David was relaxing when he should have been leading his nation. During a hazy warm afternoon after a nap, he saw a beautiful woman and had to have her. He killed her husband Uriah so that nothing would stand in the way of their relationship. (That wasn’t an easy task. Uriah was a very dedicated soldier and wanted to return immediately to the battlefield. David called in the commander of his army, Joab, to help him pull off the murder. I doubt if Joab was happy about that.)

The child resulting from David’s rendezvous with the beautiful woman died.

And yet, God said David was a man after His own heart.

God’s acceptance of David did not mean He gave him everything he wanted. In the 2 Samuel passage, you can see that David had to go through lots of horrible stuff before he reached a point of peaceful favor. And even then, the consequences of his destructive actions would remain with him for the rest of his life. God sometimes makes the consequences of our bad actions disappear, but that’s more the exception than the rule.

God’s complete acceptance of David meant letting him experience some really tough stuff. God then sent Nathan to tell David how wrong he was. David finally admitted his wrongs.

Luke 15:7 says “…there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” God loves it when we confess our wrongs to Him. What a beautiful thing!

So when we make mistakes, let’s bring them to God and say we are sorry. Things will get better from there.

(Paul Merrill writes here every First Friday.)

Rebecca Manley Pippert wrote a book titled “Out of the Saltshaker” in 1979. I saw her speak about this topic not long after that. Her line of thinking stuck with me since then. That shows you how powerful it is!

Simply: if we stay inside the saltshaker, we will have no effect. We must rub shoulders with people who have no salt in their lives – those who do not know the presence of God. Jesus goes on to say that we need to speak with our deeds. That’s sometimes the best way we can be heard.

Here are some practical suggestions:

1. If you’re in a Bible study with other Jesus followers, quit – and start one with friends who don’t know Jesus. The Bible is a strange book to those who aren’t familiar with it. “Let’s look at the Bible to see how relevant its message is to today’s world.”
2. You don’t know anyone who doesn’t know Jesus? Time to get out of the saltshaker…
3. Join a club. Find out groups which meet in your town that fit your natural interests.
4. Start a club. Who doesn’t like to eat out? And what about joining with others in your favorite weekend activities?
5. Make friends with international students at your local college or university. Many have never met anyone outside of their classes or dorm. International Students Inc. can help you meet students from another country.

Have fun!

(Paul Merrill writes here every First Friday.)

It didn’t take long for her to figure this out. She heard His probing description of her personal life and quickly bounced the conversation in a different direction. That’s in verse 20 of John 4 – the story of the Samaritan woman.

More than knowing about her life circumstances, Jesus knew what she needed… she needed water that would satisfy more than water from the ancient well she came to get water from. She needed living water – His life being poured into hers.

I’m not much different than the Samaritan woman. I look for satisfaction from sources that won’t fill the hole. I often think, “If I could just have this happen, I’d be satisfied.” Or, “If I could just get an iPhone, I wouldn’t be ashamed when I go to business meetings.”

You and I both know that things and circumstances won’t fill our deepest desires. Even relationships won’t. Things, circumstances, great food, excellent coffee or significant relationships will meet some of our desires. And oftentimes those are OK or even good. But when I look to anything other than Jesus for filling my deep need for fulfillment, I will ultimately come away empty. That realization may take an hour – or months – but eventually it will hit.

Jesus always wants me back. He didn’t tell the Samaritan woman how wrong she was. He just invited her to drink the living water. Once she realized what he was talking about, she dropped everything to tell her friends and family. They came and believed too.

If it’s real, we will want to share it. If it’s not real for you today, ask Jesus to make His living water more real. He will.

Wait. Ask again. And rest while you wait.

(Paul Merrill normally writes here every First Friday. Because of the advent series starting tomorrow, he’s writing on the last Wednesday of the month.)

Sometimes I am a tired parent. That youthful enthusiasm rises to the surface fewer times than it did in my earlier years. So it’s nice to be surrounded by that!

