Today was my planned no exercise day, getting caught upon taxes and few other projects. Sue and Sam joined us for lunch. After they arrived I was transferring myself from the recliner to my wheelchair using my walker. I found out that my walking backwards is as challenging at getting up a step.

For some reason I thought I could just back up several steps to my wheelchair. This didn’t work out so well, so I ended up on the floor. However, falls will occur and this gave me an opportunity to use “Steve’s steps.” These are the steps that Steve Grimes made for me for exercise and as a fall recovery system. (see picture above) They worked out pretty good. As a result, my no exercise day turned into more effort than I had planned.

Tomorrow morning I have an appointment with my infectious disease doctor. I will be eager to see what he thinks of my progress and the status of my current antibiotic treatments. On Tuesday I will return to Northern Colorado Rehab Hospital for some nerve testing on my left shoulder.

There is some significant history leading up to this event…

…Jonathan, David’s closest friend and son of King Saul ask of David, “As long as I live show me kindness because of the Lord. And even when I die, never stop being kind to my family.” (1 Sam. 20:14,15)

 …When David was running from Saul, yet refused to harm him,  Saul recognized that one day David would be King. He asked David, “Swear an oath to the Lord that you willnot wipe out my descendants or destroy my name in my father’s family.” (1Sam. 24:21)

…Mephibosheth a son of Jonathan’s was five years old when Saul and Jonathan were killed in battle. When news of the defeat in battle was heard in the palace his nurse picked him up to flee but dropped him and he became crippled.

…When David conquered Jerusalem from the Jebusites they taunted David with the words, “even the blind and lame could turn you away.”  As a result when David took the city there became a saying, “The blind and the lame will not get into the palace.” (2 Sam.5:6,8)

A number of years have passed and David secures his kingdom by subduing rebellion from the house of Saul and then a string of victories over enemy nations. At this point David either has time to recall or feels that timing is right to fulfill his promise to “the household of Saul for Jonathan’s sake.” He finds through a servant of Saul’s that Jonathan has a crippled son named Mephibosheth.

When Mephibosheth comes before David he does so with fear. Undoubtedly he has heard that David has spent years and many battles securing his kingdom. The only thing left would be to kill of any remaining members of the previous monarchy. What a surprise when Mephibosheth hears David’s reassuring words and that not only his life was being spared, but he was being given back the land of his grandfather Saul and that he would be provided for at the king’s table living as one of the king’s sons.

In this story and history leading up to it, we find David being faithful to his word to Jonathan, as well as to Saul. Twice in eight verses we are reminded that Mephibosheth is crippled. The chapter ends with a focus on Mephibosheth’s elevated status with the words, “However, Mephibosheth, who was disabled, lived in Jerusalem. He always ate at the king’s table.”  (2 Sam. 9:13)

I don’t intend to over allegorize the story but as a “man after God’s own heart” I find much of the heart of God in this story. The name LoDebar carries the meaning of “a pasture-less place.” A place of desolation that would be far different than the ample supply found at the king’s palace.

We find in this story, an account of a royal status restored. Not in the official sense, but in the privileges that were extended to this “outcast” of a royal family living in a desolate place. Mephibosheth had no standing in David’s eyes due to his connection to the house of Saul and because he was crippled. Remember, “…the lame will not get into the palace.”

What made the difference? Mercy, grace and keeping of a promise. That is exactly what God has done for us through Jesus Christ. He has granted us a position as His children when we have no rights. He has provided for us when we had no claim to His blessings. He has extended mercy and grace strictly based on His actions alone. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

 Heaven will be filled with Mephibosheths. Broken people, undeserving people who slide up to the table of the King and allow their imperfections to be covered by the grace and mercy of the One who invites us to come to Him –  just as we are.

There is an old gospel song that communicates this spiritual truth…

I once was an outcast stranger on earth,
A sinner by choice, an alien by birth,
But I’ve been adopted, my name’s written down,
An heir to a mansion, a robe and a crown.

I’m a child of the King,
A child of the King:
With Jesus my Savior,
I’m a child of the King.

I am thankful that my last blood work tests showed my protein levels within a normal range. (I am posting my most recent chart but my current protein level is .5) This is good news because these levels are related to muscle strength and fatigue. It seemed to be a nicer day than anticipated. Debbie got home early enough for us to go out for a short walk. I am getting myself organized for my daily workout schedule.

