Sermon Summaries

Wednesday afternoon, 2:40 pm. I've already taken my midday walk, had lunch, transferred my shelf liner/sunflower/dragonfly decorative cover from the cardboard piece I've had it on during my bedroom adjustment back in September and put it on a somewhat larger piece of particle board I found on the ground on my way home earlier. This makes my laptop surface 1/2" higher, but an extra pillow on my dining chair makes up the difference. At the same time, the larger surface allows for a greater flexibility of movement for my mouse, thus making it better for downloading my images on here. YAY!! Thank God for small favors!! And speaking of favor vs adversity, my friend, Andrea, has experienced both this week. The good news is, her husband, Matt is back out of the hospital today!! I was supposed to have gone over to help earlier, but between that, and the bad news of her father being in the hospital due to an Alzheimer's issue, she's already too busy for me today. I had originally thought that she had said something about Matt coming home today, but realized during my walk that she had only said "released". I'm left to presume that means he's coming back to the Rehab/Nursing Home here in Concord for now. (Edit: I found out that Matt IS actually home!! Praise God!!) Continued prayers for Matt's recovery and prayers for her father to come home soon.* In more personal news, I FINALLY got my money from the bookstore across the street. I had sold them a bunch of books back in July and was told that it may take a while to get the cash. I've checked back several times since then, but yesterday was the first time they actually had it for me. Now that it came to it, I can't help wondering how long they've actually had it in the envelope behind the counter and why they didn't call me when it was ready... Oh well... "All's well that ends well, right??" I still have more that they didn't take, but I'll have to see about FB Marketplace for those, along with the sneakers I ended up with that weren't quite the right size but can't be returned since I wore them outside... ;p* Also, continue to pray for Mike's mental health. He's mostly only been able to function marginally better when I'm there. Aside from that, he can barely maintain his responsibilities. In an effort to improve his outlook, he's been spending time walking his friend, Kevin's dog. He's also looking to get a purebred Husky puppy when Kevin's daughter's dog, Tika, has a litter. That will be a win-win as long as he can keep the dander to a minimum, as he may be allergic to it. He's also been considering professional help, which is a step I highly encourage as well. I love him so much, and it's hard to see him suffering. Meanwhile, I'm looking at 2 bedroom apartments or small houses so that we can be together 24/7, mostly. Although this message was preached by Pastor Joe back on my oldest daughter's birthday, August 25th*, I can't help seeing the good timing of my blogging it just over a week before Thanksgiving. As indicated in the title above, this message is about the kindness exhibited when we invite others to our "table". This may be a literal meal shared, or it could just mean a conversation over coffee or what have you. It could even mean sharing thoughts during a walk. The venue doesn't matter, it's the idea of "leaning in" to the lives of those around us and meeting their needs as we're able. Whether it's emotional, spiritual, physical, financial, or just a skill/knowledge we possess, it's important to use the resources God has given us to help others. For this final message in our series, we are looking at 2 Samuel 9. Let's turn there together... David and Mephibosheth 9 David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” “At your service,” he replied. 3 The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?” Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.” 4 “Where is he?” the king asked. Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.” 5 So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel. 6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. David said, “Mephibosheth!” “At your service,” he replied. 7 “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.” 8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?” 9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s steward, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.) 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s[a] table like one of the king’s sons. 12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mika, and all the members of Ziba’s household were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In opening the message that week, Pastor Joe shared about a favorite western Pennsylvania restaurant he grew up with called Shady Maple Buffet. Some of you may have heard of it. As he described it, you could get all your favorite foods in one place. (I'm guessing it's like a Chinese Buffet, but focused on American food)* He pointed out at the same time that there are many passages in the Bible that involve feasting. Our passage above shows David's generosity to Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth (what a name, right??)