/THE MELODY AND THE NOISE/

I've been totally and completely enthralled of late with the television show, "Kings". It follows the main character David, a young man from a farming community that has slain a "giant", as he rises through the ranks of his war-torn country...

Sound familiar?

The show is strongly based on the story of David from I Samuel. It sets the stage in modern times, and for the most part sticks to the general outline of the story adding things here and there for dramatic effect and overall continuity, but in general, the story of his rise remains...

David is my favorite biblical character. Hands down. No doubt about it...

I love the story of David...

Not because he becomes king or slays giants or tends sheep...

But because He is a man after God's own heart...





And he screws up royally time and again...




It's unbelievably reassuring to me, this grace that God shows to David. God has a plan for his life, and in spite of the fact that David's shortcomings often stray him from the path, God still accomplished what He intended to...

On the episode I watched tonight, the character "David" tells the king that he often doesn't know how God works, but that after the act of grace the king shows, David believes that God works through the king.

A couple episodes back "Reverend Samuels" informs the king that he has lost favor with God, and that God is no longer with him.

So I wonder to myself...

After the words that David said tonight...

Is this just human error in the script? Someone, somewhere forgot that the king is out of God's favor, and they wrote in this scene that strongly suggests that he is? This easily could be the case...

It's a T.V. show. It doesn't have to be absolutely perfect in its plot lines all the time.

Or for that matter, the character "David" can think that the king is in God's favor even if he's not. There's nothing wrong with that as far as the plot is concerned either...

But what if...

Whether the writers meant it this way or not...

What if there's something more to what "David" said...

Something deeper?




Maybe I'm the only one that will see this, but who I am to discount the idea that God can show me something through a T.V. drama that may or may not make it through its first season...

(By the way, it has a strong possibility of getting canceled so if you like the sound of things so far take a chance and watch it. Go to hulu.com and search "Kings".)

I truly think that God lives and moves through our lives in any way He so desires, and He can speak through any medium he chooses...

Tonight, I think He chose to show me something through this show...

And I'm listening...

And this is what concerns me...







Too often we place ourselves in positions to take on the world...

There's nothing wrong with this, but the motive can be...

Sometimes it's about fame and popularity and fortune...

And now it seems these things can be attained even through Christian culture...

Contemporary Christian Music offers fame and fortune. Leading a mega-church offers fame and fortune. Writing the next huge Christian movement book offers fame and fortune.

We want to be Andy Stanley and Chris Tomlin and Steve Fee and Rob Bell and Craig Groeschel and Erwin McManus and Hillsong United...

And hear me now... I'm not discounting any of those guys...

They all have amazing ministries...

Technically Andy Stanley is my lead pastor. You better know I support his ministry! :)

It's not those guys that I'm concerned with...

It's us guys trying to be those guys that worries me...

Those guys have been blessed by God and given the opportunity to touch thousands of lives for the good of the Kingdom, and as far as I know they've done so with all morals and humility and faith intact...

And it's possible that I could one day do the same...

It's possible that I could touch thousands of lives for the cause of Christ one day with all my morals and humility and faith intact...

But here's the big question...

Would I... Would you...

Sacrifice those morals or that humility or that faith to become famous and popular even if you look liked you were serving the Christian community?

Because I don't think serving the Christian community is the same as living a life pleasing to God...

Would we give away some of the things we value most for things that really mean nothing?

Because here's the scary part...

"David" believes that God is working through a man that has lost God's favor...




And God is.




God is doing just that. God is working through a man who no longer has His favor, and why?

Because God's purpose and plan is above our plans and our purposes, and He will work through me whether I choose His path for my life or my own...

Because He is God, and His will will be done...

So will I be content if His purpose for my life consists of little fame and no fortune?

Or will I strive for those things in spite of what He really desires for me?

Or does He truly desire those things for my life, and He waits for me to take those steps humbly?

I can't tell you at this point. All I know is where He has me now, and what I'm doing tomorrow...

But I know that if I learn nothing else tonight, it's not to confuse God working through me with my being in His will...

He will make use of me and my life for His kingdom wherever I am; whatever I choose to do...

It's up to me to continue to pursue Him and His will for my life daily. Only then can I be secure in the belief that I am where I should be and on the path He's called me to...

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I Samuel

^11-12
Samuel said, "What on earth are you doing?"

Saul answered, "When I saw I was losing my army from under me, and that you hadn't come when you said you would, and that the Philistines were poised at Micmash, I said, 'The Philistines are about to come down on me in Gilgal, and I haven't yet come before God asking for his help.' So I took things into my own hands, and sacrificed the burnt offering."

^13-14
"That was a fool thing to do," Samuel said to Saul. "If you had kept the appointment that your God commanded, by now God would have set a firm and lasting foundation under your kingly rule over Israel. As it is, your kingly rule is already falling to pieces. God is out looking for your replacement right now. This time he'll do the choosing. When he finds him, he'll appoint him leader of his people. And all because you didn't keep your appointment with God!"

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I pray that I keep my appointment with God. That I continue to pursue His will for my life, and that no matter where I end up, I get there because it's where He intended me to be there...

I want to be used...

But I want to be used in the best way possible...

Fame and fortune are of no equal to His will...

And I pray that I steadfastly continue to believe this...

I do think that I could one day reach thousands or millions for Him...

But I also know that attempting to do so outside of His will for my life is failure...

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Romans

³ For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. ⁴ For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, ⁵ so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. ⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; ⁷ or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; ⁸ he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
⁹ Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; ¹¹ not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; ¹² rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; ¹³ distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. ¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. ¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. ¹⁹ Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”^a]">[a] says the Lord. ²⁰ Therefore, “ If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”^b]">[b] ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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More to come on this... I assure you.