Only a Boy Named David

It started innocently enough.


In season and out of season, through sunny days and stormy nights, David and his men had protected the sheep and shepherds of another man.  Even though David was still running from Saul, he and his band of a few hundred men guarded the shepherds.


Now the day had come to return the favor.  It was a feast day, and David and his men were hungry.  Who better to visit than the man whose shepherds and sheep they had protected?  So David sent some messengers to see Nabal.  "'Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on a feast day. Please give whatever you have at hand to your servants and to your son David'" (1 Samuel 25:8).

"And Nabal answered David's servants, 'Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters.'" (1 Samuel 25:10).

It was a simple concept, really.  Even young children can understand the trading concept of "I give you this, you give me that."  Not Nabal.  Commonly considered a "fool" by those who knew him, Nabal rashly and angrily responded to David's men, utterly refusing to give them anything.  Not a good idea on Nabal's part.


David was angry.  He and his men had expended so much energy to protect the sheep and shepherds of a man who did not even acknowledge the favor.  David's men had labored without reward or repayment.  And when they asked for a kind return, they were not only refused, but insulted.


Fuming, David led his men to the attack.  They were men of war, after all.  Four hundred men went stomping to Nabal's place, but they never got there.  David halted in his warpath, dissuaded by the words of a woman.  Nabal's wife Abigail humbly asked David to turn from his murderous intentions, telling him that "'...the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand...'" (1 Samuel 25:26).


Saving with his own hand.


Throughout the Bible, God proves Himself faithful to His faithless people over and over and over and over again.  When all else fails, when every earthly support crumbles away, God is the One who saves.  When Moses faced a despairing crowd and a lack of food, the LORD asked him, "'Is the Lord's hand shortened?'" (Numbers 11:23).  He saves us when we feel we can go no deeper (Psalm 103:4).  He rescues us and fulfills our desires (Psalm 145:19).  Paul told the Romans (5:10), as is true for us today, that we are saved by the life of Christ, not by our own doing.  After all, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).


Jesus.  His very Name means "Savior."


David was distracted.  Blinded by his fury and hate, he forgot all that had brought him to where he was.  Earlier, when he was dangerously close to his pursuer, Saul, David knew that God was sovereign over David's earthly situation, and that God would be faithful to fulfill His promises to him.  David had only to trust, obey, and wait.


David wasn't doing any of that as he hurried to confront Nabal.  Instead, he was seeking to be master of his own destiny and avenger of his reputation.  But God led Abigail to block David's path.


"'If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord your God,'" Abigail assured David.  As for his enemies, she told him, God would "'sling [them] out as from the hollow of a sling'" (1 Samuel 25:29).  A sling.  David was well acquainted with the sling.  Years before, he had been catapulted to royal recognition with a sling and a giant named Goliath.


It was as if Abigail was reminding David of his calling - his charge - from God.  It involved fighting God's battles, not executing vengeance in personal matters.  David had more pressing concerns.


David humbly thanked Abigail for her reminder, and praised God for leading her into his path.  He and his men retreated, leaving Nabal in the hands of God.  Within a few days, Nabal was dead.


God didn't need David's help with Nabal.  God didn't need our help in bringing salvation to earth.  Jesus alone saves us from our sin, its consequences, and the prison of a life addicted to that sin, even as he equips us to live a life of service to Him.  He has a sovereign plan for our life and it will come to pass.  No matter what struggles, trials, or unexpected circumstances we face, we can rest in the knowledge that God is in control.  We can trust Him as we obey His will in our lives.


Fight in God's time, strength, and cause.  But leave personal vendettas with Him.  As David (and Nabal's servants) found out, it just works better that way.  It always does.  After all, His ways are higher than ours.

The Way

The Author of Life consented to die

Death had a victory.

The earth gave a shudder, the land was dark,

No good soul could see.

How could this be the good plan of God,

Above the thoughts of man?

Either God had lost or else turned bad,

How could this be His hand?

As evil triumphed and good men wept,

All that was right seemed gone.

Yet when the LORD is in the fight,

The battle is not done.

How often in this earthly world

Our eyes don't truly see.

