I have a brother. I talk to him sometimes, but he never talks back. He’s out of reach at the moment. Has been for 43 years, 4 months & 4 days. I know where he is. At least I’m pretty sure he’s in heaven. That day changed a lot of things in a handful of lives. It was my first encounter with real loss. Grief. Inner pain that no medication could heal. It was 2 years, 1 month, 11 days later that Jesus began to heal that wound.

But may it never be said of me, “He finally got over the loss of his brother, Kevin”. For if I did I would then fail to feel the pain of those who daily enroll in this fraternity of suffering. Though we adapt to a new reality of living with less, we also live with the vivid reminder that another rich and robust soul once walked with us, fought with us, sang with us, walked to the school bus with us, protected us (my big mouth and small stature called for much intervention from the giant named Kevin), and tried to help us get serious about God. There was once another friend who listened to our dreams and tried to argue sense into our love-struck hearts. A brother, sister, parent, grandparent, best friend who left with a piece of us, but left a large piece of themselves behind. The Welsh boys… we were a pair. He played drums. I played guitar. He was sensible. I was wild and foolish.

Though I have moved forward, and hopefully grown beyond and because of the temporary loss, may I never “fully recover.” I treasure every thought of him. I treasure every tear as if it were a liquid diamond. He made me strive for more. He kept me grounded. Anything I am is partly because of him. When and IF I ever grow up … on my way to becoming like Jesus, the Healer of the Broken Heart, I hope to become more like Kevin Michael Welsh, mom’s Little Drummer Boy.

Still love you and miss you Kevin. Sorry I was too lazy to get out of bed and ride with you and mom to the bus station the day you took the Greyhound back to Linda in Ohio. You beat me to heaven bro.

I have a big brother and 3 awesome little sisters. And a tribe of my own now. I am a rich man.

Billy

Mt. Seir, in Edom lived with an ancient hatred. Known as a bloodthirsty people. Never willing to make peace. Ready to shed blood. Unwilling to bury the hatchet. That ancient hatred would destroy them. Their vengeance, their ruthlessness would backfire and bring them down.

There is always a “good reason” to feud and fight and force retribution. It’s even in our nature to return evil for evil, punch for punch, poke for poke until we are all bruised and broken. Some grudges seem to last forever with not even a time for healing. Ancient hatred…we grow up with passed down, generational hatred. Racial tension. Class distinction. Social segregation. But in Christ all those divisions find resolution to the point where I am even called to love my enemy and find ways to bless him/her. In other words, to take God’s side rather than standing against Him and to become a peacemaker.

Oh Father – help me to bury all my hatchets and follow You in peace and peace-making. Help me reflect Your love.

“I will raise up from them a prophet like you from among the brethren”

Deut. 18:15 & 18

This was certainly a comforting, encouraging word for the nation of pilgrims who were on the threshold of the promised land. They had learned to trust and follow Moses, even though they had lapsed at times in fear and doubt and blatant rebellion. Now Moses is leaving. But first a promise, another prophet. When? Not immediately. More than a thousand years in the future. But he would come. And he would speak God’s words. All of them. He would speak all that God had commanded, and those who don’t heed those words would give account for their refusal to yield.

But this prophet would be from among them, one of their own, living among them. How humble of God to come and walk among us, taking on so many roles…Teacher, Prophet, Priest, King, Healer, Savior, Defender, Shepherd, Father, Counselor. How wise of God to make our Savior, the sacrificial Lamb just like us, fully human, without somehow, sacrificing deity. More than they experienced in this prophet. What a surprise!

Father, thank You for walking among us. For speaking Your truth so powerfully. May I take it to heart.

Everyone has a “text” they follow. A code, written or not. Systematic or random. Inherited from our parents or adopted from our generation or that gang we run with. We all have a standard we live by. Israel’s standard was spoken by God and delivered by prophets and leaders. The words of God were not to be a religious icon but rather the tracks for life. So they were told “memorize, teach, speak, write and above all…keep these words”. Why? Because they will lead you to the treasure…The Lord Himself. Love Him, walk with Him, cling to Him. The purpose of God’s instruction has always been to cause us to “Love the Lord with all our heart. Knowledge will puff us up, but love edifies”.

