David's Radical Respect

Then David said to the young man who told him, "How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan
are dead?"...And the young man who told him said, "... He said to me, 'Stand beside me and kill me,
for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.' So I stood beside him and killed him, because
I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the
armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord."

Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. And they
mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the
LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword… David said to him, "How is
it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?" Then David called one of
the young men and said, "Go, execute him." And he struck him down so that he died. And David said
to him, "Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, 'I have killed
the LORD's anointed.'"   - 2 Samuel 1:5-16

While we don’t go around anointing our country leaders in the United States, I feel like this passage still
speaks volumes about how we should regard our leadership. If you go back and read the book of
1 Samuel, you’d see that David doesn’t have a great relationship with Saul. For years, David has been
on the run and in hiding because Saul has been actively trying to murder him.

Any of us in that situation would probably respond with “He’s dead? FINALLY.” But David? Despite the
fact that his life is no longer being threatened, he knows the role of the king. Saul was God’s chosen
leader for Israel for that time period. While David may well have been relieved to not have to flee Saul,
he looked past his own interests and towards the interests of God, who both condemns murder and
raised Saul up to be king.

This mindset is still very applicable today. While our president and other world leaders are not generally
chosen by visions from God or being anointed, God is still sovereign. Nobody gets into leadership by
an accident or oversight from our Lord. While we may not know God’s purposes behind who is in the
office or the actions they take, it doesn’t change the fact that they are our leaders for this piece of
history and God allowed them to be there.

We are not called to applaud everything our leadership does (David certainly didn’t cheer Saul on in
his murder attempts!). We should, however, act in the same respectable manner as David did towards
his nation’s king. He respected Saul’s role, did not harm or slander him, and was angered when
someone acted out in sin towards Saul (even if by request of the king himself)- because, after all,
murder is still murder whether by request or not.

How do you regard your authorities (whether domestic, local, or national)?

How Do You Work Remotely For Christ?

This week I experienced my first-ever “snow day”. My office closed due to snow because we are

located in the South where the states and people aren’t accustomed to handling such weather.

This did not mean a day off, however; we would work from home on our company laptops.

Everyone seems to idolize the idea of working from home and those who do it. The fact of the matter

is, it is a huge and difficult test for those who do. It is a time to see if we can live up to 1 Corinthians

10:31 that says “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God”.

Or, alternatively, if we will fall to the temptations that come from having zero accountability

because we lack our boss and coworkers.

It is easy to get distracted when working from home. You see the dishwasher that needs to be

emptied, the laundry that is waiting to be done, and maybe you have an insatiable urge to go walk

through the freshly fallen snow (ok, well, I did anyway). Oh, and on top of all that, suddenly your

social media accounts are all vying for your attention. Keeping your mind and actions focused on

the task at hand is a challenge when you don’t feel like you’re in the “work zone”.

I feel all of this is similar to our lives as Christians, too. Even when Jesus was on earth, his disciples

had a hard time staying focused on Him and building His kingdom. Now that Jesus isn’t physically

with us, we as Christians are left to work remotely for the kingdom and it has become even more

challenging to remain centered on living for Him.

We are surrounded every day by distractions that make us tempted to live for self-gratification rather

than for our Creator. This is why it is important that we have the church and fellowship with other

believers: they are our co-workers in Christ. We need to hold each other accountable for the remote

work that we are doing for God and challenge each other to be working at our full potential to honor

Him in all that we do.

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is

faithful. And letus consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not

neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the

more as you see the Day drawing near.”

- Hebrews 10:23-25

Whether spiritually, for an earthly workplace, or both, how’s your remote work going? Are you staying

focused on the mission God has placed before you?

What will you "never" do?

We go through life saying “I will do this” and “I will do that”, or inversely, “I would NEVER do that!”

Sometimes it works out the way we think, but God won’t let us dictate everything 100% of the time.

Sometimes God likes to mess with us.

I always said I wouldn't leave the Pacific Northwest, and I never wanted to give up my part time job

at the local library. God had other ideas. I now find myself in North Carolina- clear across the country

from the place I called home (and consequently, not working at a library). And you know what? It’s

better than I ever would have planned for myself. He allowed me to get an amazing job alongside

people who are living to glorify Him every day, and put me in a part of the country where there are

many beautiful outdoor areas to enjoy (such as the photo above, which I took at the park tonight!)

