O.K., you want a king?

I have studied up close and personally,  the relationship between a father and his son(s). An otherwise wise man can become quite blind to the truth about his son(s)'  lack of integrity.  Mothers can and often are blind to our childrens' true characters. Oh, we must be wise with God's wisdom or our Father will discipline our children lovingly but severely when we don't.

Such was priest, prophet, judge and a father whose name was Samuel. Hannah, his mother, had entrusted her long-awaited son to Eli, the priest in the tabernacle, to raise her boy into a man.  Samuel, while watching the wickedness of Eli's sons and how God judged them, became a great judge,  prophet and a man of God.  In his old age, however, he made a terrible mistake: His love for his sons trumped the wisdom he had been given by God and he made his sons judges over Israel (I Samuel 8:1).  He was a failure as a father, just as Eli had been. His totally dishonest sons exasperated the people and in desperation, they begged God for a king. Was Samuel's heart broken? Yes,  but too late. The horse was out of the barn. God reassured Samuel that Israel's rejection was not of him but that they had rejected God Himself. ...a gift of grace to Samuel to sooth his tormented soul. Samuel warns the people of what will happen if a king steps up to the plate and promises to rescue the floundering people. They did not listen. ...so,  God gave them a king: Saul, who was handsome, charismatic, and an actor. He was not a king at heart. The people chose a sissy that appeared to be a man's man.  I Samuel: 16:7: "The Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."  God wants us to develop X-ray vision.

Last week I spoke of God's sense of humor.  Saul was commissioned by his dad to go and find his asses that had wandered away while the asses of Israel were looking for a king. They are bound to get together, because they always do. I could have left that out of my blog, but we all deserve a chuckle.

In the Old Testament God often spoke audibly to the people who needed to hear Him. Don't you wish He did that today sometimes? ....but He does speak, and we must listen carefully to hear His voice, and only His voice. Waiting expectantly for God to speak is His strong admonition in Psalm 40:1 and in many other scriptures.  "Waiting expectantly" are the key words here. Waiting for God to speak is hard for all of us. I have watched several church Boards move too quickly in making a life-changing decision that affects and wounds many people, rather than getting on their faces before God, waiting expectantly for Him to tell them clearly what to do and doing nothing until He does! This has been a heart-breaking experience for me over many years in ministry.  Samuel moved too quickly. He knew he was dying. He didn't fall on his face before God and wait expectantly.  Do I? Do you? I have watched many a widow and widower fall into another's arms out of loneliness, and boy howdy, do I ever understand loneliness in a way I never could have before my Ted went Home. Sometimes I think I will die from it, but I don't.  I cry out to my Eternal Bridegroom, wailing and sobbing, and wait for Him to show me why I am still here and Ted isn't. ...and He never fails to answer that prayer.

Yesterday and the day before, as I was at tables full of teenagers for prayer and Bible study, along with a few adults who are coming alongside to help these flailing children who are begging for someone to lead them, my heart nearly burst with emotion. God loves these children who are struggling with problems many of the older generation cannot even imagine. God has not forgotten them. I was one of those children at 19, and my Father reached down to this little East Kansas farm girl and orchestrated the saving of my soul. He did the same for my Ted, and we became, together for sixty years, His ambassadors in many places in the world. I can never forget the miracle of what I just told you: God's loving care for two lost teenagers. Now I am watching the miracles of God in the lives of young, and some older people. Some He sends me to teach, counsel and disciple justify the wrong choices they have made and the results they have brought on themselves,  and I sorrow. Counselling is  not for sissies. Lord, keep me wise, not leaning on my own understanding.

Are you begging God for a king? You and I already have One, and His Name is Jesus, "For unto us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. There shall be no end to the increase of His government or to the peace upon the throne of David and upon His kingdom, in that it is firmly established and supported in justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this."

Next Friday night I will be playing "Messiah" with my colleagues in the Symphonic Orchestra and choir. We are also playing  and our grand choir will sing some of Bach's Bminor Mass,  a buggerbear to play! Tonight I will play Christmas songs at the Apple Shed while outside the window the Christmas parade will be passing by. People will pour in out of the cold, settle on down to eat and be ready to sing and I will have a wonderful time, playing and leading from the hundred-year-old piano.

If you watched the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony this week, did you note that "Joy to the World" was sung by a mighty choir in the background as the gigantic tree became a blaze of light?  Is this not inconsistent with rulings that are coming down at a breathtaking rate to wipe out anything to do with Jesus in the schools and the public domain?   Does not God, indeed, have a sense of humor?

                                                     HYMN: JOY TO THE WORLD

JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME! LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING!
Let every heart prepare Him room and Heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n and nature sing, And Heav'n and and Heav'n and nature SING!

Love, Jo