Consider Solomon (1 Kings 10:26–11:3)
I believe Jesus calls all of us to let go of the desire to appear good, to give up the appearance of being good, so that we can listen to the word within us and move in the mystery of who we are. The preoccupation with projecting the perfect image . . . leads to self-consciousness, sticky pedestal behavior and bondage to human respect.
Taken from NIV Ragamuffin Bible
The Freest Love
Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it; yet the LORD set his heart in love upon your fathers and chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as at this day. (Deuteronomy 10:14–15)
God’s electing love is absolutely free. It is the gracious overflow of his boundless happiness guided by his infinite wisdom.
Deuteronomy 10:14–15 describes the delight God had in choosing Israel from all the peoples of the earth. Notice two things.
First, notice the contrast between verses 14 and 15. Why does Moses describe the election of Israel against the backdrop of God’s ownership of the whole universe? Why does he say in verse 14, “To God belongs everything in heaven and on earth” and then say in verse 15, “Yet he chose you for his people”?
The reason seems to be to get rid of any notion that God was somehow hedged in to choose this people. The point is to explode the myth that each people has its own god and this god has a right to his own people but no more.
The truth is that this is the only true God. He owns everything in the universe and can take any people he wants for his own special possession.
Thus the unspeakably wonderful truth for Israel is that he chose them. He did not have to. He had rights and privileges to choose absolutely any people on the face of the earth for his redeeming purposes.
Therefore, when he calls himself “their God” he does not mean that he is on a par with the gods of Egypt or the gods of Canaan. He owns those gods and their peoples. If it had pleased him, he could have chosen a totally different people to accomplish his purposes.
The point of putting verses 14 and 15 together in this way is to stress the freedom and the universal rights and authority of God.
The second thing to notice (in verse 15) is the way God exercises his sovereign freedom to “set his love upon the fathers.” “He delighted in your fathers to love them.” He freely chose to take pleasure in loving the fathers.
God’s love for the fathers of Israel was free and merciful and wasn’t constrained by anything that the fathers were in their Jewishness or in their virtue.
Jacob and his large family have settled in Canaan. Joseph, Jacob’s favorite son, has dreams that offend his brothers.
The Dreamer
Read
Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph—a beautiful robe. But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him.
(Genesis 37:3-4)
Reflect
In Joseph’s day, everyone had a robe or cloak. Robes were used for warmth, to bundle up belongings for a trip, to wrap babies, to sit on, or even to serve as security for a loan. Most robes were knee length, short sleeved, and plain. In contrast, Joseph’s robe was probably of the kind worn by royalty—long sleeved, ankle length, and colorful. The robe became a symbol of Joseph’s favored status with his father, and it further strained Joseph’s relationship with his brothers.
Joseph’s brothers were already angry over the possibility of being ruled by their little brother. Joseph then fueled the fire with his boasting. No one enjoys a braggart—Joseph learned this the hard way. His brothers decided to kill him but then sold him into slavery instead. After several years of hardship, Joseph learned an important lesson: Because our talents and knowledge come from God, thanking him for them is much more appropriate than bragging about them. Later, Joseph gave God the credit (Genesis 41:16).
Respond
Favoritism in families may be difficult to avoid, but its divisive effects should be minimized. Parents may not be able to change their feelings toward a favorite child, but they can change their actions toward the others. And whether you are a parent or not, remember that humility goes much further than pride. Ask God to give you a humble spirit.
Streams in the Desert – May 17
And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness…an angel of the Lord…saying….now come, I will send thee into Egypt” (Acts 7:30-34).
Often the Lord calls us aside from our work for a season, and bids us be still and learn ere we go forth again to minister. There is no time lost in such waiting hours.
Fleeing from his enemies, the ancient knight found that his horse needed to be re-shod. Prudence seemed to urge him on without delay, but higher wisdom taught him to halt a few minutes at the blacksmith’s forge by the way, to have the shoe replaced; and although he heard the feet of his pursuers galloping hard behind, yet he waited those minutes until his charger was refitted for his flight. And then, leaping into his saddle just as they appeared a hundred yards away, he dashed away from them with the fleetness of the wind, and knew that his halting had hastened his escape.
So often God bids us tarry ere we go, and fully recover ourselves for the next stage of the journey and work.
–Days of Heaven upon Earth
Waiting! Yes, patiently waiting!
Till next steps made plain shall be;
To hear, with the inner hearing,
The Voice that will call for me.
Waiting! Yes, hopefully waiting!
With hope that need not grow dim;
The Master is pledged to guide me,
And my eyes are unto Him.
Waiting! Expectantly waiting!
Perhaps it may be today
The Master will quickly open
The gate to my future way.
Waiting! Yes, waiting! still waiting!
I know, though I’ve waited long,
That, while He withholds His purpose,
His waiting cannot be wrong.
Waiting! Yes, waiting! still waiting!
The Master will not be late:
He knows that I am waiting
For Him to unlatch the gate.
–J. D. Smith