Chronicling Chronicles

 "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God"

2 Timothy 3:16

Several years ago, at church, the pastor made the announcement that those who attended the evening Bible Study were to read 1 Chronicles, chapters 22 - 29.  Since I don’t participate in that particular study, I paid little attention to their assignment until I heard the pastor say that while eight chapters seemed like a lot, they didn’t really need to “read” all of it.  These chapters cover David and Solomon’s preparation for, and building of, the temple, and they were told that chapters 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27 did not need to be read.   These are some of those “fun” chapters; y'know, like the “begat” chapters?  Admittedly, not usually your more inspirational information.  But I felt like the pastor was telling the congregation that these chapters were not important.

Well, I was indignant.  I couldn’t believe that my pastor, someone educated and well-versed in Biblical knowledge, and full of the Holy Spirit, would imply that anything in the Bible did not need to be there.  Or that it was not necessary for anyone to read it.  Or that it is too mundane and tedious for people to get anything out of it.  I was incensed that anyone would think these words were any less inspired by God’s Spirit than any other in His Bible.

When my hubby and I talked about it later, he pointed out that what the pastor probably meant was, that the reading of those chapters was not necessary for that particular study.  But I’m a passionate person, the fire had been lit under me, and I was off and running.  I had been told not to read those chapters -- so I went home and read them.   

There's some insight into my rebellious personality, eh?

I wrote down the thoughts God gave me, and I want to share them with you.

These chapters are a listing of those needed for the building of the temple, a description of their duties, and how they were divided up to perform their duties: supervisors; bailiffs; judges; public administrators; priests; prophets; assistants for sacrifices; assistants for purification ceremonies; bakers; those who checked weights and measures; custodians; Chief Officer and keepers of the treasury; keepers of dedicated items; musicians; singers; guards for the temple, gates and storehouses; Captain of the Guard; recording secretary; chaplain to the king, and prophet to the king.  38,000 strong, and many of them listed by name. And we are told in chapter 23 that David separated them into divisions according to their lineage.

All divisions and duties were carefully structured so as not to hinder the spirit of the project, or the necessary worship.  1 Corinthians 14:40 says, “Let all things be done decently and in order” and in verse 33, “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.”  We see that here.  He preserved for us His instructions for the building of the tabernacle.  His instructions are orderly, thorough and exact, with nothing left to chance, and all members are called to their respective tasks.

I read that some of the individual tasks were decided by casting lots, which was often done in the Old Testament, a process now unnecessary with the gift to us of God’s Spirit and I rejoice that we are able to make decisions through prayer, and reading the Bible.

Chapter 23 also tells us that there were 4,000 assigned as gatekeepers.  This must have been a crucial job, to keep a watchful eye, and warn of possible invasion.  But David knew there also needed to be musicians with instruments, and singers.  And I was surprised at how many were assigned to that:  4,000.  As many as were assigned to be guards.  David was a writer of psalms, a maker of music, and a maker of instruments.  He knew that singing and praising God was as important as building the temple.  Praying and singing and praising God is as important as teaching and the learning.  Don't think of doing one without the other.

I learned that all agricultural assets were guarded by one division, and that all treasures and spoils were guarded by one division, not everyone guarding their own.  We do this today when we tithe, or give money to a charity.  It’s not our money.  It is God’s money, given to us.  We must be zealous stewards of all entrusted to us by God.  Earn, acquire, spend and save wisely, and only with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  "And do not lay up for yourself treasures on earth, but treasures in Heaven."  (Matthew 6:19)

While David knew the count of all guards and workers, there was no count of people under the age of 20.  God had commanded the census in Moses’ time, but when David ordered one, God punished him, because David’s pride had been the impetus for the census.  

I Chronicles 21 says that satan had moved David to number Israel.  He wanted to revel in the size of his army, and the vast number of people over whom he reigned.  Is there a lesson here for us about our personal pride in things that actually belong to God?  Deuteronomy 8:17, warns us against thinking that our own power or strength makes us wealthy.

