One Week Rush

1 Kings 16:15

In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned in Tirzah seven days. The army was encamped near Gibbethon, a Philistine town.

Trying to find a good anecdote about waiting, I found a site of a wardrobe psychologist (!) sharing her interesting movie time with her grandmother. What was playing that Satuday was an old time movie which brings back memories of when her grammy was younger. As the movie progressed, she noticed,  the plot did not. This cosmo writer became restless with all the long pauses, the slowmo pace, and the cinematic journey. "Let's get to the point already!" And to this, her relaxed grammy replied, "Be patient, Jennifer and watch the movie!"

Our featured Israel king today is Mr.Rush Guy, Zimri. Everything seems to move fast around him. He ascended to the throne via his swift murder of King Elah, Baasha’s heir, while the lad was drunk in the home of the palace in charge. As soon as he began to reign, he killed off Baasha’s whole family, even the distant relatives and friends. Timeframe? Less than a week! Considering his ex-assignment as  commander of half of the king’s chariots, that’s believable. On day seven, he rushed to the citadel of the royal palace when he saw Omri, the army commander, take over the city. He fears the strength of this man and his army, and so he decided to lock himself up and set fire around him. He saw no hope, no way out. His other option was to beg for mercy or a miracle from heaven, but he couldn’t control that. He’d rather take his own life than wait and let others (including God) decide for his fate. He couldn’t even wait for tomorrow. For Zimri, it’s all about here and now. He grabbed his first flight towards top, and he left the first train towards death. All in one week.

Call me old fashioned, but I prefer the time when people keep their word and show up on time instead of sending a text message minutes before that they’d be late or ‘something came up’. I miss those times when I call up a friend for some expert inputs followed by ‘how are yous’ and a lot of sure gigglings, which I don’t experience in googling. People now spend most of their time in the workplace, in the hope that it could provide them an early retirement - - which they might not enjoy much because of their already wasted health and without their loved ones now turned strangers.  Tech-y is cool. It did give us all sorts of comfort and convenience. But please, not at the expense of our values and relationships. And please, not in exchange for our faith in God.  His wisdom saw it best that we have a Sabbath-rest once-a-week, keep it. He installed that we have days to work and nights to rest, think about it. He created seasons for the ground to receive seeds, be watered, give harvest, and yes, have a rest too. He gives us time to be happy and to mourn, to be torn down and be built up, to toil and to enjoy. Be all there for that time. Don’t be afraid to take time to weep. Don’t rush moving on. God has set everything beautiful in His time. Zimri tried to make it big in a week. He failed. Only God can do that. We’re not.  

Two Years Tick

1 Kings 15:15,16

Nadab son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, walking in the ways of his father and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit.

What happened in your life in the last two years? That’s 730 days or around 180 weeks. Scanning through the archives of my memory bank now, the big list says our family transfer here in Cebu, the kids homeschooling, the GCoMM conference I attended in Singapore, coordinating the Musaic worship conference after that, the vacation treats to Boracay and Plantation Bay, my work experience as Assistant Prod Manager for Hillsong Concert last year, the cantata I conducted the other Easter, the workshops I taught, and yes, this devotional blog. Of course the bad list, quite a lot of bullets there, is not for public consumption, hehe. Now, the next question is, if my life stops here, with both lists in God’s hands, will he categorize me under David’s line, or Jeroboam’s? Praise God for grace, in faith I’m with the royalties. But rewards? That's the deliberation part, hehe :>

Nadab’s was filed under Jeroboam. That’s logically predictable, for parents are every child’s foremost models. Asa, the king down south, represented those other kids who disapproves their dad’s wrongdoings and vowed to be differently better. In the 8 verses allotted Nadab, only two things were said about his two year reign: his ways caused Israel to sin and he was backstabbed by a fellow Israelite while besieging a Philistine town. And as prophesied by Ahijah, there was no decent burial for him nor his royal brothers, who were also murdered by Baasha, the one succeeding him as king. There was nothing refreshing or good or inspiring in his life. His’ was written more as a warning, a what-not-to-do flashing signal for us watching his life.     

