Love God | Understand Yourself | Serve Others

Figurine of Astarte with a horned headdress, Louvre Museum

1 Samuel 7:3-4 (New Living Translation)
Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you are really serious about wanting to return to the Lord, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Determine to obey only the Lord; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” So the Israelites got rid of their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the Lord.

This is a theme we hear over and over (and over) again as we journey through the Bible: the people have veered away from focus on God, and are worshiping other gods.

Why would the people be tempted to worship these local gods and goddesses, when their God had made it so very clear that this was not acceptable? From the beginning of Exodus 20: “You must not have any other god but me. You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.”

We might be tempted to look at passages like today’s from 1 Samuel and think, “Wow! Those people really didn’t get it! I mean, I’m certainly not tempted to start worshiping any deities other than God.”

But… is that really true? When we’re worried about our security, do we turn to God, or do we double- and triple-check our bank account? When we’re unsure about our job, do we come to God in intense prayer, or do we first seek comfort with our friends? When we’re feeling anxious, so we open the Bible for comfort, or do we eat an entire brick of Brie in one sitting?

(Oops, maybe that last one is just me…)

There are so many things in our lives that we turn to before we turn to God for guidance. Why do we do this?

Probably for the same reasons that the people of Samuel’s time did: because that’s what the people around us are doing, and because these “little gods” (money, relationships, food, drink, etc.) are things that seem a bit more under our control. Even if those outlets have not been effective in the past, they are easily accessible and give quick, if temporary, relief.

God wants to be first in our lives, because it is only in God that we can find true peace, real security, and lasting joy. Psalm 27:1: “The Lord is my light and my salvation — so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?”

Let’s put those “little gods” in our lives back in their proper perspectives: not gods at all, but simply gifts from a gracious God who seeks to love us — forever.

Question:
When you’re stressed or worried or anxious, what is the first thing you turn to for comfort?

1 Samuel 3:3-6 (New Living Translation)
The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!”
“Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did.
Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!”
Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
“I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.”

I don’t know about you, but I’m not at my best when I’m woken out of a sound sleep. And I’m not just talking about crazy hair, puffy eyes, and bad breath. I mean I’m not at my mental, emotional, and attitudinal best. Some people are blessed with the ability to spring with enthusiasm out of bed, clear-headed and ready to face the day. Not me.

Apparently, the priest Eli was not a morning person either. Hannah’s son Samuel has grown up under Eli’s guidance and is now a young man. Sometime during the night, Eli is awakened by Samuel, who thinks Eli has called his name. “No, Samuel, I didn’t call you,” Eli tells him. “Go back to bed.”

Then, tucked back under his blanket and sliding down into sweet dreams, Eli is again dragged back into awareness: “Eli, are you sure you didn’t call me? I just heard you again.”

If I was Eli, my tired, cranky thoughts would have gone along these lines: “Seriously, kid? You’re driving me crazy! I’m so tired. All I want is to have a nice, long, uninterrupted sleep. Aaaaargh! Why did Hannah ever leave you with me?”

“Samuel! Go. Back. To. Bed.”

It’s only the third time that Samuel wakes him up that Eli finally figures out what is going on. He tells Samuel: “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.'” Samuel does just as Eli suggests, and God speaks to him.

I bet Eli didn’t get a minute of sleep after that. Not out of restlessness or annoyance or insomnia, but out of joy — because he knew that God was speaking and the young man in his care was listening.

All too often, our prayers are pretty much one-way. Sometimes they’re no more than a long list of things we need, problems we have, people we’re worried about, situations that feel out-of-control. God wants to hear all about that is on our hearts, but prayer can’t — and shouldn’t — end there. We’re not terribly great in our culture at just being quiet and listening. And, yet, who would be the best person in the universe for us to listen closely to?

Question:
What are your conversations with God like?

