2 Samuel 6; 1 Chr. 13

“When David returned home to bless his own family, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet him. She said in disgust, “How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!” David retorted to Michal, “I was dancing before the Lord, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the Lord, so I celebrate before the Lord. Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes!” 2 Sam 6:20-22 NLT

Saul’s daughter, Michal, was so distracted by David’s undignified worship that it hindered her from celebrating the ark’s return to the city. But, David made sure she knew that his motives were an outward reflection of his heart. I think on my church’s worship services. There are people dancing & waving flags. There have been times when I have let that distract me from what God wants to do in me. But, there’s also a supernatural freedom and joy that I see and crave. He might not be asking me to do those things. And he is more concerned about my heart posture towards him. But, he could be asking me to lift my hands in surrender to him. Am I willing to look foolish for him?

“It is time to bring back the Ark of our God, for we neglected it during the reign of Saul. Then David and all of Israel went to Balaah of Judah (also called Kiriath-jearim) to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the Lord who is enthroned between the cherubim. David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments-lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.” 1 Chronicles 13:3-8 NLT

David brought the ark back to the center of Israel to remind them of their true foundation and worship. Israel’s neglect of the ark symbolized their neglect of God. I reflect on this as I work on my garden that’s been overtaken with weeds. What have I been neglecting in my spiritual life to bring me closer to God?

Dear Father, I give you all my worship & praise. Thank you that you are a God who likes celebration. Forgive me when I let lesser things get in the way of that. Amen.

Amy(amyctanner)

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1 Samuel 12-13; 1 Chronicles 1-3; 1 Corinthians 1

You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you.

Ouch. It seemed as though Saul was doing the right thing–he waited the seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. Driven by urgency, impulse, desperation, fear, who knows, he took matters into his own hands. Wouldn’t any leader? Even though his offering was to the Lord, he was not consulting or seeking the Lord. And this would be telling sign of his leadership.

⁸ He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. ⁹ So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. ¹⁰ As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. ¹¹ Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, ¹² I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” ¹³ And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. ¹⁴ But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”

1 Samuel 13:8-14, ESV, emphasis added

I looked up the significance of a burnt offering in Old Testament times, and a resource states: The biggest difference between the burnt offering and other offerings is that to make a burnt offering the entire animal was burned on the altar, symbolizing total commitment or surrender to God.

Lord, I sit with this Scripture today and think on my habits. I want to steward my responsibilities wisely and to bring you glory. Thank you for the reminder to seek you first and to wait on you.

Courtney (66books365)

Gen. 5-8; Luke 2

“After another 40 days, Noah opened the window he had made in the boat and released a raven. The bird flew back and forth until the floodwaters on the earth had dried up. He also released a dove to see if the water had receded and it could find dry ground. But the dove could find no place to land because the water still covered the ground. So it returned to the boat, and Noah held out his hand and drew the dove back inside. After waiting another seven days, Noah released the dove again. This time the dove returned to him in the evening with a fresh olive leaf in its beak. Then Noah knew the floodwaters were almost gone. He waited another seven days and then released the dove again. This time it did not come back. Noah was now 601 years old. On the first day of the new year, ten and a half months after the flood began, the floodwaters had almost dried up from the earth. Noah lifted back the covering of the boat and saw the surface of the ground was drying. Two more months went by, and at last the earth was dry!” Genesis 8:6-14 NLT

Noah had the patience to wait on God’s timing. He didn’t lose hope that the promise would be fulfilled. He seemed to have a calm that God was in control and was protecting his family. Even when the water was gone, God knew it wasn’t safe for them to leave the boat yet. Did 2 more months of waiting make them frustrated and anxious? I can only imagine that I would have been.

“At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.” Luke 2:25&26NLT

“Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple, but stayed there day and night, worshipping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.” Luke 2:36-38 NLT

Simeon and Anna never lost hope that they would see the Messiah. They saw the promise fulfilled. They must have been overflowing with joy. I want to have a heart posture of surrender. Am I willing to lay down my control to the one who knows what is best for me? Trusting in His promises and plan for my life?

Thank you Father for your faithfulness. I look forward with expectant hope. I desire to be lead by your Holy Spirit. I eagerly await your return. Amen.

Amy(amyctanner)

2 Kings 23; Hebrews 5; Joel 2; Psalm 142

²⁴ Furthermore, Josiah got rid of the mediums and spiritists, the household gods, the idols and all the other detestable things seen in Judah and Jerusalem. This he did to fulfill the requirements of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had discovered in the temple of the Lord. ²⁵ Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses. (2 Kings 23:24-25) NIV

After finding and reading the Book of the Law, Josiah did a clean sweep of Judah. He repented and was deeply grieved over how far the people of Judah and Jerusalem had strayed from God. He took action. He turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength. It is such a great reminder to me to stop focusing on the things around me and focus on the Lord.

