GOD's Mercy Endures...

I am not like Job. But I want to steal his response after he saw the glory of GOD. "I had heard of YOU by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees YOU; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42:5-6 ESV. 

This is our survey of our land after the Riley Road Wildfires.

Videos and Photos of Riley Road Fire Damage

Our Metal Barn
It's STANDING with no damage!

The tire tracks are from firefighters using a pumper
truck to soak the building.  Fire burned to the edge.
PVC drain line from the building is melted.

The bare trees and ash--doesn't it look like winter with snow?

Many stumps are still smoldering.

The Old Farm House (with wood siding!)

Next to Old Farm House looking East

Front fence line
The fire burned the underbrush but left green on top.
Neighbors across the street (looking left) lost everything.

The first video is our South fence line.  Rice University owns land to the South and East of us.   Our land is burned but a little green.  Rice is burned black.  (Yes, we put out the smoking tree.)  The camera pans left (our land), front across fence (Rice), right (our land).

 The second video is my “hug a firefighter every day from now until the end of the year” tribute.  During the video, the camera pans right and you can see a corner of the old farm house.  We are driving on the fire break the firefighters built to protect the old girl.  The video ends at the hay barn. 

Please remember those who have lost everything.  We are blessed--our material things survived.  Why did ours survive and not our neighbors?  Or others in the area?  Remington Forest is a neighborhood devastated.  They share a North and West boundary with Rice.  Why is one destroyed and another spared?  I don't know.  I have no answers.

I can only end where I started.  "I had heard of YOU by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees YOU; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42:5-6 ESV.  

Praising GOD during the good, the bad, and the super ugly

          I have another post I am working on… but it is difficult to write during this time of the Riley Road Tri-County Fires.  We owe land off Riley Road, unimproved, thickly wooded, but with a barn, an old house, and farm equipment.  As of today, the word from a reliable source is that there will be nothing left but charred land.
            I wondered about what my response should be and, of course, thought of Job.  The book of Job never answers “why” but reminds us to praise GOD because HE is worthy.  I am in no way like Job.  We are healthy and have an intact home, a fair ways from the fires.  But yet I am still sad.  Trees can grow back.  Equipment can be replaced.  A new home can be built.  But amidst my sorrow, my response should be to praise GOD.  I try to praise HIM but then I think of Cindy Morgan’s song “Praise the King.”  The first line:  “Praise HIM in the morning, for tall and lofty trees.”  I will keep trying.  Maybe one day I’ll get it right.  As the psalmist says, GOD’s mercy endures forever.
          My plan is to study this passage in depth but for now, I hope you enjoy… and remember to praise GOD during the good, the bad, and the super ugly.

Again, there was a day when the sons of GOD came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD.  And the LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”  Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “From roaming about on the earth, and walking around on it.”  And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job?  For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing GOD and turning away from evil.  And he still holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to ruin him without cause.”  And Satan answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin!  Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.  However, put forth Thy hand, now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse Thee to Thy face.”  So the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life.”

Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.  And he took a potsherd to scrape himself among the ashes.  Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity?  Curse GOD and die!”  But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks.  Shall we indeed accept good from GOD and not accept adversity?”  In all this Job did not sin with his lips (Job 2:1-10 NASB).

Get Smarter and Get... Sadness?

      For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.  Ecclesiastes 1:18 NKJV

There are many verses in the Bible that confuse me.  And there are some verses I really don’t like (can you say conviction?).  But this verse is just odd.  With more wisdom is more grief?  The more I know, the more sorrow I experience?  What does that mean?  Is it true “ignorance is bliss”?  Do I declare one day: “I’ve learned enough.  I want to be happy, I’m done studying.”

