David Bahn – Reflections

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Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. ² So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”

³ Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, ⁴ while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” ⁵ Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.

All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” ⁶ He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

⁷ The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” ⁸ So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. ⁹ There he went into a cave and spent the night.

And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

¹⁰ He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left,and now they are trying to kill me too.”

¹⁵ The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. ¹⁶ Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. ¹⁷ Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. ¹⁸ Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.” – 1 Kings 19:1-10, 15-18

We will look at the first of four biblical characters to learn about different people’s need for grace. The four are:

1. Elijah (1 Kings 19)
2. The woman at the well (John 4)
3. The woman caught in adultery (John 8); and
4. The paralyzed man on the pallet (Luke 19).

Each of these people may be seen as an EGR. They needed more help, grace, patience, encouragement, or grace than usual.

Notice, also, what changes these people. They are transformed by the grace of God. God’s love in Jesus, his kindness, mercy, forgiveness, and patience makes all the difference in people’s lives.

Elijah after defeating the prophets of Baal

Elijah had a dramatic show down with the prophets of Baal. He challenged them to a sacrifice face off. They would gather their prophets, set up their sacrifice, and call on Baal to rain down fire from heaven on their altar. He would do the same. Whichever sacrifice was burned up would be shown to be to the true God. 

The stakes are a bit higher than just this sacrifice, for Elijah had told the king that there would be no rain except by his word (1 Kings 17:1). The drought has been severe and unrelenting. Elijah is a wanted man, dubbed, “troubler of Israel” by Ahab (1 Kings 18:17). But Elijah prevails. He sets up the show-down and shows everyone who is the true God. When the prophets of Baal fail to have their altar set on fire (after all, Baal is the god of weather, and in control, supposedly, of nature) fail, Elijah prevails. Baal is shown to be in control of nothing. 

Elijah, on the other hand, is not in control of God, but a servant of the True God. As such his actions around the sacrifice to the LORD God set up a dramatic display of God’s power and control over all of creation. Even after the altar is prepared and drenched with water, God rains down fire from heaven and consumes everything. “The Lord, he is God; The LORD, he is God!” goes up the cry after this mighty display. Elijah seizes and kills the prophets of Baal. 

You’d think that this would put Elijah on a high that would never end. But it is not so. He had defeated the Prophets of Baal, but King Ahab, and Jezebel did not give up.  They threaten him relentlessly. They were still trying to kill him. He had hoped that his victory was sufficient, but it was not. He was very discouraged. He needed extra grace – even after seeing the mighty hand of God powerfully displayed.

I get it. I suspect you do too. No matter what we might experience, we can fall from the highest high to the pits of despair. That’s what makes God’s abundant grace so rich and blessed. It never runs out. 

We all need grace: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. We have sinned. We are by nature sinful and unclean. Even after we have come to faith, and have been born again, we still sin. We are saints (holy ones) by God’s grace. That means we’ve been forgiven. We are new creations in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17). But we still battle the old sinful nature, and that battle will continue until death. We are both saint and sinner. And those two natures are at war within us.

That war within prevents us from fully carrying out the good will and good intentions we have. It also prevents us from giving in completely to temptation. We want to do good, but do not do it. We are tempted to do evil, but resist the temptation. The Bible puts it this way, “the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do whatever you want.”

We need to understand, first of all, that we all need grace. Some people, however, may be extra challenging in their attitude or actions toward us or the gospel message. Those people are called Extra Grace Required people (EGRs). They may live next door, work with you, or be part of your family. In fact, you may be an EGR! They push our buttons, manage always to illicit a negative response in us, try our patience, or turn us away. We all need grace. And God’s supply is limitless. EGRs, however, need extra grace, humanly speaking: more than we might wish to give.

God loves EGRs, and it’s a good thing, for we all need grace. Sometimes we may need more than at other times. And the love of God changes our hearts. It is shown in Jesus’ ministry, seen in Jesus’ death on the cross, and will be celebrated for all eternity in the life of the world to come.

Tomorrow…we’ll look at the first of four examples of biblical characters who needed extra grace.

For your personal edification and reflection on this Lord’s Day

Psalm 3:4-5

I call out to the Lord,
    and he answers me from his holy mountain.

