Devotional

What Does it Mean to be Good at Something?

May 22, 2024 (142/365)  |  1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 3:15-4:22

Today’s devotional is a simple one. In 1 Kings 7:14b we read, “Huram was filled with wisdom, with understanding and with knowledge to do all kinds of bronze work”. Note that there are 3 words used to describe Huram’s ability to work with bronze. Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge.

Wisdom. Understanding. Knowledge.

Why these 3 words, and how do they apply to a craftsperson’s1 trade? Well, the fact is that they don’t merely apply to trade work. They do, in fact, apply to ALL work. Any work that you or I may do should be done with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. In order to more fully understand what this means, let’s take a very brief look at each word in the original Hebrew.

Wisdom. This word carries the meaning of technical knowledge or skill. This is a person who is capable of performing the task.

Understanding. This word means insight. That is, the capacity for discerning a right course. This is a person who can see what needs to be done to bring the task to completion.

Knowledge. This is a knowledge of how to apply wisdom and understanding to the task at hand.

These are the qualities that any of us need to accomplish any given task. We must possess the skill. We must know how to get things done. We must know how to combine those skills to actually accomplish was is set before us. This may seem simple, but I have worked with a great many people who possess only one or two of these — I suspect we all have. In fact, despite these skills being so seemingly straightforward, the last time we saw someone who was explicitly labelled as being in possession of all three was Bezalel in the beginning of Exodus 31! And that was cited as being a gift from God.

So, if you possess wisdom, understanding, and knowledge in an area, that is because God has gifted you in that way. Step out into that gifting and use it for the glory of the One who gave it to you!

  1. I know the word “craftsperson” is a weird word that doesn’t roll off the tongue well, but the fact remains that the work being done — any work that IS being done — might be performed by either a man or a woman. ↩︎

Cut The Baby In Half!

May 21, 2024 (141/365)  |  1 Kings 3:16-28, 5:1-6:38; 2 Chronicles 2:1-3:14

(An excursus on selfishness)

This is a very famous and very crazy story. Two prostitutes who are also roommates (it would make sense for the prostitutes to room together, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more than just the two) give birth around the same time. One woman’s baby dies during the night, so she swaps it with the other woman’s baby. The matter eventually comes before Solomon who decides to cut the baby in half and give half to each claimant. Well, obviously the real mother would rather her baby live a full life with someone else than die in her arms, so she pleads for the baby to instead be given to the other woman. The other woman — meanwhile — consents to having the baby murdered! Solomon recognizes that no parent in their right mind would prefer to kill their own child! And so the baby is rightly given to the woman who sought to have its life spared.

This story is always touted as an exemplar of Solomon’s wisdom, as this certainly was a shrewd move by the king, but what stood out for me as I re-read this story today was the value of the child. I don’t think Solomon ever actually intended to bifurcate the child. I think he was playing a high-stakes bluff. Because he knew how much parents valued their children — I suspect mothers even more so (because they get a 9-month head-start). And this shows right thinking.

Children are deeply valued by God. The first command given to Adam and Eve was to “be fruitful and multiply”. That was the first one! God uses the paradigm of family to frame our relationship with Him. We are called CHILDREN of the Most High; sons and daughters of the Lord. When children are buzzing around Jesus, the Disciples try to move them away so He can tend to the important adults, but Jesus insists that they allow the children to stay! Even going as far as to declare that we should be LIKE THEM.

But today we see children as a status symbol. Look at the celebrities who thrust their “transgender” children into the spotlight to show how accepting and affirming they are as parents. Look at the parents who try to live vicariously through their children by forcing them into athletics, dance, acting, or whatever other activity the PARENTS love and want to be “proud of their children” for. We see parents who don’t want to go through the trauma of pregnancy hiring a womb so that they can have a child on THEIR terms, regardless of what might be best for the actual child. Down’s syndrome was nearly eradicated in Iceland… because they would screen for it and abort (read: kill) any baby who had it! This is called eugenics and when the Nazi’s used this methodology to create the “ideal” human it was rightly discredited and abhorred. But now it’s cool, I guess.

And in the same vein, we only want children when it is convenient for US. We wouldn’t want children to get in the way of our career, goals, lifestyle, or really ANYTHING that would be the least bit inconvenient. The individualism of the West has led us to this place where the instinct to become mothers and fathers is dulled and has become an afterthought to our own happiness and fulfillment (marriage is regarded much the same way). Studies have shown that people report being happier cooking, shopping, and even watching TV(!) than spending time with their kids when they get home from work.

Do you see it? It’s all about me! My happiness! I want, I need, I require! We have become our own gods, and it’s easy to tell because we worship ourselves. And we only want things that will make OUR lives better. It’s little wonder then, that when we look to God, we want to know what is in it for US. What’s the trade-off? What do I get in exchange for my time and effort? Let’s break out the scales and see if this is a good deal. Because it’s all about me. That’ll probably work out fine for the rest of your life.

But after that? The outlook is less positive. Remember: God is love (real, pure, honest love). Marriage helps us understand one aspect of that love; the part that shows a desire for commitment and unity represented in the union of Christ and His church at the end of this world. And parenthood helps us understand another aspect of that love; the part that loves unconditionally and would die without thought or hesitation to protect that child as represented in the sacrifice of Jesus for our sin at Calvary.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, NIV

Don’t be afraid to do what God has asked us to do. Take a chance and learn to love. Really love. Like Jesus did. Like God does.

Can God Still Work Through Me If I Suck?