          The verse talks about wisdom, so what is it?  I know the word.  But I need more, something concrete.  I need knowledge (how ironic!).  So I do some research.  Is wisdom knowledge tempered by understanding (courtesy of my nifty Bible reference)?  Is it deeper knowledge followed by just action (courtesy of dictionary.com)?  Deeper matters require deeper digging.  I decide to go for the big guns.  I pull out my monster dictionary (all eight pound of it); the Webster’s Unabridged.  I’m fearful when I pull it out.  This monster can smash toes if I drop it.  But it’s more than that.  I know when I open it, I can get lost in its pages.  I open it, searching for wisdom.  After reading about “whorled loosestrife” (a plant with yellow flowers), I finally reach “wisdom.”  “The quality or state of being wise.”  Reading on:  “knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight.”  Sagacity?  Discernment?  Insight?  Discernment sounds a little Biblical but other than that, not that helpful.

Okay, putting up my monster dictionary (while minding my fingers), I go back to the Bible.  Wisdom… Psalm 111:10 looks interesting.  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do HIS commandments; HIS praise endures forever (NASB).  I like that.  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.  I hold GOD in great respect.  More than respect, there is an awe factor, a fearsome mightiness present in HIM, that I recognize.  But does that mean I’m wise?  No.  Not even close.  The beginning of wisdom?  More like the beginning of a headache.

I search for another reference.  I find Job 28:28.  But after reading 28:28, I decide to read the entire chapter.  Incredible.  The first half describes the earth and how miners search for gold, silver, and precious stones.  Deep in the earth, underneath where the proud animals walk, these treasures are hidden.  But after searching, digging, and breaking through rock, the precious metals and stone are found!  And then it goes to verse twelve.   But where is wisdom found (CEV)?  Wow!  That’s what I want to know.  I read on.  Job talks about wisdom being more precious than jewels or gold and silver.  He says it is hidden from all living kind.  Well, that sounds about right!  Wait, Job says only GOD knows the way to wisdom.  Only GOD.  And then he concludes chapter twenty-eight saying GOD tells us Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding. 

By now I’ve forgotten my verse.  What is it?  For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow (Ecclesiastes 1:18 NKJV).  Now I remember… but how does it fit?  Fear?  Wisdom?  Grief?

The fear of the LORD.  That phrase again!  Am I to tremble in fear when I approach HIM?  James 2:19 (CEV) says You surely believe there is only one GOD.  That’s fine.  Even demons believe this, and it makes them shake with fear. Okay, so, it’s more than just fear.  What does the entire sentence in Job say?  Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.  Evil.  I have evil on my list of topical study ideas so I won’t delve into it now.  But I’ll assume we can recognize evil (which might be assuming too much!).  But to turn away?  That’s the kicker.  I’m reminded of Paul writing in Romans…I know that my selfish desires won’t let me do anything that is good.  Even when I want to do right, I cannot.  Instead of doing what I know is right, I do wrong.  (Romans 7:18-19 CEV).

What is wisdom?  It’s not solely knowledge.  We live in an age replete with information but we are no wiser than our predecessors.   It’s not solely understanding.  How often do we understand why we do something but yet still chose silliness?  It’s some sort of mix between knowledge with understanding coupled with action.  Right action.  Fear the LORD.  Turn away from evil.  Will I act on those verses?  My desire is to say yes.  But do I?

Back to the original verse.  For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow (Ecclesiastes 1:18 NKJV).  I’m at the end of my blog and still feel like I’m missing the fuller meaning.  The more I fear the LORD and turn from evil, the more grief I experience?  Yes, I suppose so.  The more I learn of the glory of GOD, my response is like Isaiah “Woe is me!  I’m lost!  I’m unclean” (Isaiah 6:5 my really bad paraphrase).  I am grieving for what cannot be.  For what I cannot do on my own.

