Howling At the Moon (and accomplishing what?)

Monday, May 15, 2023

The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty.  Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength.  The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.  Your throne, O Lord, has stood from time immemorial.  You yourself are from the everlasting past.  The floods have risen up, O Lord.  The floods have roared like thunder; the floods have lifted their pounding waves.  But mightier than the violent raging of the seas, mightier than the breakers on the shore—the Lord above is mightier than these!  Your royal laws cannot be changed.  Your reign, O Lord, is holy forever and ever.  Psalm 93:1-5

God’s sovereignty is proclaimed throughout the Lord’s Holy Scripture.  In Heaven there is no doubt Who reigns in the universe.  Not so much on planet earth. 

King Nebuchadnezzar of ancient Babylon, an arch-enemy of Jerusalem, howled at the moon more than once in his life.  A poetic what-goes-around-comes-around is portrayed by the arrogant king’s pursuit of power, riches, and the ultimate humiliation that lust brought.  He fought, won, and destroyed Jerusalem, killing, capturing, and looting, the nation’s treasures and temple, devouring God’s people like a monster[1].  Nebuchadnezzar imagined himself invincible; he never lost.  He even set up a gold statue of himself, 90-feet high, and everyone had to worship the statue, because the king proclaimed himself god! 

But in the end, God removed Nebuchadnezzar from the throne of Babylon, and he roamed the countryside for seven years, like a madman, howling at the moon.[2]

Scripture tells us that the whole panorama of Nebuchadnezzar’s rule and life was orchestrated by God.  Jeremiah had prophesied it long before it began:

This message came to Jeremiah from the Lord early in the reign of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah.  This is what the Lord said to me:  “Make a yoke, and fasten it on your neck with leather straps.  Then send messages to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon through their ambassadors who have come to see King Zedekiah in Jerusalem.  Give them this message for their masters:  ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says:  With my great strength and powerful arm I made the earth and all its people and every animal.  I can give these things of mine to anyone I choose.  Now I will give your countries to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who is my servant.  I have put everything, even the wild animals, under his control.  Jeremiah 27:1-6

The great professional boxer, Muhammhed Ali, was known for his brash, self-promotion.  Without blushing he often proclaimed after winning a match against his opponents:  I am the greatest.  At one press interview a reporter asked him if he really meant what he said, or was it just bragging.  Ali looked at the reporter and sneered:  It’s not bragging if you can back it up.

Nebuchadnezzars and professional boxer’s trash-talking may have some teeth, and last for a news cycle, but their (so-called) reign is tied to a leash.  The One who holds the other end of that leash is God…the one (and only) true God.

For You Today 

When it comes to classical narcissism, otherwise known as bragging, aggrandizing, or self-promoting…choose the humility of keeping your mouth closed.  People may think you’re a fool, but opening your mouth often proves them right.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,500 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper explore some of these:   Game Over  and  The Trouble With Theological Heels  and God Sovereign Series:  Part 1  Part 2  Part 3  Part 4  Part 5

Title Image:  via Pixabay.com   Images without citation are in public domain.

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©  

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[1] See Jeremiah 51:34

[2] See Daniel 3-5

UNITED

 

Friday, June 10, 2022

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.  Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.  Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.  For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.  There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.  

Ephesians 4:1-6

There is a lot said about the need for being united as families, friends, citizens, churches, all the myriads of groups, organizations, and, in short, members of the human race.  There is also much written and spoken on the topic of how to achieve that in any culture.  The Apostle Paul’s words to people he loved dearly, the believers at Ephesus, contain the key to unity, a singularly-effective habit for cultivating unity…he encourages them to always be humble and gentle, patient, and magnanimous. 

This describes the character of those who are easy to be around.  The opposite of this would be bragging, raging, intolerant, and selfish.  And when you unpack it that way, easy to be around and difficult to be around are not hard to distinguish.  The former is a calm ride through a quiet park on a Sunday afternoon; the latter is a wild-ride on a carnival roller-coaster.  It’s hardly necessary to say it, but, while the latter may be more exciting, the former promotes peaceful ability to think.

Jesus put an eternal view on unity.  In fact His priestly prayer for each of us centers on how important God views our unity:

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.  I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you.  And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.  “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.  I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.  John 17:20-23

Each of the characteristics Paul lists in his encouragement towards unity for the Ephesian believers (and us), humble, gentle, patient, and magnanimous, are the personal traits we are to cultivate – it has nothing at all to do with telling the other person how to behave, or faulting the other person for destroying unity.

Edgar Cayce put it this way: 

For You Today

Guess I’ll work on my patience today…gently…that would be magnanimous!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road with Jesus; have a blessed day!  

[1] Images:  Pixabay.com   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©   

Lightweights In the Wind

[1]

Friday, January 19, 2018

Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.  My victory and honor come from God alone.  He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.  O my people, trust in him at all times.  Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.  

-        Interlude   -

Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind, and the powerful are not what they appear to be.  If you weigh them on the scales, together they are lighter than a breath of air.  Psalm 62:5-9^(NLT)

King David’s use of the term common people is not a slur, just a reference to the average, everyday person.  On the other hand, the powerful are not what they appear to be means just what it says; they’re false, illusory, deceptive, and misleading.  When they appear benevolent they’re actually self-promoting.  When they’re bragging about powerful accomplishments, they’re actually hollow and bankrupt.

The irony, in case anyone missed it…David was the most powerful man in the universe when he wrote that; he could speak from absolutely first-hand experience.

David said that together the common person and the powerful person add-up to the weight of a feather on the scale.  Another translation puts it this way:

Man as such is smoke, woman as such, a mirage.  Put them together, they’re nothing;
    two times nothing is nothing. ^{The Message©}

My – oh – my; that could sure take the wind out of your sails, couldn’t it?

And that is David’s whole point, exactly.  Some of our wind needs to go! 

And, as previously noted, David was powerful in the extreme – he’d even been a murderer, liar, adulterer, and conspirator, acting as if he was powerful enough to sin with impunity.  He had broken all ten of the commandments…yet no person on earth would dare confront him; until God put exactly that on Nathan the prophet's to-do list. 

Yet David wasn’t always a power-brokering mover and shaker.  He was once a shepherd, one of the lowliest of occupations.  So he spoke from personal experience, knowing that the position you occupy on earth is tenuous at best, and a trap at worst.

And so the shepherd-boy/king says he waits quietly before God; mouth closed!

And so the shepherd-boy/king says he hopes only in God; assets in proper perspective!

And so the shepherd-boy/king says he lays aside victories and honor; they’re God’s anyway!

And so the shepherd-boy/king says he (and we) should run to God; there’s no other help or resting place that will mean anything.

For You Today

Do you place all the weight of your life (like that feather in the wind) in trust of God?

Or is there anything else you trust more?

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road…have a blessed day!

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[1] Title Image: Pixabay.com

Honoring God...Honestly

[1]

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property.  He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount.  With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest.  Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart?  You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself.  The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished.  And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away.  How could you do a thing like this?  You weren’t lying to us but to God!”  As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died.  Everyone who heard about it was terrified.  Then some young men got up, wrapped him in a sheet, and took him out and buried him.  About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?”  “Yes,” she replied, “that was the price.”  And Peter said, “How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this?  The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.”  Instantly, she fell to the floor and died.  When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.  Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened.  Acts 5:1-11^(NLT)

This is one of the most chilling passages in Scripture.  Frankly, when it shows up in the Lectionary cycle I tend to want to skip over it.  I’d almost rather preach on Leviticus or any other passage that isn’t so controversial.

Think of the premise and how many ways this account of the early church can be misunderstood, misapplied, or cause an argument.  The whole scope of the intents of the human heart and character of humankind are on display. 