Where we see despair or certain defeat,

God works mightily.

With a triumphant quake one early morn,

The truth was seen at last.

The Author of Life could not be held down,

Death's dark rule was past.

Wonder of wonders, joy of joys,

Beyond all earthly thought!

God granted to us this great victory,

The peace for which He fought.

No matter the struggle, sin, or setback,

No matter the earthly loss,

We as God's people are assured of great gain,

Because of the Tomb and the Cross.

Death seemed at first to have full rein,

Wreaking grief and strife.

But God knew all along that this would be

The way to give us Life.

by Lauren
image credit

Surprises in the Hall of Faith

By faith.  By faith.  By faith.  By FAITH.


So reads the famous "Hall of Faith" chapter in the New Testament - Hebrews 11.  As I read this chapter the other day, most of the names fit comfortably in my idea of "faith."  There was Abraham.  Noah.  Moses.  Easy - they all had much faith.


But then my eyes stopped at a name I didn't expect to see in Hebrews 11: Samson.


Samson?


Is this the same Samson who blatantly defied his parents - and God?  Is this the same Samson who chose a bride among the "uncircumcised Philistines" (Judges 14:3)?  Is this the same Samson who left his God-given purpose for a woman?  Is this the same Samson who foolishly gave away his 'secret' to the same woman who had betrayed him not once, not twice, but THREE times before?  Is this the same Samson?


Yeah - that's the one.


Samson chose a wife, not by his parents' guidance or God's precepts, but because "she was right in Samson's eyes" (Judges 14:7).


Eventually, Samson's self-centered foolishness led to his downfall.  His enemies, paid by his girlfriend, captured him, enslaved him, and blinded him by putting out his eyes.  For some time Samson performed servile tasks for his captors.


But little by little, Samson's hair grew back.  Day after monotonous day, it grew longer.  Matthew Henry points out that the growth of Samson's hair was not so much a sign of his strength as it was a sign of God once again working through him.  Samson was penitent of his past sins, and turned to the God who had orchestrated his entire life.


Then one day, the Philistines brought Samson out to gloat over him.  At long last, they had captured the elusive and legendary Samson of the neighboring Israelites.  Samson came out, led by the hand as his own eyes were no longer any good for him.  At Samson's request, the young man leading him placed Samson's hands on the pillars that were upholding the building.  Samson prayed to his God: and pushed hard on the pillars.


Thousands of Philistines died that day as they were having a good time and praising their god for delivering Samson to them.


I guess God had the last word.


Samson is only mentioned one more time in the Bible after his death in Judges 16.  That one time is in Hebrews 11, the Hall of Faith.


Who would have thought that a stubborn and rebellious young man would be named as a man of great faith?  God changed Samson's heart.  Once Samson turned to God, he put his faith in the only One deserving of his trust. Once Samson's own eyes were out of the question, he saw what was right in God's eyes - and acted on it.


God can redeem the lowest sinner.  And Samson could still follow God after refusing His leading for so long.


Just like Jonah still preached to Nineveh - after literally running away from God.  Peter still led the disciples - after denying Christ three times.  And who can forget Saul, who changed his name to Paul?  He wrote nearly half of the books in the New Testament - after agreeing to the stoning of the first Christian martyr.


Every great man or woman of God is also a great sinner.  "For all have sinned," Paul wrote under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  But God is a God of redemption, of saving that great sinner and making him or her a great servant of God.  All of history shows God's redemption.  All of our lives showcase His faithfulness.


Great men or women of faith are not great in and of themselves.  They are great because they have placed their faith in a faithful God - and they know that He is worthy of that faith.

"Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God..."

Hebrews 11:16

Faith in the Midst of...Fireworks?

I'm not really a big fan of fireworks.  Sure, they're spectacular to watch, but I prefer to keep the decibels in a comfortable range for my eardrums.  I guess my two-year-old brother has similar preferences.  Once the first few pops of the next-door-neighbors' fireworks went off, my little brother refused to take his hands off his ears - even though he was inside our house the whole time.  No matter how we reassured him or how we tried to distract him, his hands stayed firmly planted over his ears.  He would have none of it.

