Without God's blessing: the end of King Saul - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 31:7,

"When the Israelites along the valley and those across the Jordan saw that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them."

Saul became king over Israel when the elders approached Samuel, Israel's last judge, and demanded a human king be placed over them. The demand "displeased" Samuel, and the Lord explained to him that the nation was not rejecting him (Samuel) but the Lord himself, "it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king." 8:7. The Lord gave the nation over to what they demanded.

Samuel warned the elders of the disaster that would take place, but they "refused to listen to Samuel. 'No!' they said. 'We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.'"

1 Samuel 31:7 tells how it turns out with this first king Israel demanded. He died in battle with his sons (he fell on his sword after being wounded.) Following Saul's death and the scattering of Israel's army, the Israelites had to abandon their towns as the Philistines took them from the Israelites and occupied them.

No glory for Israel here. No example of what a nation who submits herself to God can become. Defeat, destruction, despair... here is the outcome for any nation that rejects the Lord.

How about us? Will we hit a tipping point where God is rejected by so many that his blessings are removed from our nation? Can we expect to see our nation turn out like so many losers on the international stage throughout recorded history?

The next time anyone tells you "your religion" has no legitimate presence in the public square, recall Israel here. Learn and remember what happens to a nation that rejects the Lord. If we have any care for our nation, believers need to be the loudest voice being heard; believers need to be pushing back against the darkness of what the spiritually dead are pushing into the national conversation, in the political arena, in social media, everywhere.

It was Christians who founded this country. It was believers who built it and it will require the same to keep it afloat. Never buy into the lie that believers need to keep their faith hidden behind church walls. As children are given an "F" for refusing to deny God's existence, as coaches are terminated for praying with their teams, as vestiges of what founded our nation and the cause of its blessings are challenged and rejected, what do you expect will keep it afloat?

Be strong, be courageous, be heard! Share the gospel and proclaim our nation's need of God.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

What does this life look like for those of faith? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 30:6,

"David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God."

David was a man of faith. Of him, God is quoted as saying, "I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do." Acts 13:22. He is listed among those of faith in Hebrews 11:33-34 who, "through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies."

Often times, over the years, I have heard sermons, I have heard on religious broadcasting, I have read in books and Christian periodicals that because God loves us, he wants to bless us. If we but put our faith in him, will will have an abundant life here (defined as affluence and personal peace, the very same goals as the world pursues.) However, the writer of Hebrews goes on to say in 11:39-40, "These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect."

The heroes of faith did not find the kind of lifestyle so often offered in the name of the gospel. Certainly David experienced extreme hardship in this life, as demonstrated in my verse today, as a man of great faith. Here is a sampling of David's emotions and frame of mind as a godly man of faith, as noted in Psalm 142,

"I cry aloud to the Lord;
    I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.
I pour out before him my complaint;
    before him I tell my trouble.
When my spirit grows faint within me,
    it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
    people have hidden a snare for me.
Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
    no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;
    no one cares for my life.
I cry to you, Lord;
    I say, 'You are my refuge,
    my portion in the land of the living.'
Listen to my cry,
    for I am in desperate need;
rescue me from those who pursue me,
    for they are too strong for me.
Set me free from my prison,
    that I may praise your name.
Then the righteous will gather about me
    because of your goodness to me."

In this psalm I read of this man of faith that:

He felt faint because of his enemies.
He sought the Lord's mercy.
He had his complaint.
He had trouble.
He was in danger from his enemies.
He was in desperate need.
He was pursued by his enemies and they were stronger than he was.
He felt as if he were in a prison.

When it comes to what life in this age is like for people of faith, we need to face truth. We need to scour the Scriptures and learn for ourselves what they teach us this life is all about for those of us who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith, what life is like, what we can expect between today and the day we leave this life. Heaven awaits us, until then we live in a lost and fallen world filled with evil.

Why deceive ourselves with the peddling of silly child-like ideas which have no foundation in the Scriptures? Pastors who offer potential followers a life of ease, peace and prosperity - if they would join up and contribute financially, are charlatans and deceivers.

