Category: Through the Bible Devotions

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Everything is going according to plan

Posted on by William Douthwaite

The Assyrians have captured all thew fortified cities of Judah. They are Jerusalem’s doorstep. King Hezekiah goes to the temple to pray and sends a message to the prophet Isaiah: “We’re in big trouble!” (2 Kings 19:3).

Isaiah’s response?”God says, ‘Don’t worry about it'” (19:6). In fact, the prophet goes on to say

‘Have you not heard?
Long ago I ordained it.
In days of old I planned it;
now I have brought it to pass’ (19:25)

In other words, everything is going according to plan. God’s plan. God’s eternal plan. God’s salvation plan. God’s Messianic plan.

We all worry about stuff. Lots of stuff. Wars and rumors of war. The price of gasoline and heating oil. Our health and the food we eat. The future of the church. Elections and government. Identity theft. Inflation and taxes.

The list goes on and on. Even the most faithful believers need a reminder: Don’t worry about it. Everything is still going according to God’s plan.

Our worst behavior doesn’t stymie God. Our best efforts don’t help him. He’s never surprised by the news. He planned out our salvation before the creation of the world (Ephesians1), knowing how it would play out.

The best thing we can do is trust him, especially when he says, “Don’t worry about it,” or “Don’t be anxious,” or “Don’t let your hearts be troubled,” or “Peace be with you.”

It’s going to be ok.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Not a fan of that big fan

Posted on by William Douthwaite

At a recent Airbnb stay in Cedar Key, FL, the owner provided an awesome battery powered fan for warm nights on the patio: A green and gray 18-inch EGO Power+ Misting fan.

The 56 volt 5 amp battery had a sixty-hour life. The turbo setting blew air at twenty miles per hour. Plus, you could add a bucket of water and it would add a cooling mist to the breeze. With wheels and a handle, you could cart this anywhere.

We didn’t crank it up all the way. Just a few clicks to blow gnats away in the evening.

I thought, “I gotta get one of these for baseball season!” Sitting outside watching the grandsons play baseball can get steamy. This would be perfect.

All the big box home improvement stores had them. $300 was steep, but worth it with all those features.

However.

They must be popular. There was a whole aisle full of them and other tools behind a locked cabinet. When I asked a helpful employee about them, he warned, “You know, that price doesn’t include the battery.”

Okay. I guess I’ll have to get a battery, too. They were further down the aisle. I looked at the price tag and asked, “$369? Is that correct?”

The employee said, “Yeah. I’d suggest buying another tool that comes with a battery which will also fit in the fan.”

So this wonderful fan had doubled in price when I added the battery and charger. Yikes. No thanks. I already have one that cost about $100 and works really well.

At the next baseball tournament, I noticed a whole lot of family dragging in those very fans. One family wheeled in two of them! They were certainly heavily invested in 11U baseball.

Posted in church, Through the Bible Devotions

Small, medium, and large

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Now I am about to build a temple for the Name of the Lord my God…The temple I am going to build will be great, because our God is greater than all other gods…the temple I build must be large and magnificent” (2 Chronicles 2:4, 5, 9).

Those are King Solomon’s words to Hiram, the king of Tyre. Hiram is like the manager of the biblical Home Depot, supplying all kinds of wood and contractors for the work.

The words that caught my attention this time around were “large” and “magnificent.” I’ve worshiped in some really small, simple chapels. I’ve also been in some beautiful, expansive sanctuaries that took my breath away. I’ve worshiped in spaces that had no windows but lots of stage lighting. I’ve preached in windowed churches where the sunlight blinded me for a few minutes as it moved across the sky.

Even Solomon acknowledges you can’t put God in a box. So why even try? Why build a place at all? Why a big, medium, or small worship space?

Every worship building, from tabernacle to temple to cathedral is a reminder of God’s presence, power, and protection. God doesn’t need a place. But we need to remember that he has come to dwell with us. And every building is a space that illustrates that truth.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions, worship

Let’s make some noise

Posted on by William Douthwaite
White-robed musicians playing trumpets in a temple courtyard
Rows of white-robed musicians sound silver trumpets before an imposing stone temple.

