send his people back to go rebuild His temple.

2. God stirred up a small remnant of His followers to go do the work.

When the Spirit of God stirs things up, things happen!

I find hope because God can and does stir up political figures! We must pray for it! And God can use a tiny band of followers! 

We must never underestimate the power of a small minority stirred by God! Despite hardship, difficulties, sacrifice, lack of comfort, costly endeavors, lack of resources, and lack of majority support a small group stirred by God can rebuild a broken spiritual house! 

And when this happens God will cause others to make provision for it to be accomplished!

Holy Spirit, come! Stir the nation's political leaders to bring forth Your will and plan. Raise up Your remnant! Make them strong and courageous in You! Build Your Spiritual house and let Your kingdom reign. In Jesus' powerful name. Amen

Persistent Prayer

The importance of persistent prayer was provided shortly after the disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith ( Luke 17:5-18:8).

Notice that the judge who the widow kept begging for justice told himself, "I do not fear God nor do I respect man."

This judge was so removed from God that his own self talk bragged about his disbelief in God and his lack of concern for others. 

Yet, he was finally willing to meet justice for a persistent widow so she would leave him alone.

We are then reminded that God gives justice. He hears those that cry to Him and He will give them justice.

So, as we face injustice, what do we do? We persist in seeking justice!  We persist in prayer. We do not lose heart. We, too, should ask the LORD to increase our faith.

Shalom y'all!

The highest point of praise (Psalm 145)

Psalm 145 is considered to be the highest point of praise! 

It is believed that King David wrote it at the end of His life. After much blood shed and poor life choices that lead to adultery and murder. After running and hiding in caves. After gathering mighty men, fighting alongside mighty men, and watching mighty men fall. Through the highs of love and depths of death. Through the sorrow of a pursuing king, rebellious sons and mighty escapades. Through it all, we are told that King David kept his heart toward God. He was known as the man after God's own heart. He was not perfect. But the one thing he did right was praise God.

This morning as I studied this Psalm, I noticed that praise must be personal, direct, specific, and from a heart of knowing! 

Praise is an act of submission and blessing. 

Praise blesses all involved when it is sincere. It lifts up. It upholds. It bonds. It gives life and strength. 

We are told in Scripture that God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3).

It is more important now more than ever for us to develop the habit of praise to the LORD. 

Would you consider reading this Psalm and writing out the character traits of God and all the ways you can praise Him?  

What might you add to David's long list? Make it personal, direct, and specific. Speak it from what you know. If you do not know then ask God to reveal it to you until it becomes a habit, practice using King David's Psalm and consider praying it every day. 

I can only imagine how this will bless you and His Holy name. Because one of things I have noticed is that praise blesses all involved. It never happens alone. It must be done in relationship with another! 

Shalom y'all!