Next time you say “never”, check yourself: is this “never” biblically based?

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.”

- Proverbs 16:9

A Tribute to Extra-Biblical Revelation

This week I learned the strange story of the largest known treehouse in the world as I traveled through Tennessee. This enchanting and eerie structure is the result of so-called extra-biblical revelation. 

The architect who built this treehouse says that he did so due to "a vision from God and a promise from Him that he would not run out of wood until the structure was completed". The 97-foot tall treehouse was modeled to be a church inside. The problem? This "revelation from God" did not meet building safety codes and was condemned by the fire marshal. It now stands alone at the end of a dirt road, surrounded by a huge fence and signs that say "danger" "no trespassing" and "do not enter". When I told a friend of mine about it, he chuckled, "What, so God told him to build this thing but didn't know to tell him the building regulations?"

This is one reason we ought not to add to God's word. In the end, our best efforts fail and when we say that "God told me to do it", it leaves Him to take the fall for our wild ideas.

"Every word of God proves true;
    he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Do not add to his words,
    lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar."

- Proverbs 30:5-6

We Can't Tackle Everything Alone

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?" - Ecclesiastes 4:9-11

This has been quite a week. I am in the process of driving coast to coast from Washington State to North Carolina. 

When I first found out about this move, I thought "Cool! A cross country road trip. I can handle this!" I've driven across Washington and into Canada a few times and figured this would probably be similar, but just for multiple days in a row and with a car load of stuff. I could do it myself, right? But my mom insisted on coming. At first I didn't think it seemed necessary, but after the first 12 hours on day 1, I was glad for the extra support. Each day we travel, I am even happier for the help and company. 

Lesson learned: we really aren't made to do everything ourselves. It's ok to accept help, even when you don't think you need it. From the help and support from my mom to the kind gestures and encouragement from friends, I couldn't do this road trip alone. 

Remember to thank God for the people He has placed in your life, and do your best to be a help to those around you, too!

You don't need a white Christmas.

I have to admit, I am rather surprised. I woke up a few minutes ago to discover a sudden (and reasonably large) dumping of snow. After checking the forecast, it appears we are in for a white Christmas this weekend! How exciting!

In a way, it seems somewhat funny that whoever chose the date to celebrate Christmas picked December. Did nobody travel back then? Possibly. I don't know. But the more I think about it, the more December feels like it makes sense.

It is the darkest time of year- immediately after the winter solstice. Christ came to save us from the dark forces of sin. It also is when many places are likely to get snow, which is an amazing visual reminder of purity. Freshly fallen snow is so beautiful and overwhelmingly white. It is reminiscent of our forgiveness that Christ came to make possible.

"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." - Isaiah 1:18

I know these parallels can't work in every region of the world at once. Nevertheless, that is what today in my little space in Washington state reminds me of. Perhaps your place in this world can make you think of another truth of God right now. After all, as Psalm 19:1 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."

So, look around you. Look outside. Take in God's creation. Which of His truths are you reminded of today?

How to Be Excited About Knowing God

Over the past two years, I have made a lot of friends over the internet. Tim and Victory, in the above photos, are two of my earlier internet friends. Something I've noticed in common with every friendship is this: we get excited about meeting each other in person. When we realize there will be an opportunity to meet face to face, we often become a lot more involved and enthusiastic about getting to know each other. We'll talk more often, we'll call each other, and as a whole get much closer than we previously had been. 

I've come to realize that it can be similar in our relationship with God. Sometimes we feel far away from Him and we begin to lose sight of the fact that as Christians, we WILL indeed someday be with Him. When we forget about the reality of a future with Him, it is easy to put our relationship with Him on the back burner. 

Recently, I was struck by a deep realization, remembering the reality of the perfect worship and time with God that will happen in my future. Suddenly, something clicked in my mind and this truth feels so much more real than it once had. Since then, I've experienced a heightened interest in studying passages that reveal things about God's personality and work. 

If you're going to be with God forever someday, get to know Him! Put yourself in a place where you will live with excitement about this coming reality!

"I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me." - Proverbs 8:17


"... giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." - Colossians 1:12-14

The Over-Glamorized Life of Creatives (Aka: beware of envy!)

