The Wise Choice

2 Chronicles 1:11

God said to Solomon, ‘Since this is your heart's desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king..’

When I was studying Rilian’s homeschool curriculum last night, I found a very interesting note to parents: Don’t answer your child’s questions, help them find the answers.  Such a wise thought! I remember in senior high when we were preparing for a standardized test, instead of having regular classes, all we did in class for weeks was to take sample tests. They showered us with tips on how to outsmart the items, like that process of elimination for multiple choices. It was actually helpful. So yes, the school achieved its goal of getting high pass percentage, meaning good community reputation. But I don’t think it equipped us with much for college life. I believe it would have been better if they trained us on how to study well, and not just pass a mark. It may have given us a good headstart, but still not a guarantee that we’ll make it very far.  Oh well.

‘Ask for whatever you want Me to give you’ was the Lord’s offer to Solomon. It was a chance of a lifetime. A genie experience every Disney child dreams of.  But Solomon didn’t find it in some cave of wonders. He was in God’s Tent of Meeting when it found him. He was seeking God first when all these things were offered to him as well. So what would a young, new king ask from the Provider of all things? Given the vastness of his task and how numerous Israel was at this time, I would have easily blurted ‘happy ever after’ for everyone. That would have made him popular and comfortable, and the country satisfied. Then they all can enjoy their fairy tale life. But how commendable that Solomon asked God for nothing but wisdom. A light for the journey instead of some glittering destination. He sought not an escape route, nor an easier path, but to know the right ones. God was pleased that his heart was towards His face and not His hands. The same desire the chronicler wanted the remnants to take home given their dim present. A lottery win may look appealing, but the long walk would bring them farther.     

In our Ladies Lifegroup last Wednesday, we came across these words from C.Samuel Storms: ‘Paul did not pray that they be spared suffering. Nor did he request that material wealth be added to their spiritual zeal. He said nothing about illness, or healing, or better jobs, or any of those things for which we pray and ask others to pray in our behalf. Such requests are not always inappropriate, but we see Paul considered spiritual wisdom, knowledge, and enlightenment of greater value.’  Very true.  How often were our prayers so limited to getting products instead of going through the process. We all wish for wealth and honor and long life, but do what with those? What will we gain if we have all things now and in abundance? How else will we grow in excellence, mature in character and pursue faith if we’re spoonfed? Our earthly desires may give us a good headstart, but wisdom will see us to the finish line - - and with flying colors! Choose wisely :>

High Expectations

1 Chronicles 29:23

So Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king in place of his father David. He prospered and all Israel obeyed him.

It seems Broadway music will long sustain its note in Manila this year. With still two months to run for the very successful, thereby extended ‘The Sound of Music’ production, Resorts World already has another stage set for their next big thing: ‘The King and I’. Last week’s audition, I heard, was jam-packed, from veterans to dreamers, and yes, even with performers from SOM. With a different director on the seat, no less than Freddie Santos himself, it sure promises a fresh, distinct touch from their previous offering. But it also implies comparisons and expectations, from production to cast. With superb performances as predecessor, it’s a big shoe to fill. No doubt, they’re up to the challenge. Why also, it’s worth looking forward to.   I really hope to catch it on September. Better, of course, if I get a backstage pass :>

On the second half of the final chapter of 1 Chronicles, we’ll likewise find an account of two of Israel’s greatest kings: first the son, Solomon, rising to the throne; then the father, David, closing his forty years’ rule. Both reigns were blessed with big words: to Solomon, highly exalted and royal splendor; and to David, long life, wealth, and honor. But before those came to Solomon, I’m sure it gave him overwhelming pressure putting on his father’s shoes. For how could he ever beat those giant slaying records and war-winning streaks? I’d probably contemplate shifting on a different career path. But Solomon didn’t. He knew he was called for it. And he knew that the One who called him will make him fit for it. That’s what his father taught him. The verse above proved that: Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord. Not on David’s throne, but God’s throne. It was God who had set it up for him, thus will establish him. That was his confidence. That was his security.

