Not-so-grand-thing No. 3: Fame

With the suicide by hanging of 62 year old iconic actor and comedian, Robin Williams, a few weeks ago, it seems pretty fitting to think about fame. Fame, celebrity status and popularity are thought to be grand things! Yet, this is one thing that doesn't require much to see for what it really is: something not grand at all.

It's interesting that almost everyone wants to be famous but almost everyone famous deeply desires anonymity. It's one of those things that everyone is running towards while everyone who has found it is running away from. It's also interesting that, today, fame is an occupation. 'Socialites' are people who are really popular but not because of any particular achievement(s) or ability on their part. Many are born to extremely wealthy parents and find themselves in the company of the most elite of people and begin to develop reputations with the media. Needing no income in their lives and therefore needing no work, their occupation literally becomes being popular.

Even those who are a little popular do crazy things and many times demeaning things to get even more popular. These acts of desperation to become popular are commonly referred to as 'publicity stunts'. Young ladies who want to become famous models often have to secure opportunities for themselves by sleeping with the powers that be.

Of course there are advantages to being popular otherwise no one would bother to strive to become famous. We all want to walk into a room and be noticed or turn heads. It feels a little depressing to walk into a room and an hour later word reaches you that people are wondering if you're around. Apart from that fame brings with it great opportunities to make money, get promoted, get favours that otherwise would not come one's way. In Hollywood particularly, being famous will go a long way in propagating your career as an actor/actress. Fame however is certainly not as grand as it is made out to be.

Hello Fame = Goodbye Anonymity

One thing that I deeply treasure is anonymity. The ability to walk into a place and be just one of the faces in a crowd. In that sense, I feel sorry for popular people who simply need to walk into an eating place or parking lot and are immediately recognized by everyone. The trouble with this is of course the loss of privacy. We all want some privacy from time to time. There is no such thing when you are popular, that goes out the window. For as long as you are in a public place people will notice you. Also we don't always feel and look great and anonymity, i.e., being a mere face in a crowd, allows us to get away with being in a public place when we aren't really at our best. The pressure to look and be at your best for the famous on the other hand is huge since they need to keep their reputation afloat.

Hello Fame = Hello Critics

Fame always attracts criticism. When you're in the public eye, you will be criticized because, for starters, being a public figure is a responsibility. You will always represent something or some people and you will always be looked up to in one way or other and so the critical eyes on you do not spare you when you slip up. Some critics are malicious and simply want to bring you down. It's an occupational hazard that just doesn't go away. For some reason, critics always have an immerse effect on us. I'm always amazed at movie and music critics. They pounce on the work of award winning artists when they themselves have had no success or recognition in the area. I'd like to see movie critics make a movie and would certainly like to hear an album by a music critic. I don't think they'd do anything noteworthy but they readily eat the people they criticize alive without a second thought. Even though artists know this, they find it extremely upsetting to read critiques of their work. In fact, certain artists stay away from the press, newspapers and the internet completely to avoid reading the harsh criticism that so often is there found. Words hurt and critics know how to crush the famous, especially when the mess up.

Hello Fame = Hello Pressure

Fame comes with natural pressure. Doesn't matter whether you're a movie star of a popular preacher, when you meet people, you're under self imposed pressure to put up a bright face no matter how dull your life is. Somehow you feel that you have to keep up appearances and keep it all together even if it's all falling apart. The pressure only increases as you battle through the challenges of life with little support because only a few people know what you're really going through (if any) and before long you can't take it any longer and you're headline news after hanging yourself. This goes on all the time in popular media and Hollywood.

So then, do you want to be famous? Careful what you wish for.

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God Is Not Great

In writing, I have come to learn, a catching title is half the job done for a written piece. Seeing as my audience for this blog is predominantly Evangelical Christian and know me a such, I believe my work in writing what I hope will be a good and not-so-long piece is half complete.

God IS great. My post title is borrowed. It is taken from the main title of a New York Times Best Seller List book written by Christopher Hitchens who my post is really about. The full title of his book is "God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything". Hitchens was - yes, he died of cancer in 2011 - a British acclaimed atheist and journalist. I need to state before I go any further that I am neither an expert on Hitchens' book or work nor on his views but have a pretty good idea from what I have seen of him on YouTube, particularly his interviews and debates.

Hitchens was ferocious, feisty and fearless in his debates often putting the religious he debated to shame. He went after everyone, Catholics, Evangelicals, Muslims, Jews e.t.c. That's what made me take interest in him. Not only his high level of intelligence and thought provoking queries into religion but also how that he seemed to take his detest for both God and religion quite personally. Why would I find that 'attractive'? Because his attack on God and the religious was not so much malicious. It seems he sincerely believed that religion was poisonous and threw his time and energy into making people see it. So resolved was he that when his book came out he told his publishers that he did not want to promote his book in the big cities and arenas but he opted to tour the small cities and spread the 'truth' about God and religion there.

Most of us Christians consider such men our enemies and avoid them at all costs, paying them no mind but I'm pretty sure that even among the most aggressive enemies of God and our faith, God has chosen some. Apart from that, I think men like Hitchens help us be thorough in our understanding of our faith and help us be better prepared to give an answer when what we believe is questioned. Furthermore, contending with men like Hitchens helps us see what in scripture and in our beliefs is absurd (humanly speaking) that might not be as apparent to us because we have become accustomed after all, a fish does not know that it is wet.

I'd paraphrase Hitchens oft used punch lines as follows (you'll notice that he didn't have all the pieces quite right):

"God doesn't exit. He certainly does not care about you. He neither knows what you ate last night or who you slept with. Scientists generally assert that humanity has been around for 100,000 years. If they are accurate then for the first 198,000 of those years, God watched human kind suffer through life without knowledge of technological development or self preservation, dying of all sorts of diseases and living such a poor quality of life due to ignorance. God watched all this sitting back with arms folded and finally arbitrarily decided to intervene 2,000 years ago by sending his son in human flesh to a corner of the earth so obscure and at a time so backward that it has taken his message of redemption so long to make its way around the earth that millions still remain ignorant of it today. Doesn't sound like a caring God to me let alone one intelligent enough to create the earth we live in."

Here's another one:

"You expect me to believe that I am born a sinner damned and headed for eternal punishment and there's nothing I could ever have done to prevent it? That I now live my life under the wrath of God who sent his son to die for my sins - divine child abuse - without ever consulting me and the only way out of my dilemma is to submit to this terrestrial dictator, a sort of big brother, who monitors my every deed, word and thought? I was never asked whether or not I wanted this, never consulted but was born under these conditions with no real choice in the matter? And now I should respond in thanks and praise for this 'great' salvation? Give me a break!"

And finally:

God gives a set of rules, ten to be exact, deliberately leaving out slavery, child abuse and genocide because in the chapters following he provides room for his followers to do all three; that all slaves who cannot buy their freedom will get a chance at release every 49 years and that all disobedient children are to be stoned to death and that his chosen nation is to embark on military expeditions taking lands which have been in the hands of other nations for generations and killing every living and breathing thing including mothers, children and babies. Is this morality? Is this benevolence? Then count me out.

