One Generation to the Next
This last week in our wrap up of the series "Shepherd, Soldier, King: The Life of David in Song" we looked at David's final admonition to the assembled people of Israel and the Psalm that was inspired by that event, Psalms 145. We saw buried in the middle of that song a call for one generation to the next to pass on the greatness of God.
As we studied this scripture I was reminded of a passage from the journal of Jim Elliot. At age 22, Jim Elliot had a promising ministry in front of him in the United States. He probably could have been a very successful pastor or evangelist or teacher. His parents were not very excited about his call to go to the Quichuas in South America. They wrote and told him so. He answered bluntly.
"I do not wonder that you were saddened at the word of my going to South America," he replied on August 8. "This is nothing else than what the Lord Jesus warned us of when He told the disciples that they must become so infatuated with the kingdom and following Him that all other allegiances must become as though they were not. And He never excluded the family tie. In fact, those loves that we regard as closest, He told us must become as hate in comparison with our desires to uphold His cause. Grieve not, then, if your sons seem to desert you, but rejoice, rather, seeing the will of God done gladly. Remember how the Psalmist described children? He said that they were as an heritage from the Lord, and that every man should be happy who had his quiver full of them. And what is a quiver full of but arrows? And what are arrows for but to shoot? So, with the strong arms of prayer, draw the bowstring back and let the arrows fly - all of them, straight at the Enemy's hosts.
"Give of thy sons to bear the message glorious, Give of thy wealth to speed them on their way, Pour out thy soul for them in prayer victorious, And all thou spendest Jesus will repay."
May we at Mercy Hill, as parents and as a church, so exult the greatness of God to the next generation that we see young men and young women with this devotion sent into the world to exult God to the next generation.
Gift of God's Guidance
For me, the most fascinating element of David's story that we looked at this last Sunday in 1 Samuel 30 was his immediate inclination to seek God's guidance in his desperate situation. With his home burned to the ground and his family carted off by the Amalakites he didnt simply turn to his sword and his army to avenge his loss. He turned to the revelation of God.
And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.”. (1 Samuel 30:7-8)
As I explained this last week, the ephod mentioned in this passage references the breastplate of the high priest upon which precious stones were affixed. Two of the stones, attached above the high priest's heart, were known as the Urim and the Thummim and they were used to determine God's direction. There is great mystery surrounding how these worked but with Urim and Thummim meaning "light" and "perfection" the implication was clear; God was perfectly illuminating the path of His people. The paths of His people who turn to Him for guidance.
In the age of the New Covenant, in our time following the redemptive work of Christ, God has continued His commitment to providing direction to His people. He has graciously given the Church the gift of guidance by His Word and His Spirit and these two work in conjunction one with another. God's Word, inspired by the Holy Spirit, reveals God's way for His people, a way that is revealed to our hearts by His Spirit at work in us. In addition Christ sent the Holy Spirit after His departure from this world to serve as comforter and counselor, "guiding us into all truth". This is the interactive role of God's Spirit giving personal direction to the believer always in concert with His Word. Seek after the wisdom of God's Word and inspiration of God's Spirit and you will be amazed at where they will lead you.
As mysterious as the Urim and Thummim, God's inspired Word and His powerful Holy Spirit hold God's direction for the believers life. May we be as committed to seeking God's guidance in the midst of turmoil as David.