Tag: Lent devotions

Posted in Devotions, Lent, Ministry

2020 Lent Devotion #24 – Drink offerings of blood

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Sam Moqadam on Unsplash

As for the saints in the land,
they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.
The sorrows of those who run
after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips. (Psalm 16:3-4)

“Drink offerings of blood” smack of pagan practices that were common in biblical times, but were absolutely excluded from Hebrew worship. Whether animal or human blood was involved, there is no way that David, the author of this poem, would even talk about this practice, much less engage in it. 

On the other hand he was a big fan of the “saints in the land,” those who trusted and followed the commands and promises of God. They were the ones who not only provided a good example, but encouraged David along “the path of life” (Psalm 16:11). 

How often does our attention wander to less than wholesome habits and pastimes in our culture? Much more often than we’d like to confess. Surrounded by those who run after the gods of success, power and possessions, we find ourselves jumping into the race. Those folks always look happier, like they are having more fun and lead more exciting lives than we do. At least they look like that on the outside. Or that’s what they put out on social media for everyone to see. 

Are there others in whom we should delight? Who are the saints in our land, the excellent ones surrounding us? They quietly and faithfully love the Lord with their worship and prayers. They just as quietly and faithful love their neighbors with friendship and mercy. Not very exciting. But they are essential in the fabric of our lives. 

Lives that bestow all honor and glory and blessing to the Lord will never be flashy, popular or even noticed. But those lives will draw us into the worship of myriads and thousands of thousands who know and worship the one on the throne. (Revelation 5:11-12). 

Thank you for the excellent saints who remind me of your power and presence, Lord. Amen. 

Posted in Devotions, Lent

2020 Lent devotion #23 – Too much blood

Posted on by William Douthwaite

 [David said,] “But this word of the Lord came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.’” (1 Chronicles 22:8)

I wonder how David felt as he spoke these words to his son, Solomon? He had worked so hard to unify the kingdom of Israel, defeat their enemies and be a man after God’s own heart. His psalms still inspire our hymns and praise songs to this day. Yet, he never worshiped in a temple. He never even got to see the temple. And God wouldn’t let him build the temple. Too much blood. He was a shepherd, a warrior and a king. But he would not be a builder. At least not the builder of God’s temple. 

Before he was king, throngs of people would sing, ““Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” That’s what David was known for. He was a hero. But that is a lot of blood. Tens of thousands of enemies killed. And that was before he ascended to the throne. For better or worse, that is his legacy. 

It’s not like David had a choice. There were many battles he had to fight. Victories and defeats. It was a violent, bloody period of history. The enemy was ruthless. You either kill them or they kill you. Peaceful moments were few and far between. 

A thousand years later, the son of David, Jesus, would be hailed as king. He would not take a single life. In fact, he would heal and restore many lives. The only blood shed would be his own, on the cross. And he would build a temple. The temple he would build would be made of believers, built on the foundation of the prophets and apostles, and he would be the cornerstone. 

Building projects often involve blood. I should know. Most of my projects mean cuts and blisters on my hands. Nothing as bloody as the wounds in Jesus’ hands and feet, though. Because he bled and died for me, I’ve been bought with a price and I not only belong to him, but my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. God dwells in me and in his people, the church!

Thank you, Lord, for coming to dwell in me and my brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen. 

Posted in Devotions, Lent

2020 Lent devotion #22 – Blood on the wall

Posted on by William Douthwaite

When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. And she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out of the window. And as Jehu entered the gate, she said, “Is it peace, you Zimri, murderer of your master?” And he lifted up his face to the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked out at him. He said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down. And some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses, and they trampled on her. (2 Kings 9:30-33)

That’s a gruesome scene, isn’t it? You know you’re not popular when your own personal attendants throw you out the window! But if you know the whole story of Jezebel, she had it coming. A devout worshiper of Baal, she killed many prophets of the Lord and if she could have caught him, would have killed Elijah. She arranged for the death of Nabal so her husband Ahab could have his vineyard. In response to her horrendous behavior, God had actually said, “The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel” (1 Kings 21:23). She would die a horrible, bloody, dishonorable death. 

Fodder for an inspirational devotion? Perhaps. The northern kingdom of Israel never did have any good, faithful kings. All abandoned God for the worship of Baal, until the entire nation was destroyed and scattered by Assyria. Only a remnant, the southern kingdom of Judah, remained. God preserved that small portion of his chosen people through a Babylonian invasion and exile. Upon their return, God preserved them as a people until generations later, a new king, Jesus, would be born. Finally, a faithful, righteous and just king!

Yet he would die a horrible, bloody and dishonorable death on a cross! How could that be? 

It was part of the plan. Someone born of a woman would crush the head of the serpent (Gen. 3), but not till he had first been bitten. Only in death and then resurrection would there be an answer to death and it’s sting, sin (1 Cor. 15). In both cases, a little blood had to flow to get rid of some evil. 

Thank you for going through all that for me, Lord. Amen. 

Posted in Devotions, Lent

2020 Lent devotion #21 – Blood on the water

Posted on by William Douthwaite

When all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, all who were able to put on armor, from the youngest to the oldest, were called out and were drawn up at the border. And when they rose early in the morning and the sun shone on the water, the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. And they said, “This is blood; the kings have surely fought together and struck one another down. Now then, Moab, to the spoil!” But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose and struck the Moabites, till they fled before them. And they went forward, striking the Moabites as they went. (2 Kings 3:21-24)

What a great story! All of Moab, every available soldier, is ready to fight against Israel. Then get up in the morning and the water they see before them looks like blood. What could have happened? Obviously their enemies have turned against each other. This is our chance. Let’s go in and plunder whatever is left. 

Nope. It’s just an illusion. It’s a trap to draw Moab in. Israel is ready, waiting for them. God’s people win a great victory!

Here’s the thing. God said he would do this. He said he would give them both water and victory. And he did! 

So what do you and I have? We’ve got the water of baptism. We’ve got his blood in the sacrament. We’ve got the victory. So when the odds seem against us, we should be confident. We are more than conquerors through him who him who loved us!

Thank you, Lord, for the water, the blood and the victory!

Posted in Devotions, Lent

2020 Lent devotion #20 – Blood flowing from the chariot

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“And the battle continued that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians, until at evening he died. And the blood of the wound flowed into the bottom of the chariot.” (1 Kings 22:35)

Ahab, the king of the northern kingdom of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of the southern kingdom of Judah, have forged a rare alliance to go to battle against the Syrians, to help Ahab retake the town of Ramoth-gilead. All the Syrians want is to kill Ahab, so he wears ordinary clothes, while Jehoshaphat wears his royal robes to distract the enemy. Their scheme works until a random arrow finds a way through Ahab’s armor, and he is mortally wounded. Ahab is propped up in his chariot to inspire his troops. But eventually, he bleeds out and dies. 

I don’t remember learning that story in Sunday School! And I know why. The horrors of war are horrible. We want to keep them from our children as long as possible. The thing is, God’s people are often at war in the pages of scripture. ln those wars, thousands of lives are lost. Sometimes they win. Sometimes they lose. But battle is never pretty. And it is always bloody. 

Later, Jesus would speak about war, violence, persecution, famine and pestilence. His depiction of the world before his return is terrifying. But if you think of the cross as Jesus’ chariot, where he does battle with sin, death and the devil, it all comes together. The blood flows from that chariot until the battle is done. The king is willing to give it all up for us, so we can win this battle. 

Thank you, Lord, for the blood and the victory! Amen. 

Posted in Devotions, Lent

2020 Lent devotion #19 – The prophets of Baal

Posted on by William Douthwaite
photo by SoFuego on pixabay

Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. (1 Kings 18:25-28)

The contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal is a bloody affair. Apparently, according to their custom, the way to get your pagan god’s attention was to cut yourself again and again. What a mess! And it was all for nothing. No one answered. No one paid attention.

We all do things to get someone to pay attention to us. Little kids call out, “Watch me!” Or they’ll act out. Just to be noticed. We’ll raise our voices, do silly and outrageous things, pick a fight or reach out to touch someone so they’ll pay attention to us. 

We don’t have to do that with God. We’re never off his radar. He never slumber or sleeps. He’s keenly aware of our desires, needs, wants and fears. He knows our thoughts, hears our cries, listens to our prayers and goes to search for us when we wander off and get lost. 

Christ’s mission to seek and save the lost meant that his blood would be poured out for us on the cross. A soldier would shove a spear into his side to make sure he was dead. Blood and water poured out. That’s the one true God!

Lord, you made me, you saved me, you hear me. You are my God. Amen. 

