uniform February 28, 2009

Haman had it all. He was the King’s main man. He was rich, had a wife, plenty of sons, just got a promotion and on top of all of that, he was the only person to be invited to dinner with the King and Queen two nights in a row. For Haman, it wasn’t quite right. Like, almost having everything you want. It’s almost perfect, it’s just there is this one thing……. For Haman, the one thing was a Jew that wouldn’t bow down to him when he walked past. For me it was certain items of clothing, or hitting a salary target. To measure life in achievements and possessions is to be ruled by them. To serve them. I served my possessions. They had dragged me all the way back to Egypt and I went happily. Bound. To measure my life in my communication with God is to lose myself in hope. Buechner wrote of the sacred and the ritual touching fingertips. The ritual is the constant devotion, daily to God, within the routine is built a window. The sacred is God reaching into the window and meeting man. When I serve my possessions I am building a ritual that goes underground, that is dark, that is death affirming. At the same moment the creator is reaching but there is no one there to meet the scared. No one there.

Kings February 27, 2009

There have been good Kings and bad Kings. Most have been both good and bad, some have been terrible and few, very few have been great.

Somehow the greatness of a truly good King is confined by the state the previous  King left the nation at and how the future King continues to lead. Thus measuring a King is difficult in the context of a nations journey.

A good King, following the rule of three bad Kings has a different journey than that of a good King following the rule of three good kings.

hidden February 27, 2009

Reading the story of a Persian King whom like his father has shown favour to the Jew’s living in Persia. Nothing good is expected of these two generations of Kings from a Jewish perspective and yet, they rule with a listening heart, open to be moved by God’s people.

Esther a Persian Jew finds herself one of many women that are being prepared for the King. Her life radically changed from obscurity to royalty. Like all of us, everyday, Esther has choices to make. Every time I have read the story of Esther, I marvelled at the timing and the elevated position she had to deliver the message to the King. Save Our Souls. 

However reading it this morning I am struck by an altogether different feeling. Esther had been given the superstar life on a plate, from scratching around life to being a queen. I imagine someone giving me a fantastical amazing, life changing gift, and then after five minutes taking it back. “You can’t have the gift anymore, unless you do this thing for me. And by the way there are consequences to this act you must perform, you may die, then again you may die if you don’t do anything.” 

Esther had been given the dream life, how much did she really want to give it up after only just being awarded it? Was there a win -win option. You know? A clever way out that doesn’t compromise too much but also half gets the job done?

Today I read this story and feel that Esther’s task is made harder because she is a queen. 

 

Esther became still, looked into a royal mirror at the face that the King had fallen in love with. She closed her eyes and breathed a deep breath. She breathed out and frosted the mirror. With her finger she drew a star in the condensation, her name came from the Persian word for star. The mirror grew dark, a crescent moon rose in the upper corner, A nation was being led out of Egypt, a bright star in the sky. Sarah laughing in the foreground while Abraham is looking at the stars scratching his head. Jacob looks skyward to catch a glimpse of his fellow wrestler and gets an eyeful of stars. David surveys the evening vista, his life in grave danger, hunted by a King, he breathes in the night sky. Nehemiah stands on a wall looking heavenward on a still night. A group of Persians use a bright star as a compass, they watch the  the sky, it leads them to a baby in a stable. Esther smiled, the overflow of peace, the manifestation of knowing the choice you have made in your heart is right. Regardless of consequence or how it may look logically. She stood up and requested an audience with the King. She had a message to deliver.

 

God. Hidden and yet always at work. So much of Esther’s beauty queen, cover girl story is relevant today. In the whole story, God is never mentioned. Almost as if we are able to watch this show without seeing “the making of” or hearing interviews with the cast. We see this story unfolding with no God narrative. 

A breath of air was blown into Esther’s empty room. The mirror frosted over, a lion roared, the story of salvation took another step closer into being. The word was becoming flesh. 

rooms February 26, 2009

A Room to let. A Spare Room. 

