Judges 14

We have seen that childhood and background does not necessarily have to control what we do with our lives as adults.   Jephthah rose from his difficult background (i.e. having a mother who was a prostitute, being kicked out of his home by his brothers, etc) to become a judge and deliverer of Israel.   And in Judges 14, we see that Samson (despite his birth being promised by God, his calling to be a deliverer, his being set apart for God from birth as a Nazirite, and his experiencing the stirring of the Spirit in childhood) makes unwise choices in his life, living for himself, instead of for God.   So, these both show that we are able to rise from negative backgrounds; but also that there are no guarantees even when we have been given all the advantages of a positive background.   Our lives and outcome, while may be influenced and affected by our background, are not determined by it.   The choices in our lives can make a difference.

There were great expectations for Samson, based on Judges 13, but chp14 brings disappointment.   While God is Sovereign and still able to fulfill His Plans and Purposes IN SPITE OF Samson's unwise actions; it makes me wonder how differently things could've been and how much more could have been done for God, if Samson had instead sought to fulfill his calling and lived a life set apart for God - how much more effective Samson's life might have been. 

I must remember that He is the Potter and I am the Clay; and that when He has formed me, I should strive to be a useful vessel set apart for His service.

Water

"Jesus answered, 'Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'" (John 4:13-14)

For devotions yesterday, I was reading about the story of the Samaritan woman.  It is clear that true satisfaction comes only from God; and that what He offers is for eternity.   And the greatest gift He offers is salvation and eternal life.  Whereas, the eternal perspective involves the super-natural or spiritual; however, I also realized that though everything on earth is just temporal, still while we are here on this earth, we do have physical needs, such as hunger and thirst.   In the same way that food and water satisfy those needs, albeit temporarily, our need for relationship is satisfied through people. 

Regarding my thorn, I understand that "His Grace is sufficient for me"; and, I may have sometimes taken that to mean that if I focused enough on HIM, I shouldn't be feeling the pain of the thorn.  However, while we are here on earth in this physical human body, when a thorn pricks us, we will bleed and it will hurt.  That is natural and normal; and won't go away.

So, I think the proper perspective is always to keep our eyes on things above, seeing all things in light of eternity.   However, also recognize that until we are in glory, we will have needs and will suffer from the weaknesses that come from being human.   We can place our hope in glory; but, understand that we are still here on earth at this time, and try to keep the proper balance and perspective.

Faith and Seeing (Judges 12-13)

It is through contemplation that I truly learn, for it is important to take the time to think and apply; rather than just rushing through and grasping what I can as I run past.  It's the difference between really absorbing versus just keeping it on the surface.

Take, for example, the Judges 12:8-13:25 passage.   After having gone through a verse-by-verse study, there were some good insights and knowledge to be gleaned.   However, it is not until I really consider it and try to apply it to my life, that I gain something that I really want to write down and remember.

At the end of chapter 12, we find short descriptions of the Ibzon, Elon, and Abdon.  On the surface, I find that nothing of major significance is written about their faith, nor are specifics of how God used them to deliver Israel given.  Instead, they are remembered for likely having multiple wives, being wealthy, or seeking to expand their power and influence.   As I ponder it, I am challenged, that as God's servant, I do not want to be remembered for seeking things of this world, rather than things above.

In chapter 13, we see that God appeared to Manoah's wife; and gave her the reassurance she needed, as a woman who was barren in that culture and time period.  We see that throughout the passage, the angel of the LORD reveals more and more of Who He is to her, until at the end, Manoah and his wife recognize that He is really GOD (likely the pre-incarnate Christ).  As I ponder and apply this to my life, I can see that God sometimes doesn't reveal everything to me all at once; and that by going through the process of discovering more and more about Him and His Plan for my life, I grow in my faith and develop in ways that I might not have otherwise.   When I don't clearly see the road ahead and it is sometimes blurry or has many twists and turns, it causes me to trust God for guidance to show me what I need to see when I need to see it.

Learning about Myself

"Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who's the fairest one of all?"   Whenever I heard the Snow White story and the wicked queen repeating those words, I always thought that it was so vain to be obsessed with being the most beautiful in the land.   But, I realize that most women actually, in one way or another, do sometimes gauge our beauty in comparison to others; maybe because we live in a society that is so appearance-oriented.