* So, as we can see here, this is Saul's grandson we're talking about. You may remember from other recent posts, that David and Saul have long since become enemies. A brief search reveals that Saul and Jonathan died during a battle against the Philistines some years prior. (1 Sam. 31) So, as we look at our message from Monday's post, we are again listing the main characters of the story and their respective roles in it. You will notice also, the significance of the location. • David's name, originally Da'vid in the Ancient Hebrew, means "beloved", or "one who lives in peace". • Mephibosheth literally meant "End of Shame". Despite Jonathan's death, David's and Jonathan's ongoing friendship is represented here in the son's name; signifying the close connection of their families in spite of Saul's bitterness and resultingly shameful behavior toward David. • The scene of our story, Lo Debar, actually meant "nowhere", or "nothing". Now, without going back and watching the message online, I'm going to make a logical guess that Mephibosheth is essentially, "coming out of the woodwork", as it were.* • Ziba's name means "Alliance". Self-explanatory in this instance. In this story, the love shown by David to Jonathan's son is the same kind of love God has for us. Here, once again, we find the word "hesed" used as love in action toward another is exhibited. Although this term is primarily used in the Old Testament, the same concept is found in the word "kindness" throughout the New Testament. As Pastor Joe pointed out, David's generosity was further proof of God's provision for many generations of Israelites. Another way to look at this is in the fact that love, like a diamond, has a multitude of facets to it. In this case, both God's and David's loyalty is on display. (See also Exodus 34:6-7) According to Torah, abandoned land was to be restored every 50 yrs. This was called a year of Jubilee. In our Scripture above, we see a kind of "Micro-Jubilee" taking place as David extends friendship to the grandson of his enemy, Saul. David invited Mephibosheth to his table without concern that he be able to give him anything in return other than the companionship lost when the boy's father had died many years since.* David's only goal was to restore the connection to Saul's family, making things right after Saul's stubborn heart had caused so much conflict between them. The fact that Mephibosheth was handicapped from childhood only made his reaching out that much more poignant. The question we now ask is this - How did David's invitation change Mephibosheth? As we read through to the end of our passage, we find that his position at the King's Table has been permanently established. This leads us to believe that he went from the poor, neglected, unworthy man David first sent for (vs. 8) to giving him a sense of identity, belonging and security. He now knew that someone cared enough about him to ensure that he was well fed and well housed.* And not only for himself, but for his son Mika, and to his family forever. This shows us something important about God's love in the fact that His heart is for those society generally sees as "unworthy". Mephibosheth's disability put him on the lower end of the social ladder of that area in that time. (sounds familiar even now, doesn't it??) We see in this story how David "leaned in" to help his friend's son live into his name, and end the shame of Saul's poor behavior. The provision David extended to him by restoring his grandfather's fields to his charge served this purpose well. Edit -- Another point I realized about Mephibosheth's life is that, from the time his father and grandfather died to the time came for David to reach out to him, God made sure that he was protected. After the news came of their deaths, Mephibosheth's nurse had the wisdom to run away with him so that no one who was looking to gain the throne would find him and kill him. Next, Pastor Joe shared a quote from one of his Bible Professors in Seminary, Leonard Sweet -- It's from his book, "From Table to Table". -- "There is one thing that would dramatically change the world we live in and help return us to our rootedness in Christ: Bring back the table! If we were to make the table the most sacred object of furniture in every home, church, and community, our faith would quickly regain its power and our world would quickly become a better place. The table the the place where identity is born - the place where the story of our lives is retold, re-minded, and relived." Amen to that!!* As we partook of Communion, and were thus, "invited to the Table", Pastor Joe closed the sermon with the following thoughts -- Jesus often dined with those in the "marginalized" areas of life. Jesus quoted Jubilee from Isaiah in terms of the redemption and restoration of our hearts. (1st Israel's, and later ours) He finds us in our "nothingness", pursuing us, like David did for Mephibosheth, for a life of provision, identity, and love. This invitation is brought out in Matt. 11:28-29 with Jesus encouraging us to come and rest in Him. We should be intentional about sitting first at God's Table, then in setting the table for others. As we have often seen in previous messages, the idea of receiving abundantly from God and extending that generosity to others as we share extravagantly with others. We read one example of this in John 10:11-15 where Jesus is talking about how a good shepherd will lay down his life for the sheep. Jesus spent His life on our behalf. Finally, Pastor Joe related a brief story of how one of either he or his neighbors experienced unexpected love from his best friends' parents. In having to travel for a job or school, I believe it was Joe, was invited in by his friends' parents rather than having him stay in a hotel or on campus. They basically said, "any friend of our son is going to be treated like family". He saw this as a "Kingdom Moment", where God's love was highly evident in his life. Set the table. Love is reflected in our relationships. -- God Bless!! Footnotes: 1. Andrea's parents are in their early 90's and still living at home in the same house she grew up in. (She's the youngest of 4 while I would be the older of 2 if my brother had lived.) Both their memory's are lagging; but I think Eleanor's is more age related, like my father. I don't know the family history on their part like I do my own, though. In my family, it's been seen in both sides of my father's family and at least one side of my mother's. (My grandfather I grew up with had it toward the end) 2. I've tried to sell my sneakers (and my guitar) on my regular FB page, but no takers. I'll see about posting the books later this evening, but not holding my breath. I also started to sell my sneakers on Marketplace, but never finished the post. I'll have to take a new pic so it doesn't fail on me this time. 3. My 3 biological kids are Carissa, Ben, and Jasmine; but I now include Mike's kids as my own as well, so his daughter, Arianna, is between my older 2. The whole list goes, Christopher, Carissa, Johnathan, Arianna, Ben, Jasmine. (Carissa's friend Mariah is my "oldest" as she's May to August older, but that's a slightly different story) 4. Texas Roadhouse may also qualify here, but I've not been yet. We just got one earlier this Fall, locally. 5. Mephibosheth is quite the mouthful, is it not?? ;p (I almost wonder if that's the origin of the modern name, Seth, but IDK) 6. In relation to what I said about the town of Lo Debar meaning "nowhere", and my conclusion that it basically meant that Mephibosheth was "coming out of the woodwork", I was essentially right. A brief search brought up results saying that Lo Dear also meant things like, "no pasture", "place of obscurity" (this was important after Saul's death, as some may have sought to kill the King's heir). Another reference said, "no word/communication", and "no place to feed". I also saw a result that spoke of more metaphysical aspects such as "land without order", "no rule", and "no shepherd". All of this lends more to Mephibosheth's feelings of isolation, lack of identity, and general suffering as an outcast cripple. 7. Another brief search shows that Mephibosheth was only 5 yrs old when his father and grandfather died. Our story above indicates a considerable passage of time, being that he's now an adult with his own child. Additionally, the fact that both Jonathan and David had wives and children of their own negates the suggestion of some that their relationship was anything other than platonic. 8. The idea of someone caring so much for Mephibosheth as to give him food and shelter makes me think of Mike's former situation of homelessness which was still happening when we reconnected nearly 3 yrs ago. 9. The quote from Pastor Joe's college professor reminds me of one of Pastor Scott's Lenten Messages from Brattleboro last Spring when he posed the question of Jesus having been a "Foodie". (Yes, He was) Music -- Never any rights... :D LION - Elevation Worship ft. Chris Brown & Brandon Lake (Lyrics),https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apZEYgTpZxM God So Loved - We The Kingdom (Lyrics),https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK9pljv_s-A ORU Worship Center - Let Praises Rise - Lyrics,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwIE8xQez4I Cody Carnes - Christ Be Magnified (Lyrics),https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfSxd58263g

Monday evening, 6:08 p.m., and I'm eating supper and working on this post. Not a lot to report since last time. No updates on Andrea's husband, Matt, at the moment. I would have been over this afternoon, but part of that was contingent on what time she was coming back from visiting him. I may know more tomorrow. Nothing new with my kids, although my oldest called me earlier and informed me that my ex-husband's aunt passed away a few days ago. (I find out at the same time that his uncle died a month or so ago) So prayers for the family and friends around the greater Thomaston, ME area. Ben hasn't called or messaged, so all is good with him for now. Meanwhile, Mike was over Friday night through early Sunday afternoon. His daughter, Arianna, had been messaging him about a visit. We were able to meet up with her, Mike's grandson, Takoda, and Takoda's other grandparents at a Church Dinner about 20 minutes away.