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Getting the Foxes Out

Links for today’s readings:

May 11 Read:  Habakkuk 1 Listen: (2:39) Read: Luke 2 Listen: (6:11)

Scripture Focus: Habakkuk 1.2-4

2 How long, Lord, must I call for help, 
but you do not listen? 
Or cry out to you, “Violence!” 
but you do not save? 
3 Why do you make me look at injustice? 
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? 
Destruction and violence are before me; 
there is strife, and conflict abounds. 
4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, 
and justice never prevails. 
The wicked hem in the righteous, 
so that justice is perverted.

Reflection: Getting the Foxes Out

By John Tillman

Habakkuk complained to the Lord about the injustice, violence, and rampant moral decay of his country.

Habakkuk watched in shock as the legal system failed to deliver justice. He witnessed the righteous hemmed in by the wicked. He watched justice perverted in the hands of greedy, corrupt wrongdoers. The foxes were in charge of the henhouses.

Habakkuk wanted God to do something about the foxes in the henhouse, but he didn’t expect God would send ravenous wolves to do it. The Babylonians were God’s instrument that punished Judah’s rulers with the exact sins they were committing.

Judah chose to worship harsh and unholy false gods. So God sent people who followed such gods to conquer them and enslave them to the types of gods they chose over him. The calloused leaders would be ravaged by ruthless rulers. The corrupt officials would be terrorized by  impetuous invaders. (Hab 1.6) The unjust judges would face judgments by those with no respect for the law. (Hab 1.7)

God turned them over to their sins. The Babylonians physically devastated the land that was already devastated spiritually and socially.

Like Habakkuk, we have probably seen “foxes” in many different “henhouses,” including industries, faith communities, and political and legal systems. We have probably all watched in shock as legal systems failed, injustices mounted, and abuses of power proliferated.

Take these complaints to God. Ask God to get the foxes out. But be prepared for unexpected answers. (Especially if we are responsible for letting in the foxes in the first place. Song of Songs 2.15) In God’s economy, waking us up to repent of our sins is worth temporary pain.

On white-water rafting expeditions, everyone from staff to tourists wears extra-buoyant life vests. When a passenger falls out of the raft, the first thing staff do is not pull them up—they push them under the water hard. Then, when the life vest pops them back up, they use that momentum to pull the passenger back into the raft.

Sometimes things must get much worse before they can get better. Sometimes reaching rock bottom is the only way to get momentum to rise back up.

In Judah’s case, their entire society, government, and religious practice had to be destroyed to completely start over. Pray that in our individual lives and our other areas of influence, we will wake up sooner and repent faster.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons

This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. — Psalm 118.23

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle

Read more: God, Can You Hear Me?

We confuse the patience of God as the endorsement of evil…In the end…praise God and trust that God is still good…may our faith sustain us as we trust in his timing.

God, Can You Hear Me?
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Be Careful Who You Cheer For

Links for today’s readings:

May 8 Read:  Nahum 1 Listen: (2:24) Read: Psalm 89 Listen: (5:29)
May 9 Read:  Nahum 2 Listen: (2:06) Read: Luke 1.1-38 Listen: (9:26)
May 10 Read:  Nahum 3 Listen: (3:04) Read:  Luke 1.39-80 Listen: (9:26)

Scripture Focus: Nahum 1.1-6

1 A prophecy concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. 
The Lord’s Anger Against Nineveh
2 The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; 
the Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. 
The Lord takes vengeance on his foes 
and vents his wrath against his enemies. 
3 The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; 
the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. 
His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, 
and clouds are the dust of his feet. 
4 He rebukes the sea and dries it up; 
he makes all the rivers run dry. 
Bashan and Carmel wither
and the blossoms of Lebanon fade. 
5 The mountains quake before him 
and the hills melt away. 
The earth trembles at his presence, 
the world and all who live in it. 
6 Who can withstand his indignation? 
Who can endure his fierce anger? 
His wrath is poured out like fire; 
the rocks are shattered before him.

