I was walking through the State Fair of Oklahoma. My oldest and second sons were walking by my side. My third son was riding on my shoulders. As I walked along, one man in his booth blurted out, “Well there is no need doubting your wife’s faithfulness.” Apparently, he saw a strong enough resemblance in each of them that it was clear that they were my sons. Remember that song in the musical, Oklahoma, “A Girl who Can’t Say No?” As Will and Addo Annie sang about the possibility of future sons, the cowboy quips, “They’d better look a lot like me.” While I have never ever doubted my wife’s faithfulness, the physical looks of my children give outward evidence that I am their father.
Is it not interesting that Fathers pass a lot of even their non-physical traits on to their sons? Isaac was a whole lot like his dad. Similar to Abraham's wife, Sarah, Isaac's wife Rebecca was barren for 20 years before bearing children. I wonder what stories Abraham told them? Both Abraham and Isaac had wives who were considered beautiful by other men, even though they were over 60. Isaac had the same streak of cowardice concerning other men and his wife's beauty that Abraham had. Isaac also had to argue over water rights as did his father.
When Abraham died, Isaac went down to Beer Lahai Roi. Now that probably doesn't mean a whole lot to most people but if you turn to 16:14 you will find that that was the well that saved Hagar and Ishmael's life. It was down south on the way to Shur & Egypt. The name means, "Well of the Living God Who Sees." What was Isaac doing down there? Abraham had headed that way during a famine. Now Isaac was headed that way during a famine. It was a famine of more than lack of food. It was a famine of the soul as well. His father was now dead. Grief has a way of working on our minds. It was working on Isaac's. He went south and found the well that saved his half-brother's life 76 years earlier. Sometimes you just want to know that God sees you. He dwelt for awhile at the Well of the Living God Who Sees. Notice that it says that God blessed Isaac there.
That is the glory of our Lord. He sees us. As we bask in the light of His vision, the pain of our grief slowly fades away. Eventually Isaac left there to Gerar and from place to place as he was driven off by the inhabitants of the land. Isaac was about to see over the next few years or decades that God really is the one who sees. God delivered him in spite of his lies about his wife. God delivered him through the squabbles over water rights. Indeed He is the Living God Who Sees. When Isaac learned those lessons, God appeared to him. He confirmed His covenant with Isaac. And He promised that He was with Isaac.
You know, one can endure almost anything if one knows that God sees him and is with him. What is your grief or pain today? He is the God Who sees and Who is with you. That is part of His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
PSALM 25
Hurry up and wait. All morning long I had been hurrying to get things done on time, but now I was waiting in the backyard driveway behind the privet hedge of my any-moment-to-be in-laws. The Wedding ceremony was supposed to have started 15 minutes earlier. I was waiting and would wait a little longer. But it was okay. I knew that she would eventually come out. It was a beautiful June day; I was enjoying the weather and the anticipation of the event. Finally, someone came out of the house to tell me what was going on. Laura’s wedding dress was homemade, and unfortunately things just didn’t get finished. They were literally sewing her up in her wedding dress. Eventually the ceremony began and my beautiful bride came around the corner escorted by her Dad. She was and always has been worth the wait.
The Psalmist uses the term ‘wait’ three times in this Psalm, verses 3,5 & 21. According to TWOT this root means to look for with eager expectation. The first thing that the Psalmist tells us about waiting is that those who wait will never be ashamed. As I waited for Laura, I was looking with eager expectation. I certainly was not and never have been ashamed. But the context of the wedding and the Psalm are completely different. The context of the Psalm is that he is surrounded by enemies who were seeking his demise. The context of a wedding is that I was surrounded by friends and family who were seeking to celebrate with me. His plea is that in his waiting, nothing would be accomplished by his enemies that would cause him shame. I think it might be easier to look with eager expectation for a beautiful bride to come around the corner than for deliverance from a host of enemies. But that is why he asks for no shame as he waits. He understands that God’s glory is at stake, not his. He waits on the glory of the Lord to be revealed in and through him.
