Devotional on Daniel

2011 – London – Windsor Castle

God working in the extreme
Daniel 4: The High God rules human kingdoms and puts whomever he wishes in charge.
Once Daniel gives the king the meaning of his dream of warning the ballā€™s in Nebuchadnezzar’s court. He can humbly respond to the Lord’s overtures to him or not. In the terms of tennis, he “whiffs it.” That is, he totally bungles the opportunity he’s given. At the beginning he was ignorant concerning the God Daniel worshiped and could be cut some slack when he didn’t get it. Now, he’s not only seen what this God can do but he’s also heard from him personally; not once, but twice. It’s time for him to respond. Instead, he chooses to tip his hat to the Lord and then continue as he always has. As Nebuchadnezzar congratulates himself for all “he” has done the Lord moves on his life in one last act of mercy: the Lord grants to him a mental breakdown! I know it doesn’t sound much like mercy. Rather, it seems more like judgment. However, if dreams and miracles can’t get this stubborn manā€™s attention the Lord has only two choices: destroy him or humble him. It’s in mercy that the Lord humbles Nebuchadnezzar. Hereā€™s more evidence that God wants to redeem the lost. Human wisdom might dictate giving up and moving on to the next candidate. God says, “Let’s give it one more try; this time, maybe some strong medicine will do the trick.” I don’t think God routinely causes mental breakdowns, but I do think he goes to extreme measures in granting mercy to us. He is, indeed, the God of “Second Chances.”
Take Away: The Lord goes to extreme measures in granting mercy to us.

Devotional on Daniel

2011 – Paris – Versailles – Orangerie

The big picture
Daniel 12: It will be a time of trouble, the worst trouble the world has ever seen.
Imagine the second part of Daniel as a mural done by a master artist depicting the rise and fall of kingdoms through history. As we examine the mural we see mighty nations rise, then divide, and then fall to some new world power. Some folks have patiently examined Danielā€™s ā€œmural,ā€ attaching labels to the various kingdoms he describes. Those folks might be right and they might be wrong. Frankly, for me to attempt this is a waste of time. The least of those who seriously attempt to match nations up with Danielā€™s vision is superior to me. I get lost in it all fairly soon. I do come away from Danielā€™s sweeping picture with certain impressions. For one thing, I’m reminded that, even though I firmly believe human beings have free will, there’s an overarching flow of human history that’s firmly in the hands of God. Second, even though it seems some things happen outside of God’s providence, Iā€™m reminded that the Lord remains Sovereign over all. Whether or not I think God is orchestrating, down to some detail, the flow of events I need to remember that nothing’s happening on the world stage that he isn’t at least allowing to happen. Finally, I see that there’s an end to the story. Things wonā€™t forever continue as they are. Daniel sums it up with a description of everything coming to a head with “the worst trouble the world has ever seen.” The Lord isnā€™t a bystander to human history. He’s ushering us along to some specific events and, ultimately, to a specific conclusion. As I watch the world news and see the clashes of world powers, it’s good to remember that nothing that happens is a surprise to God. That may not be a very complete view of the nature of prophecy, but it’s not a bad place to start and, while I may not understand the specifics, I do get the big picture.
Take Away: There’s an overarching flow of human history that’s firmly in the hands of the Lord.

Devotional on Micah

2013 – Pilot Mountain, North Carolina

Open, Under New Management
Micah 4: Nations will…quit learning how to kill one another.
Micahā€™s promise of world peace always sounds good and itā€™s especially attractive when strife and war are close at hand. Later on, when the Messiah comes his arrival is accompanied with heavenly cheers of ā€œpeace on earth.ā€ Every reasonable person is drawn to the possibility of world peace. Some have declared the promise of Micah and then of the Gospel writer to be a sham. And why not: we’re no closer to world peace than we were when Micah first said these words. The thing is our world hasnā€™t cooperated with this promise. Micah describes this when he says, ā€œMeanwhile, all the other people live however they wish.ā€ The solution offered in the Bible is a spiritual one. As people and nations yield to the sovereignty of God, peace reigns. As people and nations reject God peace becomes more and more distant. Godā€™s answer is to march onto the world scene and reorder it all. When that happens weā€™ll see the equivalent of an ā€œOpen, Under New Managementā€ sign placed on the world, and peace will, at least, reign.
Take Away: We canā€™t expect to receive the promises of the Lord while we, at the same time, refuse to cooperate with him.

