Today in the Word for August 31st to September 7th
Today in the Word
Thursday Aug 27, 2020
What do people complain about? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. The Israelites have a complaint when they are wandering in the desert after their escape from Egypt in Num 11:4-6:
“…again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!””
The Israelites have been provided a daily bread from heaven called manna. But it has become repetitious and bland to them. It is the same month after month. They want the flavorful food of Egyptian slavery. What they are actually doing is complaining that God’s gifts are not good enough. They are sick of God’s provision.
Can we complain in the same way? Can God’s sustaining work in our life get to feeling routine? Do we forget about the terrible costs of slavery to sin, and just remember the spicy parts? God would challenge us to accept his daily manna as a blessing and not complain. We can be grateful for his sustaining power.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly.
Today in the Word
Friday Aug 28, 2020
In what ways can we complain against God? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. The Israelites have just been complaining to Moses about the boring manna they have to choke down every day. They want meat. Numbers 11:10-12 reads:
“Moses heard the people of every family wailing at the entrance tents…He asked the Lord, “…What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors?”
Moses is complaining to God that the people he has been tasked to lead are shockingly immature. He is upset at God that he has been saddled with an entire nation of babies. And he does not want to be their nursing mother.
As leaders at work and church and home, do we make a similar complaint? It would be good to remember that not many humans are fully formed and healthy. God doesn’t do that with parents, and he rarely does that anywhere else, for that matter. God does not dispute with Moses that they are acting childish with their tantrum throwing. Neither does he promise to give Moses spiritual grown-ups. Rather, he calls us to be gentle and patient teachers. And in Moses’ case, he will bring correction to the complainers.
But what about Moses (and us?) We should beware of complaining about complainers. Are these essentially the same thing? We are not to be surprised that humans only partly formed would act in childish ways. We will just have to teach them better.
And that is the Word from Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in the Word
Monday Aug 31, 2020
Can God help us when we get to complaining? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Moses is complaining to God about the Israelites’ whining about the boring manna they eat in Numbers 11:13-17:
“…They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me…
The Lord said to Moses; “Bring me 70 of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders…among the people…I will come down… and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.”
Moses is complaining that his burden of leadership is too heavy. God offers to spread out the burden across multiple leaders. Do we complain about too heavy a load, but have a hard time releasing some of our duties to another? Do we complain about too heavy a load, but harbor the opinion that we are the only ones that God’s Spirit can work through?
Loads are to be shared as God’s children. God can help us, if we are willing to relinquish sole power to make decisions, and trust God to be constantly raising up the next generation of leaders through our mentorship.
And that’s the Word. You can enjoy more of the Word this Sunday at 10:45 at Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in The Word
Tuesday Sept 1, 2020
Can our cravings be a danger to us? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David.
The Israelites craved the fish from the Nile in their life of slavery, rather than the daily monotony of manna. Numbers 11:31-34 tells what happened next:
“Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail in from the sea…All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail…Then they spread them out all around the camp…the anger of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. Therefore the place was named ’Graves of Craving’ because there they buried the people who had craved other food.”
God did not cater to their craving and complaining for more than he had blessed them with. Their craving for meat turned into a nightmare. People lost their lives. But if one caters to the cravings of their children, cannot similar bad things happen to them? Does a kid need to feed his craving for 4 desserts? Those who have had their cravings catered to turn into self-absorbed brats with much higher negative consequences. There is nothing pretty about the arrested development of a selfish me-focused 30-year-old in mama’s basement.
We need to remember as leaders and parents that catering to the cravings of those under us can be a curse rather than a blessing.
And that’s The Word from Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in The Word
Wednesday Sept 2, 2020
Is it a danger to forget? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. David was on the run from Saul. King Saul’s government was collapsing, and the country was choosing up sides in the approaching civil war. In I Samuel 25: 7-11 we find David’s soldiers asking a local sheep rancher for help:
“’…When your shepherds were with us…the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing. Ask your own servants and they will tell you. Therefore…since we come at a festival time, please give your servants and your son David whatever you can find for them.’
…Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is this David...Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?””
What did Nabal forget in his rude response to David’s men? He forgot the long history of good that had gone on before. He forgot about the protection from raiding soldiers that had been provided. He acts like they have no history at all.
And so, we do well to remember the history of good with others when they are in need of help. Let us keep a long memory of good, so as to be generous in times of need.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in the Word
Thursday Sept 3, 2020
What are some of the reasons we can forget about the history of good with others and get contentious with them? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Nabal did that to David in I Samuel 25:10-11:
“Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?””
Nabal is siding with King Saul and the crumbling government. That is why he states the barbed line about servants breaking from their masters. He doesn’t help David because they are in different political groups.
Do we do the same today? If someone else is of a different party, do we reject them—insult them? IF they differ on a political point, do we write them off? Refuse to help them? Nabal did, and he was called a fool.
Think of the history of good you have shared with that family member spouting their political point. Don’t write them off. Don’t let one difference overshadow the exchange of good that has gone before. You would be a fool to do so.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly.
Today in the Word
Friday Sept 4, 2020
What are some of the reasons we can forget about the history of good with others and get contentious with them? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Nabal was contentious and rude to David when he asked for some food for his men. Nabal’s wife Abigail rectified the situation with a generous gift of food to David’s freedom fighters. I Samuel 25:36-38 reports the result of her actions:
“When Abigail went to Nabal…He was in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until daybreak. Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him he became like a stone. About 10 days later…he died.”
When his wife told him how much she gave away to David’s men, his miserly heart gave out. He had a heart attack, fell into a coma and died. Stinginess, miserliness and greed can keep us from remembering the long history of good that we have with others. When they have a need, all we can see is dollars leaving our pockets. To give away any of our hoard would give us a heart attack. Nabal did that literally. Don’t be a tightwad.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly.
Today in the Word
Monday Sept 7, 2020
What are some of the reasons we can forget about the history of good with others and get contentious with them? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Nabal was contentious and rude to David when he asked for some food for his men. I Samuel gives us insight into his character in verse 17. A servant has described Nabal’s rudeness to his wife, Abigail:
“Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him.”
Nabal can’t be talked to. No one can reason with him. He has what I call an arguing mouth. He is ready to go to battle with anyone who disagrees with him. In this day in which we live, many are in this state. They will argue on the internet, and in the doughnut shop. They will argue with a stranger and with their child or brother-in-law. And people with an arguing mouth forget any good history they have with the other guy. They just rudely dismiss not only their opinion, but the person themselves. Don’t be like the fool Nabal. Work to get rid of an arguing mouth.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly.