SOAP 04/27/2016; 1 Chronicles 11:10

Today's reading: 2 Samuel 2; 1 Chronicles 11; Psalm 142; Matthew 14

S) "¹⁰ Now these are the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel. "

1 Chronicles 11:10 (NASB)

O) There are four levels of involvement in this statement. There is the divine level, because God had anointed David to be king after Saul. There is the royal level, because David did become king, leading all of Israel. There is the level of the mighty men, who are named throughout the following verses, some even having descriptions and accounts of their mighty deeds. And finally, not to be missed, there is the national level. David became king because of the words of the LORD. David became king because of his own actions, heart, faithfulness, etc. David became king because of the strong support he received from his mighty men. And also, David became king because of the support he had together with all Israel.

A) The first question I have to ask myself, is who the king is. If I'm trying to be king in this story, then I am king of what, exactly? I'll dismiss that notion. I'm obviously not God, either. If I'm equating kingship and presidency, I immediately lose interest. As much as I am a citizen of the USA, I am first a citizen of God's kingdom. That brings me full circle, acknowledging Christ as King. Then, am I one of the mighty men? Or, am I just a single citizen among myriads? I think the critical thing for me to remember is, within the body of Christ, everyone has their own place. I may become a mighty man of Christ my King, or I may remain a normal man of Christ. The important thing for me, and where I need to have my security and satisfaction, is that I am a man of Christ, my king.

P) Father, You are a glorious God. You are eternally victorious, good to Your people, full of justice for the guilty and mercy for the faithful. Thank You for the grace at work in me, that I may be part of the spiritual Israel, that I am in Your kingdom. Let my life exalt King Jesus. Whether or not I am ever a mighty man, let me continue to be a citizen. In the body of Christ, I don't care what my role is, what member I am, so long as I get to be a member, Lord. Help me to keep this humble perspective, and have Your way with my life. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 04/26/2016; Song of Solomon 6:8

Today's reading: 2 Samuel 1; Psalm 140; Matthew 13*

S) "⁸ There are sixty queens and eighty concubines,
 And maidens without number;"

Song of Solomon 6:8 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Song of Solomon 6

O) Because much of this book is positive, and it presents examples of godly romance, this verse sort of surprised me. While it is certainly meant to exalt this bride above these other queens and concubines, let's not forget who's writing this. This does give us an interesting timeline, too, because Solomon went on to have seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines (see 1 Kings 11:3). It kind of makes a person wonder how this bride felt about this song, after another eight hundred women came after her.

A) Somehow, this verse had always escaped my notice, and it's frustrating. There is a sense in which I had always romanticized this book, but this verse was sobering. Even without comparisons of hair to goat herds, I really can't adopt all the words of Solomon. While I have no doubt about his intent and sincerity when he wrote this, knowing his character has sort of soured his words to me. That's really the takeaway today. Even the most romantic gestures will be soured by bad character. My passion, affection, and desire for my wife cannot just be words. It's not enough that I say she's the best, "all the previous ones even say so," (v.9), when my character says I am only waiting for the next woman to best her (if my words themselves haven't already disclosed that). At the core, my words cannot define the value of my character. My character must define the value of my words.

P) Father, thank You for the grace at work in me, changing me into the man I want to be for the woman I love. When I think about all my affection for her, I think about the husband I want her to have because of how much I love her. That forms my goal for the husband I want to be for her. Please continue to create in me, both the will and the work, to become the husband I want her to have. Help me be a good husband, and a godly husband. Let me be a man of good character, that my words have value to them. Please bless her through me. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 04/25/2016; Song of Solomon 3:4-5

Today's reading: 1 Samuel 30, 31; 1 Chronicles 10; Matthew 12*

S) "⁴ Scarcely had I left them
When I found him whom my soul loves;
I held on to him and would not let him go
Until I had brought him to my mother’s house,
And into the room of her who conceived me.