When I listen to Christopher Hitchens I often remember the question, "does a fish know it's wet?" There is so much merit (humanly speaking) or perhaps more appropriately, reasonableness, in his queries. In other words you can kind of understand why he would think what he thought. If you think about it, we as Christians don't see these issues because we have become so familiar with these things that their absurdity doesn't jump out at us. It's always good to see things through 'neutral' eyes and even eyes with an opposite bias because it opens our eyes to those things which are unusual about our beliefs and our faith and our God and forces us to wrestle with them, ask hard questions and search for answers. God does not call us to a blind faith. Sure at some point we must switch from the logic gear and get into the faith gear but until that point, God does invite us to explore these things and think through them.

So then, how do you deal with such an individual? I'll try and answer this question in part two!

To be continued...

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Not-so-grand thing No. 2: Wealth

Click here to read Not-so-grand thing No. 1: Patriotism

Let's be honest, wealth is great, I mean, look at that face! It's great to fly in private jets, buy expensive homes with expensive cars parked outside, stay in the best hotels, buy expensive things and so on. Who wouldn't sign up for such a life? I certainly would. Our world makes much of wealth. The reality shows all have people competing for large sums of money and we all envy the people who get a chance to win the cash prize. The media certainly doesn't spare us. The most wealthy people in the world are put on billboards, talk shows, magazines and the Internet and we all think that once we have money, we won't need much else. Money does solve a lot of problems, that's for sure. You can get the best education, medical care, food, security, vacations, e.t.c., when you're wealthy. However, wealth is not as grand as it is made out to be. Believe it or not, there are times when the wealthy wish they were 'normal'.

The wealthy struggle with many things that the not so wealthy do not have to contend with. The wealthy have trouble finding genuine friends. No man is an island. Even the most extreme of introverts needs friends, someone to share struggles, hopes and dreams with, someone to be there during difficult and challenging times. The dilemma the wealthy find themselves in is how are they to differentiate between people who have genuine interest in them and people who merely want their wealth? Sure, they can pile their money into heaps and roll in them but a pile of money cannot be your companion, you need someone to talk to and someone to speak to you. Because of this, many people who are wealthy struggle with loneliness and even end up fighting depression because of it.

Another natural problem with being wealthy is worry. Most people spend their entire life stressing and worrying. The first half of their lives are spent struggling with ulcers because of the stress involved in trying to get rich and the last half of their lives, again, struggling with ulcers only this time worrying about how to secure the wealth they spent the first half of their lives stressing to gain. Not that great a life, is it? If you put your money in the bank, the bank might go bankrupt, if you invest in real estate you'll need to consider natural disasters, if you invest in the stock market, it might crush, if you put your money in bags and store it in your house, the rodents might get it. And so wherever you turn, there are risks to contend with. The wise thing to do is probably spread all the money around, put your eggs in different baskets as it were. However, that will certainly cause you stress. It's a lot easier to carry eggs in one basket than in several. And then, of course, there are thieves and crooks everywhere who will try to rob you both at night and in broad daylight. In the end, the money that should have relieved you, is now the cause of your high blood pressure. Always looking over your shoulder and trying to be a step ahead could very well be an occupation in and of itself!

There are many other things that make wealth not so grand, perhaps one more. Many wealthy people die miserable. Wealth has a way of making you feel invincible. Since it solves 90% of the problems that the average human being on earth has to grapple with, the wealthy often begin to think that nothing can really bring them down. And then they get an incurable disease or age begins to catch up with them and it soon begins to dawn on them that all the money in the world cannot beat that final enemy we must all face: death. Life is short and not many wealthy people will feel they enjoyed their wealth enough, by the time their time is up and so they try all sorts of things to prolong their life. They spare no expense, paying for the best medical and health care. But death respects no man. Doesn't matter if your a prince or pauper, when you time is up, your time is up. In the end most wealthy people die miserable, failing to come to terms with the fact that their time was up. Jesus told a story about this, a farmer who had a great harvest. In fact, the story is often titled, "The Rich Fool". He begun to make plans for the future when death came knocking on his door.

So, do you still want to become stinking rich? Be my guest. But as they say, "Careful what you wish for".

And [Jesus] told them this [story]: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."' "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' "This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God."
¬Luke 12:16-21

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5 Grand Things That Aren't Grand At All (Part 1)

The year is 1914. The month, July. Yes, exactly 100 years ago. Austria-Hungary, now Czech Republic, attacks Serbia resulting in something of a domino effect; Russia retaliates, being allies of Serbia. Germany in turn invades France and are given an ultimatum by Britain to retreat which, of course, they do not. Several other countries join in the fracas due to alliances, such as Britain had to France, formed in preceding years. By 1917, the USA also join in. A war which most thought would last a mere few months at most, goes on for almost 4 and a half years. Then known as the Great War, today we call it "World War One".

It grew into a war involving 32 countries. Casualties numbered under 40 million.

Listening to the story of this war and reading about it has reminded me of one particular thing that is made much of and treasured but isn't really all that it's cracked up to be. In fact, there are several such things. For this particular piece of writing, I talk a little bit about the first.

Not-So-Grand Thing No. 1: Patriotism

It's interesting that when WWI begun, there was a real sense of enthusiasm from men in their respective countries. In Britain for instance, men were running over each other to sign up to fight in the war. When Britain gave Germany an ultimatum to retreat from France before 11pm that night, Britons lined the streets chanting slogans and marching patriotically. In the office of the Prime Minister however, you could hear a pin drop as the PM himself, his wife and several cabinet ministers sat hoping to get word of retreat from Germany. At around 11pm, the PM's wife gets up to go to bed asking her husband, in effect, "Is time up?" He replies in the affirmative. The war was on. It only took the first publication in the papers of names of soldiers who had died in the war (as was the custom to do) that first week to turn that patriotic mood and buzz of the people somber and pensive. It was then that they finally realized what their leaders understood that night in the PM's office as they hoped for word of retreat from Germany. That there was nothing grand about what was going on. It would be horrendous.

Patriotism appears grand and honourable. Our blood boils to hear insults hurled or demeaning words spoken against our land and people. Our hearts just as readily leap when representatives of our nations at world wide athletics games and sporting competitions win and our national flags are raised and anthems played. There is a sense in which we love our land and country which is all well and good, but is patriotism all that it's cracked up to be? I do not think so. Sure, we have a responsibility to our land and people and we should take pride but does the fanatic-like tendencies that accompany patriotism really bring real returns? Men have given so much for their countries in the past but if they were to live in their countries today for only a week, I suspect they would weep at best and perhaps regret their sacrifices for their countries at worst, to see what has become of them. The ideologies to which they espoused aren't embraced anymore, they would find. In fact, for many they would find ideologies they despised obtaining. The evils that go on, the corruption, narrow mindedness, immorality and selfishness, even of those in leadership would likely have their stomachs turning in disgust asking, "Is this what I worked so hard and gave so much for?" Lord knows, they probably "turn in their graves" as they say.

Loving our people and land surely has its place but patriotism sure isn't as grand as it is made out to be. Just ask those patriotic young men who ran towards WWI like a child runs towards candy, how grand it is. They'll be sure to tell you, that while it has it's place, it isn't grand at all.