1 Samuel 1:24-28 (The Message)
When the child was weaned, Hannah took him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh. They brought along a three-year-old bull for the sacrifice and a basket of flour and some wine. After sacrificing the bull, they brought the boy to Eli. “Sir, do you remember me?” Hannah asked. “I am the woman who stood here several years ago praying to the Lord. I asked the Lord to give me this boy, and he has granted my request. Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life.” And they worshiped the Lord there.

Elkanah’s wife Hannah had prayed for a baby. In 1 Samuel 1:11, she vowed to God that if she was able to have a child, she would dedicate him to God’s service.

When Samuel was born, Hannah was overjoyed! Her hopes and dreams had finally been realized. Holding her little boy in her arms, it would have been very understandable if she decided to “renegotiate” with God the terms of her vow.

But she doesn’t. As soon as he stops breastfeeding, she brings him back to the tabernacle where she made her vow to God, and gives him over to the care of the priest Eli.

When we’re in a difficult period in our lives, a normal, very human reaction is to bargain with God: “God, if you [insert what you want from God], then I promise to [insert what you think God wants from you].” Even if we know that God doesn’t “bargain” with us, we still try. We make promises, we take vows. But then, when the crisis is over, we can quickly forget and return to our old patterns and habits.

How amazing it is to realize that, although our memory is faulty and flawed, God’s is not. God made a covenant with us — a promise to us — to watch over us and be our God. Even when we turned away from God, God stayed faithful. That’s why Jesus came to earth, why he lived a human life, why he endured punishment he didn’t deserve, why he died our death, and why he was resurrected on Easter morning. Because although we are forgetful, God is not!

Question:
Have you ever “bargained” with God? What promise did you make?

1 Samuel 1:3-7 (The Message)
Every year this man went from his hometown up to Shiloh to worship and offer a sacrifice to God-of-the-Angel-Armies. Eli and his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, served as the priests of God there. When Elkanah sacrificed, he passed helpings from the sacrificial meal around to his wife Peninnah and all her children, but he always gave an especially generous helping to Hannah because he loved her so much, and because God had not given her children. But her rival wife taunted her cruelly, rubbing it in and never letting her forget that God had not given her children. This went on year after year. Every time she went to the sanctuary of God she could expect to be taunted. Hannah was reduced to tears and had no appetite.

It must have been very difficult to live in Elkanah’s household. His wife Peninnah is envious of the love Elkanah has for his other wife, Hannah. And Hannah is envious of the children Peninnah has been able to have, while she is infertile. The core of this sad family is not love, but envy.

Envy. There’s a good reason it’s considered one of the “7 Deadly Sins.” We’re warned against envy in scriptures such as Proverbs 14:30: “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” Envy eats away at our peace. It can make us soul-sick: green with envy.

At some point during our lives, it’s likely that we’ll look at something someone else has — an object, talent, relationship, opportunity — and wish that it could have been ours instead.

The emotion popping up is almost inevitable… but our reaction to it is not.

When envy rears its ugly head, take your pain directly to God: “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken” (Psalm 55:22).

When we give it over to God’s control, God will begin the work to transform the envy into something infinitely healthier and more desirable…

Peace.

Question:
Have you ever been so envious of something someone else had that you acted in a way that was not exactly God-honoring?

Ruth 4:14-15 (The Message)
The town women said to Naomi, “Blessed be God! He didn’t leave you without family to carry on your life. May this baby grow up to be famous in Israel! He’ll make you young again! He’ll take care of you in old age. And this daughter-in-law who has brought him into the world and loves you so much, she’s worth more to you than seven sons!”

Ruth had shown such faith and perseverance. She had stayed with her beloved mother-in-law, even though that decision could have put her own future in jeopardy. She followed Naomi’s advice, and trusted in the God Naomi followed. Because of these risky, faith-driven choices, she has been given a life she would never have imagined: a new husband who cares for her, a community of people who support and respect her, and now… a beautiful baby boy!