It’s a pressure to live up to the people’s expectations, especially in reference to those before us. When we were new parents, it gave me paranoia when the lolos and lolas visit us, seemingly checking on how I was attending to their apos. I felt the need to always justify my decisions, although I’m sure t’was farthest from their intentions. Being the new director for VBS this year also gives me goosebumps. What if I don’t get support? What if I fail somewhere? The list will go endless if I’ll entertain the thought. But God’s been reminding me, daily, that He gave me that seat. Before me, it wasn’t someone else’s but His. And it still is. A wise kuya once said, ‘It’s not a big shoe to fill. It’s a different shoe.’ So instead of comparing ourselves with others, let’s focus on being a different one. Not for the sake of being different, but to rejoice in the diversity of God’s design. It will be for His glory that He appoints one in place of another. Not for the successor to prove that he’s better, but for him to showcase that God just keeps surprising us with better. For His praise. That’s the catch. Also why it’s worth watching.

Worried Pockets

1 Chronicles 29:16

O LORD our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you.

Last Monday, the complete kit for Rilian’s homeschooling finally arrived. Now that he’s officially a student, with tests and all, I felt like we became official parents too, with responsibilities, and more. Plotting their school years to determine how much we need to raise and save every time, my initial thought balloon to those figures was: there goes my hopes for a house, and the car, and the dream vacations.  But I quickly rebuked the discouragement and remembered my parents, and theirs. They weren’t well off either, and to think they lived with eleven other siblings. But they’re living proof that it’s manageable. I myself finished school, and my sister will, by God’s grace next year, become a doctor. Now in faith I see my kids and a bright future ahead of them. I know. Because God said He will provide.

When the chronicler shared the story of chapter 29, I imagine the remnants in blank stare and deep breath, wondering how could the same building project be possible at their time. David was here pouring treasures as seed money for Solomon’s temple, and it’s extravagantly a lot! And because King David gave over and above what was expected of him, that is, he shared even from his personal treasures, the leaders of the land were inspired to give much to the treasury too.  No wonder Solomon’s temple was literally shining in gold. So how could the remnants ever fill those shoes? Coming from seventy years of foreign slavery, they barely had anything to call their own. ‘Impossible!’ was their logic’s cry. Then they heard David’s prayer and his acknowledgement that it wasn’t his treasures that provided for the temple. The verse above pointed it all came from God’s hand. Later on, the remnants saw how God’s faithfulness proved it true. In the book of Ezra, King Darius decreed, based on the scroll issued by King Cyrus, that the royal treasury of Persia will fully pay for the construction of the temple. How in the world that happened? One answer: God can do that!

How’s your finances today? Any pressing payables this week? Any savings for rainy days? If your answers are in the tune of worry, I know how that sounds. Been there, done that, still there - - minus the worry. Today at least. Tomorrow? That’s another faith decision. But clearly, truth says, everything comes from God’s hand. With His unlimited, unimaginable treasures in heaven, it’s actually more impossible for Him to not to provide. That implies, resource is not the issue here, but our heart questioning His goodness, and the humility to simply ask.  Like a child to a Father. Completely trusting. Fully expecting. If He can give His Son for us all, which is the greatest of all gifts, can we really picture Him withholding the less? Impossible! What is our need today compared to His life’s value? What is our worry compared to our need for the Cross? God’s been providing for the world ever since, will He stop now with us? I don’t think so.

From Sobs to Sweet Song

1 Chronicles 28:20-21

David also said to Solomon his son, ‘Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished. The divisions of the priests and Levites are ready for all the work on the temple of God, and every willing man skilled in any craft will help you in all the work. The officials and all the people will obey your every command.’

Two weeks of workload then a truckload more for another five. It was breath-taking, literally. The two big projects collided last weekend, exploding on me. One was groundbreaking, the other one with sixteen leaders under me. Add to that the coming of my mom for the week which means, I’m on-call on the side. It would have been easier, maybe, if it’s all paperwork. But with people? It’s 24/7 performance level.  Coming home last night from our prayer meeting, and a ladies bible study on prayer hours before that, I slouched on the sofa declaring it a day. I was close to crying so I grabbed my Bible, seeking for solace. I flipped it to the bookmarked page then scanned two verses up just for an immediate context. Just two verses. But I know it was God speaking to me – undeniably. For every word met my every need.

The story here was David giving his heir all the plans and blueprint for the temple that God had put in his mind.  To us now knowing it was the magnificent temple in Mount Zion he’s talking about, the one recorded as one of the seven wonders in 6^th century according to Gregory, Bishop of Tours, we can imagine Solomon so  overwhelmed with the humongous task ahead of him. Written there was a quarry site with tens of thousands labor workers, also foreign suppliers to deal with. And that’s just the building project. There’s still the priests and Levites preparing for the grand launch, and beyond. Sitting there listening to his father, young and inexperienced, I can imagine fears trying to creep in. David hearing loud throbs in his son’s heart, feeling for him, gave him two verses to quiet him down. Just two. But it saw him through ‘til the project’s completion.