⁵ I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field,
That you will not arouse or awaken my love
Until she pleases."

Song of Solomon 3:4-5 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Song of Solomon 3

O) This chapter starts with the bride's obsession with Solomon, losing sleep, and searching throughout the city to find him. Some of the city watchmen found her, and she asked them for help, just before these verses. Many times, I have heard v.5 (and its mirror in SoS 2:7 and 8:4) used to describe physical desires. There are many dangers, spiritual and physical of sex before wedlock. One issue is that it will liven desires that were not previously known (really known). While v.5 could certainly be put in that context, that's not really where we find it. In this context, this all seems to be before the actual wedding day, and before the consummation of their wedding. So, it seems the root of this obsession, so to speak, is not necessarily physical.
 

A) From my own experience, and in talking to many teenagers about this, the danger that is spoken here is really about an emotional overreach. When I was a teenager, my mom tried to warn me about becoming enmeshed, but I didn't really understand what she meant. I might have had deaf ears, or maybe she wasn't explaining it very well. Whatever the case, this is a point I really need to teach my own children. There is a very real danger in being too committed to a person, before marriage. This is just as true spiritually (i.e., emotionally) as it is physically. Just as there is beautiful celebration in the physical intimacy of marriage, there is beautiful celebration in the spiritual intimacy of marriage. The bonds of marriage provide a security and assurance that emotional, spiritual, physical investment is safe and protected. Not only that, but just like physical intimacy creates bonds, spiritual intimacy creates bonds, too. The danger in both when they are outside of marriage, is that the bond has no security, no protection, and when it is inevitably broken, the damage is severe. I must find ways to communicate this, to teach this, to my kids before they become enmeshed in relationships. Otherwise, there is a very real danger that they will rush to get married when they should not, trying to protect intimacy investments they have already made too deep.

P) Father, this was a hard lesson for me, and it certainly falls into the area where I want to teach my kids from my own mistakes. You kept me in grace, despite my mistakes, and You gave me mercy and brought me healing, but that is a long road. I know that my kids will make mistakes, but there are still some I hope they will not make. Please give me wisdom, so I can properly teach my kids. Help me to convey biblical truth to them, that they can see the contemporary application of Your permanent, unchanging, and eternal truth. Thank You for the marriage I have now. Thank You for the intimacy I have with Kristin, and they protection we have to bond together, physically and spiritually. Be glorified in our marriage commitment. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 04/24/2016; Song of Solomon 1:9-10

Today's reading: 1 Samuel 28, 29; Psalm 109; Matthew 11*

S) "^9 [k]To me, my darling, you are like
My mare among the chariots of Pharaoh.
¹⁰ Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,
Your neck with strings of beads."

Song of Solomon 1:9-10 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Song of Solomon 1

O) Sometimes, the imagery of this book can be a little difficult to relate to more modern themes. There are a few reason these two verses really stood out to me. For one thing, there is a footnote with that first line, that it can be literally translated, "I have compared you to," and it's too bad the translators didn't directly translate there, because it's important to remember that Solomon chose his analogies and similes deliberately. By the very nature of poetry, he had to craft his words. He had to consider the beauty of his bride, and then choose how to convey that. Another thing that stood out to me here, is that v.10 stands in contrast with v.9. While the first lines are figurative, the second lines are literal. The third thing I noticed, is what exactly Solomon used for his analogy here. I was immediately reminded of a specific command about horses, chariots, and Egypt. (see Deut. 17:16). This gives us a small reminder that Solomon's intentions may have been in the right place, but how he displayed it wasn't necessarily good. Lastly, v.10 quickened my heart because my wife also has lovely cheeks. They are a prominent feature of her face, even without any jewelry on them (and I certainly think her neck is lovely, too).

A) The culture around me tries to paint a picture that we are all slaves to our DNA, or brain chemistry, or just our instincts. Even if that could somehow be proven biologically (which it can't, because it's really a question of philosophy), in Christ I am a new creation. The reason that's important, is because the world is full of stories about people falling in and out of love, or being drawn to people who are not their spouses, and they act like there is nothing they can do about it. This is simply not biblical, and v.9 shows me a vital practice, that will safeguard my marriage and how I view my wife and others. I cannot allow myself to take my wife's beauty for granted. I cannot grow accustomed to her face. By choosing to think about her beauty, by deliberately putting it in terms of analogy and simile, by writing poetry about it, I am keeping a fresh perspective about how beautiful she is. I'm not saying all husbands should write poetry, and this is only one way this can be done, but I actually enjoy poetry and I haven't written my wife a poem in a long time... I will fix this soon. The second application to take from this passage, is to be plain sometimes. Not everything has to be poetic. Sometimes, it's enough to simply say she is lovely. I can be specific about features, but sometimes the more straightforward it is, the better. This is especially true when paired with poetic symbolism. The last application for me, is to not overdo it. While I may still be captivated by my wife's beauty, and that's not a bad thing in itself, I need to be careful not to express how I feel the wrong way. One of the best ways to safeguard against that, is to focus on my wife's spiritual beauty even more than her physical beauty. After all, I hold the belief that a wife of great character, compassion, and kindness, is immeasurably better than the most aesthetically beautiful. After all, if I was struck with blindness, her physical beauty would be of little value to me. So, while it's good for me to focus on her beauty, to appreciate her for who she is and to remain enrapt by her features, it is all the more good for me to compliment her spiritual beauty. I need to recognize how she loves God. I need to see how she loves me. I need to note how she loves our kids. I have an amazing wife, and I want her to know that I love her the most, physically and spiritually.

P) Father, You are such a gracious God. The way You have protected and grown my marriage, even despite my ignorance and rebellion, is nothing less than miraculous. You have preserved Kristin and me, and You have shown us how much we are blessed, more with each passing year. Help me to compliment my wife's beauty, God. Give me words to share with her how I see her, and help her take it to heart. Even more, help me to recognize and describe her spiritual beauty. Help me to appreciate that, and to highlight it to her. Thank You for giving me a wife with lovely cheeks, and giving me eyes to see her. Thank You for giving me a wife who is concerned with spiritual goodness, and open my eyes to see that, too. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 04/23/2016; Hosea 14:2

Today's reading: 1 Samuel 27; Psalm 141; 1 Chronicles 9; Matthew 10*

S) "² Take words with you and return to the Lord.
Say to Him, 'Take away all iniquity
And receive us graciously,
That we may present the fruit of our lips.'"

Hosea 14:2 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Hosea 14

O) We know that God is sensitive to lip-service, and He is not deceived by false words. But still, there is something powerful about vocalizing our confessions, whether it's confessions of sins or confessions of faith. This whole chapter is about the return of God's people to Himself. We know not everyone returned to Him, because to do so they had to accept Jesus as their awaited Messiah. Even now, whether Jew or Gentile, those who accept Jesus as the Christ, as God, are repenting of their sins and re-turning to God. With that turning, there is a confession that takes place, and it is all the more powerful when it's vocalized.

A) The Bible's not always clear about why certain actions are paired with our faith, but every time I have tested it myself, it bears out. When praying for people, laying hands on them always seems better. The Bible says to do it, but doesn't really explain why. God can (and has) obviously healed people without that step, but it's commanded that way nonetheless and it seems to be a more powerful expression. Vocalizing our prayers is the same way. The Bible is full of instruction to cry out, to speak, to give God words. I don't always understand it, but this verse is another reminder to do just that. Anytime I speak my prayers out loud, especially confessions of sin and confessions of faith, they are more impactful to my spirit. I need to use this verse as a reminder and encouragement to do just that.