I wonder what Noah thought as he watched the waters rise.  It mist have been tempting to just close his eyes and plug his ears as the biggest storm earth had ever seen washed away everything Noah had ever known.  But faith triumphs over fear, and Noah "did everything just as God commanded him" (Genesis 6:22).  God kept Noah and his family, as the song says, "safe and secure from all alarms."  I wonder what their prayers were as they offered the first sacrifices in the newly-washed world.  I wonder how bold and vibrant the first rainbow was.  Now that was a spectacular sight.

After Jesus' death, His disciples were understandably terrified.  Their Leader was going to save the world, but now that world had killed Him.  What must have been going through their minds as they grieved?  Locking themselves in a room, they hid from those who had killed their Master.  Essentially, they were closing their eyes and plugging their ears, hoping to wake up from their nightmare.  As a result, they were still in hiding when the women discovered the rest of the story God had written.  While the women going to the tomb were the first to know that their King had returned to life, the disciples had to hear the good news second-hand.  Their fear overcame their faith.

It's easy to let fear overrun faith.  It's hard to trust God's plan when ours is unraveling.

It's so easy to walk by sight and not by faith.  It's so hard to keep walking by faith when you can't see the next step.

It's hard to trust God when every fiber of your being tells you not to.

It's hard to take your hands off your ears when all your senses tell you to hide.

My little brother just couldn't find the faith to take his hands off his ears.  When we tried to talk to him, he couldn't hear us.  He wasn't able to listen very well to his movie that we hoped would distract him or to the soothing music we turned on in his room.  Eventually, long after all the pops and kabooms had subsided, he fell asleep with one hand still covering his ear.  We miss out on a lot when we choose to listen to our fears rather than have faith in our King.  You just never know what blessings we may receive from boldly opening our eyes and uncovering our ears.

After the Spirit came to Jesus' followers, the disciples were given a new-found boldness.  Not long after Christ's resurrection, Peter and John found themselves standing before the same council that had condemned Jesus to death.  Last time, the council made the disciples so afraid that they hid in a locked room for days!  This time, however, Peter and John boldly announced to the council that the followers of Christ answer to God and not to men.  When commanded not to speak in the name of Christ, they responded, "'Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard'" (Acts 4:19-20).  The once fearful disciples had been changed by the God of the universe.  No matter what happened in their futures, they knew that they could trust their foundation.  There is no need for a Christian to fear!  As Peter said,

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

1 Peter 1:3-7

photo credit: Liz Noffsinger 

Curtain Call

"The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?'"

Revelation 6:14-17

"'Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner...'"

Isaiah 51:6

Harold Camping thinks the world will end today. A radio preacher, Camping believes that Biblical evidence points to the second coming of Christ on May 21, 2011.
 
There's just one problem.

Who told him?

Jesus told a parable about ten virgins waiting for the bridegroom at a marriage feast (Matthew 25:1-13).  In Jewish custom, virgins lit the way for a bridegroom to go into a house to meet his waiting bride.  In Jesus' parable, ten virgins - five wise and five foolish - waited for the groom, lamps in their hands.


Now, Jesus' story is a parable, and all parables have a deeper meaning than what appears on the surface.  Jesus was illustrating a story about His coming.  In the story, He is the bridegroom, and the virgins are those waiting for Him to come.  The five wise virgins are true believers; their lamps don't burn out because He has lit them.  The five foolish virgins are hypocrites, claiming to believe but really remaining in their sin.  They have not brought extra oil for their lamps: "They had just the oil enough to make their lamps burn for the present, to make a show with" (Matthew Henry, commentary on Matthew 25).  They weren't ready for the bridegroom's return.


Camping isn't the first to predict a date for Christ's return.  And he won't be the last.

"And they asked him, 'Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?' And he said, 'See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, "I am he!" and, "The time is at hand!" Do not go after them'" (Luke 21:7-8).

