David Knew

 After David became King of all Israel, he captured Jerusalem and made it his city. It became known as the City of David, as it is to this day. The occupants were the Jebusites and should have been conquered when Joshua led the Israelites in the conquest of the Promised Land, but this was one of the parts that remained unconquered. The Jebusites felt secure in their fortified city, so they said they were not worried about David and his men entering their city. In fact, they said, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off” (2 Samuel 5:6). They certainly underestimated David because his men gained access to the city and conquered it for David. It appears they used the water system to enter the city and capture it and its occupants without much of a fight. Maybe a less courageous king would have thought there was no way he could overcome that fortified city, but not David. David’s life is inspiring on many levels. His willingness to fight when the odds were against him was what he did, from fighting Goliath to conquering Jerusalem.

The narrator of 2 Samuel says that God was blessing David’s life: “And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him” (2 Sam 5:10). God had been blessing David since his youth when he killed Goliath—what seemed an impossible feat. But, this had been happening through the years as God had protected, provided, and guided David through the fugitive years when he was on the run from Saul. Now that he was King, it was even more evident that God made David great.

What is refreshing is verse 12: “Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel” 2 Sam 5:12). David knew what was happening was not because he was making it happen or because someone else was—but it was God. Seeing God’s hand in your life is a blessing beyond description! Can you look back over the years and see God’s hand at work in your life and be grateful for that? Secondly, David knew he had been made King to serve God’s people. He was a different kind of King—like the King born in a stable in Bethlehem. Jesus did not come to be served but to serve. We are to imitate David and Jesus in this way.

We Just Had A Tornado

 A tornado passed through our community last Friday night, March 14, 2025. It is shocking to see what a level 2 tornado can do: turn vehicles over, even trucks, bring large trees down on houses and cars, break power poles in half and bring power lines down, tear roofs and carports off, and send them hundreds of feet away, break windows, and do so much damage to siding on houses. Of course, that leaves people without electrical power. With broken windows and leaking roofs, people find the contents of their homes wet and damaged.

We have spent the last few days helping our community return to their houses. Cutting up trees, clearing debris, putting windows back into houses, and putting tarps on damaged roofs is a lot of work, but it brings people together. I have seen the men who work day and night restoring electrical power and have a great respect for the work they do. We here in Missouri did not have the worst damage--that happened in Arkansas and Alabama, but we have an idea of the power of these storms. Our hearts go out to those who lost a loved one in these storms. There were dozens of them over nine states.

It is challenging to experience a storm like this. You feel a mix of emotions—gratitude for surviving, shock at the destruction, and exhaustion. However, there’s also a deep sense of community as neighbors come together to help each other. Though exhausted from the work I have done, I am grateful that people are willing to help each other in times like these.

Each time we experience a natural disaster, we are reminded how fragile life is for all of us. Many people find their faith strengthened, seeing God’s hand in protecting lives and the kindness of those who step up to help. Even amid destruction, these storms often reveal people’s resilience and the power of unity.

Ask-Seek-Knock

 Jesus told us something significant about prayer:  “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” (Luke 11:9-10). The Lord used language that intensifies as it goes forward. First, ask and keep asking, then seek and keep on seeking, and lastly, knock and keep on knocking. “Ask” means requesting assistance for a need. We realize our lack and ask for help.  “Seek,” however, adds action. We are not just asking; we are now seeking help.  By the time we get to “Knock” we are pounding on a closed door.

We are to “Keep on asking, and it will be given to you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” We are to not give up but to remain persistent. We need encouragement when it comes to prayer and Jesus gives it to us in the Sermon on the Mount.

Persistence is an attitude, and when it comes to persistence in prayer, Jesus applauds it. Jesus encourages us to have confidence and believe it will happen. Then look for it because you know it’s coming. If you don’t find it, just keep on knocking until the door opens. This faith and confidence that God will honor your persistence.

When it comes to knocking on doors with persistence I have experience in this area. Many years ago, when working with my father, I went up to the mountains of California to get a load of decomposed granite. I had never been to the place before, so I followed the map. First, I was to go to the owner’s house and knock on the door, and then they would take me to the pit and load me. I found the house and went to the door, but before I made it to the door, out of nowhere came a very vicious German Shepherd dog that attacked me. Fortunately, it was winter and I had on a coat and gloves. Each time he lunged at me I was able to push him back. I made it to the door, and I knocked, and it was no minor knock. It was more like pounding. In between my knocking, the dog kept coming, and I kept knocking and knocking. Finally, a lady came to the door in her housecoat, and I stepped in. She stepped out, and I closed the door behind me and caught my breath.

This is the kind of persistence Jesus is talking about—the kind of knocking that you do to get someone to come to the door. Remember, this is Jesus teaching his disciples how to pray. This is how he prayed, and this is how he wants us to pray.