Read the Scriptures and find out for yourself!  

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

When we can't understand disappointments - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 29:8,

"'But what have I done?' asked David. 'What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can't I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?'"

David found himself caught up in the concerns of others. David had fled to the Philistines to avoid capture by King Saul. Achish was the ruler of Gath, where David had fled. Now that the Philistines were forming up to fight the Israelites, David was expecting to join the Philistines in the battle. However, David was not allowed and voiced his complaint to Achish in verse 8.

David's complaint here sounds very similar to me as does his complaint to Jonathan in 20:1, "What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father, that he is trying to kill me?"

David found himself in the midst of disappointments in life, turmoil, agitation and commotion. David plays a key role in the Lord's plan of redemption that will unfold over the years. For this simple reason, both his use by God and the threat he posed to Satan and his ilk, David found himself embroiled in things that probably often escaped his understanding, as documented in his two complaints quoted above.

I am reminded that when the Lord's agenda of redemption is afoot, and the forces of hell feel the threat, believers will at times find themselves caught up in things bigger than themselves and perhaps embroiled in things they struggle to comprehend.

It is to our great comfort and solace that we can take our troubles to the Lord during those times, like David, when we struggle to understand the disappointments we find ourselves in. Fleeing to the Lord as our refuge is a major theme in the book of Psalms, of which David wrote a substantial part.

Here is a thought-provoking question... how often do we find ourselves caught in a disappointment we may not understand, and yet may reflect we are engaged in God's agenda of redemption? Does that ever happen?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Sheol, Hades, Paradise, Place of Torment: where will you spend eternity? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 28:15,

"Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?"

Samuel had died, the Lord had abandoned King Saul because of his disobedience to him, and now Saul was terrified at the threat the Philistines posed as they arrayed themselves against the army of Israel. Due to his great fear, Saul went to a witch or "medium" at Endor to inquire of Samuel as to what he should do. When Samuel rose from the dead, this was his question to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?"

Several observations here for those interested in what lies beyond the grave...

-- Samuel did not cease to exist when he died. Following his death, he left his body in the grave and went to a place called Sheol in the Hebrew language, the place of departed spirits. Jesus described this place in Luke 16:19-31 and called it "Hades" (Greek).

-- In Hades, or Sheol, Jesus described in his account two parts to this place where dead people went, "Abraham's side" verse 22, a place he referred to as "Paradise" in Luke 23:43.  and a second part, a place of torment, verses 23-24. Jesus recounted a conversation between Abraham and a rich man who was an unbeliever and who had died, "Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us."

It is my understanding that following the death of Jesus Christ, when he ascended into heaven, he emptied out Abraham's side of Sheol (or Hades) and took all who were with Abraham, (all the people of faith in God), with him to heaven when he assumed his position at the right hand of God. In his sermon, Peter points out that Jesus is currently in heaven where he will remain, until he comes his second time to earth at the end of this age to usher in the next, Acts 3:21.

Paul points out that when believers die now, they go to heaven to be with the Lord, "Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord" 2 Corinthians 5:6-7.

The exciting thing about all this is the recognition that this life we live here is temporary, but an eternal life awaits those who place their faith in Jesus Christ, "For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." 2 Corinthians 5:1-5.

The outlook for all who do not embrace Jesus Christ in faith is as horrific as can be imagined. John likened it to a "fiery lake of burning sulfur." Revelation 21:8. All who currently inhabit the place of torment in Sheol, those left behind when Jesus took with him all who were at "Abraham's side", will find their eternal future in this miserable lake of burning sulfur.

Where will you spend eternity?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

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Living among the enemy - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 27:2,

"So David and the six hundred men with him left and went over to Achish son of Maok king of Gath."

Gath is the town that the giant Goliath was from, the one David had killed. In an earlier episode, in 1 Samuel 17, we read Goliath had gone out every morning to taunt the army of Israel until David showed up. Having killed Goliath, David and the army of Israel chased and slaughtered the Philistines all the way to the gates of Gath - the town where now David sought sanctuary from King Saul who was trying to kill him.