* We didn't end up actually visiting together as much as we had hoped due to seating arrangements. At the same time, things worked out such that the mother of some boys I had attended school with was helping to serve the food, and later, one of my HS classmates surfaced!! I didn't end up finishing my food due to visiting with the boys' mother while I ate. Then my classmate and I had a nice chat over dessert. We're looking forward to visiting more with Arianna and Takoda at a later date*. As we all know, family relationships can be complicated. If you've been following for a while on here, you'll have seen me mention my tumultuous relationship with my mother. Suffice it to say that, while I love her for bringing me into the world, I wouldn't give her the time of day otherwise. Likewise, parenting, marriage, and friendships involve complications at times. Classes and counseling can help to a degree; but at the end of the day, every situation is different because every person is different. We all navigate our relationships according to our prior experiences and insights. And this may either be helpful or harmful, depending on what those perspectives look like and how we apply them in the moment. We often wish we had the right answers at the ready for each situation we run up against; but we just don't. Only when we look to God will we find what we need to successfully navigate our lives. Tonight's message explores some of the complexities of the relationship between Saul and David. More specifically, how Saul sought out the answers he was looking for in connection to that relationship. Let's turn to 1 Samuel 28 for details -- 1 Samuel 28 New International Version 28 In those days the Philistines gathered their forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “You must understand that you and your men will accompany me in the army.” 2 David said, “Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do.” Achish replied, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.” Saul and the Medium at Endor 3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land. 4 The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. 6 He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets. 7 Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.” “There is one in Endor,” they said. 8 So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. “Consult a spirit for me,” he said, “and bring up for me the one I name.” 9 But the woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?” 10 Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As surely as the Lord lives, you will not be punished for this.” 11 Then the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” “Bring up Samuel,” he said. 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!” 13 The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see?” The woman said, “I see a ghostly figure[a] coming up out of the earth.” 14 “What does he look like?” he asked. “An old man wearing a robe is coming up,” she said. Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 15 Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” “I am in great distress,” Saul said. “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do.” 16 Samuel said, “Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy? 17 The Lord has done what he predicted through me. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. 18 Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this to you today. 19 The Lord will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.” 20 Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel’s words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and all that night. 21 When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, “Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do. 22 Now please listen to your servant and let me give you some food so you may eat and have the strength to go on your way.” 23 He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his men joined the woman in urging him, and he listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the couch. 24 The woman had a fattened calf at the house, which she butchered at once. She took some flour, kneaded it and baked bread without yeast. 25 Then she set it before Saul and his men, and they ate. That same night they got up and left. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Although I titled this post "Finding Answers in Complexity", as Pastors Matt and Joe had done; a good secondary phrase would be, "Wisdom is Walking with God". As I mentioned in my Message Intro paragraph, we wish we had all the answers to life's challenges. In our passage above, we see Saul seeking answers in his own way and in his own time because he simply "had to know" exactly what to do. In reading the story, we find that Samuel has died, so Saul requests an audience with a Medium to get the knowledge he desires*. After having read the Scripture, Pastors Matt and Joe proceeded to list the characters who were noteworthy here. They, along with their defining characteristics, are as follow -- • The Medium - her role in the story is that of Accuser, or Devil. Spiritual Seekers, or Guides, in that