Pretty in Pink

Ezra 3:3

Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices.

Tomorrow morning, thirty nine boxes of toys and goodies will be given to the first graders of Carreta Elementary School. It will be our church’s third wave of sharing the love of Jesus to their community (the clean-up drive was first, and the school supplies pack was second). It’s a joy to be part of it and so my husband brought home two boxes for us: one for a girl recipient, the other for a boy. I took the list last weekend and shopped for all ten items. When I got home, somehow I felt very uncomfortable with the two blue shirts I found on sale. God has been speaking to me about giving ‘better’ gifts lately and I know a pink shirt would fit a young girl better. But when I look inside the box, with all nine other good items in it, my depraved mind was saying, ‘It’s already good enough’. I struggled for days and especially in light of my very thin Christmas budget. Then this devotion brought me light.

Chapter three of Ezra talks about the fifty thousand, first wave of exiles coming home to Jerusalem from their seventy years in Babylon. Here, after settling in their own towns for seven months, they gathered as one man in the capital city to build an altar for God. It may seem easy at first glance for it only requires some acacia wood and an overlay of bronze. Each one gave to the treasury for this work and so the financial side wouldn’t be much of a problem. But our verse above noted one big roadblocker: fear. Before their coming, the land was inhabited by pagans who were determined to stay for good. And these squatters weren’t just numerous. They even had connections to the Persian government who were powerful enough to send them away. Building an altar in Jerusalem was a big statement of reclaiming their land as God’s people. It’s like an opening arrow in war. Their fear was real and valid, but despite its paralyzing threat, they stood their ground and did God’s will. After all, if fear was at their door, all the more they needed God’s favor and protection.

‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you. Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ What fear seeks is to deny us the truth of this verse. It tells us that God is NOT with us, and will NOT strengthen and help us. Fear whispered to me that my budget couldn’t allow a better gift for a little girl. Dig deeper and it meant, God is not a good provider. And so in faith, I went back to the mall, decisive to buy a pink shirt. There I was sidetracked again with a rack on sale but the ‘better’ word tapped me back. Finding the best one finally, I rushed to the cashier for the pay. Guess what? When she swiped the shirt, I was surprised it registered a discounted price. Even lower than the one on the sale rack!  It was so humbling and reassuring. I cried in praise to my amazing God!

Unexpected Win

Ezra 1:1

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing.

Pacquaio’s knockout loss to Marquez yesterday came as a shock to everyone. I myself was dumbfounded seeing the still frame from my friend’s laptop. It was tragic. Almost unbelievable. The replay was proof that the People’s Champ was in full control prior the last-second counter-punch. He even knocked him down on the fifth round. But to Manny, this was not unexpected. ‘Hey you know, this is boxing…’ he said to his saddened people in the locker room. Marquez was there to beat him off. That’s what opponents do.

On their seventieth year as exiles in Babylon, Judah saw a new, great empire rising: Persia. They overheard that the ruler, Cyrus, was able to overthrow the mighty Median empire. His stunning reputation even pushed the kings of Babylon, Lydia and Egypt to unite against him. I can imagine the anxiety of the Jews at the thought of a fiercer lord over them. When Babylon was infiltrated, they were ready for the worse news. But the unexpected happened: instead of a heavier yoke, they were proclaimed free to go home! I’m sure they stood there for a while in disbelief. Because that’s not what conquerors do!

The verse above gave us the reason for the unlikely turn of events. No, it wasn’t because Cyrus was overly kind (or foolish), and definitely not because he had any love for the Jews. Truth is, God promised his people deliverance and He will accomplish his will, at the exact time He said He would, and through the exact person He said He would. Proverbs 21:1 notes ‘The king's heart is in the hand of God, He directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.’ That’s the same God who promised us deliverance from our troubles and foes. He can move the heart of anyone, even our enemies, just so we can receive what we have been promised. This shouldn’t surprise us. ‘Hey you know, this is God!’ That’s what He does.

Again and Again

2 Chronicles 36:15

The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place.

‘You said that already mom!’ That’s my 6 year old son’s reply to my nth repetition of 'Pick up your toys, Rilian!'. On happy days, I’d tickle him for trying his wits on me. But on busy days, which is like everyday, we end up with more lectures and both annoyed. It’s really frustrating. Admittedly though, if I take our case before a court and be asked who started it all, I couldn’t blame the mess on the floor. Someone did flare up first. And considering our age difference and the-who’s more responsible-angle, I’d sure lose any claim.  But would any kid win a plea if his parent sits as judge? Probably never.

