Daniel and the lions den

 I worked with some of the kids yesterday at church and we went over the story of Daniel and the lion's den. When it was all said and done two things were confirmed once again. First, some of the best stories are what most people consider kids stories. Second, as adults, we never go back and look at these stories. We need to do better with that! Let's review, as a child we were taught Daniel was supposed to bow down and worship the King. He chose not to, because he only would only worship God. As a result, he was thrown into the lion's den. Because Daniel did the right thing, God made sure that he survived. Moral of the story, do the right thing and only worship God and in the end, you will survive everything, including attacks from lions. Now let's look at the real story from Daniel chapter 6:

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

¹ Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province. ² The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high officers and protect the king’s interests. ³ Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire. ⁴ Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. ⁵ So they concluded, “Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion.” 

Five verses and already I think we have a new lesson we didn't get taught as a child - Jealousy! Three people total had a prestigious job, one of them was doing better than the other two. So, what happens? They could have asked for a one on one to see what they could do to get better at their job. But no, the other two other people decided to find a way to get rid of the other one. And, when I say get rid of, I really mean get rid of!

⁶ So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, “Long live King Darius! ⁷ We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions. ⁸ And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.” ⁹ So King Darius signed the law. 

Now we see another lesson that I don't believe was discussed as kids, The King! Two people came to him and made him feel amazing, so because they gave him such high compliments, he gave them whatever they wanted. In my mind, the king went home that night and told his family all about how everyone loved him so much that they came to him and wanted to make sure that everyone worshipped him. What a wonderful, perfect king! Here is the lesson to me, when people come up to you and give you such high crazy compliments that it doesn't seem to be real, it's not! They want something! They are trying to blind you in a way that will lead to you making a decision you are sure to regret. If you go to work every day and someone comes up to you and says, "good job", yes, go ahead and believe them. If someone comes a long and says that you deserve a raise for the work you are doing, that is probably a true statement. When someone comes up to you and says that you should own the company because you are so amazing, look out! Let's continue, How, will Daniel react to this news? If I am being honest, I think best case scenario, I go home and worship in my locked basement.

¹⁰ But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.

Two key things in that one verse that I want to point out so that I can come back to later, "As usual" and " Just as he had always done".  Let's see what happens next:

¹¹ Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help. ¹² So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. “Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions?” “Yes,” the king replied, “that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.” ¹³ Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.” 

Here it is, that point in the story when the king realizes that it was all part of their plan. They didn't love the king so much that they wanted everyone to worship him. They were selfish people, looking for gain. Now he has a choice to make, but the way it was setup in those days, he did not have the choice to ignore the law.

¹⁴ Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament. ¹⁵ In the evening the men went together to the king and said, “Your Majesty, you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed.” ¹⁶ So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions.

What a difference between the king and Daniel. When Daniel was told of something horrible, he went straight to God. He did the right thing! Here is a king, who just a few verses ago had no problem being the only thing worshipped for thirty days and now he is about to lose his best worker. What can the king say to David to make it all ok? 

The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.” ¹⁷ A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. ¹⁸ Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night.

Again, the king who had no problem being worshipped by everyone, now all of the sudden he wants Daniel's God to do something. Again, another lesson. You are going to meet people along the way in life who don't want to hear anything about God, or how what they are doing something that isn't right, until they are about to lose something big. Then they are ready to hear about God and what he can do for them. This is when we have to make sure that we don't act like the king or the other administrators. We have to remember what our good friend Joseph said in Genesis 50: 20

²⁰  You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

So how does this story end?

¹⁹ Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. ²⁰ When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?” ²¹ Daniel answered, “Long live the king! ²² My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.” 