Here’s a peek of my time with the Father last night. To my tired body, He said ‘Be strong’; To any temptation-attempt to pull me out and just give up, God said “Do the work’; To my pounding heart, He commanded ‘Do not be afraid’; Though not yet, but might soon be, His warning, ‘Do not be discouraged’; To assure me more, He pointed ‘I am the God of David: the giant slayer’. Then more words, ‘I will not fail you or forsake you’; To the big task ahead of me, with leaders under me, He specified, ‘Your people are ready for all the work’; To my desire for excellence, His provision: ‘They are skilled in their crafts’; and, to my fear that I might not be the best person for them, He whispered:  ‘They are willing. They will help you. They will obey your every command’. It was the sweetest embrace He knew I needed last night. Every word a fresh wind to my fluctuating soul. In His faithfulness, He turned by sobs into song, and I’m still singing it now: ‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus!

When God Says NO

1 Chronicles 28:3

But God said to me, 'You are not to build a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood.'

It was my turn last Wednesday to teach in our Ladies Lifegroup. From the list passed around, the chapter ‘When God is Silent’ kinda popped-up and so I chose it. We all identified with the feeling of unrest and insecurity when (already) yearlong prayers were met with (another) long-er waits, and sometimes we wish God would just say No to our face.  But there was a time in my life when No was the most painful answer and waiting was my plea. I remember even saying ‘I’d wait ‘til my old age, just please don’t say No Lord’. But still He did. To my persistence, His exact words were: ‘That is enough. Do not speak to me anymore about this matter.’  It was loud, firm and decisive.  I couldn’t even cry. That day, I was so conscious I was standing before a holy God, and I had to bow down in fear. It was so humbling.

In today’s chapter, we read that David summoned all Israel’s important leaders to assemble at Jerusalem. He was already very old here and everyone responded in urgency knowing it could possibly be the last words of their great king. We would expect him to choose the best chapter from his pool of  great feats and wonderful psalms for his speech. Instead, he flipped back to 2 Samuel 7 and shared his meeting with God. It was that page when God said No to his deep desire to build Him a temple. I thought, why would he highlight that God could say No to Israel? Isn’t it quite discouraging to those he’ll leave behind? Isn’t it better to post that God answers prayers?   But if we read on we’ll agree it was his best legacy to pass on. To these leaders and especially to his heir, he reiterated the need to carefully hear from God. To go when they’re given a yes, and to accept a No if He says so. They have to acknowledge Him as God. Otherwise, they will miss out on all His good inheritance.

As parents to toddlers, there’s never a day that No is not heard inside the house. We’ve always been advised to be positive with the word, meaning rename it, to also minimize their echo-rebound. On the same note, critics to Christianity said the Bible lost its appeal when it chose to be too NO-centered. That it gives a picture of an authoritative God and a very tight life. In this same chapter, David refuted that notion. God may have said No to him, but that was pale compared to the long list of unmerited yes favors he received from Him. I myself am grateful now that God gave me a No years back. The blessings definitely far outweigh the pain. He knows better than I. Let’s hold on to the truth that His goodness flows in both His yes and no answers.  There’s no bitter taste in Him.  It actually even gets better every time :>

Family Roof

1 Chronicles 23:6

All these men were under the supervision of their fathers for the music of the temple of the LORD, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the supervision of the king.

I miss my dad. Possibly highlighted by my mom coming over to visit us this weekend. But with her friends, meaning not with dad. Another likely stirrer was last week, when I promoted an event to a group of more or less forty pastors. My rapport line was: ‘I’m a PK and being here, seeing you, made me miss my dad more’. Yes, I call him as often as I could. Share funny updates of his apos and post pictures every week and whenever possible. But nothing beats the daily routines of waking up and eating breakfast with him; watching noontime shows and laughing-out-loud with him; and our favorite pastime of course, exasperating my younger brother, and sometimes my mother, hahaha! I’ve been under his roof for thirty years and all I wish then was to go out and pursue independence. Now out for seven years, it’s funny I’m missing being back in.  Guess it’s true: there’s no place like home :>

