Awaken us to see / The reality of eternity and feel it near / Awaken us to pray / As we watch and wait and anticipate with Holy fear / For the day you’ll return again / Is closer now than it’s ever been…

From start to finish it is a song of expectancy. Something is about to happen! Let’s be ready, vigilant, prepared - can I get another synonym? But she sings of watching and waiting and anticipating Jesus, revealed in glory. Not just watching for all God’s promises and all the prophecies ever made to be fulfilled - but watching for the presence of the king, the one we have placed all our hope on. For his return is not an end. It is a beginning - a beginning of sharing in eternal glory, surrounded by the light of the one who illuminates all of heaven.

This imagery - us living in the midst of heaven’s light is a repeating theme. As Paul tries to encourage believers at Thessalonica - as he tries to help them understand the hope they have in the Jesus’ return - he offers to them the fact that they are children of light and day. He wants them to recognize that they are to live in the light of this truth:

But you aren’t in the dark about these things [Jesus' return], dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be sober. Night is the time for sleep and the time when people get drunk. But let us who live in the light think clearly, protected by the body armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. For God decided to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. He died for us so that we can live with him forever, whether we are dead or alive at the time of his return. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:4-11

Paul moves quickly from the theme of light and darkness and points them to the fact that they should have confidence in their salvation. They won’t be taken by surprise, because God will prepare us. They don’t need to fear the approach of Jesus - though he be the most powerful king ever. They can look to his return with joy. And so can we. Jesus’ return is not a threat of judgment for us, but an encouragement to put all our being into his will, into his activity, becoming like him in every way possible.

Suddenly, every eye will see / As you return in glory / Suddenly, every knee will fall / Before heaven’s coming King / Jesus, here we stand, lifting up our hands / Asking you to purify our lives / So on that glorious day / When we stand face to face / Unashamed, we’ll dance in heaven’s light

It is about hope. Jesus is coming back. When he returns, we get to experience him in all his splendor. Right now, we experience the power he displays through others. We even get a glimpse of Jesus as he empowers us. But one day, we will see him, crowned as king and receiving the praise that is his alone - from all. He is preparing us for that day so that we can stand before him unashamed.

application

Write down one thing you can do that you think would please God.  How is God trying to craft you in his image? What have you been resisting? Or avoiding?

parting thoughts

Paul, after encouraging the church about the approach of Jesus, goes on to share some things that will help them live a godly life. Here is a paraphrased list for you to think on:

Honor good workers and leaders.
Love them and be peaceful.
Don’t be lazy.
Help the timid to be bold.
Care for the weak.
Endure difficult people, no matter who they are.
Surprise people with mercy.
Be full of joy.
Pray. Then pray again.
Tell everyone, “thank you”. Including God.
Don’t sneer at God’s supernatural activity around you.
But test it to be sure that’s what it is.
Cling to the good things.
Run from the rest.

I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the darkness.

John 12:46

Have you ever experienced darkness at midday? The cold winter months seem devoid of sun in the north. The daylight never comes, though it taunts that it might. It can make one weary, make one despair of ever seeing the bright light again.

This stark setting is the backbone of Andrew Peterson’s song “All Shall Be Well”, from the Album “The Far Country”. But far from a dismal sulk, this song is hopeful - reminding us that the light does eventually come. The day returns. The rushing river - frozen solid under the darkness - breaks apart under the warming light in a crashing fury that can take your breath away.

And the night can be so long, so long / You think you’ll never get up again / But listen now, it’s a mighty cloud of / Witnesses around you -  they say / “Hold on, just hold on” / Hold on to the end / And all shall be well

Hope is hard to come by these days. The economy has many wondering - wondering how they will make it another day. Many loved ones struggle under the weight of terminal illnesses, struggling to see light at the end of the tunnel. There are children longing for affection they never receive - leading them into making choices that will darken their future - furthering their darkness rather than restoring the light. There are marriages struggling to find that glimmer of love that bore them. Friendships torn apart and little hope of restoration. All these things can seem to engulf us in a shadow. It is like that long, dark night of winter. We ask for the end. When will it come? Will it come? Or is this all there is?