If you want to know why Daniel survived, we only have to look at a few things. Verse 22 explains that he was saved because he was found innocent in God's eyes, and he did not wrong the king. I think we also need to go back up and look at what I pointed out earlier. "As usual" and " Just as he had always done".  Daniel didn't start praying three times a day when trouble struck. He didn't start praying on his knees when he thought his life might be at risk. He was doing those things every day already.  We know trouble will come one day; we know that we will have hardships along the way. Why are we not preparing now? Maybe up until this point you haven't had a reason to kneel and pray, that's awesome. But it's coming. You are going to have a day when life hits you so hard you can't stand. When that happens you need to already know what it's like to kneel and talk to God. We have a few more verses to look at, let's see how our friend the king reacts to Daniel still being alive.

²³ The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God. ²⁴ Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den.

²⁵ Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world:

“Peace and prosperity to you!

²⁶ “I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel.

For he is the living God,

and he will endure forever.

His kingdom will never be destroyed,

and his rule will never end.

²⁷ He rescues and saves his people;

he performs miraculous signs and wonders

in the heavens and on earth.

He has rescued Daniel

from the power of the lions.”

²⁸ So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian

One more lesson before we finish, I wish that every time we made the right decision and did the right thing someone would come to us and tell us they were overjoyed. I wish that if someone wronged us, but we kept our composure, we would see them getting what they deserved. But that just isn't how it works. We have to trust God that he will take care of it even if that means that we will never see what happens. Trouble is coming, start praying!

Samson

 Maybe it's my age, but I feel like when I was younger, every young boy had thoughts of growing up and having long hair and being strong. If you don't know the story of Samson that was probably a very weird way to start a blog post. If you have heard the story, hopefully you understand. Samson was a man in the bible who had great strength because he had never cut his hair. Therefore, anyone my age knows that long hair and strength go together.  Let's look at the birth of Samson in Judges chapter 13:1-5

The Birth of Samson

Again the Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight, so the LORD handed them over to the Philistines, who oppressed them for forty years. 

2 In those days a man named Manoah from the tribe of Dan lived in the town of Zorah. His wife was unable to become pregnant, and they had no children. 3 The angel of the LORD appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “Even though you have been unable to have children, you will soon become pregnant and give birth to a son. 4 So be careful; you must not drink wine or any other alcoholic drink nor eat any forbidden food. 5 You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.” 

An angel of the Lord appeared and said never cut his hair! I think my mom got the opposite message from an angel before I was born. I also want to point out that Samson's Mom was given other instructions also. If you look again at verse four, and also lets skip ahead and look at verse fourteen.

4 So be careful; you must not drink wine or any other alcoholic drink nor eat any forbidden food.

14 She must not eat grapes or raisins, drink wine or any other alcoholic drink, or eat any forbidden food.” 

Not only could Samson not drink, but his mother also had to abide by the same rules. A small price to pay for someone who will rescue Israel from the Philistines. So now we have a good strong leader who has been dedicated to God. This has to be the beginning of a wonderful, very long reign from Samson! I think I want to go a little backwards now. Most people who grew up in the church know the story of Samson and Delilah. We could actually call it, "The death of Samson" if we wanted. Since a lot of people know that story, I want to skip ahead to that before I come back and go over what I found most interesting. Let's take a look at Judges chapter sixteen, starting in verse four. 

