Encounters withJesus: Such a Good Guy- The Rich Young Ruler

So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.” Luke 18:29-30

This week we will be looking at an encounter that breaks my heart every time I see it happen in life. As I said last week, when we read in the gospels the accounts of these people we need to understand that these were real people, who lived and breathed in the first century. Just like us, they were dealing with real life situations. Such was the case with the anonymous and infamous Rich, Young Ruler of whom we now get the adage “the camel passing through the eye of the needle”.  I have been told there was a gate called the eye of the needle that actually existed, but that’s neither here nor there because I do believe Christ was referring to the actual eye of a needle. You can argue that if you want, but we weren’t there so let’s save the argument for heaven where we’ll both be so humbled and overjoyed we won’t want to argue anyway. The point is this young man couldn’t give on the worldly trappings of his life.  When it came to trading up he didn’t do it. So let’s take a look at this quick encounter and see what happened so we can learn from it and sew it into our own lives.

 Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Luke 18:18

There are three accounts of this event, Luke, Matthew, and Mark. What’s interesting is that in the gospel of Mark it says that the young man knelt before Jesus. He was drawing attention to himself, or was really serious about the matter.

The verse draws our attention to two parts: his address of Jesus as Good teacher, and his question. Both get a response from Jesus, which shows us that Jesus really listens when we speak. We really should watch what we say because the Lord is very mindful of what comes out of our mouths. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45  Jesus will answer the question, and start with the address, but the question is what gets my attention, because I know the end of the encounter. It seems to me this guy is a “What can I get from you?” kind of person. It is about relationship for him, but his end of the relationship. He’s a taker, not a giver. I would say he’s a millennial, but I can’t on two points. First, I’m not a millennial, and I grew up with people like this and have been like this myself, so that doesn’t fit. Secondly, he lived in the first century when they didn’t label the generations, and if they did he’d be generation A, or Quadruple A, and how would they have known that back then? Maybe they would have labeled themselves the original label makers. Who knows? They would have used initials RYRs. The point is everyone is like this guy. All of us are in it for ourselves and that’s why we have to bear our cross every day.

                        So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. Luke 18:19 Jesus asks him a rhetorical question pointing out to this young educated man that he is speaking to the One. Just like last week, Jesus is identifying Himself as having those attributes only God can have. He is Good. He is Holy. He is without fault or sin or marred in anyway. Jesus is showing RYR that there is something still greater than all those shiny things around him. There is something so perfect right in front of him that rightly deserves to be knelt before and given homage, but only if it’s truly honored. Jesus is calling him out.

                       You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ” Luke 18:20 Jesus starts with the last five commandments, the “Do unto others” commandments. He is basically saying to this young man, how have you been treating others? Have you been in this life for others? Are you concerned about those around you or are you lusting, hating, envying, jealously coveting, lying, even when it comes to your own family? Jesus knows this young man’s heart. He knows all our hearts.

This young man had the chance to come clean and speak the truth. And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” Luke 18:21 Can’t you just see Jesus roll his eyes at this kid. I’m shocked that someone around him didn’t speak up and say, “You liar! What about that time….” I mean, didn’t this guy have a little brother? Even if he was an only child there had to be someone he wronged. He was claiming to be perfect! Who was this guy? A Disney prince? The Rich Young Ruler had sin in his life, the same sin as Satan. He was prideful. In his life he had all that Jesus had been tempted with in the desert before his ministry began. He had riches, he had earthly kingdoms, and he had the admiration of men. By his own esteem, he had it all. Yet what he didn’t have was that it would last. It was fleeting…and he knew it.

So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” Luke 18:22 Jesus gets down to the need. He probably said these words in the most compassionate voice he could have to penetrate the young man’s heart. He tells him to get rid of all of it, and be real with God. He’s calling him, just like God called Adam in the garden, so that Adam would come out, unashamed, and stand before Him. “Adam, where are you?” It was a call out of love, by the One who knew his nakedness, who knew his form, and his innermost thoughts. Jesus knew this young man’s heart. When he looked into his eyes and told him to go sell all he had, Jesus was telling him to get rid of the things that weighed him down, not the things that he delighted in. He was telling him, “I see what a burden this is to you. I see all the pressure you’re under. Put it aside. I’m here. I’ll carry it for you. That’s why I’m here.” He extended the ultimate invitation to him, “Follow me.”

When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness he said, ”Fall down and worship me,” but Jesus says to follow him. Jesus wants us to walk uprightly, yet Satan wants us on our bellies. This poor young man was too enslaved to see that.  But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. Luke 18:23

I’m sure Jesus was very sorrowful too. We know that He had a discourse on this young man with the disciples. There is something we all can take away from this in our day too. Church, we have a whole lot of people wanting us all to be okay with RYRs filling up the pews on Sunday mornings and the blogosphere as well. Somewhere along the way they don’t want to give up their “relevant to the times” gospel in order to follow Jesus because it makes them sad. They don’t want to give up their sin, they just want it to be acceptable for them to carry their agendas in, even if it contradicts what Jesus says. They believe the church has to be “seeker friendly” and spend thousands on the seats and the lighting, while the homeless in the community get fed on Christmas. They’ll man the soup kitchen as long as a camera crew is following them. They will church plant in vacation communities, or tourist centers, but not in the inner cities or towns that are impoverished because the factories are closing. RYRs have the greatest tools ever at their disposal, but they use them on themselves. Jesus didn’t charge for the gospel. He wasn’t in it for ticket sells. He was in it for RYRs at heart like me, and you. For such as these He died.

The Rich Young Ruler is never mentioned again in scripture so we can assume he was never heard from again. He rejected His one and only chance to actually make a name for himself, because we don’t even know his name. We don’t know him, but we remember him. He falls in the category of the misfortunate masses that missed their chance. Many people we meet will miss their chance because they will choose their sin over Jesus, they’ll be caught up in their trappings. It will make us very sad. What we also can see here is that Jesus didn’t chase after him, nor did He send out His disciples to chase after him for a ministry gift. Jesus let him go. He let him go because He wants our hearts without all the trappings that would hinder us. “‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” Matt.15:8-9 & Is.29:13

That doesn’t absolve us from going out being seed planters. We are still called to spread the Gospel of Christ. Serve Christ by living out the Gospel and love others. There’s no charge for loving others. Use your gifts to serve God. If He has blessed you financially then bless others, practice hospitality, just see if you can out give God. And if you have been blessed with little then bless others, practice hospitality, and just see if you can out give God. Whatever it is God has called you to…do that. Don’t go away sad.

I must end this with a little confession. I am a writer and I love writing. I wrote a novel, and I pray every day that it sells. Maybe that’s a little RYR of me. This blog is my labor of love. It’s my freewill offering for God. Sometimes I don’t know how it’s doing, but I know Jesus does, and that’s what it’s all about.  Sisters, if it’s blessed you then share it. There is no charge for that. I pray for you all every day. -Juana

The Encounter with the Ultra Religious- Nicodemus the Pharisee

“ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

To begin our study on encounters with Jesus we start with the most famous New Testament verse in the Bible. It is probably one most Christians first memorized, and that football fans know as the end zone verse. It’s the gospel in a nutshell. Still, with as famous as it is, very few people know who it was spoken to and the context of the conversation. Some may not even know that it was Jesus who said it about Himself. So let us dive right into the encounter between Jesus and the religious man, Nicodemus. It is found in the third chapter of the Gospel of John, and we’ll be covering the first 21 verses.

 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” John 3: 1-2 Here we get introduced to our man, Nicodemus. It’s important to remember in these studies that these were actual people, not story characters that we’re viewing through a lens of a camera. Nicodemus was a real man who lived in the first century, who served in the Pharisaical council. He was a leader in the community, recognizable by many in the streets. Yet, when he goes to see Jesus he goes by night. He would have drawn the attention of many if he would have gone by day, so he went out to see this teacher, this man he admits is sent from God, by night. Why? Obviously because he didn’t want the attention drawn to himself. Little did he know that the words said to him would become the most recognizable Christian tag line.

When Jesus looked upon the speaker he didn’t see the celebrity. Jesus saw a man in need. He knew the reasons Nicodemus needed to come by darkness of night. Despite all the trappings of his religious outward expression, Jesus also recognized what was going on that brought this man out of his comfort zone. Nicodemus’ religious life was not fulfilling him spiritually. Something was lacking. It was evident in the actions this very recognizable man was taking, sneaking around at night, so as not to bring attention to the reasons he’d sought Jesus out; Nicodemus needed the Counselor.

The encounter begins with Nicodemus acknowledging that he knows Jesus is not what the other Pharisees are saying about Him. Nicodemus admits that Jesus is doing the work of God, for the things that are being done are what was prophesied about. “In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness. The humble also shall increase their joy in the Lord, And the poor among men shall rejoice In the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 29:18-19

It’s interesting that Jesus didn’t bask in his praise, or praise Nicodemus for recognizing that he was sent by God. Perhaps it was because of all of the people in Israel, it was the religious that should have known what signs to be on the watch for. Why should these watchmen be praised for doing their job? Shouldn’t they simply sound the alarm? Shouldn’t we when we see the signs of our times?

