Dragon training and lion chasing

Today: Proverbs 22-23

Last week I was hanging out in my living room with my sister. She was typing on her laptop.

"What are you working on?" I asked.

"A dragon training presentation," she replied.

"What?!?" I asked,"That sounds pretty intense!"

She smiled and explained that the course is about a software program called Dragon--and that no firefighters would be required to be present (darn!).

While the idea of dragon training sounded a bit odd to me, in the Bible, there were people who braved similar tasks. There were people who literally chased lions or killed giants, for example. Perhaps it's because of last week's conversation with my sister, but these two lines from today's chapters caught my attention:

The loafer says, "There's a lion on the loose!
If I go out I'll be eaten alive!"

Kind of weird, right?

As I read these lines over and thought about their meaning, a few possibilities came to mind:

• First, I think it could be saying, "Don't be a lazy person content to let big challenges or enemies run wild--get up and tackle them."
  
• Another possible interpretation? "Lazy people sometimes allow fear to run their lives." Is there really a lion on the loose? How do we know that the lazy loafer even looked outside or saw anything?
  
• The third possibility is a mix of the first two--"Fear can cloud reality and turn crazy cats into lions on the loose." Maybe the lazy person saw something, but because of fear, she turned a crazy cat into a "lion on the loose."

A few other observations?

• The lion was described as "on the loose"...which means it could symbolize something that is dangerous to other people. The lazy loafer is content to stay comfortable while a deadly predator could attack his neighbors. This strikes me as not only fearful, but selfish.
  
• The lazy loafer has no faith--she automatically jumps to, "If I go out, I'll be eaten alive!" rather than praying, planning a strategy, partnering with other people to capture the lion...you get my point.

I don't know if any of these possibilities are right...and maybe all of them are correct to some extent. I think the main point is that sometimes, you and I may be called to chase lions--to protect the innocent, to conquer fear and/or to trust God to help us face challenges directly.

Next up: Dragon training. Can I bring a firefighter? :)

Tomorrow: Proverbs 24-26

The Valley of Blessing

Today: 2 Chronicles 18-20

"Expect the unexpected" is often a phrase quoted in reality TV game shows. Maybe it's a phrase that could apply to the Bible as well. In today's passage, I noticed something I hadn't seen before: A reference to the Valley of Blessing.

Think about it: The concept of a Valley of Blessing is unexpected. Most of the time, mountains are associated with blessings--not valleys. Kids still play "King of the Mountain." People talk about "peak performances" as synonymous with triumph. In the Bible, Mt. Sinai and Mt. Zion are referred to as places where God dwells. And conversely, valleys are used to describe major lows or disappointments...like "the valley of shadow and death" (Psalm 23).

In this passage, there's a place named the Valley of Blessing. Why?

The Valley of Blessing represents God's unexpected favor and miraculous power in the midst of trial. In the actual valley described in chapter 20, God's people were surrounded by armies from three neighboring countries trying to attack them--it's like being in the midst of a world war with no (visible) allies. Talk about a valley! I'm sure some of the people felt afraid, overwhelmed, or doomed to die. They trusted God anyway. He confused the enemy armies, so they attacked each other--and Judah was saved.

I've talked with some people lately who experienced their own versions of the Valley of Blessing--people who faced stress, trial and overwhelming fear, but were blessed by God and His peace in the midst of a valley.

If you're in a valley at the moment, look for the blessings. God's a big God--He doesn't just reserve blessings for mountaintop moments. He can show up to stand with you in your valley and overwhelm you with His love.

Tomorrow: 2 Chronicles 21-24

Wrestling with God

Today: Genesis 32-34

Have you ever wrestled with God?

I think a lot of people...particularly Christians...are afraid to admit it. Why is that?

It's not like God's offended when people have questions about Him. He's not intimidated. God's no pansy. :)

Today's passage talked about a guy who wrestled with God...literally, but also in prayer. Jacob's prayer was particularly interesting to me. Let's take a look and see what we can learn:

And then Jacob prayed,

"God of my father Abraham,

God of my father Isaac,

God who told me,

'Go back to your parents' homeland and I'll treat you well.'

