Day Five's Search for Love:
After I left the book of Joshua I headed to the "love" verses in Judges. Nothing there captured my attention. I passed the book of Ruth and entered 1 Samuel. When I arrived at the verse that mentioned "love" it was describing the close knit friendship between David and King Saul's son, Jonathan. Something about this relationship made me stop, and I'm glad I did.
David was King Saul's harp player. One evening Saul took an interest in David and asked to speak with him. After their brief conversation, David met Saul's son, Jonathan, and immediately the two of them hit it off. In 1 Samuel 18:1 it reads: "... Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself." What most likely connected them so quickly was their mutual love for God. It was this love that helped their friendship withstand many tests along the way.
One thing I found very interesting was the fact that Jonathan (the prince and rightful heir to the throne) knew that he would never be King. Why? Because God had chosen David to replace Saul. Jonathan could've been jealous but he wasn't. He loved David so much that he'd rather step aside than lose their friendship.
As I studied their relationship I couldn't help but feel admiration. Their love for each other was selfless and true ... even to the very end.
You see, as David's popularity rose and (God's blessing of) success continued to follow him, King Saul's jealousy toward David grew. On several occasions Jonathan had to warn David of Saul's murderous intentions. Jonathan also came to David's defense more than once and helped to abate Saul's jealousy. Unfortunately, the results never lasted long and Saul's jealousy got worse and worse. Saul wanted David dead, and he would stop at nothing until it was accomplished.
Saul chased David mercilessly until it finally landed him in war. Sadly, Jonathan was killed in battle and soon after Saul fell upon his sword taking his own life.
When David found out about Saul and Jonathan's death he grieved for the both of them. He could have hated Saul, but he didn't. Rather, he chose to write a song of lament and ordered everyone to learn it. 2 Samuel 1:26, the last part of this lament, says: "I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of a woman."
I can hear and feel David's heartache in this song. When he says that Jonathan's love was better than that of a woman, I can feel the depth of his loss. It makes me want to pick up the phone and call my closest friend, Sara. She is my Jonathan. Sara loves the Lord, she's loyal and true, and she's faithful and strong. She is a constant source of encouragement and support. When my husband can't understand what I'm feeling, Sara can. And I'm sure David would've said the same about Jonathan.
Sometimes women just need other women. We understand each other in a way the other sex can't. I think that's why God included this tight-knit friendship in the Word. We can't do life without each other. We need a support system, and not just with our spouses.
So, what does this have to do with God's love, you ask? I don't really know, other than the fact that He must love me to have blessed me with such a wonderful friend like Sara.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
Joshua
Day Four's Search for Love:
Although my findings today don't have much to do with God's love for us, I still found them interesting. Since I'm going down the 'love' verses list, my next stop was the chapter of Joshua.
Several times in Joshua there is a call to be "careful to love the Lord your God." The longest verse being in Joshua 22:5: "But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul."
As I read through this verses, I couldn't help but think that for us to love someone we must know them. The Israelites didn't know God in the tangible human sense, and yet they knew God through His actions and character.
My next question was, how were they to love God besides just keeping His commands and walking in His ways? I mean, love is an emotion, a very personal feeling we feel for one we adore.
I headed back to Deuteronomy, back to the initial call to love God. It's a lot to read, but it helped explain it for me...
"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door-frames of your houses and on your gates.
When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you... be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
Fear the LORD your God, serve him only... Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you... Be sure to keep the commands of the LORD your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you. Do what is right and good in the LORD’s sight, so that it may go well with you...
In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the LORD our God has commanded you?” tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Before our eyes the LORD sent signs and wonders—great and terrible—on Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors. The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness” (Deut. 6:5-25).
After reading these verses, I came to the conclusion that as Believers we are called to remember all that God has done for us--how He has rescued us and where He's taking us. As we remember and talk about those times of deliverance, our appreciation, adoration and love for God can't help but grow!
I also thought back to when I first started dating my husband. He was all I could think about, all I talked about, and all I wanted. God clearly desires the same adoration, dependancy and devotion from us.
As I close for the day, I invite you to join me as I spend some time thinking about where I've been, where God's taken me, and where God's (currently) taking me. My immediate thought as I remember the old days is, Oh Mercy! Then again, that's exactly what protected me along the way!
Thank You, Lord!
Although my findings today don't have much to do with God's love for us, I still found them interesting. Since I'm going down the 'love' verses list, my next stop was the chapter of Joshua.
Several times in Joshua there is a call to be "careful to love the Lord your God." The longest verse being in Joshua 22:5: "But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul."
As I read through this verses, I couldn't help but think that for us to love someone we must know them. The Israelites didn't know God in the tangible human sense, and yet they knew God through His actions and character.
My next question was, how were they to love God besides just keeping His commands and walking in His ways? I mean, love is an emotion, a very personal feeling we feel for one we adore.
I headed back to Deuteronomy, back to the initial call to love God. It's a lot to read, but it helped explain it for me...
"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door-frames of your houses and on your gates.
When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you... be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
Fear the LORD your God, serve him only... Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you... Be sure to keep the commands of the LORD your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you. Do what is right and good in the LORD’s sight, so that it may go well with you...
In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the LORD our God has commanded you?” tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Before our eyes the LORD sent signs and wonders—great and terrible—on Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors. The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness” (Deut. 6:5-25).
After reading these verses, I came to the conclusion that as Believers we are called to remember all that God has done for us--how He has rescued us and where He's taking us. As we remember and talk about those times of deliverance, our appreciation, adoration and love for God can't help but grow!