Devotional on Habakkuk

2013 – Cataloochee Valley – Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Trusting without understanding
Habakkuk 2: Look at that man…full of himself but soul-empty.
The prophet understands that sinful Babylon is Godā€™s chosen instrument for punishing sinful Judah. As bad as Judah is, Habakkuk is having a hard time understanding how God could ever use such an evil nation as his tool against the Children of Abraham. Habakkuk reverently takes his concern to God and now God answers. A part of that answer is contained in chapter two of this brief book of the Bible. The Lord tells Habakkuk he’s well aware of the sin of Babylon. Although the language used suggests that the remarks are about only the King of Babylon, the context tells us that it’s the nation as a whole that’s being described. The Lord wants Habakkuk to know that he hasnā€™t underestimated the sin of Babylon and he isnā€™t about to overlook it. Babylonā€™s self-indulgent pride, its injustice, and its immorality will be dealt with. Just because God intends to use this nation for his own purpose doesnā€™t mean that he’s going to overlook its sin. The Lord remains sovereign and, in the end, he always has the last word. This godless empire is, indeed, a tool in the hands of the Almighty. At some point it may seem that Babylon is getting the benefit of this arraignment, but the real result will only be seen when the final chapter is written. Today, Iā€™m reminded that all of Creation is in Godā€™s hands. Anytime he wants, he can use whoever he wants for his purposes. The Lord doesnā€™t need for me to explain his actions or to make apologies for them. He does, however, insist that I trust him even when I donā€™t understand him.
Take Away: Iā€™m not required to understand the Lord but I am called to trust him.

Devotional on Romans

2014 – At Long Beach, WA Thousand Trails – Cape Disappointment – on the beach a short walk from the campground

Iā€™ve been included

Romans 9: They were so absorbed in their ā€œGod projectsā€ that they didnā€™t notice God right in front of them.

Big issues are in play here. Paul says that while the descendants of Abraham are the people with the promise of God that promise remains under Godā€™s control. Even among Abrahamā€™s descendants some are excluded and have no part in the promise. For instance, twin brothers (Jacob and Esau), before theyā€™re ever born are treated differently from one another by God. One will be part of what God is doing in the world and the other wonā€™t. Some Israelites have the idea that salvation is uniquely theirs because of their lineage. Paul says thatā€™s not how it is. The only real decision maker here is God, so when some of Abrahamā€™s descendants have tried to take the ball and run with it, making salvation their personal property, theyā€™ve run head first into the Almighty who reminds them that this is his doing and not theirs. Israel doesnā€™t own salvation ā€“ God does. This is Good News for those of us who would otherwise be considered outsiders and ineligible for this wonderful plan of salvation.

Take Away: Thereā€™s a wideness in Godā€™s mercy.