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When the water in the skin was gone, Hagar put the child under one of the bushes.¹⁶ Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, “Let me not look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. ¹⁷ And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. ¹⁸ Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” ¹⁹ Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. ²⁰ And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. ²¹ He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt. – Genesis 21:16-21

We don’t always appreciate it. Sometimes it seems to intrude. It can seem stifling. It can even be embarrassing to an eighth grade boy. It is sometimes resented by the husband of a newborn baby. “It” is mother’s love. There is truly something special about a mother’s love. And while there is also something special about a father’s love, a mother’s love is often marked by a tenderness and lovingkindness unique to a mother. It’s not always the case, but at least sometimes a father’s love is a bit more of the tough love sort kind.

Hagar’s love for Ishmael is seen in her sobs and grief at the impending death of her child. Abraham’s love is not seen in this story. But the love of the Heavenly Father is seen. He sees Hagar crying, hears the child in distress, and intervenes. He tells Hagar to get up and take Ishmael by the hand. He opens her eyes to the well filled with water. He promises a great future to her child. 

But the greater future is with the child of the promise: Isaac. Isaac will be the father of Esau and Jacob. Jacob will be the father of 12 sons – heads of the 12 tribes of Israel. Jesus will be from the lineage of Judah, one of the 12 tribes of Israel. Jesus, ultimately, is the son of promise. And through him we find eternal blessing. 

The love of a human being is a thing of great blessing. I am thankful for the love of my wife, family, brothers and sisters in Christ, and my friends. But human love – of a mother, sister, brother or even a spouse – has its limits.

The love of the Heavenly Father has no limits. He sees all. He knows all. And he is writing a narrative that stretches from Hagar to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jesus, and to you and me. Whatever plot lines or twists, the end of the story is of eternal blessings. Worth waiting for. Worth remembering. Even as human love fades and fails, God’s love conquers all. 

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So Abraham got up early the next morning, prepared food and a container of water, and strapped them on Hagar’s shoulders. Then he sent her away with their son, and she wandered aimlessly in the wilderness of Beersheba.

When the water was gone, she put the boy in the shade of a bush. Then she went and sat down by herself about a hundred yards away. “I don’t want to watch the boy die,” she said, as she burst into tears.

But God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, “Hagar, what’s wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants.”

Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink.

And God was with the boy as he grew up in the wilderness. He became a skillful archer, and he settled in the wilderness of Paran. His mother arranged for him to marry a woman from the land of Egypt. – Genesis 21:15-21

I tried to watch a video of the daredevil who annihilated his car while trying to set a new record jump. It was apparently a major catastrophe. After seeing some of the stills, I’m glad I wasn’t able to find the video of the actual crash. Most people will rubber neck as they pass an accident on the side of the road. But most of us don’t want to see all the gore. Sufficient to the moment is the impression thereof. 

Hagar didn’t want to watch her child die. She put him 100 yards away just so she wouldn’t have to watch him die. It’s as though the reality isn’t as harsh if we don’t actually see it happen. But our failure to see does not erase the suffering. Our unwillingness to watch does not deaden the pain of those who are suffering. It deadens our pain. It preserves our hearts. It keeps us from having to take another’s pain into our hearts. It allows us to go on our merry way without being bogged down in the brokenness, pain, and suffering of everyone in the world. We simply cannot absorb it all.

But that’s exactly what God does. He absorbs the pain of the whole world. When others are looking away, he is paying close attention. When people are forgotten he remembers. When children are dying, mothers are crying, and people are denying it all, he leans in. He sees. He embraces. He acts. 

In this case he sees Ishmael and Hagar and opens Hagar’s eyes to a well of water which revives Ishmael. He encourages Hagar, also, by promising that Ishmael’s descendants will be a great nation as well. Muslims believe that Ishmael is a prophet. 

How does all this fit together? I don’t know. But I do know that all this is not confusing to God. How he will use Ishmael and his becoming great nation for his glory and purposes, I am not able to discern – even now thousands of years later. Perhaps some will want to look into these things. But not me. And it’s not a matter of heartlessness, it’s a matter of brain power! And a discernment of what is necessary and edifying to my faith.

Sufficient unto me is the truth that God does not turn his head or heart from pain and suffering. He does not ignore difficult and distressing situations. He draws near. And 2000 years ago he took on all of that in his Son, Jesus. Jesus embraced the pain, suffering, sickness, and sin of the world. He also experienced it himself. And although God forsook him at his darkest hour, the true hero of our faith, Jesus, still called out to his Father, “My God, My God…” 

We too often judge God’s goodness based on what we see or do not see. But we’re all too selective in our perception. We don’t have a whole world view. We don’t see it all. But God does. And what God sees moves him. That means he sees you. He sees me. He notices. He loves. He cares. He acts. 