Posted in Devotions, Lent

2020 Lent devotion #18 – The blood is on his head

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Francisco Gonzalez on Unsplash

David said to the young man who told him [he had killed Saul], “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died.  And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’” (2 Samuel 1:13-16)

Since Saul had been hunting David, the Amalekite probably thought he’d be a hero in David’s eyes for killing the king. No so. David has him executed and declares that this young man got what he deserved, his blood is on his head, for he killed the Lord’s anointed. David felt he was justified in doing this. 

David had other opportunities to kill Saul, but never did it. He couldn’t. Saul was God’s anointed king, and one must honor the Lord, even if you didn’t like the person he chose.

I may not like every man or woman who holds an elected office or has a position of authority in my community or country. But I am to respect and be subject to those people since they have been appointed by God and are God’s servants for my good (Romans 13:1-4). I know that statement and that passage of scripture won’t sit well with some who read this. I also know that it wasn’t easy for David either, especially since Saul had often tried to run him through with a sword! But it is God’s instruction to us. 

Ultimately, each of us must testify against ourselves, admitting, “I have killed the Lord’s anointed.” Jesus, the Christ, didn’t do anything deserving death. He died because of my sin and my guilt. It’s my fault. Yet Jesus took all the blame. And that’s why I honor him, submit to him, and am subject to those he’s placed in authority over me. 

Thank you, Lord, for your servants in authority, who watch over me. Amen. 

Posted in Devotions, Lent

2020 Lent devotion #17 – David saved from bloodguilt

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Antonino Visalli on Unsplash

Abigail said to David, “Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal.” (1 Sam 25:26)

This is a fascinating episode from David’s life in 1 Samuel 25. Nabal has refused to give anything to David and his band of young soldiers who have provided protection. So David decides to teach him a lesson. Nabal’s wife, Abigail, wisely and quickly gathers up a nice food gift and brings it to David and his army. She begs for mercy and points out that David isn’t yet guilty of a man’s blood. She encourages David to leave justice to God, who will surely take care of the situation. David appreciates both the wisdom and gift, and withdraws. 

Thank God for the people in our lives who persuade us to take a breath and think about what we’re doing. It is so easy to spit out words, make big decisions or abandon relationships in the heat of a moment. But those might not be the wisest words or decisions. Someone who steps in, takes us aside, gets us to pause for a moment are precious gifts, often sparing us regret and guilt. 

The next time someone asks, “Are you sure you want to do that?” or suggests, “Maybe you should try this,” remember Abigail and David. Pause, consider, and perhaps even entrust the situation to God. Remember Jesus, who steps in and saves us from our guilt, too, with his own precious blood. 

Thank you, Lord, for those who step in and help redirect me. Amen. 

Posted in Devotions, Lent

2020 Lent devotion #16 – Once again, do not eat the blood

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

The people pounced on the spoil and took sheep and oxen and calves and slaughtered them on the ground. And the people ate them with the blood. Then they told Saul, “Behold, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating with the blood.” And he said, “You have dealt treacherously; roll a great stone to me here.” And Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, ‘Let every man bring his ox or his sheep and slaughter them here and eat, and do not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood.’” So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night and they slaughtered them there.  (1 Sam. 14:32-34)

This scene takes place during some of Israel’s intense fighting with their classic enemy, the Philistines. As the battle goes on, Saul has commanded his people to keep fighting rather than stopping to eat. They were exhausted and starving, so when they win some victories, they begin slaughtering and eating some of the plundered cattle on the spot, clearly in violation of God’s law. In one of his moments of faithfulness, Saul supervises them so that all is done in order, and the people are not sinning by eating the raw meat filled with blood.

In times of stress or fatigue, our will power can fail us, and we might just revert to unwise behavior. When you haven’t had a chance to eat all day, you’ll eat whatever’s in the house, even if it’s not good for you. That’s why you really don’t want bags of chips or boxes of donuts in the pantry or containers of ice cream in the freezer. But even better is someone who will help keep you on track. Someone who will encourage you, hold you accountable and walk that healthy lifestyle with you. Don’t get me wrong. Chips, donuts and ice cream are definitely good gifts from God to be enjoyed from time to time. Just maybe not all the time.

Get enough rest, plan and prepare healthy food, enjoy a treat once in a while. That’s some of the best wisdom I’ve received. I’m pretty sure that wisdom can be found in scripture, too. And do it with those you love and care about. Supporting each other is both a gift to be received and to give.

Thanks Lord, for those who help me stay on track. Amen.