A few verses after today’s passage, we read: “The neighborhood women stated calling him ‘Naomi’s baby boy!’ But his real  name was Obed. Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David” (4:17). David was the most revered and beloved King in the history of Israel. And David was the great-x24-grandfather of Jesus! Ruth had been a young, impoverished, grieving widow. Now she is surrounded by community, and will be the great-great-great-(many more greats)-grandma of the Messiah!

When you’re in a place that feels hopeless, when you don’t see how God can possibly turn your situation around for the good: remember this story. And celebrate that our God specializes in transforming the most hopeless moment into an experience of soul-deep peace.

After all, that is exactly what God did with the cross. The cross was a symbol of death, fear, hatred, and sorrow. But on Easter Sunday… oh that Sunday!… it was transformed into a symbol of never-ending, never-surrendering joy!

Question:
What situation in your life right now is in need of transformation?

Ruth 1:16-18 (New Living Translation)
Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more.

If you have watched enough TV sitcoms over the years, you could easily believe that relationships between in-laws are always fractured, strained, and full of stress. If you search the term “in-laws” online, some of the first websites to be listed are horror stories and jokes about mothers-in-law. If you take a boat tour out of Clayton, New York, they’ll swing you by “Mother-in-Law Island,” a tiny house situated on an outcropping of rock reaching just above the waterline. Local legend has it that 19th century millionaire George Boldt built it specifically for his M-i-L when she visited.

In-laws get a lot of bad press.

That all makes today’s scripture all the more refreshing! A young woman named Ruth is widowed, and her mother-in-law Naomi has urged her to return to her hometown. Naomi has no way of supporting Ruth now that her son is dead, and she wants her daughter-in-law to be provided for. She tells Ruth, “May the Lord reward you for your kindness to your husband and to me. May the Lord bless you with the security of another marriage” (Ruth 1:8-9).

But Ruth won’t hear anything about leaving her mother-in-law’s side, even if it means living in poverty. Ruth promises to stay by Naomi, living where she lives, going where she goes, dying where she dies. That is serious commitment! Why would Ruth place such trust in this woman with whom she has no genetic bond?

In Naomi’s faithful, selfless love, Ruth has seen something of incredible value.

Ruth says to Naomi: “Your God will be my God.” Because of Naomi’s example, Ruth chooses to follow God, wherever the path may lead.

Question:
What do those closest to you know about your faith? If someone in your family was asked to explain what it is that you believe, would they be able to answer?

1 Corinthians 1:3-4 (New Living Translation)
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

Walking along, you’re thinking that your life is falling apart. You’re struggling just to put one foot in front of the other, and you don’t know which direction you should go next. Then you see someone you know coming toward you. When they get near, they say, “Hi! How are you doing?”

Your automatic response? … “Fine, thanks!”

Why do we do that? Why do we pretend everything is okay when it’s not? Now, admittedly, it’s not always appropriate to answer bluntly. Not everyone wants to hear a list of our woes. But it is so important to have people you can trust with the full story. The job loss. Grief over the death of a loved one. Illness. Worry. Anxiety. Doubt. Loneliness. When we’re not willing to confide in someone — when we’re not willing to be honest and vulnerable — we’re depriving a friend of an opportunity to help and support and love us.

I know this from experience.

After my final miscarriage, when my boss asked me what I most needed, I told him that I just needed to get back to work at the church, and not to talk or think about what had happened. After a few days of recuperation at home, I walked back into my office and dug right in.

It took a while — probably a few hours — for me to notice how strangely quiet the church office complex was. Usually people would be in and out of my office all day, dropping in to share a cup of tea or to chat. That day no one came in. But that was okay, as I didn’t really want to talk with anyone. Then I noticed my assistant walk by my door, crying quietly.

I realized in that moment what I had done to the church staff I loved. By not allowing them to express their sorrow for me, I had taken from them the ability to show me love. That was a terrible thing for a pastor, for a Christian, for a friend, to do.

I got up from the safety of my desk, walked to the office next door, and gave my assistant a big hug. Then I spoke with each of the staff. We cried together, and we healed together.