David, the future king of Israel, now living among Israel's enemies!

I am reminded that we, too, live among what might be considered the enemies of the Lord, the "world." When we respond to the gospel message, we are not immediately removed from this world to join the Lord in heaven, but are left here for the furtherance of the gospel. We live among the enemies of the Lord.

In a parable the Lord gave concerning those of us who remain in the world as his own family members, he said, "Let both [meaning believers and non-believers] grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn." Until the Lord returns, his people live among those who hate them. "Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you." 1 John 3:13. Believers live among their enemies, just as David lived among the Philistines. 

David did it to seek sanctuary. We do it to further the work of the gospel. The question I have of myself: am I remaining in this life to further the Lord's agenda of his gospel, or am I just simply living for myself? How about you?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

A man of deep faith - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 26:9-11,

"'Don't destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord's anointed and be guiltless? As surely as the Lord lives,' he [David] said, 'the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord's anointed.'"

In his insane hatred of David, Saul took three thousand of his select soldiers down to the desert of Ziph. David was hiding there and Ziphites had gone to Saul to tell him where David was.

In the account, David found a second chance to kill Saul to end his unwarranted pursuit to kill him. However, David refused and instead, told Abishai, who had accompanied David when they sneaked into Saul's camp in the middle of the night, what we read in verses 9-11.

In his statement it is clear David was man of deep faith. He knew the Lord would take care of Saul, who was threatening his life. In a psalm he wrote about this incident he says, "Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me... You have delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes." Psalm 54:4,7.

Will I face the challenges I may encounter in this life with faith in the Lord as manifested by David? We read in Romans 15:4, "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope."

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Abigail: God's gift to David - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 25:27,

"And let this gift, which your servant [Abigail] has brought to my lord [David], be given to the men who follow you."

The gift Abigail speaks of is the load of supplies she brought out to David and his men. It included two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five sheep already butchered up, sixty pounds of grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs.

However, the real gift was Abigail herself. In her coming to David bearing the supplies for David and his men, she provided him an escape from an impossible situation. It is my perspective that God himself provided David a way out of what appeared to be an insurmountable dilemma through her. As David said to Abigail, "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me."

David and his band of six hundred warriors had moved down to an area where a wealthy man, Nabal, had livestock. While in the area, David and his men provided stability there by protecting the folks and their belongings. As Nabal's servants told Abigail, Nabal's wife, "these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing. Night and day they were a wall around us the whole time we were herding our sheep near them." Verses 15-16.

Now that it was harvest time, David sought out Nabal to provide his men with much needed provisions. There was nothing inappropriate about David looking to Nabal for compensation for what he and his men provided Nabal, but Nabal's response was, "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?" Verses 10-11. This was a horrible disrespect and an affront to David and his men... not bordering on, but a fully contemptuous act.

A part of the strength David enjoyed was the acknowledgement of his superiority as a warrior. This is the man that destroyed the giant Goliath. This is the man that defeated Philistines while the king dithered (as an example see 1 Samuel 23:1-6.) This is the man that will be king and Nabal and Abigail knew it.

For David to be mistreated by a fool like Nabal, after he and his men provided protection for his servants and livestock, placed David in an awkward position, both with the people living in the area, as well as with his own men. Were a man, as Nabal, known to be "surly and mean" disrespect David and get away with it, it would have severe consequences for David. Couple this with David's proclivity to bloodshed and to avenging himself, to slaughter Nabal's family would result in him gaining a reputation as a mean and wicked man himself.

However, the Lord is always there... "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." David's temptation was to slaughter Nabal and his household, but God's gift, his provision of "a way out" was Abigail. She provided David, not just supplies, but also a way to overcome Nabal's affront without having to resort to bloodshed and the loss of his good name. She brought the supplies her husband, Nabal, should have provided in the first place.