It is simply amazing how much building was done in this part of the world at this time; the pyramids, the Sphinx, the glorious temples, all without heavy machinery, and I was struck by the sheer numbers here: 38,000 people.  But Jesus didn’t need 38,000 people to raise a temple.  He raised it up in three days.  And today?  It takes just one person to build a temple.  1 Corinthians 6:19 says “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you?”  And God cherishes that temple even more than the one that took 38,000 people to build.

~ "he read all the words of the law,

    the blessings and the cursings,

       according to all that is written" ~

Joshua 8:34

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A Lesson From Bobby Orr

I saw an interview with hockey-great Bobby Orr today.  I'm not sure why they were interviewing him ~ as far as I could tell, he wasn't celebrating anything, and didn't have anything to plug.  Course he's not really a plugging kind of guy...

But he's an athlete I've long admired ~ a hard worker, and a man with integrity and humility.  So I thought I'd rerun a piece I did a couple of years ago, and one of the lessons Bobby Orr has to teach us.

~

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Joshua 24:15

Do you know who made the most mistakes?

Bobby Orr, that's who.
It's true.  I read it in Sports Illustrated.

That's not Bobby Orr.  It's the Apple of my Eye ~ hockey playing stud that he is.  (Southern California boy, notwithstanding...)

But you know why Bobby Orr made the most mistakes?  Because he had the puck the most.

I asked my hockey-playing (and awesome) husband, about Bobby Orr, and he said that most longtime hockey fans would say he's one of the three best players ever to play in the NHL, and certainly the best defenseman.  He changed the game because he was a defenseman who wasn't afraid to attack, meaning he shot the puck.  Before Bobby Orr,  defensemen just.... defended.  And he did score.  A lot.  But he also made a lot of mistakes.

If he had hung back, waiting for the action to come to him, he would have made fewer mistakes.  And that would have fit his job description satisfactorily.

But to stay with the hockey theme, you miss 100% of the shots you never take.  Meaning, if we expect to accomplish anything for the kingdom of God, we have to get out of our "zone".  If we are going to serve God and His people, we have to get off of our couches and off of our cellphones.

You can do it!  Volunteer at a shelter or soup kitchen.  Sign up to teach kids at your church.  Visit someone lonely at a home for seniors.  

Yes, you might make mistakes.  But we're awfully forgiving when someone is lending us a hand, aren't we?  And if you lose the puck, well, one of your teammates will soon get it back, and you'll have learned something in the process.

There's a determination in today's verse from Joshua.  "We will serve the Lord."  I'll bet Bobby Orr was determined, too.

What are you waiting for?

~ "Be of good courage.

And bring back some of the fruits of the land." ~

Numbers 13:20

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All that glory... And He loves you

"The glory of the Lord went up from the cherub,

and paused over the threshold of the temple,

and the house was filled with the cloud,

and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord's glory."

And He loves you. 

"The earth will be filled

with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord,

as the waters cover the seas."

And He loves you. 

"He is the King eternal, immortal, invisible,

He is God alone,

who is wise.  

To Him be honor and glory forever and ever."

And He loves you. 

"Every creature which is in heaven

and on the earth and under the earth

and such as are in the sea,

and all that are in them,

I heard saying, 

'Blessing and honor and glory and power

Be to Him to sits on the throne,

And to the Lamb,

forever and ever!'"

And He loves you.

"The voice of the Lord is over the waters;

The God of glory thunders;

The Lord is over many waters.

The voice of the Lord is powerful;

The voice of the Lord is full of majesty."

And He loves you.

"Surely the Lord our God has shown us 

His glory and His greatness,

and we have heard His voice 

from the midst of the fire."

And He loves you.

~

Ezekiel 10:4, Habakkuk 2:14, 1 Timothy 1:17, Revelation 5:13, Psalm 29:2-4, Deuteronomy 5:24

Talking the talk

"What kind of conversation is this?"

Luke 24:17

I had something fun happen the other day.  I spent two hours chatting with an old friend.