"I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me, and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity." ~Ecclesiastes 2.18-19.

Click here to view Not-so-grand thing No. 2: Wealth

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Courtship No. 6 -Friendship

In essence a courtship relationship is a friendship. Two people come together to know each other better. As they interact and by the grace of God it becomes clear whether they are compatible enough to enter the permanent relationship of marriage.


Why is friendship important? Well that one is fairly simple. Feelings change. If you're married for 30 years you will not likely be head over heels in love with your spouse for all 365 days by 30 of your marriage. There will be days when you aren't just feeling it. That's human. However, if that is the only thing that brings you together you will be in trouble. If on the other hand there is a real friendship going on, a blast is guaranteed.


Building Friendship

Friendship is built by spending time together. As you relate with someone your knowledge of a the person grows. In order for this to happen however, you need to have things in common. I've always thought it ideal that men and women who end up courting and eventually marrying must meet in the particular places where they serve God. I have since discovered that this is not always the case on the ground, in fact it appears rather rare. But if that was the case, already the couple is guaranteed that they will have certain things in common on which their friendship can thrive.

A couple must find common interests and spend time enjoying them together. Interests are diverse, from animals, plants, birds, poetry, writing, music, art, acting, cooking, sport and so on. Granted, there must be a willingness by each party to take interest in things that interest the other person even if they may not interest them particularly. There are examples of couples where before they were together, one had no interest in something what so ever but because of the other, interest was developed and sustained. However, if there is nothing of common interest that you both love, friendship will be tough to build.

Back to the area of serving God in the same place. It is a fact that the quality of relationship that a couple who serve together in the same areas will be better than the couple that serve in different areas. The former will have a particular dimension to their relationship that the latter will not. A pastor once testified of the blessing of a couple in one of his pastorates. The wife was exceptional with children but she left that area of ministry to join her husband in the media ministry and they served faithfully together there. Again whatever you think of her decision (some would say she neglected her gift), her relationship with her husband had a certain dimension to it that otherwise would not be there. They had something in common.

If there is really no common areas of interest,  you may not be compatible.

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Courtship No.5 -Love

What is the opposite of love? Self. If you love someone then you are concerned about that person more than you are concerned about yourself. The greatest lover therefore, would be the person who is the most selfless in his or her relationship.


When I was in my teens, I knew that most of the relationships my peers where involved in were mere games. I knew that the boyfriends and girlfriends my peers had at school and even at church would not end up being their husbands or wives. Those relationships weren't going anywhere.

Don't get me wrong, I liked girls and was tempted to get a girlfriend for myself. My ability to perceive the futility of the relationships my peers ventured into wasn't what stopped me from looking for a girlfriend. Lets just say I was spared from getting into those premature relationships. I was shocked, however, to discover that the guys would actually tell the girls that they loved them when they proposed! That, for me was astounding. If I ever got myself a girlfriend then, there was no way the words, "I love you" would escape my lips. "Like" perhaps, not love! It was absolutely inconceivable for me. "Love is what my parents have after 15+ years of marriage," I would tell my friends, there was no way I was going to claim that what the men I saw around had for their wives was what I had for some girl I liked. The word love was quite weighty for me.

I think I was on to something. Love is a weighty thing. "For God so loved the world, that he gave us His one and only begotten Son..." That's what love is. That's what love does. What does this have to do with courtship?

Well, two people can spend years together in courtship but will never really know each other as well as when they are married. When they spend day in and day out together. However, courtship does provide a platform for two people two know each other quite well, especially if both parties are real when they relate. This weighty thing called love, such as the one that God offered mankind is necessary in courtship. Two sinners different on many fronts, will need God's kind of love to survive together. Love is necessary to bear with each other's shortcomings. Love is needed to survive differences in opinions, priorities, interests, worldviews, likes and dislikes etc. Pray that God would grant you the grace needed to love your mate in spite of all the differences. Without him, your courtship is doomed. You maybe wondering how do non-Christian courtships and marriages survive. The grace of God. They may not ask for it or even want it, but without it, survival would impossible. Thank God that he doesn't wait for us to ask.

Let me conclude with a story. You see, this love will serve you well in marriage. I watched a live performance by an established Christian musician from way back in the 80s. He was married and had a young daughter then. Before he sang, he narrated how devastated he was to hear that his parents were getting divorced after some 25-30 odd years in marriage. It made him question his understanding of love and marriage. "What was to stop that from happening to my marriage 20-30 odd years down the line?" He asked. He went on to explain that if love was a mere emotion then marriage would never work. But if love is a deliberate commitment, there is hope because feelings change but commitment is up to us and by God's grace we can stay committed. "I don't necessarily feel like being married to my wife and being the father of a screaming baby every morning I get up," He said, "but I am committed to being a loving husband and a loving father." That is love.

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Courtship No. 4 -Spirituality

Hopefully one of the things you saw in your mate that attracted you to them, was their love and service for and to God. A courtship that seeks to glorify God will have a strong spiritual base. The ways of achieving this are diverse. There are hundreds of spiritual activities you can do together if you both put your thinking caps on. Here are a few:

Books
This is perhaps the most recent activity from my relationship. To encourage our reading of good Christian literature, we have agree to get each other two books of each ones choice, which the other must read, a year. If reading isn't your thing, two books a year is really manageable.

Prayer
One good idea is to have a prayer calendar for the month or week that you both follow so that everyday, you pray for the same things and people. You can also share prayer requests every week or day or month.

Sharing Devotions
Careful, this one may expose your inconsistency in personal devotions. Its a good way of keeping each other consistent in devotions. If your mate is always sending you devotions, you soon feel challenged that you haven't been sending yours.

Ministry
It is lovely to work together in the same ministry with your mate. Its a great way to be together and yet work for the Lord. Your prayers for your endeavors for God are then similar. You share the same heart and burdens for your spheres of ministry etc. I recall listening to a sermon where a pastor spoke of a couple his former church. The lady was exceptional at teaching children but stopped to join her husband in his area of the media ministry where they served together in the church faithfully. Whatever you think of the lady's decision, I'm sure it added a certain dimension to their relationship that you don't find in couples who don't serve together in the same ministries.

Sharing Sunday Lesson
Another good one is sharing what you learn from the preaching of God's word in church every week.

If coming up with these things seems difficult, you can approach older couples, married or otherwise and hear what activities they engaged in together.

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Courtship No. 3 -Drawing Lines

One of the best things you can do, preferably right at the beginning of a relationship is draw clear lines so that nothing is blurred. It must be clear in both your minds what you can and cannot do. It must also be clear what things, while not necessarily sinful, make either of you uncomfortable.



Physical Boundaries

It is a given that people in courtship cannot do everything married people do. The two relationships differ. It is important for a couple to discuss what, with the guidance of scripture, they can and cannot do. After that is settled, they can discuss things that while they do not go against scripture, would still make them uncomfortable.