In my heart I know that there is no such thing as a spare room. That every room has a purpose, even if it’s called “spare” in C.S.Lewis’ Narnia, that it is actually the place where Lucy is able to access the wardrobe and encounter Mr Tumnus. 

Spare? No, every room in my life is a temple room. An office, a study, a prayer room. I have spent too much of my life letting rooms at huge cost. These rooms were never up for negotiation. They were always Holy, set apart. 

And so it is illustrated in the life of the temple in Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s time. Each room in the temple accounted for. When Nehemiah returns from Persia he sees things have changed. The priest decided to rent out some temple rooms to a man that  did not acknowledge God. Tobiah was renting rooms that would have stored grain offerings, tithe offerings, wine and oil for the Priests and Worship leaders. By renting the rooms out to Tobiah the worship and leading gradually stopped in the temple as nobody administered them. All it took was the occupation of a few rooms in the temple to grind everything to a halt. 

The temple belonged to the people, the temple was the people.

Ultimately Nehemiah threw out Tobiah and restored the temple and the leaders. Once again, as with the wall, Nehemiah brought restoration. Once again as with the wall, it was not the enemy that caused this disconnect but the hearts of the people. 

I have read the word “temple”, too many times in the bible to know that it doesn’t just mean a building. It is also the spiritual condition of our hearts. Is it in ruin and need of major restoration? Am I rebuilding it correctly? Are their traders selling and buying in the heart of it, or have I rented out rooms to one who does not care for God? 

This is my prayer today, examine me God, search my temple, every room, every office, I want it all to be holy.

bricks February 25, 2009

A high powered job is vacated in order to become a building contractor.

Granted favour by the King of Persia, this man is not only given time to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem but also the money and materials to accomplish this.

Nehemiah lived in the Persian empire and was a cup bearer to King Artaxerxes. Through years of diligent service, the King could see that his faithful servant was troubled. Nehemiah was disturbed that the Jerusalem of his ancestors was in a desolate state. He spoke to the King of his aching and longing to see the city restored and unbelievably the King agreed to help him granting Nehemiah, money, materials and letters that would ensure safe travel. 

Their enemies were plentiful as the surrounding land saw this reinstatement of Jerusalem as a threat, however their enemies couldn’t stop the people working.

There was a severe credit crunch at the time. Food was scarce and because of that, the grain prices were at a premium. There was little or no money to be earned  by building the wall, this was a desire for restoration not a commercial venture. Some people decided that to raise the capital required for living, they would re-mortgage their houses. Finding it hard to keep up with the payments,  their children were given as servants to the lenders to pay off debts. Who were the lenders? They were richer, more noble Jews. The rich in the community were taking advantage of the needs of the poor at 12% interest. 

Nehemiah becomes very angry upon hearing the lack of unity within the people, upon hearing that the greed of the rich was penalising the poor and upon hearing that this and not the enemy had stopped God’s work of rebuilding the wall. Like a true leader and unlike many of the Kings that used to rule Israel, he chose to consider the matter fully before acting. He was able to restore the economy and bring balance to the people, they finished the wall.

I take much heart from this story. There is plenty to fuel my life in these pages of the bible. Nehemiah was a good man, he wasn’t a King and yet he ruled like the best of them, maybe even better? He gave up a career for a vocation. He illustrated that holy living was not separate to the financial choices we make but integral to them, especially in economically barren times. Nehemiah rebukes in Love and a nation responds. He demonstrates that everything can be holy, that everything must be holy, spiritual, set apart for God. Whether I am making a tent, building a wall or ministering, it is ALL holy.

trainspotting February 24, 2009

Art, makes us stop. It facilitates the process of being still, breathing, choosing life and crowning Him. Art, makes us stop. King David’s poetry and music makes me stop. 

http://theiphoneletters.wordpress.com/2009/02/18/stop/

King David’s Art draws me toward the bigger picture, I own nothing, I am but a shadow, He is King.