I just love the term "old friend".  Because before I use it, I have to stop and think to make sure it's accurate, and that causes me to appreciate how long I've known that person.

In this case, the "how long" is thirteen years, almost exactly.  I met her in October of 2000, when I had a three-year-old and a five-month-old.  We were in Bible study together.  Now my kids are 16 and 13, and hers are married.

Although we see each other every few months, it's been a year since we've had a chance to really sit down and chat about our kids and our dogs and what we're learning in our separate Bible study classes, and who we've each seen lately of our mutual friends.  Oh, and TV shows and movies and how we both love Netflix.  And how we're both limping because I have a broken toe and she has a broken foot. 

And their vacation to Oahu. 

And iced tea. 

I think that was all. 

It was a lovely conversation, but the thing I loved most was the ability to really let the conversation wander where it would.  Life is such that the longest conversations I have with friends I really like, are brief, passing chats.  I have things to do, or one of us has to get home, or her kids are pulling on her, or whatever. 

I really dislike small talk.  It just feels shallow, which, I suppose it is.  So sometimes in those brief conversations, I try to make sure we get to the heart of what might be going on in her life ~ that struggle in her marriage, the issue with her child, a medical situation... Then at least I can know how to be praying for her.   But it's a poor substitute for a heart-to-heart.

This conversation was so wonderful because we had time for details.  Facts and feelings and plans and thoughts and questions and answers.  It's so much more fulfilling that way!  And as I drove home, I felt thankful that that's how my prayer life is, always.  That I don't need two hours to talk to God and explain how I'm feeling and give Him the back story so He's not confused.  He just knows.  And yet He listens anyway, for as long as I'll talk.  And then, wonder of wonders, He'll talk as long as I listen. 

Of course that doesn't last long because I'm distracted by the leaf-blower outside, or the dog barking or the dryer buzzing.  Which is why He gave us the Bible!  So much easier to stay focused, especially for those of us who are visual learners.

Oh sure, there's such a thing as a shallow chat with God.  But when that's the case, it's only because we're shallow.  His depth is there for us, always.

~ "Surely God will not listen to empty talk, 

  Nor will the Almighty regard it." ~

Job 35:13

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This little piggy took some ibuprofen

"many members, yet one body"

2 Corinthians 12:20

Okay, it's been one week since I broke my toe.  And I know it's just a broken toe ~ of which I've had more than my share ~ but it's possibly the most thorough job I've ever done.  The bruise extends halfway down my foot (toward my ankle) and most of the way across my foot.  I've been wearing my hubby's slippers, which are so comfortable.  They don't hug my foot the way mine do, so my toe is not as squished.  And yet they're soft and flexible.

I know; it's just a toe.  But my toe is on my foot.  And my foot does a lot for me.  It holds me up when I stand.  It bears half the load when I walk.  And it takes on extra duty when I have to carry something, like a bag of groceries or a laundry basket.

And my toes, small though they are, are hard-working and loyal.  They help me keep my balance.  They help me reach things that are slightly too high for me.   And they help me determine how cold the water in the pool is.

And because I have a toe (and a little bit the toe next to it) out of commission, I'm feeling it everywhere.  I've been limping a little bit, and I'm starting to feel it in my knee and hip; that crooked, gimpy gait throws everything else off, ya know?

So I'm reminded today about the importance of each part of our anatomy.  How they each are designed to do their part in the functioning of our amazing bodies.  And how it affects the body as a whole when something is off. 

Paul makes a great point about this in 2 Corinthians 12.  "The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you'; nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.'  No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary."

And by the same token, we of the body of Christ are appointed by Him, each in our own way, for what we bring to His work here on earth.  It's knowledge that both encourages and reminds me that I am valuable.  You and I are each like no one else, and He has created us to be who we are individually, for who we all are, together.

~ "There are diversities of gifts, 

but the same Spirit. 

There are differences of ministries,

but the same Lord. 