4 Some time later Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in the valley of Sorek. 5 The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “Entice Samson to tell you what makes him so strong and how he can be overpowered and tied up securely. Then each of us will give you 1,100 pieces of silver.” 6 So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me what makes you so strong and what it would take to tie you up securely.” 7 Samson replied, “If I were tied up with seven new bowstrings that have not yet been dried, I would become as weak as anyone else.” 8 So the Philistine rulers brought Delilah seven new bowstrings, and she tied Samson up with them. 9 She had hidden some men in one of the inner rooms of her house, and she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” But Samson snapped the bowstrings as a piece of string snaps when it is burned by a fire. So the secret of his strength was not discovered. 10 Afterward Delilah said to him, “You’ve been making fun of me and telling me lies! Now please tell me how you can be tied up securely.” 11 Samson replied, “If I were tied up with brand-new ropes that had never been used, I would become as weak as anyone else.” 12 So Delilah took new ropes and tied him up with them. The men were hiding in the inner room as before, and again Delilah cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” But again Samson snapped the ropes from his arms as if they were thread. 13 Then Delilah said, “You’ve been making fun of me and telling me lies! Now tell me how you can be tied up securely.” Samson replied, “If you were to weave the seven braids of my hair into the fabric on your loom and tighten it with the loom shuttle, I would become as weak as anyone else.” So while he slept, Delilah wove the seven braids of his hair into the fabric. 14 Then she tightened it with the loom shuttle. Again she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” But Samson woke up, pulled back the loom shuttle, and yanked his hair away from the loom and the fabric. 15 Then Delilah pouted, “How can you tell me, ‘I love you,’ when you don’t share your secrets with me? You’ve made fun of me three times now, and you still haven’t told me what makes you so strong!” 16 She tormented him with her nagging day after day until he was sick to death of it. 17 Finally, Samson shared his secret with her. “My hair has never been cut,” he confessed, “for I was dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as anyone else.” 18 Delilah realized he had finally told her the truth, so she sent for the Philistine rulers. “Come back one more time,” she said, “for he has finally told me his secret.” So the Philistine rulers returned with the money in their hands. 19 Delilah lulled Samson to sleep with his head in her lap, and then she called in a man to shave off the seven locks of his hair. In this way she began to bring him down, and his strength left him. 20 Then she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” When he woke up, he thought, “I will do as before and shake myself free.” But he didn’t realize the LORD had left him. 21 So the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. They took him to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze chains and forced to grind grain in the prison. 22 But before long, his hair began to grow back. 

I know that was a lot to read, but how does a person fall for the same trick three times and then eventually tell the truth the fourth time and actually be shocked when it backfires. Samson had to be a man of discipline and pride. He had lived his whole life eating the right foods, not drinking alcohol and of course not cutting his hair. He was dedicated to God and still ended up giving up his secret. Here is where the story is even more crazy to me. Most people would understand if a single guy got mixed up with the wrong woman and he made some bad decisions. But, when I skipped from chapter 13 to chapter 16, I skipped over a story that somehow, I missed before. Again, maybe this is a result of reading something as a young child or being told something as a young child and then not going back over the years and looking at it again. Let's look at Judges chapter 14.

Samson’s Riddle

One day when Samson was in Timnah, one of the Philistine women caught his eye. 2 When he returned home, he told his father and mother, “A young Philistine woman in Timnah caught my eye. I want to marry her. Get her for me.” 3 His father and mother objected. “Isn’t there even one woman in our tribe or among all the Israelites you could marry?” they asked. “Why must you go to the pagan Philistines to find a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me! She looks good to me.” 4 His father and mother didn’t realize the LORD was at work in this, creating an opportunity to work against the Philistines, who ruled over Israel at that time. 5 As Samson and his parents were going down to Timnah, a young lion suddenly attacked Samson near the vineyards of Timnah. 6 At that moment the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him, and he ripped the lion’s jaws apart with his bare hands. He did it as easily as if it were a young goat. But he didn’t tell his father or mother about it. 7 When Samson arrived in Timnah, he talked with the woman and was very pleased with her. 8 Later, when he returned to Timnah for the wedding, he turned off the path to look at the carcass of the lion. And he found that a swarm of bees had made some honey in the carcass. 9 He scooped some of the honey into his hands and ate it along the way. He also gave some to his father and mother, and they ate it. But he didn’t tell them he had taken the honey from the carcass of the lion. 10 As his father was making final arrangements for the marriage, Samson threw a party at Timnah, as was the custom for elite young men. 11 When the bride’s parents saw him, they selected thirty young men from the town to be his companions. 12 Samson said to them, “Let me tell you a riddle. If you solve my riddle during these seven days of the celebration, I will give you thirty fine linen robes and thirty sets of festive clothing. 13 But if you can’t solve it, then you must give me thirty fine linen robes and thirty sets of festive clothing.” “All right,” they agreed, “let’s hear your riddle.” 14 So he said: 

    “Out of the one who eats came something to eat; 

      out of the strong came something sweet.” 

Three days later they were still trying to figure it out. 15 On the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to explain the riddle for us, or we will burn down your father’s house with you in it. Did you invite us to this party just to make us poor?” 16 So Samson’s wife came to him in tears and said, “You don’t love me; you hate me! You have given my people a riddle, but you haven’t told me the answer.” “I haven’t even given the answer to my father or mother,” he replied. “Why should I tell you?” 17 So she cried whenever she was with him and kept it up for the rest of the celebration. At last, on the seventh day he told her the answer because she was tormenting him with her nagging. Then she explained the riddle to the young men. 18 So before sunset of the seventh day, the men of the town came to Samson with their answer: 

    “What is sweeter than honey? 

      What is stronger than a lion?” 

Samson replied, “If you hadn’t plowed with my heifer, you wouldn’t have solved my riddle!” 

19 Then the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him. He went down to the town of Ashkelon, killed thirty men, took their belongings, and gave their clothing to the men who had solved his riddle. But Samson was furious about what had happened, and he went back home to live with his father and mother. 20 So his wife was given in marriage to the man who had been Samson’s best man at the wedding. 

Again, Sorry for the longer reading, but this means that when we hear the story of Samson and Delilah it's not the first time that Samson has been in this situation. I'm not sure what to think after reading all of this. Do I get upset that someone can make such a mistake twice? Do I take this as a life lesson and realize that great people in the bible had the same struggles we do?  Let's finish the story of Samson, let's go to chapter 16, verse 23.

Samson’s Final Victory

23 The Philistine rulers held a great festival, offering sacrifices and praising their god, Dagon. They said, “Our god has given us victory over our enemy Samson!” 24 When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, “Our god has delivered our enemy to us! The one who killed so many of us is now in our power!” 25 Half drunk by now, the people demanded, “Bring out Samson so he can amuse us!” So he was brought from the prison to amuse them, and they had him stand between the pillars supporting the roof. 26 Samson said to the young servant who was leading him by the hand, “Place my hands against the pillars that hold up the temple. I want to rest against them.” 27 Now the temple was completely filled with people. All the Philistine rulers were there, and there were about 3,000 men and women on the roof who were watching as Samson amused them. 28 Then Samson prayed to the LORD, “Sovereign LORD, remember me again. O God, please strengthen me just one more time. With one blow let me pay back the Philistines for the loss of my two eyes.” 29 Then Samson put his hands on the two center pillars that held up the temple. Pushing against them with both hands, 30 he prayed, “Let me die with the Philistines.” And the temple crashed down on the Philistine rulers and all the people. So he killed more people when he died than he had during his entire lifetime. 31 Later his brothers and other relatives went down to get his body. They took him back home and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol, where his father, Manoah, was buried. Samson had judged Israel for twenty years.

In these final moments Samson could see clearly everything that had happened in his life. In that moment he turned to the Lord for one final prayer. The thing that God had given him to set him apart, the thing that his mistakes and sins cost him, he asked to have back one last time. God has given each of us something that sets us apart, maybe you are super strong, maybe you are smarter than most, maybe you have been given athletic ability or maybe you are just a good person. All of us at some point have taken what God has given us and wasted it. Maybe it was even taken away for a time. Now is the time to pray what Samson prayed. "Sovereign Lord, remember me again". I have done a horrible job the last few weeks posting on this site, I don't know if this was something that was given to me from God, but I need to pray that God gives me the knowledge and the ability to reach people for him. 

The 4th Commandment

 I know I could mention how crazy and busy the last few years have been, but I think I just want to stick to the last month. We all have these stretches throughout the year, those times when for a few weeks you just have to go non-stop. Every day it seems like we had something going on and, on most days, we had something going on and I was preparing for what was next. These stretches always look the same to me, I start off doing well, I'm organized and even though I know it's going to be rough I'm confident I can handle it. They also always end the same way, I've had more caffeine than an elephant can handle, I'm struggling to sleep, I've ran out of ideas and of course I start to get sick. That's when I start to look at the 10 commandments and wonder why the 4th commandment doesn't get the recognition it deserves. Now, before I continue, I must admit that over the last few years this has been getting way more publicity, but no one is confusing it with "Do Not Murder". The first three commandments read like this in the book of Exodus, chapter 20.