What is your challenge today? What gift is God sending your way so you can stand up under it? Our God is faithful and always provides "a way out."

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

God's people are hated by the world - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 24:11-13,

"I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. As the old saying goes, 'From evildoers come evil deeds,' so my hand will not touch you."

There is a proverb that approximates this situation David found himself in, "The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity and seek to kill the upright." Proverbs 29:10. David was a person of integrity and demonstrated that by not killing Saul in the cave when the opportunity presented itself. As he told Saul, "This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, 'I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord's anointed.'" 1 Samuel 24:10.

Of course Saul felt threatened by David, as the Lord had anointed him to replace Saul as king, which was why Saul pursued David to kill him. And, following David's protest that although he had opportunity, he would not harm King Saul, Saul "wept aloud", verse 16.

Nevertheless, Saul was bent on killing David due to David's standing with the Lord. David was a person of integrity, David was upright. Just the kind of man that is hated by others, the kind of man an evil person desires to kill.

It is perhaps wise to keep in mind that the world hates those who abide in God's tent. Those of "the world" exist outside and deeply resent those who dwell inside.

As John said, "Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you." 1 John 3:13.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

A man of faith recognizes his dependency upon God - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 23:19-20,

"The Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, 'Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon? Now, Your Majesty, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for giving him into your hands.'"

I wonder from time to time, as I read these narratives of David, as well as others, what was going on in their minds - what frame of mind did they have as these events unfolded? In Psalm 54 we read  a psalm David wrote about this event. The title to the psalm includes the following, "For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David. When the Ziphites had gone to Saul and said, 'Is not David hiding among us?'"

"Save me, O God, by your name;
    vindicate me by your might.
Hear my prayer, O God;
    listen to the words of my mouth.

Arrogant foes are attacking me;
    ruthless people are trying to kill me—
    people without regard for God.

Surely God is my help;
    the Lord is the one who sustains me.

Let evil recoil on those who slander me;
    in your faithfulness destroy them.

I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
    I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good.
You have delivered me from all my troubles,
    and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes."

What I see in David's frame of reference, as a great man of faith, was his utter dependence upon God. David was crafty, he was a skilled fighter and had great instincts for strategy and tactics, yet David recognized it was the Lord who sustained him and so he placed his dependence on him, "Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might. Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth."

Some of his comments, "the Lord is the one who sustains me", verse 4, makes this point. He acknowledged it was the Lord who delivered him from his enemies, verse 7, and that God was his help. David called for God's help, verse 1, and he called for God to curse his enemies, verse 5.

David was such a man of faith, that at the time he called for God's help, he looked at his deliverance as an already accomplished act, verses 6-7, "I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good. You have delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes."

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Spiritual clarity or stumbling in the darkness? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 22:17,

"Then the king [Saul] ordered the guards at his side: 'Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me.'"

The king here is Saul, a king who had rejected the Lord, in spite of the fact the Lord had chosen him to be the first king over his people, Israel. In 1 Samuel 15:11 we read that Lord told Samuel, "I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions."

Without the mooring of his kingship to the Lord, this pitiful man had become filled with fear and anxiety. He felt compelled to defend his reign from threats that were not threatening - and, here is Saul, commanding the deaths of innocent priests in his insanity to protect his throne from David.

Saul's life had run off the rails in his failure to embrace the Lord. He had placed himself in a spiritual darkness that prevented him from seeing life clearly. It resulted in his poor judgment, his mistreatment of innocents, and an inability to make wise choices and decisions. Of Saul it can truly be said, "They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them." 1 John 2:11.

How about us today? Is the leadership of our country making wise decisions? Or do you sense a stumbling around in darkness? More importantly, how about you and me? Do our lives manifest a spiritual clarity that demonstrates a connection with Jesus Christ, our embrace of him?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

The outlook for two men - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 21:7,

"Now one of Saul's servants was there that day, detained before the Lord; he was Doeg the Edomite, Saul's chief shepherd."