P) Father, take away all iniquity, and receive me graciously, that I may present the fruit of my lips. You are holy. You are mighty. You are just. You are righteous. You are merciful. You are compassionate. You are full of lovingkindness. You are slow to anger. You are a good Father, God. I confess that I have sinned. I confess that, at the root of my sins, I have ignored You and elected myself to be god in my heart. Help me conquer my flesh. Please accept my praise and worship, the sacrifice of my prayers and songs to You. Please help me live my life according to the words I profess. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 04/22/2016; Hosea 13:10-11

Today's reading: 1 Samuel 25, 26; Psalm 63; Matthew 9*

S) "¹⁰ Where now is your king
That he may save you in all your cities,
And your judges of whom you requested,
'Give me a king and princes'?
¹¹ I gave you a king in My anger
And took him away in My wrath."

Hosea 13:10-11 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Hosea 13

O) Here we have a fascinating thing. In today's reading (and recent days), I'm shown who Saul became. Initially, he seemed to be a humble enough guy, even seeming to shy away from becoming king. However, that changed over time, and the anointing of God was taken from him (along with his lineage, and therefore the kingdom). His arrogance and rebellion against God and against Samuel's instructions (which were given by God through the prophet), cost him personally and it cost the kingdom, too. Then, God sent Samuel to the house of Jesse, because God had selected a man after His own heart, and promised that David's throne would be established forever. Then, even a great king and a great man, was led astray by his sin and it cost him personally and it cost the kingdom (although it was delayed). Then Solomon reigned and his sins hurt the kingdom further, and finally the kingdom was split by civil war. Then there was a long line of mostly terrible kings in the northern kingdom of Israel, and a single lineage of spotty goodness in the southern kingdom of Judah. But, it all started because the people were crying out to Samuel, who was their Judge at the time, that they wanted an enthroned king like the neighboring kingdoms. That was not what God wanted. In the verse above, we see God was actually angry about it. He knew that a king over the His people was not going to go well. He knew it would solve nothing, and only serve to lower the aim of the people, who would look less to their God for direction, and more and more look to their king, or else themselves as people sought to claim the kingdom for themselves. God gave them the king they wanted, the king they sought, even the very person they wanted to raise up for themselves, even though He warned them on the spot, through the prophet Samuel, that they were making the decision based on what they could see, but that they could not see the whole picture. He gave them what they wanted, even though it was going to go poorly. He gave them what they wanted, even though it wasn't good.

A) There is a common theme that I've heard repeated over and over for the last five years or so, that God is a good Father who would never give us something if it was bad for us, or that He would only give us good things. They use verses like Matthew 7:11 or James 4:2-3, but I think the verse above may be adding a complexity that is missed with simple messages like what I'm hearing recently. The people of God, His children, asked their God for a king. They asked for something that was bad. They asked for something that angered Him. Yet, He gave them their doomed and ill-fated request. When I read the New Testament verses I mentioned above, I see that Jesus said that the Father would give good gifts to those who ask Him... but that doesn't say He won't give bad gifts to those who ask Him. Also, what about people who are asking, but not really His children? If people are calling themselves Christians, but they are rebelling against God...? Well, James said that people (and he was writing to Christians) do not have because they do not have (presumably, these would be good things), because they don't ask God; they were just seeking to gain it on their own. Or else, they were asking for "good" things but with wrong motives. So, neither one of those passage (or any others that I can find) really say that the God the Father will not give us a bad thing, if we are asking for a bad thing. So I think, and this is maybe the real point, there are many passages in the New Testament, that tell me to pray according to God's will. Jesus said, when we pray we need to say, "Let Your will be done," and John said, "if we ask anything according to His will," then he hears us and we have it. This is all the more reason that it's important for me to seek His will, to want His ways, to ask for His plans to come to pass. Even now, I have requests, I have things that I'd like to have, or have happen. However, I specifically do not want God to do it if that would be bad for me. I don't want Him to give me a king, when having a king would make Him mad and cause me problems. I only want what He wants, and I need to be humble and seek only His will with every prayer, in every part of my life.