The difference is “life”. Living without hope is more like survival. It is getting from one day to the next. But we have a hope that gives us strength - that allows us to endure. It is not a flippant hope - “It’ll be alright someday…” It is a certain hope - “All shall be well!”; a hope that even in the midst of dark is illuminated by the light and warmth of the Savior’s love. Will we focus on the night, or recognize that day is coming?

Andrew Peterson’s song shares even this with immense power. For even in the midst of the darkness, there is the encouragement to watch, to be ready for that lost sheep on the edge of camp. The image of a thawing river in the first verse - so awesome - is a reminder that God’s power can melt the hardest heart, frozen by the darkest night. But that means that we have to be holding out the light, offering a place by the fire, looking for the day. The power to do this is the hope within us - a hope given by God himself.

All shall be well, all shall be well / Break the chains of the gates of hell / All shall be well, all shall be well / The Word of God will never fail / And all manner of things will be well

We are not only filled with hope so that we can be happy or well-adjusted. We are filled with hope so that we can take the gates of hell by storm, releasing people from the darkness that blinds them and intimidates them - keeping them from the life that God offers. We can be certain that God is with us - and certain that he will live up to his word to hold us fast. He is coming for us - all who will respond to his invitation. He is preparing a place for us where we will no longer have the threat of night or cold; a place illuminated by God himself and warmed by his presence.

There’s a light in the darkness / There’s an end to the night

for further study
The imagery of light and darkness is all throughout scripture. But you might review a couple of things Jesus had to say about light and darkness. Some examples are Luke 11:33-36 and John 3:18-21.

Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

Colossians 3:16

Has there been a song on your mind so far today? Was it there as a reminder or encouragement to be faithful - or was it a distraction from following God’s voice? Poetry - well placed words that call to our imagination - combined with musical accompaniment, has been a feature of the worship of God throughout scripture. It continues to help us focus on Jesus today. Psalms, among many other passages in the Bible, speak to the tenacity and power of song to inspire us and focus our attention.

For the next couple weeks, we will take a look at a number of songs and relevant scripture, all reflecting themes related to the celebration of Advent. Some of these songs you may be familiar with, some not. They span multiple generations of Christians - but all speak to the longing, the desire, the expectation and heart of Advent. Of course, many believers today are not familiar with the practice of Advent. Though a long-standing historical celebration within Christianity, many today have lost sight of its purpose - replacing a celebration of “coming”  - past, present and future - with a celebration of the birth of Jesus alone.

Advent is more than just a celebration of the birth. It is a celebration and consideration of Jesus’ birth, his presence in our lives today, and his final return as Lord over everything. These elements often intertwine even in Scripture, and the same is true in Christian thought. Usually, four key elements get the focus - hope, peace, love, and joy. There are slight deviations from this, but this provides the core.

Hope and expectation highlight the way that our spiritual predecessors waited patiently for God to reveal himself. It also helps encourage us as we daily seek God’s hand and voice. And it always helps us to keep our eyes focused on the promised coming day - the day when we will see Jesus face to face in all his glory.

Peace illustrates for us the fact that God has made a bridge between us. Elements of forgiveness, mercy and grace all play pivotal roles in our understanding of God’s peace. But more than this, God’s peace causes us to live in a completely different way with our neighbors - Christian or otherwise. For God has made a way of peace that is available to all who will come in humility recognizing their need of a savior.

Love takes peace and places it on a firm foundation. Peace is not just a whim. It is not just an arbitrary decision by God. It is the direct result of his love for us -  a love that was lived out in absolute sacrifice. Love has been demonstrated by Jesus in a way that changes the way we can now love and live.

Finally - joy. What can be offered but praise for our God once we have recognized his face? Having seen his love, justice, faithfulness, patience and care, we cry out, “Holy!” And rightly so. The perspective on life is new - even in the midst of darkness, in the midst of death, sickness, fatigue, or economic distress - we now realize that this place is temporary. We see a grander picture, a higher calling. We find a God who wants us to be family. A God who wants to be close.

