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Bible Questions and Spiritual Discussion
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| David vs. Jeroboam | | Something that has been thumping into my heart like a drumbeat in copying through these last days of scripture is the two comparisons used again and again.... the standard for whole hearted devotion to the LORD is always a comparison with David. The standard for doing the expedient religious thing and turning your back on devotion to God Himself is always "he did evil in the eyes of the LORD, like Jeroboam son of Nebat." Jeroboam did what he did for fear of losing his following. David didn't care, he just followed God. He'd rather lose his following then lose the one he followed. And all through the rest of these generations we've been going through there has been king after king who did some things right, BUT... they didn't take down the high places.... it's always something less then whole hearted devotion. To deal with one thing in your life and call it good, but not go the whole way.... it is so recognizable. So the thing God has been asking and asking through it all is "Kelley, are you willing? to go the whole way?" Just being better then my "Jeroboam days" is not going the whole way. It pleases the LORD. Sure. Lord, I don't want there to be a "BUT...." on my history with You.
| | Kelley 06/28/2010 12:24 | |
I was asked today what I meant by this so I am supposing I didn't write it in a clear way. I was just making the point that there are two extreems, the whole hearted devotion of David, and the other extreem of leading many people into a sin lifestyle that lasts for generations. Obviously no one wants to be Jeroboam. But why is there only one David. All the kings that came after that TRIED to follow God, never went the whole way. They left the high places still standing, or didn't remove the calves at Dan and Bethel. Imagine if there were more then one David. Imagine if all of God's people took it seriously to go the whole distance. To remove EVERY high and lofty thing that exalts itself against God in our life. I was just overwhelmed with desire today wanting that. God has helped me with some major things in my life, but there is more. I don't want to be Jeroboam but neither do I want to be the mediocre horde in the middle. I want there to be more then one David. Not out of pride at all, but because it says something about our God when He is worth it all. Does that make more sense or am I talking in circles? :)
| Makes sense to me. sadly I know all about going part way. Whole hearted devotion is exactly what I want. My problem always seems to be an inability to get out of the way. This has made me think about how God has worked in my life. A little here a little there. never asking to much from me or more then I can handle, but at the same time continually bringing me in to submission.
| Very interesting points, Kelley. I was always a little dissapointed when we would read about a new king and how he did some good things.... BUT he didn't do this other thing.... It was like... "ugh, c'mon man! Get it together!" But I see what you mean about not wanting a "BUT" in your history with God. From now on I may very well see that part of the bible a bit differently.
| Me too, Joe. :) I find myself hoping things turn out differently this time through the Bible, lol, like expecting a movie to end differently the second time you watch cuz the charachters should have wised up by then..... No matter how many times I read it they do the same dumb stuff! Well, I AM joking, but still, I still have that little wish in there somewhere that wants us to get it right.
| Imagine how God must feel after so many thousands of years and uncounted generations seeing us do the same stuff over and over and over again, each new generation thinking they are gonna "find themselves" and joining a line of endless monotony.
| Well Kelley, I've never considered that. I've thought about how God must feel when he looks at us now, but you're right, he's seen the whole story. Wow.
| a few days ago the RH people posted this:
The core of Satan's plan for each of us is not found in tempting us with obvious sins like shoplifting or illicit sex. These things he uses more as maintenance strategies. His grand tactic in separating us from our heart is to sneak in as the Storyteller through our fears and the wounds we have received from life's Arrows. He weaves a story that becomes our particular "Message of the Arrows." Counting on our vanity and blindness, he seduces us to try to control life by living in the smaller stories we all construct to one degree or another. He accuses God to us and us to God. He accuses us through the words of parents and friends and God himself. He calls good evil and evil good and always helps us question whether God has anything good in mind in his plans for us. He steals our innocence as children and replaces it with a blind na?vet? or cynicism as adults.
At the same time Satan is at work reinterpreting our own individual stories in order to make God our enemy, he is also at work dismantling the Sacred Romance-the Larger Story God is telling-so that there is nothing visible to take our breath away. He replaces the love affair with a religious system of dos and don'ts that parches our hearts and replaces our worship and communion services with entertainment. Our experience of life deteriorates from the passion of a grand love affair, in the midst of a life-and-death battle, to an endless series of chores and errands, a busyness that separates us from God, each other, and even from our own thirstiness.
Part of Satan's grand strategy of separating us from our heart, once Jesus has drawn us to an awareness of being his sons and daughters through believing faith, is to convince us that our heart's desires are at core illegitimate.
(The Sacred Romance , 107-9)
Perhaps this seems like an odd response to the thread, but it has been on me lately that there just is so much we must contend with minute by minute and so did these kings. I think that is the David deal. While he did fall, he came back to center, his heart again. I think that is what you mean, Kel, about going the "whole way" and there seems only one way to do that. Take a step, center, whose voice is that? Jeroboam probably didn't ask that question. I fail at that so much. Help, Lord.
| Wow gonna keep this. This isn't an odd addition to the thread at all... this is WHY it happens. Thank you, Ray. BTW, you are in my prayers.
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