First Chronicles chapter 15. Make Time!
Good morning Everyone.
The beginning of this chapter sounds horrible. It says after King David built buildings for himself, he pitched a tent for God. It sounds like:
1. I'm going to build all kinds of buildings for myself and I'll give God a teeny little bit when I'm done. Or
2. I have all these plans on what I want to do for me and when I'm done I'll give God a little bit of my time. Or
3. I'll spend hours on things that will benefit me and my pleasures and when I'm done I'll give God a few minutes. Or
4. I will make all kinds of time to play or work on stuff for me but the time I spend with God depends upon if I have time leftover.
Why do we as Christians do this? Why is it when the days get tough and something has to be cut from our busy schedule, why is it God? I do whatever I have to do, to make it to work, but I skip church or I skip my daily devotions.
Work does not give us life. Work is something we need to do but it doesn't give us life. If anything, it gives us stress and feelings of being overwhelmed, like we don't have enough time in a day.
The word of God gives us life. The very thing that gives us stress we are committed to, but the very thing that gives us life and can help us so we can enjoy our life our job our marriage or family or friends, etc, is the very thing that gets pushed out! Why? Why do we do this to ourselves?
Let us learn from the two sisters Mary and Martha. They both invited Jesus over to their house. Jesus is at their house and Martha is distracted by all the preparation that had to be made. She's busy and getting stressed out and mad that her sister Mary is not helping and she complains to Jesus. She says Jesus tell Mary to help me. Jesus rebukes Martha for worrying about everything and compliments Mary for doing the right thing, stopping and sitting in his presence.
Please let us learn from this: stop and sit before the Lord and listen what he has to say in his word. Don't let our busy life, and schedule, get us in a panic and stressed out and worrisome mode.
We read in verse 29 that Michal looked out of the window and saw King David dancing and celebrating, and she despised him in her heart. We read more about this incident in the 6th chapter of 2 Samuel. David had many children, but Michal was childless. I wonder if Michal had some jealousy towards David just as her father, Saul had in his heart. Modesty is important and we don’t want to do anything that may cause someone to sin, but I think this was more of a heart issue here. Michal may have been embarrassed and repulsed by David’s behavior, but David was celebrating before the Lord and he didn’t care how undignified that it may have appeared.
Some questions came to my mind:
1. How excited do we get in worshiping the Lord? We read about how David was dancing and celebrating. There are some people who may celebrate more about a football game being played tomorrow than they would for the Creator of the universe who came to save us from our sin! I’m not trying to point fingers or pick on any football fans, but I just want to examine my own heart and challenge others to examine their own hearts as well.
2. Is there anything in our lives that we treat as more important to us than being with Jesus? Pastor Blair already shared with us today about this issue with Mary and Martha.
3. How do we treat others who are strangers or people that we hardly know? Is the love and joy of Jesus being shown?
4. How do we treat those who are the closest to us? Is the love and joy of Jesus being shown?
5. What is in our hearts? Is it the love and joy of Jesus or is it something else that shouldn’t be there?
I was reminded today of what we find in 1 Samuel 16:7.
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”