This is important because first of all, it prevents either mate making the other uncomfortable or put off by an action that either is not biblical or offensive. If everything is clear, this problem is not likely to occur. The other reason is that as a relationship progresses, familiarity increases with it. It therefore becomes easier do certain things and to cross boundaries that you would have found uncomfortable or even unthinkable in the beginning. Discussing physical boundaries, prevents this.


Granted, certain cultures are more liberal than others. My culture is certainly on the conservative side. I recall being told that someone found it stumbling that I held hands with my girlfriend. However, even in a liberal culture, certain things are limited to the marriage relationship, the obvious one being sex.




The Parent Rule

Its hard to say definitely what can and cannot be done though certain principles can be followed. The first being of course that what is forbidden in scripture must not be done. And secondly, what makes you uncomfortable must also be avoided.


Other than those two, personally, I let myself be governed by a simple rule. I will not do anything to or with my girlfriend that I wouldn't do in front of her parents. I think that rule is very good because it brings honour and respect to her parents. It takes a level of trust to allow ones daughter to start seeing a young man. The young man must be careful not to betray that trust even if something is OK or maybe even desired by the girl. This rule eliminates the cultural factor. Your liberties with your girlfriend or boyfriend are then dictated by the parents.

What if the parents don't mind or even encourage something that makes you uncomfortable or is not biblical? Well, the bible must be ones final authority. And if something is not forbidden yet still makes you uncomfortable, it must certainly be avoided. It is better to error towards the conservative extreme than the liberal. It is better to say, "We missed out on doing this," than, "We regret that we did that."

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Courtship No.2 -Foundational Truths

Foundational truths are like instructions for a product just purchased at the time when you are ready to open the packaging and dig in—they are a chore, but they save you a lot of time, heart ache and increase the pleasure that would otherwise have been reduced or altogether absent had they been ignored.

About God

Two things must be grasped about God. God must be the center. God is God. First of all God must be the center of a relationship. He must be put first and it must show in the relationship's priorities, activities, interactions etc. Secondly, God is God. God can make wrongs right, He can bring happiness and  joy where there is sadness and pain. Nothing is impossible with Him. Amos 4:13~For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!


About Man

Man is sinful and imperfect. This implies that any two humans who have any kind of interaction will rub each other the wrong way and cause pain and hurt. There will be pride, there will be selfishness, revenge, anger and so on. What about if both the gentleman and lady are Christians," you may ask. It doesn't matter. Its important to understand this. It will help you understand why you do the most stupid things to your mate and why your mate does unreasonable things of their own. It will help you understand that left to yourself, you would ruin everything. You need God. Romans 3:23~For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.


About Marriage

When I proposed my girlfriend I gave her time to give me an answer. Actually, I began hinting that I wouldn't survive a long wait about three days later. She came a few days later and we sat down. "Before I give you an answer," She began, "If I said yes, where would this relationship be going?" Too many ladies accept to enter into directionless relationships. The goal of courtship must be marriage. If you aren't working towards marriage, end it. You have no business being in the relationship. Genesis 2:24~Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.


About Love

In courtship, your commitment is to love your mate. That is not the warm, fuzzy feeling in the cockles of ones heart towards a mate but rather a commitment. When one is rude, love responds kindly, when one is sad, love responds in sympathy, when one is wrong, love rebukes, when one is glad, love rejoices along, when one needs to talk, love listens, when one needs silence, love sits quietly beside. Love never leaves, forsakes, or disappoints. To love therefore is one of the most difficult tasks on earth. And that is your commitment to your mate. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7~Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.


About Courtship

Courtship helps the two people involved to determine whether the attraction that they felt from afar can work up close and personal. This is achieved by building a bond, familiarization and interaction. It is not marriage. Unlike marriage it can be terminated. While this can be painful, the pain is bliss compared to what the result would be if the relationship culminated into marriage. Matthew 1:18-19~Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.

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Courtship No. 1 -Finding A Mate

The 5 P's of Finding a Mate.

1. Parental Guidance: Parents are a blessing from God although half the time, one is inclined to think they are quite the opposite. A parent is the best person to ask whether or not you are ready to get into a relationship. Parents are the best source of advice for determining whether or not the person you are eyeing is worthwhile. However, no 'P' is as neglected in the process of finding a mate more than parents. This is unfortunate. Parents are a resource whose wisdom and wealth of knowledge can be unnecessarily costly if not utilized. Granted, not everyone has biological parents who can give them good spiritual guidance in this process but spiritual parents are always available. One simply needs to look for a couple, or older man or woman, in the local church, who they trust and respect and build a relationship with them and ask them for counsel when the time to choose a mate comes along.

~Proverbs 13:10, By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom.


2. Prayer: One of my recently favourite songs goes:

Here I am, calling out Father
Can you hear me? I want to hear you
I don't want go without you
Here I am can you speak a little louder
So I can hear you, I want to hear you
I don't want to move without you

This must be the attitude of one finding a mate. "I will not make a move until I hear you, so speak to me." One of the major differences between a Christian and a non-Christian is that the Christian puts the Lord's will above his/her own. Life is no longer about me and what I want but the Lord and what He wants. Prayer must not only be for guidance in choosing a mate but may also be for grace to handle the pressure and anxiety that may be building. For grace to keep feelings for someone at bay until God's leading is clear. For grace to handle the lingering emotions and fears from a previous unsuccessful courtship. And for grace to wait upon the Lord.

~Philippians 4:6-7, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

3. Patience: I haven't lived on earth very long, but I have lived long enough to have seen the damaging effects a lack of patience in this area can bring. Impatience causes us to move before the time is right, to ignore or neglect to seek counsel and settle for someone God has not intended to be our life long mate resulting in painful breakups and the like. Many ladies make the mistake of accepting a proposal because it's from the last available decent fellow. Many men rush for ladies because if they don't, the other guys will rush in and "shes bound to end up with one of them". Which God do you serve? It must be one with a small 'g'. For as long as Yahweh is on the throne, you needn't worry. All will be well if you trust and obey. It isn't easy but it is essential to wait. After all, those who wait upon the Lord...

~Psalm 37:7-9, Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.


4. Purity: Another neglected area is that of purity. In our world, you are backward if you are in your late teens or older and still a virgin. In the church, that matter is settled and clear. However, the problem is often in the mind. It is important to treat young men as brothers and young ladies as sisters, the bible says. This is easier said than done, especially inwardly. Be on your guard and fight any impurity of thought and deed. Relationships bring people of the opposite sex closer together and an unbridled mind will struggle. It is better to enter into the relationship with the battle of the mind already won. We tend to think this applies only to men, but even women can be prone to unwholesome fantasies.

~Colossians 3:5, Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.


5. Priorities: Keep the main thing, the main thing. All too often one can find himself/herself consumed and preoccupied by their desire to find a mate. They find themselves always thinking about it, always looking around, always abreast of news pertaining to the latest singles around or the latest relationships to spring up etc. The main thing is the Lord. Glorifying Him. That must be priority number one. Would it be too much to ask of the Lord, that singles out there would be busy in His church, serving Him? That they would be the ones in the forefront of the ministries and meetings and events working tirelessly for the Lord? I don't think so. After all it is in His service that they find the most compatible mates, those who like them are working hard for the Lord.

