Back to the Present - Sarah Young

Trust Me and refuse to worry, for I am your Strength and Song.

You are feeling wobbly now, looking at difficult times looming ahead, measuring them against your own strength.

However, they are not today's tasks --nor even tomorrow's.

So leave them in the future and come home to the present, where you will find Me waiting for you.

Since I am your strength, I can empower you to handle each task as it comes. Because I am your Song, I can give you joy as you work alongside Me.

Keep bringing your mind back to the present moment.

Among all My creatures, only humans can anticipate future events.

This ability is a blessing, but it becomes a curse whenever it is misused.

If you use your magnificent mind to worry about tomorrow, you cloak yourself in dark unbelief.

However, when the hope of heaven fills your thoughts, the Light of My Presence envelopes you.

Though heaven is future, it is also present tense.

As you walk in the Light with me, you have one foot on earth and one foot in heaven. 

 -- From Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young

The LORD is my strength and my song;

He has become my salvation.

He is my God and I will praise Him.

 Exodus 15:2

We demolish arguments and every pretension

that sets itself against the knowledge of God,

and we take captive every thought

to make it obedient to Christ.

  2 Corinthians 10:5

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess,

for He who promised is faithful.

Hebrews 10:23

The Grid - Sarah Young

Let thankfulness temper all your thoughts.

A thankful mind-set keeps you in touch with Me.

I hate it when My children grumble, casually despising My sovereignty.

Thankfulness is a safeguard against this deadly sin.


Furthermore, a grateful attitude becomes a grid though which you perceive life.

Gratitude enables you to see the Light of My Presence shining on all your circumstances.

Cultivate a thankful heart, for this glorifies Me and fills you with joy.

--From Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young

Giving thanks always and for all things to

God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:20

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,

for His steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 106:1

I hate it when My people grumble, casually despising My Sovereignty.

Gleanings from Obed-Edom (Part 12) - The last bit

God's Ark found a resting place at Obed-Edom's home. For 90 days Obed-Edom was host to God's presence. When King David came to retrieve the Ark and remove it to a new resting place in Jerusalem, Obed-Edom joined to procession of faithful, joyful Jews who accompanied the Ark. He played his harp, maybe danced with David along the road, and rejoiced that he could stay close to God's presence by moving to Jerusalem and serving God in the new tabernacle King David had prepared.

When there, Obed-Edom, whose name means "servant/enemy of God", found places to minister, and was finally promoted to care for the vast treasures (probably about 2 and 1/2 billion dollars in today's money) that David was collecting for his son Solomon to place in the great new Temple which Solomon was going to build for God.

Sometime in his life, Obed-Edom became a friend, not an enemy, of God. And being in God's presence appears to be the central point in his life.

How blessed we are now -- because now the great Sovereign LORD of the universe can come live within us -- now He can enter our lives and actually settle down and be at home in our hearts.

I remember when I invited the Son of God to come in and live in me. I will never forget that day. But there is another day I remember also. That was the day I suddenly realized I wasn't doing it right.

I was so caught up in cleaning each room (what about that horrible Hall Closet?) that I was living like a child with one of those games -- you know, when the child sits in front of a platform with pegs sticking up -- and he takes his mallet and pounds one down and another pops up...and he keeps going and going..faster and faster, the pegs keep popping up -- well, that was my life.

I would clean one room and by the time I was through, I saw the dust and dirt in another room. And so I hurried there. And it went on, around and around.

But after all, the King of the Universe is living here. I have to keep it clean!

I couldn't take it any more. I was frazzled and tearful.

So I asked Jesus one day, "Would it be possible, or would you be willing --you can see how weary I am-- to take care of it all and operate it for me, just like You did in that Hall Closet?"

His face was shining on me when He said, "Of course." And I could see He was pleased.

"That's really what I came to do. It is impossible for you to do it in your own strength. Let me do it in you and through you. That's the only way it will really work."

I felt relieved and like the biggest burden had been lifted from my back.

"But," he continued. "You know, I don't own this house. I have no authority to make changes since I am not the owner. I am just your Guest. I can't take charge since the property is not Mine."

Then I understood. He was being treated like a Guest. I was trying to play host.

"From now on You are going to the owner of this house. I am going to be the servant."

I ran for the strong box. I took out the title Deed that showed me as the owner.

"Here it is," I said to Him, "all that I am and have forever. Now You run the house. Just let me stay with You as house servant and friend."

Like Obed-Edom who wanted to be near the presence of God every minute of his life, I, too, wanted to be with God, and have Him with me, every moment of my life.

He took my life that day. A great soul-happy peace came upon me, and it has stayed with me every day, no matter what the cicumstances of my life on the outside, I live with the King of the Universe in my heart.

And what about you?

Gleanings from Obed-Edom (Part 11) - To all generations

Israel's First King
SAUL
1020-1000 BC


Israel's Second King
DAVID
1000-960 BC


Israel's Third King
SOLOMON
960-931 BC


When Solomon died the Kingdom split into two Kingdoms.

Jeroboam became king of the northern 10 tribes (931-910).
 Rehoboam became king of the southern tribes (931-914).

The events of 2 Chronicles 25 occurred just over 100 years later, when Israel
and Judah (the southern tribes) were actually at war with each other. Jehoash was the King of Israel and Amaziah was the King of Judah.

The record (2 Chronicles 25) says that Amaziah was disobedient and so God "worked that he might hand them over to Jehoash...Judah was routed and every man fled to his home. Jehoash King of Israel captured Amaziah King of Judah...Then Jehoash broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate -- a section about 600 feet long. He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the Temple of God that had been in the care of Obed-Edom..."

Both King David and Obed-Edom had died many years before this. But everyone still talked about the Temple treasure as being in Obed-Edom's care. They still associated the treasure with Obed-Edom's name. That shows great respect and honor for a humble servant of God.

Some historians estimate the total wealth (the list of gold and silver articles is listed in scripture) as being worth about 2 1/2 billion dollars today. And all that was in the care of the faithful servant/friend of God, Obed-Edom.

Shakespeare wrote, "The evil that men do lives after them. The good is oft buried with their bones."

Maybe that is often true, but here is an example where it is not true. Obed-Edom's good name lingered a long time after he was gone. It was not buried with his bones.

Then I think about the horrors of slavery. Yes, the results of that evil still live with us.

And who ever remembers the thousands of people who died to bring freedom to slaves?

Their good is buried with their bones.

The Bible talks a lot about "sowing" and "reaping." We do "reap what we sow"! When we plant corn, we get corn, not cotton! When I plant petunias, I expect petunias!

Remember reading Lord Byron's Childe Harold's Pilgrimmage"?

Here is a great verse that illustrates sowing and reaping:

The thorns which I have reaped are of the tree I planted,
--they have torn me,--and I bleed:
I should have known what fruit would spring from such a seed.
Canto IV, X.

I can think of many things I have done in my life -- seeds I have planted--that resulted in a thorny bush of regret and pain.

Praise God for His forgiveness, and the way He takes that ugly, rotten fruit...discards it...and then is able to reap glorious fruit from the seeds He has planted in me.

Something beautiful, something good
All my confusion He understood
All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife
But He made something beautiful of my life!

Gleanings from Obed-Edom (Part 10) - The Bedroom

It was such a relief to have my Gracious Guest take care of that odious Hall Closet that I decided to go to our bedroom next. I am remembering an old song: You always hurt the one you love, the one you shouldn't hurt at all...so if I broke your heart last night, it's because I love you most of all...."?

I guess I am a lot older, because the lines surely seem ridiculous to me now. Yes, we do hurt the ones we love, but I seem to hurt people I don't particularly love, even strangers!

On the other hand, I do know how easy it is to hurt the ones we love. It is so convenient, there are so many opportunities, and the risk is so much lower. We can't tell off our boss, or the preacher, usually, but unloading on our spouse is almost a by-product of being married. It is part of what we expect!

