The Book of Isaiah

Socks and Shoes
A little boy was standing before a shoe store on the roadway, barefooted, peering through the window, and shivering with cold. A lady approached the boy and said, “My little fellow, why are you looking so earnestly in that window?” “I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes,” was the boy’s reply.
The lady took him by the hand and went into the store and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of water and a towel. He quickly brought them to her. She took the little fellow to the back part of the store and, knelt down, washed his little feet, and dried them with a towel.
By this time the clerk had returned with the socks. Placing a pair upon the boy’s feet, she purchased him a pair of shoes. She tied up the remaining pairs of socks and gave them to him. She patted him on the head and said, “No doubt, my little fellow, you feel more comfortable now?”
As she turned to go, the astonished lad caught her by the hand, and looking up in her face, with tears in his eyes, answered the question with these words: “Are you God’s Wife?”  Author Unknown

 

Because of this woman’s kindness, the little boy recognized that she knew God. That is different than knowing about God. The book of Isaiah  will help us know God – that He is not capricious or cruel but wonderful and compassionate. When we do Gods’ bidding we proclaim to the world that He is good and there is good news to share.

Dear Friends, are you anxious, fretting, stressed by the chaos around you this day? Let’s take a moment to look into Isaiah, Chapter 9.  I promise, it will refresh you.

“For our sakes, for our problems and our needs, –unto us,– for our benefit –a child is produced thru great and much travail. This child is born, for us. To us, a son is bestowed, provided, entrusted, granted”. That’s not a Hallmark greeting, that’s the precious Word of God.

Are you serious? Yes, not only that but…

…the government, the dominion, shall be TODAY, tomorrow, in the future and going forward, that government, shall rest upon His shoulders, His back. All of it, totally. This is the place of the whole world’s burdens – between His shoulders and on His neck, shall be the portion of our pain. One man, One burden bearer, One Redeemer.

Breathe for a minute.

Release whatever is laying heavy on your shoulders right now –into His capable hands. The whole world rests on HIS shoulders, not yours, not your spouses or your political partys’ leader.  God is not nervous in this hour. He is trustworthy and He has placed ALL rule and authority on the shoulders of His son Jesus. Meditate on His sovereign control of not only you but the whole Universe.

We’ve recently seen the  stress and death threats upon former President Trump in the news, we’ve heard of  the betrayals and intense scrutiny of Vice President Harris on social media, we’ve watched as leaders around the world like Netanyahu being threatened and other leaders assassinated. Their shoulders are human. None of them were set forth from the foundation of the world to bear ALL the world’s pain. None were born exclusively for OUR benefit. Elected or placed officials are not the same as Gods’ anointed Messiah – Jesus. His loss and death were our gain, His rejection was our victory. Isaiah’s’ contemporaries were looking for their marching orders from human leaders, walking in rebellion against the Lord’s commands, openly sinning and vying for power. Isaiah’s message to them and us speaks of  judgment, hope and then the  greatest solution ever – Emmanuel, God being with us.

Only ONE is worthy. Only ONE has the eternal strength to hold our trials and the world in His hands.

Consider Christs’  primary goal. To establish Gods’ reign and upset the enemies plans. The Berean Literal Bible says it this way in 1 John 3:8, “The one practicing sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. He is our true enemy. For this reason –the Son of God was revealed, so that He might destroy the works of the devil.” Pretty clear focus. Only One was free from sin–just one.

We’ve all heard the Hallmark phrase “Jesus is the reason for the season” but the real reason is you, me, us. He came for us. He died for us. He lives for us and to disrupt, and destroy the works of the devil. That is much harder to express on a coffee cup,  but Isaiah’s message fulfilled in Christ is that God’s focal point was bringing us salvation, comfort, and hope.  That was His mission. It wasn’t a “vote for Jesus movement”, it was a “He is the Answer to pain, suffering, and sin miracle”. 

I do not see anywhere in scripture where it says “Invite people to church” as a focus but it does say  “Go, tell the good news about Jesus”. It does say “proclaim, bind the broken-hearted”. When churches or people try to become more popular  than the Suffering Servant, we lose the “eternal” part of the message. Your church can help people in awesome ways, but not The Way Jesus provides – salvation and freedom. ONLY He can do that for people. Pointing people to Him goes all the way back to Isaiah. That’s a good plan!

In Isaiah 61 we read, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me”.  It doesn’t say court the rich, or build a crowd. The anointing from God is to be fresh, cheerful, and full (which requires rest and time with Jesus), and it brings hope to the POOR (the afflicted, humble, weary). Immigrants are poor. Pregnant women are poor, Teenagers are poor, and weary families are poor. Those who work in the media may also be “poor”.

I’ll let you work out the political agendas possible in each of those sentences. My point is only to say that we all need Jesus, we ALL need His righteousness and justice. Want to know Gods platform in this hour? Repentance and trust , that’s His jam as the kids say. It’s His heart, then and now.  Jesus had a plan and through Him, we have that same plan to bring the good news to those who are low, and afflicted. Poor means a state of heart more than the state of ones wallet. That’s who Jesus concerned Himself with when He was on earth.

When my folks passed away, it was like the Sun stopped shining. The brightness, compassion, and caring, were suddenly gone and the world seemed to be a much darker place. I never realized what treasures they were as individuals because to me that was normal.  Their support and encouragement were constant and my love tank was full. In their absence, the world felt cold and for a while I struggled to find joy or comfort. I would crave smiles, people saying “keep your chin up” and other words of life. Any random scripture felt like a lifeline. Dark places need light, warmth. Those without hope need to know there is hope. “Comfort, comfort my people” are the words of a Father wanting His children to know He still lives and cares for them. I don’t want any person to go thru life without the light of Gods love.  I’ve made it my mission to never let anyone feel as lonely or hopeless as I did in that season of grief.

What can we bring them? Who can we bring them?

Jesus’ role, and by extension our role, is to deliver words of joy and hope, to bind up the broken-hearted. The word “bind up” means wrapping someone up – to go round and round like you’re placing a turban or blanket around them. It’s not just a one-time tract or platitude. It means to bring actual tangible healing to someone. To “gird” them looks less like throwing a pair of socks out your car window on a cold day when you are scared to do evangelism and more like visiting again and again when you find someone wounded or grieving. Emotional bandaging – what if the world saw this in us? Instead of people pointing out injury, they come alongside and bandage, bring love and support. 

Jesus still wants to bring salvation, and healing. Sending a giant arm from Heaven  might freak people out so He nudges and stirs you and me. Smile. His ways are best and He wants to use the likes of you and me.  Isaiah 9 tells us Jesus came to bring LIBERTY. Liberty as a free-flowing, pure wellspring of delight from the Father. Wait, that’s His purpose for me?  Yes, that we would be FREE before the Father, delighting in His presence, deeply loved and enveloped by His peace. Come down Lord, come rest on us!  

Not all in prison are bound and not all who are in churches are free. In the middle of a sin-ravaged society, a time of great rebellion and wickedness, Isaiah prophesied of a God who loved justice and righteousness. They only saw it as a hope, a feel good prophecy,  a Utopian fantasy …. Until one day Jesus walked into the room and it became possible. He didn’t say “I’m here to take over”, He told them “the Spirit of the Lord is on me”.  At the very start, Jesus let us know He was following Gods direction. It wasn’t about Him, though He was Messiah. It was about glorifying the Father and fulfilling a greater purpose.  Emmanuel in the flesh – that was Gods idea way back then. Is Emmanuel with us today?

How?

Jesus said He would release the Holy Spirit to change men’s hearts, set people free, bring healing …  What was once just a hope, became reality. People with no hope, get hope. People dying get a healer. Bound people, prisoners get free. With Christs government, the Holy Spirit would be released on earth to men and women who would receive Him. That Holy Spirit would be the onboard law, the onboard minister, the onboard One who would walk beside those chosen by God, His priests and ministers. (See 1 Peter 2:9 if you need reminding who that includes).  It wasn’t meant to be a one or even several minister system, but anointed ones, set apart, seeds set forth by God, ministering in a broken, fallen world. Empowered to love, to proclaim, to bind.