But it doesn’t end there, does it?  Isaiah saw the glory of GOD and responded with a cry of desperation.  But then GOD took care of his guilt and sin.  Isaiah tells us And he touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin is forgiven.”  What was Isaiah’s response after his cleansing?  Here am I!  Send me! (Isaiah 6:5-8 NASB)

My response?  I catch a glimpse of the glory of GOD and it causes me grief.  Why?  Because without HIM I can do nothing.  But with HIM… but if we walk in the light as HE HIMSELF is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of JESUS HIS SON cleanses us from all sin (I John 1:7 NASB).  Cleanses us.  Wisdom may cause us grief.  And more knowledge causes us sorrow.  But the grief spurs me to action.  Because without that sorrow, I would never have focused on HIS sacrifice.  HIS blood.  HIS resurrection.  It gives us life.  Life everlasting.  But we must respond.  What’s your response?

Next Topic:  I can spell Ecclesiastes now so maybe I’ll move to Proverbs.  Or Psalms.  Hey, I need to learn how to spell Deuteronomy, what about a study on it?  Catch you next time!

Hasty in Word or Thought?

Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of GOD.  For GOD is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.  Ecclesiastes 5:2 NASB

            … Mmmm … Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought...[scatching head]... to bring up a matter in the presence of GOD… Mmmm [biting lip]… For GOD is in heaven and you are on the earth... [tapping keyboard]... therefore let your words be few… [Sighing, "I get it."]  Okay, enough said.

Next Topic:  How if I keep blogging on Ecclesiastes, maybe I’ll eventually learn to spell it without looking.  Ecclesiastes 1:18 looks interesting.  In much wisdom is much grief… Youch!  Next topic is much longer... and has caused much grief.  Catch you next time!

The Sacrifice of Fools

Or My Quest Not To...

Guard your steps as you go to the house of GOD, and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.  Ecclesiastes 5:1 NAS

On all my travels, I cannot imagine needing to guard my steps as I go to GOD’s house.  Where could I be safer?  I go to GOD’s house to worship HIM; to hear a word, to have an encounter with the Creator of the Universe.  And I’m supposed to guard my steps?  Watch where I’m walking?  Is there a crack in the road?  An enemy waiting?

So I’m determined to watch my step as I go to HIS house (the Bible says it, I’m trying to follow it).  There must be danger lying about, otherwise why warn me?  I guard my steps as I physically approach the House of GOD.  But what about spiritually?  Do I come with an open heart?  Or a heart wishing to avoid certain persons?  A desire to worship?  Or a desire to finish the argument that started as we left the house (I just thought of three more points in my favor!)?  Right now I have a strong desire to sigh.

I continue reading the sentence.  Draw near to listen.  Listen?  Of course I’m going to listen, that’s why I’m headed to HIS house, right?  I have superior listening skills (I am a trained professional in real life).  And then I realize I’m blogging.  I’m using a medium where I don’t have to listen.  I can lecture.  Talk.  Explain.  Sermonize.  Devotionalize.  (And I can turn off the comments from others if I want to.)

All right.  This is a little more difficult.  Let’s go down the checklist.  (1) Guard my steps as I go to the House of GOD.  I will watch out for enemies and cracks in the sidewalk.  Check.   (2) Draw near to listen.  I’ll close my mouth.  I’ll hear what is said.  Meditate on it?  Draw near?  Okay, I’ll leave my assigned seat in the back and move forward a row.  Or is it more than just physical movement?  Draw near as GOD whispers a word?  Partial check—need to come back to this.  (3)  Rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools.  WHAT?  The sacrifice of fools?

I have no idea what that means.  Time for research.  I pull out my nifty Bible Reference.  Sacrifice of Fools, Ecclesiastes 5:1, only reference.  Not very helpful.  I can look up Sacrifice or Fools in the concordance of my Bibles but not the phrase.  Great.  Now I look down the center area of my Bible which has references to other scripture.  Hmm, maybe this will help.  It says I Samuel 15:22.  Interesting passage but I might have to read the entire chapter to understand it.  Next reference Psalm 40:6-8.  I read verse six.  Sacrifice and offering YOU did not desire; My ears YOU have opened.  Burnt offering and sin offering YOU did not require.  (NKJV)  Okay, this is odd.  Entire books of the Old Testament (Can you say, much less spell, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy?) read as a “How to worship GOD through offerings and sacrifices” manual.  Now it is saying GOD does not want them?  Okay, must read more. 