Instead Jesus jumps right into the reason Nicodemus was there. “Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 There’s Nicodemus, standing right in front of the Son of God, and he doesn’t see the kingdom of God is within arm’s reach. If only he would fall to his knees and say, “My Lord and my God!”

Nicodemus gets stuck, as many do, on the first part of what Jesus said and missed the last part. “Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” John 3:4 Seeing only the physical, a grown man, trying to climb back into his mother to be born, he finds it laughable. He’s limited by his own understanding of God. God is not limited by us; we are limited by Him.

Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:5-8 Jesus gives him a briefing on what Nicodemus isn’t getting. Nicodemus has something missing, and it’s not the physical. Like so many others, he is missing the spiritual side of things, which is everything he thinks he has a handle on. The physical that he has on the outside is apparent to all, but the spiritual can’t be seen no matter how he tries to guide it. The spirit goes where it wills despite his efforts. The spirit has to be born.

 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” John 3:9 As many of us do, Nicodemus holds on to the traditions of his religion rather than what he’s being told. It just doesn’t make sense to give up what has been the stable of his community for generations. “This is the way it’s always been,” is his thinking. “We’ve always had it this way.” Everyone knew the laws and how they were practiced. How quickly he had forgotten the history of his people as a rebellious nation. Who had they rebelled against? God.

Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?  Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?  No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.”  John 3:10-13  Jesus continues to point out to Nicodemus was lacking inwardly. He wanted, thirsted, for God. His inward sinful man was killing him, both figuratively and literally. He was the white washed tomb that Jesus spoke of, beautiful on the outside but filled with a dead man’s bones on the inside. Jesus reminds him while he is a teacher of Israel, he doesn’t know everything. The one thing Nicodemus wants to know most of all is where he is with God. Don’t we all?

Nicodemus, like many religious people, found his identity with God in the practice of his religion. He did all the right things, but he still felt far from God. He still didn’t understand why he couldn’t find the communion that the fathers of the faith held with God. He wanted that kind of relationship with God. He wanted to be able to really experience God in the fullness of His glory. And there he was, with Jesus, who calls him on it. Jesus uses the term (We) the One spoken of in Scripture, the omnipotent. Yet Nicodemus still doesn’t pick up on it. Jesus continues explaining that He testifies of what Jesus has seen, giving Himself yet another godly attribute, that of omniscience. It’s as if Jesus tells Nicodemus, “I’m right here, in the flesh, and you’re not reaching out. How is it you’re reaching for heaven when you won’t reach for what’s right here right now? You’re reaching up, and you can’t reach God, so that’s why I’m here. I’m here for you. I came from heaven for you.” 

The next part of Jesus’ discussion with Nicodemus is by far the most memorable text in the New Testament. Jesus says, “ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,  that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:14-17

  These verses are considered the Gospel message, or the Grace message.  I believe they are rightfully so. Jesus references back to when the Israelites complained against God, so fiery serpents were sent out and bit them. As a parent how many times have we said, “You want to complain, I’ll give you something to complain about!” Yet God raised up for them the very sign of the thing that was taking their lives.  Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” Numbers 21:8  

This was a very familiar history to Nicodemus. He might have even expounded on it in discussion with other Pharisees. Jesus relates it to what will be done on Nicodemus behalf. Jesus is telling Nicodemus to keep his eyes on the Son of Man if he wants to have eternal life. Jesus then gets to the good news, the part that meets Nicodemus need, the part that meets all our need. Jesus tells him it is all about love, that God loves him, and that if Nicodemus chooses to believe that God loves him enough to send the sacrifice for his sin, that emptiness, that void, the distance that has kept him from having that communion with God will be gone. I believe that at this moment Nicodemus softened, and all pretense left him. I believe this because of what Jesus said next. He says that he didn’t come to condemn, but to save.

For a Pharisee the idea of a God who would actually save by faith was groundbreaking news. They whole heartedly embraced the idea of salvation by works; those works being the strict adherence to the law. Nicodemus knew that he was a lawbreaker, at least at heart. What must that have done to Nicodemus? His world had just been turned on its axis. He was speechless. I know this because he doesn’t say anything else. But Jesus does…

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.  But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” John 3:18-21

And there we have it! A Christian’s defense when someone says they don’t like Christians because they’re so condemning. It’s not the Christian who is condemning, as long as they’re really not condemning and telling people they’re going to Hell. That’s not what Jesus did. He didn’t tell Nicodemus he was going to Hell. He just told him that the choice was up to him. He could choose the darkness or the light, and that men love the darkness rather than the light, because in the light people see what you’re doing. Wow, what a way to leave it with Nicodemus! The man who came to see Jesus at night, so that no one would know he wanted to see Jesus.  So what became of Nicodemus? Did he go off by night never to heard from again?