~Matthew 6:33, But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

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Courtship Series

I have decided to embark on a series of 10 articles on courtship- one every fortnight. After a year of being in courtship myself, I feel that I am now an authority on the matter. No, I'm kidding. My year with my one and only, has been a learning experience and the learning continues. The articles on the subject are my own thoughts and various things I have gleaned from our courtship counseling sessions and our relationship. Hopefully, it will not only be a set of penned thoughts on the matter but may be useful to some, some day.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the readers of my blog. My mother has become my most publicly ardent reader, thanks Mom. Thanks to my dad for putting me up on his blog and increasing my readership by at least 90%! Thank you to those who from time to time, send me a note of encouragement, share what I write and put up links to my blog. Thank you, thank you, thank you, it means a lot. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

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Thomas Spurgeon (Part 3)

Thomas Spurgeon (Part 1)

Thomas Spurgeon (Part 2)

Thomas' biographer says:

In one respect Thomas Spurgeon the Twin resembled Jacob the Twin—he served two periods of seven years for his reward. In all else he was an Israel, having power with God and with man. His experience in London was very similar to his experience in Auckland—he built a tabernacle and, in a comparatively short time, found his health unequal to the task the Church involved, and was compelled at length to resign it. The great personal event in his Auckland ministry was his Marriage, in his London ministry his Jubilee.

Indeed, due to poor health Thomas resigned his pastorate in Auckland, New Zealand in June of 1889. The church was obviously disappointed to see him go but knew it was necessary. Thomas lingered in New Zealand and was involved in 'missions' where in particular locations evangelistic meetings would be held. He did this for 18 months. In those endeavors 776 conversions where recorded. Several churches invited him to pastor including his former Auckland church from which he resigned. He declined them all. Australia soon beckoned for him to get involved in the missions there but this was eliminated as a possibility due to the events soon to follow back home.

In 1892 on the first of February Thomas' father, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, died and this only a few months after the birth of a son Thomas Harold Spurgeon. By June, Thomas and his family where in England. A Dr. Pierson who offered CHS his services to preach while he was ill continued on after Spurgeons death. After a year, he had to leave and the church invited him to come back. Thomas Spurgeon stepped in the gap while he was away.

His preaching warmed the hearts of the people. The authentic Spurgeon note could not be missed. On October 9, he preached his farewell sermon and on the 14th set sail for Australia. About four hundred people saw him off. Thomas stated that any invitation to him would have to be a probation of atleast 12 months in view him taking over as pastor, none negotiable. This was a rather bold position to take but it paid off. In March of 1893 after a period of debate and discussion two thirds voted to take Thomas Spurgeon on for 12 months of probation. Thomas left his family in New Zealand and headed back to England to begin the probation. At no point during the probation did he send for his family, which he could have. This gesture won him the respect of many. It showed that he did not want to give the impression that the case was closed and he would be confirmed as pastor even if at the expense of time away from his beloved family. Much to his own credit, the allocated probation period did not even elapse. 8 months into his probation, another meeting was called where Thomas, without further ado, was elected to succeed his father as pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle. This he revealed, when asked for a few words, to be his father's wish. "When I die," CHS said, "I'm sure they'll call Tom." In his address to the congragation he read a letter from his father quoting him to say, "Get very strong, and when I am older and feebler be ready to take my place."

Thomas went on to pastor the church for 14 years in which time the Tabernacle was infamously burnt down due to negligence rather than spite as was first believed. Thus he built two Tabernacles in his life time. His wedding was the most significant event in New Zealand and his 50th birthday (jubilee) in England.

Thomas Spurgeon at 50 with his wife Lila Rutherford SpurgeonUB

Due to illness, he tendered his resignation in 1907, which the church reluctantly accepted. He devoted his last 10 years after his pastorate to overseeing the three auxillary wings of the church as president: The Theological College, Orphanage and Colportage Association. He also spent alot of time travelling and turned back to his first love -art .

He arguably did more painting in his last days than the rest of his life combined holding three exhibitions where 80 paintings were exhibited in the first, 100 in the second and 124 in the last totaling just over 300 paintings. The last exhibition of 124 paintings being only a year before he died. All proceeds went to the Orphanage. He also spent his after-tabernacle-years in literally works.

In his last years, his health deteriorated and on October 20th, 1917, he complained of a sharp pain between his eyes, lapsed into a coma and died. The direct cause of death being a burst artery in the brain.

______________________

Thomas Spurgeon became known in his day, not as he is known today-the son of the great prince of preachers, but rather for his own merits. As I read his biography, I began to see him clearly. Both the description of himself and what he did brought him into clear light from the shadow of his father as no doubt was the case for those in whose time he lived. He developed his own identity not by trying or deliberate effort but as a result of his evident love for God and his church. He lived a full life and died having fought the good fight, run the race and kept the faith.

Note: To download his biography, click here.

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Thomas Spurgeon (Part 2)

Thomas Spurgeon (Part 1)

Thomas Spurgeon (Part 3)

In part 1, Thomas Spurgeon, son of the great Charles Haddon Spurgeon heads back out to Australia, after a year at home much to the disappointment of his father. His father was eager to have him trained and groomed as both his 'side kick' and eventual successor but clearly the Lord had other plans-for the time being at least. CHS didn't know that his son's time in Australia would be formative for him and would prepare him to be successor.

Thus due to ill health Thomas headed out to Australia. It is worth noting that Thomas would send lengthy letters home on his voyages, one being over 150 pages! On one occasion he included table of contents to make it easier for his parents to find what interested them.

In December of 1878 he arrived at his destination. He spent most of his time preaching and still drew crowds. A year later, 1881, he found himself in New Zealand preaching at Hanover Street Church where there was no pastor. He was hosted by the Rutherfords for a few months who he had known in Australia on his first voyage. He grew very close to them on his first trip and eventually wed their daughter, Lila Rutherford, at the very church -Hanover. In November at age 25, he accepted temporarily the invitation to pastor Auckland Baptist Church. In a letter to a friend he said:

"...I have accepted the Pastorate here at least for a time, and mention this as an extra reason why you should visit N.Z. I feel sure the Lord would have me stop here for a while, nor should I be surprised if I remain for good. It depends on three things. (1) If my health holds good. (2) If the Lord blesses the word. (3) If my parents offer no decided objection."

The following month, his father's reply arrived:

"Mine own Dear Son,

How your whole conduct delights me, you are quite able to judge for yourself, and yet you defer to your parents in all things. May your days, according to the promise, be long in the land. I think the case is clear enough that you ought to settle, for a time at least, in Auckland, but still you see, we know but little of the facts and so I preferred to leave you to your own judgment. I know what that judgment will be. I believe the work before you will arouse all your energies—which is good; but I hope it will not tax them—which would be mischievous. It is a sphere worthy of you, and yet its excellence lies rather in what it may be than in what it is. All things considered, it is full of promise..."

CHS' counsel was ironic since exhaustion was a contributing factor to his relatively early death at 58.
The church soon came alive with their new pastor, and the numbers grew exponentially. Thomas reported in a letter to a colleague in February that they were experiencing the largest numbers ever 547 in the morning and 600 in the evening on one particular Sunday. By the middle of the year, similar tidings were still being reported: 19 baptisms, 16 new members, overflowing congregations, "larger congregations than ever", etc.