I remember once saying something really awful to Art. Not only was it hurtful, it wasn't even true! (I am so thankful I can't remember exactly what it was that I said -- but I remember being very ashamed.) After stewing and feeling guilty for a couple of hours, I came back to him and gave a deeply-felt apology and request for forgiveness. He looked at me and said, "I don't know what you are talking about. I don't remember you saying anything like that!"

Home free!

These days many people find the habit of spouting off and unloading on our spouses is almost impossible to control.

When my Omnipotent Guest came into our bedroom, He could see photos of us taken at important events or recalling special vacations and times together; our Bibles in our reading areas, and typical homey items other couples have.

He nodded at the pictures and acknowledged that we loved each other very much.

He told me He understood how hard it was to show constant love and respect to those we live with. How the struggles of each day weigh heavily on us and how easy it is to lash out and accuse. And how hard it is to defend ourselves form these unwelcome attacks.

And how hard it is in our culture with its ungodly worldview to keep our vows to each other.

Faithfulness to each other is such a profoundly simple concept! God is faithful to us. We are to be faithful to Him. Since marriage mirrors and conceptualizes His faithfulness to us, we are to be faithful to our mates. As God loves the church, we are to love each other. As God is faithful to His church, we are to be faithful to each other. What could be easier to understand?

I guess the problem is not in the understanding. It's in the obedience part.

We are to keep our promises and commit ourselves to each other, just like we do to Him. He has never been unfaithful to us. We are to mirror that to each other.

Israel is a perfect example (and I guess that's why God left so much of her record for us to observe) of God's faithfulness versus ours. In spite of God's faithfulness to His people, they were, to their continual disasters, unfaithful to Him.

Hosea is a good example. This small book in the Big Book, relates God's way of showing Israel what it means to be faithful, truly faithful, no matter what.

Hosea was directed to show his fellow Hebrews a very hard lesson.

It seems that sometime, probably when Hosea was pretty young, God went to him and asked him to do a hard thing.

"Hosea, I want you to marry a woman who is going to be unfaithful to you, but to whom you are going to remain faithful. You will love her, but she will disgrace your love. I am asking you to do this so I can show My people what My love is like.

"You will be like a living parable. Instead of telling them again how much I love them and how much I cherish My relationship with them (which I have done repeatedly), I now want you to demonstrate it. You will be a symbolic, object lesson.

"It will be sort of like a stage play. You are going to play My part. You will represent God. The woman I will ask you to marry will represent Israel. The reason I am going to let her run away and make you look foolish, is because that is what My people are doing to Me right now in the spiritual marriage I have established with them.

"But no matter what she does, and she will be truly unfaithful to you, more than once, you will remain faithful to her. She will embarrass you. People will pity you and ridicule you because of her actions. They will question what kind of a man would put up with that conduct! Perhaps, they will think, you are weak and powerless. But you will still care for her -- even when she becomes a prostitute and lives in the gutter, you will go to her and bring her back. You will forgive her no matter what she does. There is nothing she can do that will outreach your love for her.

"You are going to show, by example, how forgiving I am. You are going to demonstrate how My love endures forever. Those are not just words My people say when they go to the Temple: Those words, 'My love endures forever,' are an inseparable part of My holy character."

So that is what Hosea did. He married Gomer. She left him and chased after other men. (We would call her some very descriptive names.) He followed her to bring her back. He forgave her. He didn't 'keep a record of her wrongs' (1 Corinthians 13:5).

His love, like God's, was pure and unchanging. It was eternal.

Reminding me how great God's love is helps me understand how important our love for each other is.

Sometimes on TV we see a celebrity confessing tearfully his (or her?) failure to maintain faithfulness to their mate. Often they dab their eyes with a handkerchief, and stumble on their words. We watch them express their guilt and ask forgiveness for their "mistake." I wonder, isn't a mistake what you make in math class? And you use your eraser to remove it and then do the problem correctly? Or in an English paper you delete a wrong word, or change the incorrect spelling, with just a simple 'delete' on the computer? Aren't those "mistakes"?