There tends to be this idea that the life of people who work in entertainment and media production is glamorous. Over the past year, I've been learning that this is not at all the case. Yes, media creation can be fun. Yes, it can feel really cool to have an audience and get compliments on your creative work. But the life of those who produce media and music is not all glory, fun, and sparkles. That is just the part we get to see.

In reality? My friends in video production spend more time tediously editing footage, hunting for inspiration, and keeping up with sponsorship connections than they do acting and filming. My friends in the music industry have endless practice sessions and constant nights sleeping in rented tour buses and hotel rooms. It takes an entire day for the team to set up for concerts and then they might stay up half the night loading crates into trailers in the rain. The writers in my life have to devote huge amounts of time to marketing their work while they hope and pray it sells enough for them to make a few dollars. And me? I just spent a solid six hours editing a single podcast episode and am about to start hunting down web links for the show notes.

It's easy to assume someone's life is all fun and games when you look at the surface. It's easy to envy someone when you make assumptions. But as Christians, we are to break away from envy.

Galatians 5:19-21 states envy in the list of lifestyles that are displeasing to God and uncharacteristic of His children:

"Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."

Not only that, but envy even has the potential to drive one into poor health, according to Proverbs:

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. - Proverbs 14:30

What or who do you envy? Is it truly worth it?

Why I Hate Selfless Love.

I’m going to risk sounding like a bad Christian and start off this week’s devotional by saying this:

Selfless love sucks.

It takes your resources, your time, your energy. It can range from being mildly inconvenient to downright painful. It means we have to be aware of how our words and actions affect others instead of blurting out everything we feel in a moment. It means we should care for others when we’d rather focus on taking care of our own burdens.

It also means we need to be more like Christ - which sounds pretty ideal until we realize how much hardship and rejection He went through. Do we really want to go there? Nowadays, society won’t judge us for focusing our time and energy on ourselves or for simply chasing what makes us feel good. So why bother?

It is now December, and the answer is basically staring us in the face. The lights I keep driving past may just seem like fun and festive decor to most, but to those who believe in Christ, they should also be a reminder. A reminder that the Light of the World didn’t just sit up in Heaven enjoying Himself.

God’s creation had (and still has) turned against Him. If I were Him, I’d be inclined to say “Well, that was stupid. Screw humanity. I’ll just chill up here while they suffer for rebelling against my design.” But, God isn’t made in my image (thanks be to Him for that!). So, instead, Christ exercised selfless love. He confined Himself to a human body. He chose to help society’s hopeless and looked down upon sinners rather than taking on a glorious political position or snubbing everyone like the “good” people did. He was despised, rejected, and even betrayed by those who said they loved Him.

What does He do in return? He takes on the punishment of damnation so that our debt is paid and we can be adopted into His family and have the ability to love Him.

Selfless love sucks.

But, it was given to us by Christ. So let’s pay it forward. And backward. And everywhere in between. Let’s selflessly love Christ by following Him and His Word no matter what. Let’s selflessly love others because that is what Christ did and wants us to do, too. It won’t always be a warm fuzzy feeling, it may mean we’ll get dirty or uncomfortable or worse.

It won’t be like a Hallmark Christmas flick, but it is the best way we can celebrate Christmas both in December and throughout the year.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.” - John 15:9-17

What Happens When You Help?

Most people who want the concert experience spring for the expensive backstage passes, the meet & greet tickets, and the front row seats. Me? I have to admit, I didn’t show up at the Winter Jam show with any of that in mind. In fact, my only goal was to visit an out of state friend who was running one of the merch booths.

After a few minutes of loitering beside her table, she asked: “Wanna just be my volunteer?” “Sure, why not?” I replied, putting on one of the red crew shirts. Heck, she had gotten me into the show for free. Of course, I would help her out! As it turned out, I still got to take breaks and enjoy the best parts of the show. On top of that, however, the other staff members appreciated my willingness to help out so much that they let me tag along into places that the average showgoer or volunteer would never end up.

Looking back, it was one big line of positive chain reactions. I was willing to drive for two hours and pay to go to a show so I could visit my friend. She snagged me a free ticket to make it easier. I was excited to be there and was more than happy to help her and the crew out. The crew was excited to have my assistance, so they didn’t mind me tagging along for dinner and loading the tour bus.

None of us had high expectations of what the others could or would do for us. We were all simply willing to do things for each other. This is how good things happen.

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,

   and one who waters will himself be watered.