Ananias and his wife owned property and wanted to sell it.  As professing members of the early church they knew there was an expectation they would contribute to the needs of others from that sale.  They conspired to have their cake (people’s approval when they brought some of the money to the offering plate), but they wanted to eat the cake too!  So they decided to lie about the full price, and kept some back.

At this point some in our culture would be quick to point-out that it was their money; they could do with it what they wanted.  And, to an extent, this is true; the Apostle Peter even said as much.  The point was they were attempting to build themselves up in the sight of people while lying to God.  Peter said that also, confronting Ananias about Satan filling his heart with lies.  A side point would be that, as believers, disciples of Jesus Christ, no money is ours; it is all His, and we are stewards.

Others might point to the harsh outcome for the couple…well, geez…it was only a little bit they held back.  Why did God have to kill them?  And what about forgiveness?  Isn’t this about the God who forgives us?  The reality here is not about the size of Ananias’ and his wife’s lying.  After all, how much juggling of the books does there have to be before you’re an embezzler?  The issue is about honoring God…honestly.  You cannot honor God with a lie!

For You Today

Think for a moment about the football player on TV scoring a touchdown, and he then takes a knee, points to heaven, and gives God the glory.  We watch the hitter make the sign of the cross when the ball sails over the fence.  We see the witness place his hand on a Bible and solemnly swear…so help me God. 

You and I cannot possibly know what is in the hearts of others when we observe an outward witness of giving God the credit, or offering.  However, we do know what’s in our own hearts at such times.  And those are the times, and ours is the heart we must judge.  Are we truly giving God the glory, or are we tempted to bask just a little in the warmth of that praise?

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road…have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO

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[1] Title Image: Pixabay.com

Walking Softly Carrying a Big Stick

[1]

Friday, September 22, 2017

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine.  Test yourselves.  Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.  As you test yourselves, I hope you will recognize that we have not failed the test of apostolic authority.  We pray to God that you will not do what is wrong by refusing our correction.  I hope we won’t need to demonstrate our authority when we arrive.  Do the right thing before we come—even if that makes it look like we have failed to demonstrate our authority.  For we cannot oppose the truth, but must always stand for the truth.  We are glad to seem weak if it helps show that you are actually strong.  We pray that you will become mature.  I am writing this to you before I come, hoping that I won’t need to deal severely with you when I do come.  For I want to use the authority the Lord has given me to strengthen you, not to tear you down.  2 Corinthians 13:5-10^(NLT)

Walk softly and carry a big stick, and you will go far is a saying attributed to Theodore Roosevelt (although Teddy claimed it was a West African proverb).[2]  The statement’s meaning is that a leader can be civilized and calm during a diplomatic negotiation because there is an implied use of military force behind everything the leader proposes.  There’s little need for bluster and threatening; a leader leads with the power of the people behind him.

The big stick of apostolic authority seems far removed twenty-first century American culture.  It’s hard to identify with first century Christians who knew what it was like to have leaders who, with direct authority from above, could speak prophetic utterances that either extended or ended lives.  Theirs was a big Heavenly stick!

Paul’s leadership was not like today’s leadership.  Paul led largely by using the authority he possessed sparingly; he resisted throwing his weight around just because he could.  And he did things that way because Paul’s purpose was to help build God’s people, rather than tear-down.  Paul didn’t want to conquer anyone else; Paul wanted to strengthen and prepare the church to do everything God wanted. 

Because of his prominent position in the early church, and the conflict that surrounded Paul’s ministry, his reputation has suffered over the centuries as being a woman-hater and autocratic dictator.  However the man is perceived by those who don’t read the Scriptures closely, it is obvious Paul was an enthusiast.  Some would call him fanatical, bigoted, or extreme, but the proof is in the result; Paul was a builder of the church, and his tool belt carried a big enough stick that he could walk very softly.

