IN A DIFFICULT POSITION

1 Samuel 30:6 David was in a difficult position because the troops talked about stoning him, for they were all very bitter over the loss of their sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.

Returning refused from participating in battle because of their ethnic origin, Davids men found their houses raided and their wives and children carried away captive. There was enough reason to be bitter. Disappointed, disgruntled. Quite a few had started of disgruntled to begin with (1 Sam 22:2) David found himself in a difficult position. Rebellion within the camp for no fault of his. Bitterness the common enemy, a resident evil within the camp. Not that there was not enough reason to be bitter, with all the wives and children captive and the camp destroyed. This is not an uncommon position for most leaders to have faced. Open rebellion for a variety of reasons. As we lead, we come to appreciate the fickleness of all of humanity, ourselves included. The redeeming verse is the source of a leaders strength. David found it in his God. Where is our strength from? Is it rightly placed. Are we able to feel the everlasting arms and hear the rustle of His feathers over us?

Girl with tuberculosis kidney

Girl with tuberculosis kidney

Meru (name changed) is a ten year old girl who has been having a draining sinus in her side for the past one year. She had undergone three surgeries in Nepal with no relief. She received some incomplete treatment, but found no relief. Her parents had spent a large sum of money on her with no relief. Despite her many troubles, she was stoic, and calm in the outpatient clinic where she sat demurely waiting to be examined. Investigations revealed a non functioning kidney filled with pus on the right side. She underwent a right nephrectomy which was accomplished with difficulty. Her histopathology is awaited, but is likely to be tuberculosis, for which she will receive nine to eighteen months of therapy. She can now go back to Nepal without that draining sinus which has been her shadow for so long.

1 Samuel 13:7-9 Wrong worship. Saul was not supposed to offer the sacrifices. Samuel was. Samuel was late. Time was going on. The battle was on them. The spectre of the Philistines hovered all around. There was fear in the air. They needed to make a move. Saul took it on himself to perform the ritual. That was what it had become. A ritual. The reality of the living God in that circumstance and His ways were shadows. The program eclipsed the programmer. Sauls worship went awry. This set the stage for his subsequent rebellion in Chapter 15. How careful leaders have to be about wrong worship. About the pre eminence of God above all. With him enthroned, all other fears can be viewed in perspective. Without him, we can be propelled into terribly wrong decisions and reactions. Sauls place of waiting is a secure one for all leaders. God forbid we stretch out our hands to perform what we are not given to do. For indeed, with our authority and position, such acts can become second nature, without anyone to even question it or think it inappropriate.

1 Sam 10:6 The spirit of the Lord will control you, and you will be transformed into a different person. When this happens to you do whatever your circumstances require, because God is with you.

Transformational leadership. Quite a buzzword of today. A magic mantra, cloaked in mystery, a holy grail of success. We focus on transformation, straining to achieve the metamorphosis by strenuous effort. However, transformation is mirrored by the magic of a chrysalis transforming the lowly caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly. One does not see the chrysalis sweat. It just happens. Our focus on the end distorts our passage through the present, sabotaging both present and future. The control of the spirit is ignored. We expect great results without great discipline or obedience. We fly in the face of Gods laws and expect His miracles. Faithful obedience to His spirit is actually quite easy. It is a summation of daily decisions made in the Spirits favor. Quietly. And when that happens, there is a chrysalis moment. Transformation happens. And our response to the circumstances is also quite natural. A natural consequence of rightly placed allegiance. Manifestation of a metamorphosis. Fly, butterfly, God is with you.

Christ in you, the hope of glory Col 1:27

What is our hope? We hope for varied and diverse things. Mostly things. Things which in the eternal scheme will decay into inconsequence. Our hope is often invested in misplaced affections. Affections that consume our time and energy be it our jobs, houses, or our bank balances. In very succint words, we are constrained to rearrange our hopes. Christ in us. The hope of glory. Succint summation of all aspirations. Our sufficiency for all improbables and uncertainties. Fleshed in hope, bound for glory. How fleshed out really is this hope in us? He is our wealth, the mystery that transforms desperate darkness into the certain light of a glorious day.

1 Samuel 8:3 "...His sons did not walk in his ways- they turned toward dishonest gain, took bribes and perverted justice." Reading from 1 Samuel 8:3, how Samuels son did not walk in his ways… I pray for Nathaniel that he will indeed always walk in the ways of the Lord. This is my inheritance, that I will lay up for him, that I will bring him up in the ways of the Lord. The inheritance does not just happen but is carefully prepared for the son or daughter. It is not the residue of life, but the repository of a lifetime, handed over with care. May this be the inheritance I hand over, a life surrendered to Him.

PSALM 91

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

The words dwell and abide in the English are synonymous, but when the root words are examined, they are found to be different. Dwell is "yashab" which means sit, or stay, or have one's abode. Abide is "loon", which means tarry the night, or pass the night. Our temporary placements come from the perceptions of our permanent dwelling. Therefore, David is able to say, Lord.. is my refuge and fortress, ... in whom I trust. Trust comes from our appreciation of our permanent residence, an unwavering conviction of our belonging to and being possessed. All the other machinations of war that oppress are not fought individually, but viewed from this safe haven of permanence. We tend to get caught up fighting wars and machinations of oppression, abandoning our post of refuge. Because we have made the Lord, our refuge, says verse 9, ... no harm will come to you. All of us face battles of various kinds. Let us fight them aware of our position and permanence.