As we approach the national election in the US where surely half of the people will be disappointed/angry/apoplectic (choose one!), it’s good to remember:

Life goes on

Here are excerpts of a poem by that title by Howard Thurman, a black megachurch pastor in the 1940s. For him, life was difficult – I quoted him in a blog on Ruth 3: The Disinherited.

Excerpts of “Life Goes On” by Howard Thurman (bullets allow me to single-space the lines)

• During these turbulent times
• we must remind ourselves repeatedly that life goes on…
• The wisdom of life transcends our wisdoms;
• The purpose of life outlasts our purposes;
• The process of life cushions our processes.

• The mass attack of disillusion and despair,
• distilled out of the collapse of hope,
• has so invaded our thoughts
• that what we know to be true and valid
• seems unreal and ephemeral…

• Let us not be deceived.
• It is just as important as ever
• to attend to the little graces
• by which the dignity of our lives
• is maintained and sustained.

• Birds still sing;
• the stars continue to cast their gentle gleam
• over the desolation of the battlefields
• and the heart is still inspired
• by the kind word and the gracious deed…

• To drink in the beauty that is within reach,
• to clothe one’s life with simple deeds of kindness,
• to the movement of the spirit of God
• in the quietness of the human heart
• and in the workings of the human mind—
• this is as always the ultimate answer to the great deception. – Shared by Nancy Small, Associate Director for Spiritual Direction Initiatives, Office of Ignatian Spirituality, USA East Province of the Society of Jesus

Good stuff: “It is just as important as ever to attend to the little graces by which the dignity of our lives is maintained and sustained…the heart is still inspired by the kind word and the gracious deed.”

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. (Psalm 46.1 – 3, ESV)

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. (Philippians 2. 14 – 16, ESV)

Jehoshaphat gets four chapters of coverage in 2 Chronicles. Yesterday, we looked at chapters 17 and 19 (chapter 18 is a repeat of 1 Kings 22). Except for the alliance with Ahab, Jehoshaphat is doing a good job, but chapter 20 opens with a bang:

Some time later the Moabites and Ammonites, accompanied by Meunites, joined forces to make war on Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat received this intelligence report: “A huge force is on its way from beyond the Dead Sea to fight you. (2 Chronicles 20.1 – 2, MSG)

What to do? Pray, of course!

Shaken, Jehoshaphat prayed. He went to GOD for help and ordered a nationwide fast. The country of Judah united in seeking GOD’s help—they came from all the cities of Judah to pray to GOD. (2 Chronicles 20.3, 4, MSG)

Jehoshaphat prayed the promise of God’s power and protection (See 2 Chronicles 20.3 – 13), and God moved Jahaziel to confirm the promise with specific directions:

Then Jahaziel was moved by the Spirit of GOD to speak from the midst of the congregation…He said, “Attention everyone—all of you from out of town, all you from Jerusalem, and you King Jehoshaphat—GOD’s word: Don’t be afraid; don’t pay any mind to this vandal horde. This is God’s war, not yours. Tomorrow you’ll go after them…You won’t have to lift a hand in this battle; just stand firm, Judah and Jerusalem, and watch GOD’s saving work for you take shape. Don’t be afraid, don’t waver. March out boldly tomorrow—GOD is with you.” (2 Chronicles 20.14 – 17, MSG)

“You don’t have to lift a hand…” Wow. But you do have to march out boldly. So they did. Early the next morning, and they opened the day with singing praise to God!

They were up early in the morning, ready to march into the wilderness of Tekoa. As they were leaving, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Listen Judah and Jerusalem! Listen to what I have to say! Believe firmly in GOD, your God, and your lives will be firm! Believe in your prophets and you’ll come out on top!” …Jehoshaphat appointed a choir for GOD; dressed in holy robes, they were to march ahead of the troops, singing,

Give thanks to GOD, His love never quits. (2 Chronicles 20.20, 21, MSG)

And that was it…

As soon as they started shouting and praising, GOD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir as they were attacking Judah, and they all ended up dead. The Ammonites and Moabites mistakenly attacked those from Mount Seir and massacred them. Then, further confused, they went at each other, and all ended up killed. As Judah came up over the rise, looking into the wilderness for the horde of barbarians, they looked on a killing field of dead bodies—not a living soul among them. (2 Chronicles 20.22 – 24, MSG)

Back in the day, Don Francisco set a number of Bible stories to music, and thanks to YouTube, they’re accessible. What a country! Don does a very nice job with 2 Chronicles 20 in this song. Please click the link: it’s worth the four minutes. For the song, Don uses an adapted version of the King James translation:

Praise ye the LORD; his mercy endureth for ever and ever. (2 Chronicles 20.21, KJV)

Not a bad lesson, when in trouble, praise the Lord!

