The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

How would you like to have been Solomon?

“Then he called for his son Solomon, and charged him to build a house for the LORD God of Israel. Now, my son, may the LORD be with you; and may you prosper, and build the house of the LORD your God, as He has said to you. Only may the LORD give you wisdom and understanding, and give you charge concerning Israel, that you may keep the law of the LORD your God” (1 Chronicles 22:6, 11-12).

We are gazing into an incredibly intimate and powerful moment by listening to the conversation of very elderly King David as he communicates with Solomon his son. Time is short. David knew that he was soon going to die. The construction of the House of the LORD would rest upon his young son.

What great counsel, advice, and instruction Dad gave to his son that day! I’ve often thought of Solomon and how overwhelming his situation must have been to him. So let me ask you. What situation is large and looming in your life right now? In principle, David’s advice is great for us. We need the Lord’s wisdom and understanding. We must be responsible for being people who embrace and apply His Word. Ultimately, we need to trust and obey Him.

Oh, that delightfully wonderful old hymn is running through my mind:  Trust and Obey! Are the words of that great old hymn going through your mind as well? Lord willing, I will be back next month (tomorrow!).

“If a man thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself” (Galatians 6:3).

He was really something else, believe me. “Quinton Ezekiel (not his real name!) had an ego that was as big as a football field,” Bill said to his new partner at work. “You and I will probably have to live his reputation down for a few months. But sooner or later our customers will discover that we are different,” he concluded.

After a moment, the new partner, Larry, spoke up and said, “I don’t want to be involved in gossip. But you know I am new to the company and certainly I don’t want to do something inadvertently to offend customers. May I ask just a little about Quinton?”

Bill burst out laughing. He continued driving and replied, “Well, let’s just say that Quinton thought way too much of himself. He thought he was smarter than anyone else, including our supervisors. He thought he was wiser than anyone else. He even told several of our customers that he would never run their companies the way they were being run. It just didn’t work out because he thought he was someone big, and he really wasn’t.”

Larry never forgot that last statement. He silently prayed for Quinton and then asked the Lord to always help him to remember that he would be nothing without the grace of God.

Here’s a great thought or two to send you on your way for today: I don’t want to be like Quinton. I want to always remember that our Lord is great; I am not. He is God, and I am thrilled to be one of His people.

I’ve changed the names, I promise.

Come with me on a little outing before the days of GPS! You already know it’s going to be good, don’t you? First, let me share this verse with you.

“For this is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death” (Psalm 48:14).

Rosie, still a fairly new driver, was so looking forward to driving the short trip to see her friend. Recently, Rosie’s best friend had taken a new job several hours away, and the gals were so excited about Rosie’s upcoming visit. As I mentioned, this little adventure, or should I say “misadventure,” took place in the time before GPS. You already know what is going to happen, don’t you? Sure enough!

Finally, Rosie’s work hours came to a close on Friday evening, and she was off to see Marissa. Carefully following Marissa’s directions, Rosie arrived in the desired city. But somehow she misread one of the turns, and soon she was really lost, having traveled miles out of her way and heading almost opposite of where she belonged.

Thankfully she was able to describe her location, and within fifteen minutes Marissa arrived to not only greet her friend but to be a guide for her to follow her back to her house. On a much larger scale, we, too, had lost our way! On a much grander scale the Lord Jesus left His Home in Heaven to come and pay the price for our sins and to rise from the dead to be our Savior. Now we, too, can say with the Psalmist, “For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death”!

For today: I am so glad that He is not only my Savior; He is also my Guide! How about you?

Israel, beloved Israel has been much in the news. I have been reminiscing about the times that I had the joy of taking groups to Israel. Let me share one of those experiences with you.

“As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about His people from henceforth even for ever” (Psalm 125:2).

The next day we would leave the Galilee area of Israel and travel on to Jerusalem. After dinner at the Kibbutz, we gathered in a private room for evening devotions and sharing. I told the group, “Tomorrow will be a full day of sightseeing and travel. Our guide told me the weather looks cooperative, so it should be good weather-wise. I might not get a chance to remind you tomorrow, so let me tell you now. Be sure to notice that we will be going up to Jerusalem.

As we enter the city, notice the surrounding mountains. This will be an illustration that you will remember the rest of your lives. As the mountains are round about this very precious city, so the Lord personally embraces, or surrounds, His people.” As the tour bus approached the city, the mountains seemed to majestically say, “Welcome to Jerusalem! See us? This is how our great Creator God surrounds you.”

Here’s a thought to send you on your way for now: If you know Christ as your Savior, you have the Lord’s promise that He surrounds you with His faithfulness and love.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

Pastor Micah and his dear wife, Karla, were in somewhat of a perplexing situation. They loved the church family to which the Lord had led them ten years ago. It was wonderful being their pastor and wife. They would be very happy to stay many more years at the same church.

However, they also wanted to be obedient to the Lord. They were willing to go anywhere that they sensed the Lord leading them. Now four unsolicited letters from pulpit committees and a search committee had come asking them to consider making a ministry move. Micah and Karla smiled, prayed, and said, “Well, when anyone else is asking us what to do, we suggest a couple of things to them. Now we get to do those several things.”

First, they would remember that the Lord is the Head of the Church (Colossians 1:18).
Second, they would ask for His wisdom (James 1:5).
Third, they would ask the Lord to give them willingness of heart to follow His leading (1 Chronicles 28:9).
Fourth, they would ask the Lord to make the way clear to them (Proverbs 3:5-6).
They would not get frazzled. They would not rush, but neither would they procrastinate. Guess what? I won’t keep you waiting! The Lord wonderfully answered and directed them. They were willing to go anywhere and do anything the Lord wanted them to do, but they sensed that their ministry was not finished where they were. Five more wonderful years would take place with their church family before the Lord moved them to their next ministry responsibility.

For today: How will this play out in your life? Are you in the process of facing a significant decision? Consider following the process that this dear couple did.