Devotional on Exodus

2014 – Mesa Verde National Park, CO

ā€œDoes not work well with others.ā€
Exodus 7: Pharaoh is not going to listen to you
For a true blue ā€œfree-willerā€ like me, Pharaohā€™s role in the Exodus is somewhat troubling. Before Moses and Aaron ever meet with him the Lord promises that heā€™s going to be stubborn. The reason for that stubbornness is because the Lordā€™s going to make him that way. Thatā€™s not how I see God at work in this world. Instead, I see him supplying sufficient grace to people to respond to his call in their lives if they will. In the story of the Exodus it appears that God not only sees Pharaohā€™s stubbornness but actually stiffens it even more to create conditions for a spectacular deliverance. So whatā€™s going on here? On the other side of this ā€œfree willā€ coin is ā€œsovereignty.ā€ God is God and he holds absolute authority over all Creation. The reason we have free will is that the Sovereign has granted it. If I abuse the freedom I’ve been granted I’ll answer to him. In Pharaohā€™s case, I donā€™t think the Lord looked into the future and saw Pharaoh remain resolutely stubborn, but I do think the Lord saw his hard heart and, in his sovereignty declared, ā€œSo it shall be.ā€ The Lord takes what Pharaoh does in his free will and hard wires it. From that point on he has no other choice. Pharaoh could have been an example of Godā€™s grace. Instead, he becomes an instrument for Godā€™s glory.
Take Away: Itā€™s a dangerous thing to challenge the sovereignty of God.

Devotional on Exodus

2014 – Arches National Park, Utah

The stubbornness of Pharaoh
Exodus 9: But for one reason only Iā€™ve kept you on your feet…
Things continue to go downhill for mighty Egypt. Dead animals and a plague of miserable boils have struck the land. As Goliath will stager before falling many years in the future, Egypt is near the end. All the wealth and power Joseph brought to Egypt is draining away. One has to believe that the people of Egypt and even the advisors of the king are practically begging him to end this by surrendering to the demand from God that the people of Israel be set free. As Moses promises yet another massive display of Godā€™s power, he explains the absurd stubbornness of Pharaoh. This is Godā€™s doing. Pharaoh hasnā€™t given in because he canā€™t give in. After centuries of seeming silence God is making himself known once again. When heā€™s finished with Pharaoh the whole world will know about the God of the Israelites. On one hand I squirm a bit in my spirit as I see Pharaoh stripped of his free will, suffering the consequences of his earlier stubbornness. On the other hand, though, Iā€™m reminded that itā€™s the Almighty whoā€™s doing it. Who has a right to question what the Creator of all things does? Pharaohā€™s life is going to bring glory to God, not only throughout the world of his day, but throughout history as well. As I read about the plagues Iā€™m reminded that every life will, sooner or later, bring glory to God.
Take Away: Ultimately, God is sovereign and ultimately, every life will yield to that truth.

Devotional on Numbers

2014 ā€“ Mt Rainier National Park

What God intended in the first place
Numbers 23: How can I curse whom God has not cursed?
Balaam is hired by Balak, king of Moab, to curse the Israelites. After the talking donkey incident, Balaam has had a change of heart. After all, part of that unusual event is that he saw the angel of the Lord with sword in hand blocking his way. Now as he arrives, Balak urges him to go ahead and curse the Israelites. Balaam agrees to do his thing, but warns Balak that he can only say what the Lord allows him to say. He enters into his ā€œprophetic tranceā€ and the words that come out of his mouth are a disappointment to Balak. Right off itā€™s plain that the pitiful prophet, whoā€™s toying with stuff he would be better off leaving alone, isnā€™t going to do a very good job of cursing Godā€™s people. Instead, Balaam hears himself blessing them. This whole blessing and cursing stuff is off the mark anyway. Godā€™s people donā€™t believe in spells and magic. Rather, we believe in God. In this case the Lord used Balaamā€™s hocus pocus for his own purposes, but remember this: God already intends to bless Israel. Thatā€™s what heā€™s been saying all along. Even if Balakā€™s plan had worked and Balaam managed to state a mysterious, mystic curse on Israel it would have just been a lot of hot air. Beyond that, Balaamā€™s blessing doesnā€™t actually mean anything either. God didnā€™t hear this silly prophet state a blessing and think he had to obey. The Lord continued to do what he intended to do all along.
Take Away: The Lord is sovereign and all the hocus pocus in the world isnā€™t going to force him to do anything.