Jesus was not “up” all the time. In Mark 6, he just had to get away. He took his band of closest buddies with him. He just knew that he had to get some space.

I don’t know if Jesus was an introvert or an extrovert – but he was definitely a rock star. That level of celebrity would be hard for anyone to cope with. Jesus coped and rose above the pressing crowd sometimes in a human and a divine way. He did know when he needed space and rest. He also knew when he needed to fight a battle alone.

As Jon has reminded us several times, it’s OK to get away sometimes. You need a break. God created seven days with six for working and the seventh for rest. This principle is from the beginning of the Bible to the very end.

We sometimes feel like there is so much important stuff going on that it would be foolish to say no to any of it.

Wrong.

Stop at least once a week. Take more than an hour. Step away from your computer and turn your cell phone off. Go for a walk with your best friend, if they’re near. Call them, if they’re far. Remember that when Jesus got away in Mark 6, he went with his friends. Sometimes we just need to be with people who love us – even if they don’t completely understand us. Or just pray. God always understands.

But it’s a great word.

In John 15:5-7, Jesus speaks about abiding in Him. I don’t want to summarize what he said, so here’s the passage (from the New Living Translation):

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!”

Jesus loved using analogies that spoke to the people of his day. Many people back then had their own vineyard. Or they worked for someone who did. Grapevines are hearty long-living plants. And with care, they can produce some of the world’s most amazing fruit. But obviously, if you cut a branch off and let it fall to the ground, it will die.

Last week, there were a few days when I did not abide. I was miserable while I was away from the vine. Thankfully, God rescued me from my own selfishness, and I came back.

Our lives are so fragile. Let’s stay close to Jesus. The momentary satisfaction of having our own way is a very short-lived pleasure.

I’ve enjoyed reading the book, More Than Ordinary: Enjoying Life with God, by Doug Sherman. One of Doug’s main points is that we should live each hour and each moment with Jesus sitting next to us. Just invite Him to be part of every day.

(Paul Merrill writes here every First Friday.)

The beginning of Genesis describes the Garden of Eden, the perfect place God created for Adam and Eve to enjoy life. In chapter 3 is this great little sentence: “When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden.” God was sharing that garden with them. He wanted to hang out a little, but it was too late. (They had just chosen to eat the forbidden fruit, which tragically messed everything up.)

Jesus made it possible for us to return to that place. While we can’t get the full experience till heaven, here and now we can experience more of those quiet walks with him in our gardens. All we have to do is invite Him along. And we need to remove the boulders in the path between us and Him – those things we know that don’t make Him happy. You know it when you cross the line. Your conscience kicks in and says you’re stepping too far. Tell Him about those things and ask Him to help you deal with them. He will!

Then…

You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. (Psalm 16:11.)

Finally, note that this journey is a process. “You will show me…” It’s a lifetime thing (and beyond). Our trek through this garden is best when God walks with us along each new path and juncture – through every rocky patch and across each grassy meadow.

(Paul Merrill writes here every First Friday)

The most vibrant church Heather and I were part of did just that. They wiped all their ministries off the plate. Small groups, worship teams, drama, Sunday school programs. Everything. And they let God rebuild the church slowly.

They lost a lot of members. But the result was a fresh new thing. They (and we) found that the new church was open to what God wanted to do through them, rather than being stuck with, “We’ve always done it that way.” Silos of power were broken down. Those married to old systems left. New people joined who were more open to God’s movement.

In Leviticus 25, God announced a plan for the Israelites called the “Year of Jubilee.” After every 49 years, all property would revert to its original owners. Slaves were also set free. The chapter includes ways that the system would work.

We easily become slaves to the systems we set up. We often end up going through the motions rather than doing things for the purposes we (or others) originally intended.

So I’d urge you (and me) to examine what things we can cut out this summer – allowing God to have a fresh start with us. Be radical. It will hurt. But after the wounds heal, we may find more health than we’ve experienced in a long while.

