“Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed.

For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe,

even if you were told”.  Habakkuk 1:5

There’s no question of if God will answer your prayers. He always does. Habakkuk, disturbed by the evil surrounding him, asked God, “How long will I call for help and you don’t seem to hear?” (1:1). God gave him an answer. But it wasn’t the answer he was expecting (1:5). The all-wise God has the task of answering our prayers in a finite, human way our brains can understand. We have this great example of Habakkuk wrestling with God (that’s what his name means), distressed, disturbed, doubting, but also embracing faith in God and trusting in his sovereign, just character.

We have the task of asking (God listens to us, He is more than able and desiring to hear from us) and listening. We need to posture our hearts, minds, and bodies to hear from him, humbly waiting and keenly observing in likely and unlikely places. There are no limits to how he answers, and he will answer. That alone is enough to cause us to wonder, be astonished, amazed, and marvel at him and his ways. The fact is, as he answered Habakkuk, he is doing something, and he would not believe it if he were told. Habakkuk didn’t like the answer but it was for the good of Israel, fit into God’s plan, and was consistent with God’s character. Just because we don’t see the answer we want doesn’t mean God isn’t working. Just because we don’t like the answer we see doesn’t mean he isn’t working for the good. We might not believe it because God can do the unbelievable.

Habakkuk had struggles and questions. God wants you to come to him with every care and concern. He’s greater than them all. How are you at listening for his answers? Practice listening this week by pausing for a few minutes in God’s presence with a posture of receiving after you have shared with him your concern. Perhaps hold your hands open to the sky above. May God reveal himself to you just as he did to Habakkuk, and assure you he has everything under control.

Psalm 10:17 You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry.

Psalm 66:19 But God has surely listened and has heard my prayer.

Proverbs 1:5 Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.

Proverbs 8:3 Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it.

By Donna Burns

Thus Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head again. During Gideon’s lifetime, the land had peace forty years.  Judges 8:28

The word forty is mentioned 146 times in the Bible. It represents a time of testing or trial. Moses, Elijah, and Jesus all fasted in the wilderness 40 days. In the book of Judges, 40 years of peace came after Othniel (3:11), Deborah (5:31), Gideon (8:28), and 80 years after Ehud. There is also a pattern. Israel forgot God’s goodness to them, they sinned and cried out to him in their distress “save us”. God sent a judge, they returned to God and lived in peace. When the judge died, they forgot God, sinned and cried out to God again. This happened over and over until the twelfth and final judge Samson, blinded and humbled, destroyed the Philistines and their temple by pushing apart the stone columns with them in it. Then God gave Israel the kings they wanted, first Saul, David, and Solomon and each reigned 40 years.

As we have soaked in the Old Testament narratives of Gideon this week, several points are worth making note of. There are more chapters and narrative about Gideon than any other judge. He is also the only judge to whom an angel speaks. The people sought to make him king and he lived like a king (8:26–27, 30, 32). In verse 23 he says the right things, but his actions show something different. His words give glory to God but his actions claim glory for himself. We are all like him in this respect. We claim for ourselves that which only God can give.

The judges delivered Israel from the consequences of their sin, but not the cause of it. God planned for them to live in peace in the Promise Land, but they were distracted, forgot and followed other passions they thought would satisfy. Isn’t that like individuals today, trying to find peace in so many other people, things and systems but they don’t deliver. There is only one source of true peace, it is in the person of Jesus. A person must receive the gift of forgiveness to restore a right relationship between their heart and God’s. Pray for the peace that only He can give through his son and only he can put in your heart. Pray for many to come to know the real peace in Jesus in our world today. Tell someone about the peace he brings you.

Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 16:20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

By Donna Burns

Now Samuel died. And all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him in his house at Ramah.  Then David rose and went down to the wilderness of Paran.  And there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel.  Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved; he was a Calebite. 1 Samuel 25:1-3

What is a Calebite? Is that an important detail? What sort of application do we take from a character study from the Old Testament Bible? If we look at the Hebrew narrative style, we have some clues. We can notice how the writer characterizes them by the meaning of their name, actions rather than description, and roles they take. We can also listen to their dialogue. The amount of dialogue compared to the narration is insightful. The contrast between Abigail’s wise appeal, Nabal’s foolish talk and David’s vengeance-taking anger have aspects to which we can all relate.