P) Father, You are a good God. You are a good Father. I know that Your plans for me are perfectly good. I know that You want what is best for me. Even if I asked for something that is evil, and You let me have it, that doesn't diminish Your goodness. I know that as long as I am seeking Your will, then answers to my prayers will be good, because Your will is good for me. Help me to stay humble, Lord. I want what You want. Please change the desires of my heart, if ever they are not aligned with Your will. Give me new desires, give me the desires of my heart by changing what I want, Lord. Let me find all of my satisfaction in You, in my relationship with You, and not in what You give me or do for me. Help me focus on the eternal, not the temporal. I do want to move to Montana, but let it happen only in accord with Your will. Let every part of my life be subjected to You, my Lord and King, and good Father. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 04/21/2016; Hosea 12:6

Today's reading: 1 Samuel 24; Psalm 57, 58; 1 Chronicles 8; Matthew 8*

S) "⁶ Therefore, return to your God,
Observe kindness and justice,
And wait for your God continually."

Hosea 12:6 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Hosea 12

O) While Hosea had been sent to Israel, and he repeatedly used Ephraim as an example of their spiritual adultery, in this chapter God used him to also name Judah as guilty. Then, Hosea used historical references to go back to the root of their nation in Jacob, to make it clear this was applying to all of God's people. God was not only displeased with Ephraim, or even just Israel, but all of His people had betrayed Him. At the same time then, the above verse is a clear reminder that God desires reconciliation with all of His people.

A) The first line feels more than a little "N/A" to me, because I have plans to never leave God. However, the second and third lines really stood out to me today, especially the last line. Instructions from the Old Testament have to be taken carefully in context, to determine how they fit with the new covenant in Jesus Christ. While many of them had to do with sacrifice and temple work, a verse like the one above is different. In the verse above, we see and example of what Jesus meant when He said to love God and to love others. Observing kindness and justice is not the totality of what it means to love others as I want to be loved, but it is definitely part of it. Likewise, to wait for my God continually is not the entirety of what it means to love the Lord my God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength, but it is definitely part of it. The last line of this verse really challenges me, because the word "continually" doesn't leave much room for interpretation, and it doesn't leave any time alone. So, what does it mean to wait for God continually? The first verse that came to mind is when Paul said to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). That doesn't necessarily mean that I'm constantly asking God for things, but it means I'm always open to communicate, my mind is always on speaking to him and hearing from Him. It's like two people being on a phone call, when neither is necessarily talking. Similarly, to wait continually for God does not mean that I am doing nothing else. More appropriately, I think it means I should always be mindful of waiting for Him. Jesus frequently used parables that indicate His return would be sudden, and I should be ready. This should affect everything I do, what I choose to do with my time, and how I do those things.

P) Father, thank You for the grace You have shown me. Thank You for the holiness You keep, that You are perfect in every way. You are faithful, just, merciful, righteous, compassionate, patient, and clear. Your ways are great in every sense. Thank You for the kindness You have shown me. Thank You for disciplining me as a father does for his son. Please open my eyes and ears, God, and give me a heart that fears You. Help me to keep my mind trained on You, and on the return of my Lord Jesus Christ. When I ask for things that have not yet happened, and I ask You to move in some way and I have faith that You will, and it is according to Your will, let me wait for You continually. You fulfill every promise You make. I know that Your timing and my expectation do not always match, though. So, let me wait for You continually. In everything I do, let me think about the coming day of Christ's return, and also that I am waiting for a reply for other prayers. Right now, Lord, I want to move to Montana. I know that it will only happen according to Your will, because it will only happen with a miracle. So, help me to keep my mind on those unanswered prayers. Whether the answer is yes or no, I want to live my life in a way that I am aware of the wait. When Jesus returns tomorrow or fifty years from now, or after I die, I want to live my life in a way that I am aware of the wait. In all of these things, let Your will be done. I only want what You want for me.  In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.