Psalm 121 God Is Always Watching

Sermon from Evening Prayer, Wednesday, July 1, 2015, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Collinsville, Illinois

1. I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
2.  My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
3.  He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
4.  Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5.  The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
6.  The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
7.  The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
8.  The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.

This is a beautiful psalm that has been a great source of strength and inspiration for many Christians. Next to Psalm 23 it is probably one of the most memorized psalms. Parts of this psalm have been enshrined in both the liturgies for baptism and funerals. The psalm easily applies to almost any part of the journey of life.

There are a few interesting things about this psalm. First, is is part of a group of psalms called the Psalms of Ascents (Psalms 120-134) that were probably sung by Israelites as they made their annual trips to Jerusalem for worship. Jerusalem is truly a city built on a hill therefore you always "go up to Jerusalem" no matter which direction you take to get there. 

This psalm may have been a "farewell liturgy" sung by those who were leaving for Jerusalem and by those who were not traveling (perhaps because of their weakness or other needs to stay home). The first two verses are in the first person, "I will lift of my eyes..." But beginning in the third verse the psalm switches to the third person, "He will not allow your foot to be moved..."  

Luther was interested in third verse. Regarding the thought that God is not paying attention, he wrote that this psalm teaches us... "that we should remain steadfast in faith and await God’s help and protection. Because even though it appears that God is sleeping or snoring...this is certainly not so, despite the way we feel and think. He is surely awake and watching over us."

The sixth verse has always interested people: "The sun shall not strike you by day or the moon by night."  Charles Schultz wrote a Charlie Brown cartoon about this:

The most important part of the psalm is the repetition of the word "keep" or "preserve." Notice that in the New King James Version above three times it is translated "keep" and three times it is translated "preserve." The word shamar in Hebrew means "to keep attentive watch" as in Psalm 127.1 "Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain." 

I would especially like to tie this thought in with last Sunday's sermon on Mark 5.36, Jesus' words to Jairus: "Don't be afraid; only believe." I pointed out that those who doubt God often complain: "Why doesn't God get rid of all the evil in the world?" But their question should really be rephrased: "Why doesn't God get rid of all the evil in the world right now?" There's a difference. The historical record shows that God has gotten rid of evil many times and that He is always doing this. Jesus healed many people to show the ultimate goal of His forgiveness. All of us know there are times in life when God has saved us. I remember a particular incident in my life when I was racing with my bicycle against a small scooter that was carrying my dad and another man. Gradually the scooter pulled away, but in my zeal to stay with it, I ran right through a stop sign and was horrified to hear screeching tires.  I had come so close to death except that the driver was alert and saw me in the nick of time. Or, rather, God was alert and watching over me and guided that driver to see me and to slam on the brakes. 

Psalm 121 is a good psalm for us to sing often. It is a constant comfort and reminder to us that God is always watching, protecting and preserving. 


See also:  Matthew 10.29-31; Philippians 4.7; 1 Thessalonians 4.23; 2 Thessalonians 3.3; 2 Timothy 4.18; Jude 1.1


Sermon: "Do We Trust God or Trash Him?" Mark 5.21-43" Print and Audio  June 28, 2015

Here is a hymn based on Psalm 121. It was in The Lutheran Hymnal #538 "Now the Shades of Night Are Past" Tune: Vienna

Now the shades of night are gone,
Now the morning light is come.
Lord, may we be Thine today;
Drive the shades of sin away.

Fill our souls with heav’nly light,
Banish doubt and cleanse our sight.
In Thy service, Lord, today
Help us labor, help us pray.

Keep our haughty passions bound,
Save us from our foes around;
Going out and coming in,
Keep us safe from ev’ry sin.

When our work of life is past,
Oh, receive us then at last!
Night of sin will be no more
When we reach the heav’nly shore.

According to The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal, this hymn was written by a Mohican Indian named Sampson Occom (Occum, Ockum) in 1770. It was first published in the Congregational Collection, Hartford, 1799.  