I don't deserve all the love and loyalty you've shown me.

When I left here and crossed the Jordan

I only had the clothes on my back,

and now look at me—two camps!

Save me, please,

from the violence of my brother, my angry brother!

I'm afraid

he'll come and attack us all, me, the mothers and the children.

You yourself said,

'I will treat you well;

I'll make your descendants like the sands of the sea,

far too many to count.'"

Okay, so here are a few observations I had as I looked at this prayer:

1. Jacob re-stated God's promises back to God...twice.

Why did Jacob do that? It's not like God is someone who forgets what He says, right?

I think Jacob re-stated God's promises partly to remind himself what they were--to say, in essence, "Here's what you said to me, God. I'm trusting You to follow through."

2. Jacob acknowledged God's goodness in His life...and God's history of blessing him.

Jacob was thankful for God's blessings in his life. Acknowledging God's history of goodness was definitely an expression of gratitude to God, but I think it was again a reminder to Jacob himself. It's like he was also telling himself, "God helped me before. He could do it again."

3. Jacob admitted his fear and asked for God's help.

Jacob didn't hide his (very real) feelings and he didn't try to brush them aside and tackle challenges on his own, either. He gave his fear to God and unapologetically asked for God's intervention on his behalf. This reminded me of a quote from the (little known) movie Bounce where Ben Affleck says, "It's not brave if you're not scared." Maybe we could update it to say, "It's not faith if you're not scared."

Faith doesn't necessarily mean denying that you're scared--it's a belief that God is bigger than whatever makes you afraid. Faith is overcoming fear through trust.

Tomorrow: Genesis 35-37

Crazy promises, lies and laughter

Today: Genesis 16-18

"The truth always comes out."

I can remember my parents saying this all throughout my growing up years (mainly to prevent my sisters and I from lying during our childhood--it was their equivalent of "We know and see everything."). :)

They were right. Time and time again I've seen that sooner or later, the truth comes out (and if not on this planet, I think it will come out in eternity). I think sometimes the worst lies are those we tell ourselves...or try to tell God Himself. Today's passage illustrated those principles.

Abraham and Sarah welcomed several visitors to their home--special visitors who were really God's messengers (maybe angels). Here's what happened:

One of them said, "I'm coming back about this time next year.

When I arrive, your wife Sarah will have a son."

Sarah was listening at the tent opening, just behind the man.
Abraham and Sarah were old by this time, very old.

Sarah was far past the age for having babies.

Sarah laughed within herself, "An old woman like me?

Get pregnant?

With this old man of a husband?"
God said to Abraham,

"Why did Sarah laugh saying, 'Me? Have a baby?

An old woman like me?'

Is anything too hard for God?

I'll be back about this time next year

and Sarah will have a baby."
Sarah lied.

She said, "I didn't laugh," because she was afraid.
But he said, "Yes you did; you laughed."

First off, I'll admit that God's promises to Sarah were...a little crazy. But aren't those the best kind of promises from God?

Sarah seriously doubted, laughed then lied to herself and to God--because of fear. And God called her out...because He knew (duh!). The cool thing is that despite her laughter and lying, God still made His crazy promises come true for Sarah...because my Mom and Dad were right...and the truth always comes out.

Get real...really

(Originally written Nov. 6)

Today: 1 John

“Real” is a favorite word of my generation—but does it really mean?

In today’s passage, the writer talks about “living in God’s reality”—the reality of love. Let’s read it here:

My dear children,
let’s not just talk about love;
let’s practice real love.
This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly,
living in God’s reality.
It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self criticism,
even when there is something to it.
For God is greater than our worried hearts
and knows more about us than we do ourselves.

I thought it was interesting to see love and fear discussed throughout this passage. God and His love “shut down” things like self criticism. However, that only happens when love is practiced, not just discussed. It’s good to know that real love is much greater than fear—and that a real God is greater than anything we might worry about.

So let’s get real: Let’s not just hear it or read it; let’s believe it and live it. Love God, love people—and allow God to love you. Really.

Tomorrow: 2 John - Jude