If we’ll read God’s message to His people through the prophet Jeremiah, we may have the impression that it was in the tone of much anger. Considering that all of Judah - from king to priests to families - were unfaithful and unrepentant, it is no wonder that they were warned of exile as punishment. The verse above says the messengers were sent ‘again and again’, or in another translation ‘rising up early and sending’. That sounds like being nagged at the start of the day! But unlike earthly parents, that cannot be said of God. On the contrary, He had pity on his people and on Jerusalem. His reiterations may be irritating to the rebellious, but never because He is in any way annoying. In fact, He even went to the extent of cleaning our mess if only we repent and return to Him. The Cross is proof to that. But to them with hard hearts, there can be no remedy but God’s wrath.

Divine providence saw to it that the same message was preached yesterday at church. To me, that’s God’s faithfulness meeting me again and again. I nodded in praise, and relief!, for God’s unchanging nature in stably responding to my deeds and misdeeds. It’s unimaginable that He will scold me harder today because He caught a bad mood or suddenly felt shuffling some house rules. What is more, the love element leaves me speechless. I do love my kids. But I’m sure they can’t trace any of it while I’m angry. In God’s just court, I am guilty. But there’s another seat, the mercy seat, and there I am forgiven. Not just again and again, but once and for all.  Thank You Lord!

Seek or Sink

2 Chronicles 34:3

In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David. In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles, carved idols and cast images.

One of life’s humor is the marriage of structure and spontaneity. That's from an OC mom who puts everything in order (and labeled!), while her three fun-loving people equate fun with messing around. It’s a daily riot here.  Nagging starts when they come to me for missing items. They knew they'll have to bear with my ‘I-told-you-so’ while we're retracing their steps. But my hope is for my kids to just see the value of neatness, even safekeeping. But so far, it’s not sinking in.     

On his eighth year as king, Josiah saw the need to seek answers for the sinking state of Judah. Many believed it was from the royal annals that he found his key. With reference to his walking as David did, the latter probably was the teenage king’s favorite hero. And because David sought God, Josiah did as well. Amazing how, despite that the Scripture was still missing at this time, reform was able to take place. Most likely, God preserved remnants to help him retrace their steps and see idolatry as the root of it all.  Here, it is no humor to mix order and messing around. And so he cleansed Judah of all hand-made idols, and later, he called them in for true worship.

‘You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart’ was God’s word through the prophet Jeremiah, Josiah’s contemporary. Quite a thought on who’s really lost and who’s found here. For at those times when we loosen our grip on God, we become lost ourselves. And when we finally see Him at the end of our search, then we are found.  Truth is, even our purest desire to seek Him is from God. Apart from His grace to call us, we will never hear. There is no way for Josiah, with Ammon as father and Manasseh as grandfather, to be inclined to righteousness. But the good Shepherd called him valuable, went after him, and brought him home.  To me, this sank in.

On Speaking Terms

2 Chronicles 33:10

The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention.

Like most families, I grew up in a home where ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘I forgive you’ are rather felt, than heard. Depending on the gravity of the offense, the cold treatment can go on for as long as everybody felt comfortable again. And that is very uncomfortable. Every mealtime was an effort to make sure I won’t meet my parents’ eyes.  Even the hallway seemed narrower when we had to pass each other. Time was the necessary healing balm. We all had to passively wait for it.  But looking back, I wish it was different for us. There sure was a better way of doing it.

This chapter tells us of King Manasseh, the son of the reformer. He reigned longest in the history of biblical kings. Sadly, one of the evil-est too. In 2 Kings, his sins were comparable to that of Ahab’s and even worse than the pagan enemies God destroyed before them. He provoked God to anger, dishonored His face, desecrated His temple, corrupted His people, disregarded His good gifts – disobeying His will altogether. If his father Hezekiah was alive, I don’t think he’d be allowed at dinnertime at all!  Nine verses of sin-full-ness, and at verse ten, God’s grace surprised me with these words: ‘He spoke to Manasseh and his people’. God initiated a talk! And even after Manasseh brushed off the warning and met God’s justice in Babylon, and there repented - - God’s line was available to him. He need not wait for the cold air to pass.