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So Abraham got up early the next morning, prepared food and a container of water, and strapped them on Hagar’s shoulders. Then he sent her away with their son, and she wandered aimlessly in the wilderness of Beersheba.

When the water was gone, she put the boy in the shade of a bush. Then she went and sat down by herself about a hundred yards away. “I don’t want to watch the boy die,” she said, as she burst into tears.

But God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, “Hagar, what’s wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants.”

Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink.

And God was with the boy as he grew up in the wilderness. He became a skillful archer, and he settled in the wilderness of Paran. His mother arranged for him to marry a woman from the land of Egypt. – Genesis 21:15-21

There is a man laying on the concrete floor of the large waiting area for the jury selection process at NRG Arena here in Houston as I write this. I don’t think he’s there by choice. About 15 minutes ago, there was a loud commotion and the bailiff and police officers were called over. I think he fainted. I’m guessing he’d like to get up and go home. But they seem to be keeping him there pending the arrival of EMTs. Don’t know what’s taking so long. But we’re all now waiting. 

This is a drop in the bucket compared to the saga of Hagar and Ishmael. She’s not just fainted, nor has her child. They are on the verge of death. No food. No more water. No shelter. No protection. Vulnerable. Weak. In a very perilous situation. She was waiting for her child to die, and waiting for her own fate to unfold as well.

The EMTs have arrived. They have gotten the man to his feet. I suspect they’ll take him to the hospital for observation. I won’t watch any more. It’s his story, and he’s entitled to some privacy in the face of the situation. There are 200 or more of his “closest” friends seated all 6 feet apart. Waiting. 

How are you at waiting? Does it make a difference whether you are waiting for rescue, to be called for jury duty voir dire? Waiting for your next birthday before you turn 16 or 61? Waiting for test results – medical or placement – or for your first child to be born? 

We may think we know what we’re waiting for. But truth be told, we have only an inkling of it. Sometimes we may be exactly correct. The result comes back negative (good for medical tests). The wedding day gives way to the honeymoon. The judge calls your name and you’re on the jury. Or not. 

But sometimes there comes a Crazy Ivan. Sometimes God breaks in in unexpected ways. Like here…God opens Hagar’s eyes and she sees a well nearby. It was there all along. But she did not see it. Maybe God is waiting, too, for us to see his provision. Perhaps we are the ones on whom God is waiting. Waiting for us to repent and believe the good news. Waiting for us to take him up on his promises. Waiting for us to mend a broken relationship. Waiting for us to come to the aid of someone in need. 

Yesterday I pondered who might give me a cool refreshing cup of water today. Today I’m waiting to see how God will use me to bless someone for his glory. Maybe I can open someone’s eyes to his presence, goodness, and provision. I might encourage someone not to give up hope as they wait for God to come to their rescue. 

But those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They who hope in him will not be disappointed. We who trust him will be sustained. He’s waiting for us even as we wait for him.

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The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. ⁹ But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, ¹⁰ and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”

¹¹ The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. ¹² But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. ¹³ I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.”

¹⁴ Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba.

¹⁵ When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. ¹⁶ Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob.

¹⁷ God heard the boy crying,and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. ¹⁸ Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” – Genesis 21:8-18 

Do you ever get tired of doing good? Doing the right thing? Helping someone who is in trouble? Responding to the latest human tragedy? Giving to relieve the latest natural disaster victims? It’s called compassion fatigue. And it moves some of us simply to tune out the pleas. The heart-wrenching photo of the child with the cleft pallet. The African toddler with pleading eyes  and a distended belly due to starvation. We can’t help them all, so we help those we can and tune out the others. Perhaps we pray for them. Maybe we even decry the fact that groups will play on our emotions to gain financial support. 

But God does not do any of that. In fact, while he comes to the aid of Hagar, he also has a greater deliverance – once and for all – in store for lost, broken, desperate, and distressed mankind. But the end has not yet come. We have a lifetime – however long that may be – in front of us until that redemption is consummated. And God has people in place to help us along the way. 

He will send Hagar away, but Abraham will see to it that she is not sent away empty-handed. And when the food and water runs out, Hagar sits crying, and Ishmael is put far away to die. In that moment God calls her to continue on, and promises that even Ishmael will have a great future. 

The final deliverance is yet to come. But when the time is right, Jesus will offer himself as the fulfillment of all that God intends and then die as the substitute for all that we have failed to do, or all that is amiss that we have done, said, or thought. Through Jesus, God will reclaim that which is rightfully his, restore us to a place of honor and holiness, and we will rejoice for all eternity in his lovingkindness and grace. 