I try to remind myself of Proverbs 31:30 "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised." and also that true beauty comes from within, as a reflection of the beauty of our Creator.  But, there are times when it is a challenge to ignore the reaction of the world and what we are bombarded with in our media and culture.  It is at times like these that I need to focus on the TRUTH that comes from God's Word, remember that this is how God created me, and be grateful for the ways in which He has developed me and worked in me in areas beyond outward appearance.

As I was serving at COA last night and doing the food prep the night before, it was rewarding to do something to help others.   We fed about 150 people from around the downtown Long Beach community; and our youth pastor gave the message.  My prayer is that God will use this to touch these people's lives.  I think that this is an example of developing inner beauty as a reflection of God's love, compassion, and humility; while overlooking external beauty, being dressed in old sweats and working clothes.  In light of eternity, there is greater reward in seeking to become more and more like Christ, rather than seeking the approval and admiration of the world.

I do like learning about myself, and so when I came across a couple of websites this morning along those lines, I did the self-evaluations to see what they would reveal about me.    One was on the fragrance we wear - I learned that because I like citrus-type fragrances, that meant I was likely an "organized leader".   At this stage of my life, I suppose that is pretty applicable.   The other was the Dewey Color System test - because of the color combinations I like most, they indicate that I am (in this order):

• Blue-Purple: a big-picture thinker, and can see what's missing and know how to get things done
• Red-Purple: able to sort out facts from emotions and establish a step-by-step action plan, and am able to calm those around me and offer quick solutions
• Blue-Green:  best when I can anchor others with supportive suggestions, and have good listening skills with the ability to earn trust

 It's interesting that these don't exactly describe my career bents accurately; but, they do show me that with my current responsibilities, Blue-Purple and Red-Purple are now closer to what I do than Blue-Green, which would've been my favorite color combination in the past.  I suppose that shows growth and development in my life; and as always, I enjoy analysis which helps me to get to know myself better.

COA

My class at church is going to start serving monthly at COA, as an outreach to the Long Beach community.   This week is the first of a year-long commitment.  Last night, we prepared the food (chili and cornbread) at church to bring to COA tonight to serve dinner to the needy.  It's a blessing to be able to help and to serve.

I was looking for Scripture verses that talk about serving the needy; and came across a good page for reference:   http://www.worldvision.org/content.nsf/learn/g8-bibleverses

Also, there was one particular passage that stood out as being particularly applicable:
"If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: 'The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,' so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land."  (Deut 15:7-11)

Burnt Offering

"I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing." (2 Samuel 24:24)

 My church's assistant pastor sent out a devotional with this verse, and it brought to mind my theme for this year.   I believe that God can raise beauty from ashes, nevertheless, I have offered my thorn as a burnt offering to HIM on the altar of my life without expectation of it being raised from the ashes.  I can say that my thorn definitely does not "cost me nothing"; for aside from salvation, it is likely the most guarded treasure of my heart.  It is valuable to me, and was difficult to give up.   Similar to Abraham being asked by God to sacrifice Isaac, I felt like I was asked to yield what was most precious to me.  While it was a struggle to get to the point where I could offer it on the altar, yet by the time I gave it as a burnt offering wholly to the LORD, I gave it freely, trusting in HIM.   I am generally content in my circumstances and even sometimes rejoicing, knowing that His Grace is sufficient for me.  Amen!

Lakers '10

Today is the Lakers' victory parade for winning the 2010 NBA Championships.  It was a very exciting final series which did not fail to live up to expectations for this classic match-up between the Lakers and the Celtics.

While Kobe is invaluable and unquestionably one of the best players on the team, and Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum are great players as well, my favorite player is actually Derek Fisher.   He has quiet leadership and is frequently said to have a calming influence.   Not only is he a talented athlete who makes key plays at clutch times, he is also known and respected for his humanity.  He is a good role model who puts his family first and makes an impact on his community.

Relating to previous entries on "character", it is interesting that the Lakers owner is quoted as saying "Derek Fisher,..he's got all the character in the world."  When Derek was facing the difficulty of his daughter being diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare form of cancer in the eye, he said "To me, the whole experience proved that as much as we think we're in control of our lives and what happens in our lives -- we make decisions that impact it -- it's a way higher power and bigger power.  I personally believe in God. I'm a Christian."  One news article was entitled "Bible a help to Lakers' Fisher during family crisis".  The good news is that the tumor has been diminished and the cancer is in remission.

Father's Day '10

This year, my family celebrated Father's Day in Solvang.  Being there always reminds me of Europe; and they also have excellent pastries.

For worship on Sunday, we visited First Baptist Church, Solvang.  It is one of those small churches where it appears like everyone probably knows each other; and the people were friendly.  Their representative to the Southern Baptist convention last week gave a report, and it was interesting to hear that Casting Crowns, my current favorite Christian music group, was involved in the music for the convention.

Being away from my own church this Sunday, it reminded me to be thankful for the wonderful church that I am a part of:
I am so grateful for my pastor, and his teaching from the Word and relevant applications.
I am grateful for the music, which draws us into worship of our LORD. 
I am grateful for the opportunity to serve there.
I am grateful for the loving and caring people who make up the church body.

Judges 11

In our study of Judges 11, with the challenging passage on Jephthah's vow, questions were raised about Biblical interpretation.   There are passages in the Bible that are difficult to understand and interpret, and my approach in those situations is to allow for any interpretation that can be supported by the evidence, does not contradict the rest of the Bible, and is consistent with God's Character.

For this passage, I see two possible interpretations.  For both, it is important to account for the truth that it is stated in Deuteronmy 12:29-32, that God has clearly forbidden child sacrifice.

The first interpretation is that Jephthah really did offer his daughter as a sacrifice, in order to keep his vow.  So, this would mean that even though Jephthah appeared to have a good knowledge of God and what He has done for Israel historically; and that he wanted to honor God through offering a sacrifice; we would somehow have to account for why he went ahead with something that is considered sinful and evil.   The case could be made for him being surrounded by nations that kept the practice; and that he may not have known that God had forbidden it; but, that could then raise the question of why God did not stop it, as He did when it happened with Abraham and Isaac; and why the women would commemorate this yearly.  So, while this may appear to be the most obvious interpretation, there are some challenges that would need to be accounted for, but can be.

The second interpretation is that Jephthah vowed to offer fully to God whatever came out of his house.   He lamented that it was his daughter since it meant that he would no longer have any descendents; but, he did offer her as a living sacrifice.  The passage does often mention being unmarried and a virgin; so, he likely offered her for consecrated service in the tabernacle the rest of her life. 

One question was raised during the discussions about the relation to Christ being offered as a sacrifice.  My answer would be that sacrifices were set up to point to Christ ultimately as the true sacrifice, the One would would die for the sins of the world.   It was never intended for human sacrifice, because no human, aside from Christ, could ever atone for sins; and only Christ, being God, had the power to be victorious of sin and death.  So, while Christ's sacrifice on the cross was God's Plan for salvation, Jephthah's sacrifice of his daughter would be considered sin, and committing a sin just to satisfy a vow is contradictory to the intention.

BlindSide and FishFest

Seeing the movie "The Blind Side" and going to FishFest were enjoyable outlets for me this weekend.

"The Blind Side" was a touching movie with a reminder to care for the needs around us and to try to bring out the best in others when we look past the surface.   It was neat to see that what made Michael Oher such a good football player, aside from his physical size and strength, was his protective instinct.  One of the most moving moments in the movie was after the car accident when we learn that Michael protected SJ from the air bag with his own hands.

My favorite artist at FishFest this year was Jeremy Camp.  I also enjoyed listening to Brandon Heath and Toby Mac; but, to me Jeremy stood out.  His music is good, and he also has the ability to create an attitude of worship, even in a big outdoor arena like the Verizon amphitheater.  It was interesting though, that the song I most enjoyed was not even one of his own, but it was when he led us in worship singing "Mighty to Save".  What a great worship song!

Words

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14) 

This is my prayer.