No, his encounter with Jesus didn’t end there. We see him twice more in scripture. First we see him when the Pharisees are debating amongst themselves about why the officers didn’t arrest Jesus, and Nicodemus defends the officers, and gets reproved by the other Pharisees for it. (See John 7:45-52) Then there is the defining moment for him which demonstrates where he actually fell when it came to having to make a choice between staying in the shadows or living in the light of day.

^“ After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus.  And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.  Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.” John 19:38-42

Nicodemus the Pharisee became the undertaker for the crucified Jesus. This action was beyond a caring friend. His action was one of love and honoring, and sacrifice. Nicodemus was a religious observer of the law, and as such he would not defile himself by tending to the body of an executed criminal, especially one handled by gentiles. Yet, he not only came with Joseph to help he provided the embalming mixture, meaning he cleaned and wrapped our Lord. He did this on the preparation day, the day before Sabboth. This was quite a departure for a man who preferred not to break the rules. He broke them big, but he did it out of love, and his heart was broken. He’d seen a man who brought him a message of a God who didn’t condemn, but loved him, raised up to be looked upon, and it had healed him. He was changed. It was evident in the actions he took, in the light of day, before God.

Encounters with Jesus- Starting Something New and Exciting! Tune in and See!

 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen  John 21:25

Having completed our study of the story of David and Goliath, I’ve spent the past couple of weeks in prayer to see where to go next. I’ve asked God what He’d have me do, and I felt that He’s led me to do the study on Encounters with Jesus. It seems that with all the stuff in the world today we need to get back to Who it is we serve. We need to go back to the Source and see Him for who He is, not just who we want Him to be, but actually the Jesus scripture reveals Him to be.

        Nothing reveals who we are more than how we rub up against others. So who was this Jesus?  The words Jesus spoke and the actions He took have changed the world. When we think that this historical figure, who was not a king born in a castle, nor a landowner, nor a revolutionary that overthrew a government, somehow has changed the course of history, then there has to be power there. For three short years he walked the arid lands of Judea, a district of the Roman Empire, that had no great claim to fame or value yet has been a hotly debated territory for millennia. He was no great threat to Rome, and lead no armed insurrection against the Emperor, yet He suffered the death of a rebel, and his followers have been under persecution ever since, and still the movement and the message continues to grow in the hearts and minds of millions.

“I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others.” 2 Cor. 8:8 The old adage says you know a man by the company he keeps. Moreover, the way we treat people says a lot about our character and defines us.  The words said over us at our funeral usually have to do with what we did to others, not how often we flossed our teeth or how fashionable we were.  In fact our clothing is usually donated to charity or the relative we never wanted to lend it to ends up owning it. It’s crazy how material possessions will divide people the people you love when you would have wanted them to be together after you die. These people who just said such nice things about you are now ready to throw blows to get the necklace you didn’t even like. Yet Jesus’ death and resurrection can bring people who don’t know each other, and barely speak the same language together.

It’s not just the way we behave with the people closest to us, it’s also how we act as a church that doesn’t reflect our Lord. Recently I went to a rally, a prayer rally for our country, with political overtones. I wasn’t thrilled that I had to go. As I was sitting there beside a young man who works for a political party he said to me that it was sad to see a crowd of thousands gathered to see an itinerant preacher lead a rally and call upon them to become active when this young man can’t even get a few volunteers out in their own neighborhood to do a voter registration drive or walk for a candidate to solicit votes. They were there for the show, but when it comes down to the work they don’t want to put the time and effort in. They’ll armchair quarterback, and speak out at the water cooler at work, but when it actually requires some shoe leather they’re ghosts. Sometimes it’s easier and quicker to write a check than to get our hands dirty. Well, Church, it’s time to get dirty!

 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matt. 7:21-23

So Jesus expects us to do more than just do stuff. He expects us to be the stuff. Yet, what is the stuff He expects us to be?

“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.  Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Phil. 2:1-8

Jesus said it best. His message was one of love. He did it all for love, God’s love for us.

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.  This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.  No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.  These things I command you, that you love one another. John 15:9-17

Next week we will begin to see this love in action as we examine Jesus interactions with others. We will look at His miracles, His conversations, and His relationships with the people who encountered Him. We will see what happens when God sets His foot on Earth in order to become the propitiation for our sins. Hold on, and pray. This is going to be an undertaking of Biblical proportions. 

