Love’s Story

1 Chronicles 16:41

With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the LORD, ‘for his love endures forever’.

As early as December last year, we’ve already marked February 12 as a one of the special Sundays in Kiddiepointe. When the team sat again four weeks ago, it took us quite some time to unearth a concept based on this question: How should kids celebrate Love Day? Definitely, the boy-girl, date-theme was readily discarded. Family love was next crossed out because we just had that last Christmastime. Friendship was next considered, but somehow, it couldn’t pull that chord of excitement to overflow us with ideas. We ended that meeting afloat. After another week, God’s faithfulness made us realize we’ve been wandering in circles instead of wonder-ing the Cross. How could we miss the greatest love of all? In pursuing His theme, t’was amazing how easily everything fell into place. The finished product yesterday was picture perfect: God so loving us and sending Jesus and the kids responding in love and seeking Jesus. Such a beautiful love story!

When the chronicler came to retell the story of bringing back the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, everybody expected him to take hold of the account of Samuel and simply copy-paste the event details. He did. He even stretched it to two chapters long. But for some God-reason, he was kept in his chair, and his heart was somehow unsettled. From the pile of notes and scrolls around him, God prompted him to pull their songbook and soon found his answers. Three of these psalms were first sung corporately during that joyous event. David handed it over to his chief musicians and instructed them to sing it regularly before the Lord. It has been their hearts’ music ‘til they were exiled to Babylon. With the remnants back in promise land, God wanted them to learn their love song. He desired for them to see that the covenant of love He made with Abraham, Jacob and David was an everlasting one. That though they ‘wandered from nation to nation’, He kept them safe from harm. He kept them safe in His arms. 

With barely twelve hours to Hearts’ Day, many of us, singles especially, have our minds wondering and wandering how this season of love can beautifully include us. There are those in denial of course, but that doesn’t change the fact that we want to be part of a love story – both as givers and receivers. Either or both can be disappointing. As givers, what if they’re unappreciative? As receivers, what if they gave thoughtlessly? At the end of the day, you might end up even feeling worse. How then can God expect us to give thanks for His love? Like the remnants, God encourages us to look further back and move further on. The remnants immediate back was exile and their immediate front were ruins. Nothing appealing there. But looking further back, they saw the covenant promise, and further on, they saw the Messiah. Finally, they felt loved. I pray we can have the maturity to look beyond February 14 and see how high and wide and deep God’s love is for us. Look further back at the Cross and realize it was love at its best. Look further forward to eternity and you’ll run out of words describing how beautiful ever after is with God. Felt that love? 

One Safe Ground

1 Chronicles 16:4,6

He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel… and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.

I was alone with the kids when the 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit Negros-Cebu around noontime yesterday. My heart both stopped and pumped fast seeing the monitor screen wave left and right. I managed to grab the kids and secured them under the table. They were giggling though, thinking we’re just playing hide-and-seek. The scare heightened when all lights went out and the ground’s still shaking. It was my longest 30 seconds ever. I was breathing hard and very exhausted all afternoon – though doing nothing at all. Tris said he was surprised to see his office floor dark and empty though he just left 15minutes to check the coast’s view from somewhere. Everybody just rushed out for their homes. Neighbor’s kids said they weren’t even allowed to get their bags. It’s a drop everything and go. We’re called to standby for aftershocks, but really, we’re more like standing still here. 

After the Ark of the Covenant was set inside the pitched tent in Zion, David instituted the resume of Temple offerings. The command can be traced back during Moses’ time after Sinai, along with the detailed instructions for the Tabernacle construction. God’s requirement was a daily routine of burnt offerings, plus the burning of incense and tending the Menorah. By routine it meant one in the morning, and one in the evening – without exceptions, and for all generations. The sweet savour was unto the Lord and for the pleasure of meeting Him and hearing from Him. In David’s time, added to making petition and giving thanks was praising God through songs – nonstop. It echoed through the New Testament, with Jesus as the Lamb sacrificed in our stead, and our unceasing prayers as the incense ascending up before God. It’s His ordained requirement in meeting with us. And it’s a regular thing.

I wonder if the priests in David’s time would stop praising God in cases of earthquakes. Will that qualify as an exception to a no-exception rule? Will a momentary stop apply to an ordinance that says forever?  We should be thankful we need not bring a cattle or lamb, or prepare the mix for incense powder or light up candles in our meetings with Him. I can’t imagine having to prepare all those with the ground and my heart all shaking yesterday just so He’d be pleased to see me and hear my panic. Praise God for the blood of Jesus, we have access to His presence – anytime. We may take it for granted in normal days, but we’d realize it so handy, even convenient, in times of great need. The number of times prayer was mentioned in the Scriptures, and now in reference to Temple offerings, prove it was meant to be observed – regularly. Day and night. Now if you’re wondering why God was so silent in revealing you His will, or in rushing to attend to your emergency prayers, guess who first failed in your meetings at the Tent?  To drop everything and go meant leaving the unnecessary to attend to life’s most important. It is the urgency that makes us run to One safe ground when all else are shaking and our hearts trembling.  But isn’t it better if we’re found safe in His arms even before harm strikes? Will we run when we’re already resting in Him?

Tastes Good

1 Chronicles 15:24b

Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark.

I had a funny realization last week that when it comes to brand names, the first items popping in my head are those I see on  grocery shelves. Not that mothers care less about fashion, but more because it took us a lot of time to mark one ‘my brand’.  The taste test phase can be tiring and discouraging, especially when very honest kids are your critics. Husbands can be forgiving but we know what that means. And so my search won’t stop until I hear him say ‘write this down!’.  There’s that sense of accomplishment walking back through those alleys and stopping exactly at the preferred item for the pick. No more re-reading labels. No more counting calories. I can even have unexpected guest without worries. For when it’s tried and tested, I know it will taste good!

Chronicles is a book with a lot of names. I had to consciously read each one aloud to keep me from skipping what seems to be irrelevant to life. But since I’m not an expectant parent needing baby tags, my stops are on those familiar personalities.  This morning, I saw him again: Obed-Edom. It took me just one page flip to remember he was the Gittite whose house was where the Ark of the Covenant was parked temporarily because of the Uzzah incident. It stayed with them for three months and God blessed his household and everything he had. It was surprising to see him in this chapter next to the pool of Levite musicians appointed for the service. His name was with three others and their designation was to be doorkeepers for the Ark. His leaders may have noted that the fact that he’s still alive meant God saw him fit near His presence. But what caught me most was the picture of his glad heart to have been given this extended privilege. Truth is, it was not the Ark who found shelter in his home. They were the ones who actually found refuge in Him.  He had seen and tasted the goodness of the Lord firsthand. And the taste was so good, he’d rather be there than a thousand elsewhere.

Admittedly, I am one of those gullible consumers that when new products hit the market, will give in for a test try. Nearly always, the disappointment leads me back to my trusted brands, with a little ‘i hate myself for the discontent’ of course. Not that my marked brand failed me, but more because I am one depraved being. I guess it’s the same foolishness when we continue to roam around, looking for fulfilment here and there, when all the ingredients we need for an abundant life is found in God.  Today I pray to have that gladness in Obed-Edom’s heart. That countenance that says ‘I have tasted the Lord’s goodness and it is so good!’ No need to taste-test other brands, for they’ll sure be bland. No need to try out other fads, for they’ll sure fade and not last. Compare that to His words that are sweeter than honey, and like milk nourishing the soul.  Looks good? I say, it tastes even better! Bon appétit :>

Screwed

1 Chronicles: 15:13

It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the LORD our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.

“Talk to him about moderation in all things. If you can once get him to the point of thinking that 'religion is all very well up to a point,' you can feel quite happy about his soul. A moderated religion is as good for us as no religion at all – and more amusing.” That’s from Screwtape to his novice tempter nephew, Wormwood. His thirty one letters were all schemes and tricks on how to make this ‘Patient’ fall into damnation. His long experience taught him that it is not with the evilest of evil that men turn to their side. Instead, he tells his apprentice, to choose the safe, gradual one: the subtle distractions, the little confusions, some pleasures here, or an added pursuit there.  The point is not to readily pull the Patient out from his faith. Rather, they’d likely to succeed if they’ll merely stop him from growing - - ‘til the coldness ushers him to darkness.  Quite brilliant actually.

I guess that’s how the enemies won over David in chapter 13. Since they already lost round one in making him completely forget about the Ark, they had to creep in their ruining efforts into the celebration itself.  They used David’s passion in making it big and grand and urgent to disregard further inquiries and prescribed details; they utilized the priests’ passivity and let them believe t’was submission to the king or maybe, calling it ‘the modern way’; and they urged Uzzah to see it was heroic to save the Ark from falling. The processional’s halt and the Ark’s parking at Obed-Edom’s house because of Uzzah’s death probably elated Wormwood. But he forgot his uncle’s warning not to make it too spectacular because big sins has a way of even bringing men back to their One enemy. And it did. David spent three months seeking God’s will regarding the matter. His sin brought him back to His Forgiver. We can read in chapter 15 that he tried again. This time, thoroughly and thoughtfully following God’s process ‘til the Ark was set inside the tent.  Screwtape was screwed once again. 

‘All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing’ was Edmund Burkes’ famous line. Today we learned that equally fatal to the victorious life is when good men do less. Woodworm’s received instruction was not to totally cut us from prayer, but to move us from unceasingly to just mealtime nods. His instruction was not to persecute Christians from reading the bible, rather to make it look like a nice alternative to counting sheep, or maybe send us more magazine subscriptions for cross reference. Lukewarmness is not the absence of God in our life. It is the presence of many other things distracting us, making our walks dull. Don’t let the enemy woodworm you by majoring on the minors. Don’t let them screw you up by saying you have the right to centerstage. Resist this uncle-nephew tandem. Stand firm against them, and be strong in your faith. Keep watch, stay alert, and yes, tighten those screws.