Jehoshaphat then led all the men of Judah and Jerusalem back to Jerusalem—an exuberant parade. GOD had given them joyful relief from their enemies! They entered Jerusalem and came to The Temple of GOD with all the instruments of the band playing. When the surrounding kingdoms got word that GOD had fought Israel’s enemies, the fear of God descended on them. Jehoshaphat heard no more from them; as long as Jehoshaphat reigned, peace reigned. (2 Chronicles 20.27 – 30, MSG)

Back to 2 Chronicles, Jehoshaphat, chapters 17 – 20, makes three good kings in a row for Judah! I don’t think I’ve noticed that before. Chapter 17 records a very good start:

Asa’s son Jehoshaphat was the next king…GOD was on Jehoshaphat’s side because he stuck to the ways of his father Asa’s early years. He didn’t fool around with the popular Baal religion—he was a seeker and follower of the God of his father and was obedient to him; he wasn’t like Israel. And GOD secured the kingdom under his rule, gave him a firm grip on it…He was single-minded in following GOD; and he got rid of the local sex-and-religion shrines. (2 Chronicles 17.1 – 6, MSG)

And then something I haven’t seen done by any of the kings – teaching!

In the third year of his reign he sent his officials—excellent men, every one of them…on a teaching mission to the cities of Judah. They were accompanied by Levites…They made a circuit of the towns of Judah, teaching the people and using the Book of The Revelation of GOD as their text. (2 Chronicles 17.7 – 9, MSG)

Chapter 18 records a little hiccup with Jehoshaphat attempting to help Ahab. It’s a repeat of 1 Kings 22, which I wrote about back in June. 2 Chronicles 19 opens with a rebuke of that episode but an affirmation as well:

Jehoshaphat king of Judah got home safe and sound. Jehu, son of Hanani the seer, confronted King Jehoshaphat: “You have no business helping evil, cozying up to GOD-haters. Because you did this, GOD is good and angry with you. But you’re not all bad—you made a clean sweep of the polluting sex-and-religion shrines; and you were single-minded in seeking God.” (2 Chronicles 19.1 – 3, MSG)

But rather than “shoot the messenger” as his father Asa did when confronted, Jehoshaphat kept doing the right thing, continuing the teaching ministry:

Jehoshaphat kept his residence in Jerusalem but made a regular round of visits among the people, from Beer-sheba in the south to Mount Ephraim in the north, urging them to return to GOD, the God of their ancestors. (2 Chronicles 19.4, MSG)

Jehoshaphat has a good start AND a good finish as we’ll see tomorrow when we look at chapter 20. Stay tuned.

Make sure you get yourself a king whom GOD, your God, chooses. Choose your king from among your kinsmen…This is what must be done: When he sits down on the throne of his kingdom, the first thing he must do is make himself a copy of this Revelation on a scroll, copied under the supervision of the Levitical priests. That scroll is to remain at his side at all times; he is to study it every day so that he may learn what it means to fear his GOD, living in reverent obedience before these rules and regulations by following them. He must not become proud and arrogant, changing the commands at whim to suit himself or making up his own versions. If he reads and learns, he will have a long reign as king in Israel, he and his sons. (Deuteronomy 17.16 – 20, MSG)

From time to time I read essays BEFORE they’re posted and offer editing suggestions including typos, grammar, and sometimes major content issues. Here’s part of what I sent to an author recently:

I guess I’m dense. So far I have no idea what you are talking about…You are trying to explain something very important to you, but you’re not succeeding.

In specific notes I pointed out apparent contradictions.

How would you respond to such feedback? Here’s what he wrote:

Good to know I’m not succeeding! Back to work on this… Thanks again!

Humility and teachability are not qualities you see every day:

The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence. (Proverbs 15.31, 32, ESV)

You may have noticed (or not…) in yesterday’s blog that I was using the NIV when I started going through Philippians, but I switched to ESV before I was done. I’ve been asked before how I choose which translation I’m quoting from. There are several possibilities:

• If I’m blogging on the reading program, I’m often quoting from the translation I’m reading from. This year, it’s mostly The Message as I go through the Historical Books.
• Sometimes, I have the quote in my head, and I want to find the translation that uses the phrasing I’m thinking about. That’s what happened yesterday. I’m used to Philippians 3.1 as “Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord,” and NIV’s “Further, my brothers and sisters,…” didn’t sound right to me so I switched.
• Sometimes, I just quote from the translation that’s open in the computer without giving it a lot of thought.

So, no consistent reason. I hope you don’t mind.