day were known as those who sought wisdom in a way that went against God's best. • Saul - in this scenario, he qualifies as both Accuser and Seeker as well. He did this by twisting things around and taking God's Name to seek answers. He acted out of fear. The pathetic irony was that the woman knew who he was regardless of his attempted trickery. (vs 12) Another important point here is that communication with the dead was strictly forbidden under Jewish Law. In this, Saul showed partial obedience by involving a third party. • Skipping back to Chapter 25, we find the same theme for David -- In that story, Nabal played the part of the Accuser, or "Fool" (vs 25), while Abigail was the reminder of God, as her name means "joy of the Father". She showed humility as the mediator/seeker. There we read about how David was prepared to seek vengeance on Nabal for insulting his men, and left some of his people to guard the encampment from Nabal's men. When Abigail heard about her husband's rudeness, she secretly supplied David and his men with all they needed. Going all the way back to Genesis 3, we see that this same theme has played out since the beginning of humanity. While God was inviting Adam and Eve into His knowledge and wisdom, Satan, the Accuser, was there, tempting them to gain it the "easy way" by eating the forbidden fruit. (we all know how that worked out, right??) The depth of relationship God was intending to have with them is called "yada" in the Ancient Hebrew. This indicates intimacy of connection so that there are no secrets in any direction*. Either vertically, between them and God, or horizontally, between each other. When Adam and Eve sought knowledge without God, it damaged their relationship with Him. (Now that I think of it, we're not told how it affected the relationship between each other) Hmmmmmm... As we have observed throughout this series, (one more to go) Dagon (the idol), Saul, and Goliath have all fallen due to their pride and seeking power, knowledge, and wisdom according to their own rules. Each of them possessing the same snake-like qualities as Satan himself. We behave the same way when we seek answers from sources other than God's Word and prayer. We do it whenever we define right and wrong according to our own rules rather than His. Wisdom is knowing what to do in the midst of complexity. That being said, some may feel like the instructions don't matter as long as the results are good; while others need to follow the directions exactly.* One of the problems with making our own rules is that we may end up manipulating or controlling others in order to achieve the results we desire. At the same time, we need to be careful that we're not "riding other's coattails" in their advice. In other words, don't rely on some famous name to provide you with a generic formula that will produce the right result. (theoretically, anyway) All guidance should lead back to God. Our confusion, and anxiety, both good and bad, are all invitations to walk with God. Jesus knew how to walk with the Father. He is our "doorway" to rest, abiding, peace, and joy. (Matt. 11:28-29) Also, we read the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:7-11, inviting us to ask, seek, and knock. He is assuring us here that God will give us good gifts. Be the person who seeks wisdom in Him. In closing, Pastor Joe shared a story that paints a poignant picture of the kind of relationship God desires to have with us. (If you've been following for a while, you'll recognize this) One day, when he was working from home, Pastor Joe told his little boy that he didn't want to be disturbed. He then went into his office and closed the door. After just a few minutes, his son knocked, asking when he would be done. Pastor Joe said, "It's going to be a while, buddy, but I'll let you know." About 5 minutes later, his son knocks again. "Are you done yet, daddy??" "No, bud, can you please just let me get stuff done??" Next thing he knows, his son is slipping a piece of paper under the door. It reads, "poo poo hed dad". The poor kid just wanted to play with Daddy. This is the kind of relationship God wants with us. He WANTS us to knock on the door and ask for time spent with Him. He's never too busy for us. Our relationship with God doesn't require any pushing or striving*. We're never going to have to feel sad that He turns us away. We need to set aside religious patterns* and just take time with our God. -- God Bless!! Footnotes: 1. The Church we met at is called Sovereign Grace, in Boscawen, NH. Officially speaking, their first Sunday will be December 1st. They are a "plant" of Redeemer Church, also in Boscawen. (if you're not from NH, and wondering how to pronounce that, it's "BOS-cah-wen". Other variations include, "Bos-COW-en", and "Bosc-wine", but the first is correct. LOL 2. It had been nearly a year since we had last seen Arianna and Takoda. Since that time, Arianna's engagement fell apart, she's lost a noticeable amount of weight due to stress, and Takoda is talking now. He'll be 3 in May, if you can believe it!! (and even if you can't) <3 So cute!! At the same time, I've suggested further catching up with my classmate, as