Real Men Want Faithfulness…So Does God

“And when all Jabesh Gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant men arose and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons; and they brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.  So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he committed against the Lord…But he did not inquire of the Lord; therefore He killed him…” - 1 Chronicles 10:11-14

On this day, valiant men not only risked their lives to bury their king, but they buried who he was, and the direction that their nation had taken because of his actions.  So much had gone bad for Saul up to this point:  Jealousy absolutely drove Saul mad, he hunted David down like a dog to do him harm, he consulted a medium for advice rather than going to the Lord for council and he had not kept the word of the Lord. 

Everyone had such high hopes for Saul, he was tall, dark, handsome, and even a bit bashful when Israel chose him as king.  He even had the prophet Samuel, but Saul thought he knew better than God, better than God’s prophet.  Before we get too hard on Saul though, it’s probably a good idea to look at ourselves and how much promise we have, but we go our own direction.  We sacrifice for God, rather than obey Him.  We allow so much to pull us from His Word and Prayer.  Feast days (Christmas, Easter and Sunday) are observed but God is not on our minds and hearts.  Faithfulness is far from us as we are an unrepentant people.  We are so bent toward sin and run towards it with open arms.  We live in a society that says “follow your heart” while God says, “the heart is deceitful above all things, who can know it?”  Distractions pull us toward spiritual apathy and we try to convince ourselves that God is not displeased.  The bible says that Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed AGAINST the Lord.  So according to this, it’s possible to be unfaithful not just toward the Lord, like ignoring Him, but AGAINST Him.  This puts a new fear in my heart when I think of all the time I go to bed and have barely acknowledged the Lord or His people.

Thank God for Jesus and the fact that we put faith in Him!  Valiant men fast for this!  They bury that sin which Christ died for and desire for that newness of life.  The life of faithfulness which Saul had forsaken is now ours because Jesus is not dead and buried, but ALIVE!  Why would we desire anything less?  Why would we fast for that sin of complacency, apathy, distraction, and pleasure when Jesus says, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life?”  What more could we possibly want?  So my question is for men – are we valiant?  Will we bury our sin?  Will we fast and desire more for Christ or for sin?  For unfaithfulness and apathy, or faithfulness and obedience?  It’s one or the other.  Which one are you?

This is the stuff….

I had to chew on three of the guys who work for me yesterday.  It seems like any time I make it a point to have a “talk” with someone, it turns into an all day affair.  It drives me nuts!  I have stuff to do and all these guys want to do is NOT what they are supposed to do.  It happens. 

My grandfather went in to get a biopsy done on what they believe to be lung cancer on Monday.  I called them my folks for the first time since they found out he probably does have cancer it and will need radiation to treat it.  I tried to be tough, asking my Grandma if he wanted to get better, when I realized how my tone sounded, I just broke down.  It was so crass…who DOESN’T want to get over cancer, and here I am, making accusations that he might not.  She said he really does.  I could hear such empathy and love just dripping off her words, she truly does love him.  She said he’s so small that you can just count his ribs in his “little ole’ body.”  I can’t imagine him that way, he’s always acted so tough, sometimes to the point I just get angry with him…he’s so stubborn!  But now, instead of trying to be tough, I just cry because I want him to get better too, I want HIM to want to get better…so I pray harder for him then I have in a long time, weeping, sobbing, and griping the whole time.  It’s funny though, I think the Lord probably hears those prayers better than any He ever has heard from me.  Those are the times I bear my soul…not hypocritical, not memorized, not all eloquently jazzed up for Him…just me and my unbridled, unhidden feelings about those I love and how I love them and want them better.  I expect Grandpa will get better with time and I expect I won’t be so hard in my heart towards him.

Work…it takes work to love people, to love my Grandpa, to love my enemies, to love my coworkers, it takes work…this is the stuff that drives me crazy…but to God be the glory – His will be done, not mine.