David had gone to Nob and asked the priest there for food and weapons. Ahimelek gave David the consecrated bread that had been set before the Lord and the sword of Goliath, the giant that David himself had killed.

In the account there is but a mention of someone else on that day, a man by the name of Doeg, an Edomite, who was King Saul's chief shepherd.

David fled from Nob and went to Gath. We are not told in 1 Samuel 21 why he fled that very day, but the comment in the title of Psalm 52 provides us some detail, "For the director of music. A maskil of David. When Doeg the Edomite had gone to Saul and told him: 'David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.'"

Apparently when Doeg saw David in Nob, he went back to tell Saul, who was seeking to kill David, and so David fled. In Psalm 52 a contrast is painted for us by David of the outlook for Doeg with his own. Here is what he saw for Doeg, "Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and pluck you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at you, saying, 'Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!'" Psalm 52:5-7.

However, the outlook for David was something he saw for himself as much brighter, "But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever. For what you [God] have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good." Psalm 52:8=9.

The reality is that there were then, and there are yet today, two groups of people in this world. Those who have embraced the Lord in faith, and those who have not. Those who have not are represented by Doeg, and those who have are represented by David in Psalm 52.

Those who reject the Lord will be brought "down to everlasting ruin" and suffer as David saw for Doeg. On the other hand, those who embrace the Lord will flourish like an olive tree in the house of God, they will experience God's unfailing love for ever and ever!

Why would any one want Doeg's dismal outcome? Is not what David had, and has, much better? All it requires is faith in Jesus Christ!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

The world is threatened by those of faith - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 20:1,

"What have I [David] done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father [King Saul], that he is trying to kill me?"

The answer to David's question is: nothing. David had done nothing at all to warrant Saul's hatred of him. David had done nothing at all to warrant Saul's attempts to kill him. What David had done was to demonstrate Saul's shortcomings by simply living a life of faith.

Through faith, David had the courage to face Goliath and kill him, while Saul cowered. By faith David went out to fight against the Philistines while Saul stayed in his house contemplating how he would kill David, 19:8-9.

Saul was a man who lacked faith and made his decisions based on the circumstances he observed. He became odious in God's sight, "I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions." 15:11. David, on the other hand, was a man of great faith. Not a perfect man (there has only ever been one of those), but a man of great faith. Paul made this observation of David, quoting God, when he preached his sermon at Pisidian Antioch, "I [God] have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do." Acts 13:22.

Saul, on the other hand, found for himself the truth of Hebrews 11:6, "...without faith it is impossible to please God...". David was everything Saul was not. As a result, Saul, understandably, felt threatened by David when there really was no threat from David's corner.

David found the truth of what John had to say a thousand years later as he spoke of another circumstance Illustrating the very same thing, "Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you." 1 John 3:12-13.

Those who are not of faith feel threatened by those of faith. It is the very thing that drives our contemporary society to turn against any vestige of Jesus Christ and his church today. Monuments of bygone times are being removed because they recognize Jesus Christ, Christmas carols and nativity displays are being removed because they recognize Jesus Christ. Displays of the Ten Commands are being removed because they point to the things of God. All of this with an enormous animosity that has often left us believers feeling bewildered... "what did we do?" - just like David.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Comfort (even well-being) subordinated to the Lord's agenda - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 19:9-10,

"But an evil spirit from the Lord came on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the lyre, Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape."

Here we read of another attempt by King Saul to kill David. In 18:10-11 we read of similar circumstances. There an evil spirit from the Lord came "forcefully on Saul" just as in chapter 19 as he attempted to pin David to the wall with his spear.

The Lord, in sending this "evil spirit" or "harmful spirit" on more than one occasion to Saul, resulted in attempts by Saul to kill David. I'm not sure I have ever heard any sermons on the workings of the Lord to send evil spirits to prompt someone to attempt murder on multiple occasions, but that is what we read in these chapters.

To be sure, the Lord was not going to allow David to be murdered by Saul, as the Lord had by now selected him to succeed Saul on the throne. However, in the workings of the Lord, the Lord prompts Saul to attempt David's murder. 

