Devotion.al

Tag: foresight

  • Seeing Well

    Seeing Well

    Psalm 50:1–6; 1 Kings 16:1–7; Luke 19:41–44

    “If only I had known…”

    We often will look back on our decisions as if we could have fixed them, or even with the assumption that we are wiser now than we were then. “ is 20/20,” is a pithy saying, but even our hindsight may only be slightly better than our foresight.

    Baasha had hindsight. God’s word had come true about Jeroboam’s fall. Baasha, therefore, had foresight of what was expected. Baasha maintained the false set up by Jeroboam (and continued by his son, Nadab). This was after assassinating Nadab.

    Jehu was sent to announce the consequences. Baasha had a chance and still went his own way, and his family died out as consequence. Baasha had foresight and hindsight…and still, he made the decision of false worship.

    While the false worship of idols and such from Jeroboam to Baasha is certainly large and significant, the false worship that confronts is different. Jerusalem, from a Jewish perspective, was the City of God. It had a special place. One would think that the exile would have dealt with some of that, but it is quite likely that the Maccabean revolution restored much of that perspective.

    Along with that was the inability of people to moving among them. We’re not just talking about Jesus, but the entire era. The Jewish world was unsettled, with and without Roman oversight. God was shaking things up.

    Jesus’ words were aimed at two things. The first was the false of Jerusalem. It sounds almost blasphemous. However, transforming, “I will you there,” and “I will put my there,” into only meeting God there is a problem.

    The other issue is being unable to see the of God when it is right next to you. The phrasing here in Luke is distinct as it is about . This contrasts with the imagery of Jerusalem falling in conquest. Seeing (and accepting) the (peace) is the opposite of the world (conflict).

    We often view these words in Luke as a kind of end times prophecy, especially as Jerusalem did indeed fall a few decades later. God, though, isn’t so concerned about a place (not that God isn’t), as God is concerned about the people. It may be that Jesus was looking for people to see the disruption of God’s Kingdom on earth when in the middle of the corrupt world.

    ※Reflection※

    • What do you have the greatest hindsight regret for? What do you have the greatest hindsight appreciation for?
    • How do you see God moving today in comparison to the story around Baasha, and in comparison, to Jesus going through Jerusalem?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, as you transform us, may we transform the world around us. Help us to look for your hand in the past and look for your grace in the future. Amen.

  • Planned Disruption

    Planned Disruption

    1 Samuel 16:1–5; Luke 14:28–33; James 4:13–17 (read online ⧉)

    But mouse-friend, you are not alone
    in proving foresight may be vain:
    the best-laid schemes of Mice and Men
    go oft awry,
    and leave us only and ,
    for promised !

    Still, friend, you’re blessed compared with me!
    Only present dangers make you flee:
    But, ouch!, behind me I can see
    grim prospects drear!
    While forward-looking seers, we
    humans guess and fear!

    From “To a Mouse”, by Robert Burns
    modern English translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

    The current situation with COVID-19 should put to rest how fleeting our plans really are. However, while everything is in an uproar and rather chaotic, we are still coming up with plans. What becomes emblematic of human behavior is that we know we are making plans for a target that doesn’t yet exist.

    These are strange times indeed.

    Samuel had a plan. In fact, at one point it seemed a pretty solid plan, since it appeared to be God’s plan. The Israelites decided they wanted a king, “just like the countries around them”. So, while Samuel was upset (along with God), it was done. This king, Saul, seemed to be destined for great things. He was physically imposing. He was successful militarily. He even had a starting bought of prophesying.

    While we cannot say that Samuel Saul, there does seem to be some sort of strong emotion that Samuel had for Saul. We see this in God’s words to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul?” Samuel knew that Saul wasn’t dedicated to God, yet Samuel still mourned the fact that Saul would lose his kingship and was not blessed by God.

    The plans for the King of Israel changed. Now, a new path would be before Samuel. In obedience, he followed it to a boy named David. While it might have not been as abrupt as all that has come with COVID-19, for a culture such as this “just” changing the king was a big deal. This is clear when Samuel brings his worry of being killed before God. It shouldn’t be ignored that God gave Samuel a way around a reprisal coming from the king or his minions.

    Plans are worthwhile. It’s not as if they should not be made. Jesus even used the example of construction and war plans to lay out to wannabe disciples that they need to plan for the costs of following him. Jesus makes it clear that if we follow him, we can expect a lot of worldly things to be prioritized at a much lower ranking than the Kingdom of Heaven.

    Often we count the cost…and we lie to ourselves. “God doesn’t really want…” “I can grow by just…” “My is too busy to…” “That’s the way we’ve always done it.” We count the cost, and determine that following Jesus isn’t really the price.

    Sometimes, and especially in times of turmoil, our plans need to be laid at the feet of God, and not at our comfort. When James talks about people making plans (in particular speculative plans about enterprising and wealth-building), he’s warning each an everyone of us that all of our plans are worthless if they do not begin with God.

    What should especially concern us is when we hold so tightly to our plans, that we do not respond to God’s prompting to change the plan.

    ※ Prayer ※

    God, you know the plans you have for us. May we be to respond. Jesus, help us to follow your example of obedience and submission even unto death. Holy , guide our hearts into all Truth, hope, and love. Amen.

    ※ ※

    1) What are your current plans (personal, professional, family, religious)? How does God fit into those plans (even the religious ones)?
    2) How will you know if God wants you to continue your plans, or change them?
    3) How often do you still count the cost of following Jesus, whether it’s your family, your profession, your stuff, your time, or something else?