well. :D 3. I'm thinking that this story exemplifies at least one of the reasons God had forbidden communication with the dead by the Jews. While Saul did succeed in getting the answer he needed; there was a more than equal chance that he wouldn't. In my one experience with a Ouija board, back in college, I had my roommate ask about my brother. (I hadn't told either of them about the fact that my brother had passed away of SIDS in 1972, but they both knew I was a Christian) The only result of their question was that the planchette proceeded to spell "JESUS". To this day, I don't know if they were moving it, or it them. I had no direct contact, as I was up on my bunk. Of course, the more immediate reason for God's prohibition is that we are not seeking Him for our answers. 4. A brief search of the word "yada" indicates deep knowledge, both in mental and emotional context. It can also be defined as "perceive", "learn", "discriminate", or "recognize". This can include the physical relationship between a man and woman; but the focus is on the point of getting to know each other intellectually and emotionally. 5. While the differing perspectives of details vs generalities most readily applies to men and women; there are, as they say, exceptions to every rule. For example, I am a woman who generally ignores the instruction manual when it comes to putting certain things together. I'm a "whole to part" learner. As long as I know what it's supposed to look like when I'm done, I (probably) don't need help getting it there. (ha) Conversely, my ex-boyfriend, Rob, seems incapable of doing anything without knowing every detail. For example, when I was sharing my Apple Cider Vinegar Mix recipe with him, to ward off colds, etc... He needed one of my juice glasses in order to get the "exact measurements" right even though I had told him it wasn't necessary. (1/3 or 1/4 ACV to 2/3 or 3/4 water. Mix in honey and cinnamon to taste. Choice of glass is YOURS) Uuuugh!! ;p Music -- Never any rights, I promise!! :D Where I'm Standing Now - Phil Wickham feat. Brandon Lake (Lyrics),https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmZ-GNAVAGc Holy Hallelujah | Becca Folkes, Carrington Gaines & REVERE (Official Live Video),https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91xNObOwpLc Chris Tomlin - Our God (Lyrics),https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5d_gm9zrnY Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) - Hillsong United lyrics,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GGFb6LcX3U

Another trip to Brattleboro delayed further posting until now. As you know if you read last week's post, Mike had a doctor's appointment last Thursday. He's actually lost around 25 lbs. so far, and I hadn't even noticed. That being said, I'm not sure of the time frame involved, either. I've only been back in his life for about 3 yrs., so I don't know if this started prior to that. Regardless, this is a great thing!! Just pray that he will continue the battle more and more effectively. Possibly even reverse his Diabetes, but we'll see... I would have been home sooner, but his doctor had ordered special eye drops to clear up his allergy based conjunctivitis, and the pharmacy ended up being out of it. Then it was the weekend, and the holiday, so I didn't get back until midday yesterday. Meanwhile, I did something I honestly never thought I would do. Mike's friend, Kevin, that I swore back in July never to speak to again, invited BOTH of us out for lunch Sunday afternoon. He's sincerely interested in finding out my reasons for not liking him. Between that, and how much I saw that it was hurting Mike to think I wasn't willing to try, I decided to go. After a false start due to a change of venue, the meal and conversation went well. I didn't bring up everything yet, but at least a door has been opened. I'm hoping to go back over for Thanksgiving, so maybe something more can be said then.* I got a chance to talk to Carissa briefly last night, and they now have the money for their plane tickets to Houston for Thanksgiving.* I also asked her what happened with Greg's car. She didn't go into any details, but she mentioned that a family who used a granite pillar for their mailbox no longer did. Greg is fine, but his passenger side headlight is not. So far, continued silence from my son, Ben, is good news. Prayers appreciated for discernment and wisdom in his decision to rejoin his ex-wife, Samantha, in Indiana. Meanwhile, Andrea's husband, Matt was home less than 3 days before going back to the Hospital. This time, he's in ICU... again. I get home yesterday to find my FB feed showing the smiling faces of Matt and their son, Tavis, with Matt sitting in the recliner at home on Sunday, and get back on this morning to a post announcing Matt back in, how there is never a dull moment, and how she's sorely missing when there were dull moments to be had. Fervent prayers for his continued recovery. Oh yeah, and Mike's been talking to his daughter, Arianna, on Messenger again. He's coming back over here on Saturday so we can visit her and her son, Takoda. It's been nearly a year since we've seen them. <3 And