Nothing they set out to do would be impossible to them

"And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they would set out to do will now be impossible for them."

Genesis 11:6

Since the dawn of human civilisation mankind strives to "get a name for ourselves"(v 4). The early history of humanity is largely written about those, who managed to leave a memorable mark on the landscape  of human experience. Mostly, they were people, who ably wielded power over others and thus by somehow rallying and uniting them imprinted some of their own values on the conscience of the world. Sargon of Akkad, Chufu of Memphis, Nebuccanezzer of Babylon, Alexander the Macedonian... they were all people, who succeeded in getting together vast numbers of people under their banner. That's why history remembers them. God, though disrupted the plans of the very ancient people to be one under one ruler, as we read here, as indeed happens with all empires that ever came up on the world scene: they all fell tumbling down. We, though, still instinctively honour unification, we stand in owe when many people manage to act as one in harmony. It really feels that if humans get together for real, nothing would be impossible to them. God knows that because it's His potential that he placed in humans and He is usually happy about it in principle. He is God of peace and harmony. Why did He put in disarray the plans of the people in this verse? What was wrong with the "beginning" of lasting greatness for humanity? Is not God the one, who creates them and whose image they were fashioned after? Yes, surely that's the case. Man is the glory of God (1 Cor 11:7). The greater and more dignified man is the more glorified his Creator would be, because all is from Him, through Him and for Him (Rom 11:36). The organic unifying of the people and their coming together as one is a recepie for yielding out all good things humanity relishes.  But we don't see God mentioned here. He is not on these people's minds or lips. It's about us, us, us. God knows that if He is not there as the rightful Ruler someone else would the sooner or latter appear, would not withstand the temptation and would seize the power and it will become all about me, me, me.. This would cause a great suffering. There are so many movements of the people, which, when they fail to honour God and abide by His principles, degrade into bleak and embarrassingly vain and suffering-causing social and political phenomena. The Nazism, the Communism, the various empires of the past show that freedom, true liberty, is only guaranteed, when God is truly allowed to be what He has always been for humanity since the beginning - God. Only when the moral principles that flow from His character underpin the social and political order (and incidentally our way of thinking) human potential can achieve everything and that would not be to the detriment of those involved. It's too perilious to strive for greatness in goodness unless it is set upon the divine principles of righteousness and justice, love and appreciation of life and upholding of liberty. 

Prayer:

Dear Father,

You want the best for all your children. You love humanity and you created them for your glory. Sometime we try to achieve glory and something great, but you are not the centre. We fail to allow you to be our God and forget your principles and rules. Please, preserve us and keep us by gifting us with your wisdom from the madness of aiming for something good, but not in the right way. 

In Jesus' Name! Amen!

No rest until I find a place for the Lord

"until I find a hub for the LORD, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”"

Psalm 133:5

In the Ancient world there was a firm belief that if the respective deity is welcomed and made an appropriate abode for this would guarantee the deity's presence and respective good fortunes that naturally would follow up.

David was influenced by his environment and he believed that his relationship and the relationship of Israel with Yahwe would never be completed unless a "dwelling place" for God is secured by the virtue of building a temple. God's presence, unlike the other gods made after primitive ideas of the divine, would guarantee real safety, blessing, aboundant life and peace to the people of God - Israel. 

David's determination to have God close to himself and his people was admirable and we all should realise that this attitude very much made him "a man in accordance with the heart of God" (1 Samuel 13:13-14).

In the previous verses he is saying that he "wouldn't rest" or "give sleep to his eyelids" untill temple is built. God likes people, who want Him close to them and mean business regarding His will. 

We can say that  we want people to come to God, but if we don't share the good news through works and words it somehow falls short from full, proper commitment. If we say we want God's will be done on this earth, but rarely give time to supporting the ministry of the church then again something else is seemingly priority in our lives. God wants us to make His will and desire to show His love in Jesus to the world our leading priority. "There is time for everything under the Sun"(Eccl 3:1)  and if there is no or little time for God's work then it seems we don't manage this resource well enough.

But building the opulent architectural edifice  was not what would satisfy God. He clearly said to David that the latter doesn't understand what the concept of "God's place" means.

If we liken the work for the Gospel and serving others in the name of Jesus with building the temple then filling up the temple with God's presence happens through developing personal relationship with God. Only works and words which are out of faith that is working through love (Gal 5:6) are really satisfactory for God. Both faith and love come through relationship with God. One comes through hearing the Word of God (Rom 10:17) and the other comes by the Spirit of God who supernaturally pours it in our hearts in Jesus (Rom 5:5). Achieving and retaining that state of ministry and knowing God surely implies similar determination and resolve as David had. We can not give our spiritual eyes rest and let inner self go to the comfort of its bed (as the previous verses state) until we see God and find Him by letting Him dwell fully in us.

When His words and Spirit fill us up then we are ready to met out to the world what God has for them. The true fun begins then. 

Prayer:

Dear Father,

Thank you for never being too tired or busy for us. Your love is indescribable. Please, give is grace, so we can be full of decisiveness and faith and love through which we would give a lot of fruit for your Kingdom.

In Jesus' mighty and sweet Name! Amen!

He does not retain anger

"Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in mercy and love"

Micah 7:18

One sure and steady thing in the universe  is the love of God. In his book prophet Micah talks about the sins of Israel and Judah, both parts of the divided kingdom of greater Israel. He notes how the evil deed-doers  go around rampant and unchecked. Someone devises how to take away the lawful property of somebody else and then unhindered he can carry it out the next day. There seemed to be a chronic problem of deep seated political corruption and public indifference. All voices of challenge to the morally faltering system were silenced as quickly as possible. Those who oil the public image of the regime by saying how right and great they are were the preferred motivational and political  speech-makers. The influential Israelites, who dominated the weak, owned the day and ensured that all evidence around them appears to confirm their right to do however they pleased and that was perceived as God-given right to them. 

Naturally, Micah is not happy. He warned them that this weakens the society and it would soon fall prey to a more powerful nation. The Babylonians would soon be heard at Jerusalem's doorstep. They would be merciless in smashing all opposition and banish nearly all of those well off Israelites far away in the foreign land between the rivers - Mesopotamia.  Since the weak and needy were totally oppressed by the elite, now time has come, when the elite and those who support and/or do not stand against their disgraceful practices had to feel the same measure of the gory, brutal plight. 

In this deep, dark, deserved doom the spark of God's love was relentlessly making its way poring the thick cloud of moral, spiritual and social bleakness. 

His anger burns out quickly, but His love, however unnoticed at first,  is going from strength to strength. Micah says that God would not leave His people forever. Their inequities would be ironed out. The word "passing over" speaks of "blowing away forcefully" and is used when Moses divides the Red Sea so the Israelites can pass through it liberally. In a similar manner the sea of wrongs that the Israelites did would be one day blown away, wiped out by the absorbing love of God and it could not be seen any more. 

In Jesus, God fulfilled this promise. Our sins are removed by His work on the cross and God is not looking at them. They are thrown away so far by the wind of lovingkindness that should not be part of our self-image anymore. Instead we are God's remnant, who is under the special attentive, loving  care, which He affords to those, who are willing to accept it in gratefulnes and by faith. 

Prayer:

Dear Father,

Your forgiving love, powerfully removes every stain of shame and sin we may have. Thank you for you make this possible in Jesus' Name! Amin!