As heir to the throne, the young Solomon possibly grew up in a roof with stricter rules. I can imagine the other princes already out and free to play, while he stayed for a couple more hours taking ‘Kingship 101’ class. And his tutor? No less than his father, the king himself. Lately, all he talked to him about was the Temple plans. David mentioned it was for him to build it, but he’s all-out helping with the preps. Very dad-like: helping with homeworks, ‘til just before the final answer! So first, it was just a list of logs and gold.  Later it was a record of people, and more people. But there was something noteworthy about how his father grouped them. Something familiar and close to home. Like the singers and gatekeepers in this chapter and the next, David clustered them according to families, specifying that fathers were to train and supervise their sons. I wonder, why not group them according to skills and assign them to a master teacher? What’s in a family set-up that makes work relationship better? Isn’t it more prone to clashes and conflicts? Yes. But isn’t love and support even deeper there?  Solomon experienced that firsthand. It may seem more difficult to have a father for a mentor, but it sure was more sincere and very meaningful.

A magazine show last night featured young girls calling themselves gangsters. You can easily guess why they were out in the streets: they were parentless. Some, not because they’re orphans, but because they were abandoned. Their concept of love, security, and relationship became distorted since then.  Truth is, what we learn from home is what prepares us for life. It’s why it’s coined the basic unit of our society.  Our relationship with our kids is what they will always refer back to in their contact with the world. And our relationship with ours is our obvious direct upline. That’s how God designed it. And it’s purposeful, beautiful and doable. It defies and is beyond status and limitations. Parents have no excuse. God Himself modeled it to us. Allowing us to call Him our Abba so we could have a picture of what’s it really like, especially when ours failed somewhere. Mine was not perfect either. But he did the best he knew how. And thank you Dad for that. (Mom too!) So grateful to God I was placed under your roof.  See you soon :>

Four Bods

1 Chronicles 23:6

David divided the Levites into groups corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

We all heard about that story about Everybody, Anybody, Somebody, and Nobody. Long and short of it was that while the first three assumed and argued it was each other’s job, nobody was already doing it. Or not doing it. My family has another version of that. Film title was Household Chores. Lead role was our mom, representing everybody.  My sister and I alternated as nobodies. We’re villains to anybody, played by my younger brother. Our favorite line? ‘He’s not just anybody here. Let him play lead on this!’ Dad’s place was more like a supervisor. He kept calling us with another name though: ‘Somebody…’, and almost always, his next spiel was  ‘…help your mom!’ But we stick to our character of course. We’re a pro - - lazy pro! hahaha :> 

Magnify those four characters to thirty-eight thousand Levites, and it would sure be a disaster. With Israel’s number growing to a million, imagine the humongous task of assisting the priests in receiving all those offerings and sacrifices. You’d say it would require everybody doing it. But there’s also the task of supervising, officiating, judging, gatekeeping, baking, cleaning, and singing. Somebody had to do that. But in order to make sure it’s done excellently, I’m sure David didn’t just choose anybody at random. The singers, for instance, were trained under their fathers ‘til their level reached skillful. And definitely, it was made sure that nobody will forget his duty. If God said that the lamp should be burning before Him at all times, signifying His presence in Jerusalem, imagine the implication if you were found sleeping on your duty? David wouldn’t take that risk and so he divided the Levites into groups and specified their duties and schedules per family. In the next chapter it even mentioned a scribe named Shemaiah recording the priests’ names in the presence of David and all officials. Their names may seem boring and a drag to our daily readings, but not without purpose. It’s what we actually need to become a pro.

Given only eight weeks to prepare for the kids VBS in our church, the initial push was to get everybody in and start moving. But by everybody, basing on today’s text, means giving each one a specific task, and schedule, and workmates, and supervisors, if possible written and in public - -  to ensure that he or she would not assume that somebody or anybody’s hand was already on it.  We want nobody giving such excuse. Praise God for His Word sparing us from those unnecessary frustrations and time-wasters.  He Himself, though timeless and infinite, orchestrated work seasons and a list of To Do’s as His way of sending us blessings and satisfaction. He is the One who appointed us to be part of the body. Thankfully, not to do everything. But to do a specific something, for anybody in need. It may appear insignificant at first, but it doesn’t mean we’re a nobody. Somebody died for us, remember?

UnBlemished Best

1 Chronicles 22:5b

“…the house to be built for the LORD should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it." So David made extensive preparations before his death.”