The temple’s built and furnished. They’re bringing in the ark. And it’s getting loud.

One hundred priests are blowing trumpets (2 Chronicles 5:12). Levites are singing and making worship noise with cymbals, harps, and lyres. There is so much divine smoke in the temple that not even the priests can enter.

Now that’s a worship service, right?

Not everywhere. Some people insist on quiet. Silence. No interruptions. Meditative. Contemplative.

Crying babies? Chatting friends? Youth group bake sales? Friends catching up with each other?

Just shut up, already. I’m trying to worship!

When did worship become quiet and reserved?

I guest-preached last month where the congregation was vocal. Plenty of “Amen” and “Yes” and laughter and nods. How refreshing! How invigorating! When I’m preaching I can feed off that. It’s so much better than stiff-faced, unemotional faces looking back at me.

Babies in worship? I hope so! I want to hear young voices in the room. I want families together in church, the more generations the better.

Let’s make some noise!

Posted in death, Through the Bible Devotions

I’m glad they’re gone

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“[Jehoram] was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one’s regret” (2 Chronicles 21:20).

“So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been put to death with the sword” (2 Chronicles 23:21).

When’s the last time you went to a funeral where the attendees were glad the deceased was gone?

I’ve been to a few. No one said it, but I know it was on their mind.

Now to be fair, the circumstances have a lot to do with how we feel. The deceased may be a loved one who endured a lot of pain. It’s okay to be glad their suffering is over.

Maybe they required a lot of end-of-life care. Even though it’s a blessing to care for a loved one, it’s hard work. It’s okay to be relieved that your shift is over.

I imagine some look forward to an inheritance, so a death is good news for them.

You might even believe a person’s death is what they deserve. Did they commit a heinous crime? Did they leave behind a trail of failed relationships? Just be honest. You’re not going to miss them at all.

Few people are honest at funerals. Folks speak kindly of those they couldn’t stand when they were alive. Every corpse was give-the-shirt-off-their-back generous. We pretend to celebrate life so we don’t have to grieve death.

I know the above sounds insensitive, so I’ll close with something positive. If the person who died was a believer, they are now with the Lord. Isn’t that good news? Absolutely! They’ve fought the good fight and finished the race. They’ve crossed the finish line! And I’m glad.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

A little help here?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

As we’ve scaled back our custom iced cookie business, I’ve listed some items for sale on a local marketplace site. So far, I’ve been able to make a few bucks finding a good home for baking paraphernalia.

I got an interesting response to one listing. An interested party asked if I’d consider donating some items to their non-profit that benefited foster families.

I checked out the website and everything seemed legitimate. So I responded, “Yes. We would love to support your efforts. Where can I drop off the items?”

They were only fifteen minutes away. I set up a delivery time and headed out. I knew where the recently constructed community was, but hadn’t yet been there. As I pulled in, I knew this would be interesting. A large sign announced, “Homes from $800,000.” I drove through the front gate, not yet operational.

I passed many beautiful new homes. Beautiful isn’t the right word. Gorgeous and expansive would be more appropriate. GPS led me to the drop-off address.

I pulled into the driveway and walked around to the front door. I thought to myself, “This is a million-dollar home.”

I rang the doorbell. The owner immediately answered and greeted me. She was friendly, gracious, and appreciative. She also added that she was selling lots of crafting supplies if I was interested. I said, “I’ll check and let you know.”

As I walked back to my car, I felt guilty for thinking, “You live in a million-dollar home, and you won’t buy $20 worth of supplies?”

That’s unfair. I don’t know these people. I don’t know anything about this home. I don’t know much about the charitable organization. I should more charitable. I shouldn’t rush to judgment.

But when I got home I checked Zillow. Yep, one million twenty-three thousand. 3,400 square feet. Wow. Just wow.

Okay, so if I had a mortgage on a million dollar home, I might be soliciting extra bucks for my charity, too. Equity on paper doesn’t necessarily translate into cash.