Devotions: The Irony of "Jesus" Barabbas

Barabbas. He was the man Pilate offered to the crowds in the hope of setting Jesus free since it was the custom to set one political prisoner free during the Passover. But it didn't work. The crowds had already been stirred up to call for Jesus' crucifixion.

Ever since I was a little boy I sensed the irony of this. Samuel Crossman, in his beautiful hymn "My Song is Love Unknown," captured it with these words:

They rise and needs will have

My dear Lord made away;

A murderer they save,

The prince of life they slay.

Yet cheerful He

To suff’ring goes

That He His foes

From thence might free.

There is, however, more to the irony. The New International Version tells us that Barabbas' name was actually "Jesus Barabbas." A lot of translations leave out "Jesus" from Barabbas' name because there is a little debate about it in the ancient manuscripts. 

More than twenty ancient manuscripts of Matthew have the words "Jesus Barabbas." But Origen, one of the greatest Bible scholars who ever lived, argued that this must have been a mistake. In his commentary he said, "“in the whole range of the scriptures we know that no one who is a sinner [is called] Jesus.”*  But great Bible scholars aren't always right. Origen didn't want the name of "Jesus" sullied by allowing it to stand for a criminal. But I think that is exactly what God wanted. 

If it is true that they both have the same first name, we can see all the more clearly how Jesus came to take our place on the cross.  St. Peter said, 

"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit” (1 Peter 3.18).  

Paul said, 

"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5.21). 

Jesus did allow His name to be sullied. He allowed His entire being to be showered with our sin when He went convicted and condemned to the cross. When you feel guilty, worthless and weighed down by sin, remember who became a substitute for you.

Prayer: God of Grace, I give You my thanks and praise when I remember how Jesus stood in my place to be condemned. Help me to remember that, though undeserving, I have been set free from the condemnation of my sin. I am forgiven. I am free. In Jesus' name, Amen. 




*Metzger, Bruce M. "A Textual Commentary On The Greek New Testament"

Devotions: How To Make Good Decisions

Scripture Reading:  Psalm 23

"In Henryk Sienkiewicz’ historical novel 'Quo Vadis,' Peter flees the persecution of Rome. Leaving the city, he encounters Jesus entering the city. Peter asks Jesus 'Quo Vadis Domine?' (Where are You going Lord?). 'I'm going back to be crucified again...' This led Peter to turn around, go back to Rome, and face his own martyrdom.

Quo Vadis? Where are you going? It is still an important question today? What way should we go? Who should we follow? How shall we decide?

God’s word teaches that faith is a gift of God.  Peter said this in his first letter when he said that we have been “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1.3). But following our new birth of the Holy Spirit, there are numerous decisions to be made. 

When it comes to important decisions in life we should use the reason God has given us. We gather information. We weigh the pros and cons. We consider reasonable outcomes based on past experience. This is all good common sense.  We should remember how Solomon prayed for wisdom when he was called to be king of Israel. He literally prayed for a “listening heart” (1 Kings 3.8; 3.9 Hebrew).  All good decisions begin with a humble attitude and a willingness to discover what is good rather than to assume narrow mindedly we know.  We need to be open to options.

For Christians there is more. We test the common sense against the truth of God’s word.  In Proverbs 16.21 we read: “There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel – that will stand.”  In all our decisions we need to consult the word of God and make as sure as we can that our plans are in harmony with God’s ways.  Paul urged us:  “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3.17).

Thirdly, we pray for God’s help and blessing.  As Ezra was preparing to lead the people of Israel back to Jerusalem he faced many difficulties.  And so we read: “Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions” (Ezra 8.21).  In prayer we seek the way and ask God to bless all our thinking and our understanding of God’s word. 