Steady! Stand Fast! Stay Your Course!- The Faithfulness of The God of Heaven.

…and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.  (from 1 Samuel 17:40)

David was a warrior, but more importantly than that, he was a believer. He believed in a mighty God. When he stepped out to face Goliath, he knew it wasn’t him that was facing the giant, it was the giant that was facing God. David stepped out with one weapon he had fashioned, only one that had not been provided by God on the field. David brought his sling to the field. The sling was his weapon of choice, a weapon he was well acquainted with and trusted he had mastery over. He knew it well, and how he had to hold it, to swing it, and when to release the end so that the stone would hit the intended target.  He practiced since he was a child at using the sling and he was good at it.  He had been faithful with it. The sling was a symbol of David’s fidelity.

Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist. Isaiah 11:5

God desires our fidelity just as much as we desire it in any of our relationships in our life. Being betrayed in a relationship is tantamount to being stabbed, which is why we refer to it as being stabbed in the back. Our God is also very familiar with it. We are very good at betrayal, and fidelity is not as easy for us.  Loyalty is only an attribute as long as it is first of all convenient, and secondly, the person we’re loyal to is also loyal to us. Jesus expressed this very well when explaining our future to us, “ And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.” Matt. 24:12”  Things aren’t looking so good, are they? So what is it that inspires us to be loyal and faithful to God?  What was it that held David so that he would step out on that field to face such a formidable enemy convinced he would walk off the field victorious? And how can we have that sling in hand and know when we take aim our enemy is going to fall, without doubt?

Relationship with God is all encompassing. It was all David had to focus on during those days of tending sheep. Yes, there were predators to defend against, but David didn’t have the noise we do in his life. He didn’t wake up to the sound of the alarm clock, to what was going on in the nation’s capital, or having to check his Outlook to find out what his schedule for the day would be. He wasn’t in a hurry to get to the gas station or to the job site. He was usually on the jobsite. He had what he needed with him. He had his faith in God. He had his trusty sling to use what God had provided for his defense and the defense of his charge.  

The sling is an interesting weapon. It was made from natural fibers, usually a form of leather like lamb’s hide which gave it more elasticity, consisting of two lengths the span of a man’s arm, with a ‘basket’ which held the stone in the middle of the spans. Having a longer span just made it harder to launch the stone, and didn’t make it go farther. A double span was all that was needed to make the weapon effective. One span was looped so that it would lasso around a man’s palm or finger, and the other was knotted so that he could hold onto it and then release it, like throwing a rock. The stone would volley in the direction of the knot. The slinger would hurl the sling around his head only once, since several times around didn’t really do anything other than make it more difficult to control the stone in the basket. It really didn’t serve to increase the distance or the velocity, but could end up hitting your buddy in the head instead of the enemy. The sling was a very effective weapon when the purpose was to keep a distance from danger. With a predator, or a giant, staying out of its way was vital for security.

If we allow ourselves to draw the symbolism of the sling as David’s relationship to God it’s all together beautiful. The sling, two spans of the man’s arm being our spirit reaching back toward our heavenly Father; holding the weapon of warfare, be it the word, prayer, worship, fellowship, or service;  in the basket being our heart . We swing it once around our head because that’s all it takes to cover us, with one part firmly wrapped around us, and the other being released from us to point the way in the battle. It encompasses the warrior’s space and makes him most threatening, yet while he’s in his stance he’s most vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy.  It’s a beautiful picture, and when we think about it, how God could use this weapon to take down a Giant, it does seem pretty anti-climatic. It was just a stone’s throw and the mighty warrior was down.

Still isn’t that how our God does amazing things. He can be in the massive cosmos and in nano-space and it’s all just as important to Him.  “ Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your  you are of more value than many sparrows.” Matt 10:29-31 He’s the miracle worker, yes, but He’s also in our day to day. That’s where David found enough faith to step out on that field of battle and stand his ground even if he had to stand it alone with just his sling and a stone, because what the armies around him couldn’t see is what he had lived. It wasn’t just a sling and a stone. It was his faith and his God. “Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.” 1 Sam 17 :47

Whatever God has given you to use, it’s the sling in your hand, use it. Step out in faith and don’t be afraid. God is actually the Warrior, you’re just standing there. He’s doing the fighting. I want to leave you with another picture of a battle from the Old Testament. It’s Joshua when he was facing Jericho. He, like Saul, was reluctant, until he saw the Warrior on the hillside.  “ And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?”  So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Joshua 5:13-14 Remember what happened after that? The walls fell down without Israel lifting a single weapon. They just lifted their voices.