Reflection: Be Careful Who You Cheer For

By John Tillman

Nahum and Jonah had different callings.

Nahum wrote a long time after Jonah’s revival in Nineveh. God didn’t suddenly go from merciful and loving to vengeful and wrath-filled. He’s still the God who is “slow to anger.”

Nineveh was the capital of Assyria and the revival Jonah sparked was short-lived. Soon Assyria returned to their destructive ways. They conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, exiled its people, and repopulated the land with foreigners. After devouring Israel, Assyria threatened Judah. Empires are never content with what they have. They demand more and more.

Nahum’s calling is probably easier to follow than Jonah’s. Jonah had to offer God’s forgiveness to his enemy. Jonah was conflicted about taking the message. He didn’t want Nineveh to repent and be saved. It crushed Jonah’s spirit when God granted forgiveness to those who harmed his country of Israel. (Imagine Zelensky offering forgiveness to Putin…)

Nahum wasn’t conflicted. He announced Nineveh’s fall as “good news” and a proclamation of peace. The cloud raining on Nahum’s parade was that the nation God used to destroy Assyria, would turn against Judah. Judah had not learned from Israel’s punishment.

It is good news when enemies are defeated. This is true whether they are stopped by forces of good or by their own evil turning back on them. This is true if a criminal is arrested by police or killed by other criminals. This is true whether a warmongering leader is deterred by diplomatic sanctions or killed in a violent counterattack from his victims. 

We can praise God when the violent are stopped regardless of how they are stopped. But we need to be careful who we cheer for. The people God uses to stop evil are not always heroes. God often uses one evil to destroy another. Like Judah, if we cheer for Babylon destroying Assyria, we are likely to be next on Babylon’s list.

When enemies fall, no matter how they fall, be careful how (and who) you celebrate. Praise God, but also examine your heart, repenting of pride and self-righteousness. Remember that the same God who dispenses justice to our enemies, begins by disciplining his own people. Remember, your calling might be the calling of Jonah, to deliver a message of mercy, instead of the calling of Nahum to deliver a message of judgment.

Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading

Jesus taught us, saying: “But alas for you who are rich: you are having your consolation now. Alas for you who have plenty to eat now: you shall go hungry. Alas for you who are laughing now: you shall mourn and weep.” — Luke 6.24-25

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle

Read more: The Good News of Nahum

Peace is intertwined with judgment. God judges evil and brings the peace of safety and freedom.

The Good News of Nahum
Read more: Count Your Blessings – Hymns for Giving Thanks

Count your blessings, not your regrets. Number your joys, not your worries. Take stock of your value to God, not your personal disappointments.

Count Your Blessings – Hymns for Giving Thanks
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Hello, Darkness, My Only Friend?

Links for today’s readings:

May 7  Read: Micah 7 Listen: (3:36) Read: Psalms 88 Listen: (1:58)

Scripture Focus: Psalm 88.18

18 You have taken from me friend and neighbor— 
darkness is my closest friend.

Reflection: Hello, Darkness, My Only Friend?

By John Tillman

Many psalms of lament have a “turn.” They pivot toward hope, toward praise, or hint at a coming salvation. Not Psalm 88.

Psalm 88’s only glimmer of light is in verse one, and it descends into darkness from there. The poet holds a gloomy course, turning neither to the right nor to the left. The poem’s last word is “utter darkness.”

Resist the urge to “fix” Psalm 88. Stop looking for the bright side. Don’t manufacture what isn’t there. The psalmist doesn’t need cheering up. We shouldn’t sing, with insensitivity, “songs to a heavy heart.” (Proverbs 25.20) This darkness has lessons. Like its author, we need to sit in it for a while.

One reason to sit in this darkness is that there will be a time that darkness covers you. We need to learn endurance in the dark. We need to learn to pray in the dark. We need to toughen our faith against times of testing.

