Wednesday, September 28, 2011

See You at the Pole

Today is the annual See You at the Pole event.  Students at schools across the nation (and the world) met this morning in front of their school's flagpole to sing, pray, and read the Bible.  Our school's group met at 7:00 AM in front of our school flagpole.  It was so neat to see a group of about 80 students, visitors, staff, and teachers gathered in a wide irregular circle.  When I arrived, there was one girl playing a guitar and another girl playing the piano.  They were starting "How Great Is Our God."  As they progressed in the song, people started singing.  As the harmony developed, uniformed students from the NJROTC program marched out from the main entrance of the school to put up the American and the Tennessee flags.  What a moving scene that was.

After the song, the participants were encouraged to meet in small groups for prayer - then they would meet for a group prayer and Bible reading.

What a great way to start our day.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Taken out of the situation

Has there ever been a time that you have felt that the situation you are in is impossible?  That there is NOTHING anyone can do?  Isn't it hard to wait through that?  I especially have issues when the situation is one dealing with a person with whom I have a relationship - something about people not wanting un-sought advice?  :)

In my life, I am helped when I find a Biblical example of someone else who has gone through a similar situation.  A story I have been focusing on is the story of David and King Saul.  Okay, so no one is trying to kill me. :) But the relationship that David had with King Saul is worth focusing on.

I notice that King Saul loved David. . .until David kept doing what God wanted him to do.  After David killed Goliath, the women in town made up songs about David being better than Saul.  Saul did not like it one bit.  Granted, at this point, God had had enough of Saul's disobedience and had sent an evil spirit to Saul.  Anyway, there is a point that Saul cannot keep from trying to kill David, so David runs away.  The study of I Samuel is very interesting.  The times that Saul tries to kill David, and how David deals with the situation make for a very interesting relationship study, but the most interesting that I have seen - and something that I never noticed before - is found in I Samuel chapter 28 & 29.

The story begins when David is again running from Saul.  David has a following (the Bible says that they were people who were stressed, in debt, and discontented. :) ).  He takes his people and goes to stay in the city of Gath with the Philistines.  Yes, I said "Gath with the Philistines."  Isn't Gath where Goliath was from?  Yes.  Wouldn't that be dangerous? Maybe.  But David was smart.  David convinced the . . .what should we call him. . .mayor?. . .of Gath that David was on his side now.  Anyway, in chapter 29, the Philistines are planning on going to war against the Israelites.  The mayor says that David and his men can go with them to fight.  Everything is hunky-dory until the Philistines begin to parade before the Princes of the Philistines before they go to war.  The Princes were surprised by what appeared to be Hebrews in their Philistine parade! What in the world?  SO they talked to the mayor and asked him why there were Hebrews there.  He told them that they were indeed Hebrews, but that since they had been living with him, they were a great asset to the Philistine army.  The Princes commanded that he send David home.  Home to Israel?  No.  Home to Gath.

I find that very interesting.  Remember, they are going to war with the Israelites - but one thing you may not realize is that this is the battle where King Saul and his sons are going to be killed.  God had this battle planned to fulfill his promise to King Saul that neither he nor his sons would be king of Israel because of his disobedience.  God also planned for David to be completely removed from the battle.  David was not given the option - or even opportunity - to hurt King Saul.  He was sent back to Gath.

What a statement.  I felt when I read this passage that God was trying to help me through the waiting.  I can just sit back and relax. . .because God is going to work my situation out.  He doesn't need me. :)