Finally, we turn the matter over to God and trust that He will help us through everything. “The lot is cast into the lap, but every decision is from the LORD” (Proverbs 16.33).  Once we’ve made a decision we need to live with it and endure the consequences either temporally good or bad.  Notice that I said, “temporally.”  By that I mean that all decisions made in faith will ultimately work for good.  This is God's promise in Romans 8.28, “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to His purpose.”  This is a comforting promise that enables us finally to make decisions rather than be paralyzed by fear not knowing the outcome. Trust in God will carry us through.

What decisions lie ahead for you?  Should I join this church or another? Should I go to college, and if so, which one? Should I marry this person or not? Should I take this job or not? Are there important changes that I could make in my life to enhance it?  We all have many decisions to make in life.  Reason, Scripture, Prayer and Trust will help us make wise decisions and live with them.

The Bible assures us that God wants to lead us and guide us. He wants to be our Shepherd to take care of us in all the decisions of life.  

Hymn:  The Lord's My Shepherd  


The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want;
He makes me down to lie
In pastures green; He leadeth me
The quiet waters by.

My soul He doth restore again
And me to walk doth make
Within the paths of righteousness,
E’en for His own name’s sake.

Yea, tho’ I walk in death’s dark vale,
Yet will I fear no ill;
For Thou art with me, and Thy rod
And staff me comfort still.

My table Thou hast furnished
In presence of my foes;
My head Thou dost with oil anoint,
And my cup overflows.

Goodness and mercy, all my life,
Shall surely follow me;
And in God’s house forevermore
My dwelling-place shall be.

Prayer:  Good Shepherd of the sheep, we pray that You would lead us and guide us in all our ways that we might walk in the paths of righteousness.  Bless us in all our decisions that You might use them for our good and for the good of others. In Jesus' name, Amen.  

Explaining What's Wrong With Homosexual Behavior to Eighth Graders

Some of our eighth graders were interested in the song "Same Love" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.  The song stresses that homosexual love is the same as heterosexual love.  It is the popular idea, and if you disagree, according to the song, you're a mean-spirited racist.  How do we as Christians respond?  

In the past Christians have often been criticized for their beliefs. In the first three hundred years after Jesus, Christians were often persecuted because they wouldn't accept the "popular belief" that "Caesar is Lord."  Many Christians went to prison and even death because they wouldn't agree with view and were considered enemies of the empire.

The question for Christians is not "what is popular?" but "what does God say?"  That is the choice we have always had to face.  In the first chapter of Romans, Paul points out that people turned away from the true God and began to sin in various ways.  One way was: 

"Their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful" (Romans 1.26-27).

But he mentions others sins as well (here and in 1 Corinthians 6 and 1 Timothy 1) such as murder, adultery, fornication, lying, drunkenness, greed, and gossip.  Those who practice these things without repentance and forgiveness cannot be saved (1 Corinthians 6.9).  

This means that Christians must continue to do what we've always done. We need to live in repentance and faith in God's forgiveness ourselves. We need to resist the temptation to disobey God's laws. We also need to urge the world to turn away from these sins and seek forgiveness. We cannot tell them to continue living in a way that God's word says is wrong.  

One way people try to find acceptance of homosexual behavior in the church is to point out that it is listed along with other sins. People, even Christians, commit sins like drunkenness and adultery therefore homosexual sins should be treated like those sins. But the fact is, they are treated in the same way. We do not accept gossip, slander, adultery and drunkenness, and so on. People who commit those sins without repentance also cannot be saved. 

Another approach is to say that it's not hurting anyone. There are many things that people do or don't do that don't necessarily hurt others in the short run, but they are still wrong. If I choose not to worship regularly, I may not be hurting anyone right now. But I am hurting myself, and God says that is wrong. If I view pornography, it may appear that I am not hurting anyone else. But it is still wrong, and I am definitely hurting myself. In addition to this, can we really say sin never hurts anyone?  When we accept a sin and promote it, we are giving a bad example to others and we are encouraging them to sin along with us. When people choose not to worship, they are hurting others because their example will only encourage others to do the same. When someone watches pornography they encourage the pornographers to carry on their activities even more. 