  3 “You must not have any other god but me.   4 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. 6 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. 7 “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. 

So, to simplify:

1. No other gods before me

2. Do not make idols

3. Do no take the Lord's name in vain

All three are about God, that makes sense to me. His rules, he's first. Here is where it gets confusing to me, what is the fourth commandment? Based on my little rant at the start of this post I'm sure you have guessed it if you already didn't know. Exodus 20:8

8 “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 

Before murder, adultery and honoring your father and mother? Are these in any type of order?

Can I tell you something about myself that I am proud of to a fault? I show up. That's it. If I am scheduled to be at work, I am there. On Sunday morning, I am there. If my family says that they need me, I am there. I've heard it said that when you are dying, people have regrets about the amount of time that they spent on the things that in the end just weren't considered important. I'm sure if you talked to the family members of someone getting ready to pass, they would tell you that they wish they would have taken more time to rest if it meant they could have a few more hours, days or years with them. I just really struggle with that. In my mind I would rather pass away 10-15 years sooner but have everyone talk about how I was there for them, then to live to a really old age and have someone complain that I wasn't there for them. For those that know me, you know I had a health issue about 9 months ago. It came quick and I didn't really have time to say anything to anyone. That meant that if I hadn't told you how I felt by then, you wouldn't ever know. If I hadn't spent time with you by then, it was too late to make it up. It was a strange feeling knowing that if it went really bad, I didn't have any regrets. Of course, I wanted to live for another forty years or so, but, if that was it, I was content. So, if that is the case, why change? It's easy to come back with, well it's the fourth commandment. I agree, but why is it a commandment? Couldn't we take it out and make a substitution and no one would really notice? What if we made the new commandment, "Yes, you need to tithe"? How about "Love your enemies"? Let's go extreme and say, "Do not start a war in my name".  Those all seem more logical than "take a day off and rest". I've often said that as a religious person, we have to get away from falling back on just saying, 'Because the Bible says so". It's still a 100% true statement, but it's also something that you can't use to anyone other than a fellow Christian. So again, why? Here is the best answer I can come up with. Quality! When I am tired, my job does not get the best version of me. When I am tired, my kids do not get the best version of me. When I am tired, my church does not get the best version of me. And, of course, I'm sure that my wife can tell you the quality of sleep I have gotten, based on how I interact with her on a daily basis. Also, how much more prepared am I when I have got quality sleep? How can I tell my neighbor about Jesus when all I can think about is hiding from him so I can get in the house and go rest? Also, why would anyone want to be a Christian, if the only Christian they know is tired and crabby all the time? How about we go back and look at some of my replacement commandments and see if being well rested would make a difference with those. Have you ever been so tired you put off bills for another day? I can't balance a checkbook when I am tired. If I want to sleep a few extra minutes, can I forget to write a check out to tithe? Or what happens if I didn't balance everything?  Do I know what I have to tithe on? I know that maybe getting more sleep wouldn't stop wars between countries. But would it stop a battle between classmates or co-workers? What about family members? I'm sure I would have to apologize less for overreacting to someone. Would I be healthier? The list can go on forever with the things that go better when you are rested. However, the most important thing you need from a Sabbath Day, is time with God. Slow down, be still, and stop talking. At least long enough so that God can whisper in your ear and tell you what's next. 

Speaking of what's next, let me tell you what is next. A very busy week! Why do I mention that? Because when my week is over, it is time for a period of rest. I will be taking a week off of work and spending time with my wife! During that week, I hope to make sure that my priorities are in order. Home, church, work and life in general. And yes, the topic of Sabbath will come up! In case you haven't looked in a while, here, is Exodus 20:3-17 the 10 commandments. 