Life is hard right now. The past few weeks seem to have one thing after another heaped to the point where I feel overwhelmed. Loved ones are suffering. My heart is fearful of the outcome, so I drop to my knees. I lift my voice to God. I look to him for comfort and assurance.

¹ I cry aloud to the Lord;
    I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.
² I pour out before him my complaint;
    before him I tell my trouble.

³ When my spirit grows faint within me,
    it is you who watch over my way. (Psalm 142:1-3) NIV

I sometimes forget that I do not need to walk through life alone. My tendency is to bulldoze through problems, search for solutions, problem-solve, try to fix things. But sometimes, there are no fixes. There is nothing I can do but surrender to the One who is in control. Learning to give the outcome to him is a very difficult lesson for me. My hands are gripping on to things that need to be released. Peace will not come to me until that happens. I can trust him. I must stay in the present; the future is his domain. Worry lives out there, he calls me to walk beside him today.

¹³ Rend your heart
    and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God,
    for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
    and he relents from sending calamity. (Joel 2:13)

These are words I can trust. I can grip the words of God instead of uselessly trying to grip for control. No matter the outcome, I know he is gracious and compassionate. I know I can cry buckets of tears and he will never turn from me. He gives me strength, lightens my burdens, and calms my fears. He reminds me I’m not facing whatever happens alone.

⁵ I cry to you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my refuge,
    my portion in the land of the living.”

Heavenly Father, thank you for your presence in my life. You patiently peel open my fingers from the things I don’t need to cling to, the things that belong to you, and instead, show me what is mine to hold to as tightly as possible—your word, your promises, your hand. I pray to stay in today and not let my mind wonder into the future. In Jesus name, Amen

Cindy (gardnlady)

Job 19-22; 1 John 5

1 John 5:1-5 (NIV)

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.  Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

This chapter challenges me in so many ways. As I read through it, so many questions fill my heart and my mind.

Am I loving God’s children? It’s so easy to become frustrated and irritated with fellow believers due to various wrong expectations and selfish motives. Here I must ask myself, am I showing my brothers and sisters in Christ love through patience, kindness, and prayer? Am I showing that I love them in the way that I speak of them and with them?

Am I loving God? The evidence of my love for God is in my obedience. Am I choosing to do the right thing at the right time regardless of how I feel? Am I making my relationship with God a priority through prayer and study? Am I interacting with others in a way that glorifies God? Am I sharing His good news with those around me? Am I walking in integrity, honesty, and proving myself to be His child in what I say and do?

Are God’s commands burdensome to me? Or do I recognize the benefit of obedience and find joy in serving Him even when I find it challenging? Do I complain when I must love others? Do I get angry and resentful when God asks me to serve? Am I hiding from sharing Him with others because I’m afraid of what they will think of me?

 Am I overcoming the world, or is the world overcoming me? Have I let myself become fixated on myself and the world around me? Or has my relationship with God empowered me to walk in victory over my own sinful desires and the temptations of the world around me? Am I walking by faith or by sight?

Far too often I catch myself walking by sight, burdened by the things God asks of me, fearful of the cost of obedience, and as a result, failing in love towards others and, ultimately, God.

I especially find myself struggling during the holiday season. There’s so much going on, so much to do, so many obligations and demands on my time and attention, that I often catch myself trying to live on “cruise control” when it comes to my relationship with God. But when I fail to make my relationship with God a daily priority, everything else in my life begins to breakdown. His commands become burdensome, people become obstacles, and I find myself overcome by fear, insecurity, and the circumstances of the moment.

I know that if I want to walk in victory, I must be deliberate in my love toward God. As I make spending time with Him a priority, everything else begins to fall into place. People become opportunities. Things that were cause for fear are now material for hope. Irritating circumstances become a launching pad for prayer and dependence on God’s grace. And my life becomes much more victorious, not just in the big moments, but in the everyday moments that fill my day.

Father, forgive me for letting the world around me overcome me and overshadow my relationship with You. Forgive me for walking by sight instead of faith, fear instead of love, and obligation instead of relationship. I choose to make You my priority. Renew my love and passion for You, and let it overflow into my relationships and into my perspective of the world around me and the circumstances you place in front me. Help me to honor you by walking by faith in every moment, choosing love over annoyance, peace over fear, and joy over anxiety. In Jesus’ name, Amen.