As for how his preaching developed over the Auckland years, The Chicago Standard of August 25th 1887 reported, speaking of Thomas Spurgeon:

"He is quite tall, rather spare, sharp-visaged and spiritually intellectual, a plain, unaffected, strong preacher, often, when deep in his subject, much like his father in manner and style. There is that same deep earnestness, that same yearning of soul, that same sweetness of spirit, that same simplicity and devoutness of manner which captivates and captures his hearers, and that same boldness of utterance which commands the respect of all."

By March of 1882, 6 months into his pastorate, having already shifted venues upon his arrival to Chorall Hall, it was decided that a building project should be undertaken. It was later determined that Mr. Spurgeon travel to England to get financial aid from brethren there, he left for England in May of 1884.

Arriving back at his father's church to a hero's welcome, one guest said that there was only one name in Australia and New Zealand which was heard as much as his father's, his own. Thomas went on to spend 5 months in England most of which were spent preaching and lecturing on behalf of his church back in Auckland. He occupied his father's pulpit several times during his time back home.

Having raised £2500, on December 12th 1884, he set sail for New Zealand, his father bidding him never to return saying he would not bare to part with his son again. He never saw his father again.

At Adelaide he wasted no time in wiring a rather cleverly crafted telegraph to his church in Auckland that made a fair circulation in the New Zealand papers due to the wit it exhibited. The cable ran, "Romans first eight twelve Second Corinthians first eleven". The church received it and read out the two passages to the congregation:

"First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers : making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come to you. For I long to see you. that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end that ye may be established; that is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf."

Tuesday, May 12th 1885 was the day of the opening service of the constructed Auckland Tabernacle which still stands today in Auckland, New Zealand. The total cost of the building that accommodates at least 1200 people and was designed after his father's church, the Metropolitan Tabernacle back in England, was £14, 628. It opened debt free. A week after opening, 1700 persons attended the evening service. Such were the numbers. The next few years saw incredibly vibrant church life which the Lord blessed with fruit.

In 1886, Mr Spurgeon and Miss Rutherford were engaged and married two years later in February of 1888. Like the senior Spurgeon's wedding, the junior Spurgeon's wedding chapel was full to capacity with many more people outside. The church purchased, as a wedding gift for their pastor, a writing table. A replica of the one the people of New Zealand gave the Pope. On Christmas day of the same year Daisy Spurgeon was born but died three months later. Mr Spurgeon later said that he owned no land in New Zealand except a small plot in the Auckland cemetery on which a simple stone had the inscription-

Daisy Spurgeon

Aged 3 Months

________

"Even so, Father..."

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Thomas Spurgeon (Part 1)

Thomas Spurgeon (Part 2)

Thomas Spurgeon (Part 3)

Thomas Spurgeon is not given nearly as much credit as he deserves. Apart from being know as the son and successor of his father Charles Haddon Spurgeon, he remains unknown and yet he achieved great things for God and was a great man, preacher and pastor.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, his father, is known as the prince of preachers, ranked second only to Jesus. If you do not know who CHS is, you are missing out on an entire chunk of Christian non-biblical history and a wealth of Christian knowledge.

Thomas and his older twin brother Charles were born on September 20th, 1856. His father, who died two years shy of his own 60th birthday, was aged 22 at the time. Thomas' biographer after taking an entire two chapters just describing who his father, Charles Haddon Spurgeon was, says:

...This is the name that Thomas Spurgeon and his brother Charles bore. It was an inestimable privilege, but it was even more a severe handicap. With such a heritage life was almost certain to assume a bias. He was almost certainly destined to be a preacher, and when he became a preacher was sure to be compared, and compared unfavourably, with his father. It was as difficult for him to grow up naturally as for an heiress to discover whether she is loved for herself or only sought for her money.

When asked who was the better behaved of the two, Spurgeon replied, "Charlie is the best boy when Tom is not with him, and Tom is best when Charlie is away." That's CHS for you!

The Spurgeon Sons: Twenty-One Yearly Pictures (Click Image to Expand)

Thomas remembered in one of his sermons how he earned sixpence for sitting still for 15 minutes from his father. He says, he had never worked so hard for so little before or after. He was clearly a handful to have to be enticed to sit still using money!


The biographer mentions of Thomas' childhood that on Sunday evenings, the boys would gather around their mother, Susannah Thompson Spurgeon, and she'd speak to them about life and they'd sing hymns with her while she played the piano. Every Sunday evening they'd sing "There is a fountain filled with blood". Thomas recalls:

...When she came to the chorus she used to say, 'Dear boys of mine, I have no reason to suppose that you are yet trusting Christ; you will, I hope, in answer to our constant prayers, but till you definitely do you must not say or sing, "I do believe, I will believe, that Jesus died for me." It is just as wrong to sing a lie as to tell one.' Then she used to sing it by herself.

He goes onto say:

...I remember well the bright morning when as we came to the breakfast table, I climbed upon her seat and put my arms round dear mother's neck—I like to have them there still—and I said to her, 'Dear mother, I really think I do love Jesus.' Thank God, she took me at my word, and said to me, ' I am so glad to hear it, I believe you do.' Then I wanted Sunday night to come that I might be able to sing my loudest in the chorus.

His brother and he were mostly educated by particular individuals while they were children, later they went off to school where Thomas excelled in art particularly. When the time came to go to college both boys were strangely kept from further studies there which was surprising in view of the emphasis the Spurgeons put on education. However, the biographer speculates that this was cause of the desire both parents had for the boys to become pastors. Charles pursued a career as a merchant and Thomas as an artist.


At 18, they were both baptized and joined the church. Their first preaching efforts appear to be near their home when a neighbour began a small gathering where the gospel was preached in his home. Both boys began preaching there and before long the home was too small no doubt because of the name 'Spurgeon'. That work led to Northcote Road Baptist Church.

Thomas struggled with his health, his frailty most likely attributed to his mother, which led him to resign from two pastorates he took later in life.

The next significant spell of his life was his time in Australia. Poor health led the parents to send him off for a spell to Australia where it was hoped a change of air would do him good. Little did they know that their boy would go on to pastor and grow arguably the largest church in that part of the world although not on that voyage. On the extended voyage Thomas' love for the gospel and for Jesus cannot be missed in his letters to his parents. Every Sunday on the voyage he preached to those on board much to his own delight that the souls there would get to hear the gospel of Christ. He earnestly wished that some would be saved.

His father's reputation preceded him and he spent a lot of his time preaching though he continued his pursuit of a career in art. The tabloids were mostly critical of him saying he was not as good as his father. However, the people flocked to hear him, all wanting to hear something of the greater Spurgeon from the lesser.

After about a year, he sailed back on news that his mother was gravely ill. He arrived in October and in November when his father suddenly fell ill on a Sunday morning, he was asked to preach for him. He ended up preaching five times, two Sundays both services and one service on the third. His brother Charles took the other service.

In December, he joined his father on his trip to France where his father's favourite resting place was, namely, Mentone. They returned home in April the next year where Thomas joined his brother at the theological college of the church where their father lectured. He showed much aptitude for his studies and excelled.

A year later, however, due to ill health he sailed off, again, for Australia. I will end my first of three parts here. His departure hit his father quite hard. He looked forward to having his beloved Tom by his side in the ministry and his hopes were shattered. But this was all for the best as Thomas entered the most fruitful period of his life and ministry yet much to the benefit of the body of Christ in new Zealand. He went on to pastor Auckland Baptist Church (now Auckland Tabernacle) and it became the largest church in New Zealand and this was achieved so early that he still had enough years to return home and succeed his father for 14 years!

Spurgeon spent only two entire nights in prayer in his life, the second being when his son Thomas left. Yet the attitude of his heart was revealed in the message he preached that Sunday, based on Hannah who had given up her own boy, Samuel. "Brethren and sisters," he said, "This is one of the hardest lessons: to learn to give up what we prize most at the command of God and to do so cheerfully."

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Psalm 52 (Part 3- An Answer & 'Holy Doegs')

Read Psalm 52 (Part 1- The Introduction)

Read Psalm 52 (Part 2- The Puzzle)

Who is David referring to in the opening verse of Psalm 52? David says that this man is a hero or mighty man who boasts of evil, whose tongue plots destruction, who is deceitful, loving evil more than good, lying more than truth and loves words that devour. David wrote this Psalm after the unfortunate incident recorded in 1 Samuel 21 & 22.

In my opinion, the best way of approaching this Psalm, as it relates to the story that inspired it, is to work from the Psalm backwards to the story. So then, what is this Psalm about?

May I propose that this Psalm is about where one puts his/her trust and hope. To put it another way, it is about which basket one puts all his/her eggs. It is about what in our lives is our pillar and our hope and even our boast.

Where am I getting this from? Well, notice that the end of verse one "the steadfast love of God endures all the day" doesn't fit in well with the rest of the section (Verses 1-4). It almost stands alone, unrelated to what is being said, notice:

1Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?
The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
2Your tongue plots destruction,
like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
3You love evil more than good,
and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
4You love all words that devour,
O deceitful tongue.
~Psalm 52:1-4 (ESV)

In this phrase, however, lies the key to understanding the Psalm. The man described in this Psalm did something that was evil and wrong and yet was considered heroic and mighty. He boasted in this evil act and it defined him. This mighty act, the name and everything else that came as a result of it became his refuge. Thus David says in vs. 7 that the righteous will see this man when he is punished by God and say:

"See the man who did not make God his refuge,
but trusted in the abundance of his riches
and sought refuge in his own destruction!"

This man didn't trust in God but in what he had accomplished and that accomplishment became his refuge, his pillar if you will. It was the basket in which he put all his eggs.

David, on the other hand, who could have trusted and depended in and on the fame he garnered from his defeat of Goliath and the fact that he had been anointed King of Israel (things actually noble), did not make these things his refuge. He did not boast about them or put his trust in them, he did not depend on those things. He trusted, rather, in God's steadfast love:

"But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God
I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever..."
~Vs 8

This explains David's odd statement in the first verse. What David seems to be doing there is contrasting. Why boast of evil accomplishments when you can boast of God's steadfast love? Why boast and trust and seek refuge in accomplishments that are even evil when God's steadfast love (a much more appealing and rewarding thing) lasts forever and ever?

Having understood the heart of the Psalm, we can now infer that Doeg, having annihilated an entire town, boasted of it. Being the only man who was willing to carry out that daring instruction, Saul may have rewarded him materially and politically (interms of a promotion for he was merely Saul's head shepherd), thus the statement "...but trusted in the abundance of his riches..." in verse 7.

The town of Nob was a town for the priests and Doeg killed everyone of them except one who escaped. This would have made him famous at best and infamous at worst. His name was on everyone's lips and he did not hesitate to mention anywhere he went that he was the face behind that name. Being an Edomite and therefore an alien (The Edomites and Israelites weren't the best of pals) he would have found it easier to kill the priests and would have bragged about it to his fellow Edomites. Thus we see that Doeg had reason and motive to boast in his evil actions.

How do we reconcile the lying? Doeg knew that he would be endangering the life of Ahimelek the priest by revealing that he had helped David. One can tell because he brutally killed not only Ahimelek but the whole town of Nob. Surely if he was really trying to be a good servant of the King he would have killed Ahimelek only, why kill the entire town? There was obviously something else going on. He wanted Ahimelek to suffer and perhaps even the entire town of priests. He lied by making it look as though Ahimelek was conspiring with David. He deceived the King by appearing loyal to him when in actual fact he had a personal vendetta. Thus David calls him a liar and deceiver who loved devouring words.

What did Doeg have against the priests? It is not mentioned. It could have had something to do with his detainment (1 Sam 21:7). This is the most convincing for me, as he may have become bitter about being detained and taken it out on all the priests. Perhaps he harboured some resentment against the priests. It could have had something to do with the fact that he was an Edomite. We cannot be sure, but he certainly had a bone to chew with them!

We are like Doeg sometimes. Perhaps not in brutality but in our accomplishments and all that comes with them. They become our refuge, security, pillar and even our boast. While Doeg boasted and found refuge in an evil accomplishment, perhaps we find refuge and boast in noble accomplishments. For instance, a graduate can find security in the high grades or honours achieved and feel their furture is secure based on them. Or a woman can find security in marrying a good man when her friends have no one. Those pursuing their careers may find security and refuge in a good job recently acquired etc. Notice that David who could have boasted and taken refuge in things noble preferred rather, to boast and take refuge in the steadfast love of God.

Perhaps those most obvious example of this are men and women in the afternoon of their lives who have achieved great things. Especially professors who will leave no person who they meet 'unturned', letting them know what they have accomplished in their lives. I am reminded of one particular professor we greeted as 'Mr.' and he asked us not to take away his professorship because he did not receive it on a silver platter. "Call me Dr. or Prof.- I worked hard for it," he said. There is nothing wrong with that, unless it becomes our boast, refuge and security. We then become nothing but holy Doegs.

Let us therefore trust in the steadfast love of God which endures forever and ever. Let it become our refuge and boast and then like David, we will be like green olive trees in the house of the Lord!

Why do you boast of anything other than God's love? It is steadfast and endures all the day!

"The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms..." ~Duet 33:27.

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Psalm 52 (Part 2- The Puzzle)

Read Psalm 52 (Part 1- Introduction)

Psalm 52 was written after the tragic tale recorded in 1 Samuel 21 & 22. Part 1 of this series of posts narrates the story and is necessary in appreciating the Psalm. To read Part 1 click here.

Psalm 52 reads as follows (ESV):

To the choirmaster. A Maskil of David, when Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul, "David has come to the house of Ahimelech." 

1Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day. 2Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit. 3You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah

4You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue. 5But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah

6The righteous shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying, 7"See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!"

8But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. 9I will thank you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly.

