March Beacon

March Beacon

“But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written:  ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’’                                   I Peter 1:15-16

II Samuel 11 tells us that it was in the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, that David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army.  They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabah.  But David remained in Jerusalem.

The great king may have wished that he had gone with his men.  It was while he remained in Jerusalem that he saw, met, and then slept with Bathsheba.  He tried to cover up his action by enticing Uriah, her husband to leave his men and be with his wife.  Loyal Uriah would not take the bait.

King David then went further down the ‘low road.’  He had Uriah put in the front lines where the fighting was the fiercest.  He also instructed Joab to, ‘withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.’

You can imagine the scene.  Uriah was giving his all in battle.  But at a certain point, he must have felt alone and vulnerable as others left his side.  What a terrifying application of the word withdraw.

I recently heard a man speak about the big picture of where people are at with the Lord today.  No one knows for sure.  It is hard to measure one’s relationship with God, let alone groupings of people.  But what he said, caught my attention.  A summary of his statement goes like this:  “Missiologists (those who study missions) suggest that the ‘shine of God’ has left the Northern Hemisphere for the Southern.”

What I heard him say is that God has withdrawn his hand from us.  He is still working with us in some capacity, but in a way, He has withdrawn from us.

Ezekiel 5:11 records another use of the dreaded W word.  “Therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your vile images and detestable practices, I myself will withdraw my favor; I will not look on you with pity or spare you.”

How is your relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ?  II Peter 3:11-12 includes a good reminder in these days of ‘withdrawal’ - “….what kind of people ought you to be?  You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”

Pastor Lerud