On my way out, the owner said, “I’m selling some craft supplies. Di-cuts and stamps. Real cheap. Let me know if you’re interested.”

You never know. You never know someone’s financial situation. Or their 501(c)3 organization. I know. I’m overanalyzing.

Charity is hard. It doesn’t make sense. It’s the right thing to do. It never quite feels right. Yet it feels right.

Not gonna worry about it. I think whatever I donate will help someone, so it is what it is.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

How about a little more dancing?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash

After being reprimanded by his wife for leaping and dancing half-naked before the Lord, David replies,

“I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes” (2 Samuel 6:21,22).

Everyone is shouting, blowing trumpets, and escorting the ark of the Lord into the City of David. It is a time of unfettered celebration and worship.

Most worship isn’t like that, is it? Rather than celebratory, undignified, and humiliating, our worship is meditative, measured, and staid.

Someone told me that humility isn’t thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. In this case, this would mean thinking more of God than myself in worship.

Which is typically not the case. I want worship to be convenient and comfortable. I want the music I enjoy in an inspirational setting. I want a message that addresses the world’s ills without getting too close to mine. I want to sip on coffee, snack on a donut, park near the entrance, and get a pen with the church’s name printed on it to take home. I want the church to be fully staffed so I don’t have to worry about volunteering.

Okay, not exactly. But there’s more truth there than you or I like to admit. Should worship be easy? Or should it take some effort? Should we work up a sweat?

Whether I look out from the pulpit or around me in the congregation, I’m astonished to see folks sitting there who don’t sing or participate in liturgy. Only listen. They don’t smile. Only grimace. Don’t engage in conversation. Only enter and exit.

To be fair, I don’t know their story. They may have had a rough week. They might have a lot on their mind.

How about we worship in the presence of God instead of in front of a mirror? Let’s listen to what he thinks of us (a little Law and Gospel) and a little less about others or our own insecurities.

Just know what you’re in for. Grace has a way of loosening us up. Before you know it, you might be dancing, too!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Generational judgment

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Jisun Han on Unsplash

The Lord declares, “The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no one in it will reach old age…no one in your family line will ever reach old age…and all your descendants will die in the prime of life” (1 Samuel 2:31-33).

The Lord spoke those words to Eli, a priest who served forty years at the tabernacle in Shiloh. His sons Hophni and Phineas scorned, despised, and dishonored God as priests. They took some of the sacrifices supposed to be set aside for the Lord. They slept with the women who served at the tent of meeting.

Everyone knew about it. They told Eli about it. He told them it was wrong, but didn’t do anything about it.

Not only would they die, but the consequences of their actions would last for generations. Every descendant will die young, in their prime.

That’s harsh. But the priests had an important job. They represented the people before God. And they represented God to the people. They had great responsibility. If they didn’t take God seriously, who would?

They had a chance. They were taught. They were warned. God tells you what he’s going to do. And he follows through.

So listen. Pay attention. God is serious. Take him seriously.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

That’s harsh

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Jens Aber on Unsplash

Even though I’ve read through the bible many times, I can’t help but pause when I get to those instructions to wipe out whole communities of people.

“Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him” (Numbers 31:17).

Here it’s the Midianites, who had seduced God’s people into idolatry. But there are plenty of other battles where Israel’s enemies are to be obliterated.

That’s harsh, isn’t it? Very harsh for anyone who prefers a God who is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. How could that God demand or allow such cruelty?

In worship, the church confesses that the Lord will come again to judge the living and the dead. What do you think that day will be like? Do you want him to condemn the unfaithful? Do you trust God to do this justly and righteously?

We never hesitate to pray, “Come, Lord Jesus.” We look forward to the Lord dealing with evil in the world. But do we understand all that entails? Because sin is so pervasive, nothing should survive that judgment. Yet because of Christ through trust in him, we will, since he was condemned and punished on the cross in our place.

All that nasty stuff throughout the Old Testament? That just a taste of what judgment day will be like. Yeah, it’s gonna be harsh.