When you dig deeper, there are more twists to Harold Camping's story than it first appears.  Camping has predicted the end of the world before (in 1994, to be exact), and preaches doctrines that are blatantly unbiblical.  Even if Camping's theology was sound (which it isn't), there would be another reason to disbelieve his prediction.  When Jesus was on earth, He told His disciples that He didn't even know the date of His second return (see Matthew 24:36).  If Jesus didn't know then, how can we presume to know now?


"Christ's coming will be at our midnight, when we least look for him, and are most disposed to take our rest...Christ will come when he pleases, to show his sovereignty, and will not let us know when, to teach us our duty" (Matthew Henry).


The world will end one day.  For some, it will be a day of terror.  For others, a day of realized hope.  The second part of Isaiah 51:6 gives comfort to those who belong to God.

"Lift up your eyes to the heavens,

   and look at the earth beneath;

for the heavens vanish like smoke,

   the earth will wear out like a garment,

   and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;

but my salvation will be forever,

   and my righteousness will never be dismayed."

Isaiah 51:6, emphasis added

Many have believed Harold Camping's prediction that the world will end today.  And it might.  The day's not over yet!  But the question of eternity is, will you be ready?

"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells."

2 Peter 3:10-13, emphasis added

Tough Choices

The entire Israelite population of the world stood at the brink of the water.  Wild-eyed, they heard the sounds of their approaching pursuers.  With deep water before them and malicious attackers behind them, they looked to the man who they saw as responsible for bringing them there.  Moses stretched out his hand over the water, obeying God's orders, and the angel and the pillar of cloud went and stood between the Israelites and the Egyptians.  All night long, the Israelites watched the water separate (Exodus 14:21-22).  Then they were told to walk through on dry land.


Imagine yourself as one of the Israelites trekking on dry ground where only hours before there had been deep, deep water.  Imagine what must have gone through their minds as they were told to walk - with a wall of water on each side.  Think of how high that water must have been (it took all night to separate!) as the Israelites looked up on each side.  It would have only taken a moment for that water to fall on them.  Imagine the fear that must have gripped their hearts.  Would you have done it?  Would you have taken that step and trusted God?


We are constantly bombarded with the world's arguments and doubts.  We are told that things don't just appear out of nothing.  Yet we read, "By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible" (Hebrews 11:3).  We are told that God does not work in His creation.  Yet Jesus said, '"My Father is working until now, and I am working'" (John 5:17).  We are told to be like everyone else and just fit in.  But Jesus tells us, '"...you are not of the world...'" (John 15:19).


Christians are called to believe in a God who does the unbelievable.  We serve a God who doesn't fit into a box.  Unlike the world that only believes what sounds feasible, we have hope in what God will do (however unlikely it may seem) because we have faith in what He has already done.  As Christians, "we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7).


The Israelites had witnessed the plagues: when it was dark in Egypt, it was light for the Hebrews.  When the Egyptian cattle died, the Israelite cattle lived.  When it hailed all over Egypt, just a short walk away, in Israelite territory, there was no hail.  Things like this shouldn't happen.  It's just - impossible!  But they happened.  It makes no sense (or does it?).  The other day I heard a wise man assert, "This [Jesus' two equal natures] is one of the great mysteries of our faith.  But it's in the Bible, so I believe it."  Is that blind faith?  I don't think so.  He has seen that God is faithful and true in the past, so he knows that he can trust the Word of God now, and for all eternity.  As the Israelites looked down the path of dry land, seeing the walls of water  going as high as they could see, they had to make a choice.  Remember what God had already done and trust Him to keep His Word, or listen to their doubts and choose unbelieving slavery over seemingly certain death.  Tough choice.  We have to make it, too.  Everyday, every moment: trust God - even when it doesn't seem like there will be a happy ending - or choose to trust the wisdom of this world.  Which side of the Red Sea do you choose?

"The God of nature has not tied himself to its laws, but,

when he pleases, dispenses with them,
and then the fire does not burn, nor the water flow."

- Matthew Henry, commentary on Exodus 14

Small Beginnings

It's hard to overestimate the magnitude of the Pilgrims and their act of obedience to God.  By leaving everything they ever knew (except their faith), they faced many unknowns, separation from loved ones, danger, and death.  All of this they risked in order to make God known in the New World.  How would our lives be different today if not for their faith and sacrifice?  They set a precedent - a standard - for generations to come.  They formed the beginning of the American greatness, a heritage that has inspired and encouraged many.