So take a moment to read and consider what God is trying to share with you this season. Then remind each other of your wonderful God and Savior in any way that you can! Shout (or sing) about what he has done, is doing and will do. What a great God we serve!

“For this reason, take up the whole armor of God so you may be able to take a stand whenever evil comes.  And when you have done everything you could, you will be able to stand firm.”

Ephesians 6:13

Experiencing hard times is an inevitability in this life.  None of us escape having to face suffering.  All of us encounter difficult circumstances and trials at various points and seasons in our lives, and to think we can somehow avoid them or cheat our way out of them is naive and irresponsible.  We must accept the fact that perseverance and endurance are two character traits that we must possess if we are to navigate this life successfully.  And in order to utilize those attributes properly when the time comes, we must know how to be prepared.

Ephesians chapter six talks about the armor of God in detail.  These are the things that we are to “put on” in order to withstand the attacks of our enemy, which will often times show up in the form of hardships in this life.  We must have the Belt of Truth fastened securely around our waist.  This means we must know how to rightly divide fact from fiction, the Truth of God and His Word from the falsehoods and lies of Satan.  We must also make sure we’re wearing the breastplate of righteousness.  The breastplate is a very important piece of armor (as they all are) because it covers the area over our heart.  Making certain that we’re staying in God’s Word, studying His manual for how we’re supposed to be living our lives, and daily applying that helps us understand the path of righteousness that we’re supposed to be walking.  Keeping our hearts pure and and dedicated to God is an imperative aspect of surviving the perils of this life.

We need to be walking “sure-footedly” in the gospel of peace.  We need to be sowing seeds of peace and unity that we may reap a harvest in like kind.  We need to be sharing the Good News of Jesus with those around us and do everything we can to live in peace with everyone.   We must have our shield of faith raised at all times, so that it can ward of the flaming arrows our enemy is constantly aiming at us.  The link between our faith and our survival cannot be understated!  If our enemy can dash our hope and get our eyes centered on our problems rather than on God’s sufficiency and sovereignty, we’re doomed!  Our shield of faith must be held high and we must never lay it down.  When our arms get tired of holding our faith up, as they sometimes do, we must not give up.  We must continue to pray and ask God for His strength and we must rely on the strength of other fellow Christian soldiers to help us stay strong too.  We must stand side by side, arm in arm, advancing on the enemy.

Our heads are covered and protected by the helmet of salvation.  Our mind, the control center of our entire body, lies underneath that helmet, so it is imperative that we are certain of our salvation and know without a shadow of a doubt that our destiny lies within Christ.  He is the one who paid the ultimate price for our eternity, and we have to remember that our redemption is rock solid and guaranteed as we place our belief and trust in Him.  Don’t let Satan play mind games with you.  He knows who you belong to, and we cannot allow him to trick us into forgetting Whose we are either.  When he tries to deceive you, to cause you to doubt your ability to hang on, to persevere, to endure…when he is whispering in your ear to throw in the towel, give up on your marriage, stop trying to reach out to your wayward child, forsake your prayer life, turn your back on your career, turn to an addiction in order to cope, or even give up on life itself, you have got to stand!  You have to never say retreat and you have to wield your weapon, the Sword of the Spirit, which is God’s Word, and you have to go on the counter-attack!  Dive into the Bible, find Scriptures that you can memorize to shoot like bullets back at Satan whenever he tries to mess with your mind and discourage and defeat you.