-Proverbs 11:25

Examining Each Other

God’s working can be really ironic sometimes. Yesterday morning, part of my Bible study time involved a brief part about judgments. It quoted Matthew 7:2-5, in which we are told that we ought to fix our own issues before looking at the issues of those around us.

Shortly thereafter, I was messaging a friend of mine. At one point I made a remark about his tendency to procrastinate. Pausing for a moment, I shook my head at myself. “Like I’m one to talk, seeing as I should be working on a project right now”, I added. He replied “Who has the speck and who has the plank? Because I feel like I could have either one.”

Isn’t that just the way it goes? We read a biblical truth, nod our head in agreement, then promptly forget it. Then, God tosses the lesson right back at us again.

Today, let’s focus on our own issues rather than those of our neighbor. On top of that, let’s thank God that He is patient with us in our ever-so-slow process of growth in Him!

“For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” - Matthew 7:2-5

What happens to Christian loners?

Christians aren't meant to be loners.

I've heard this stated before. I know that the Bible says we should not neglect to meet together. I just never realized how important Christian fellowship is until recently.

About six months ago, the Bible study group that I had been a part of quit meeting. At the time, it didn't seem like a huge deal. Attendance had been way down anyway and it meant I had a free night to work on my projects. Besides, I was still attending church on Sundays. Over time, however, I began to sense myself feeling increasingly dissatisfied, distant with God, and truth be told, a little lonely. Looking back over the times in my life when I felt closest to God, it hit me: those were the times I was closest to other believers. I was surrounded by people who were actively pursuing Him, and they were taking me along for the ride via our discussions.

Something I've found along the way is that there is a difference between just hanging out with someone who happens to be a Christian and having meaningful fellowship. I've spent a lot of time around Christian people these few months. We watched movies, attended church, did craft projects, and had superficial “how was your past week or two?” chats. But I still found myself lonely and starved for real fellowship.

To be truly fulfilling, Christian fellowship can't be continually superficial. We need a few fellow believers who we can be close with. We need people with whom we can intentionally discuss scripture, faith, and struggles. Superficial conversations in between church services are not true fellowship. "I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." - Ephesians 3:17b-19

Avoiding the Thistles

I was out hiking earlier this week. As I went along the trail, I carefully kept to the center to avoid the plethora of dried out thistles that had grown up around the trail. Where had they all come from? I didn't remember a bunch of thistle plants being there a month ago. How could they have grown as tall as me and then died all in such a short timespan?

As I got to the top of the hill, something caught my eye. A little sunflower. I thought it was growing up out of the thistle patch. Then I noticed: the sunflower was coming out of the stem of the thistle plant. That didn't make any sense! How could it be? Simple: all of those huge "thistles" were actually out-of-season sunflowers.

I chuckled at my mistake. Then it hit me: we do that kind of thing a lot in life. We see something that looks unpleasant at a glance and try so hard to avoid it that we don't realize what it really is. Sometimes God uses the ugly things and circumstances in life to help us learn and grow.

"For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven" - Ecclesiastes 3:1

Help! I've forgotten what I look like!

I have to admit, I am rather ashamed. I started skimming past devotional blog posts I've written, and with each one, I am going, “Dang, I wrote this? How do I so consistently forget the lessons I've learned?” Writing a weekly devotional can be challenging, but it’s nothing compared to following the “practice what you preach” concept.

This verse pretty much sums it up:

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.” - James 1:22-24

It sounds like a slightly absurd thing, to look at yourself in the mirror and then instantly forget your appearance. It is, however, an appropriate comparison. We learn in the Bible and through teachers and pastors who we are in Christ and what that looks like. Then, we get sidetracked going about our lives and forget it all. It is a somewhat frustrating fact of Christian life that we all are likely to experience at some point or another.

Today, let’s pray that God will help us to better remember who we are in Him and be able to live it.

When Good Things Become Bad

There is a song that I enjoy called "Good Things" by M'Kalister Park. This song talks about how good things can become bad things. Ever since I read a particular Bible passage the other day, I've had it running through my head. Why? Because letting a good thing become a bad thing is exactly what the Israelites did.

The Ark of the Covenant was kept in the Holy of Holies, inside of the tabernacle, where the Israelites would go to make sacrifices of worship to God. Inside, one could find several objects that were touched by God and important to Israel's heritage. The Ark was a reminder of God's miracles and provision from the days when He had appointed Moses to lead them out of Egyptian slavery.

The ark was fine and good when viewed as a symbol of God's power and provision. The problem began when Israel began to view the ark as a good luck charm and a source of power. With this false mindset in their heads, they removed it from the place where God had commanded it to be kept. Israel then brought it with them into battle against the Philistines.

What happened next? Rather than the power and blessing they undoubtedly expected, Israel lost the battle. On top of that, the Ark of the Covenant got captured by the Philistine army. God used this time to teach both parties a lesson. To Israel, their defeat and loss of this precious item was a reminder that power and blessings do not reside in things- they come from Him. To the Philistines, God showed His power by knocking over and breaking their idol god, Dagon. Beyond that, the Philistines and anyone who was near the ark began to go crazy and break out with tumors.

You can read the whole story in 1 Samuel 5.

This account reminds us to check ourselves: are we worshipping God? Or are we just thinking of Him or things related to Him as good luck charms? 

The Book of Ruth: Not the Love Story You Thought it Was

I feel like the book of Ruth has been overly romanticized. I always see Ruth held up as a biblical love story to remind girls that "God has a Boaz for you" (which, I must point out, is definitely never promised in scripture). I've heard summaries that go along the lines of "Ruth waited and God provided the right guy for her". Now, yes, that is true, but also take note that Ruth's first husband died. The account of Ruth is far more than some cute little story about a young woman waiting for the right guy.

At the start, Ruth's mother-in-law, Naomi, becomes a widow. Shortly thereafter, Naomi's two sons die and that leaves Ruth and her sister-in-law, Orpah as widows also. Naomi plans to return to her people but urges the girls to stay and find new husbands while they're young. Orpah agrees, but Ruth does not want to leave her grieving mother-in-law on her own. Ruth's mind was not on finding a new man to be with, but on being there to support her mother-in-law in the worst time of her life.

When it comes to Ruth meeting Boaz, it was never presented that she fell in love with him, as we might like to think. She does intentionally put herself in his presence, but it is because the custom of the day was for a widowed woman to be "redeemed" by a close relative of her husband. The idea behind this act was not to find new love, but to perpetuate the family name of the deceased husband. Boaz praised Ruth for not going after the younger men, but rather choosing to honor her husband by seeking a redeemer with whom the family line could continue through.

The moral of this story is not that God will provide a man for every girl who waits. The real lesson here is that Ruth chose to make love an action in her life and God blessed her through it. Ruth chose to love and support Naomi in her hardest time rather than seeking a new man to marry. She also chose to love and honor her deceased husband by finding a relative with whom to continue the family line. Did she find a man to love in all of this? It appears so. Was that her primary goal? Not in the least.

Read the story for yourself in Ruth 1-4.

A Biblical Lesson in Modern Art

Last night I was at an art walk. One of the exhibits was a small room with a single window. Inside of this room, the artist had hung fluffy black fabric everywhere. From the walls, the ceiling, creeping in through the door. It obstructed the light coming in through the window and gave the room a very eerie feeling. 

As I stood there taking it all in, it hit me: this is an unfortunately perfect picture of life sometimes. We allow all sorts of things to take over our lives and eventually they choke out our view of Christ and his influence in us. Some things may be perfectly fine, other things may not be. Everything has the potential to obscure our perspective if we aren't continually refocusing and choosing to make God a priority in our thoughts.

Honestly, that is why this blog is a day late this week: I was lacking inspiration because I had been failing to look for it. I let all sorts of little things pile up over the week that took my mind away from seeing God's work and wisdom. You've probably experienced (or possibly are experiencing) something similar. It's easy to let distraction take over. Let's clear our minds and reset our focus this week, shall we?

How can a young man keep his way pure?

    By guarding it according to your word.

10 

With my whole heart I seek you;

    let me not wander from your commandments!

11 

I have stored up your word in my heart,

    that I might not sin against you.

12 

Blessed are you, O Lord;

    teach me your statutes!

13 

With my lips I declare

    all the rules of your mouth.

14 

In the way of your testimonies I delight

    as much as in all riches.

15 

I will meditate on your precepts

    and fix my eyes on your ways.

16 

I will delight in your statutes;

    I will not forget your word.

- Psalm 119:9-16