David was the Lord's man and Saul was the Lord's rejected. Yet the Lord had the one he rejected attempt to kill his chosen one. It is evident the Lord intended to keep tranquility from the household of Saul while David was present in order to keep David on the run. The specter of a home kept from peaceful existence was going to be a part of what the Lord used to pursue his agenda.

I'm not sure I have always thought in those terms. l have often felt that my embrace, my pursuit of the Lord would surely lead to a peaceful and prosperous home. This is because I have tended to think of my own comfort, my own happiness, my own best interests (together with my loved ones). However, the Lord has his own agenda that transcends my own. The Lord has his own things he wants to accomplish and those may not necessarily include my own personal comfort. 

It just may be the Lord has bigger things he is doing. It just may be that he his pursuing the building of his own family for eternity, and it just may be that my comfort, my peace, my "prosperity" will have to be subordinated.

It certainly was in David's case, wasn't it?!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

God sends an evil spirit - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 18:10,

"The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul."

Here is an account where God sent an evil spirit. The evil spirit was from God and he sent it to accomplish his intentions. God had decided to replace King Saul with David for the throne. Not wanting a happy atmosphere within Saul's court that might lead to an entrenched establishment of Saul as king, while David did all the dirty work of dispatching Saul's enemies in the ranks of the Philistines, God sent the evil spirit to disrupt things between Saul and David.

We rarely think of the Lord sending an evil spirit, but he certainly did here to accomplish his agenda. James said, "When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." James 1:13-15.  Saul would engage in unprovoked attacks on David to eliminate him.

While I certainly believe that what James said is truthful (I believe all the Scriptures are truthful!) , it should be recognized that he was speaking in general terms and not to a specific accomplishment God intends to pursue. As the Lord pursues his agenda, he will use evil.  Look at the events that took place in God's court that led up to Job's story, "The Lord said to Satan, 'Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.' Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord." Job 1:12.  We also see sinful man used by God to crucify Jesus Christ on the cross.

I suspect the best way to understand what we read in 1 Samuel 18 and Job 1:12 up against James 1:13-15 is in light of Proverbs 16:4, "The Lord works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster."

Our understanding of the ways of the Lord need to be gained through the full counsel of God found in all sixty-six books of the Bible, and not in just one passage or another. It helps to keep us from misunderstanding what it is we read in the pages of Scripture.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

God demonstrates his power through David - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 17:4-7,

"A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver's rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him."

This enemy of Israel is presented to us as someone impossible to defeat. He was about nine foot, nine inches tall. Equipped for battle, highly trained, highly experienced in combat and equipped for World War III.

David, whom the Lord would use to instruct, not just Israel, but all of us, in the nature of his power to do the impossible, was just a squirt of a young man, a boy. Although he had his experiences in fending off wild animals through the Lord's help as a shepherd, he was not trained in combat, not equipped properly for a fight, and was simply no legitimate match for Goliath. Yet, here David is, placing God's power to do what he promises in full view of all to see. David kills this monster of a man, to whom David says, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give all of you into our hands." Verses 45-47.

This is how the Lord teaches us. He takes what might be considered "beyond the pale" to demonstrate for us his power, his ability in and through people.

I am reminded it is this very thing the Lord sets before us. Will we understand, embrace and place our trust and faith that the Lord can do what he promises? I am reminded of Romans 4:20-25, where Paul speaks of the faith of Abraham, our example of what God looks for in each one of us, "Yet he [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.' The words 'it was credited to him' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Observing the ways of the Lord - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 16:1b-3,

"'I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.' But Samuel said, 'How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.' The Lord said, 'Take a heifer with you and say, "I have come to sacrifice to the Lord." Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.'"

Here is a look at how the Lord handled a difficult situation he gave Samuel. We often talk about the ways of the Lord and it is always fascinating to me to see how he accomplishes what he does. Those who love the Lord, love to understand his ways.