Today, in the church and in politics, our culture seems to reward those who walk loudly, brashly promising big stick results.  The consequences of such may be building something, but it is neither a church, nor a culture which resembles something to love, and for which you would sacrifice.  We are headed with our secular, hedonistic, pragmatism towards a cultural cancer that will rot us from the inside.  By our choices of rewarding and honoring the squeakiest wheel, we are losing sight of Godliness – the pursuit of holy living which loves and esteems others above ourselves.

For You Today

The last time I checked, bragging and bashing others with a big stick were not on the list of spiritual gifts.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road…have a blessed day!

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[1] Title Image: Courtesy:  Pixabay.com

[2] Wikipedia.com

Humility

[i]

Friday, February 3, 2017

If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.  James 3:13^(NLT)

I was once told by someone quite wise that the moment you believe you’ve finally got humility down-pat is the same moment you can be sure it has escaped.

Country singer/songwriter Mac Davis wrote a tongue-in-cheek song 20 years ago about humility.  Some of the lyrics:

Oh Lord it's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way.
I can't wait to look in the mirror, cause I get better looking each day.

I guess you could say I'm a loner, a cowboy alone, tough, and proud.
I could have lots of friends if I wanted, but then I wouldn't stand out from the crowd. [ii]

Of the people I’ve known whom I could describe as humble, the most notable characteristic is that they do NOT stand-out in a crowd.  Like Jesus, intent on washing his disciples’ feet, bent over a basin of water, you’re lower than everyone else, and how can you see that in a crowd?

There are a number of life pathways that seem to chew up humility and spit it out with contempt.  Politics, Hollywood, and Wall Street come to mind.  And, oh yes, lest I get too dishonest here – pulpits of any kind tend to destroy humility.  From the smallest of churches to the CEO’s of major charitable fundraisers and mega-church pastors, humility takes a beating.  To paraphrase Mac Davis,

Oh Lord, it aint easy to be lowly when those folks keep puttin’ me up on that pedestal.

James says that real humility and real wisdom are so connected you can’t find one without the other.  My friend Ossie is a walking testament to that.  Ossie always kept a low profile.  He was in his sixties when I met him in 1990.  He was pleasant, always smiling and always ready to say a positive word about his preacher.  You would have to work at disliking Ossie McDuffie.

But it wasn’t that character trait that bespoke of Ossie’s humility or wisdom.  Those characteristics of smiling, pleasantness and kind words can also be the show of a calculating charlatan about to stab you in the back.  The prophet warned about people like that:

For their tongues shoot lies like poisoned arrows.  They speak friendly words to their neighbors while scheming in their heart to kill them.  Jeremiah 9:8^(NLT)

The true proof of humility and wisdom is what you find out later. 

One look at my friend Ossie and you could tell he was strong.  But, I never knew, even with all the conversations we had, that he was a great baseball player in his youth.  (It was supposed by one who knew him way back in the sandlot days that a few of those balls he launched over the outfield fences have yet to land!)

And in the six years I was his pastor I never knew he and his wife, Dot, were feeding breakfast to their Sunday School class (and several other classes) every week.  The kids would come in like locusts because it was the only breakfast they got each week.

In my estimation, Ossie McDuffie’s humility wasn’t breathtaking because he didn’t speak-out; truth be told, if he had an opportunity he knew how to speak, and loudly (so did Jesus when there were Pharisees or moneychangers in the Temple!).  His humility and wisdom were so evident to me because every time I heard him speak it was always about how grateful he was that Jesus saved his poor, wretched soul, or something good about somebody else.  And then his actions always matched what he said.

I don’t think you have to be a doormat to be humble.  But, sometimes humility will include laying down your life for a friend.  And I always had the strong belief that, if it came to that, Ossie McDuffie would have done that for me.

For You Today

Wisdom manifests itself in humility, and true humility is very wise!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road…have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO

NOTES

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[i]Title image: Carol M. Highsmith [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

[ii] Written by Mac Davis • © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management US, LLC