God tell us that unfaithfulness is not a mistake --- it is a deliberate wrong choice. It is an intentional decision to do wrong. It is not erasable. It is not just an inconvenient situation, or an embarrassing time in our lives. It is an offense to God and a terrible assault on His holy character. It is cosmic treason against the King of the Universe. ('Against thee have I sinned,' said David.)

Unfaithfulness is an act that carries great consequences, far beyond what we can see before us.

My Guest reminded me that He knows how hard it is to live as He wants us to. When something comes up I find hard to handle, "Talk to Me about it," He said. "Let me help you take steps to avoid temptation. Rely on Me and My strength. I will show you ways to control and shape circumstances so that You bring honor to Me."

He also reminded me, "And if you do something to cause you shame and guilt, know I will always love you and will remain with you, right here in your heart-home. Acknowledge what you did and I will help you take steps to avoid it happening again. You will never do anything that can outreach My love for you!"

Gleanings from Obed-Edom (Part 9) - Almost the Last Word

When the Ark was at Obed-Edom's we read that he was greatly blessed, and his household, and all that he had.

And then Obed-Edom learned a great principle. As God had blessed Obed-Edom's house, so he should then bless God's house.

Obed-Edom was faithful in applying that principle to his life. He accompanied the Ark when David came to remove it and take it to Jerusalem. He played his harp in the great procession that paraded the Ark up to the dwelling place David had prepared for it in the Holy City.

Then he was appointed gatekeeper in the house of God. What did gatekeepers do? He helped collect offerings (2 Kings 22:4). He guarded the entrance to the tabernacle (l Chronicles 9:19),and he probably welcomed and greeted worshippers as they came in.
Many of the same duties our deacons or ushers have today. Many of the same tasks my father did at our church when I was a child.

~~~~If We Are Willing...~~~~

If we are willing to be used by God, there is always a place for us. We must have, as Obed-Edom had, a servant's heart.

In some places and in some traditions, there is a line of demarcation between "professional clergy" and "laity."

I don't find that anywhere in the Bible. We are all called to "minister."

Sometimes "ministry" means opening the windows, picking up trash, serving food, removing loose bulletins in the pews to prepare for the next service. It might mean taking the offering, preaching, teaching Sunday School. It doesn't matter -- it is all to be done as servants of Christ, ministering with a humble heart and listening for His voice.....Well done, my good and faithful servant.

[Don't most congregations have a great need for members to visit in the hospitals, fix hot dogs for the kids, recruit prayer support for the pastor and other staff, send letters to college and military youth?]

When Obed-Edom was serving as gatekeeper he probably heard the priests singing, and maybe sang himself, maybe playing on his harp, many of the Psalms we have recorded in God's Word. What about Psalm 84:1 - How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! And probably he also sang Better is a day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my Lord than to dwell in the tents of wickedness (Psalm 84:10) --- my father's favorite verse.

And In thy presence is fullness of joy? (Psalm 16:11)

Is this a lesson Obed-Edom learned? One that God wants us all to learn?

He was called into ministry. But he was created to worship. What we are is worshipers.
What we do is ministry. Does God want us to be a worshiper before we serve Him? Is His first goal for us to make us worshipers? (God seeks those to worship Him in spirit and truth).


He wants us to be something before we do something. What ministry we do in His family should flow out naturally from who we are, which starts with our being in His presence -- continually and conspicuously.

Yes, I think Obed-Edom experienced that flow.


~~~~Obed-Edom Gets Promoted....~~~~


Obed-Edom was a faithful servant. And later we see that he is promoted. King David himself appointed Obed-Edom to minister before the Ark of the Lord, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel (1 Chronicles 16:4).

So Obed-Edom was right where he wanted to be -- as close to the Ark as he could get. Because that's where God was!

And on that glorious day when the Ark was actually placed in the tabernacle, Obed- Edom would have heard David's heart-felt prayer in 1 Chronicles 16 (much of which is included also in Psalm 105).

Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known to the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him, tell of all his wonderful acts. Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. Glory in his holy name, let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

Hundred of years later, the Son of David, said Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.