In this account, the Lord tells Samuel that he has rejected Saul as king over Israel and that he wants him to anoint David as Israel's new king. Samuel raises the concern that King Saul would kill him if he found out about it.

How did the Lord handle the issue? He could have just "smitten" Saul to remove him altogether to make way for David, but he didn't. He could have arranged for Samuel or David himself to simply kill Saul, but he didn't. He could have waited for Saul to die of "natural causes" and then had him replaced by David, but he didn't. He could have had the nation rebel against Saul, but he didn't.

There are many things the Lord could have done, but what he did do was to have Samuel anoint David as Israel's new king by having Samuel, God's king-maker, approach it through a subterfuge. The Lord had Samuel approach Bethlehem and invite, together with David's father and family, the elders "to sacrifice to the Lord" as a smoke screen. It was during this occasion Samuel was presented David and anointed him.

The Lord has done countless things over the millenia and many have been documented in the Scriptures. As we read of them we find the Lord will do things in different kinds of ways. For instance, when the Lord decided to remove King Azariah, the king of Judah, because he did not eradicate the places of idol worship, he simply afflicted him with leprosy till he died.

A part of loving the Lord is growing in our understanding and knowledge of him, and certainly a part of that is to observe how he works, the way he accomplishes things.

Possibly he may do something in your life in a fascinating way...

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

God commanded genocide - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 15:3,

"Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys."

Genocide. The Lord commanded Saul, through Samuel, to kill all the people, including the women, the children, even the livestock of the Amalekites.

Many people claim to know the Lord. Many people think they know a lot about the Lord. Many would be astonished to hear the Lord give the command to commit genocide, to wipe out an entire people. The neglect of the Scriptures, particularly of the Old Testament has resulted in some to "fill in the blanks" concerning what it is they think they know of God. Unfortunately, it results in people embracing a fictional god.

To be sure, our God is a god of love, kindness, mercy and grace. But, as he reveals himself in the pages of Scripture, he is also a god of justice, of judgment. "'Let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,' declares the Lord." Both kindness and justice.

Our understanding of God must come from God's own revelation of himself. He does this in the pages of Scripture, our Bibles. Here are some passages to consider:

"Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope." Romans 15:4.

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12.

"Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." 2 Peter 1:20-21.

The Scriptures, our Bibles, teach us about God. He reveals himself within its pages and informs us. We can avoid the misconceptions and errors so many around us have about God if we would but simply avail ourselves of what God has had written about himself.

Yes, God commanded genocide, and yes, at the very same time, God is loving, kind and compassionate. However, this will only bewilder many to hear this until they begin to make the effort to read their Bibles and gain an understanding of the true nature of God and learn from him.

May we all make the effort! When we do, we discover there is very little this life has to offer on as grand a scale as coming to know our Creator God.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

The Johnathan approach - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 14:4-10,

"On each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez and the other Seneh. One cliff stood to the north toward Mikmash, the other to the south toward Geba. Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, 'Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.' 'Do all that you have in mind,' his armor-bearer said. 'Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.' Jonathan said, 'Come on, then; we will cross over toward them and let them see us. If they say to us, "Wait there until we come to you," we will stay where we are and not go up to them. But if they say, "Come up to us," we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the Lord has given them into our hands."

Johnathan sought to attack Israel's enemies. He was concerned that he have the Lord's blessings in his effort, that the Lord would insure he be successful. "... that will be our sign that the Lord has given them into our hands."

I note that in his efforts, Johnathan first had a desire to accomplish something. Although the account doesn't address the issue, it appears Johnathan took initiative to do something - he wasn't waiting for the Lord to act first, or to specifically direct Johnathan to attack the Philistines. He just took initiative.

His attack required him to leave his area of comfort in order to accomplish it. He wasn't waiting for something to be dropped into his lap. He left his comfort zone to go make something happen.

I also note that Johnathan was concerned to seek the Lord's direction by looking for specific responses from the Philistines. When he felt he had the Lord's blessing, he acted, he was "all-in".

I'm sure there are other observations that can be made from this account. Possibly there are some things for us to learn here in our desire to help the Lord build his kingdom.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

No faith makes one unworthy of the crown - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 13:14:,

"But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord's command."

Saul is told by Samuel the Lord has rejected him as king over Israel. The kingship will pass from him and his descendants to another, someone who would be "a man after his own heart".

What was it that Saul did that was so bad, that resulted in him losing the throne over Israel? The decision by God to remove Saul was a result of Saul offering up the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings, because, as he told Samuel later, "I thought, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord's favor.' So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering."

That doesn't sound bad, does it? However, Saul's actions demonstrated his lack of faith in the Lord. Saul was not qualified to offer these offerings and he did so because of his observations and fear of the Philistines. He didn't have the faith to wait for Samuel as he was instructed, and it was out of fear he made the offerings, demonstrating his lack of faith that God could and would deliver Saul and his army from the Philistines in spite of Samuel's delay.

Saul gets replaced by David, a man of great faith. Of him Paul observed a millennium later, "God testified concerning him: 'I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.'" Acts 13:22. We read in Hebrews 11:6, "without faith it is impossible to please God."

Saul did not and would not embrace the Lord in faith. Rather, he reacted to the circumstances he was confronted with and proved himself unworthy of the throne.

How about us today? Do we please the Lord by embracing him in faith? Not so doing can be very costly! Saul proved himself unworthy of the crown as monarch of Israel - may we not prove ourselves unworthy of the crown of eternal life! "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial ["testing of your faith", verse 3] because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." James 1:12.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

The Lord's response in the cycle of redemption - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 12:8,

"After Jacob entered Egypt, they cried to the Lord for help, and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place."

There is a clear redemptive cycle that we read of in Israel's history. It is a cycle the Lord used in the life of Israel to draw the nation to himself. It provides us with a pattern we see the Lord use yet today as he builds his kingdom. Whenever the Israelites were safe and secure, they would wander from the Lord. The Lord would send them trouble until they would cry out to him for deliverance. The Lord would then deliver them from their trouble and they would enjoy a time of safety and security. Then... they would wander from the Lord all over again and the Lord would send trouble their way. The book of Joshua is constructed after this pattern.

In this chapter we see the following:

"After Jacob entered Egypt, they cried to the Lord for help"

"the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place."

"But they forgot the Lord their God; so he sold them into the hand of Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines and the king of Moab, who fought against them."

"They cried out to the Lord and said, 'We have sinned; we have forsaken the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve you.'"

"Then the Lord sent Jerub-Baal, Barak, Jephthah and Samuel, and he delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around you, so that you lived in safety."

Learn this cycle and you will learn one of the many ways the Lord works. The Lord is effective and productive in all he does and it is fascinating to see how he has worked in the lives of people over the years. What captures my eye is that in this cycle the Lord's mercy is always seen as he delivers his people once they turn back to him. A real lesson in this.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com

Our bright, bold, overwhelming and devastating God - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 11:7,

"Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out together as one."

I have seen, from time to time, where folks have interpreted God's character and nature as warm, soft and fuzzy. A lovable old fuzzball that might dress himself in pastels and speak softly, meekly and in what may appear as a piously kind of disposition. Sort of a milquetoast lovey-dovey kind of person.

Not me. I see God in bright bold colors! The One who thunders from heaven, whose presence frightens the daylights out of any who have experienced his proximity, the One whose path slashes the cosmos with an unfathomable brilliance. "The terror of the Lord" fits into this perception. 

David, in Psalm 29 captures this well,

"Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
    the God of glory thunders,
    the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
    the voice of the Lord is majestic.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
    the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
    Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord strikes
    with flashes of lightning.
The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
    the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord twists the oaks
    and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, 'Glory!'

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
    the Lord is enthroned as King forever.
The Lord gives strength to his people;
    the Lord blesses his people with peace."

How about you? Do you envision God as hanging out in flannel house-pants? Or do you see him as one who might inspire some terror?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com