I also thought back to when I first started dating my husband. He was all I could think about, all I talked about, and all I wanted. God clearly desires the same adoration, dependancy and devotion from us.
As I close for the day, I invite you to join me as I spend some time thinking about where I've been, where God's taken me, and where God's (currently) taking me. My immediate thought as I remember the old days is, Oh Mercy! Then again, that's exactly what protected me along the way!
Thank You, Lord!
Friday, November 4, 2011
Deuteronomy
Day Three's Search for Love
Three verses hit me today. They were exactly what I hoped to find. No, rather they were exactly what I needed to find. And I guess that's why it took me a few days to get back to my 'love search.' God's timing is always perfect.
The first verse was found in Deuteronomy 7:6-9, and it reads:
"For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments."
The second verse was in Deuteronomy 33:3:
"Surely it is you who love the people;
all the holy ones are in your hand.
At your feet they all bow down,
and from you receive instruction
Three verses hit me today. They were exactly what I hoped to find. No, rather they were exactly what I needed to find. And I guess that's why it took me a few days to get back to my 'love search.' God's timing is always perfect.
The first verse was found in Deuteronomy 7:6-9, and it reads:
"For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments."
The second verse was in Deuteronomy 33:3:
"Surely it is you who love the people;
all the holy ones are in your hand.
At your feet they all bow down,
and from you receive instruction
The third verse was in Deuteronomy 33:12:
“Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him,
for he shields him all day long,
and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders.”
for he shields him all day long,
and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders.”
Sometimes we simply need to know that we're God's treasured possession; that He's holding us in His hands, shielding us all day long, and resting us between his shoulders.
My youngest son has two "loveys." One's called, "Happy," and the other's called "Troubled." The reason for their names is simple. One has a full smile stitched on his face and the other's smile is only sewn halfway.
Needless to say, Happy is my son's treasured possession. Happy has gone with us on trips, to parks, to plays, and even to a baseball game where he was left in the bathroom and once again recovered in the Lost-and-Found. When my son sees Happy his face lights up. He delights in that little bunny and he loves to rock him, hug him, and kiss him constantly.
I can only imagine the way God sees us... the way God sees me.
When I read the words, "the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders," I pictured a baby being cuddled by its father, or a child being held close in love. These words created a stir in my heart, and reminded me that I can rest secure. Why? Because my Father shields me all day long, and more than that, He holds me close to His heart.
Put On Your Work gLOVEs
What is it about time? Somehow it seems to constantly slip away... From pre-school to baseball, motherhood completely encompasses my life. One thing I keep coming back to is the importance of my support system--my friendships.
Relationships are a gift, but they're work. Sometimes it's easier to let the things of life get in the way than invest the time and work necessary to maintain them.
Last week, as I was cleaning out my front flower bed, I began to think about the many wonderful friendships I possess. As I removed last season's dead plants, dug up the many weedy invaders, and prepared the soil for new plantings, I couldn't help but compare this muddy work with the groundwork of friendship.
Just like the seasons, relationships change. Whether it's distance, different interests, or having children, good friends come and good friends go. I have found that there are times when I need to either prune or remove the 'dead' from my life. Other times I simply want to enjoy and foster the new seedlings that are developing. In either the case, work is required.
Then there's the constant battle with weeds. Similar in relationships, some weed-like issues are small and easy to to pull up, while those that fester tend to grow into big, tall, prickly messes. No matter the situation, all weeds are a nuisance. Even the weeds with the cute, dainty flowers need to go!
One thing's for certain, when facing any type of yard work wearing gloves is best. The same goes for relationships. When we put on our gLOVEs, we keep LOVE at the forefront and our hands clean from the mire of sin. With our gLOVEs in place, we can face the weeds in our relationships without the prickles and the mess.
Ephesians 4: 2 says it perfectly, "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."
Join me outside as I continue to tackle the weeds, not only in my garden but in my relationships.
See Also: Ephesians 5:1-2 & Colossians 3:12-15
Goin' Fishin'
Do you ever find yourself obsessing over a problem? I know I do. Lately my heart has been troubled by a dilemma that seems to constantly turn off and then back on. One day I'll be convinced that everything is okay, then the next time something is said or done, those same old feelings flare right back up. I honestly find myself unsure about how to handle the situation.
As I was praying about it, the Lord quickened my mind to one of my favorite verses, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). I don't know about you, but this is one of those verses that makes me want to wipe my brow and say, "Whew!"
It reminds me of when I was a child spending the weekend at our family's lake house. My dad would take me out onto the boat dock, bait the hook on my fishing pole and hand it to me. He had taught me to not be shy when it came to casting out the line. In fact, he instructed me to pull that pole way back and send the lure out as far as my strength could push it.
This is what God says to do with our anxieties, worries, hurts, fears, problems, and troubles. Imagine yourself putting your problem in your hand, closing your fist tightly around it, lifting your arm up and pulling it back as far as it will go, and then hurling your problem as hard as you can straight at the Lord. Just picture that mess flying right up to heaven. Isn't it freeing knowing we don't have to keep everything bottled up inside? We can cast our cares on to God because he cares for us! And don't forget to see what you catch in return. You may just find that you end up with peace, grace, patience, endurance, and a little bit of character.
What are you doing today? Me? I'm goin' fishin'.
See also: John 16:33 & James 1:2-5
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