Study the psalmist’s cries in the dark as a model. Cry out, based on God’s identity as “the God who saves.” (v. 1) Cry out expecting God to hear. (v. 2) Cry out consistently and persistently. (v. 9) Cry out honestly. Hold no grievance back. (v.6-9, 10-12, 14-17)

Sitting in darkness also drowns false forms of faith. There are versions of Christianity that can’t (and shouldn’t) survive darkness.

There is a version of Christianity that thinks the faithful shouldn’t suffer. There is a version of Christianity that markets miracles, victory, success, and “winning.” There is a version of Christianity that manufactures grievances and claims persecution in a culture war when all they’ve ever faced is the consequences of their prideful actions (1 Peter 2.20; 3.17; 4.15-17). Psalm 88’s darkness lands like a sledgehammer, shattering these trite, toxic, and worthless forms of faith. Leave the shattered pieces where they lie.

Even when causes of dark times are evil or intended for evil, God can use darkness for good (Genesis 50.20). Darkness can be a teacher to us, strengthening our faith and disciplines. Darkness can be a surgeon to us, cutting out cancers of trite, cheap, and toxically positive Christianity. In these ways, darkness, even that intended for evil, can be an unexpected and unintentional friend. (Psalm 88.18)

Don’t rush through darkness without learning from it but never forget that we don’t belong there. One way or another, in this life or the next, God will rescue us, bringing us into the light.

Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading

Jesus taught us, saying: “Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” — Matthew 10:29–31

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle

Read more: Equally Skilled Hands

In most individuals, one hand is more skilled than the other…Micah says both hands of his nation and their leaders are equally skilled at wickedness.

Equally Skilled Hands — Readers’ Choice
Read more: Admit the Dark

In order to hope in the light, we first have to notice and confess that we live in the dark.

Admit the Dark — Hope of Advent

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When God Is Not Swayed by Gold

Links for today’s readings:

May 6  Read: Micah 6 Listen: (2:28) Read: Psalms 86-87 Listen: (2:26)

Scripture Focus: Micah 6:7, 14

7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
    with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?

…

14 You will eat but not be satisfied;
    your stomach will still be empty.
You will store up but save nothing,
    because what you save I will give to the sword.

Reflection: When God Is Not Swayed by Gold

By Erin Newton

Expensive gifts are common throughout the Bible. The magi brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the infant Jesus. The woman poured an expensive jar of oil on Jesus’s feet. The queen of Sheba brought gold, precious gems, and spices to Solomon as a gift.

Is it the financial worth of gifts that determines their value? Sometimes. For gifts exchanged between loved ones, however, the value is something that transcends cost. And so it is with God.

Micah 6 contains the well-known verses about offering gifts to God. “With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God?,” verse 6 says. The question is rhetorical and introspective. What does God really want from us?

The assumed answer is “expensive things.” Micah’s audience is thinking like common people. We love stuff. We love costly stuff. We value that which is rare and available only to a few—the expensive stuff. Surely, we think, God wants expensive stuff too.

But the verse turns in an unexpected way. “Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?” This is generational wealth amounts! This is more stuff than any person would know what to do with. Where do you store rivers of oil? Are you ready for herds and herds of rams (or are you going to eat a thousand rams for dinner)?

 No, God doesn’t really want any of this. Micah tells the people that God wants them to be merciful, just, and humble. God desires character over wealth, morality over treasure, righteousness over buyouts.

It’s not that gold is inherently problematic. Gold has been an honored gift to God, but gold offered without integrity and faithfulness is worthless. Such wealth is destined for ruin.

Do I have herds of livestock? No. Do I even know how many crates of olive oil a person can buy at Costco? Not a clue. I might read this and think I’ve been spared from acting like Micah’s community did. I’m not trying to buy God’s favor. Whew!

