Coffee With The Lord

Ever experience an authentic, real, genuine “glimmer of hope?”

Things have gone badly… some of it was your fault (but maybe not)… and you found yourself in a horrible situation. Problem is, it has just seemed to last forever! The consequences have been way out of proportion to what caused the problem in the first place. You have found yourself asking, “Will this ever end?” And then something happened – didn’t seem big at first – but it was a “glimmer of hope!” It was just what you needed to buttress your faith and believe that God would fulfill His promises to you! You’d embraced Jeremiah’s words recorded in Jeremiah 29:11 as God’s attitude to you as His child (words spoken incidentally, just before the painful discipline of exile): “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plan for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope!” But then everything crashed! The disaster seemed like it would never end! But then this “glimmer of hope”!

I read about a genuine “glimmer of hope” for the people of God who were experiencing God’s discipline in Babylon this morning… Jeremiah 52:31-34 (and repeated in 2 Kings 25.27-30). God’s discipline… 70 long years! Jehoiachin, king of Judah, for only 3 months (2 Kings 24:8) and then 37 long years in prison in Babylon! The Children of Israel wondered if their exile would ever end! … and I am sure Jehoiachin wondered if he would just die in prison… Would the consequences of their sin and the discipline that ensued never end?

Then the “glimmer of hope”! Suddenly, out of the blue, Evil-merodach, king of Babylon, does something totally unexpected… He frees Jehoiachin from prison, speaks kindly to him, gives him a seat of incredible honor over the other captive kings, removes his prison garments, provides a royal allowance and invites him for the rest of his life to dine at the kings table… and all of this was sustained by those who followed the king until the day he died! Wow! Glimmer of hope!! Looks like God’s promises back in Jeremiah 29:11 are true after all!!

I don’t know what you’re facing right now… whose fault it was… whether it was fair or not… or when it is going to end! I DO BELIEVE… you can claim Jeremiah 29:11 as God’s desire for your life! And I’m praying that you’ll experience an authentic, real, genuine “glimmer of hope”! We all need one, eh?

“Transition of power” or “passing the baton” … which term is most in keeping with Christian values?  That’s the question that ran through my mind this morning as I read Deuteronomy 31 and the Biblical account of Moses, in obedience to God, preparing Joshua for the incredible leadership task he was about to assume.

It seems to me the term “Transition of power” flies in the face of the example of Jesus, who spoke these words in response to a dispute His disciples were have about who among them was the “greatest”:   “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors.  But not so with you!  Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.  For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves!” (Luke 22:24-27)

On the other hand, I think it is helpful for us to think of leadership as a relay race.  I receive the baton from someone who preceded me and made a significant contribution to the overall success of the organization or enterprise I’m a part of.  I received the “baton of leadership” from them.  Now my task is to run the race – make my contribution – with energy and excellence!  One of these days it will be my responsibility to “pass the baton” of leadership to someone else.  And as in any successful relay race, “passing the baton” can be nearly as important as the race I’ve run myself!  I’ve seen relays lost because of a poor or fumbled baton transfer!

Moses “passed the baton” well!  He did it obediently at the direction of the Lord!  He did it with grace and dignity – no hint of bitterness.  He even suppressed the expression of his personal regrets in order to contribute to the success of the one who followed him.  As I read the account today I was impressed!  I found myself says, “Lord when I have to ‘pass the baton’ to someone else, help me to do it obediently and graciously, like Moses did to Joshua!”

Here’s the Biblical account that provoked my thinking…

^“So Moses continued to speak these words to all Israel.  And he said to them, ‘I am 120 years old today. I am no longer able to go out and come in. The Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not go over this Jordan.’ The Lord your God himself will go over before you… Joshua will go over at your head, as the Lord has spoken…  Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread… for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.’

^“Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, ‘Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it.  It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.’” (from Deuteronomy 31:1–8 ESV)

No one likes a braggart … it’s all about them. Every conversation regardless of the subject in a few minutes becomes about them. In every issue that is discussed, the right point of view is inevitably theirs. They’re consumed with their stuff, their achievements, their family, their adventures and experiences … even their challenges, difficulties and enemies. A particular braggart comes to mind… they aren’t even aware they do it – everyone else is though. Wish I could tell ‘em that’s why they don’t have many close friends, why some people avoid them, and why “depth” conversations with others seem to escape them.