We all want to do great things.  We want to make a difference, change the world.  Often, we hear stories of people who make the news.  We read stories of people who make history, wondering where our name could fit in to the big picture.


No doubt about it, leaving your home and starting a new colony is a big thing.  But doing "something big" is not what the Pilgrims set out to do.  William Bradford, a leader in the group, wrote about why the Pilgrims chose to come to America.  After listing a number of reasons, he said,

"Last and not least, they cherished a great hope and inward zeal of laying good foundations, or at least of making some way towards it, for the propagation and advance of the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in the remote parts of the world, even though they should be but stepping stones to others in the performance of so great a work...Thus out of small beginnings greater things have grown by His hand Who made all things out of nothing, and gives being to all things that are; and as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light enkindled here has shone to many, yea, in a sense, to our whole nation; let the glorious name of Jehovah have all the praise" (Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation, emphases added).

Yes, the Pilgrims did a big thing and landed in the history books.  But that wasn't their aim.  And don't forget their sacrifice.  Don't forget the dozens who died long before the dream came to pass.  None of them saw the formation of America, which was the ultimate realization of their dream.  The Pilgrims knew that their obedience was only the beginning of the story, and they were willing to be merely the first step toward great things.


In the Old Testament book of Zechariah, the Israelites were beginning to rebuild the temple after returning to their country from exile.  Some remembered the former temple, the one Solomon built.  Solomon's temple had been a grand temple before it was destroyed when the Israelites were defeated.  The new temple was not nearly as exquisite, and many were downhearted during the building of the temple as they remembered its former glory.  But God encouraged them with a promise.  "'The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.  For who has despised the day of small things?'" (Zechariah 4:9-10a).  The day of small things.  Yes, the new temple started out small, and wasn't as materially great as the one before it.  Some Israelites truly despised that day of small things.  But God promised to work in His temple, and the day of small things would lead to more than they could imagine.


God doesn't call us to success but to obedience.  The Pilgrims understood that - and left the results up to God.  Who has despised the day of small things?  I know I have.  But no more.  For God is at work in the small things, and you just never know what your stepping stone will lead to.

"Though the beginnings be small, God can make the latter end greatly to increase; a grain of mustard-seed may become a great tree. Let not the dawning light be despised, for it will shine more and more to the perfect day. The day of small things is the day of precious things, and will be the day of great things."

Matthew Henry, commenting on Zechariah 4 

Source: FreeDigitalPhotos.net, by KoratMember

Eyes To See

As far as his eyes could see, all the man saw was soldiers. Foreign soldiers. He knew they weren't there for a friendly visit. “Master!” he called. “What are we to do?” The man’s master, Elisha - prophet of Israel - looked out where his servant had been watching. Elisha surveyed the situation, but his experienced and trusting eyes observed a very different situation.

We’ve all felt surrounded before. As the Church, our rights have been infringed in the name of 'tolerance'. A massive (and quickly rising) debt, realizations of socialism, environmental hysteria, and many other problems threaten our nation. Additionally, we each have our personal doubts, fears, or difficult circumstances. It’s so easy to feel surrounded – because we are.

"'In the world you will have tribulation'" (John 16:33). Not exactly comforting words. Jesus never offered a comfortable life; in fact, He offered the opposite: "'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you'" (John 15:20). Although we have never been assured that we will lead peaceful and materially satisfying lives, Jesus did give us a promise: "'But take heart; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). The apostle Paul, arguably one of Jesus' most devoted followers, constantly lived under the threat of imprisonment and punishment. "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed," he wrote to the Corinthians (2 Cor. 4:8-9). Afflicted - but not crushed! Persecuted - but not forsaken! Struck down - but not destroyed! It's a given: we will have trouble. But God will always get us through it.