Devotional on 1 Samuel

2015 – Along Lake Michigan at Manistique, MI

Hide and seek
1 Samuel 23: Saul was on one side of the mountain, David and his men on the other.
Saul and David are playing a deadly game of hide and seek. In spite of David’s continuing to be a defender of Israel Saul has made him public enemy number one. David’s band is growing, now numbering over 600, but Saul’s army vastly outnumbers them. Beyond that, David doesn’t want to fight Saul or any of his countrymen. The nation of Israel is divided. Some are loyal to Saul and others to David. In fact, one group, the Ziphites, betrays David to Saul. They report David’s whereabouts to Saul and help set up an ambush. Itā€™s nearly successful. At one point Saul almost has David and his men cornered. If not for word of an attack from a real enemy that forces Saul’s attention elsewhere, David’s story would end right here. Because of this, this area is called ā€œNarrow Escape.” So, was the attack by the Philistines at such a critical moment just good fortune for David? I think not. God’s fingerprints are all over this. Still, itā€™s interesting that God used the enemies of Israel, the heathens of the land, to deliver David. The lesson for me is that this is a reminder that God is truly sovereign. Even when godless people act in ways intended to destroy, God can give a gentle push in some particular direction and use their sinful act to accomplish good rather than evil. Even when it seems evil has won the day, God is still God, and heā€™s working in surprising ways in and through it all.
Take Away: When all is said and done itā€™s the Lord who has said the last word.

Devotional on 1 Samuel

2015 – Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore – Munising, MI

Finding God in unexpected places
1 Samuel 28: There’s a witch at Endor.
Life is terribly dark for Saul. Years ago when he failed God at Gilgal Samuel told him that God was finished with him. However for decades it has looked as though Saul can handle things on his own. He builds a strong army and successfully leads the people of Israel. However, through those years things are always going downhill for Saul. As we near the end of his story, heā€™s a fear-filled, pitiful man. Thus we come to this strange incident at Endor. Saul’s afraid of his enemies and with good reason. His past successes against the Philistines are forgotten as a coalition of forces is massing for the biggest battle yet. Saul’s only connection with God has been through Samuel, but now Samuel is dead. Prayer is an unknown thing for Saul, but in fear, he prays. Thereā€™s no answer. Then, with the same denial of God’s authority that was evident many years earlier when he decided to offer his own sacrifices rather than wait for Samuel at Gilgal, he again takes matters into his own hands. If God won’t answer, heā€™ll turn to witchcraft for answers. He knows God strictly forbids this, in fact, as king heā€™s enforced the abolition of witchcraft in Israel. Now, he goes looking for someone who can contact the dead for him, specifically Samuel. I know some view this as confirmation that witchcraft, mediums, sĆ©ances, and the like can be genuine. However, Iā€™m not ready to go there based on this passage. The “witch at Endor” is probably an old faker whoā€™s told fortunes for years. Now, when she starts her act and Samuel appears sheā€™s more surprised than anyone else: “When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out….” In other words, she dropped out of her mystic trance when something actually happened. My take on this is that Saul’s trying to bypass God by moving as far from God’s “territory” as possible. However, he runs headlong into God even there. Hereā€™s the spiritual fact of life: even when a person tries to move out of the light of God into areas where no one is to go they find that God is God even there. This passage is a confirmation of His absolute sovereignty.
Take Away: Thereā€™s no way to bypass the Lord.