May 21, 2024 (140/365)  |  Psalm 83; 1 Chronicles 29:23-35; 2 Chronicles 1:2-13; 1 Kings 2:13-3:15

I’ll just say it, I find David’s orders to his son to kill Joab and Shimei to be deeply troubling. If Joab had done something worthy of death, then David should have killed him. But David did not, likely because Joab provided an incredible amount of utility to him. Then There’s Shimei, who had cursed David, but then changed his tune and came around to serve David. Combine that with the fact that David promised Shimei that he would not kill him, and the command to Solomon to do so comes off even worse! And these are part of the keys to the kingdom that David gives to his son! It’s no wonder then that Solomon also kills his own brother for a presumed coup (that is, asking to marry a girl who had “helped keep David warm”) and then dismisses the high priest — Abiathar — who had supported Adonaijah’s presumed ascent to the throne. This all seems much more like revenge and consolidation of power than it does one Godly king passing the throne to another.

It’s not until AFTER this that Solomon asks God for wisdom to lead well. Solomon’s actions in his personal life would lead him away from God, and his son would ultimately divide the kingdom of Israel. Solomon is a case study in the utter folly of human wisdom. And while David gets a lot of credit for being super awesome, that’s not what I see. I see a man who was deeply flawed, a poor father, a poor husband, a middling king, and a great military leader. The only thing David really had going for him was that — despite is glaring flaws — his heart was genuine and earnest in it’s longing for God.

What made David great in history? That God used him. What made Solomon great in history? That God used him. And if God can use these two exceptionally flawed men, He can use you! No matter how bad you THINK you are, God can use you! Do you really believe that God is so weak that He can only use perfect vessels?! His power is made perfect in weakness!

Think about this: God worked through Pharaoh! God worked through Balaam. God worked through Balaam’s donkey! The Bible is rife with examples of even people who HATED God being used by Him to accomplish His purposes. Now, salvation is a separate issue. I think we would all rather be a flawed-but-saved David than a used-but-damned Pharaoh. But the point remains…

You’re never too flawed to be used by God!

What is the Wrath of God?

May 19, 2024 (139/365)  |  Psalms 79-82

When we think of or hear about the ‘wrath of God’, the temptation is strong to imagine a vengeful God having a fit of rage and throwing fistfuls of lightning bolts down on a wicked populace to strike them dead. This idea comes from the capricious human-like gods popularized in Greek and Roman mythology, this is not the God of the Bible.

“Nice try, cowboy!” I hear some retort, “If God is not wrathful like Zeus or Jupiter, then explain Lot’s Wife (Genesis 19:26), Uzzah (2 Samuel 6:6-7), and Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11) !”

These are all examples of disobedience stemming from lack of proper respect for God. Lot’s wife looked back when she was explicitly told not to do so. Uzzah reached out to touch the Ark of the Covenant when that was expressly forbidden (after choosing to transport the Ark in a way OTHER than what God’ had instructed), and Ananias and Sapphira lied to the church and withheld God’s portion from Him. So God met out the ultimate punishment for this after rescuing her family (Lot’s Wife), restoring glory to Israel (Uzzah), and raising the church (Ananias & Sapphira).

This was not some reckless decision based on a whim. These were consequences for actions taken in defiance of God. And as I read today’s Psalms of Asaph, I noticed a trend…

In Psalm 80 Asaph feels like God is blessing another nation due to Israel’s disobedience. But is this the case? Was God blessing Israel’s oppressor? Or was Israel a decidedly weak nation being propped up by Yahweh? Was God blessing ANOTHER nation, or did He simply remove His hedge of protection from Israel and allow the attacks of their enemies to proceed unencumbered? This is the wrath of God.

Is Psalm 81 we see that God WANTS to rescue us, He loves us! His sincere desire is that none should perish, but that all would come to a saving knowledge of Christ Jesus. However, He will not override our free will. God has chosen to restrain Himself so that only those who freely choose Him will draw near to Him, and those same people will be saved. So what happens to the rest? That is the wrath of God.

In Psalm 82 we see a scenario where God sits in judgement of all the other gods and warns them of the folly of their wickedness. Of course those gods do not exist (except in the minds of the people who created them), so the people who “follow” them are the ones who will bear the responsibility for the actions of their “gods”. This is the path of destruction. This is the wrath of God.

The worker earns his wages (1 Timothy 5:18). And the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). This is the wrath of God. It’s really not that complicated.

Hidden in the Familiar

May 18, 2024 (138/365)  |  Psalms 75-78

Psalm 78:2-3a says, “I will sing a song that imparts wisdom; I will make insightful observations about the past. What we have heard and learned (NET)” And I was struck by how often that happens to me. I will read a well-trodden, often discussed, and much taught passage, say… John 3:16, and think “I have heard and read this so many times! I would rather read some obscure passage and get the meat off of that bone rather than chewing on this meat-stripped this bone AGAIN!”

Ha!

That’s when God shows me some connection I had previous missed. Some truth that I had never noticed before. God’s Word is like an iceberg. There is so much more below the surface that to plumb the depths to exhaustion is nigh impossible. And what’s more? Sometimes you and I are not READY to see the next insight or peel back another layer of depth. Our hearts are not ready. Or our minds are not ready. In these cases, there is more that we need to understand in order to gain a more complete grasp of the depth of the words of Scripture.

So, when you come to God’s Word, come asking the Lord to open your eyes, mind, and heart. Come EXPECTING that the Lord will continue to unfold the fullness of His glorious truth!

He will. Amen.