The puzzle of this Psalm lies in the question, who do the negative opening statements of this Psalm refer to? Who is this mighty man who boasts of evil, plots destruction, works deceit and loves evil and lying? Who is David referring to who loves devouring words and has a deceitful tongue?

There are three schools of thought:

• Doeg?

Perhaps like me, you immediately thought Doeg the Edomite must be the man in question. Unfortunately though, Doeg doesn't quite fit the bill. That he was a 'mighty man' or 'hero' as some translations render the first verse, can be proved quite easily. It takes a mighty man to annihilate an entire town but on the other hand, Doeg spoke the truth. Something which should actually be commended. Saul asked where David was and Doeg spoke up and told the truth:

Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, "I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, and he inquired of the LORD for him and gave him provisions and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine." ~1 Samuel 22:9.

Clearly, cold blooded killers come in all shapes and sizes. This particular killer was inclined to truth. His king asked for the whereabouts of his enemy and Doeg did what was expected of him as a member of Saul's kingdom and more so as Saul's employee. Having seen this enemy of the king a little earlier, he spoke up.

Could it be that David in his Psalm calls Doeg, the only man who told the truth in the story, a liar and lover of deceit? If anybody should NOT be pointing fingers at liars it is David who lied in the account as recorded early in chapter 21 of 1 Samuel. He lied to the chief priest Ahimelek saying the king had sent him on a secret mission when in actual fact he was running away from the king and merely trying to save his own skin. Which leads me to the second school of thought.

• David?

Some say that David is actually referring to himself. I don't blame them. He is the only one who lied in this account. Was David a 'mighty man' or 'hero'? Most certainly! His acts were so heroic that people composed hit songs about him, "Saul has killed his thousands and David his ten thousands", they sang. In fact, it is because of his popularity that he was on the run from the king who thought his head would begin to grow along with his popularity and ideas would start creeping into the young warrior's head. Was David then calling himself a plotter of destruction, worker of deceit, lover of evil, etc.? Well, perhaps he was being a little hard on himself but who wouldn't after causing what David had caused, the annihilation of the entire town on Nob.

But this point of view is not consistent with the immediate text. It is doubtful that David 'boasted' in evil (vs. 1) but also, David goes on to contrast himself from the man he describes in the opening verses saying, towards the end of the Psalm:

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. ~vs. 8.

Its either David is the good guy or bad guy here. There is no middle ground. That the opening verses refer to David himself, would be tough to prove. Could David be referring to himself?

• Saul?

Finally, some have proposed, in a bid to solve this puzzle, that Saul was the man David was referring to. To those who think so I say, "Leave the poor man alone!" Saul is to be pitied, not accused.

Here is a man who was chosen to be the first king of the small but great and famous nation of Israel. He tried his best to please the Lord but God rejected him as king. He then turned into a paranoid fellow who slept very little being tormented by an evil spirit. Even David felt for this man. Even though he was on the run from him and the target of Saul's paranoia, he spared his life when he had a chance or two to take it. He tried his best to make things right with him. Is it poor Saul who David is referring to? Possible, but I doubt it. Saul was too busy trying to catch David, he had not time to go aound boasting of annihilating the town of Nob. Its David he wanted. Apart from that Saul, even though he was a 'mighty man' or 'hero' in his own right, is not recorded to have uttered a single lie in this entire account. Could David be referring to Saul?

• Conclusion

By now I think I have betrayed my position. I think Doeg is the guilty man. In my next post, I offer an explanation to the questions that arise if Doeg was to be the man referred to and draw a lesson or two.

Thanks for reading.

Read Psalm 52 (Part 3- An Answer & 'Holy Doegs')

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Psalm 52 (Part 1- The Introduction)

I find the Psalms abit puzzling. It seems that for most of them there is a central theme and yet, they tend to strike me as somewhat incoherent. I often wonder how each part of the given Psalm fits into the overall portrait the Psalmist is painting.

Psalm 52 is also puzzling except in a different way. Or maybe even in the same way.

David wrote Psalm 52 after an incident that is recorded in 1 Samuel 21 & 22.

David had just confirmed that his king and father-in-law, whose bodyguard he led, wanted him dead. Thus David hits the road. When he reached the town of Nob, hungry and tired, he needed to be refreshed. David went to Ahimelek the head priest. You'll notice from the text that Ahimelek is shaken to see this high ranking soldier walk into his abode unattended and unarmed. The man after God's own heart lies to Ahimelek telling him that he is about the king's business on a secret assignment. David then asks for food and weapons, he is given bread and the sword of Goliath.

If it wasn't for the presence of a man named Doeg, an Edomite and head of Saul's shepherds, at the temple, Psalm 52 would never be written. Doeg saw everything that happened. Infact, if Doeg wasn't there, an entire town would have been saved from the sword.

Later, Saul is in the town of Nob. He is looking for David and is both paranoid and cranky. He accuses everyone around him for being joint conspirators with David against him. As he asks the men of Nob where David is, Doeg, the man who was at the temple when Ahimelek helped David, steps up and 'rats out' Ahimelek.

Saul finally has a lead. He calls for Ahimelek who soon goes to him. "Why have you been conspiring with David against me?" is Saul's question to Ahimelek. Ahimelek, who is taken aback by such an audacious accusation, gives an unassailable answer in his defence:

Ahimelek answered the King, "Who of all your servants is as loyal as David, the king's son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and highly respected in your household? Was that the first time I inquired of God for him? Ofcourse not! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of his father's family, for your servant knows nothing at all about this whole affair." ~1 Samuel 22:14

Well Saul wasn't listening to a word he said. He wasn't open to reason, a trait of most paranoid men. The words "Ahimelek helped David" were still ringing in his ears. To put it in the words of one of the commentators I checked out, "a paranoid man with power is a dangerous man". Saul ordered his men to kill Ahimelek. None of them were stupid enough to lay a hand on a priest of Yahweh except one. Saul turned to the only man who had helped him thus far and enthusiastic Doeg, killed not only Ahimelek but also his family, all the other priests numbering eighty five (85), all the men, women and children of the town and even the sheep and cattle. Doeg eliminated an entire town.

Only one of Ahimelek's family escaped, namely, his son. Abiathar son of Ahimelek escaped and went straight to David. David remembered catching the traitor observing everything that transpired in the temple from the corner of his eye. "I knew it!" David said, "I knew he'd be sure to tell Saul." Obviously David hoped that he would not. But he did and an entire town was annihilated. David blamed himself for it.

The introduction of Psalm 52 tells us that David penned the words therein after that dreadful incident.

The Psalm can be split into 3 or 4 parts, the first being about this evil man who boasts in his evil and is deceitful and is some sort of hero or mighty man. The second part speaks of this man's destiny. The next speaks of the perception that the righteous will have of this man when he is finally destroyed (which, incase you were wondering, is his destiny) and finally the last part speaks of how the righteous man differs from this evil man.

In my second post (part 2- the puzzle), I'll explain the puzzle of this Psalm and in my last post (part 3- a solution & lesson) I'll propose a solution to the puzzle and perhaps a lesson or two that can be drawn from this Psalm of David.

Thanks for reading.

Read Psalm 52 (Part 2- The Puzzle)

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