Last night, yet again, I opened my mouth to speak and because of my usual inability to communicate effectively, I think I may have said something that could have been construed as unsympathetic.  I certainly did not intend to do that; and in reality,  I was actually quite empathetic and understood what the other people were going through.   

I think it's because I'm a visual learner rather than an audio learner, so I am able to communicate better through writing than speaking.  And then, if you add to that, my shyness and not liking to speak in front of other people, it can account for stumbling through and having my words come out in an unclear jumbled mess.  And being alone most the time, I suppose I also don't have as much practice talking to and sharing with others, so that I don't have as much of a chance to improve my communication skills. 

I've been working at it; and it even reminds me of this week's lesson on Jephthah.  While he was known as a mighty warrior, yet he displayed good diplomatic skills, with the ability to clearly present his arguments with solid history, theological, and chronological evidence to back them up.   I really need to learn how to more effectively communicate and to speak wisely.

More Lessons from Judges

From the sermon on Sunday, in a study of Gideon, there were several notable thoughts and quotes from my pastor:

• God's unusual rule of leadership is found in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (i.e God choosing the foolish things of the world to shame the wise....)
• God has to be foremost in our lives before we can take our faith public; so, before we deal with what's beyond the doors, we need to deal with what's behind the doors
• Faith is not the absence of fear, but obedience in the face of it; so, obedience to God accompanied by fear still counts as obedience
• When we give of ourselves only half-heartedly, we wouldn't typically see God do something wonderful
• The public generally won't give us a pat on the back when obeying God; but, while not everyone would appreciate it, it can still have a major impact on others
• Spiritual courage will always be met with spiritual opposition; so, put on the armor of God and be ready for battle
• Being "filled with the Spirit", in the original language, is actually being "clothed" by the Spirit (similar to putting on armor)

But, what really got me thinking was the last question at the end of the sermon, "What will be the headline of your life story?"   It's an interesting question. 

My first thought is that, since I am such a quiet introvert, it is unlikely that I will generate any attention grabbing headlines.  But, if an article were being written about my life, what would it highlight?  Firstly, let me consider the content of the story.   I'd like to think that it would talk about my faithfulness to teach Bible Studies in Sunday classes, fellowship groups, and small groups at home, church, and school.  Maybe it would mention my other various areas of voluntary service.  Then, it might include the places I've traveled to (e.g. being baptized in the Jordan River) and the awards I've received.  If my family and close friends were interviewed, maybe they would talk about the hospitality received in my home (e.g. cooking, hosting, etc).  There may also be mention about my educational background and my career in a global industry.   I suppose that because it is not as common, there may be reference to my singleness.   So, since there is nothing really extraordinary in my life story, I suppose the headline would be something along the lines of John Waller's "While I'm Waiting" song - that while I never married, I still served God faithfully, particularly through teaching Bible Studies.

Singapore Noodles

This weekend, I tried a modified version of the Singapore Noodles recipe from "The 1000 Best Recipes"; and it turned out really well.   Basically, it was to stir-fry garlic with curry powder, add mushrooms (sliced shitake) and onions, then shrimp (previously pan fried), vermicelli (previously soaked in boiling water), a little water or broth, and soy sauce.  Fairly simple, but good.

Recipes

I came across a few recipes this weekend that I thought were worth making a note of: 

• One was for scallops - using a marinade of honey, mustard, butter, ginger, and lemon pepper gave a nice interesting flavor.  A slight challenge is to figure out how to cook the scallops such that they brown on the outsides, without burning the marinade sauce in the pan

• Another was for a Korean beef mushroom hotpot-type dish - just combine several different types of mushroom (e.g. shitake, button, oyster, and enoki) with some beef; add broth and boil until cooked.  Other ingredients that can be added are scallions, carrots (cut into matchsticks), soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar.

•  The other was for a warm Tofu dish - the whole tofu block is boiled to warm it up; and a sauce made of soy sauce, sesame oil, scallions, and sugar (or maybe honey) is heated up and poured over the tofu

Joni Eareckson Tada Quote

During his sermon on Sunday, my pastor shared a quote from Joni Eareckson Tada that says a lot in a few words:
"God sometimes allows the things He hates, in order to complete what He loves."