David means “God’s beloved”. Abigail means “the Father’s (Abba) joy (Gail)”. Nabal’s name means “foolish”. The contrasts between this husband and wife’s actions and words are many. Abigail recognized God’s hand upon David as the future King of Israel, her husband Nabal saw himself as the master of all he owned. Abigail showed respect to God’s anointed king, Nabal insulted him. Abigail showed wisdom in her circumstances, Nabal ignored common courtesy and kindnesses. Abigail graciously gave gifts, Nabal indulged himself. Abigail acted respectfully, Nabal behaved badly. See if you can find more.

A Calebite was a descendant of Caleb who followed God wholeheartedly and whose name translates the same. Nabal acted in opposition to God and the King and serves as an opposite example of his namesake. Abigail was the Father’s joy. She brought him with her wherever she went. You can do the same. He wants you to see his hand at work in the world and join him in reaching it. How do you respond to the King Jesus and the plan he has for you? How do you show him respect? Impart his wisdom? Share his gifts? Abigail’s life has a great lesson for us. She was willing for God to work through her. She wisely saw the kingdom of God. She walked in the ways of God with a heart for God.

Here is a project on contrasts. The wise verses the foolish is a major theme in Scripture. Almost twice as many verses about the foolish are in the book of Proverbs than the entire New Testament. Take one chapter of Proverbs each day for a month (31) and keep a list of the verses on the wise and a list of the verses on the foolish. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7

By Donna Burns

Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah…  Exodus 1:15

“Beautiful”. If you were to make a quick pencil sketch of “beautiful” you would need some more description or details. In our character study for this week the meaning of the midwife Shiphrah’s name is “beautiful”, but there is no description of her beauty, just what she did. That’s the way Hebrew narrative is written, with lots of detailed actions. Physical descriptions are very brief or non-existent but the actions tell of a person’s character, place in society, and circumstances. Every detail is given for a reason.

The names of the midwives Shiphrah (beautiful) and Puah (brilliant) are mentioned in Exodus 1 among the names of the Patriarchs and the 12 tribes of Israel. They are important, history-making women in a male-led and dominated culture. Their courageous acts (they didn’t do as the King of Egypt commanded, v. 17), compassion (they let the boys live, v. 17) and righteous actions (they valued human life) preserved the covenant and priestly heritage of the nation. Their brave behavior resulted in the nation flourishing by multiplying and becoming very mighty. It would be easy to overlook them, marginalize or make them insignificant. But there is power in the mentioning of their names in the narrative and describing their conduct as God-fearing (v. 17, 21), making a critical difference in Israel’s history (v. 20) and being worthy of honor and blessing (v. 21). What they did was beautiful.

Names are important. Try one or both of these suggestions. If you like drawing, make a quick sketch of your name and what it means. If you like words, write a paragraph of yourself describing your actions walking in the way of Jesus with the heart of Jesus. Just set a timer for ten minutes and stop when it rings. Perhaps meditating on this verse as you draw or write will inspire, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!” Romans 10:15 AMP.

By Donna Burns

And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”  Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.”  And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.”  The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.”  Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. 2 Samuel 9:1-5

Names. What does yours mean? Why was it given to you? In our Bible character series this summer we will find names were very significant in ancient times, both for people and places. They could reflect a personality trait/virtue, a circumstance, or form a pun or create irony. Some examples: Barnabas, son of encouragement, Isaac (laughter, Sarah his mom laughed at the idea of becoming pregnant), Joseph naming his firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” And naming the second son, Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction”, Genesis 41:51-52. Also, name changes were very significant: Abram to Abraham, Jacob the deceiver renamed Israel, and Saul the persecutor became Paul the church planter. Mentions of a name reflect the Creator God and his story in people’s lives.

Mephibosheth’s name is long, filled with meaning, and so is the story of his life. The meanings of names are in parentheses as you read. As a result of a revolution, Mephibosheth (dispeller of shame) was taken as a child from Jerusalem to live in Lo Debar (a desolate, forgotten place). It turns out his name was prophetic because when David (beloved one) became King he kept his promise to Jonathan (the Lord has given) and showed kindness to Jonathan’s descendants. He went from the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel (my kinsman is God) in a barren place back to the palace in the city of Jerusalem (foundation of peace), from where he came. He received unmerited grace. He went from obscurity to prominence, from being discarded to purposefulness. His story could be any of ours. The Father God‘s heart is for all to have a story of receiving his mercy, leaving the fallen place, and being adopted as his children, a story going from helpless shame to righteousness and honor.

God has a plan, a journey, and a story for each of us. Do some research on your name. What characteristics of God does your name embody? How does it relate with the journey God has you on? Someday Jesus will give you a new name: To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it (Revelation 2:17). What do you think it will be? How will this new name reflect your relationship with Jesus?

By Donna Burns