http://theiphoneletters.wordpress.com/2009/02/19/shadow/

King Solomon, built a temple. He dedicated it to God. Isaiah talks of a temple, but not of stone, Jesus talks of a temple but refers to himself, Paul talks of a temple but compares this to our bodies. I am a temple, a place where I worship God and where He visits me. A temple that can be inhabited now but that can also be modified, restored and re-designed at the same time.  A temple dedicated to Him.

http://theiphoneletters.wordpress.com/2009/02/20/temple/

Further down the line of royalty, King Asa, trusts God initially and later on decides to trust man. Once Asa experiences success, he believes that its all down to him. When confidence turns into self dependency the alarm bells should be ringing. When a series of fortunate events appear to have brought Asa to a place of prosperity, be wary then of NOT trusting God and choosing to trust in self. That would invariably lead to a series of unfortunate events. 

http://theiphoneletters.wordpress.com/2009/02/21/alarm/

King Hezekiah set an example in how to treat all. Invite them, as Kurt Cobain sung, to come as they are. Invite them to come regardless of how long they have been away. Invite. So last week when reading and writing on this passage I felt like I had been given the invitation by The King to come to His meal. Today, re-reading I feel that it is my responsibility to invite all to see no differences only unity, only humanity. Invite them all like King Hezekiah did, like Oskar Schindler did, like William Wilburforce did, like Gandhi did, Like the King in Jesus’ parable did.

So to then must I, the issuer and the recipient be. 

http://theiphoneletters.wordpress.com/2009/02/22/grandson/

Yesterday I read about Ezra, the first prophet to feature prominently in my devotional reading. What an entrance he makes! After years and years of being ruled by Kings, Ezra could have born a bitter pill toward the royalty. However he chose not to distance himself from the Kings and their choices but to align himself with them and thus earnestly seek God’s forgiveness. Many kings tried to steady the ship. One after another they falter, at best maintaining a crooked course and at worst going in the wrong direction. It took one prophet to be upright and align himself with the choices of many Kings.

Regardless of what political rule we live under, good or bad. Regardless of what king we live under, good or bad. Regardless of what employer we work under, good or bad. Like Ezra we can choose life. We can humbly present ourselves to God. 

http://theiphoneletters.wordpress.com/2009/02/23/torch/

 

Stop. Dedicate. Trust Him. Issue and Receive.

Kings – Saul February 23, 2009

 

As the story goes in the ancient of days, a judge was ruling over a nation. However that nation wanted to be seen wearing the same threads as other nations. Part of that fabric was a monarch, a cat that could bring it all together. A man to stand on the touch line, a man to stand on a stage. A King. So He says but you have a king already, that would be me. Remember? I breathe and it is so. They say, ummmm, well, we kinda want a real King, one that we can see. i think the arctics wrote settle for a draw? Why did they? As you wish, He said, but desire a King and be ruled by a King good or bad. Live by bite, and be ruled by the bite, good or bad.

So a King was sourced. The latest Judge was handed the gig of finding a worthy royal. The judge found the royal, well he wasn’t at the time. At the time he was out looking for a donkey, and just then, it became apparent to the Judge. This dude is The Dude. So from a boy to a man, from a man to a king. From a brave warrior to a tortured soul. 

So it started….

 

 

torch February 23, 2009

So at last there is a new take on the narrative. For the last few days I have been reading from various different Kings point of view. Even though each King was unique the act of seeking forgiveness was a familiar one. Kings are responsible for a nation, Kings learnt that the consequence of their actions would lead to the suffering of a nation. Kings were predominantly selfish. 

Today I have read a new voice, the prophet. The Godly voice of those having to deal with the consequence of the Kings bad choices. Ezra is such a prophet. The prayer he prays in chapter 10 is so bold that I don’t believe a King could have prayed that prayer. A prayer of acknowledgement but not of blame. The Kings shame and mistakes become that of the whole nation. Ezra prays into the state of the escaped nation and takes the actions of the Kings as something they are all responsible for. 