David then uses the term ‘wait’ in relation to his own attitude as he looks for the changes that need to take place in his character in the presence of a holy God. As he waits, he becomes ever more aware of his own sin and the need for change in order to experience the presence of the Lord. What if in my hurry to prepare for my wedding (getting folding chairs, setting them up in the yard, decorating, placing other furniture etc.), I had forgotten to put on my tuxedo? While waiting out by the privet hedge and seeing all the finely dressed guests, I think I would have realized my shabbiness. As we wait upon the Lord, He reveals His holiness to us. That reveals our sinfulness in His light. As we see our sin in His light, we confess our sin and he is righteous and just to forgive. If we refuse to acknowledge the sin, the light goes out. We are no longer waiting. We are hiding. Finally, David uses the term ‘wait’ to sum up what he has said and done. Only in waiting in integrity can our sin be removed and we see His glory. But when we see it, oh it is worth the wait, and it always shall be! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
ESTHER 2
I was having enough troubles of my own. My track record for handling conflict had not been all that great. I was fresh off of one problem. The principal of the school which met in our building walked into my office to explain a conflict problem that one of the teachers was having with one of the parents of the school. The parent had become so obsessive with the situation that he seemed to be stalking the teacher. All I needed was more trouble!
Mordecai did not need any more problems. He had taken into his home as his own daughter his cousin. Esther had been orphaned, and Mordecai had taken the responsibility to raise her. Esther was very beautiful. Every good father worries about the welfare of his daughter. Mordecai was no different with his cousin/adopted daughter. Now the king is looking for another beauty to add to his harem. If I were Mordecai, I think I would make my daughter go into hiding. But it was too late. Esther’s beauty was already well known. The beauty scouts found her. Mordecai strongly warned her, “Don’t let anyone know you are a Jew!” Why? First of all, they were a defeated people. They were brought to that area of the world by Nebuchadnezzar. They were second class citizens. If they knew her ethnicity, she would probably be abused rather than selected for the king.
What happened next? The text doesn’t say it, but it appears that God gave her favor with the eunuch in charge of the women who were selected. She was selected to be groomed as a possible replacement for Vashti. The 12 month course of preparation included 7 maidens to meet her needs and a room in the best part of the palace, not bad accommodations. God’s favor continued. She was eventually selected as queen.
But what about Mordecai? He daily walked as close to the king’s gate as he would be allowed, more trouble. While at the gate, he overhears a plot to kill the king. Mordecai reports it to the Esther. Certainly if the plot were successful, Esther would also be in danger of being killed. Unfortunately, his good deed was forgotten.
Where is God in the middle of trouble? Without the trouble we would never know of His great power. So where is the glory of God in all of this? He is seen in the midst of guiding us in trouble. When I encounter trouble in my life, it is opportunity for me to once again learn that He is the one who delivers us out of trouble. I began with my story of more trouble. God showed me once again that He delivers through trouble. I did not enjoy the rough time that we had. But I did learn that God delivers through trouble. God uses us even in times of trouble. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
MATTHEW 16
"Red sky at morn, sailor be warned, red sky at night, sailor's delight." We've all heard similar sayings. We have literally made a science at reading the signs for weather patterns. The Weathermen are actually getting pretty good at predicting what the weather will be like tomorrow. The Lord still throws them for a loop on occasion, but as experience and technology increases, they are getting pretty good at reading the signs.
On a spiritual level, one could ask, "What sign do we have from heaven that Jesus is from God?" The answer is simple. He gave one great and irrefutable sign, His own resurrection. No other event in history has such a flood of historical evidence and yet so many refuse to believe it. Ultimately if one is to believe it is because the Father reveals Jesus to them. At one and the same time Jesus the Messiah is the greatest person of all history, of whom all history attests that He is the Messiah the Son of the Living God, yet He remains in the minds of most the greatest enigma of all history. He is in plain view and easy to find but only true seekers find Him. If one wants to find Him in His fullness, then He must give up everything. The one who won't give up, won't find. His glory is enhanced at our loss. Our loss gains His glory. We may taste death but glory is on the other side. This is all hidden in the sign, the sign of His resurrection. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
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