so, onward... Once again, the events of my last several years come into play when thinking of a relevant story for my Message Intro. After my divorce in 2011*, I got on an online dating site and my aunt started taking me to the Single's Dance where she met Gary. No lasting results were had in either of these ways. Skip to 2015, an old boyfriend from 1990 messages me on FB. What!!?? That was Jeremy. Long story short, he was here with me for just under 2 yrs. (2016-2018) The next couple of years go by with little to report. Except that I meet Rob around Sept. of 2019. We start hanging out in March of 2020, because, why not, right?? We become friends, but don't start dating until May of 2021. Meanwhile, I have 2 separate FB messages to Mike over the course of about 6 yrs. December 2021, he finally responds!! As I've mentioned on here before, I have come to realize that certain aspects of both Jeremy and Rob have prepared me to better navigate a successful relationship with Mike. I had let things go too long with Rob; so that break-up was inevitable. Mike's re-entry had nothing to do with it. Now, I've said all of that to say this. God's will, ways, and timing are always perfect. It may have taken 30 yrs. to adequately prepare both of us to reconnect; but we both have the wisdom to understand that it was necessary. Our passage today deals with David's patience in waiting for God's right time for him to ascend the throne of Israel. Like Mike and I needed 30 yrs of life lessons before we were ready to be together again; David had to endure about 14 yrs of palace life in order to be ready to rule. Let's turn to 1 Samuel 24 for more, shall we?? 1 Samuel 24 New International Version David Spares Saul’s Life 24 [a]After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” 2 So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats. 3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4 The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said[b] to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way. 8 Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 9 He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? 10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. 12 May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13 As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you. 14 “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? 15 May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.” 16 When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud. 17 “You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. 18 You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the Lord delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. 19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today. 20 I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. 21 Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.” 22 So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- During the "welcome" part of the service, there was a gentleman from the Adult/Teen Challenge ministry who spoke briefly about their mission and the success of one of their adult "graduates". The man in his story was a homeless drug addict who became a surgeon. Pastor Matt opened his message with the relatable idea that things can sometimes be hard to wait for in our lives. Birthdays, Holidays, Trips, etc... I know when Mike and I were prepping for our trip to Hawaii, we were both really excited!! He was happy to take me to one of the places he'd served in the Army*, and I was happy to go somewhere that was unlike anywhere I had ever gone before. (and more than 2x farther) Matt shared about his wife, Heidi's, gifts getting returned, but at this point, I don't remember why... sorry... As we read our passage above, we find both David and Saul in a very rocky hill area. Pastor Matt brought out the fact that another translation for "crags of rocks" in the version he read, might just as easily read, "Rock of Kids". Or, as the NIV has it, "Crags of Wild Goats". (Doesn't sound very hospitable, regardless) So, as we continue the story, we discover that David honors God's choice in Saul as king, (vs. 6) and chooses not to kill him where he stood in the cave. And beyond that, he orders his men not to kill him either. Our sermon title, then, is taken from the lesson we get from David's experiences and decisions here. God's favor rests on those who give themselves to God's Will, God's Ways, and God's Timing. We see, once again, the dichotomy of Saul's pride against David's humility. For Saul, it's all about how he can increase his own power and glory. For David, God's glory comes before his own. Rather than seeking his own power and glory, David is participating with God in His Mission of Renewal. God's sovereignty is powerful to accomplish His Plan. The fact is, the influence of sin in our lives only prevents us from participating in it with Him. Ultimately, it's not just about Salvation for our souls; but about the transformation of our hearts that guides us into the righteousness God wants for us.