I recently read Why We Worry When Choosing a Bible Translation by Peter J. Curry, about whom I know nothing. It opens this way:

By far the most common question I get asked about Bible translation is What’s the best one? What I’ve noticed is that, very often, the question comes with a hint of worry—worry that, depending on my answer, the person may discover they’ve been using a second-best translation. And when it’s God’s word we’re reading, no one wants to settle for second best! The anxiety is understandable.

But can anything be done about it? …How much should we worry that we’ve picked the wrong translation?

It’s a long and useful article if you’re interested in this sort of thing. What struck me was that people worry about their translation choice. It’s definitely an English speaker’s problem. We’re the ones who have over 60 options at Biblegateway.com. There are 20 Spanish translations, 5 German, and 4 French at that site.

I was greatly helped by an Internet presentation a few years ago. I don’t remember who the presenter was, but he was an expert in Bible translations. Here are some things I remember:

• NO translations are literal word for word. If they were, we wouldn’t understand them. “Heart,” for example, in Hebrew is really “kidneys,” or something, as I recall.
• There is a spectrum of translations from word for word to thought for thought. One type is not automatically better than another.
• When asked “What is your favorite translations?” the presenter said, “You give me a verse, and I’ll tell you my favorite translation for that verse.”

In other words, fret not. God can and does speak, even through “poor” translations. Peter Curry, the author of the original article I cited leaves us with these suggestions:

1. Reduce your options. When you reduce your options, it makes the decision feel less momentous. There are any number of ways to do this with translations. The simplest is to simply adopt the translation your church or denomination uses. If you trust your church or denomination enough to be a member, it makes sense that you would also trust their choice in translation. So, pick theirs and be done.
2. Be content with good enough. If this still leaves too many options, ask yourself if you’re making perfection the enemy of the good. I think many Christians who are worried about choosing the “wrong” translation need to hear that any mainstream, evangelical translation is going to serve them very well. They are all very good—even if they are good in different ways. If you already use the NIV or the NASB, ask yourself why you feel the need to switch. Is there really something wrong with your current translation? Or, have you fallen prey to the comparison trap? If so, it may help to remember that you can always supplement your main translation with others by using any number of free online resources. I highly recommend it.
3. Be Grateful. Finally, I think the best way to overcome the paradox of choice is to turn angst into gratitude. Behind the angst is a blessing: we have so many good English translations to choose from! Most Christians in history, and many Christians around the world still today, do not have the rich legacy of Bible translation we have in English. We should be enormously grateful for this rich heritage. Instead of worrying about choosing the wrong translation, most of us should just be grateful we have a choice at all.

I would add, there is no “credit” for having the “right translation” or despising a “bad” translation if you’re not prayerfully reading some version and putting it into practice.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1.22, NIV)

But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. (Matthew 7.26, MSG)

Too good not to share…a truth that most of us have seen but need to be reminded of from time to time.

Sahil Bloom shared this story:

The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by 8am, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready.

As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window.

“I love it,” she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

“Mrs. Jones, you haven’t seen the room…”

“That doesn’t have anything to do with it. Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.”‍ – Sahil Bloom, October 11, 2024

“Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.” Abraham Lincoln believed that:

I have friends in Alabama, no stranger to hard times, whose answering machine message said something like:

We’re having a good day at our house, and we hope you’re choosing to have a good day as well.

The Apostle Paul was in prison when he wrote these words to the Philippians:

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now… (Philippians 1.3 – 5, NIV)

But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice… (Philippians 1.18, 19, NIV)

…make my joy complete… (Philippians 2.2, NIV)

But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. (Philippians 2.17, 18, NIV)

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. (Philippians 3.1, ESV)

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. (Philippians 4.4, ESV)

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. (Philippians 4.10, 11, ESV)

About 16 months ago I wrote about the “rapid unplanned disassembly” of the Starship spacecraft by Space-X. What you and I would call an explosion, Space-X calls a “rapid unplanned disassembly” which they use to gather data to move their program along. Space-X has a culture of “embracing fiery mishaps.” It works for them.

This past Sunday, October 13, Space-X not only successfully launched Starship, it caught the 200-foot-tall booster so it can be reused! Here’s the opening of a Wall Street Journal report:

SpaceX caught a towering booster rocket back at its launchpad in south Texas, an engineering milestone for the Starship vehicle at the center of Elon Musk’s plans for deep-space exploration. 

The Super Heavy booster, the first stage of Starship, lifted off from south Texas on Sunday morning and propelled the Starship craft into space. Shortly after the launch, SpaceX made the call to return the booster back to the pad from which it had launched.