Jesus did not reach everyone. There is this little Hebrew word (shawlack) “sent”, that tells us Jesus went to those to whom the Father sent Him to reach. He was sown into people’s lives. God knew where the ground was fertile. In order to be sent and receive Gods’ orders we need to rest in Him, listen to Him, spend time with Him. Maybe that is the reason many Christians DON’T want to slow down. On the other side of that is your victory, your testimony, your fulfillment of Gods purpose. We must follow Jesus, not the culture.

If we want to celebrate This Messiah, we need to know that He is:

• Wonderful – marvelous, extraordinary, a wonder of Gods’ acts of justice and redemption. So, we watch and get to know Him.
• Counselor – An adviser, to guide and bring purpose, one who gives counsel. So, we bring Him our problems and hurts.
• Mighty God – powerful, warrior, champion, chief, giant, valiant man who fights for His people. So, we trust Him for ourselves and family with difficulties. We trust and have courage to do what He leads us to do.
• Everlasting – Perpetuity, forever, lasting, world without end, continuous. So, we know He is forever, stable and will not abandon us.
• Father – Head, Founder, Producer, Chief, papa. So, we love Him and have intimate fellowship with Him, listening for His heartbeat and delight.
• Prince – the chief, governor, master, General, Captain. So, we rest in His ultimate authority and power.
• PEACE – Favor, rest, wholeness, Shalom, prosperity, Completeness, soundness, safety, tranquility, contentment, friendship, health, freedom from war. So, we thank Him for all His benefits and love.

As CeCe Winans sings, “that’s my King, altogether worthy!”

Long before Jesus was born, Isaiah and his precious wife prophesied of a Messiah that would come.  Trusting ANY other leader (male or female) more than Messiah, is idolatry. We need this leader, Jesus, more than ever. Not just to make “Jesus is the reason for the season” coffee mugs or have plays that share about His birth. That is just a small token of what represents our faith. Being “sent ones” like Jesus, is what will proclaim who He truly is. He is fully grown, fully risen, LORD. He is the One that can cleanse sin. Calling on Him, obeying Him would not only be wise for individuals, families and churches but this One, the One who has the government on His shoulders, can heal our nation  as well. Who will tell them that, who will listen and be sent?

We’ve been given a warning and hope through this prophetic book. We have a  redeemer, we’ve been given bandages and healing. Let’s use our “anointing” for more than decorating trees or churches this year. Let’s step out and bring hope to the poor, bandage the broken-hearted, and proclaim liberty to those who are bound up– physically, spiritually or emotionally. THAT is the reason for Jesus coming and the season. Then come, come to the altar at Christmas and hear stories of what took place when you followed HIS voice. Share in God’s delight, God’s plan and purpose – for us and those we are sent to.

If we read AND heed Isaiah’s words , it’ll be a much, much merrier Christmas.

RenaeRoche2024

 

 

Song of Songs – October

Remember Sonny and Cher crooning, “I got you Babe?”  It was a song everyone knew and now that iconic song is stuffed into every Valentine plush toy you can find. Then there is the “Stuck Like Glue” song from Sugarland. Catchy and fun. Those songs were like mind worms we  sing over and over. I think the most classic one is “I Will Always Love You” written by Dolly Parton and performed by Whitney Houston in the Bodyguard. These songs evoke something in us that no other song can. My personal favorite has been Ring pop by Jax because of the lyrics but also the melody. These are secular songs about true love. Or at least a YouTube version of true love.

The most supreme song of all songs is contained in the “wisdom literature” and Solomon had something to do with it, but it wasn’t really about him because the words are not all in his voice. This book is meant to be a love story, a collection of poems that are to be read as a whole, not dissected scientifically. Love songs are not robotic mind melodies, they are passionate, timeless and meant to celebrate passion and tender moments.

The poems go in order from the Beloved meeting his true love (the engagement), to marrying her and then life- happily ever after- the wedding. It is a progressive set of love poems. I read these a few times as a young Christian, while blushing. I could never fully see the allegorical side to them and thought I’d better wait to study them until I was married. However, understanding  Gods’ love and that He patiently waits for us to draw near – that message is extremely important. For Singles and married folks and teenagers. Christians and churches spend a lot of energy telling their folks to love and serve God but His message is come near, let me love YOU. If we truly understood this, our activities in ministry would reflect that. When we rest, delight in His presence, He fills up our love tanks and we walk through life squishing out the Gospel everywhere we go. Much easier.

This book gave the early church much stress. It is not for the timid and certainly sounds foreign when read in a church setting. I’ve known a few groups that tried to make it puritanical and allegorical and well it just went off the rails. Side note: No where are kids/babies mentioned so views on marriage for procreation only must be rejected. The book is clear that delight and godly marriage is Gods’ idea. We can glean a few things from it but there is really a caution here because many times this very book became a tool for the wicked to sexually abuse or manipulate others because of the focus on delight. 

So, why? Why would this very steamy book be allowed in the holy Canon of scripture?

I think there are a couple of reasons. The Jewish people used it to instruct engaged and married couples. It is a song about one man and one woman in love. In today’s world, they are a good example of being set apart for one another. In a world where anything goes, we see protection of one’s heart, we hear admonitions not to stir love before its time and there is a call to fidelity, integrity, and a long-term relationship. It is perfect for teenagers to discuss – better in your living room than in their classroom or on the streets.

Contrast that with songs from today. My favorite cringy one says, “Girl, I feel some kinda way.” That one just cracks me up. Shakespeare is probably rolling in his grave! No explanation of what kind of way or beautiful descriptions we typically see in older songs. I checked out the top Billboard list for last year and was shocked at how much things have changed. There are a few worth listening to, but the rest were soft porn at best, and most of the lyrics were just repeated words. Some of these newer record labels are going for “likes” instead of quality. Instead of being dedicated, faithful and true, love is often seen as tawdry or only for one’s personal satisfaction rather than giving sacrificially to one’s beloved spouse. My parents were married for over 50 years and showed me their example of love in so many different seasons. It matured and blossomed over time. This book is an “over time” example.

Over Solomons life, there wasn’t that continuity personally. As the Bible project mentions, Solomon is an odd candidate to be talking about the Song of all songs. Sometimes bad examples teach us more than good ones.  Solomon had multiple wives, concubines and was not the most faithful of guys. Perhaps that is why he has his name included.

Maybe the “wisdom” of this book is that being a “player” is not wise, not honorable and does not produce the kind of love that God blesses. Multiple loves water down love and breaks hearts. “Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” is a forewarning in this book. That’s a good word to hear! The consequences of people who are not true to their spouse or “play the field” should make us wise in our relationships but sadly it often doesn’t. Sexual encounters, with no covenant, do not produce happiness in the long run. The people I have met that have experienced these situations share that is a very lonely place and not worth it. The fall out hurts people exponentially. 

 Romance novels share the thrill of a new adventure but forget to include the broken homes and children. Truth in advertising writing would include babies with colic, cars without gas and huge alimony payments. They probably wouldn’t sell, as the “fantasy world” people look for would certainly be dashed by the second chapter. We need to understand Gods’ design for love and marriage. Intimacy Gods’ way is incredible, holy, blessed. Seeking Gods’ design for romance is a wise thing to seek.

Long term success in love starts slow, guards, protects and grows naturally, then matures into love that is not self-seeking but selfless. We are given a picture of what true romance can look like in this book. Imagine pulling apart the petals of a rose. Eventually it will kill it. You can’t force a flower to blossom before its time or it will be destroyed. Wisdom is being faithful, patient, and true. What a wonderful picture of love but also of Gods’ love for us, His Bride.  We begin to see that God’s Banner of love flies over us. He is for us, not against us. We are His and He is ours – we are on the same team. We can identify with being drawn by love and captured by the One who died to show us His love.

This month, we’ve been listening to songs like, “Draw me, Draw me Lord and I will run after You”, and “Draw me close to You, never let me go”. While reading this book, we asked God to come nearer, to stir our hearts. We prayed we would not go after “lesser loves.”

After seeing an engaged couple and a brand new couple this week, I was inspired. They looked at each other and it was like sparklers on the Fourth of July. Their eyes danced and they were so observant of each other’s facial expressions. They gushed with words of affirmation. It was beautiful to behold. They, and this book remind me that our love for Jesus must be current, fresh, selfless, and whole. No wonder the Jews read it annually and with their kids. Those tepid in heart, or lukewarm in spirit, will be convicted when reading Song of Songs. Love  must be renewed, refreshed and continual for it to go on. That’s with our spouses and with God!

We were having devotions on morning while I was studying this book and my husband read these verses from the book of Jude that seemed fitting:

¹⁷ But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. ¹⁸ They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly (sensual) desires.” ¹⁹ These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. ²⁰ But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

You may “feel some kinda way” tonight but why not take a few minutes and tell God specifically what way, when and why? Why not describe to Him your love and ask Him to describe His love to you? Sit and soak with songs like” The Steadfast Love of the Lord” or “I love You Lord.” Let Him look deeply into your soul and sing songs of love over you. His desire is to bless you – to love you.  Let Him look for you and find you. The One in the Garden after the Resurrection is the same One that invites you closer right now. Your Beloved is waiting…  earnestly, eagerly search for Him. Not even death could stop His love for you. Let nothing stop your love for Him. He’s waiting….

RenaeRoche2024

 

 

Proverbs

Oh, the Adventures of the Roche family! No one ever told me that teaching your son to drive meant that you would one day, put your life in his hands. Or that he would make decisions quickly that you have absolutely no control over at all. He’s actually becoming a good driver but the urge to scream when people get close to my “baby” is intense. When he went to take the driver’s test, I was a nervous wreck. He aced it and then we had to discuss the wisdom of keeping that news quiet –until after he left the building where other teens (and nervous parents) were fretting and awaiting exam scores.  O.K. truthfully, I wanted to jump and shout with glee, but others were crying, so Jackson grabbed my arm and said, “Lets go mom, no one needs to hear this.” 

Rules, guidelines, precepts – this book doesn’t exactly seem like sweet devotional material because it is challenging as it rebukes, exhorts and corrects. “As a dog returns to its vomit” isn’t something you want to read while say, eating breakfast, right?  We had to savor one Proverb at a time some days as the whole book is packed with things that make you go “hmm?”

Jordan Raynor, in his article “How to get constructive and sanctifying feedback from others (The Word before Work series)[1] lays out how to practically apply Proverbs. It came the day I started to write the blog which fascinated me because I was studying Proverbs 27:5-6 at the time which says, “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” The Proverbs weren’t meant to confuse us but to apply to our real-life situations. Raynor’s practical application of this Proverb is not only spot on but would be amazing if families, the whole nation could read it and apply it during this hot and contentious political season.

We’re teaching our kids to spot traps, snares and problems before they happen. As they turn into teenagers and adults the lessons fade as natural consequences come to bear. I wish I could prevent them from all problems, but I can’t. Truthfully, I can’t even do that for myself. One glance at Facebook or the News will show us that many common people and leaders in our land have not learned from the Proverbs how to navigate the daily or to avoid landmines.

Speaking of Landmines—I was in one once. We missed a sign and got there by mistake. The driver later became very skilled at avoiding landmines maybe because of this near miss with death. It was a very scary night that I will not soon forget. Here is what I learned from that episode. Many were asleep and missed the sign. Those new to the area did not have prior experience there. Wise counsel can really make a difference in moments like those. We don’t know what we don’t know, right?  Proverbs 15:22 states, without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” We’ve been talking about this at our house. I remember hearing stories from Billy Grahams friends when I was in seminary. When he would travel, he would take 2-3 of his friends with him for his safety, for accountability and also to calm the heart of his precious wife Ruth. It cost him personally but not as much as a scandal would have cost. It cost the ministry, but it provided safeguard and trust for future trips. What may have looked like “legalism” to others actually provided great freedom for him. I would add years of successful ministry without scandal as well.

Slowing our hearts, calming our lives down and listening prevents many errors. Taking a beat, unplugging, pausing, unwinding yields sounds and rhythms we would otherwise miss. If the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God that means we not only revere and believe in God but that we consider and seek His voice, His guidance. Continually. 

I want myself and my kids to be wise. Not book wise or streetwise, although those things certainly can help. I want our family to be in Covenant with God, peace with God and obedient to God. The Bible and this book of Proverbs is intended to show us where the “landmines” are and what to avoid in order to stay safe and holy. When we get going at electric speed and busy in our schedules, we not only miss important signs, but we tend to forget Gods precepts. They are designed to protect and guide us.

 

Who is wise among you? The ones who follow after Gods heart and word.

 

In Proverbs the father is seen in the first part of the book and the mother is seen in the last part of the book as virtuous examples and loving guides. They bookmark these wise words and give a promise for those who yield to wise advice. More than just listening to homespun riddles, Proverbs teaches us Gods WILL. We also see the fruitfulness and wisdom as displayed in King Solomons early life. The other hero in this book? An ant. A very wise ant who teaches us college level wisdom. I really like that part.

You may be familiar with pithy statements like “,Oh, what a web we weave when first we practice to deceive” or “A clean house is a godly house”. Some of these sayings are helpful but not biblical. They are meant to teach young people to live straight, and they work. It seems kids that have parents that drill these into their training, get the message. The non-biblical ones however can produce frustration and condemnation. For example, God would rather your house be holy than dust free, right? You can drag a horse to water but you can’t make him drink”. These are true, but there might be higher priorities in any moment. Doing things “right” or “perfect” or even “safe” may be in opposition to what the Holy Spirit is doing in that moment. Legalism and spiritual practices must be held in the balance of Freedom and the Gods’ wisdom applied may be very different than what we think or believe.  I think it takes a lifetime to learn these things. It surely takes a listening ear and fresh obedience.

My oldest son was sharing one morning that we had told him to “look both ways” when crossing the street. When he left school that afternoon, he was walking with a friend that darted across the road. Instead of looking both ways, he sped off behind his good friend -without looking both ways for himself. He ignored the wisdom of his parents because he was watching his fast friend. He reasoned, if his friend could do it, then he could do it and his parents probably were not fully understanding their youthful agility. Maybe his parents couldn’t run fast so their advice was outdated. So, he ran across the street, sprinting behind his  buddy Duke. They were older now. It was time to go to new places. What he forgot in the equation is that he had a big backpack on and although his friend sprinted across and he made it across, his backpack unfortunately did not and was hit by a cars rear view mirror as he crossed the street.

Such a little, inconsequential lesson had a big consequence. The driver did not stop to check on his injured jay-runner, instead he honked and yelled at him. It could have been worse, it could have been deadly. Although the lesson was clear, when he saw someone else do it without a problem, he went for it and almost got killed. He is wiser for that experience and now sees the value in “life lessons” from  parents and other adults. I remember many things my folks said that I didn’t get until I had teenagers. I’m glad for Gods’ grace, so very glad.

Proverbs guide us. Proverbs protect us. Proverbs instruct us for our bodies, our hearts, our families.

This blog is not political but if you read the last section around 24 to 31 there are so many rich, life-giving lessons that could literally turn our nation around. I fear the public discourse has gotten so putrid and so out of hand that all sense of morality and justice has been lost. Leaders mocking leaders, men mocking women, women disparaging men, it’s a tangled mess. It does not seem like anyone remembers the Biblical precepts or promises from this precious book. Consider Prov.26:27 that says, “Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.” Guaranteed. 

I’ve decided to not engage in the mudslinging or even well intentioned debates that don’t produce anything but division.  I delete Facebook posts that are demeaning to men and women. I’m not laughing at any party that is not edifying. Memes of violence, hatred and murder – I’m not crossing that street because I know the outcome for me will not end well. Others may run with the story, but I’d rather steer clear of the landmines. I know the consequences for that and I have work to do. I am choosing to use words that aren’t found in bathroom stalls. I want to live in the Fear of God and choose Gods’ wisdom over any political – or religious parties controversies. Herd mentality anywhere takes our eyes off the One we are to follow. I think repentance is the only way out of the pit we have dug for ourselves as a nation.

That’s just my take on Proverbs. Please text, email or share your thoughts. “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” Proverbs 27:17

RenaeRoche2024

[1] Raynor, Jordan. Author of multiple books, a podcast and the series The Word Before Work.

 

Psalms

There is a lot of talk these days about being stressed, sad or overwhelmed. There is another crowd who claims to be “blessed” no matter what is going on in the world around them. It can seem artificial at times when you know they are going through just as many problems as you are going through. So, what is true? The Pixar movie Inside Out (which I love) lets us know that all emotions are necessary throughout our lives and basically if we suppress them, they will pop out in other ways. Your issues become your tissues is the phrase I have heard recently regarding one’s emotions and stifling them. In this book we will see the full range of human emotions. Can we be blessed even if we do not feel happy in the moment? 

Whenever I read the first few Psalms, I am reminded to dig deeper into Gods ways and His heart and if I do, I am promised many things such as being a well- watered tree that brings forth fruit in due season (Ps.1). Then there are the Psalms of going to the House of God – always inspiring. When I am feeling discouraged or lonely I enjoy the songs of Lament. When I have been in a war zone physically or spiritually. I like to read the warfare Psalms. Psalms of restoration, repentance, and renewal – all of them can be applied to our daily lives.

But what about this quest for being blessed or happy? Are there levels of that? I heard a joke recently on the radio that asked, “what is the difference between a pizza  and God?” “You can top a pizza but you can’t top God”.  Did you know that McDonalds Happy meal came out in 1977? The origin of it is “complicated” according to their history but they say the first was in the shape of a circus wagon with toys, a drink, fries, and a hamburger. You could buy happiness – either in the form of food or a toy. Those who bought it were happy and those who did not were, I guess, supposed to be sad. For the first time we equated being happy with buying a product or ingesting food. This is the start of rewarding with calories. I do not know if the buyers were as happy when they checked their cholesterol as adults!

Well, last week my teenagers told me about Wendys coming out with their Biggie Bag. It came with no promise of happiness. This week the $5 meal deal came back to McDonalds. In a tough economic slump, it was a spot of joy – until Wendys TOPPED it. They went above and beyond and added, a drink or a FROSTY!!! That’s like a Happy Meal on steroids. A frosty? Serious, not just an extra French fry or lukewarm pie but actual ice cream. They should call it the Happier Meal. Lol. They somehow tapped into our real desire for a happy lunch! It is not just that we want a cheaper meal, we want something of value that costs something, right? We were now blessed beyond measure. It was bigger than we could have imagined.  We did not deserve it but we were blessed – with a bonus. Extra, above and beyond what was expected. The Psalmist David shares with his readers how “extra,” “above and beyond” God was to him. He describes many wonders in the Heavens and great deeds but also lets us know that God was the one who could clean his filthy heart. David tells us in the Psalms that God not only cleaned his heart but exchanged it for a pure one. We are not sure how He does all this, but we are forever grateful that He does. No wonder David praised Him! Over the top Joy comes from this over the top God.

The Biblical view of happiness is rooted in Gods benevolent care of us. In Psalm 144 we read, “happy is the man whose God is the Lord.
Happy is that people, who is in such a case: yes, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD. Blessed and happy are similar concepts in the Old Testament. The Hebrew word for happy/blessed is eser. It means to be happy and blessed. The conditions to be happy and blessed come after the author states we are to follow after God and get to know Him. We get to be happy not because we buy a Happy Meal (or Biggie Bag with Frosty) or  get good grades or do remarkable things. We are happy in Jesus because we have surrendered to God the Lord. He cares for us as a Shepherd and provider. We have chosen to be obedient to this good Gods’ ways. It is more than an emotion; it is a state of yielding that yields rewards – Frosty size.

If I renamed the book of Psalms, I would call it the book of Emotions because it literally covers all of them. It is the true pouring out of one’s soul to a God who longs to hear and answer our hearts pleas. It demonstrates that the God we pray to understands our emotions, feelings, anxieties, and joys. Whether we sing, play, or verbally express what is going on, it delights the Lord.

Exercise: If you hum or sing a song in the morning and repeat it in a few different places, by the end of the night you will hear this song back either in your house or the restaurant or the grocery store. How do I know this? I have tested it several times. It is amazing. Please test it out and share the results with me. Pick a basic song like God is good or Sweet Hour of prayer and see how far the song travels. Psalms, hymns, and songs of praise not only impact us in our spirits and souls, but they reach others.

We were getting rid of clutter from our house recently. It was a hot summer day, and I was weary. The dust affected my eyes, the heavy boxes made my back sore, and I was just in a sour mood. One of my sons’ friends came by to help us in our dilemma. He is a great guy and his support encouraged us but then, oh in that moment as we were walking down the stairs to go to our van, he started to hum, then began to sing the Words, “He’s worthy, the Lord is worthy…” I do not remember all the words and I do not know if I have ever heard that specific song but guess what? My eyes were lifted to the King instead of my frustration. My heart was lifted to the One who is worthy rather than my pain. The atmosphere changed, we changed. He pointed us back to where our hearts remember there is a loving God in control of all our situations and life paused and God came near. It was not a whole song; it was just a tiny portion of a song while he was walking down some stairs, that gave glory to Jesus. Ooo, there is a worshipper in the house, someone who knows they can call on God. Someone who remembers He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Someone who remembers they are a child of the King. It was only a few words, just a few bars of music and my spirit stood at attention and my heart leaped with joy when I was brought nearer to my Lord. Psalms refresh us, they remind us, they cause us to remember what the world muffles and distracts us to forget. A two second utterance of praise to God, in a brief moment stirred my spirit and yielded more praise.

We read Psalms this month and studied them in four sections:

Week 1- Psalm 1-35

Week 2: Psalm 36-71

Week 3: Psalm 72- 110

Week Four: Psalm 111-150

You can go systematically through the Psalms until you land on Psalm 150 where David (in a crescendo and on a macro level) encourages everyone to play every type of music with every type of instrument all day long. He uses several imperatives to tell us, “You must praise Him now.” He tells us to praise God in the sanctuary and in the heavens. We are to praise Him for His great acts of power and surpassing greatness. We are to praise Him with dancing, cymbals, and joy. We hear the invitation to come praise God throughout the Psalms but here, with the most intense verbs possible, we are told it is an imperative command to praise Him with every form, every dance, every instrument for ALL that God has done. If we do not see what He has done, we cannot praise Him for it. If we do not pause to remember or acknowledge these great deeds, they will go unnoticed and not proclaimed. It is not just the weak or great that are to praise Him, it is everything and everybody that has breath. Breath is the most foundational and basic element that we can thank God for giving us. If you doubt that hold your breath for a few minutes and see what life is like without it. ALL of Gods’ creation is given orders to praise HIM with everything possible.

You can also study the Psalms at a micro level – pick one word such as Zara (zawraw in Hebrew). It is a tiny little word in Psalm 139:3. It means to winnow, scatter and search. In English it is compass – “Thou compassest my path…” in verse three it means to scatter. It expresses intensive or causative action. Perhaps God is sifting the content of our path or perhaps He scattered good seed that will spring up when we get to that point in our path, but it lets us know that He is actively concerned about our paths. His loving kindness covers us and our paths! That is involvement and care. I praise Him that He knows exactly where we are and where we are headed. Even my path matters to God.

At times we need to move our feet and hands to remind our minds and bodies that God is worthy of praise. At other times the beat, the words of music carry us back to the throne where we remember our God is in control. Whether we “bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is within  me” or “praise the Lord in His sanctuary” because it is the time of worship we are standing in covenant with God, proclaiming His goodness to ourselves, our friends and the world that God alone is Lord.

I hope you enjoy this book with your toes, your elbows, your musical sense, your instruments, your dance, all your emotions and every breath you take from here on. May you remind yourself and others of His goodness. May you remember His love and mercy. May you experience His grace.

Singing Hallelujah with you,

RenaeRoche2024

 

     

The Book of Esther 

 

“I cannot defend myself.”  “I have no way to protect myself.” “I’m unarmed and vulnerable.”

These words may sound familiar as we have heard them on the news recently, but they were the cries of Mordecai and Esther and their people when the edict was given to kill all Jews. It wasn’t just a news clip – it was their actual lives at stake. When governments block people or there is a perception that the law of the land is not just, people cower and courage sinks. This week, we have seen pictures splashed over the nightly news of politicians, students and even police officers – helpless, vulnerable, and shaken. That takes a toll on our collective psyche. In the middle of all of this I noticed the similarities to this very story and how many years later the animosity still lives. While I would like to address these issues, that is not the purpose of the blog so I will move on, but I recommend this becomes part of the discussion as you delve into the fascinating book of Esther.

It seems like a very violent and retaliatory book. It seems callous  to our Western world mindset. That is probably because our lives are not daily threatened. It  is hard to relate when we sit in our comfortable, safe homes and our military fights for us. The reality came closer as we watched North Carolina police officers shot in the line of duty this week. We hope and pray that “good guys” win but it does not always work out that way.  Not all of the world is at peace. I read a quote today from Golda Meir that said, “You cannot negotiate peace with someone who has come to kill you.” Now more than ever, we are stepping into the realm of possibility for how Esther and Mordecai may have felt. Without divine interruption or a “God-cident” they were destined to die.

While studying for the blog, I paused to pray, and the song Graves into Gardens came on the radio. It is very appropriate for this story! God takes the impossible and creates miracles. He responds to prayer; He answers fasting and intercession. Our heroes risk their lives, our heroines risk their lives. Not just in the movies but daily in our neighborhoods and states. Surely, our just due or part would be at the very least intercessory prayer.

Jewish Mordecai and Jewish Hadassah lived in Susa, the capital of Shushan. They for all accounts were peaceful people, minding their own business. An evil man, remembered for his inflated ego, named Haman decided to try to make them bow to him, to honor him and when they did not (because God was higher), he not only plotted their demise (hanging on the gallows) but made plans to annihilate their entire people group. Not just bad guys, or criminals but moms, dads, teens, and babies. His power grab was so intentional, and he was so thirsty for revenge he was going to wipe out an entire group of people – because they were Jewish. The hatred ran deep, and scholars tell us it was because the feud started years prior. It was an ancient feud between Saul and Agag, the Amalekite King. Samuel 15 displays the disobedience that was the seed for this story. Tribes, gangs, political parties, church or family feuds – there’s good instructions in these verses.

Instead of reconciliation, people took sides. Instead of forgiveness, healing and talking, people slandered, assumed, gathered enemies and the thing grew. We can imagine this large scale because of the Holocaust. What I cannot understand is that many have forgotten that dark part of history. Some have even denied it happened. Annually the Jews celebrate Purim – a remembrance and celebration of the events of Esthers life and yet people across our nation today have forgotten it. Jewish history is Gods’ history and Jesus’ history as well. Throughout Esther, we will hear that the “fear of Mordecai” was on them. What that meant was the people found out that behind Mordecai was a strong and powerful God who defended him. He could not defend himself – but his God, could and did! Seasons change, leaders may change but God does not.

There is no way possible to skirt around the stories then or the stories now. To remember (zakar) in Hebrew is to recollect and repeat something in order to prevent it from happening again.  IF that had been done with the book of Esther, perhaps the first Holocaust would have been prevented. It’s a book about a princess, hardly theology some may argue. IF we read the truths of the Holocaust and understood the stories it would have given insight to the current crisis in the middle east. The Bible is not just a religious book – it is also a history book and war manual. One that has worked through the ages. One that is filled with wisdom.

I’ll leave the current event debates up to the media, but as for the book of Esther – God saw, God heard, and God moved. You cannot read this book without acknowledging the God of unusual circumstances and providence. It was not serendipitous- it was God ordained. Some have even said the name of Yahweh is spelled out in the first letters of the Hebrew text. I am not sure if that was intentional or not, but I do know that you can’t read this intense book without seeing a great and mighty God through its entirety- He is everywhere for anyone truly looking for Him. “GOD – cidences” can be seen on every page.

I studied providence and sovereignty while studying this book and found that there are few mentions of either word, in the entire Bible. Yet, no one can deny that something was taking place in this that is, well, not human. What does that mean for us today, now? It means our times are in His hands. It means we were not left up to some cosmic soup to figure us out. It means He has a purpose and a plan– even when we cannot see it clearly.

Those who cannot defend themselves – should be allowed to, whether that is in regard to their lives or their defense. Innocent and fragile people should be protected from death and those who are aware of it should speak up. There seems to be some common threads in this story with today’s headlines. We can pray for the fear of God to saturate our country. We can fast and ask God to heal our nation and its leaders for three days. We know what to do and why. The only question is, WILL WE? Tomorrow is the day of prayer across the nation, and it is symbolic and powerful but what will move the hand of God like Esther did, is

 

pure obedience and seeking Gods’ face for its’  salvation. Now is the time.

 

What will history record of you, of me, our actions? Will we be remembered like Saul, living in partial obedience, or will we be fully committed and ready?

True, we can hide our heads in the sands and pretend we do not hear or understand. We can brush it off and some other person will step up. But surely, God will bring deliverance for His people. But, just maybe we have been born for such a time as this. Maybe speaking up for those who are silent is good. Maybe speaking up for those who are persecuted will also bring us salvation.

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
Esther 4:14

Instead of keeping this book as a historical book or memory– how does it impact your life? Do you have influence? Do you have a position? Do you have a title, or reach, or wealth? Ask God to use you for His glory and kingdom purpose now. You, along with others, can be greatly used. While God is not specifically mentioned, we all fully understood what is meant when Esther prayed for three days.

That stirring in your heart, that burning in your chest, that heavy hand on your shoulder? That is the Lord prompting you to do what you were born to do in this hour, at this time for HIM. 

Stepping forward with you,

Renae Roche 2024

 

First Chronicles is placed in our Bibles in the Old Testament after the books of First and Second Kings but in the Jewish Bible it is at the end of the Old Testament and serves as a summary. It lets us know what was most important to God: The People Groups, The Palace, and the Place of God’s presence. If you are looking for detailed information on authorship, date, setting, etc., a good book to read is the Handbook on the Historical Books written by Victor Hamilton. It is helpful to understand the structure and themes.

David’s public and private sins both had consequences. Here we see the contrast in how they were handled. See chapters 20 and 21.  While moral failings and their effects are tough to watch, we would do well to understand them. In seminary, one of my Pastoral Ministry classes was with Dr. Ken Swetland. We studied his book, The Hidden World of the Pastor. It was a case study on pastors who fell in various areas. It seemed very doom and gloom in the moment to a young student, and at the time it did not seem relevant, but over the years it has helped me navigate through some tough ministry appointments and counseling sessions with congregants. It also served as a warning for how people got into some of those traps in the first place. Forewarned is forearmed. Education doesn’t just teach us about God and theology but how to avoid mistakes others have made. Studying Biblical narratives is time well spent. My professor in Bible college, Dr. Don Meyers, used to tell us, “You never waste time sharpening your sickle.” If we understand these passages and apply them to real world situations, we will gain not only victory but spare ourselves much time and wasted pain.

I’ve thought a lot about the life of David this past month. I wonder how things would have been different if CNN or Fox News had covered his life. The public always seems to be blood thirsty to see printed stories of shame and fallen heroes. We forget that David, the predecessor of Jesus as King, the intimate worship leader and strong battle soldier, was still used and useful to God. In fact, much of his ministry happened after his greatest sins. That feels wrong somehow and cuts to the core of our sense of justice. One could argue grace is not cheap and David should have been benched, but Jesus literally died so grace could be effective. If his blood cannot cleanse the vilest sinner then his blood cannot make the likes of you and me clean. Oops, let’s slow the roll of punishment. We must be circumspect when judging others or we will train ourselves to not believe we too are in need of His grace. When we jump on the bandwagon of righteous posturing, “I just sensed something was off” and other such grandstanding in regard to other’s backsliding, we easily forget that without a Savior for our sins, we too would be in the proverbial pit of a sinner’s hell. The fallen one, David would one day make way for the King of Kings. Others may know your past but they do not know Gods decision about your future. Move Forward.  Keep Moving. Move Forward. 

David was contrite and repentant, and God saw his heart. When  others pressed delete or pause, God was getting ready to hit play. He paused to repent (essential) but he kept moving forward. Without that cleansed heart things –would have stopped. God does not throw His investments away.  We wonder, how did David go from intimate prayer warrior and worshipper to adultery and murder? Even the elect can be deceived, Matthew 24 tells us. Even the most trained, can fall into temptation. Maybe a better question, instead of being a voyeur into others lives would be, “Lord, how can I stay pure? ” How can I stay close to You?” or “Lord, Lead us not into temptation.” These very real kings and leaders are not much different than we are today. Reading this narrative can give us insight into what God values and what matters most to Him. A clean, contrite, repentant heart weighs more than a distant religious spirit. God was building David, even in the darkest days. God was building David even when he was not walking in Gods’ ways. God is not random* and God is infinitely postured  to right a life or make a course correction for His kids.  Only those who know grace, have received grace, truly believe that.

There are many “mantras” people have picked up for the New Year. Mine is,

“Jesus, may I know and desire You more in 2024.”

I’m asking for God to make me more thirsty, more hungry, this next year. Physically, I plan to drink more water and eat healthier. It’s a struggle to get that process working for hydration, vegetables, etc. The appetite has to be first stirred.  Spiritually it is similar. We can’t fill an appetite we have not first fostered. If we are satiated with junk food, trivial matters, and other things, we may never desire what is choice, supreme. What if we started crying out for more thirst, more spiritual hunger, more capacity to be filled with the living, the holy God? What if we prayed for our homes, the block we live on, the church, the city?

This month I just want to share a couple highlights that stirred us, from our study of 1 Chronicles:

 

1 Chronicles 12:32  tells us, “And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do”. Those who follow hard after God will hear the joyful noise, the alert, alarm, military call, and Psalm 89:15 tells us that those who know it will walk before the face of God. Those of you praying for the Middle East will appreciate this. Intercessors and those who keep their nose in the Bible and ear tuned to the Spirit remind me of this verse. Do we want to be in tune with God’s plans? Will we be able to hear the Lord’s voice and alert or are we saturated with the sounds of the city, the television, or our cell phones? 

1 Chronicles 13

In this chapter David is seen to be very wise. He consults with the leaders, which suggests collaboration, listening to their ideas and sharing his. It was mutual and reciprocal. Consult here means to exchange wisdom, to deliberate and share counsel with one another and the text tells us that he did that with captains and leaders over large groups (thousands) and small groups (hundreds). He listened and he talked. He also gathered people together, he assembled them together. God deposits in each person different gifts and strengths and without hearing the collective group we cannot glean that information. The third wise thing David did was to inquire of the Lord. He wanted Gods’ heart and wisdom. He met with leaders, he gathered the regular people and he inquired of the Lord. That’s smart leadership.

David then shares a psalm (1 Chronicles 16) with the people. I’ve translated it so you can hear what it reads like in the Hebrew. It sounds Southern to my ears because of the plural you:

You all must cause yourselves to
Give thanks

Y’all must
cause yourselves to
Call upon His name

Y’all must
cause yourselves to
Make known His deeds among the people

Y’all must sing
Y’all must really sing loudly–sing the psalms!!!!!
Y’all must talk about all His wonderous works! 

This great leader is admonishing them, encouraging, and exhorting them to stir themselves up to give thanks, call on God’s name and make God’s deeds known. There are some timid folks who get wiggy if someone praises. They are supposed pride busters and arrogance checkers. Ignore them. God’s word and here King David, is teaching us about warfare and living in God’s light. God is sovereign and all things come from Him, but we also have a part and it’s to PRAISE Him, to make known His deeds among the people. We cannot do that by sitting under the stairs silently. David tells us to sing and to sing LOUDLY, to tell of ALL of His wonderous works. This was part of his strength. Get your testimony of how you came to Christ written out. Prepare praise reports and share them with whoever will listen. Sing melodies in the elevator, in the mall and in the streets. Talk about All of Gods wondrous works and then loudly sing praises.

This summary book is filled with wisdom from God in the lives of His people and especially His chosen Shepherd boy and His chosen son, then King who would build the Temple. We can gain wisdom by reading it. I do not believe that these were mere religious words or things to do in church. His admonition to praise was part of his “secret to success” and battle plan. In battle- he kept praising, in tough places, he kept praising, in conflict- he kept praising. After deep, devastating, career blowing sin – he kept praising. Not because he was righteous but because he knew One who is.  Not because he was worthy but he worshipped one worthy of all worship. Whether you have been successful last year or if you have major blown it, keep praising. God sees the long– term trajectory of your life and what HE needs for the Kingdom, season after season. Keep praising, keep following, keep believing.

If you have no pithy saying or mantra for 2024 – you can borrow mine. Jesus, we want to  know and desire YOU more in 2024. More wisdom, more grace, more singing, praising, proclaiming and ALL that you have for us.

Seeking with you,

Rev. Dr. Renae Roche 2024

Jesus, we want to  know and desire YOU more in 2024.

 

 

 

 

*Thanks to Ruth Hall for her devotion–“God is not random”. Thanks to Editor Virginia Bridges. 

 

 

While reading the commentaries for this book I realized that my hubby Joseph had been teaching the same message over this last year, which is “God is on the throne, and we must surrender to HIS will.” What is God’s agenda and how are we to follow it? We need to do God’s will and work rather than just any ol’ good works, so it glorifies the King. It’s become a mantra at our house.

After weeks of watching the news and the Republicans quest for leadership, we all got to watch this month as a new Speaker of the House was chosen – Congressman Mike Johnson. I was surprised when he told the world that he was a Christian and then asked for God’s wisdom. That takes much bravery and courage, and it was refreshing to see someone give glory to God. His track record suggests that he is a just and fair leader. It reminded me of the book of 1 Kings. Could God bless a nation once again that surrendered to His Lordship? Would that service look like a surrender to God or would it, like in times past, just be an excuse to polarize people and attach God’s name to whatever viewpoint or agenda someone had in that moment? Leaders now, like in 1 Kings, can sometimes get an idea and then demand that God bless, anoint, and put His seal of approval on it with little gratefulness or continued seeking for His will.  

Jesus gives us the best picture when He surrenders to God and then simply states, “Follow me.” That phrase is not meant to say run alongside or surpass but to walk lock-step behind. This is only possible with the help of the Holy Spirit. Accompany means to go along with the One leading the way. It is rare in our society and sadly, even more rare in the church. Unity comes when hearts are postured to obey Christ and pursue Kingdom goals. When the King is given first place, the rest of the company gets in order quickly.

Huang Sabin in his commentary on 1 Kings, tells us:

Most of us live in countries that are republics. To us, the throne has very little meaning. Some of us live in countries where there is still a king or queen. But they possess very little real power or authority. We have no idea how a real kingdom should be ruled. But God is King of His Kingdom. The Church is not a democracy. It never was, it never has been, and it never will be. Many Christians have relegated God to a symbolic headship. We do what we want. Oh yes, sometimes we get His approval for our plans. But we do not wait for His instructions to carry out His plans. The books of 1 and 2 Kings focus on the throne of Israel. But this throne had a unique feature – God promised that He would preserve that throne ONLY if the one sitting on it realized that there was another higher throne above it. That higher throne belongs to the King of kings and the Lord of lords.  [1]

In spite of our numerous opinions and belief systems, God is still KING and still enthroned. He is sovereign and He IS Lord.

I greatly appreciate Bill Bright’s visual on letting Jesus rule from the throne of one’s heart. He (in his writings and leadership) would show a picture of a chair and ask, “who is on the throne of your heart?” Who leads your life most – your family, friends, enemies? The opinions of others? When Jesus is the authority on the throne of our hearts, life can be peaceful. When we cater to others’ ideas and opinions our lives run amuck. First Kings is a good reminder of this. The various Kings allowed wives, friends, and others to dictate how they led. Idolatry and adultery greatly impacted their lives. Are we any different today? Holiness is not just a good idea – it’s essential for carrying out God’s orders. We look at the culture, the government, and even the church and can see that lives led by so many “voices” have left us shipwrecked and stuck in the sand.

The contrast between these Kings and the two wild prophets also mentioned in 1 Kings is great. The King of Heavens two princes, Elijah and Elisha had one mission – follow God and lead His people. They were not self-appointed; they had no crown or palace, but they were appointed by God and in a mirky mix of Kings– they followed THE King.

Two things that caught my attention this month: the Judean Kings were required to say who their mothers were when accepting their title. This intrigues me. Mothers who were not idolatrous or adulterous were important. I also ask champions I meet (athletes, preachers, etc.) what they fed their kid for breakfast and how did they do devotional times. I’ve learned a lot from these answers.

The other thing that caught my attention was the wording “princess Jezebel.” I love princesses and royalty and every little girl grows up at some point wearing a tiara and twirling around. But this was no Disney princess. She was a domineering tyrant. Her character was one to not emulate, not a leader to follow. She was petty, paranoid, and cruel.  I was thrilled to hear recently that pop princess Taylor Swift showed a servant’s heart when she cleaned up the Chief’s viewing box when she visited Kansas City. She was picking up soda cans and serving the Kelce family. We all know real princesses are ambassadors but also servants. We live through them and pretend somehow they are different than us at our core. Jezebel was the opposite of a real princess and negatively impacted an entire nation. Her spirit lives on in women (and men) who covet, envy, gossip, hate, and act wickedly today. The Prince of Peace gave us the best example – a combination of God surrendered leadership and a servants heart.

The prophets were intimidated by Jezebel and Ahab — but they kept going.

The prophets did not get their marching orders from people– but from God. Jezebel (and those like her) do not get their marching orders from God. They do the things that feel good or tickle their fancy. They manufacture things from their own will or spirit. Jezebel did not have the mind of God and her jealousy, hatred, and ambition forced her, compelled her to do things opposite of God’s will and God’s heart. She not only envied Naboth, but her envy turned into murder. These are not small things. Wicked thoughts, words, and actions are not neutral — they grow, they supplant, they take over. Instead of worship, they plotted. Instead of praise, they slandered. They spread their opinions instead of God’s truth. But this is not Jezebel’s problem – it is our problem — if we do not go to God in prayer.

If we do not continue in prayer.

 If we do not repent for harbored thoughts, words, and actions. Throughout the years I’ve studied this book and it’s been interesting to me the numbers of people that apply these characters flaws on others, but rarely themselves. I’ve cried many tears over the women falsely characterized by them for merely trying to step out in ministry. Surely those character assassinations grieve God’s heart. We should be asking, “how am I like or unlike these Biblical examples?”

Personal altars in devotion daily, family altars of devotion weekly, church altars — are not for counting heads or giving bucky beavers badges for stepping forward. It can’t replace real repentance. God’s not looking for a roll call, He’s looking for surrendered hearts. Altars are intended to deeply invoke repentance, calls for renewal, exhortations for change and growth.

RESTORE THE ALTARS – personal, family, church, nation.

We see fiery Elijah and Elisha and they seem like crazy, wooly old men fighting for God in the midst of a royal mess. They are not “normal” church folk. Show me where normal is even a thing in the Bible. Next, we see Jesus, turning over tables, crying out on God’s behalf to restore the temple and prayer. He never was “normal” church folk.  Where are we in this picture? IF God is restored to His proper place, it looks like we have cleared our hearts, adjusted our spiritual posture, and renewed our minds to let the King come and sit upon our lives as Lord. There’s nothing normal about that. If normal means “tepid, lukewarm, apathetic” then we should choose anything but that. We must be prophetic worshippers and pray-ers who know that God is up to a challenge, up to defending His own name and showing Himself to the people that He is a not only powerful but LORD.

              If we want God to be restored to our family, we need to clean out our homes, physically but also spiritually. I have a friend who went to her house, took down the T.V. and smashed it in front of her children, declaring that their house needed to be dedicated to Christ. Radical? Perhaps but her children are honoring God now. Throwing out anything that hinders is an act of contrition and worship. What if we scrubbed every app on our phone that kept us from prayer? What if our church altars were swept clean of decorations, advertising and other things and tissues, pillows, Bibles littered the room for those wanting to return to the Sovereign, holy God? [2]

Let’s not just casually rest, talking about these Kings as if we were any different. We too have listened to our spouses and friends and cultural norms and ignored Biblical wisdom and the Holy Spirit. If that were not true, our churches and government would be different. We disregard truth and allow junk in our hearts and homes. Where are the whips, the prayers, the fiery prophets? I’m not sure how the grace of God and the mercy of Jesus wraps itself around these instructions. I don’t know the exact lessons on how to confront a bad princess or horrible king, but I do understand letting Christ sit on the throne of my heart. I can measure how long it’s been since He was completely LORD in my life. I can measure how long it’s been since altar ministry was common and frequent. I can think of and miss the feel of carpet on my face at the altar and the wetness on my face from flowing tears (repentance, forgiveness, and grace).

Elisha prayed for a double anointing and received it. He got twice the miracles Elijah did. Our nation needs a godly king. The odds of you or me being that person is very slim but the possibility of being a prophetic voice – much higher.

There is no ceiling on the possibility of wanting to be a prayed-up Christian who affects the nation, however. Where did the prophets, pastors, and preachers go when Biden became president? Did their marching orders change? I think not. Should we blame then the president or those who shrunk into the caves? God is not lacking for Ravens or thirsty dogs. He is lacking for people to hear Him, submit to Him and obey.  I don’t see people stepping in line to be the next Elisha either, yet. What if this night is YOUR night of reckoning? What if this night is YOUR night to say yes to God? Would you ask, would you accept the mantle, would you speak forth?

Watch all the news you want, but then please gather some wood, some buckets of water, and remember your God. Three buckets, six buckets, nine buckets…..

 If we want more than that . . .  we first place God back in charge. We surrender to the Lordship of His son, and we invite the Holy Spirit into our hearts and lives. It doesn’t matter if you are a day or a year rusty (or more). The way back is the same – Jesus, forgive me for my absence. Forgive me for looking or listening to others instead of you. Forgive me for my sin, pride, xyz (whatever that looks like in your life). Make me whole, cleanse me, forgive me, free me, and make me useful for your Kingdom, YOUR will, Your purposes. I give you my life. Direct my steps, my will, my tongue, and be on the throne of my heart. I’m yours – glorify Yourself through me. I yield to you now. Amen.

1 Peter 2:9 tells us: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

The replacement for prophet, priest, and King is Jesus.  Elijah and Elisha are great examples. Who will be examples for this generation? Who will yield themselves  in this hour? Where are you and where is YOUR God?

Surrendering with you, RenaeRoche2023

 

[1] Huang Sabin. OT Made Simple. P. 69.

[2] Renae Roche.

2^nd Samuel is the “rest of the story”, and it is not preached as often as some other books. The stories of Nathan the prophet, Gad the Seer, and the book of Jasher were all part of the collaboration to make it possible. I’ve been around folks that don’t believe in all that “Spirit stuff” and it strikes me as odd that we see lots of spiritual things in this  Old Testament book. Prophets and seers are in Gods’ word. Back in the day we were asked how long would the Spirit dwell among men and signs and wonders be in effect. Some said spiritual manifestations ended with the apostles, some said it ceased after Pentecost. I was taught from Ephesians 4:13-15 – “until we ALL attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. If you’ve done any ministry in the church lately you will know that all unity has not taken place and all knowledge has not been dispensed, we have a ways to go. We need the Spirit, we need the offices, we need the gifts – some days more than others.  Unity in the church and the city is really important.

When you systematically study a book, you get to see the triumphs and the tragedies. We need to go through the entire book, so we learn all the lessons – not just the super-hero narratives or the victories but the suffering, pressures, etc. This book has a combination of both wins and losses.

This month, I was horrified by some of these stories and for some reason they  seemed so much more violent than I had realized.  I read numerous commentaries that talked about Davids’ dynasty and its place in history. I read about the pressure he was under and how he cracked under that pressure breaking Gods’ heart and the peoples resolve. It is a fine book of leadership. How many sermons have we heard on Davids’ mighty men? I don’t recall  however, ever hearing one about the wise woman in this book. She has challenged me.

There was one phrase that stuck in my heart and pulled me back to the text. I’ll apologize up front because this may seem like a soapbox or perhaps even a political appeal, but I promise you, it’s not– it is more of a passionate plea to step up and to obey God.

Listen to this story in 2 Samuel 22. The context is that David’s’ military leader Joab has a rebel (Sheba) and his men, cornered in the town of Abel-Beth Maacah. They have chased him inside, with his troops, and they are building a way to go in and capture him and possibly all the fortified cities inhabitants.

Then came the desperate cry of a woman in the city, “Hear, hear, say I pray you, unto Joab, come here that I may speak with you”. Wise here does not just mean smart but one who is learned, prudent, crafty, shrewd, and educated. It is also used of sailors who know how to maneuver their ships. She’s been around awhile and understands how things work. She cries out twice HEAR, HEAR. The soldiers let her speak – they made room for her to say what she had to say but first she intreated, beseeched and requested that she be heard. This was her Esther moment.

The word for city in Hebrew is “ir” (pronounced ear). This woman in the city is yelling out Shama, Shama, which is an imperative and means listen, listen or hear, hear! She is imploring them to hear her. She pleads and demands that they come near her so she can speak with them.

Her city is besieged. People will die if this continues. In order for salvation to come to the nation someone must stand up. She asks the question –”Art thou Joab”? He answered, “I am”.  David’s right hand man is on the scene.   

Then she said unto him –HEAR-  the words of thine handmaid and Joab answers, “I do hear”. He’s defensive but still listening. Then she spoke saying, “They were wont to speak in old times, saying they shall surely ask counsel at Abel; and so, they ended the matter. (In contrast) -I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel;

thou seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel;

why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?”

Hold up now- Joab, these are the good guys. He needs to slow his roll because he is about to make a big mistake and she points out to him exactly who they are dealing with. It is a crucial moment in time.

He tells her I AM LISTENING. His response is like that of a child being addressed by his mother which is very interesting. She is thwarting his military advance and does not seem to be what he was expecting.

Joab answers “far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy”.

…”then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and cast it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the King.”  Note that these relationships would have been fostered and developed before this crucial moment. Talk about courage, boldness and faith! 

Who saved the city? The wise woman and her plan. Salvation came to the city because this woman intervened. Her skills were not known but our hint is that she was a mama, which speaks volumes to me. Her physical muscles may or may not have been large, but her emotional muscles surely were in that moment. Her title was unknown and yet she interceded, negotiated, and won deliverance for the people within the city walls. That’s impressive on many levels.

Yet, she has no name, and we are never told her credentials. We read of David’s men after this story. We are told her attributes- faithful and peaceable.  We are told that she is wise. Gail Wallace from the Junia project tells us about her title, “Wise” in her article on Abel- Beth Maacah:

“Some scholars believe the “Wise Woman” title represented a civic leadership role that existed during the period of the judges and early monarchy. It appears this role was filled by women known for wise judgment, rhetorical skills, and the ability to negotiate difficult situations (see Camp, Frymer-Kensky, and Youngblood). The story of this wise woman’s approach to a critical situation (and Joab’s response) gives some clues about this wise woman tradition. The decision by English translators to change this title to “a woman who was wise” or a “wise woman” (no caps) obscures this possibility.” [1]

No name lady. If you read the entire book she really stands out. She didn’t cause the fight; she didn’t ask for the fight and yet she steps up and brings salvation to her city through her negotiation and position. It seems she is a mighty prayer woman –but the text does not tell us that. I do not know of any woman who would have the guts to step up and prevent a national disaster that is not a praying woman, just saying. Her credentials are peaceful and faithful. Good qualities –and they give her some serious credibility.  

Mighty or wise? She was pro-David, pro-Israel, and savvy in negotiation. Her appeal was not to seek the diviners or other gods but to declare her Gods character and allegiance to Him – I am peaceable and faithful. Respect. She saved her city by speaking up. She saved David’s integrity by preventing the blood guilt that would have landed on his soldiers. To Joab’s credit, he listened. Did he know about the  woman from Tekoa in chapter 14? The Bible includes these stories, and we would be wise to “hear” them as well. This wise womans’  leadership was essential to Israel. I’m not taking a woman stand or a political stand here, this is the word of God – 2 Samuel. I am saying that these stories need to be added to our repertoire and given for encouragement for both men and women.

How do these passages impact our political landscape? How will these examples inspire the way we pray or vote for our city or national leaders? Are there people using their influence, skills and prayer in our churches and cities today?

David in 2 Samuel 22 goes on to tell us that he was compassed with waves of death and that the floods of ungodly men made him afraid. What did he do? He called upon the Lord, he cried to his God and God heard his voice out of His temple and his cry entered the ears of His God. There is no greater power than to say that you have the very ear of the God who created the Universe. Power and strength.

In the next verses we get to see the “underbelly” of this strong leader. We see his secrets for success:

The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord; and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all His judgments were before me; and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them. I was also upright before Him and have kept myself from my iniquity.” He speaks on and then says in vs.29, “For thou art my lamp, o Lord and the Lord will lighten my darkness. He speaks eloquently and passionately letting us know that God is his strength and power, and that God makes his way perfect.

This month as an object lesson, we got the boys lights for their heads so they could explore at night and even ride their bikes. They felt more safe since they could see where they were going. They could go more quickly because they could see anything in their path. It makes the darkness bearable to be able to know what is coming up. In a world full of LED’s we miss the message that in that day, they could not travel, fight or do anything without oil or lamps. They were essential. It meant life or death. In earlier chapters we hear the people saying that David was their lamp. He could have rejoiced in that and taken all the credit but in the end of this book he glorifies God and lets us know the source of his strength. God was David’s avenger. God was David’s shield and salvation. God was David’s lamp.

The lamps of that day were shallow bowls filled with oil and a wick to light. They would hold the bowls in their hand and sometimes put them on the wall to see in the night and darkness. David led the people in victory because he was following after God and his ways. He demonstrated Gods ways for them to follow. They called him a lamp because he was a vessel filled with Gods oil being lit up for Gods purposes. There would be no light if there was no oil or no vessel. David led them to victory because David was following God– until he wasn’t and then he had to choose his own consequence. We can’t understand grace unless we understand the consequences of sin in the Old Testament. In spite of all this, David continued to inquire of the Lord and seek His heart. That is a great sign of good leadership.

He finishes this book by telling us the “Spirit of the Lord spoke by him, and the Spirits word was in my tongue”. The God of Israel said, He that ruleth over men MUST BE JUST, ruling in the FEAR of God. Gods’ requirements for leadership are straightforward. Wait a minute Renae this is just a spiritual blog, are you saying Gods interested in politics? He is interested in the salvation of the city, the nation and whether God uses a learned woman who is wise, a military leader who is listening or 30 rough mighty men, God wants to be our shield and salvation. Those who rule over men MUST BE JUST, ruling in the fear of God. You decide and please let these passages impact how you vote.

David’s dynasty will continue and one day the PERFECT ruler will appear, and He will tell His disciples YOU are the light of the world. You are the ones who will bring salvation. You are the ones who will shine in the darkness. You are the ones who will be filled with my Spirit to show others the way.

The wise woman had spiritual authority because she was first peaceable and faithful. Joab had spiritual authority because he was listening and stopped to hear what was being said. David had spiritual authority because he was representing Gods light instead of his own – filled with the spirit and shining Gods power in the midst of a very cruel and evil world.

Is it dark where you live? Is it dark where you go to school? Is it dark where you go to church?

Call upon the Lord. Let Him be your lamp and power and strength.
Who is worthy to be praised? Who needs salvation from their enemies?

Are we hearing, are we listening?

One city, a resourceful, unified city for God. That comes from leaders in unity, women and mothers praying and leading in the gifts and strength and wisdom God has given them. Mighty men standing on their walls in intercession and faith. Walls of division and suspicion broken down. God almighty lifted up. May we be the lamp of our families, churches, cities, and nation to illuminate Jesus.

For further study, read Proverbs 2. Lord, give us your wisdom and light the path you have placed before us. Eph.2:10.

Standing with you,

Renae Roche 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] The Junia project: Gail Wallace March 31, 2014