I showed the eighth graders the testimony of Miriam Alexander as she tearfully related her journey out of lesbianism and drug abuse. She explained how she begged God to save her from drugs and homosexual behavior. Yet, for some time, she would fall back into the sinful behavior again and again. Christians would say that Miriam was saved even though she was struggling with these sins. How long it may take to be free from certain sins may vary from person to person.  We urge anyone struggling with any kind of sin to keep repenting and keep praying for forgiveness and healing.  It may take a long time, but the healing will come.  No Christian will ever overcome all sins. They will fight them all their lives, and only after they die in faith will they be completely free from them.  This is what Martin Luther meant when he said that all Christians are "Saints and Sinners."  

Giving into sin is never what God wants. Rather, He calls us to resist sins, repent of them, be forgiven constantly, and carry on the battle to overcome them.  Paul gave God's ultimate promise to the Corinthians:

"And such were some of you (homosexuals, covetous, drunkards, etc.). But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6.11).

Lastly, I pointed out to the eight graders that they need to think about what's coming in the future. If they accept homosexual behavior now, what will be the next thing that the Bible says is wrong but the world will say is right?  When you start disagreeing with God, where will it end?  

Prayer:  O gracious God, save us in our temptation, pain and misery. Save us from our sins and heal all the wounds that they have created in us and others.  Heal us for Thy mercy's sake. Amen.  

Hymn:  "Come, Holy Ghost, in Love"


Come, Holy Ghost, in love
Shed on us from above
Thine own bright ray.
Divinely good Thou art;
Thy sacred gifts impart
To gladden each sad heart.
Oh, come today!

 Come, tend’rest Friend and best,
Our most delightful Guest,
With soothing pow’r.
Rest which the weary know,
Shade mid the noontide glow,
Peace when deep griefs o’erflow,
Cheer us this hour.

Come, Light serene and still,
Our inmost bosoms fill,
Dwell in each breast.
We know no dawn but Thine:
Send forth Thy beams divine
On our dark souls to shine
And make us blest.

Exalt our low desires,
Extinguish passion’s fires,
Heal every wound.
Our stubborn spirits bend,
Our icy coldness end,
Our devious steps attend
While heavenward bound.

Devotions: Facing Persecution

Scripture Reading  Acts 5.12-32

Message

In the history of this world, those who have believed in God have often found themselves outnumbered. Many tried to shout down their faith, to repress it and to destroy it.  

Noah and his family were the last of the righteous on earth. Surrounded by wickedness and violence, Noah persisted in serving God. Peter says he was a "preacher of righteousness" in an ungodly world (2 Peter 2.5). 

Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and ended up in Egypt. He had no companion in the faith as he continued to put his trust in God. 

John the Baptizer was beheaded. Jesus was sent to the cross. Peter and John were thrown into prison. Stephen was stoned, James was put to death, John was sent to Patmos, Paul was beaten and stoned. 

Christians should not be surprised that there is opposition, disdain and outright hostility to the proclamation of the Gospel. Christians should expect it.

They should also not become angry or discouraged. In Psalm Twelve David says there are those who say, "With our tongues we will prevail." Yet he also says, "The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth" (vv. 4, 6).

Paul faced fierce debates in the synagogues that sometimes turned violent. But rather than scream, rant and rave as the world does, Paul was calm and sure:  "Let God be true and every man a liar" (Romans 3.4).  Peter responded to those who threatened him: "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5.29).

Christians have always known that when you have the truth you don't need to preserve it with abusive threats and physical violence. You just need to believe it, tell it, and live it.  It stands on its own, and we stand with it by God's grace.  Amen.  