When we're frightened or threatened, we are in a position where we can be easily intimidated or moved. We might respond to our troubles by becoming so protective of our rights that we become too aggressive – even mean. (Yes, we have rights, and we should defend them, but there is a difference between defending our rights like Jesus would and defending our rights like the world does.) Other times we might be intimidated into allying with mainstream society and doing what we know is wrong. Or we can be so wrapped up in our worries that we can't focus on anything but our fears. Because of our lack of focus, everything we do is less satisfactory as long as we are consumed by our concern. When we feel surrounded, we are all too often easily angered, manipulated, or taken off our focus.

Elisha knew a better way to respond to impossible situations. As he looked out on the malicious army, he counseled his servant, “‘Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them’” (2 Kings 6:16). Then he prayed, “‘O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.’ So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:17). Elisha was surrounded by a foreign army, but the foreign army was surrounded by the army of God! Now Elisha’s servant understood: just because we can't always see God's hand at work doesn't mean He is idle. Elisha prayed again, and God made every enemy soldier blind. The once-terrifying horde was easily dissuaded from their quest – and fooled into defeat in a humorous, surprising conclusion (2 Kings 6:15-23). "'For nothing is impossible with God'" (Luke 1:37).

When we are confronted with what seems like a hopeless set of circumstances, we don’t need to worry, become angry, or blend in with the crowd. We should just pray for eyes to truly see. As someone has said, “You with God is always a majority.” Our all-knowing, all-powerful God is always doing more than we can understand - or see.

Thursday's Thought

"Relying on God has to begin all over again every day
as if nothing yet had been done."

-C.S. Lewis-

Always...

Three weeks ago today, a ruling was handed down by Judge Barbara Crabb in Wisconsin that labeled the National Day of Prayer as unconstitutional. It is clear that, regardless of our faith-filled and God-blessed heritage, this country no longer values God – in fact, many Americans resent God. A judge in our own government is telling us that a nation-wide day of prayer for our country is illegal by the laws of our country. To Christians, though, that should come as no surprise. “As it is written: 'There is...no one who seeks God'” (Romans 3:10-11, NASB). That includes governments. In the early days of Christianity, when the Christian church was still young, the civilized world of the day was ruled by Roman emperors such as Claudius and Nero. Most of the Roman emperors certainly did not fear God; in contrast, they persecuted the fledgling church. But that didn't stop the small band of Christians from praying – and God preserved for Himself a remnant, a group of those who remained faithful to Him.

A few years after Solomon was crowned king over Israel, he built a grand temple for the LORD of Israel. At a lavish ceremony, Solomon led the Israelite people in a prayer of devotion and loyalty to God. Then God spoke to Solomon. “'When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among My people, if My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land'” (2 Chronicles 7:13-14). God knew that Israel would fall away from Him – again and again and again. Yet God promised that if His remnant – His faithful few – would humble themselves and pray to Him, He would heal their land. God always preserves a remnant.

In the book of 1 Kings, King Ahab scoffed at following God's ways. The entire country – so blessed by the providential miracles of God and His revealed Word – fell spiritually with their leader, and soon suffered drought (both physical and spiritual) just as God had said. Ahab persecuted the prophets of God, but one of them, Elijah, refused to be dissuaded from his God-given message and mission. Eventually, however, Elijah felt emotionally defeated. He told God, “'I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too'” (1 Kings 19:14). Yet God replied with His plan, the plan that would overcome all others, and assured Elijah, “'I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him'” (1 Kings 19:18). God always preserves a remnant.

On May 7, 1988, the United States Senate unanimously passed a bill designating the first Thursday in May as the National Day of Prayer.

On April 15, 2010, federal judge Barbara Crabb ruled that the National Day of Prayer – unanimously agreed upon only twenty-two years before – is unconstitutional. America is turning away from God. The nation so blessed by God is rapidly leaving its godly roots. Yet God always preserves a remnant.

“"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among My people, if My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” The promise still stands. The remnant still exists. The land needs healing. What if His people prayed? What if the remnant faithfully sought His face?

