wild dogs

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Jefferson Vann

IMG_0578Psalm 59

I heard their barking, and it was incessant.  I knew I could not get any sleep with this pack of wild dogs howling and growling and fighting outside my house all night long.  So, I decided to do something.  I went downstairs, opened my front door, went outside and grabbed a handful of rocks.  I threw rocks at this pack of dogs until I had chased them all away.  Of course, they came again the next night.

David’s pack of wild dogs were people that waited outside his door in order to kill him.  His solution was to pray for God to take care of him, and God did.

LORD, take care of the wild dogs who seek to destroy us.

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only one

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Jefferson Vann

IMG_05772 Chronicles 32

Sennacharib could not understand the mind of Hezekiah.  As king, he could not see the strategy behind Hezekiah ordering the destruction of all of the other gods and closing all the altars except those in the temple at Jerusalem.  Sennacharib thought that surely more is better.  Why do these people of Judah trust in only one puny God? 

He learned his lesson, that one puny God sent one puny angel and killed all his mighty warriors without a battle.  He limped home in shame and was killed while worshipping his god.  When you are praying to the right God, there only has to be one.

LORD, we trust in you alone.

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LORD, intervene

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Jefferson Vann

IMG_0576Psalm 58

The psalmist is not content leaving the people in the hands of the gods who seem to be ruling on earth.  He asks God to step in and bring righteousness and justice.  The gods are letting the wicked getting away with oppression and violence against the innocent.  He asks the LORD to intervene, so that mankind will say “surely there is a God who judges on earth.”  Away with the imposters.  Let the LORD intervene!

LORD, intervene.

Posted in David, idolatry, judgment, vindication | Tagged | 1 Comment

more than enough

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Jefferson Vann

IMG_05752 Chronicles 31

Those who have been involved in ministry management know how disheartening it is to always be checked by the bottom line.  When we get in our minds that something should be done, it hurts to learn that there is no budget for it.  For once, the priests and Levites did not have that problem.  They gathered contributions for four months, and the result was that the resources were in such heaps that chambers had to be guilt within the temple courts to hold it all.  What a joy it is to not have to worry about where the funds are coming from.

LORD, open the floodgates of blessing for those ministries hampered by lack of funds.  Open the hearts of those whom you have chosen to bless by giving.

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the choice of faith

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Jefferson Vann

IMG_0570Psalm 57

The beauty of psalms like this is that they are worship in the midst of pleas for help.  These are not the words of someone who lives above the dangers and trials of life.  They are the words of a man whose soul is in the midst of lions, who lies down amid fiery beasts.  His choice to thank God and exalt him while enduring these difficulties is the choice of faith. 

LORD, may we a;ways make the choice of faith, and sing praises to your name in the midst of our troubles.

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skipping steps

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Jefferson Vann

IMG_05692 Chronicles 30

Getting the Passover celebration reinstituted took some adjustment.  Hezekiah prayed that the LORD would look beyond the bending of a few of the rules, so that those who wanted to reconnect with God would not be punished for skipping steps.  The result was that the God of grace blessed them.  He is not a reluctant judge, ready to pounce on us for the least infringement of decorum.  He is the father who waits for the prodigal to return. 

LORD, we come to you.  We don’t know all the steps.  We only know that you are drawing us to you again.

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our tears in his bottle

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Jefferson Vann

IMG_0568Psalm 56

David did not glide through life without challenges and troubles.  He had numerous enemies, and his life was in danger constantly.  He comforted himself not in the idea that God was going to help him overcome his problems — but on the fact that God would bring justice in his time.  He spoke of the LORD having a bottle in which he was preserving David’s tears, a book in which he was keeping count of his tossings (on his bed). I cannot promise you victory over your troubles in this life. I can promise you that God will make it all up to you at the resurrection. Trust him.

LORD, help us to trust in your eventual and inevitable justice.

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where reform begins

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Jefferson Vann

IMG_05672 Chronicles 29

The temple had been a barometer of the people’s spiritual condition, so it was only logical that Hezekiah began his reforms by cleansing the temple.  Let us not forget that another Jewish prophet would speak out symbolically to his brothers by doing the same thing.  Revival and reform has often been sparked by a change in worship.  Thank the LORD for worship leaders who sense the urge to lead us in worship which connects to our God of grace and justice.

LORD, revive us, that we might reform your world around us.

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oil and butter

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Jefferson Vann

IMG_0564Psalm 55

David used oil and butter as similes to describe the smoothness and softness of the speech of his former friend. Those soft words were swords.  The former friend betrayed him, and sought his destruction.  He now casts that burden on the LORD, and trusts that the LORD will sustain him in the battle.  Whatever we face, we can cast our anxieties on the LORD, because he cares for us.

LORD, here are our troubles.  Please take them. They are too heavy for us.

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yet more faithless

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Jefferson Vann

IMG_05632 Chronicles 28

Ahaz was so determined to reject the LORD that when things got worse for him and his kingdom, he became yet more faithless.  He had reasoned that the victors in the battles of the day must have the stronger gods, so he appealed to those gods.  He probably figured that he had already cut ties with the LORD, so he would get no help there.  It was foolish to utterly turn from following God. 

LORD, give us wisdom to turn to you. May we realize that you will not give up on us, even if we have rebelled against you.

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