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This morning I read through the Book of Philippians. This book always brings back memories of my teen years as a “Bible quizzer.”

Philippians has as its theme “joy.” The Christian life should be a life of joy. When we look at the promises of God’s Word and the work of the Holy Spirit in our life those who follow Christ have every reason to live with a sense of joy. Paul says, “Rejoice in the Lord always.” (Phil4:5)

This book also contains some of the most familiar and oft quoted verses. When I began to review them, I believe they can form a foundation of joy.

“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil. 1:6

Paul said this assurance is why he prayed for the Philippians with joy. We can rest assured that what God begins He finishes. He won’t give up on us even when we give up on Him. His work continues in us and through us until the day He returns.

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Phil. 1:21

This verse framed Paul’s perspective of His commitment to Christ in the midst of the trials he faced and even the threats against his life. When you can say, “if I die I gain, if I live it is for Christ” there is a peace, confidence and joy that can permeate your life.

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, tothe glory of God the Father.”  Phil. 2:9-11

Philippians 2 begins with this passage that talks about Christ coming to earth as a servant of our salvation. Instead of clinging to His position in heaven, he humbled himself and that resulted in His name being high above all. That is why speaking the name “Jesus” is the simplest form of praise and one of the most powerful.

“…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Phil. 2:12,13

God’s Word translation puts this verse into these words, “God…produces in you the desires and actions that please him.”

As we yield to God’s Word and work of His Spirit we have this confidence that God works in our heart and works through our actions in a way that will please Him. When we please Him joy abounds in our l

“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  Phil.3:13,14

This verse is related to Phil. 1:6. Real joy is not found resting on any accomplishment or attainment. It is not getting discouraged by what others say or do; it is keeping your eyes on the prize and giving it our best effort as we live to please Christ.

Chapter 4 contains four well known verses:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”        Phil. 4:6,7

“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”     Phil. 4:13

“ And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19

It is no wonder that Paul admonishes the Philippians to “rejoice in the Lord!” Our faith in God replaces anxiety with peace, provides us the strength for all that confronts us and gives us the assurance that our needs will be met by the Lord our provider. Meditate on these assurances, embrace these assurances and rejoice in the Lord!

 Today was a therapy and nurse visit day. My physical therapist came for a morning visit. He had me do something different. I used a walker to go down my handicap ramp and get in the passenger seat of my car.That was followed by some work in my regular wheelchair up and down the driveway. I was just glad our Fort Collins driveway is not as steep as the one at our Lakewood home. It was a good workout, and I think I am still tired at the end of the day.

My home care visiting nurse came by to draw blood and change the dressing on my PIC line. Everything seems to be going well as far as antibiotic administration. It seems like blood work still shows some areas of concern. We hope that these will show improvement by the time we follow up next week with the infectious disease doctors.

Today was the closing for my mom’s house in Greeley. Everything went well and we are pleased that the home sold in one day just above the asking price. (Picture my mom and me at closing with proceeds check)I  got to show up for the photo op and my brother and sister had to do the heavy lifting over the past several weeks to make this all possible, which I appreciate. This home was purchased by my parents in 1973 at the end of my freshman year at UNC.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY….

“Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey His commandment will grow in wisdom. Praise Him forever!”  Psalms 111:10

It isn’t too often that my scripture readings seem to have some kind of correlation. This morning I noticed the verse above as I came to the end of my reading in Psalms. I am also reading about Samuel and Saul in 1Samuel 13-15. Saul as the first King of Israel committed two fatal sins. The first is found in 1 Samuel 13:5-14. The Philistines so outnumber the Israelites that they are hiding anywhere they can find and even running away to surrounding areas.

Saul was waiting for Samuel the Prophet as he had been instructed. But when Samuel didn’t show and the troops were leaving faster than Saul could count, he took matters into his own hands and offered a burnt offering to the Lord himself. Just as he was finishing the sacrifice Samuel showed up.

Outside of the man of God being late (some things haven’t changed), Saul gave into fear and took matters into his own hands. He knew troops were deserting him; he wanted to make sure the Lord wasn’t either. Samuel rebuked him “How foolish!” (Opposite of wise) “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you.”