A livestream from SpaceX showed the device zipping back toward the facility, and, as it approached a tower, its engines slowed the enormous device down, allowing for the catch around 8:30 a.m. ET. The vehicle latched down on mechanical arms sticking out of the tower. – Micah Maidenberg, WSJ, October 13, 2024 (The article may contain a video of the launch and recovery. If not, click here.)

A skyscraper went into space, returned to earth, and parallel parked. – Sylvia Smith, shared by Mark Ewell

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. (Luke 18.1, ESV)

We looked at King Asa’s good start a couple of days ago. Today, we look at his not-so-good finish.

2 Chronicles 15 contains more good news, opening with a word of encouragement from Azariah, son of Oded:

Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The LORD is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you…take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded. (2 Chronicles 15.2, 7, ESV)

Asa responded with even more reforms:

As soon as Asa heard these words, the prophecy of Azariah the son of Oded, he took courage and put away the detestable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities that he had taken in the hill country of Ephraim, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that was in front of the vestibule of the house of the LORD…Even Maacah, his mother, King Asa removed from being queen mother because she had made a detestable image for Asherah. Asa cut down her image, crushed it, and burned it at the brook Kidron. But the high places were not taken out of Israel. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true all his days. (2 Chronicles 15.8, 16, 17, ESV)

Then, inexplicably…

In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might permit no one to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. Then Asa took silver and gold from the treasures of the house of the LORD and the king’s house and sent them to Ben-hadad king of Syria, who lived in Damascus, saying, “There is a covenant between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I am sending to you silver and gold. Go, break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, that he may withdraw from me.” (2 Chronicles 16.1 – 3, ESV)

Not a good move, and a man of God so states:

At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you. Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the LORD, he gave them into your hand. [See 2 Chronicles 14 and the October 14 blog.] For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.” (2 Chronicles 16.7 – 9, ESV)

A well-known encouragement, which many of us have memorized:

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. (2 Chronicles 16.9, NKJV)

And Asa has a “shoot the messenger” response:

Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in the stocks in prison, for he was in a rage with him because of this. And Asa inflicted cruelties upon some of the people at the same time. (2 Chronicles 16.10, ESV)

As I say, not a good finish. A warning for us all. As my friend, former Air Force Football Coach Fisher DeBerry used to say:

You’re only as good as your last play.

The Apostle Paul understood this:

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. (Philippians 3.13 – 16, ESV)

Less is more refers to this blog’s title, its length, and its message.

When we talk about the spiritual disciplines, many folks wonder, “How can I fit them in? I’ll have to work harder and faster on the ‘important’ stuff so I can carve out the time.”

NO

See Sahil Bloom’s blog The Case for Slowing Down which contains this gem as its closing sentence:

Your entire life will change the moment you realize that the growth you asked for is on the other side of the stillness you’ve been avoiding.

Be still, and know that I am God… (Psalm 46.10, ESV)

We have a short sequence of successes in 2 Chronicles 13 and 14. Yesterday, it was Abijah over Jeroboam: the southern kingdom, Judah, over the northern kingdom, Israel. Judah had the temple and true worship, Israel had the golden calves. “Follow God, pray, fight.”

Today it’s Asa over the Ethiopians. Asa had a good start. First, get rid of bad stuff:

Asa was a good king. He did things right in GOD’s eyes. He cleaned house: got rid of the pagan altars and shrines, smashed the sacred stone pillars, and chopped down the sex-and-religion groves (Asherim). He told Judah to center their lives in GOD, the God of their fathers, to do what the law said, and to follow the commandments. (2 Chronicles 14.2 – 4, MSG)

Next, prepare.

Asa said to his people, “While we have the chance and the land is quiet, let’s build a solid defense system, fortifying our cities with walls, towers, gates, and bars. We have this peaceful land because we sought GOD; he has given us rest from all troubles.” (2 Chronicles 14.7, MSG)

This preparation fits our recent theme of the disciplines:

• Building Below the Waterline
• Growing Strong
• Multi-tasking the disciplines!

Also with respect to preparation, our former pastor John Stevens used to say,

The waiting room of the ER is not a good place to work out your theology.

In other words, prepare in advance for hard times. And for Judah, the challenge came in the form of a large Ethiopian army:

Zerah the Ethiopian went to war against Asa with an army of a million plus three hundred chariots and got as far as Mareshah. Asa met him there and prepared to fight from the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah. Then Asa prayed to GOD, “O GOD, you aren’t impressed by numbers or intimidated by a show of force once you decide to help: Help us, O GOD; we have come out to meet this huge army because we trust in you and who you are. Don’t let mere mortals stand against you!” GOD defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah; the Ethiopians ran for their lives. (2 Chronicles 14.9 – 12, MSG)

Follow God, PREPARE, pray, fight.

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. (Luke 5.16, NIV)

Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26.41, NIV)