May I never be content with mere accurate Bible knowledge that stops short of a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ. That sweet voice draws us in.

Oh Father, thank You for speaking to us in Your Word and by those words drawing us to Your heart. Your voice draws us near to You, the foundation of truth and life. Continue to speak Lord and cause my heart to always listen. Amen

God had just commanded the Jews not to double harvest their orchards, vineyards and fields. Those “leftovers” were to be left lying in the fields or hanging from the branch. Even the harvested bundle of grain dropped or left behind in the field was not to be gathered up, but was to be left there in the field. Not to rot, it was considered the property for the widow, orphan, and foreigner, those who were struggling to survive. Like Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi. Ruth met at least requirements – she was both widow and foreigner. And she fell under the good graces of a Godly man, Boaz.

I can picture it, In the hardest of times the harvesters would be closely followed by the gleaners who lived from day to day and hand to mouth. There would have been competition among the poor for those bundles and bunches and left behind fruit. People struggling to stay alive and feed their children. But thank God for men like Boaz who remembered the history. Before his people had settled in Bethlehem there was a generation that remembered 1st hand that they had once been slaves. Now that family was prosperous, blessed and Boaz was exercising his willingness of mercy that God had in mind when He commanded the leftovers be left for the poor.

Mercy…how important it is to show mercy to the less fortunate. So how do I do that? I have no field or orchard or vineyard. How do I show mercy? Everyday, I remember who I was, where I was, what I was. Every day I need to be ready to leave “handfuls on purpose”, the overflow from God’s goodness to me. To be ready to share and ready to show compassion to the less fortunate. Especially those who have lost family connection – the widow, orphan and foreigner who has come here looking for a better life.

It’s awkward at times, it’s inconvenient, but it’s a reflection of the heart of God. I was a captive, a slave, disconnected, an outsider…and He took me in.

O God, help me demonstrate Your mercy. You have left far more than a handful of grain for me. You have given me all Your kingdom. Please help me reflect Your heart. Open my heart to the hurting.

The Lord spoke to me, saying . . . He knows your trudging through this great wilderness.  Dt. 2:2, 7

As the nomadic nation of Israel moves closer to their promised land, the Lord reminds them that He knows; He knows all they have been through.  He has taken note of the hardship and the loss (an entire generation of Jewish men, 20 years and older perished in the wilderness during their 40 years of wandering).  The Lord knew about it.  And the Lord knew all about their “trudgings.”   What a descriptive word.  The Hebrew translates it “walking, travels, carryings.”

God knows where I have been.  He knows all about my journey.  He knows what I have been carrying and how long I have been carrying it.  And just as with the nation of Israel, He is preparing me for a promised land He will usher me into.  And here is the greatest part – not only does the Lord know what I am going through – He goes through it with me.

What a comfort to know that the Lord not only sees my trudging but trudges with me, journeys before and behind and beside me, carries my burdens with me, those burdens that would crush me if I bore them all by myself.

Thank You Lord that you know my trudgings.

Thank you for the strength to carry the burdens.

Thank you for your never ending love.

Thank you for knowing and showing your constant care and abiding love.  Amen

Amnon, like his father David, had schemed and plotted to take Bathsheba just two chapters earlier.  He had made the catch – won the game – taken the prize.  Now that he had what his lust convinced him he could not live with out, he was as passionate to get rid of her as he had been to catch her.  He had told his friend Jonadab, “I love her.”  Now that wild passion he called love, had turned to hate.  At the bottom of it all was the fact that Amnon’s one true love was Amnon.  He loved himself and would do whatever it took to satisfy himself.  And, like his father, he had the means . . . the power to arrange for his will to be carried out – this time even employing the help of his father in the scheme.

But unlike his father, there is no season of sorrow or repentance.  No attempt to cover up his sin.  As God had told David, “you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.”  So the sad disaster of the falling dominoes begins.  The sword begins to work its way through the house of David, beginning with his children, Amnon, Tamar then Absalom.