And there are diversities of activities,

but it is the same God who works all in all." ~

2 Corinthians 12:4-6

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We're safe, but we can hear the howling

"as lambs among wolves"

Luke 10:3

The other day, while studying the Proverbs, I had reason to head to Matthew 10, that wonderful passage where Jesus tells the disciples to go out in the world as "wise as serpents and harmless as doves."  Which is a very good way to go through life. 

So I decided reread that whole passage, and that led me to the similar account in Luke. In both passages, Jesus says, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves."  And that's the imagery that got caught in my mind.

When Scripture talks about wolves, there are a couple of different things it's referring to.  In Matthew 7, the ravenous wolves are false prophets, who come in sheep's clothing.   We see that again in Acts 20, when Paul says "savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.  Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves."

In the Matthew 10 passage, Jesus' warning is those who would persecute the believers; "men (who) will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues." He added, "You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles."

Although all of these are alive and well in our world today ~ plenty of false prophets, and plenty of Christian persecution in the world ~ I think they are not the only wolves we need to be on the watch for. 

Wolves are anything that leads us away from our faith.  Temptations of money or power, or the belief that we can find peace anywhere else. 

Wolves are anything that attacks our faith ~ mocking "friends," the things of the world that belittle our beliefs and those things we hold dear.

But wolves are also anything that causes us to doubt our faith ~ loneliness, fear, confusion, disappointment, pain... The same things that can make us feel like victims ~ the things that steal our peace can steal our trust in Him. 

And that, I think, is the surprising part.  That when we feel justified in our emotions, we are taking our eyes off of Him.  When we say, "Woe is me" ~ just as when we say, "Yay for me!" ~ we are still saying "Me".

Be on guard.  For yourself, and for anyone in your flock.  Stay in the hand of the Shepherd, where the wolves cannot harm you.

~ "the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne 

will shepherd them and lead them 

   to living fountains of waters.  

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." ~

Revelation 7:17

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If it's all or nothing, I'll take all

"until now you would not hear"

Exodus 7:16

Okay, I think ~ and I hope ~ that we have finally entered into Autumn around here.  The five-day forecast shows nothing higher than 76, and a low of 52!  Huzzah!

Yes, that was a little bit of sarcasm there.  I know that most of the country experiences weather extremes that we in California do not.  But I do love the change of season, and all that goes with it. 

One of the things that goes with it, is being able to have the windows open all day.  In the heat of summertime, I open all the windows on the main floor first thing in the morning, and then shut them about 11:00 am.  Or 10:00 if it's going to be a really hot day.  Then I close the drapes, turn on the fans and settle in the coolest room in the house, only moving to eat. 

But I didn't open any windows this morning, because almost as soon as I got up, there was someone nearby doing something very noisy.  Sawing, leaf-blowing.... I'm not sure.  But it makes the dog bark, and distracts me, so I opted to leave the windows closed for awhile. 

But here's the problem with that:  I couldn't hear anything.  I mean, I know that was the point, but it succeeded a little too well.  I went into my girl's room at some point to do some school with her, and she had her window open.  As we sat talking, I could hear birds singing, and the little bit of breeze that was blowing outside. 

I had been missing all that, by choosing to have my windows closed. 
I didn't even know the annoying noise had stopped, and while I was eliminating the annoying, I was also eliminating the good.  And I decided it wasn't worth it. 

I love the sounds of outdoors.  I love the chirping and tweeting and singing of birds.  I love that my woodpecker lets me know when he's visiting our apple tree.  I love when the dog noses the screen door open and doesn't shut it behind her (whatever happened to manners?) and then the cat goes out the open door and then I notice the open door and shut it and then a little while later the cat wants to come in and when she can't because I have shut the screen, she goes to the window of the living room and meows at me to let her in.

Lesson learned:  eliminating the bad is not worth eliminating the good.  And I'll take whatever He allows in my life.

~ "the sufferings of this present time

are not worthy to be compared

    with the glory which shall be revealed in us" ~

Romans 8:18

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