Yet we offer God paltry gifts of fancy words, our best dress on Sunday, and maybe a portion of our income in tithes. For many, these are worth more than we give anyone else. But without integrity and true faithfulness in how we conduct our lives, I’m afraid we too will be left with empty stomachs and war-torn losses.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting

Splendor and honor and kingly power are yours by right, O Lord our God,
For you created everything that is, and by your will they were created and have thor being. — A Song To The Lamb

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle

Read more: Leaders Sent by God

Our justice is tainted. Our mercy is rarely given. Our humility gives way to pride. Therefore, God has offered his own firstborn for the sin of our souls.

Leaders Sent by God
Read more: State of Our Souls

We pray for an undivided heart. No person, cause, or ideology should vie for the supremacy of Christ in our lives.

State of Our Souls

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Missing the Kingdom for the Empire

Links for today’s readings:

May 5  Read: Micah 5 Listen: (2:21) Read: Psalm 85 Listen: (1:25)

Scripture Focus: Micah 5.2-5

2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, 

though you are small among the clans of Judah, 

out of you will come for me 

one who will be ruler over Israel, 

whose origins are from of old, 

from ancient times.” 

3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned 

until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, 

and the rest of his brothers return 

to join the Israelites. 

4 He will stand and shepherd his flock 

in the strength of the Lord, 

in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. 

And they will live securely, for then his greatness 

will reach to the ends of the earth. 

5 And he will be our peace 

when the Assyrians invade our land 

and march through our fortresses. 

We will raise against them seven shepherds, 

even eight commanders,

Reflection: Missing the Kingdom for the Empire

By John Tillman

In The Empire Strikes Back, Luke sought Yoda’s aid to complete his Jedi training and defeat the Empire. Yoda tested Luke with a bizarre performance as a childish, foolish creature. Luke was seeking a great warrior. Yoda replied, “Wars not make one great.”

Yoda was the great leader and master Luke sought. But his greatness was for a time hidden. His strength was reduced by feigned weakness. His wisdom was concealed in foolishness. His greatness was masked by small stature, great age, and social awkwardness. (Luke’s greatness was also concealed from Yoda, but that’s another analogy…)

Assyria was the first empire. An empire’s purpose is to spread its own (alleged) greatness to the ends of the earth (or the galaxy). Empires spread by war, brutality, and violence, but also by oppression, economic corruption, and worship of the emperor.

Micah told Israel that their leaders would be struck down. Micah also described a future ruler from ancient times who would oppose the empire. This ruler would be unexpected and counterintuitive.

He would come from an unimportant city and clan. He would be like a shepherd, not like a king or a commander. His greatness would reach the ends of the earth, but not by violent conquest. This leader’s followers would be “in the midst of many peoples” and “among the nations.” They will not “depend on a man” and would have peace even when armies marched over their borders.

Jesus was and is this unexpected ruler. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day looked for this leader to help them defeat the Roman Empire, but Jesus knew that war would not make him great. At least, not that kind of war. His greatness and his kingdom lay on the path to the cross, through the grave, and beyond.

Jesus’ glory, strength, and wisdom were concealed for a time. To the wise, he seemed foolish. To the strong, he seemed weak. To the powerful, he seemed unimportant. (1 Cor 1.18-25) Yet, this ruler brings down every empire, beginning with the empires of sin and death.

Don’t judge the religious leaders too harshly. We, too, can miss Jesus’ kingdom when looking for Empire-like solutions to our problems. Jesus’ kingdom is the anti-Empire, he is the anti-Emperor, and every aspiring emperor is an anti-Christ. Complete your training by following the way of Jesus. We defeat empires in counterintuitive ways, beginning with the empire in our own hearts.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

May God be merciful to us and bless us,* show us the light of his countenance and come to us. Let your ways be known upon earth,* your saving health among all nations. — Psalm 67:1–2

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle

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When Elon Musk challenged Putin to a fight over Ukraine, few thought, “That’s a good idea.”

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Cultivation is not an out-of-the-box, pre-prepared spiritual solution. It’s customized to our culture and our climate.

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