Hymn

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross;
Lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss.
From victory unto victory His army shall He lead,
Till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the trumpet call obey;
Forth to the mighty conflict, in this His glorious day.
Ye that are brave now serve Him against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, stand in His strength alone;
The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the Gospel armor, each piece put on with prayer;
Where duty calls or danger, be never wanting there.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the strife will not be long;
This day the noise of battle, the next the victor’s song.
To those who vanquish evil a crown of life shall be;
They with the King of Glory shall reign eternally.

Prayer

Dear Lord, save us from all the enemies of the faith:  Our own sinful flesh that prompts us to be spiritually lazy; The sinful world around us that either entices or threatens us to turn away from You; and Satan, who is the beginning of all evil. Help us to stand with those who have stood before us - faithful to You and Your word. Help us to love our enemies as You love them. Grant that through our faithful witness they may be saved.  In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Praying for Salvation and Success in 2010

As I think about the year ahead and my goals I've also been thinking about this verse from Psalm 118: "Save now O LORD; Cause success now O LORD." The words "Save now" give us the Hebrew word "hosanna."

I always thought this verse was a little odd the way it started with salvation and then ended with the focus on success. But now I get it. When I fail in life by disobeying God's commands or just falling short of my own goals let alone God's goals for me, I run to God for forgiveness (salvation). God gives that of course through His Son, Jesus. His perfect life, death and resurrection set me free from all my regrets. But then He also wants me to pray "cause success." I have to get back into the game of life. I have to try again, and as I do I pray for God to bless my efforts. So... Save me when I screw up and help not to do it again (success).

Every day I try to remember three categories of goals: Spiritual (devotions, memory passages, prayer) Physical (eating right/exercising/sleeping), and Vocational (family responsibilities/church work). I'm also looking back and asking for forgiveness where I fall short and asking for success as I move forward.

Thank God for Josephs

Our family devotion for Epiphany 2009

Matthew Chapter Two...

Matthew 2:14 Then he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt.

The Epiphany story tells us a lot of important things. It reminds us that though Jesus is King of the Jews He is also the Savior of the magi and all people. The gifts of the magi show us one of the ways to express our thanks to God. The magi disobeyed Herod, and that reminds us that sometimes we have to obey God rather than men. There are many lessons in this chapter.

Tonight I want to talk about Joseph. Most of the Christmas message is about other people, but the last part of the Christmas Gospel focuses on Joseph. He took care of Jesus and Mary. When Herod tried to kill the baby Jesus, Joseph followed God's command and took his family to Egypt. He took care of them there, and when it was safe to return, he brought them to Nazareth and took care of them there.

That's what fathers do. They take care of their families. But Joseph did even more. He took care of the Son of God so He could save the world.

We still need... and God still provides... Josephs today. Like Herod of old there are new Herods who would like to kill the teachings of Jesus or replace them with false substitutes. The real Jesus still calls us to repentance and gives us forgiveness through His death and resurrection. Other people want to have a Jesus who doesn't really care about sin - at least the sins we like to do.

God gives us pastors, teachers, and parents who make sure that Jesus isn't changed into something He's not. We can be thankful for Joseph, who took care of Jesus, and for all the other Josephs who take care that we will know the true and only Jesus, our Savior.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for Joseph and for all the fathers and mothers, pastors and teachers, who still today make sure that people will know the real Jesus for salvation. Amen.

Two Babies in the Manger

This is my sermon to the children and parents at our Sunday School Christmas Service, Sunday, December 21, 2008.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank You for Christmas and for coming to us to save us. Amen.

I want to thank all of you for being here tonight to tell the story of Christmas. Thank you for coming to the practices, memorizing your parts, and for all the beautiful music.

One of you said this passage just a few minutes ago: "But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart?" (Luke 2.19).

Do you know what a "miracle baby" is? (One little boy said, "It's a baby that does miracles!" Yes, that's a good answer. But I was thinking that...) A miracle baby is a baby we didn't expect. We are told about several miracle babies in the Bible: Isaac, Moses (It was surprising that he lived.), and Samuel. Jesus was especially a miracle baby.

All of you are special babies/children because there's only one of you. We can't go anywhere in the world to find another person like you. You are all gifts of God. And that's why Christmas is so important. God who made you, loves you and wants to be with you.

Mary was thinking about her miracle baby. She thought about what the shepherds told her: "He is the Savior, Christ the Lord." Another way to say that is that Jesus is God's Son, and He came to save us from our sins.

You know what sins are? We've talked about that before. Sins are the bad things people do, the bad things we do. None of us can stop them. But God can. And that's why He sent His Son Jesus at Christmas. One day Jesus, the miracle baby, would grow up to be a miracle man. He would die on the cross and rise again to take away our sins.

God wants us to keep these things in our hearts too. To help us remember, I'd like to tell you a story about a little boy named Mischa.

Mischa lived in Russia in an orphanage. Do you know what an orphan is? (Children answered - someone with out a mom or dad.) In Russia, for many years children never heard the story of Jesus and Christmas. But a few years ago missionaries came to this orphanage and told the children the same story you've told us tonight.

To help the children remember or ponder these things, the missionaries decided to help the children make their own little mangers. They cut up pieces of cardboard, cloth and paper to make little mangers and little baby Jesus' to go in the mangers.

But Misha had two babies in his manger! The missionaries asked why? With the help of a translator Mischa told the story of Christmas. He had everything down just right. He told about Mary and Joseph, about the Shepherds and the Angels and about the Wisemen.

But then he started to add to the story a little...

After Maria put Jesus in the manger, He said to me, "Mischa, do you have a place to stay?" I said, "No. I don't have a momma or a pappa, and I don't have any place to stay." Jesus said to me, "Would you like to stay with me?" I said, "Yes, I would like to stay with you, but I don't have a gift to give you like everyone else." Then I thought about a gift I could give to Jesus. So I said, "Could I keep you warm? Would that be a good enough gift?" Jesus said, "Yes, that would be a good gift." So I got into the manger with Jesus and He said I could stay with Him forever.

Jesus came to us at Christmas so that we could stay with Him forever. He is the one who will always take care of us. That's a good thing for us to remember this Christmas.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank You for coming at Christmas. We are glad that we can stay with You forever. Amen.

Note: The Mischa story is apparently true. Click here for the full account.

Confrontation and Compromise

Chapel Service for Concordia Publishing House

June 18, 2008

1 Kings 18:1-16 And it came to pass after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth." ² So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab; and there was a severe famine in Samaria. ³ And Ahab had called Obadiah, who was in charge of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly. ⁴ For so it was, while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water.) ⁵ And Ahab had said to Obadiah, "Go into the land to all the springs of water and to all the brooks; perhaps we may find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, so that we will not have to kill any livestock. ⁶ So they divided the land between them to explore it; Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. ⁷ ¶ Now as Obadiah was on his way, suddenly Elijah met him; and he recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, "Is that you, my lord Elijah?" ⁸ And he answered him, "It is I. Go, tell your master, 'Elijah is here.' " ⁹ So he said, "How have I sinned, that you are delivering your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me? ¹⁰ "As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to hunt for you; and when they said, 'He is not here,' he took an oath from the kingdom or nation that they could not find you. ¹¹ "And now you say, 'Go, tell your master, "Elijah is here" '! ¹² "And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of the LORD will carry you to a place I do not know; so when I go and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he will kill me. But I your servant have feared the LORD from my youth. ¹³ "Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, how I hid one hundred men of the LORD's prophets, fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water? ¹⁴ "And now you say, 'Go, tell your master, "Elijah is here." ' He will kill me!" ¹⁵ Then Elijah said, "As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today." ¹⁶ So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

This is one of the topics that I would include in a book: “Bible Stories You Didn’t Get in Sunday School.” But there are many Biblical insights and blessings to be found in these “minor” stories.