Back to I Samuel.  GOD told Saul (through Prophet Samuel) to destroy the Amalekites, utterly.  Kill everything including livestock.  Saul goes down and destroys the Amalekites but not utterly.  He spares the King, and the best livestock.  When confronted, Saul claims “hey, I did destroy them utterly.  Well, okay, some of the people kept the best livestock, but that’s all hunky dory because they are going to sacrifice the best animals to GOD” (my really bad paraphrase version).  And Samuel responds Does the LORD really want sacrifices and offerings?  No!  He doesn’t want your sacrifices.  He wants you to obey HIM.  (CEV). 

Whoa.  The sacrifice of fools.  Was Saul offering a fool’s sacrifice?  If I’m reading this correctly, yes, he did.  Samuel says GOD wants obedience not sacrifice.  But we do not offer animal sacrifices today.   I’m safe, right?  But as I type that, I have a nagging feeling it is talking about something more than just the sacrificial system.  GOD was specific with how sacrifices were to be played out.  He outlined it to the smallest detail.  Devoted three Old Testament books as a “how to” manual.  Ritual.  I’m thinking of rituals.  The sacrifices had become a mindless ritual.  They were no longer a way to seek GOD but had become a “if I do this, then GOD must grant what I ask for” formula.

We may not observe animal sacrifices today but we do have rituals.  And one of my favorites is daily Bible Study.  I must read my Bible every day.  That is a ritual I use to seek GOD’s will.  I read my Bible every morning, usually while I’m eating breakfast and wondering how I will complete my checklist for the day.  I finish reading and do I contemplate what I have read?  Meditate on the deeper meanings?  Jot down notes for future study?  Nope.  I check “Bible Study” off my to do list.  My Bible Study has become a mindless ritual where I no longer seek GOD’s will but place HIM on a checklist.  And mark HIM “done” when I’ve completed my task.

The Sacrifice of Fools.    Blind ritual versus obedience.  Is ritual bad?  Despite my earlier ramblings, I would say no.  GOD designed the rituals in the Bible.  Complete the ritual for an opportunity to seek HIS Will, HIS Face, HIS Word.  Yes.  With the right motivation (heart), offering our time, money and/or service in a sacrificial way?  Yes.  Sacrifice my resources as a way to entice GOD to grant my prayer?  No.  Complete the ritual for the sake of saying I completed it?  No.  Only a fool would sacrifice his time and resources for a temporal bragging right such as that.

Finally, completing the sentence for they do not know that they are doing evil (ESV).  Not only does a fool complete a mindless task in order to check GOD off his daily checklist; he doesn’t even know he is doing evil.  How very sad because I recognize myself.

I don’t want to be a fool.  I don’t want to offer the sacrifices of a fool.  What must I do?  More ritual?  No, I must obey GOD.  I need to keep GOD off my checklist and keep HIM in my heart.  As the Psalmist says, in HIS law meditate day and night (Psalm 1:2 NASB).  Back to my partially checked off item, draw near to listen.  Physically, emotionally, spiritually.  HE is asking for my entire being to focus on HIM.  HE is not a checklist item.  He is the Creator of the Universe who has something to say.  To me.  My choice is to draw near and listen.  And to obey.

What’s your choice?  What word does HE have for you today?  Will you guard your steps as you draw near to listen?  Will you respond with a heart desiring to obey?  Or will you offer the sacrifice of fools?

Next topic:  How checklists are NOT evil and a scourge to the people of GOD.  Or maybe I’ll write on the second verse, Ecclesiastes 5:2 .  Yikes, I just read it!  …so don’t talk too much (CEV).  I’m a blogger, how does that apply??