Sheba: Value in Choice.
“Time and tide wait for no man”, that’s a concept I just did not understand as a child, and to be honest, even as an adult I still find myself struggling with it. Because tell me why I say I’ll post soon and before I realize, it’s a month after and I’m still behind on editing. But me and my procrastinating tendencies asides, Happy Easter to you and yours, and welcome to the month of April. It has been a very enlightening Q1 for me, and I’m sure we can all relate to the feeling that with each passing day, every decision we make has increasing impact on our lives and our future. That notwithstanding, I wish everyone clarity of mind and heart as we head into the second quarter of 2024.
First, I want to admit something that I think about a number of situations in the Bible, because I’m pretty certain I’m not alone, but most people just don’t want to say it out loud. But anyway, here goes: Sometimes, the situations in the Bible do not make sense to me. There, I said it. You can exhale now, and drop your judgemental attitude because I know you’ve thought it before. Today, we’ll be dwelling on one such situation, and maybe you’ll agree with me after we get through it.
Once upon a time, there was a king named David, and he had seen different colors of shege in his life, but at this particular time, his kingdom was fractured because his son, Absalom, had tried to overthrow his government by pronouncing himself King (2 Samuel 14). Long story short, David fled his kingdom, but Absalom was killed, and the people asked him to come back to his throne (2 Samuel 15-19). When he got back though, some of the people (Israel) were claiming that they were closer in relationship to him than others (Judah), and they were offended that Judah had “stolen him away” (2 Samuel 19:41). To me, this sounds like a very pointless argument, but to them it must have made some sense because it somehow degenerated to the point where these people were shouting at each other, and the men of Judah seemed to be winning the shouting match (2 Samuel 19:43).
Now, this is the part I don’t understand. Into the picture comes Sheba. The person, mind you, not the place. Give me a second to explain. So apparently, there was a man, and his name was Sheba, and to the best of my knowledge he must have been a very challenging sort of person because even the writer of the book of 2nd Samuel described him as a worthless fellow. Just take a moment to imagine how much of a terrible person someone would have to be, to be immortalized for all time in the Bible as being worthless. Sounds awful, right? But yeah, Sheba seemed to have been a handful. Now, while this daft argument was going on between Israel and Judah, Sheba decided that he would be the one to end it. Ever heard or said the phrase, “To your tent, O Israel?” Well, Sheba was its author. He blew the trumpet and declared that Israel had no inheritance in David, commanding the people to return to their homes. That’s not even the crazy part. The part that makes absolutely no sense, is that they actually obeyed him. Just think about it, for someone to be described in Scripture as being worthless, he must have been renowned for his flaws as a human being, and that’s the person half of a nation choose to listen to???? But yeah, they did, and they left King David with half a kingdom to rule, and it was not until Sheba was killed (easily, by the way) that David had his kingdom made whole again (2 Samuel 20:1-22).
Sheba chose to stand against his King for no good reason, and although the Israelites knew that he was far being a man of character and sense, they chose to stand with him. That just goes to show that sometimes people have an established pattern of making bad choice, and it can even pass from generation to generation, if care is not taken. But let’s not get into that, before some of you come for me. Regardless, the people of Israel had a choice, and they chose wrong. How many of us can relate? I know I definitely can. Sometimes it feels like every decision you make is the wrong one, and it can be very frustrating when you feel the pressure to succeed and make something of yourself, and fulfill everyone’s expectations for you, including your own. But when it comes to choices, especially those that affect my life, I just remind myself that God has chosen me to reside within His will for me at all times, so He knows what I need. And recently, something solidified this knowledge for me, and I’ll tell you what it is.
In Christendom, it’s the season where we reminisce on the sacrifice of our Lord and celebrate His Resurrection which gives us the authority we walk in as Believers, and grants us the gift of Salvation; true reconciliation with the Father and redemption from the wage of sin. During this period, a lot of programs are put in place to center the mind of the Church on Christ, to walk in His shoes so to speak, and be a part of His journey to the Cross and beyond. Partaking in this ritual has become almost second nature, but this year, I realized something that I’ve always known and always taken for granted. You know how you can be reading a book and your eyes are running over the words but you’re not assimilating anything, but then you catch yourself and realize you’re reading a book? Yeah, it was something like that. Let me try to break it down so it makes sense to you.
So we all know that Christ is God, right? He is the Son, the Second Person in the Holy Trinity, yes? If your answer is anything other than yes, or you’re confused, register for cathecism classes or a Beginner’s class at the nearest Bible preaching church immediately. Now, back to the explanation. Christ was present at the beginning, at the creation of the earth, and man, and everything else. And God created time, so He exists outside of time and space. He knows it all, past, present and future. This means that when the earth was created, God knew that man would sin, that we would fall, and we would need reconciliation to Him. But He still made us. Again, basic knowledge. Now, here’s where it gets tricky. Christ, as God, knew that He would come to the earth and die for us, at the beginning. He knew that He would go through everything He went through, and because He was God, He knew that it would be gruesome, and excruciating, and everything bad and painful, and He still chose to come???
Because let’s not be deceitful here, we all know that if it had been any one of us, lmaoooo y’all are going to be fine, because there’s absolutely no way that’s happening. It won’t even be an option. And even if you say, “ehn He was divine, so maybe He drew strength from above”, do not forget, Christ was fully God and yet, He was also fully man. He felt those bloody whips. He felt each and every swing of the hammers as they forced nails, actual nails, into his skin. And bruhhhh… the type of nails they used in those days were no joke. He felt it all. And those soldiers were merciless, but really, they had no idea. I’m sha glad I’m not going to be any of them on judgement day. Because imagine waking up from death to see the person you flogged like a thief one random day in your barracks sitting on the throne of Heaven? It won’t even be funny. But anyways, He had known right from the start, He had known exactly what He was going to go through and suffer, and yet, He still chose to come. If that isn’t love (and a slice of illogicality, because make it make sense!), then I don’t know what is. It’s not logical, not in the least, but it’s love. And that was His greatest expression of who He truly is, and what truly feels for us. Pure, genuine, unapologetic Love.
God chose us.
It’s literally that simple. That’s it, that’s Christianity in 3 words. No long explanations, no 2 hour sermon, nothing. It’s that simple. God chose you. God chose me. God chose all of us. And because He did, He has done, and is still doing, everything in His power to show us that He still chooses us. Every day, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and twice on Sundays. He still chooses, and you’re still worth it for Him. No matter how worthless you feel sometimes, or how the world or men make you feel, you’re worth the blood of God. You’re worth death. Not just death, but the death of God, the descent of the Son into the grave, just so He could defeat and destroy death, hell and the grave. For you. Because that’s exactly what you’re worth to Him. Yes, you. That’s exactly how much you’re worth, to the One who made it all. Never forget that.
Greetings from the Foot of Cross,
Gabrielle.