“Obadiah” means “servant of the LORD.” There are twelve men by this name in the Bible. This is not the prophet who wrote the one chapter book that is between Amos and Jonah. He came along later.

This Obadiah was the right hand man of the most wicked king that had ever ruled Israel.

1 Kings 16:30 Now Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him.

Ahab was influenced by his wife Jezebel to bring Baal worship to Israel. Eventually this led to outright conflict with Jezebel killing as many true prophets of the LORD as she could get her hands on. But Obadiah secretly worked to save at least 100 of these prophets, risking his own life. Ahab was so evil that as the three year drought wore on he cared only about his horses and began looking for the last bits of pasture so they could stay alive. He sent Obadiah looking in one direction while he searched in another. Obadiah encountered Elijah.

These two men were very similar. Both feared and served the LORD, but in different ways. Elijah was a “confronter.” He was called by God to preserve the faith of God’s people by taking Ahab on directly. Obadiah, on the other hand, was a “compromiser.” He compromised in a good sense. He served wicked Ahab, but used his service to help God’s people. He could have refused. He could have given his neck to Jezebel and perished with all the prophets of Israel. But instead he used his position to work for a greater good. No doubt it must have grieved him that some of his labors helped to prop up and support Ahab. But his goal was always to work for the greater good of God’s people.

We are also sometimes put in the position of being and Elijah or an Obadiah. Sometimes we must take our stand and be prepared to die: The accountant realizes that his or her employer is using unethical business practices. It is time to turn matters over to the IRS. The parent whose child has chosen a homosexual lifestyle refuses to allow them to bring their partner home and to stay over night at their house. At risk is their entire relationship, and there is a real possibility that they will never see them again. Heart-breaking decisions. Hills that we must sometimes die on. This is the Elijah approach.

At other times God places us in situations that call for the Obadiah approach. Jesus prayed for His disciples…

John 17:15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.

Obadiah realized that he could use his position to save some of the prophets. Sometimes we are caught in difficult situations and decide to stay because we believe that we can work for a greater good. A pastor is called to a church that decides to use “Standard Publishing” for its VBS program. The pastor provides “Gospel” helps for all the lessons and eventually persuades the church to purchase their VBS materials from CPH. The teenage son or daughter we love starts to run with some sin-loving friends. Do we forbid them to be together? Or do we talk with our child and explain our concerns and say, “I just want you to rub off more on them that they on you.” Difficult decisions – when to be an Elijah, when to be an Obadiah. God can and does call us to use both approaches.

Here the words of James are encouraging…

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

So many important things to pray about… Such a great God who listens and answers with wisdom in Jesus. Jesus came to go beyond confrontation and compromise. Jesus came to crush evil and to make all that it does temporary. There are different ways to work against it, but in Jesus we know that all will turn out for the good. Amen.

Hymn: My God, My Father, Make Me Strong TLH 424

1 My God, my Father, make me strong,

When tasks of life seem hard and long,

To greet them with this triumph song:

Thy will be done.

2 Draw from my timid eyes the veil

To show, where earthly forces fail,

Thy pow’r and love must still prevail

Thy will be done.

3 With confident and humble mind

Freedom is service I would find,

Praying thro’ ev’ry toil assigned:

Thy will be done.

4 Things deemed impossible I dare,

Thine is the call and Thine the care;

Thy wisdom shall the way prepare

Thy will be done.

5 All pow’r is here and round me now;

Faithful I stand in rule and vow,

While ’tis not I, but ever Thou:

Thy will be done.

6 Heav’n’s music chimes the glad days in;

Hope soars beyond death, pain, and sin;

Faith shouts in triumph, Love must win

Thy will be done!

Text: Frederick Mann, 1846–1928 ES IST KEIN TAG

Tune: Johann D. Meyer, 17th century 8 8 8 4

Text and tune: Public domain Ps. 143:8