  3 “You must not have any other god but me. 

  4 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. 6 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. 

  7 “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. 

  8 “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 You have six days each week for your ordinary work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. 

  12 “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God is giving you. 

  13 “You must not murder. 

  14 “You must not commit adultery. 

  15 “You must not steal. 

  16 “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor. 

  17 “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.” 

During the difficult times

 I'm not sure this is a post that women will completely understand. I want to be up front and apologize for that from the start. Hopefully what I decide to post next will have a broader audience. Of course, I could be way off. Maybe some women out there will know exactly what I'm talking about or maybe I am on an island all by myself on this one. I find that when I am in a good mood and I see an uplifting picture or quote, it keeps me going. I laugh, I feel good about where I am in life. On the other hand, when I am having a bad day or going through difficult times, if I see something like that, I want to go yell at the person who posted it or sent it. I say yell because I don't want to go completely crazy, but it's probably a lot worse than that. I'm thinking that I probably want to them to hit their funny bone at minimum. I know that's horrible and probably rude, but when I am feeling down and out, I don't want a cute picture of a cat hanging on for dear life. I want something solid that will motivate me to turn it around. I want something that both recognizes that I am in an unfair position, but also points to me having the ability to turn it around. And I know that when this post began, I pointed to pictures, posts and quotes, but can I be honest? It's the same with scripture. Let's look at Proverbs 3:5-6:

   Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. 

Those are beautiful verses, and when I feel like I am on the right path, I get strength from this. But, when I am feeling like I am on the wrong path, this verse actually brings me down. Honestly, it brings me guilt. Sometimes when I read it, it's a reminder that I didn't listen, and I didn't seek his will.

What about Romans 15:13?

13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Again, beautiful and uplifting! But again, a reminder that I wasn't trusting him and now I am a mess!

So, if these verses are perfect when I am feeling good and they keep me going, what do I do when I am feeling discouraged, and things are difficult?

That is when I turn to two of my go to sets of verses. These two sets of verses do two things for me. They let me know that something bad is happening or has happened and they let me know that I am about ready to turn the corner, and everything is about to change. Let' first look in the book of Esther

13 Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. 14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” 

If you are not familiar with the book of Esther, she is the queen. But maybe not queen like you are thinking. She doesn't really have any special power, and if she wants to talk to the king, she has to wait for him to call on her. Her relative Mordecai has informed her that a law has been put out, that for one day it will be completely legal to try and kill all of the jews. She is hesitant to react and she knows that if she goes to the king and he doesn't want to see her, he has the right to kill her. Mordecai reminds her of her incredible journey that made her queen and says, maybe you were made queen for just such a time as this. For such a time as this...Such powerful words to me. When I am discouraged and things are not looking good, the people around me are starting to give up, the atmosphere has changed, and everyone's mood has soured. God put me in that situation at that exact moment, to turn everything back around. Life isn't fair, we have all been dealt a bad hand at one time or another. You can give up or you can realize that God did this, God put you in this situation. God is going to give you the words and the strength to turn this around. We got this!!

My other set of verses is in Genesis. Joseph had 10 brothers at the time that did not like him. They didn't push him on the playground or steal his ice cream cone. They sold him into slavery and told his father that he was killed by a wild beast. Now, because God works in mysterious way, he ended up second in command in the land of Egypt. He was in charge of everything during seven years of famine and Egypt was the only place that had food. So, guess who comes looking for food for their family? Yep, those same brothers who sold him. He had fun with them for a little bit and makes them jump through a few hoops since they didn't recognize him, but in the end it was time to reveal himself to them. They are very scared, but the good news is that their father is still alive so he will make sure that Joseph doesn't kill them. Then of course as the book of Genesis is ending, the father dies and the brothers get very scared again. So what did Joseph say to them? Let's look at Genesis 50:19

19 But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people

Verse 20 not only gives me chills, but a great sense of hope and encouragement. In life, people are going to intentionally hurt you. It isn't fair, it isn't right, but it will happen. When it does happen, you can decide to complain all day about how unfair it is, or you can ask God to use you for his intentions.

