Hidden Lamps

How has Yahweh called and gifted you - and what are you doing with it? Stories and warnings abound throughout scripture about people whom Yahweh has called and whom initially respond and then, for whatever reason, walk away, turn their back, refuse obedience to the call. Jesus (who, by the way and in case you were unaware is Yahweh) even speaks to this in Matthew 21:31 and following where two sons are asked to go and work in the field. Still others may fall into complacency, others allow the enemy of our souls to distract us, life situations not grieved well or resentments or a laundry list of things that make our surrendered life about us and turn us from our call - and we hide our lamps under a bushel basket. We have been given much, and so much is required of us and what do we do with it? If we refuse to walk in the call, we will have it taken from us. I am going to walk through several blogs about what I believe God is speaking through several images from scripture.

There was a man named Saul, and when the people clamored for a king refusing Yahweh as their king, the Lord had the prophet Samuel anoint Saul as king to lead over Israel. Saul began the work well, but faltered, and it wasn’t about his behavior, it was about who held the throne of Saul’s heart. In truth it was Saul’s failure to follow the commands and leadership of Yahweh, he took matters into his own hands. It was Saul forgetting who was really the strength of Israel. He became as bad as the people who clamored for a king in believing that it was he who was the true king over Israel. Power went to his heart. Samuel says to him “But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command.” (1Sam 13:14 - NIV) In chapter 15, we see Saul directly disobey Yahweh’s command through the prophet Samuel. Saul has the kingdom ripped from his hands not because of what he did but because of his disobedience of heart. It is here we find the oft quoted scripture “to obey is better than sacrifice” as Saul tries to deflect responsibility by claiming that he just did it to offer a pleasing sacrifice - as if Yahweh was incapable of seeing past that and into Saul’s heart. In 15:12 we see that Saul has set up a monument “in his own honor.” Even in his “repentance” Saul’s heart shows through: “I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel...” (1Sam. 15:30 - my emphasis). Saul recognized his own skills and forgot who they were from and for what purpose, to glorify Yahweh not Saul. Saul forgot who it was about, and it broke the heart of Yahweh. The broken heart of God, however, did not keep Yahweh from carrying out his own plan for his people. There are consequences to rebellion. He removed the blessing and from one whose heart was not aligned with his, and he called another. As one lamp was hidden, God set another one on the hill.

How does this strike you? Where are your gifts? Are you allowing anything to keep you from glorifying Yahweh? How is your heart?

Next time: The next lamp - David