The second is In Samuel 15 when the Lord calls Saul to take vengeance on the Amalekites. His instructions were simple, “completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation.” Saul destroyed everyone except for King Agag. He also destroyed all the weak and poor quality livestock and kept all the others.

When the Prophet Samuel arrived Saul met him cheerfully and said, “I have carried out the Lord’s command!” Really?! What are these sheep and cattle, asks the Prophet? Saul back peddles and says, “We have kept the best but we are going to sacrifice them to the Lord.”

This rationale solicits Samuel’s well known response: “…Obedience is better than sacrifice.”

And as we see in Psalms obedience is the path of wisdom and life.

We can learn from Saul that…

1 – Disobedience is refusing to do what God says

2 – Disobedience is partial obedience

3 – Disobedience is thinking our plans and ideas are better than God’s

4 – Disobedience is toxic for leaders

Samuel said to Saul, “Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you King of Israel. And the Lord sent you on a mission…”

When you are in a position of leadership you have a responsibility to others. You may not think highly of yourself. You may even feel unqualified for the office. But if you are in a position of leadership there are expectations that come with the office regardless of how formal or informal. As I have heard John Maxwell say on several occasion, “the higher the calling the fewer the choices.”

We see this principle in the first King of Israel, “as the leader goes so goes the people.” That is a sobering concept for spiritual, political, business and organizational leaders. It also challenges us to make sure that we keep our eyes on the Lord and to remember that “the fear of the Lord is the foundation of all true wisdom.”

It was good to be at Dakota Ridge Assembly in Littleton today. We were able to see many friends from our days as Pastors of the church. We appreciate the fine work and hospitality of Pastor Paul and Vickie Church. They are committed to developing a strong ministry and have established a good foundation on which to build. (Picture above with good friend Tammy Maseberg)

Congratulations to our friends George and Annette Brauchler on marking their 15th Wedding Anniversary. Even though the ceremony was cut short with George having a fainting spell and requiring a call to the paramedics, he revived strong enough to read his vows to Annette from his back before the paramedics arrived. I am pleased that I was able to connect with him later in the day and hear that he is doing better and will be in the hospital just a short time for some observation.

I received a copy of Andy Peterson’s book entitled, “Saved Twice”. It is hard to believe that it was 1998 when Andy was attacked by a mountain lion on Carpenters Peak in Roxborough State Park in south Jefferson County. Andy walked through the doors of our church the Sunday after getting released from the hospital still bearing the stitches, scratches from his attack. It was a privilege to see Andy make a commitment of his life to Christ to baptize him and to retrace the steps of his hike a year after the attack. Andy is now married to a wonderful wife (Cortney). They have two children and a great family. Andy is sharing his experience in churches and through media interviews and is being used in a powerful way. You can find out more about his story at www.lionkingministries.com

When I reflect on Andy’s life and experience I think of the words, restoration, reconciliation and renewal. In my relatively brief time with Andy I saw the Lord restore His body to wholeness and then reconcile Andy to himself and to family. When tragedy strikes family draws near even when there has been separation of stress in those relationships. This tragedy so many years ago provided Andy an opportunity to reset his relationship with his earthly and heavenly father.

It has been rewarding to follow Andy’s life and to see the great family he has developed. He is now living in Tennessee and we have had the opportunity to meet him and his family. With the foundation of his relationship with God and his commitment to his family Andy is being used by the Lord to share his story and experience. His story is not just an attack by a mountain lion, but a story of survival from the jaws of a lion and how that experience became a turning point in his life and relationships.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…

Always be joyful in the Lord! I’ll say it again: Be joyful!  Let everyone know how considerate you are. The Lord is near. Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7

Devotional writer Sarah Young says, “Rejoicing in the Lord can protect you from the temptation to complain.” That is something that is good to remember whether dealing with the stress of life from crisis or just life. It is easy in a world filled with fear and negative news and people to slip into a focus on what is wrong instead of what is right and just complain.

In Philippians 4 it is no mistake that the words joyful and giving of thanks and a reminder to pray about everything are precursors to receiving the peace of God. In our world today we need our thoughts and emotions guarded by the peace of God. In following the formula of God’s Word we find a steady anchor for our lives in this storm-filled world.