* We all have moments of seeking God's will for major decisions in our lives, and if we listen in silence, He will tell us. Two of the biggest clues are, "Does this decision adversely affect my love for God??" and "Does this adversely affect my love towards others??" Other specifics will comes as needed, in His Way, and in His Time. The arc of our narrative here, tips on the point in verse 17 where Saul recognizes the truth of how badly he has treated David in contrast to David's consistently respectful behavior towards him. He acknowledges his grasping, controlling, dehumanizing ways versus David's humble goodness and righteousness in the face of Saul's opposition. The way of the Lord lies in grace and love. Pastor Matt paused here to clarify that abusers need barriers and boundaries. Although that can seem harsh to some people; love requires that our intentions are in the best interests of others. Sometimes that means limiting their access to us rather than enabling them to continue disrespecting us.* Even on point of death, Jesus still showed love for His abusers by asking the Father to forgive them. There is no one who can make us not love them. They can only make us not WANT to love them.* We can mess things up by insisting on our own timing. (Like how I was trying to rush into a new relationship by going online and out to the dances, or later, allowing someone in who didn't entirely belong) David was patient to gain the throne of Israel. You may note that patience is a Fruit of the Spirit. (Gal. 6) The hard truth is that a Christian's character is forged in the fires of waiting.* Our impatience prevents us from participating in God's Plan. Pastor Matt closed out the message with two thoughts. One, in Lord of the Rings, Gandalf is known for saying, "A Wizard is never early and never late; he arrives precisely when he intends to." And two, he posed the question, "If we know that God is at work in our lives every day, is there anything we are grasping for??" -- God Bless!! Footnotes: 1. If I do end up in Brattleboro for Thanksgiving, it will be the first time I've spent the holiday apart from my parents since Rich and I divorced. While we were married, some Thanksgiving Days were spent in Maine with his family. Also, to "piggy-back" another thought here, I spent Sunday morning at Centre Church again, and something I was totally expecting actually happened. Although I had decided later Saturday evening to go to Lunch Sunday afternoon, I was thinking that, if I hadn't made my choice by then, God would "nudge" me in Church. And He did anyway. The Children's Message was about respecting everyone as a Creation of God and potentially giving them a chance to prove their worth. "Yes, Lord, I know..." 2. There will be 4 people heading out for Houston. Carissa, Greg, Brandi, and Greg's brother, Tyler. They are going down to visit Greg and Tyler's sister, Heather, who moved down there earlier this year. Pray for safe travels and good experiences. 3. Rich's and my divorce technically happened in 2010, but we received the official decree in the mail on January 2, 2011. 4. Sincere thanks go out to Veterans of all US Military branches. Your willingness to sacrifice means everything to those of us who haven't served for various reasons. I hope you all had a good day of celebration Monday. 5. I have it worded slightly different here than in my notes. While Pastor Matt's words suggested that our righteousness is contingent on the fact of our hearts changing; I feel like it's clearer to say that Salvation secures the Righteousness of God for us in Eternity. The point of our hearts changing simply indicates the Spiritual Growth encouraged until that day comes. 6. The bit about boundaries is partly mine. I also wanted to mention here that I was recently commenting on a Quora post that was just an image which said something to the effect of, "Don't be so caught up in forgiveness and compassion that you forget the fact that you're being disrespected." I had to respond and explain that forgiveness is not about condoning bad behavior; but about clearing our hearts of the offense. 7. The idea of having people that we don't WANT to love always puts me in mind of the quote from Tupac Shakur when he said, "Just because you have lost me as a friend doesn't mean that you've gained an enemy. I still want you to eat; just not at my table." (Honestly, that's the only thing I've ever known about him other than the fact that he was assassinated. Rap has never been my favorite genre) 8. While both Mike and I waited for a day neither of us were sure would ever come; let me just say that he made his share of mistakes as well. I focus more on my own behavior because I own it and want to be transparent; but that isn't meant to suggest that Mike's life was "on target" every single day. Music -- Never any rights... :D LEAD ON GOOD SHEPHERD - LYRICS - PATRICK MAYBERRY,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTU4SVsQzj4 Planetshakers - This Is The Day [Lyrics Video],https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbNPcuGPaMQ Just One Word - Prestonwood Worship (Lyrics),https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3LtoFNPcZ4 Holy (Song Of The Ages) - The Belonging Co (LYRICS VIDEO),https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydDOKjF9ens