In the years since that important lesson, I have seen how as we heal and strengthen and grow, God does something amazing with our difficulties. God turns them into opportunities to help others. Just as we have been comforted in our time of need, we in turn are able to offer comfort to another person. Our troubles are transformed into something healing and useful. What a joy!

Jesus suffered greatly, far more greatly than you and I are likely to in our lives. Not a moment of Jesus’ life was wasted, including those last painful moments of his earthly life. No, indeed! Those very moments became the pivot point for humanity — the point at which hope for redemption became a powerful reality.

Question:
Who is the person (or people) in your life with whom you can you share honestly about how you’re doing? To whom in your life are you able to give the gift of a compassionate, caring ear?

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 (The Message)
May God our Father himself and our Master Jesus clear the road to you! And may the Master pour on the love so it fills your lives and splashes over on everyone around you, just as it does from us to you. May you be infused with strength and purity, filled with confidence in the presence of God our Father when our Master Jesus arrives with all his followers.

The apostle Paul founded several churches in the Mediterranean region, including the church in Thessalonica. In many of his letters he mentioned particular ways that he was praying for the churches. Of those prayers, this is my favorite. His love for the Thessalonians shines through so clearly. It sounds much like the prayer of a father for his beloved children.

I haven’t founded any churches in the Mediterranean, or anywhere else. God hasn’t called me to be a church planter — at least not yet! But the churches I’ve been connected with are always in my prayers: Clinton UMC, Rockefeller UMC, Millens Bay Union Church, 1st UMC Boynton Beach, Christ Church, and Aldersgate UMC. I pray for the people of those congregations, their leaders, and the communities they serve.

And I pray for all of you who read my blog. Today this is my prayer for you:

I pray that our marvelous, powerful, gracious God would lead you by the hand throughout your life. I pray that God’s love would so permeate your spirit, that love would flow over into your every word and action. I pray that God would open your eyes to the needs of people around you, and give you the courage and strength to help in meaningful ways. I pray that you would have God’s peace and joy in your soul. And when you struggle in this life, I pray that even in the midst of the pain you would have a deep understanding of your eternal worth in God’s eyes, and an assurance of your place in God’s kingdom.

Amen!

Question:
How do you pray for the people in your life?

For an interesting perspective on prayer (and a lot of other great things!) check out my colleague’s blog: The Tamed Cynic.

Colossians 3:12-15 (New Living Translation)
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

That sounds fabulous, doesn’t it? The apostle Paul wrote today’s verses to the church in the city of Colosse, reminding them to be merciful, kind, humble, gentle, compassionate, patient, forgiving, loving, peaceful, and grateful. That sounds like the kind of community I love to be involved in — how about you? And that’s exactly the community we’re called to be as Christ-followers: thoroughly Christlike in thought, word, and action. But, of course, as we looked at yesterday, it takes time for us to grow more and more in similarity to the Savior we serve. It doesn’t happen all at once, but it is a goal worth pursuing!

So… how do we increasingly grow to be like this? How do we — as individuals and as communities — become more merciful, kind, humble, gentle, compassionate, patient, forgiving, loving, peaceful, and grateful?

One very helpful bit of advice comes from an earlier letter that Paul wrote to another church: “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8).

Please know that fixing our thoughts on these positive things does not mean that we are to ignore the difficulty, pain, and suffering in the world around us, or to pretend that our lives are ideal, squeaky-clean, and perfect.

But… if our focus is constantly on what is broken in our world and in our lives, it’s remarkably easy to be sucked down into the abyss of hopelessness, loneliness, and despair.

And that is not God’s will for our lives.

When we remember to lift our hearts to the beauty around us, when we give thanks to God for the blessings in our lives, when we hold as our focus the promise of God’s never-ending love — that is when we are free to grow in mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, compassion, patience, forgiveness, love, peace, and gratitude.

Question:
Which of those qualities is the biggest struggle for you right now? Does the focus of your thoughts generally tend to be more positive or negative?