Devotional on 2 Kings

2017 – Black Hills, SD – Scenic Drives – Mt Rushmore in the distance

God on the world stage
2Kings 19: Did it never occur to you that I’m behind all this?
If Sennacherib’s threatening letter to Hezekiah is intended to frighten him, it’s a great success. However, in his fear Hezekiah runs, not away, but straight to God. Soon thereafter he receives an answer. As Hezekiah has spoken to God, now God has spoken to his man, Isaiah. Part of the message from God is directed to Hezekiah but part is addressed to Sennacherib, king of Assyria. God isnā€™t pleased with him and heā€™s about to take action against him. One of the statements in particular draws our attention today. God tells this powerful heathen king, this enemy of his people, that heā€™s been using Sennacherib for his own purposes. This must have been seen by him as an unbelievably naĆÆve word out of Judah. Tiny and powerless Judah says that their God has been behind his military successes of this world superpower. It would have been absolutely laughable except for the fact that on that very night a hundred and eighty-five thousand Assyrian soldiers die without Judah lifting a finger against them. Here are some things to consider. First, I see that God used a heathen king for his own purposes. Just because a nation has success in some area it doesn’t mean that God is smiling on them and is pleased with them. Second, God moves quite comfortably in the international arena. As one of his people I need to be careful I don’t play, to use a baseball term, “small ball” all the time. I serve a God whoā€™s interested in, and working through, events that are global in scale. Finally, no nation is bigger than God. Even if the whole world falls under the command of some conqueror, ultimately God remains Sovereign. Leaders of powerful nations had better remember that.
Take Away: Whether we recognize it or not the Lord is Sovereign; not only over our lives, but around the world and throughout the universe.

Devotional on Ezra

2018 – Sightseeing the Schoodic Peninsula, Maine – Acadia National Park

God and ā€œgood old boyā€ politics
Ezra 5: Who issued you a permit to rebuild this Temple and restore it to use?
Years ago our small south Texas congregation was preparing for a building project. For a larger church, this would have been a drop in the bucket, but for us, it was a big deal. One key element was that we needed a city code variance to build a few feet closer to the street than was normally allowed. The whole project depended on that variance. We went to the city planning commission and presented our case. They took it under advisement and then turned us down. This put our project back to stage zero. Disappointed, we went back to the drawing board. A couple of weeks later I noted that the small grocery store across the street from our church was getting ready to do some remodeling. It just so happened that they needed (you guessed it) a zoning variance that was almost exactly the same as the one we had had rejected. No doubt, small town politics had a hand in it and their variance was approved. We went back to the city and asked to be put on the agenda for the next meeting. When our turn came, one of the members asked, in a perplexed voice, ā€œIsnā€™t this the exact same plans that we turned down a few weeks ago? What makes you think weā€™ll accept them now?ā€ I patiently replied, ā€œWe think you should reconsider in light of your giving the grocery store next door to us a variance to do the exact same thing.ā€ There was a moment as the facts of the matter became apparent to the commission, then one of them said, ā€œI think we should give the church its building permit.ā€ Isnā€™t it interesting how the Lord can navigate through small town politics? In light of the passage before us, we see that heā€™s just as good in working through big government. Never count God out of the equation.
Take Away: The Lord can handle building permits, city ordinances, and such.

Devotional on Ezra

2018 – Sightseeing the Schoodic Peninsula, Maine – Acadia National Park

God and construction projects
Ezra 6: ā€¦you are to help the leaders of the Jews in the rebuilding of that Temple of God.
Orders to stop rebuilding the Temple brought the project to a halt for about 3 years. In time, two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, began to urge the people to get back to work. Now, the precise chronology of the letters and which king wrote what is a bit muddy, but that doesn’t diminish the actual story here. First, the king receives a letter that causes him to issue a stop order to the Jews who are rebuilding the Temple. Then, upon the urging of the prophets, the work is started again. The regional governor writes to the king to report whatā€™s happening, and, upon review, the king finds that years earlier they had not only been given permission to rebuild, but were ordered to do so. He responds by directing the governor to allow the work to continue, and beyond that, to assist in any way heā€™s asked to. The temporary halt to the program actually results in the full support of the current king and speeds up the process. Even though thereā€™s a bit of a mystery in these passages about who is king when thereā€™s a clear message that God works even through what we see to be road blocks to our obedience to his will. This is a difficult lesson for us to learn, as we want green lights all the way before we even start. Itā€™s hard to understand how God’s “go” and how the on-the-ground circumstances that force a “stop” can be working together, but, sometimes, thatā€™s just how it is.
Take Away: The Lord works through circumstances beyond our control to accomplish his purposes.