There will be times of sadness and distress along life’s way. We may be put into difficult and near hopeless situations. At those times, the slightest breeze can cool our sweaty brows, and a kindness of someone may be as a cup of refreshing water. Then we must take courage, stand again, and move forward with the assurance of God’s presence, and the hope of the ultimate deliverance.

I’m wondering who will bring that refreshing cup of water to me today. And I’m thankful for Jesus who give me grace and hope.

The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. ⁹ But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, ¹⁰ and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”

¹¹ The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. ¹² But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. ¹³ I will make the son of the slave into a nationalso, because he is your offspring.”

¹⁴ Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba.

¹⁵ When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. ¹⁶ Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob.

¹⁷ God heard the boy crying,and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. ¹⁸ Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” – Genesis 21:8-18

Don’t ever let them see you sweat…So they say. The idea being that if people see your weak spots they’ll take advantage of you. They’ll go for your weak spot. You’ll be passed over as a weakling. 

Jesus says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). 

Emotions withheld, repressed, and denied will inevitably erupt. Sometimes at a very inopportune moment. Sometimes resentment builds and such resentment comes out against those we love most. 

It seems that Hagar is not so much taking Jesus’ advice. Nor is she repressing her distress. She is simply mourning her difficult plight. She has been kicked out of Abraham’s household. She has a young child. She has no way to care for or provide for this child. She has no one to turn to. For that reason she neither needs to hide her emotions. Nor does she need to let her true feelings out. 

But that’s not quite the whole story. The whole story is the story of God. It’s inevitably about God’s love and care for all people. But note well: God has a special place in his heart for widows an orphans. It shows up here. Hagar is distressed. And she lets it out. The only one who can see at this moment is God. And he does see. 

Whatever your plight, let God see. Those who never let other see them sweat, who never let their pain be known, or never become vulnerable, will also never find the comfort that Jesus promises. But when we become vulnerable before him, we will find true comfort. Hagar experiences this. God promises it to us as well. 

Portions from various Psalms for your personal meditation and edification on this Lord’s Day

Psalm 26:8

O Lord, I love the habitation of your house
    and the place where your glory dwells.

Psalm 56:3-4

When I am afraid,
    I put my trust in you.
⁴ In God, whose word I praise,
    in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can flesh do to me?

Psalm 86:3-5

Be gracious to me, O Lord,
    for to you do I cry all the day.
⁴ Gladden the soul of your servant,
    for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
⁵ For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
    abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

Psalm 116:12-19

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The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. ² She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would. ³ And Abraham named their son Isaac. ⁴ Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded. ⁵ Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born.

⁶ And Sarah declared, “God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me. ⁷ Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age!”  – Genesis 21:1-7

I had an epiphany. It was at a conference sponsored by a large church with a very successful ministry. They had previously hosted hundreds of people for these conferences. But this time, there were fewer than 30 in attendance. But you would never know it. The worship leaders and the presenters never apologized for the lack of attendance. A good reminder: Why worry about who isn’t there? Focus on those who are there! I’ve tried to keep this in mind. 

But that wasn’t the epiphany. Somehow during this conference I was convicted of something several of us struggled with. We all wanted to be in large successful churches. Gifted staff. Powerful programs. Impressive facilities. We were envious. We had no idea of what we were really wishing for. But somehow God broke through. I realized that all the successful churches, ministries, programs, buildings, and staff teams didn’t belong to only that one congregation. These were all kingdom resources. I didn’t need to own them. I didn’t have to claim them as mine. 

God led me to 1 Corinthians 3:21-23

So don’t boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you—²² whether Paul or Apollos or Peter, or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future. Everything belongs to you, ²³ and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. 

I’ve tried to keep that in mind as time has gone on. Any success I’ve experienced is to God’s glory, and not to my credit or certainly not for my personal (selfish) use. And when I see any kingdom success – large or small churches impacting lives and saving souls – I rejoice. With the angels. With the redeemed. With the laborers. 

Sarah hints at that here: “All who hear about this will laugh with me,” she says. I hope they did. I hope there was a gaggle of laughter that went on for days. Chortling and cooing, giggling and tittering. Joy experienced and shared. 

If we’re consumed with our own desires, and constantly worried about getting our due, we’ll forfeit joy. If we see the good things others experience as testimony to God’s goodness and grace, rather than resenting them for their good fortune we’ll begin to touch the edge of joy. When we celebrate God’s goodness to others with them, we come even closer. And when we see that God’s goodness is the source of every good gift, we will find true joy. 

I hope you join the laughter and the celebration. God is good!