So, when I am down and out, when I am discouraged or things are difficult, I quietly whisper two things to myself, "For such a time as this" and " You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good". Those two small phrases change my whole mindset. It's not as cute as a kitten hanging in there, but it gives me strength.

Motivated but Confused

 Have you ever been motivated to do something, but still confused? I feel this way when it comes to my own weight loss journey. Calling it a journey is a bit of a stretch, right now I'm stalled. I tell myself maybe if I understand what I need to do, it would be better. Or, what if had more options to eat? I've come to the conclusion that no matter what I eat, if I do not feel satisfied after I am done, then about 30 minutes later I am back looking for more. I don't care how healthy a salad is for you, or how full it makes you feel. After I eat one, I'm back in the kitchen within an hour looking for something that satisfies me. I want to eat healthy, I'm motivated to lose weight. But overall, I'm confused on what to eat that will leave me feeling not only full, but satisfied. 

I'm feeling similar confusion with the stock market right now. I have goals, but right now it's just not working. What should I do with my 401k? I'm at a weird age, I'm still young enough that I have enough time to recover, but you can only watch that number get so low before you feel like you need to do something more or you will be working until you are eighty years old. And, of course with my weight loss journey being stalled, I won't make it to eighty years old. I want to put money away and be responsible, I am motivated to retire and spend more time with my family, but right now, I am very confused on how to move forward. 

Speaking of time, I would love to spend more time reading and writing. I really feel like I have a book in me somewhere. I have lots of topics I love to talk about and that I think others would be interested in. But lately, I can't even find time to keep this blog updated or exercise. I want to take the time for personal growth, but where do you take from to get more time. I have a long commute to work, but I want to be able to write down or highlight things I hear or read. That's difficult to do when driving! Do I take from my reading time to write more? It's not a horrible idea, but it sounds counterproductive. I know an easy answer would be to take away time from phone or tv, but I feel right now like I'm not really on them very much and if I completely cut them out, I go a little crazy because I have no outlet to get away from things. Reading and writing used to be outlets but now you are doing them for a purpose, so it doesn't feel like time away.  I'm motivated to grow personally, but confused on how to do it best.

Most people would read this and tell me to be patient. Just start doing something, exercise for five minutes every day and go from there. I understand, but I also know that when it comes to weight loss or exercise, things will always change. I remember when a good sit up was that your back and shoulders touched the floor and then your elbows touched your knees. Now if an expert saw you do that they would probably yell and scream at you. The way we look at food is so different today than fifteen to twenty years ago. Now we eat certain things and make the rest up with supplements. I'm not saying all of this as an excuse, just mentioning how much has changed. Same goes for the stock market, now it seems like you can gain or lose thousands of dollars in a matter of hours. Maybe I'm just older now so I see the impact more. Either way, over the course of twenty years the market fluctuates, and I will still retire. Change over time has to be expected. Everything changes! I remember thinking that when music was on a CD, it couldn't get any better. The internet was fairly new back then, so I guess I was a little off. Living in a world with constant change can be hard. We thrive under stability. We want to know what to expect around the corner. That is why I appreciate the only verse I want to mention today, Hebrews 13:8:

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Mary did you know

 Every year right after Thanksgiving, we start to hear Christmas songs. For some, that is a time for joy and for others I think they start complaining shortly after Halloween that Christmas songs will soon start playing non-stop till the end of the year. Why do I bring this up in May? There is a popular Christmas song titled "Mary did you know", at least I believe that is the name of it. The focus of the song is asking Mary if she actually knew who her baby was. Of course, we have no way of knowing what the answer to that specific question is, but while thinking of Mother's Day I thought of the verses in John describing the first miracle that Jesus performed. Let's look at John chapter 2.

The Wedding at Cana

The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. 3 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” 5 But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, 8 he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. 9 When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. 10 “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” 11 This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him. 12 After the wedding he went to Capernaum for a few days with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples. 

Starting in verse 3, I'm intrigued at the interaction between Jesus and Mary. Up to this point, Jesus hasn't performed any miracles. I'm sure Mary has heard him speak lots of times, and of course she has seen his daily actions since birth. But, why did she go to Jesus with this? Why did Jesus respond the way he did? The word that I can't stop thinking about is the word "time". In verse 4, Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come". But then he does the miracle. Some commentaries say that this back and forth is showing the change from a Mother/Son relationship to a relationship between a woman and her savior relationship. The commentaries will also say that when he pretty much tells her no, what he is actually saying is I need to consult with my Father before I do anything. Even though it doesn't say that Jesus prayed before he did anything, I think it's likely that he did. I think that is why in his response he says, that's not "our" problem. So in a lot of ways I understand and agree with what the commentaries are saying. But, for some reason I don't feel as though anyone has addressed why Mary went to him in the first place. If I'm being honest, I have to admit that I think some of the issue is that some religions make Mary out to be way more that she is, and then in return other religions try and reduce everything she says or does. I think that means that the real answer is somewhere in between. I think that Mary took the responsibility to raise our Savior and she did an amazing job. I think that God trusted her and used her as part of Jesus's ministry. In the text above, I think God used her to say to Jesus "It's time to check in with your Father, I have seen you and listened to you, and I believe in you". Maybe I am reading too much into it. I know that anything is possible and that I can be way off, but I guess my main point is this, Jesus had an earthly Mother, she helped raise Jesus and when the time came for him to separate from her and become a Savior to the world, she let him know that she was ok with him leaving. SHE KNEW what he had to go do. 

Continued Prayer

 When people talk about reading the bible my main advice is to just keep reading. Some parts are easier to read, and I know that that some places are better to start than others, but just keep reading! I also think it's important to make it a goal to read the whole bible. If that seems like too big of a goal, start with just reading the New Testament. When you are done reading the New Testament, do it again! Some people get so stuck in a certain book or chapter, they forget to move on. They don't realize that the whole book is connected and that there could be other books or chapters that will help you understand your favorite book even more. So, I know what you are thinking right now, why am I talking about the bible so much when I titled this post continued prayer?? I hardly ever recommend going back to a certain set of verses unless a certain amount of time or reading has taken place. If you have a daily verse you go over, I understand. If you are trying to memorize something so you are repeating it until you get it, I understand. One of the very few exceptions I have to this rule is the verses I want to look at today. Let's look at Luke Chapter 18,

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” 

Have you ever had something on your mind that was super important, and you needed to pray about it? As soon as it came up you made the commitment to keep praying until God answered your prayer. Three days later, the weekend is over and your busy week is in full swing, you go to have your prayer time, your mind is all over the place and as you finish you say to yourself, " I think I am forgetting something". You walk away, it bothers you for maybe five more minutes and then you forget about it. Then all of the sudden you are taking a shower the next morning and it hits you, I was so busy yesterday, I didn't spend any time thinking or praying about this huge thing on my mind. Guilt kicks in, you are going to be late for work, but hopefully on the way to work you will have a few minutes for a quick prayer. Sometimes we remember to have a quick prayer, other times we forget. Either way, no one is going to confuse us with the persistent widow. Prayer can change things, prayer can move mountains, it can change our whole attitude about something. KEEP PRAYING! God keeps saying come to me, God keeps saying ask for anything in my name. He wants to hear from us, but sadly we often forget. Luke 18 is something I think we should read on a regular basis. Maybe once a week or maybe once a month, either way, we need a reminder. What right now is on your mind the most? What right now is bothering you the most? Is someone sick? Is someone going through a hard time? No matter the situation, my challenge today is that we become like the persistent widow and take it to God so many times that he has no choice but to answer us quickly. Now stop reading and go pray.