I love the idea that Ephesians 6 reminds us that when we’ve done everything we can to stand, when we’re feeling exhausted and drained and like we just can’t take another step, we’re still told to “stand!”  Retreat is not an option for the follower of Christ, and that is evidenced by the fact that in all of the  the armor we’re supposed to be wearing, there is no mention of anything to cover our backs!  We are to face our enemy and the difficulties of this life head-on and trust God every step of the way.  To retreat would leave us exposed because there is no armor described for covering our backsides! And that is because God never intended for His children to run from Satan or the difficulties of this life.  We’re told to resist the Devil (James 4:7), not run from him.  In fact, when we resist him, he is the one who will flee!  Satan knows what it is to retreat and to have to run away, God does not!! And we must never forget that when all is said and done in this life and eternity is underway, God is the Victor!  That has already been decided and sealed.  Satan’s final destiny is one of defeat, so as members of the Lord’s team, we’re already on the winning side!

Does that mean we won’t get tired and weary?  No.  But it does mean that when those times come, we still never give up, we never give in, we never back down, and we never lose hope.  For our Hope is Christ and He endured everything for us.  When Calvary was looming large and He was agonizing over the path He knew laid in front of Him, He still stood strong; for you, for me, for us.  We cannot do anything less.

So, when you’ve done all you can to stand, keep your eyes on Jesus and He’ll help you keep standing!

I am praying not only for those disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me because of their testimony. My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you an I are one, Father - that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me.

I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are - I in them and you in me, all being perfected into one. Then the world will know that you sent me and will understand that you love them as much as you love me.

John 17:20-23

God’s equation is simple. God’s glory acting within us leads to unity. Unity has an impact on belief within the world. Unity demonstrates love visibly. Simple, right?

We can so easily complicate things. Unity is obviously desirable. But many denominations have long-standing divisions. Many local churches have internal divisions that disrupt their ministry and effectiveness. And even outside of the “church” world, we see rampant division within schools, families, communities, governments, and the world at large. The problem is more than just an inability to agree. Often even those who agree with each other seem to build barriers that disrupt unity.

This passage makes clear that the world will recognize our unity with each other and God and will believe that God the Father sent Jesus. That’s great - and unfortunately not a reaction you hear from the world a lot. The passage also points out that unity will help make clear that God’s love for Jesus is matched by his love for us. That is amazing, just to even ponder!

Jesus asks that we might share in the Father’s glory. This neatly fits with the whole theme of unity. When we recognize that it is God’s glory that fills us, then our tendency to boast in our own ability is lessened. It is a lot easier to find unity when we aren’t constantly focused on ourselves and our abilities. Not that we haven’t been made unique - but even this uniqueness is to God’s glory, and not our own. He created us that way.

Unity as an abstract principal is not very helpful. Unity is more than an “ideal”, or something useful only as a practical matter. Unity is a matter of our very existence. If we are believers, having put our trust in Christ, then we are made one through the Spirit. Our ability to serve in unique fashion is based on this unifying Spirit. Christ is the head of one body with various parts, and a sense of competition among its members - whether individuals or churches - is counter to his activity.

The church can be a wonderful place to be unique. We need not be vanilla. But we must be unified. We must work together, because Jesus designed the church that way. And he didn’t do it on a whim. He had a plan in placing such unique and diverse people in the body.

towards application

Identify one Christian friend. How has God used your differences and similarities to strengthen your relationship? How have you dealt with the differences?

What does the concept of unity bring to our understanding of who God is and how he operates?

Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.” And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Hebrews 10:28-31 NAS

As we read in the Old Testament, God’s promise to his people, the promise of entering into the promised land and being a blessed nation, was contingent on them being faithful to God and worshiping none other than their own God. If God allowed such calamities to happen to his own people in those days because of their disobedience, how much more so will calamity befall those who completely fall out of God’s grace or deny him altogether. As this verse, Revelation and other parts of the Bible remind us, a chilling fate awaits those who refuse to acknowledge and surrender to God.

But Christ is the answer and is more than enough to quench our thirst for happiness, joy, love, and peace. And it’s In the gospels that he makes his case.