I am learning about a parallel journey. There is forgiveness for those who seek it, acknowledging that not choosing life was unwise. However in some ways the reconciliation of self to God is comprehensible, where there are consequences the journey is not so straight forward. Like the Kings, who hurt nations, I have hurt people. Ezra’s prayer was not one of blame or finger pointing. Amazingly Ezra prayed for forgiveness. I have been a King and a nation. I have hurt and been hurt. I have sought forgiveness for things I have done wrong, but for the wrongs done to me, I have held onto. Forgiveness releases the King, and to some degree that nation too, however Ezra in prayer, actually lines up the nation shoulder to shoulder with the Kings choices. There is a deep magic at work in the hearts of those hurt and the unlocking of that pain has to rest with the understanding of atonement. Christ suffered in innocence from the actions of Kings and religious leaders.We suffer innocently from the actions of those close to us. Those close to me suffer  innocently from my actions. 

Spiritual justice has already taken place. Every day that moves forward is also tethered back in time. Spirituality is not linear. The Cross although 2000 years ago, is also 2000 years into the future. Spiritual Justice has a framework. To break from spiritual justice and the cross,  to highlight someone else’s wrong would mean our lives would have to be negotiated away from the Cross too. 

explore.

grandson February 22, 2009

Another King. A nation prepares. What to expect? 

Hezekiah, was a good King, he made some bad choices, however most of the time he made the right ones. Hezekiah decided to engage with Passover on an national level. He sent out invitations to all the tribes of Israel. The whole land, North and South was invited to celebrate the meal of thanksgiving and rememberance 

Hezekiah went even further by imploring those who have not visited the temple for many years, maybe their ancestors had stopped coming and the impasse had become tradition, to come back. That His hot anger would not be reserved for those who return to Him. Those people will be treated with compassion, tenderly, with mercy. 

I am reminded of Jesus who gave the parable of a King throwing a banquet and inviting everyone. There is a message in the obedience of Hezekiah and the narrative of this particular story. Today more than ever, a unification of the Churches would send out a powerful message to the global community. Probably more powerful than any evangelical mission, would be to see a globally united Church across the denominations. 

Hezekiah is bringing together that which had been fractioned for so long. However there is more than just a unity shared by faith. The invitation knits the physical with the spiritual, it is giving permission to those who have had control replace heart. Those who have had to choose between Kings and Land or Faith and God are told you can serve a King, in your land and have your faith in God restored. 

It is as much a personal story as it is a tribal one. I read about Hezekiah’s invitation and feel I have been invited to share Passover with this King. Come, Come as you are. It doesn’t matter if your ancestors stopped coming to the temple, it doesn’t matter what happened before. This invitation is saying “let’s start again” Come on, come in, come.

Alarm February 21, 2009

Asa, had it, then lost it. Lived in it, then out of it. 

The threat of superior armies invading Judah led Asa to seek God. He felt the impossible scenario that faced him needed miraculous intervention. There were no other options. Why is it human nature, that when there seems to be no other option, we seek God. I have learnt that letting go of your life means choosing God in every choice that you are presented with. To seek him when you have no other alternative is limiting God. 

Earlier we read that Asa took a deep breath and rolled up his sleeves as he prepared to act out on God’s message. 

Asa was a good King. However when the next round of impending war came on the horizon there were more avenues to explore before the “miracle” option was needed. Asa flicked through his address book and contacted Aram, a neighbouring King. Aram can provide reinforcements. The heart of the issue is not the war, it’s whom we turn to in every situation. Asa relied on a fruit tree instead of God. From the beginning of time to this day the same choice is there in all that is presented to me. 

Be Still

Breathe

Chose Life

Coronation of The King

I taste the sweetness of reliance, it’s not a chore, but the absolute best way to live. The best. The Best. The Best.