Obed-Edom eagerly sought God's righteous holy presence and so we know he was filled with God's joy and peace.

Then in 1 Chronicles 16:38 we see that Obed-Edom had 68 associates to minister with him. He had become a leader. But he still served and led with a servant's heart.

Jesus said, The greatest among you shall be your servant (Matthew 23:11). In Mark we read even more. James and John were interested in being promoted. Jesus told them,whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all (Mark 10:43-44.

So what is the last of the Obed-Edom story? Look in 1 Chronicles 26. There the genealogies of the gatekeepers is listed. In verse 4 we read about Obed-Edom's descendants. Verses 4 and 5 list 8 sons (For God had blessed Obed-Edom the record says)that were born to him.

[There is an old Jewish legend that says all 8 of Obed-Edom's sons were born during the 3 months the Ark was at his house. Some variations of the story say that all 8 were born at once! That story is not in the Bible, but for hundreds of years it has been included in the whispers of tradition.]

And then the names of his grandsons are listed.
And these notes: leaders in their father's family because they were very capable men...and...capable men with strength to do the work....

~~~Now for the Rest of the Story~~~~

The last reference we have to Obed-Edom is in 2 Chronicles 25:24.

The events in this chapter took place over a hundred years after King David's death.
It was very troubled times for Israel and Judah, years after their civil war and the division of the tribes into 2 separate countries.

The historical account is that Israel and Judah were at war with each other. Amaziah, King of Judah, would not listen to God and so Jehoash, King of Israel, defeated Judah in battle. Judah was routed by Israel and every man fled to his home (2 Chronicles 25:22). Jehoash came into Jerusalem and broke down part of the city wall, a section about 600 feet long. Johoash knew exactly where to go -- to the great Temple. And there he collected all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of God, that had been in the care of Obed-Edom, together with the palace treasures and the hostages and returned to Samaria (2 Chronicles 25:23-24). [Samaria was his capital city.]

David had turned over all the temple treasures, as he collected them, to Obed-Edom for safe-keeping. When Solomon completed the great Temple, all those treasures were placed where they belonged - right in God's house, where David had intended them to go. It would have been a very high honor to any man to take charge of these treasures. Certainly a great show of confidence and personal trust in someone's honesty and ability.

Or maybe the writer is referring to a descendant of Obed-Edom, maybe a grandson, who is listed in the genealogy, who cared for the treasures during the later years after the Kingdom divided.

But probably not. Probably the Obed-Edom referred to here in 2 Chronicles is the original humble/servant/enemy of God who had become the humble/servant/friend of God when David was King. Probably the same one who had picked up his harp, left his farm and helped transport the Ark of God's covenant to God's house in Jerusalem because he wanted to spend his life near the holy presence of God.

In either case, the Obed-Edom guarding the King's Temple Treasury was a man who realized that we are always stewards, not owners of God's wealth.

When God puts wealth in our hands it is to be used for the furthering on His Work.



These accounts of Obed-Edom reminds me of my mother often saying, "Glorya, don't you get out of my sight!"

Obed-Edom could not let the Ark get "out of his sight."

We don't know when Obed-Edom died. But we do know that whenever it happened it was not the end of his story.

For him, to paraphrase C. S. Lewis, It was only the beginning of the real story. All his life in this world, and all his adventures and all his devotion to God's presence, had been the cover and title page of the book of his life. Now at last he would begin Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read. Which goes on forever. In which every chapter is better than the one before.

And that's the rest of his story.

If we decide to look for Obed-Edom when we get "over yonder" I will know exactly where to look first -- as close as he can get to God Himself. And that's exactly where I want to be too!

Gleanings from Obed-Edom (Part 8) - The Hall Closet

We have seen this exceptional man, Obed-Edom, as he cared for the Ark of the Covenant at his home for three months. Then we saw him take up his harp and join the joyful celebration as David escorted, properly this time, the Ark up to Jerusalem to the new tabernacle (tent) he had prepared for it. We saw Obed-Edom chosen to serve near the Ark and act as gatekeeper. Later we will see how he is promoted to even more important positions.

When Obed-Edom had the Ark at his home, we are told that God blessed him and all he had and all in his household.

Obed-Edom provided a home for the Ark. King David wanted to build a great new temple for that spiritual treasure but God denied his desire, telling him his son, Solomon, would be the one to build the marvelous temple, but David could start compiling materials: silver and gold, gems, vessels and great artistic ornaments for the temple.

God told David that he couldn't build his God a temple-house, but that God Himself would build David a house - a dynasty that would eventually bless all nations.

And in His tender caring way God tell us that we too can build Him a temple, right in our own hearts. This has to be one of the most remarkable Christian doctrines: that Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, will actually enter our hearts, settle down and be at home there. Christ will live in any human heart that welcomes him.

So when Christ moves into our hearts we let Him settle down, feel comfortable, and
feel "at home" in us. And there are some things we get to do to make sure He is comfortable living in us. We can re-model, re-decorate, move furniture around. But there are some things we don't have the power to take care of.

I am re-reading again that quote from C. S. Lewis:

Dozens of people go to Him to be cured of some particular sin which they are ashamed of, or which is obviously spoiling daily life (like cowardice, bad temper, gossip, etc). He will cure it all right; but He will not stop there. That may be all you asked, but if once you call Him in, He will give you the full treatment.

He didn't come to change us into nice people, but new people. He is the painter and we are the painting. He is the inventor. We are only the invention. He knows what we can be and has given His Son to make our transformation possible. His goal for us is higher than we can imagine for ourselves.

You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage; but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.

The thought that the Sovereign Lord of the universe is within us is still as astonishing to me as it was when first I learned it. Or began to learn it, since I still haven't fully grasped it.

Anyway, as I go with Him through my heart-house and He observes how I live sometimes I am ashamed.

What about that Hall Closet? The one I keep closed unless I am, for sure, the only one at home. Because I don't want anyone to see what is in that closet. So I keep the door carefully closed (and locked) at all times.

It contained, not anything so awfully bad -- just some things left over from my life before I invited Him into my heart. Sometimes I justified leaving them there to remind me of what I used to be like! But they were things I didn't want anyone to know about.

One day, my omniscient Guest met me at the head of the stairs.

"What is that awful smell?"

He pointed to the closet door. "It seems to be coming from there. Is there something in there we need to clean out?"

I felt some anger. After all, I had given Him the Living Room, the Family Room, the Kitchen -- how much room did He have to take? It was only one small closet! I thought to myself, "I am not going to give Him the key. This is just too much!"

My omniscient Guest, since He knows all, heard my thoughts.

"OK," He said. "I will move outdoors to the back yard. I can't live in this house.
I can't stay near the things that are in that closet!"

I watched Him turn away from me to leave. He took one step on the stairway, and then I realized, I couldn't let Him go. All my joy and peace was leaving with Him. I loved Him so much I couldn't let Him walk out!

(When once you've experienced the presence of God in your life, you cannot live without Him.

That's exactly what Obed-Edom found out, too. He couldn't sit at his farm and watch the Ark--the symbolic presence of God--leave him. So he followed it all the way to
Jerusalem, and then stayed right near it, serving God and ministering to God's family.)

"All right," I said. "I will get You the key. But You will have to open it and clean it out for me. I don't have the strength."

"I know you haven't," He said. "Just give Me the key and authorize Me to handle that closet and I will take care of it for you."

I turned away and let Him take over. He removed all the putrefying, stinking stuff that was rotting there. He cleansed it with a strong antiseptic, painted it, and I was amazed to see that awful Hall Closet now sparkling and clean, with a fresh smell that brought genuine pleasure to me.

And I noticed that the new fragrance that wafted out of that closet was making its way all through the house.

Now I knew, no matter what sin and pain and regrets there might be in my past, Jesus is ready to forgive, to heal and make whole.

I am so thankful I gave Him the key to that closet and authorized Him to clean it out for me!

I hope you don't still have a room left like that.....