God here modeled to us how to deal with every insult, every hurt: Be on speaking terms!  Sadly, we often keep that flame burning inside, thinking it’s nobler to shut up and be civil about everything. But aren’t we all bound to explode with that set up? What’s the worst that can happen when we confront and settle issues? Isn’t peace a lot better than pride?  Ephesians 4:26 says ‘Don't sin by letting anger control you. Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry’. Keeping it for days is giving the devil a foothold to destroy the relationship. Be willing to talk to those who have hurt you. They may not readily respond, or violently react, but making that line open is one step away from the burden you need not carry. 

Distorted Portrait

2 Chronicles 32:31

But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart.

I didn’t know the story of Dorian Gray until last week. The 2009 movie version appealed to me only because it starred Ben Barnes - the actor who played Prince Caspian, the father of the Narnian name I gave to my son. Sadly though, here he was a young Englishman who became too absorbed with his beauty that he pledged his soul for a painting which kept him from aging. The portrait reflected the rottenness of all the vanities he pursued. By the time he realized it couldn’t make him happy, he shifted to doing good. But still, it couldn’t save his disfigured soul. For deep in his heart, even morality is just for vanity’s sake.  

I have no idea of the looks of King Hezekiah, but he sure was attractive to many - - all three G’s: a godly, good man with lots of gold! In this chapter, he became even more famous because of the defeat of Assyria’s Sennacherib and the supernatural movement of the sun on the occasion of his successful fight against a fatal illness. The coming of the envoys from Babylon to his palace placed an all-time high on his record. Sadly, it mirrored differently in God’s held-portrait of him. His deceitful, proud heart was found decaying. Instead of telling everyone the truth behind the recent miracles – that it was all God’s doing – he spoke of his own glory. Unlike Job who came out righteous when God left him tested, he found himself humbled, even paving the way to the soon-Babylonian captivity.  

Verse 5 says ‘He did not respond to the kindness shown him’. How many times do we flippantly do the same?  With the blessings God is showering us daily, how come we fail to mention His name in every ‘How are you?’ questions we face? Worse, we represent Him wrong by carrying our faces long. That’s us distorting His beautiful image! Without God in the picture, guess who takes the lead role in our every conversation?  Ever tried counting your first-person pronoun usage? Pride is in every ‘me’. Sounds like an enemy, right? Deuteronomy 8:14 warns us that the moment ‘our heart becomes proud, we will forget the LORD.’ That’s what our enemy wants. He deceitfully will not draw us to sin or to him, for who will be lured seeing the dark side? But if he can shift our focus to ourselves - our needs, our dreams, our strengths, our issues - then, he has won in keeping our gaze off from God. 

I Don’t Deserve This

2 Chronicles 32:1

After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself.

I came across this article from ‘The Natural Child Project’ which talks about and against rewards and praise to children. The method according to R.Grille ‘springs from the work of psychologists who painstakingly discovered that they could train rats to run mazes, pigeons to peck at colored buttons, and dogs to salivate at the sound of the dinner bell - by giving them a controlled schedule of rewards.’  He rebukes parents like me who use external motivations with a demand for better results instead of appreciating our kids for who they are and what they are doing NOW. Why should their self-worth be others-based? Why should their work be valued for its promised reward instead of being enjoyed as grace?  

King Hezekiah probably never experienced such parental pampering. With the ungodly Ahaz as father, he most likely vowed to become other than what the family expected of him. He may had been the least favorite son for not following their idolatrous ways, notably by not allowing himself to be sacrificed in the fire. Instead he grew up pleasing God alone.  His joy was not dependent on the rewards of his faithfulness, but on the relationship itself. Today’s chapter was proof to that. After three long chapters of his diligence to reform Judah’s ways, the verse above opens with the mighty Assyria threatening the land. That would be disappointing – if he was after God’s ‘fair’ remuneration. To the faithless, peace and prosperity are fitting rewards for obedience. But if we know that God is faithful, no fear or discouragement can make us insecure.

‘I don’t deserve this!’ We’ve heard and said it many times. We know of hardworking students failing board exams; homemakers with unappreciative family members; hundreds of overworked but underpaid employees; and yes, godly men and women in deep pain. But what do we expect actually? If we really want to go along that line of ‘deserving’, the Bible refers to us as sinners deserving death. If we feel we’re way above the sinners-status, the Bible also narrates of the sinless Jesus who suffered undeservedly in our stead.  King Hezekiah embraced the truth of grace and so was unshaken amidst life’s threat and seemingly ‘unfairness’. God’s presence is already more than what we all deserve. But if He is not enough for you, nothing else will.