While I applaud President Obama's decision to appeal Judge Crabb's ruling, I am saddened to witness his lack of emphasis on this important day. Yes, he is declaring May 6, 2010, as the National Day of Prayer, but he plans to observe the day privately (without a formal service) and welcomes all belief systems on equal footing. Yet we are the remnant, and God's call of obedience is to us. Whether or not our president prays to God, we will pray for him – and for our country. It's what remnants do.

See What God Will Do

It was the 1800s in England. Many orphans were standing at their chairs around the orphanage table, waiting for breakfast to begin. There was only one problem: there was no food on the table, or in the pantry, or anywhere else in the building. There was nothing for the orphans to eat. Then the orphanage director, Mr. George Mueller, walked into the room. He knew there was no food in the house, yet, without hesitation, he led the orphans in a prayer to thank God for their breakfast. But there was no breakfast.

I wonder what the orphans thought at that moment. Do you think they trusted Mr. Mueller? I wonder what George Mueller thought. Can you imagine having so many orphans dependent on you for everything they have? It would be hard for the orphans to trust Mr. Mueller when there was no food in the house. I think it must have been hard for George Mueller to trust God when there was no food in the house and no money to buy any.

Of course, George Mueller was not the only one in history to have a difficult situation like this. He was not the only one asked to have faith in God. For example, Noah was asked to build a gigantic boat in preparation for a devastating flood (Gen. 6:9-16) - but don’t you think he wondered if a worldwide flood was even possible? Abraham was ninety-nine years old when God promised him a son (Gen. 18:10). Moses trusted that God would part the Red Sea (Ex. 14:10) and provide food for an army of people - in the middle of the desert (Ex. 16:2-3). Daniel was thrown into a cave with hungry lions (Dan. 6:16-17). They all put their faith in God. God never let them down. Noah worked for about seventy years preparing for a flood unlike anything he had ever seen before. He was glad he obeyed when God sent the flood He had promised. Against all earthly odds, Abraham’s first son Isaac was born to him when he was one hundred years old (Gen. 21:1-7). One hundred! God knew what He was doing. And He was able to do what He had promised. Can you imagine how Moses felt when the strong east wind pushed the waters back so the Israelites could cross (Ex. 14:19-31)? I wonder what he was thinking when manna fell from heaven to feed them when they had lost all hope (Ex. 16:13-15). Daniel spent a whole night in a cave with hungry lions, yet he was alive to eat breakfast the next morning (Dan. 6:21-22). What causes you to worry? Is someone you love sick? Is money tight at your house? Do you have to go to a new school? Are you moving? Perhaps you have a friend or family member in a dangerous situation, or you’re worried about staying home alone. Maybe you’re concerned about politics, or you’re nervous about a decision you have to make. These are all frightening situations; these are the situations that require faith.

God, in His infinite power, created the world out of nothing. We can believe that He has the ability to help us in our troubles. God, in His unfathomable love, sent His Son to pay our penalty - He will always give us what is best for us. Even when it’s hard for us to understand what God is doing, He always has a purpose - and a plan. Sooner or later, we are all called to trust God. We worry because of what we can’t see, but God tells us to trust Him because He can see everything. His power is great enough and His love is constant.

George Mueller trusted God. Just after George Mueller finished praying, there was a knock at the door. When the door was opened, there stood the local baker. “I couldn’t sleep last night,” he said. “Somehow I felt you didn’t have bread for breakfast, and the Lord wanted me to send you some. So I got up at two o’clock and baked some fresh bread for you.” The Lord sent an answer to prayer through the baker’s gift. As soon as the baker left, there was another knock at the door. It was the milkman! “My cart broke down out in the street,” he said. “I have to unload it to repair it. Can you use the fresh milk?” What if George Mueller had tried to help himself instead of waiting for God’s help? There would have been no illustration of God’s greatness. The orphans would not have seen firsthand how God cared for them and was able to take care of them. And we would not have this incredible account of God answering one man’s prayer. It’s hard to trust God when everything looks hopeless. But the reward is worth the wait. What more could we ask than watching God work in our lives? When we face hard times and difficult situations, we must remember to have faith in what God has promised in His Word. Won’t it be great to see what God will do?!

George Mueller Story: Adapted from Hero Tales, by Dave and Neta Jackson