When our church chose the Boot Camp theme for VBS this year, we knew it will be hard work. For one, instead of buying the usual starter kit, we opted the Armor of God free curriculum download and thought we can just add in our creative juices. Extracting those juices was the hard part of course. But we found the hard-er one last night. Realizing the irreconcilable concept-conflict that modern day armies don’t use swords as main weapons, how do we teach the Sword of the Spirit then? Surely not by saying 'Guns of the Spirit' or hope the kids won’t mind imagining WW heroes doing swordplay.  At first, we were trying compromises here and there. But t’was a compromise indeed. We’l hurt both if we don’t let one go. It’s just either embrace the Roman soldier idea minus the boot camp, or goodbye armor of God equals writing the curriculum from scratch. It was clearly excellence’ call and we knew it. Can you guess our choice?

Without a hint that it will soon be the venue for Solomon’s beautiful temple, David faced a compromise deal I’d probably easily say yes to. We knew the story: God ordered him to build an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah and the owner offered it to him as a free gift.  Free! Imagine how many other God-projects can be pursued by saving fifteen pounds of gold?  But David didn’t give in. He insisted on paying the full amount and said, ‘I will not sacrifice to God offerings that cost me nothing’. When the time came for him to help his son prepare for building the house of God, he kept the same countenance. The earlier verses mentioned more bronze than could be weighed and more cedar logs than could be counted. All imported from the Sidonians and Tyrians - - legendary for their excellent timber. Verse 14 added ‘he took great pains in providing a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver, as well as men skilled in every kind of work and craftsmen beyond number’. An abundance exceeding and excelling! His reason? ‘It should be in great magnificence and fame in splendor in the sight of all nations’.  The temple is where God’s Name will reside. He will be praised there according to His excellent greatness. Anything less is an inconsistency. A sin actually, because it missed the mark.

If we follow the idea that everything we do is our worship to God, would you look with me for a minute and see what we just placed there on the altar? Was that lamb late again this morning, a little grumpy too because of the traffic? Why wasn’t it shaved and fluffy and white? It looked perfect last week when someone influential paid a visit. Oh this was another kind. One you hurriedly grabbed in between your shifts. Discounted you say, for that little blemish? Here’s God’s word for you Malachi: ‘Try offering them to your governor, would he be pleased? Would he accept? Cursed is the cheat! For I am a great King, and my name is to be feared among the nations. Yes I have already cursed them, because they have not set their hearts to honor me.’  So how’s your offering? How much did it cost you? Compare that with God’s lamb on the cross. No less than His treasured Son. And we thank Him with cheap mediocrity? Shame on us :<

Counting Stars

1 Chronicles 21:2

So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, "Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are."

It’s funny how I slept early last night to prepare for today. Yup, it’s a happy birthday to me. Thirty seven years and old, haha :> I woke up excited to once again count His many blessings, ready to name them one by one.  I imagined holding a pen and listing it all down: people who made my life meaningful, experiences that shaped my growth, successes which I never thought I’d see, and so on. I even planned to peek into my last year’s journal and put check marks to prayers now answered. I was all-set. Bowing my head, the first words that came out were: ‘I praise you God for my life’. Somehow, God stopped me right there. Then He guided me to restart: ‘I praise You God for You are LifeGiver.’

 David was probably also in the height of his years in this chapter: all enemies subdued, the land expanding, and the people peaceful and satisfied.  It was everything any king would wish for. With all ends secure, David unconsciously let down his defenses. It was at this unguarded moment when the enemy incited him to take a census of Israel’s fighting men, tempting him of pride. If they were on the brink of war and it was for a military decision, this was understandable. But why would a king want a concrete picture of his strength if it wasn’t for vain conceit. His name was now renowned and maybe the whispered thought to put it in record – as the greatest kingdom ever – very much appealed to him. But this act proved detestable to God. As One who promised Israel to be as numerous as the stars found it irreverent to count what He declared as uncountable. It stirred His wrath and brought judgement to what David himself took pride in: their number. In one strike of His angel’s sword, seventy thousand men fell dead. The blessing became a curse. All because David gloried in the gift, forgetting the Giver.

So does that mean we stop counting blessings? Definitely not. But blessings devoid of praise is what we have to guard our hearts from. I can occupy myself this day thanking everyone for how their lives complemented mine, or daydreaming how my years went by, feeling good about it, and say it was a beautiful one. But will God be pleased? No, because I left Him out of the picture. Ecclesiastes noted ‘Remember your Creator’. Deuteronomy also pleaded: ‘Remember the Lord your God who gives you..’ And so this morning, this birth-day, I  praised the Lord. I woke up I having an earth-full of things to thank Him for, now I’m wide-eyed realizing how our number system failed by just how the universe displayed the wonderful Him.  And guess how many stars aren’t discovered yet?