1 Samuel 11: 2-6 - But Nahash the Ammonite replied, "I will
make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel." The
elders of Jabesh said to him, "Give us seven days so we can
send messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue us,
we will surrender to you." When the messengers came to Gibeah
of Saul and reported these terms to the people, they all wept
aloud. Just then Saul was returning from
the fields, behind his oxen, and he asked, "What is wrong with the people?
Why are they weeping?" Then they repeated to him what the men of Jabesh had
said. When Saul heard their words, the
Spirit of God came upon him in power, and he burned with anger.
The town of Jabesh was in great trouble. They had been ‘besieged’ ….an Ammonite with
his band og men…had blocked off the city with the intent of conquering it to
make them slaves. Maybe it was God’s spirit that let him agree to the seemingly
crazy plea of the elders…as they were given 7 days to find someone to rescue
them. It turned out to be a stupid bet from the start...for Nahash. For as soon as Saul heard about it …the
spirit of God gave him an intense anger...and he sent out a call for soldiers…and
then went straight away with over 330,000 men to rescue Jabesh Gilead.
Anger can be a dangerous thing when it is not controlled. But when the anger is of God…it can be a powerful
tool to do his work. Just like Jesus…in Matthew 21:12… “Jesus entered the
temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He
overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling
doves” ….God gave him a powerful anger for the injustice and disrespect the money
changers that helped him special and powerful message to us all about how to
channel our emotions for good….giving the anger purpose and meaning.
And as I sit and process the concept that anger is sometimes
good…I know in my heart that this concept works for all the other emotions that
God gave us. I know from experience that the pain that comes with grief can
sure rip someone to shreds that is not allowing God to channel that pain into
changing their life somehow. But when
the pain is channeled into the work he has called to you to do…it becomes a
tool to heal…to bring purpose to the pain.
The pain is easier to live with today because it now has meaning and function
in my life.
What a twofold lesson we can learn from this great
story. Anger is of God…and it can be
channeled for good…just like every other emotion he gave us. But we need to
guard closely against satan…who easily convinces us to use these powerful tools
of God for evil. I know that side from experience too….and am not proud of the
times I got out of control over silly things at ball games …or let satan trick me
into losing my temper at my kids over trivial things …we will call ‘spilled
milk’ over the years. I know from this scripture that God is working in me to
channel the anger he created in me to stop injustice and work to help women
release the pain of grief in their life…so God can use them like he is using
me.
Father…I thank you for the powerful emotions you planted in
my heart from birth. I ask you this
morning to guard my heart against satan’s evil tricks…that sometimes convince
me to rid my life of anger….and the other emotions he uses to weaken our
hearts. Help me instead to learn to
channel all my emotions to do your work…and help you rid this world we live of
injustice and pain. Help me to give
people your love...that can release them from the chains that pain and anger…that
satan uses to make them feel hopeless. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment