Be Prepared, Stay Ready

 

Image from stonedcampbelldisciple.com

I have always known the Boys Scout motto as “Be Prepared”, and while it is easy to assume its simple meaning as always being ready, out of curiosity, I googled it to know the organization’s true intent. According to the first chief scout of the movement, Lieut. Gen. Baden Powell C.B. The motto means to always be in “a state of readiness in mind and body to do your duty. To have disciplined yourself to be obedient to every order, and by having thought out beforehand any accident or situation that might occur, so that you know the right thing to do at the right moment and are willing to do it.”

When I read this description, the picture that came to mind was the prophetess Huldah. She was mentioned only twice in the Bible in 2^nd Kings 22 and 2^nd Chronicles 34, and it was the same story told twice. She was a prophet, and some theology says she was the wife of the keeper of the king’s wardrobe. It's safe to assume Huldah had her heart stayed on God’s Word because when King Josiah wanted to know what The Lord was saying, he sent men to inquire, and these men went to Huldah. She immediately answered them with “Thus says the Lord God……” and her words helped the king to repent and destroy idolatry in Judah.

This event is remarkable for me because females were not often publicly regarded in such positions in this era, but the men sent by the king to inquire of The Lord knew she was the one to go to for answers. There were no mentions of Huldah before this event, she wasn’t in the spotlight, dwelled in Jerusalem, and was supposedly always in the temple but they sought her out for the answers they needed.  

The Bible does not specify that they waited days to get her response, when the men came to her for answers, she boldly confirmed God’s word. Huldah stayed knowing the heart of God on matters that directly concerned her or others. Most of us can fall into the trap of being selfish with our prayers, it is not a sin or an intentional action, life happens, and we are stuck on seeking God’s help or opinion about a situation we find ourselves in but as children of God, He will sometimes speak to us or take us through an experience which will be primarily for and about others. Huldah most likely prayed for her country because the king wanted to know God’s decision for the nation and that’s what she told them.

Recently I was speaking to a friend, I do not even recall what led to that topic, but I remember being led to tell him that as Christians we need to learn to sit at the fountain, and not just come occasionally to drink water when we get thirsty. Our Christian walk is a way of life, not a performance. We don’t take off the clothes of holiness to do regular non-spiritual activities. Even in our state of rest or doing mundane activities like eating, chatting with friends, and exercising, God can still reach us, so we must remain in tune with Him and be ready to do what is required.

The message Huldah gave the men who came to her did not just get downloaded into her spirit when they arrived at her place. She knew God’s Word and intentions long before she was asked. I even imagined she may not have been praying when they got to her, the Bible didn’t specify anything about that, but I believe she stayed ready. Just like the scout’s movement says, Huldah was always in a state of readiness in mind and body to do her duty of obeying God. She remained disciplined in every season, she wasn’t caught by surprise, she was willing and did the right thing when the moment came.

I pray we all learn from Prophet Huldah’s life and be prepared for what God wants of us. We should ask Him to help us be open and ready always.

The Reluctant Royal

 

Image from Wikipedia

Ish-Bosheth was King Saul’s fourth son who held the throne for about 2 years after his father and brothers died in battle. Though he held the title, the one who truly had the reins of power was Abner, his uncle, and Commander of the Army. When I read about Ish-Bosheth, what I feel is pity. No one really thinks of or talks about him, besides the few scriptures that describe his experience and death, he isn’t a character we look to emulate. However, can we blame him?

Ish-Bosheth was royalty but not necessarily an heir to the throne, even if God hadn’t moved the Kingship from his family to that of David, he still would not have been king because he had older brothers who were stronger, wiser, and trained for leadership. In 2^nd Samuel 4, he was described to have “lost heart, and all Israel was troubled” after the news of Abner’s death reached him. This showed he was a man who did not like difficulties and was satisfied being in the shadows, hiding at home in times of war, and letting someone else make the tough decisions. It was not hidden knowledge to the nation that he had no strength, even his supposed enemy David acknowledged him as an innocent man.

As a prince, one would have expectations of Ish-Bosheth, but I thought about how family dynamics show up in our lives and if we have any control over it. Not much was said about his upbringing but looking at Saul’s life and stories about kings in those days, we can assume he was neglected, or was expected to be aware because of all he was privy to! Sadly, he also did nothing to make himself better or stronger.

Being Saul’s son held no benefit for him. This emphasizes my constant thought about the non-tangible things we leave for our children to inherit. We rarely think deeply about the effects of our ‘existence’ on our loved ones. Saul probably assumed being king was good enough for his children, I mean being the king's child is hardly a bad idea but sometimes, what we consider good is not the answer to queries your loved ones have.

I promise you that I am not blaming Saul, but lately, I have been burdened with the power of influence by our families and environment in our formative years, and how the person we had to become then impacts who we are as we get older. I constantly feel like I should do better for those coming or growing up around me.

If Ish-Bosheth knew better and was bold enough to refuse the throne, accepting David had already been ordained king perhaps he might have prevented the death of innocent lives lost unnecessarily in battle in the years he was king. Or he might not have been killed and instead shown mercy by David. He died in his home, stabbed, and beheaded by two of his tribesmen, for the simple reason that they believed murdering him would get them favor with David. His 42 years seemed to dissolve like smoke; beyond a few sentences, we know nothing more. It feels like he was a pawn in such a grand game, yet he was royalty. To show he was just a poor guy trying to mind his business, even David called him an innocent man and avenged his death.

We encounter people like Ish-Bosheth in our environment; those we judge doomed, weak, or too shy to stand up for themselves, those with different abilities from what we consider normal, and those who genuinely have never been taught to be and do better. We must be kind! It is not always easy, but it is our responsibility to humanity. Some may argue that Saul’s family was already canceled or hopeless but Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson enjoyed mercy and prosperity from David. God doesn’t object to kindness (Galatians 5:22 -23) so embrace and spread it. And if they deserve punishment, let God sort them out.

The Quiet Characters

 

My Book of Bible Stories by JW.org

I have used a particular devotional book since 2008, it was a souvenir at a wedding, and I believe that is the best gift I have received for attending someone’s event. It is a book about Bible characters, and it resonates so strongly because I appreciate storytelling; I learn better when I can read, imagine, and take the time to assimilate. Also, the characters are so relatable – flawed and human who made it into the Bible to teach us multiple lessons.

I became curious about some characters mentioned in the book and decided to research their lives and what motivated their most significant actions or inactions. Through the years of reading about these characters, I learn new and different things every time.

A few months ago, I felt the nudge to share lessons The Holy Spirit shows me from the lives of some of these characters. I was reminded about how much reading books like my book of Bible stories as a child and sitting in Sunday school, made an impact. Learning about Enoch, Abraham, Joseph, Mary, and more are priceless lessons I still hold on to and apply in my life. It took a while for me to sit with this thought and know how to go about it. I knew I did not want to repeat the characters or stories that were already well-known, I also considered focusing only on female characters. But today as I read about Ishbosheth, I heard the words ‘Quiet Characters’ and knew what to do.

So begins my series on quiet characters of the Bible: some of which were probably mentioned only once or twice or may not have been considered profound in ways we are familiar with. However, one or more things about them jump at me, and God leads me to share. Since reading about him gave me the kick needed to stop procrastinating, I would begin the series with Ishbosheth.

See you next week.