Attempting to grasp what Christ meant when he said one must be born again, Nicodemus in the Gospel of John asked, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” Christ then went on to say that one must believe in him to enter the kingdom of heaven. Here, we don’t take the word “believe” to be synonymous with believing that the sun is real or that the world is round. The Greek word for “believe” has two primary meanings: “1. to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in” and “2. to entrust a thing to one, i.e. his fidelity.” Our belief in Christ carries with it both meanings. We are both persuaded that Christ is who he says he is, and, to take it a step further, we are persuaded enough to entrust Christ with our lives.

Even so, some in the world live their entire lives in a decrepit spiritual condition: some spiritually asleep; others spiritual but not Christ-like; still others religion but hearers, not doers of the word. Some spend 30, 40, or 50 years running a race that has no end, for one can amass the wealth of Bill Gates and still, and assuredly will, feel empty inside. These types of people likely worship many things, including cars, careers, love, wealth, and prosperity. Ultimately, their lives and their futures are based on untruths, for one doesn’t have to worship Baal or Buddha to be an idol worshipper.

Ask yourself on what you are basing your future? The unending, unbending, eternal truths and promises of God or the faltering, finite, and fading trappings of this world.

application

Read through Psalm 31 and highlight or take note of the attributes of God given by the psalmist which validate our claim that God is truly worthy of our devotion, our praise, and our very futures.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him much believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Hebrews 11:6

Do you want to please God with your life?  If you are like me, the answer is a resounding “yes”!  And although there are many aspects of your life that will bring pleasure to God, there is one ingredient that, if missing, will guarantee that we will NOT please him.  That ingredient is faith.  It is the foundation of our relationship with God, and a necessary part of each walking with him.  But what exactly is faith?  The bible gives us a clear definition.  Hebrews 11:1 says “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  That may sound like a crazy statement when you just read it out loud.  What kind of person can be confident that what he hopes for will actually happen?  Who can say that they are sure about things that he cannot see?  Well, the answer to that is…anyone who is exercising faith in their everyday life.

The book of Ephesians gives us an insight into what faith is and does. Here are 8 things that this book says about faith:

1. When we have faith, others will hear about it (Ephesians 1:15)
2. Faith is the power that opens the door to salvation (Ephesians 2:8)
3. Faith paves the way to approach God with freedom and confidence (Ephesians 3:12)
4. Faith is the vehicle God uses through which to dwell in our hearts (Ephesians 3:17)
5. There is only one true faith (Ephesians 4:5)
6. Faith can unify us with other believers (Ephesians 4:13)
7. Faith can act as a shield for us to protect us from Satan’s flaming arrows (Ephesians 6:16)
8. God the Father and Jesus Christ provide us with the faith we need (Ephesians 6:23)

Isn’t it just like God to tell us the way to please him, and then provide the power (faith) to do so?  He is so good to us!  Now, as you look at your life, you may be thinking that you have a long way to go before you are fully pleasing to God.  And you are right.  We all have a long way to go–but each step we take in the right direction is also pleasing to him.  I have heard it said that faith is like a muscle…the more you exercise it, the stronger it gets.  And I think this is true.  When we exercise our faith, and then see God act on our behalf, it makes us able to trust him for even more.  Then we see him do more, and we trust him even more.  It is a positive, upward cycle that he desires us to enter into.  Are you willing to take the chance?  Is there something that you can ask God for, and believe him for?  Why not try a 30 day experiment, and begin to pray in faith for God to act on your behalf in a way that will be clearly HIM.  Choose a request that you are sure is God’s will, but have no idea how it could happen outside of him.  Pray believing.  When you pray God’s will, you will receive what you ask!  Seek God in prayer and spend time in his word, at the same time ask him for a hunger and thirst to seek him diligently.  He will develop in you what you are seeking.  Do not be discouraged because you are not presently practicing everything God desires for you.  The Christian life is a process, and we are all in it.  Keep asking and trusting, and you will believe him for even more!

This is how you please God.  You trust him to take care of you, answer your prayers, and live like you believe it.  Revelation 4:11 says “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (KJV)  All of creation is here to please God.  Our very lives were created to please God.  If the chief purpose of our lives is to please God, then the primary means to such a valuable end is faith.  That is our part of the bargain.  God’s part is to reward those who believe him and seek him.  It is an experiment worth trying.  Our lives will never be the same!

prayer

Dear Father, we so want to please you.  We have no way to do this except through our lives.  Such a tiny offering…but you can make this gift one that pleases you and reflects your power and grace to the world.  Would you meet us where we are and give us the faith it takes to trust you in even small ways?  Would you allow us to trust you for even bigger things as we walk with you?  Thank you that you love us and that we can trust you to answer this prayer because we pray it in faith.  In Christ’s name,  Amen.

The Bible, a story of creation, a descent into sin, eventual punishment, then reward, prophecy, then the coming of a savior, is our story. And it’s not just a story. It’s the thread by which we knit our lives. In this, we can have confidence to live out our lives in the truth and knowledge that God is the center and the source of our eternal hope.

This story starts and ends with promises, to Adam and Eve, then to Abraham, then to us. God’s initial promise to Adam was that he should “be fruitful and multiply” and God would make him ruler of the earth, holding precedence over all the other living things in creation. But as we know, man slipped out of favor with God by disobedience. Then, to Abraham, God’s promise was that his progeny would expand across the earth, making Abraham’s descendants great among the nations. Much of the rest of the Old Testament tells of the ebb-and-flow relationship between God and his people, as they were sometimes faithful and at other times, unfaithful to their end of the bargain: that they would abide by the law and not worship any other idols.

Some critics have attempted to point out that, though Israel did not always keep her promise to God, neither did God, who allowed his nation to fall into slavery and be conquered by foreign nations time and again. But this is not where our confidence should waver, for God’s promise was contingent on the people being faithful, and if they weren’t faithful, he said strife would follow. That was also a promise.

But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings … For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one. Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. (v 32-35)

Just as Sarah laughed at God when he told her she would conceive of a child in old age and just as Gideon’s men surely were astounded when God told Gideon to send away all but 300 men — the very ones who were afraid — and defeat the thousands of troops in the camp with only trumpets, pitchers, and torches, we too sometimes become disillusioned, fearful or doubtful about the future and what God has planned. While God may be audibly silent, his word to us is not. These verses remind us to remember all God has done for us, and this should be our response in good times and bad, for God’s promises are tried and tested, enduring, and irrevocable. But remembering instances in the past where God has come through for us is only the beginning, and faith is the end.

While there will surely be bright days in our lives, there will also be dark days, and our memory will only carry us so far. Our faith, which the Bible calls the “assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” will take us the rest of the way and help us to finish the race, having lived a life wholly, not partly, but wholly devoted to God and his precepts.

application

Read through carefully through Hebrews 11:3-12 again, taking note of the many examples the Bible provides of people having faith in God and God coming through for them, showing up at critical times to fulfill what he said he would do for them. In the end, God always shows up. The question he asks: Will you?

Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The LORD, the God of Israel, says, `I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. I gave you his house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. Why, then, have you despised the word of the LORD and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah and stolen his wife. From this time on, the sword will be a constant threat to your family, because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.

“`Because of what you have done, I, the LORD, will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man, and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did it secretly, but I will do this to you openly in the sight of all Israel.’”

2 Samuel 12:7-12

David is well known for this one particular event, his adultery with Bathsheba and the resulting spiral of murder and lies. This man, often identified with the phrase “a man after God’s own heart,” made a critical mistake which resulted in the virtual destruction of his family. He is a man after God’s own heart because of the way he responded to his own sin - recognizing how serious it was to God.

Not only did he recognize his sin, but he immediately went about dealing with the situation. It is here that we need to pay attention, because it is here that we often misunderstand God’s word about forgiveness. David sought God’s forgiveness and received it. But forgiveness didn’t eliminate the results of sin. There would be real implications that no amount of apology could do away with.

