Why Goliath?

Acts 13:22 “ He raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’”

One of the questions that believers and atheists alike struggle with is “if God is good, why do bad things happen?” Yesterday a friend of mine said “you know, God allows Goliaths so he can make you a David.” How profound. If David hadn’t gone up against the greatest giant of his day, he wouldn’t have become King. He wouldn’t have gained a reputation as Israel’s greatest warrior. He would not be mentioned in the book of Acts as a man after God’s own heart. Without Goliath, David would not have born from his family line the greatest gift the world has ever known. You have an amazing gift from God, that you’re destined to share with others. If you’re facing a giant today, I feel like God wants you to know that your Goliath will fall, and bring you into your calling of releasing that gift into the world. Lord, thank you for the power to overcome. Thank you for your son. But thank you also for the Goliaths. I’m so excited to see all you have in store. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Hospitalized Wife

Psalm 121:1 “I lift my eyes up to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Yesterday morning we woke up super early to take Elaine to the hospital. Today I thought I’d share a post that she wrote on Instagram. “Touched by all the messages from friends checking in on me after I mentioned on stories I was going for a procedure so I thought I’d put up a post to say I’m fine! It’s been a really stressful time (each set of Covid restrictions places a huge toll and long-term impact on my business @trehausco , plus we fall through the gaps for needed relief measures and this last 2HA was just a little too much too soon). Probably triggered by the stress and a few skipped meals, I had a severe bout of gastritis so I went for a scope to make sure I don’t have a stomach ulcer. I know I’m not alone in feeling the pressure of this Covid crisis, and anyone out there feeling this - you are not alone too. At the same time I’m aware of how incredibly blessed I am in so many ways, and that I have my faith to carry me through any tough times. Paradoxically, the hard bits have only strengthened my faith in God, and gotten me to a deeper understanding of who God is and what faith means and what His presence and provision looks like. I should have learnt by now to lean more on Him, but I still forget and try and do things by my own strength, hence stress —> gastritis. I’m a work in progress! Anyway I’m ok! Thank you for your love.” I’m really proud of Elaine for being vulnerable enough to share publicly. I’m also really proud of her for seeing the greater design of what God is doing through the tough times. Last night we had a great conversation about some specific techniques that He might be teaching us, and she started to put them to work right away. I’m so blessed to be married to this woman! Lord, thank you that we can come to you. Our help does not come from the mountain… from the heights of this world. Our help comes from you alone. We pray for healing over Elaine and thank you that we can expect nothing less. You’re a loving father, and great dads care for their children. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Marvelous Disruption

Psalm 118:22 “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” After my sermon on Sunday, a brother from church called me and shared a word about how some serious changes were coming to society. I’ve been sensing the same. It feels like we’re at an inflection point in God’s arc of history. I’m not sure exactly what this entails, but I’ve been researching the history of nation states because some new models of governance emerging in the crypto world have piqued my curiosity. There is talk that DAOs (decentralized autonomous organizations that govern a given blockchain) may eventually disrupt governments. It’s interesting that the concept of a nation state is only a few hundred years old, and many credit its rise with the spread of literacy that came from the printing press. Once ideas could spread faster, institutions arose to educate people into a national identity, with a common culture and common language. It’s not a far cry to think that today’s printing presses, movements like the internet, blockchains and AI, could lead to new forms of governance and societal power. Rationally, I know that God always has a great future in store for his children. But I have to admit that part of me gets kind of scared when I think about all these changes that are in store. I like to think of myself as an outsider and an underdog, but the reality is that I, like probably everyone reading this post, have access to education, housing and three square meals a day. This by definition puts me (and the rest of us) in “the establishment.” The Pharisees played “the establishment” role of their day, and Jesus quoted Psalm 118 to them to convey that he had come to overturn their power structures. I never noticed the second part of this verse until today. “The Lord has done this, and it is marvellous in our eyes.” I feel like God is reminding me today that there is indeed change a-coming, but that I need not fear. If I release any pharisaic mindset, I can come into the marvelousness of His plan. Lord, thanks for reminding me that you are good, and so are your plans for me. I love you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.