How I need to remember that my choices affect so many around me.  Like a suicide bomber who destroys numerous others around him as he sacrifices his life for his passion, so I can never expect to keep the fallout from my sin contained to my life.  The tentacles of sin reach far beyond my life.  My family and friends, and as a leader, the fellowship I serve all stand to suffer from the fallout of my foolishness if I choose to rebel against God’s will and his word.

Father, thank you for this reminder and please keep me mindful of this truth that my failure brings destruction to those around me.  Help me to live in a way that brings strength to my sons and daughters rather than weakness.  Amen!!

“How can I bring the Ark of God to me?” 1 Chron.13:12

The ark was the ark of the testimony.  The most sacred article representing the presence of the Lord among His people.  It had been displaced and David was determined to restore it to its proper place.  In his haste he used his common sense and even had a special vehicle built for the moving of the ark, which might have been acceptable were it not for the fact that God had given instructions as to how this box was to be moved.  The first attempt was disastrous, causing the loss of life of a good man Uzzah.  God was angry with Uzzah for violating a command.  David was angry & afraid (possibly frustrated) with God over His actions against Uzzah.  But God had spoken.

Had God not given instructions I suppose any method of transporting the ark might have been acceptable.  But God had spoken.  So in answer to David’s question “How can I bring the ark of God to me?”, there was an answer.  “Follow the revealed word.”

God has shown us how to draw near to Him.  He has promised if we draw near to Him He will draw near to us.  The way to the Father is through Jesus.  If God had never spoken to us and revealed the one avenue of access to approach Him, perhaps there would be many acceptable ways to come to Him.  Perhaps any number of religious systems which basically acknowledge our creator and approach Him in humility would grant us access to God.  But God has spoken.  The way is narrow.  It is narrowed down to one.  Jesus.  We must come to the Father through the Son.

God has caused His wrath toward us to rest on His Son.  Now His favor, the favor He has toward His Son rests upon us.

Lord I welcome you in my life today.  Help me to walk in a way that pleases you, according to your word. Amen

One of the silliest things I have ever heard regarding spiritual warfare … “The devil may be prowling like a roaring lion, but don’t worry about him … Jesus kicked his teeth out … hahahaha!!” Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil … but he still prowls … he still seeks those he may devour.

Yes, the devil is limited.  Yes, the Lord filters all of the enemies attacks, just as with Job.  Yes, he was defeated at the cross – Jesus did not do a half-way job in that battle.  But those who believe this is a “paper tiger” are believing exactly what he wants them to believe.  1 Peter 5:8 was not meant to be fodder for jokes.

Belief in a BIG God does not diminish either the intent or the capability of satan. I have seen a steady stream of strong men & women of God chewed up by that “toothless” enemy. Those greatly used by God … picked off in their prime … many have risen again … many just disappeared … a few were finished off in their seasons of defeat and depression … So saints BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT. HE who is in us (God the Father, Son & Holy Spirit) … IS greater than he that is in the world. That’s why John tells us in that same letter that the key to victory is to ABIDE IN HIM. Stay obedient to Jesus Christ – Filled with the Spirit – Loved by the Father. Fight the battle – Win the war – Victory in Jesus … ONLY in Jesus.

Moses calls for a healthy comparison between the nomadic nation of Israel and the nations of the lands they have traveled through and lived “among” for 40 years. There were great nations they had passed among. They had escaped from one of the greatest nations in history – Egypt. But there was no comparison. No nation had God so near and so ready to hear their prayer…no nation had God revealing Himself in such a powerful and personal way, giving them a workable and clear legal system based on righteousness rather than superstition.

He was literally among them. He had shown His presence, providing victory, protection, direction, food, water, alliance. But He had not shown His face or His form. Just His love, power, faithfulness & wisdom. Isn’t that enough? Apparently not. So they are warned to hold back the confusion…don’t worship what God made, worship God. Don’t worship the critter or the stars, sun, moon. Worship the Creator. Why do we get frustrated with the invisibility of God? We all want proof, visible proof. But we have it. Every day He shows Himself faithful.