Forgiveness can help us respond to the trauma of sin with patience, endurance, understanding and humility. Which is good, because forgiveness rarely means that there will not be consequences. Lying to friends or betraying a trust is difficult to fix. It takes time to build the trust back into the relationship - even once forgiveness is received. Accidental death, even murder, can be forgiven - but the death and separation it causes are very real.

Every marriage, every family, struggles with sin - whether anger, jealousy, pride, or something else - as they say, “insert your problem here.” Since we know what sin does to our lives in general, we need to make every effort to guard our families. So the question is, how can we guard our families? What can we put in place as a preventive for the effects of sin?

The first, and often most overlooked, preventive measure is prayer. In prayer we can do a couple important things. We can recognize Jesus for who he is, the best example of character and sacrifice. We can thank him for all that he has done in the past, and all that he continues to do. We can seek forgiveness for the sin that is already at work in our lives, and we can ask God to help us as we deal with the results of that sin. And we can ask God to work in the lives of spouse and children - increasing their love of his word and building on his example.

We can also encourage a close relationship with God. This can be done through both words and actions, and probably should be. We should take advantage of every opportunity to encourage our families to find value in God’s word. That is one of the main points of Deuteronomy 6. But more than just asking, “Did you do your Bible study today?” we should be making sure that we have done our Bible study today. That we have spent time in prayer. Our kids are watching. Your spouse is watching. They will follow your example!

We are stewards in this life - just as much with our families as with our money. God is calling us to wisely guard his investment. It’s a responsibility that requires a close relationship with Christ. Take some time now to pray, thanking God for the family he has given you. And then pray for each family member - for their gifts and strengths as well as their weaknesses and struggles.

Eli’s introduction in the Bible is brief and abrupt, but, as we see in numerous cases throughout the Bible, some men, Jabez, for instance, can be used by God in momentous ways, even though the space devoted to them in the text may be cursory. And those men can hold personal implications for us as we think about what it means to be men of God, as outlined in Ephesians 5:21-23.

Although Eli, as was written in 1 Samuel 1-5, was a judge for Israel across a time span of four decades, we really only have five chapters by which to learn about him. Despite this, his impact was far-reaching, and we can credit him with training and being a mentor to Samuel, one of the great Old Testament leaders.

At the beginning of 1 Samuel, we find Hannah weeping because she is barren. Eli, sitting on a chair at the Lord’s temple, noticed her crying and thought she was drunk. Upon talking with her, however, he learned of her sorrow and granted his blessing to her that she would conceive of a son. That son was Samuel and he was conceived, we can infer from the text, on the next day. Hannah promised to God that if she could have a son, she would dedicate him to the Lord. She did, and largely left Samuel’s care and instruction with Eli, who brought him up in the ways of God. Since Hannah had given her only son into God’s service, Eli later prayed with her and Elkanah again that they would have more children. This became a reality as well.

Samuel, who the Bible says, “ministered before the LORD under Eli the priest,” went on to be a leader for the Israel nation, helping appoint Saul, and later, David, as kings of the nation.

Eli, however, was not without flaws. His two sons, whom the Bible describes as “wicked” did not follow the ways of God and even were charged with “treating the LORD’s offering with contempt.” The Lord then charged Eli with failing to rebuke his sons because of their actions. What followed was Israel’s defeat by Palestine, first on the battlefield, and then an even more fatal defeat in Israel’s own camp, which resulted in the loss of the ark of the covenant. It was later returned by the Palestinians after many in the Palestinian camp were stricken with tumors because they possessed Israel’s ark.

The lesson of Eli, then, is that first, human parents are flawed. Though we as Christians seek to lead godly lives and rear our children in that direction, our very nature will cause us to fail at times, as Eli did. But alternately, we are to be mentors and godly examples for our children. In this  passage, we learn that Eli acted as a father figure for Samuel, teaching him and ministering to him as Samuel matures in God. So too, as witnessed by our actions, being committed to praying  daily for and with our children, reading the Bible daily and loving our wives as Christ loved the church, we can show our children that we are examples in Christ by which to follow. And the Bible says that if we teach them in the way they should go, they will never stray from it.