How was your last two years? How do you plan your next two? What's in our bucket list - - to explore the world, pursue life’s pleasures and give in to our cravings? My funny, diabetic lola, whenever caught eating sweet treats had this script: ‘I’ll die anyway. At least I’d die full and happy’. And yes she did. She died. My tita said she last saw her taking an afternoon merienda (soda and pastries!) and went to sleep. Of course that’s a miniature example to our point here. Ecclesiastes encourages us to ‘Remember our Creator.. before the dust returns to the ground and the spirit returns to God who gave it. He will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil.’ He will soon separate the lambs from the goats: those that believed His Son from those who disregarded His saving grace, those who pleased Him all their ways from those who lived life for themselves all their days. Which side are you filed in? What if we really have two years left in the hourglass to have that ticket and rewards for eternity, will you take it? Will you be willing to live each day for Him? Clock is ticking!

What Is Important?

1 Kings 6:12-13

“As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, carry out my regulations and keep all my commands and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise I gave to David your father. And I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel."

On June 17, Christians around Mega Manila will surely cluster around Ortigas Center for a taste of beautiful music and have a touch of Prasia’s newest album “What is Important’! Yes, it’s their much awaited 8^th album launch! As a group, their focus is to minister to the Filipino diaspora through concert tours, trainings, and missions. Now as individuals, they are the faith-living, fun-loving bunch whom I can so relate to, and regard as friends. Kuya Daniel (we call him Kuya Pong) years back was singing with Windsong, so it’s kinda like our two singing groups were relatives, hehe :> Reading their FB posts today, all the pressures and paraphernalias of preparation, brings back memories of what I went through a decade ago. Although it was far from iTouch on the left and laptop on the right, that time was more like PCs and inkjet printers :>  But beyond the workload is the struggle to keep your heart right - - to choose to be overwhelmed by His gracious hand, not the giant task at hand; and to never allow worry to rob me of my worship. For in the end, when the lights and claps are gone, when attendance and sales have been accounted for, when your friends already said their ‘well done’ and your group have called it ‘success’ - - God is there to ask you if you did ‘what is important’. I didn’t score well back then.

On the fourth year of Solomon’s reign, after the transition phase of Israel’s government was settled, the Temple building project commenced. Verse 7 writes that the blocks were already dressed, meaning, the king had pre-project constructions supervised. Another reason is that so no hammer, chisel and iron tool was heard on the building site. It’s the good leader in our time doing research, meeting people, making powerpoints, and ready with a couple of options before calling everyone for a planning meeting. With that, we can somehow expect a peaceful time for everyone, right? Seven years was spent building God's house. In the middle of the chapter, His word came to Solomon to encourage him of the promise, and to remind of what is important. ‘Follow my decrees, carry out my regulations, keep all my commands - -and I will not abandon you’. Abandon?!! You mean disregarding the whole project even if it’s shining gold, and artistically excellent, and by far, high end? Not to mention all the many sacrifices and funding and time used up, seriously? God will just put all those aside if He is not pleased with the people’s hearts? Uhm, yes. He made it clear as early as Samuel’s time: “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.” The temple is to bring us closer to Him, and if in doing so our hearts went farther from Him, it defeats His purpose.

Our projects on hand may not be comparable to Prasia’s concert production, but we share in their full schedules and demands here and there. Our days are spent working on a relationship, or making ends meet, finishing our studies or attending to our family’s needs. All are worthwhile and God-glorifying tasks. But again, God is pro-process and not merely product-oriented. His eye is on our hearts, more than what our hands can do. He called Mary’s sitting as better than Martha’s busyness. He chose David's psalms over Saul's height and outward appearance. He desires worship, not our work.  Us not our gifts. In two weeks time, Prasia will be singing ‘What is Important'. I pray that each us will choose with them, and please the One most important. Mark it on your every sched :>