Unlike Leviticus 25, I am not going to give you a road map for how to do this. You’ll have to work that out with God and others involved. I would suggest starting with prayer. Ask God how He wants you to start over. Be still. Listen to Him.

Have you done this already at some point in your life? Please tell your story in the comments.

(Paul Merrill writes here every First Friday)

However, I ask you to proceed with caution. It’s easy to give yourself goals that may be unrealistic or unobtainable. If you’re like me, your to-do list is massively long. I keep starting new lists of stuff I need to do. Then I tend to start newer lists that are more current or more urgent.

In First Corinthians 12, Paul reminds us that every person has their strengths and weaknesses. It’s all too easy to look at the person who gets more glory and say, “I need to be more like them.” Maybe you don’t! Maybe it’s better to look at the way God created you and figure out how to be better within the gifts that God has given you.

I played violin in middle school and a bit in high school and college. Twenty years later, I was given the opportunity to play again through the graces of a low-risk orchestra. I spent an hour with the violin and realized the amount of time and emotional energy it would have taken me to reach a level of satisfaction were more than I had to give. So I quit before I began again. Was I wrong? Maybe.

It’s definitely good to push ourselves beyond our limits, sometimes. We all know that if we stay too close to our comfort zones, we will never grow. But staying in that place of discomfort can cause burnout or even worse. Remember, “God has put each part just where he wants it.” If you don’t know, figure out where that place is. Live there. And grow there.

(Paul Merrill writes here every First Friday.)

It’s that time of year when we buy gifts for others. Sometimes we give unselfishly – thinking totally of the other’s needs. And sometimes we give thinking of ourselves.

I gave a selfish gift as a wedding present for Heather – a rugged sports watch. I thought she would enjoy timing her exercises. No. What she wanted was something delicate and feminine – like a sweater or a necklace. Over the years, I slowly learned that lesson… no more sports watches.

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.” When Jesus said that in Matthew 6:19, he may not have been thinking of giving gifts to others. But maybe He was! What if this Christmas, we gave time rather than something that would be an “earthly” treasure. If you’re like me, it is easier to pull out my checkbook than to invest time in someone – someone who may not be able to give back.

I was inspired last Saturday. I saw a couple I have known for years at our local library. They brought some food to a homeless man they’ve befriended. He likes to hang out at the library. It’s clean and bright – and better than the local parks when it gets cold outside. He has no address, so they were hoping to find him there.

So rarely am I willing to even think of such a thing – doing it? That’s even further from my little world.

And giving time to my wife or kids? I’m challenged to think of doing something that they want to do. This Christmas, I’m planning to make a coupon booklet for at least one of them, with some ideas on how we can spend time together.

“My heart has heard you say, ‘Come and talk with me.’ And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.’ ” (Psalm 20:7)

That’s a great way to start a day. Or end a day.

David, the guy who wrote those words, preceded those thoughts by saying, “Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me!” So God did respond by asking David to sit down and talk. Then in the talking with God, David would get his answers.

How often are we willing to sit down and talk with God? Talk. Listen. (Not just talk.)

A great time to do that might be on your drive (or train ride) to work. Or on the plane to that next conference, when you just don’t feel like talking to the person next to you. God will listen, without complaining. He usually doesn’t talk till you are ready to listen to Him. That’s not always true. Sometimes He shouts at us when we won’t listen any other way. Often He will talk through events in our lives. The “wake up!” variety.

Sometimes we are in a place where God seems silent. It’s helpful to zip down to the end of that Psalm to see how David responded to that situation: “Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”

Being patient can be really hard. Maybe it’s one of the hardest things we will face. But David urges us to be brave in the face of the unknown. Maybe you’re waiting on a job. Waiting on your daughter to choose her life direction, on trying for a baby or finding a life partner. Or waiting to see how you can make ends meet this month. Be brave. Wait. And talk to God. And listen.