Reflections on 1 Chronicles 28-29

A change of leadership brings mixed emotions from all concerned.  King David had hoped to build a house to hold the ark of the covenant, but God has said no.  Now David calls together the officials to inform them that God has chosen his son Solomon to succeed him and to build the Temple.  David hands over to his son Solomon the plans for the Temple which David had hoped to build.  And leadership shifts from David to Solomon in these closing chapters of 1 Chronicles.

No leader ever seems to accomplish all he or she had hoped to do.  Leaders seek to remain faithful to their calling but time, energy, money, cooperation and many other factors affect what happens and which goals are accomplished and which are not.  There always comes a time for a change in leadership which brings with it mixed emotions.  This change brings both endings and new beginnings.  May God be served in our endings and in our new beginnings.

Reflections on Romans 10

We find Paul writing to the church in Rome of his concern for the salvation of all God's people.

...if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord

and believe in your heart that God raised him

from the dead, you will be saved.

The scripture says,

"No one who believes in him will be put to shame."

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek;

the same Lord is Lord of all and is

generous to all who call on him.

For "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord

shall be saved."

I wonder how many Christians to whom Paul addressed these words were having trouble accepting others who confessed Jesus as Lord.  I wonder how some, even in the early church, were trying to distinguish between who were acceptable Christians and who were not.  Paul quotes scripture to them (and to us?) saying that, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame."  How easy it is to try to shame those who are different than we are: who dress differently, who express their beliefs with different words, who have a different life style.  

But I am called back to Paul's simple affirmation: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved because as Paul proclaims, the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. 

Reflections on Romans 9

We feel the real emotions of Paul in this chapter as he writes to the church in Rome filled with concern for his own people - the People of Israel who were first chosen by God, given the covenant and commandments and the promise of being God's people.  For his own people, Paul writes: "I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.

Real leaders feel deep emotion for their own people.  Pastors for the members of their congregations. District leadership for their member congregations. Denominational leaders for the larger denomination.  And all of us who seek to serve the church of Jesus Christ for the world that God loves.

Reflections on Romans 8

One of the most powerful chapters from the Apostle Paul in all of the New Testament.

It begins with a powerful affirmation: There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.


Later in verse14 Paul affirms who he is speaking of: For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. ... When we cry, "Abba! Father!" it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ...."

Paul goes on to talk of a future glory beyond the present trials of life:  I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.

Paul concludes with this powerful affirmation: If God is for us, who is against us?  ....  Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  

Reflections on 1 Chronicles 17

Within this 17th chapter we find a prayer that David offered to God.

David begins with humility:  Who am I ... that you have brought me thus far?

David acknowledges God's greatness: You have done all these great deeds. 

David accepts God's direction:  as for the word you have spoken ... let it be...

David sings God's praise: Thus your name will be established and magnified forever.

David asks for God's blessing: may it please you to bless the house of your servant...

David closes his prayer acknowledging God: For you, O Lord, have blessed and are blessed forever.
    

Reflections on Psalm 119

Your word is a lamp to my feet

and a light to my path.

I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,

to observe your righteous ordinances.

-Psalm 119:105-106

Psalm 119, with 176 verses, is the longest chapter in the Bible and is filled with many words of wisdom.  These verses brought to my mind the following words of Floyd Mallott who taught for 35 years at Bethany Seminary. The occasion was his decision to leave the denomination he had served for a lifetime to join another church.

"I remember it as clearly as if it were yesterday. I stood before the congregation and the elder said to me publicly: 'Today you present yourself to join a company of people who have no other doctrine or law save the new Testament. The New Testament is our creed. If anyone asks you for a copy of your creed you can do nothing better than to hand him a copy of the New Testament. I counsel you that if you ever find a people who are keeping closer to the precepts of the New Testament than the Brethren, go and join them.'  The step I am now taking is in obedience to the counsel of the elder from whom I first received instruction in Christ."

Those words of Floyd Mallott 50 years ago still ring true today.  The Psalmist understood the importance of God's word as a lamp to his feet and a light to his path through life.  The Psalmist, like Brother Mallott, recognized the importance of being true to God's word.  May that be our goal as well.

Reflections on 1 Chronicles 12:23-37

The statistics are amazing!  The numbers of warriors from the various tribes of Israel who came to support David in battle if necessary, and who were united and determined to make David King over all Israel.  The people of Israel were of one mind (perhaps for the first and last time):  "Make David King!"

What politician (or pastor for that matter) today wouldn't like to have that kind of unified support!