EmmDev 2026-09-25 [Wisdom for Every Day Life] Contentment #3 - Asaph's Journey

Contentment #3 - Asaph's Journey

Psalm 73 is a Psalm by a man named Asaph.

It documents his journey through discontent to peaceful contentment.

He starts with a doctrinal statement, which, while true, is over-simplified:
"Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure."
The problem with this statement is two implications that can be drawn from it:
1. If things are not going well, then your heart may not be pure.
2. If things are going well, then your heart must be pure.

This does not match his experience and he struggles with the dissonance:
"But as for me, I almost lost my footing.
My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone."

Here's why he was struggling:
"For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong.
They don't have troubles like other people;
they're not plagued with problems like everyone else.
They wear pride like a jewelled necklace and clothe themselves with cruelty.
These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for!
They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others."

And that leads him to question the faith sacrifices he has made:
"Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?
Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?
I get nothing but trouble all day long;
every morning brings me pain."

And he realises that what he is struggling with is a big issue that could cause pain to his God community:
"If I had really spoken this way to others,
I would have been a traitor to Your people.
So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper.
But what a difficult task it is!"

Then comes the turning point and it is two-fold:
1. He goes to worship
2. He gets a bigger picture - the wicked will face judgment.
"Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
Truly, You put them on a slippery path
and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors.
When You arise, O Lord, You will laugh at their silly ideas
as a person laughs at dreams in the morning."

He recognises that discontent disfigured his soul:
"Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside.
I was so foolish and ignorant --- I must have seemed like a senseless animal to You."

And he realises that his relationship with God is the true source of contentment.
"Yet I still belong to You; You hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.
Whom have I in heaven but You? I desire You more than anything on earth.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart; He is my portion forever."

And so he resolves to lean into his relationship with God...
"But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,
and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things You do."

Can you identify with Asaph's journey???

May we learn to lean into our relationship with God and find deep peace there!

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(The full psalm is below...)

[A psalm of Asaph.] Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure. But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness. They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong. They don't have troubles like other people; they're not plagued with problems like everyone else. They wear pride like a jewelled necklace and clothe themselves with cruelty. These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for! They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others. They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth. And so the people are dismayed and confused, drinking in all their words. "What does God know?" they ask. "Does the Most High even know what's happening?" Look at these wicked people--- enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply. Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain. If I had really spoken this way to others, I would have been a traitor to Your people. So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is! Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. Truly, You put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors. When You arise, O Lord, You will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning. Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. I was so foolish and ignorant--- I must have seemed like a senseless animal to You. Yet I still belong to You; You hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but You? I desire You more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is my portion forever. Those who desert Him will perish, for You destroy those who abandon You. But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things You do. (Psalms73:1-28)

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Contentment #2 - Exemplified

Our reading is from Psalm 16 - It's called a "Miktam"
- We don't know what that means
- But every psalm that is called a Miktam is a prayer in time of trouble

(A miktam of David.) Keep me safe, my God, for in You I take refuge. I say to the Lord, "You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing." I say of the holy people who are in the land, "They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight." Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips. Lord, You alone are my portion and my cup; You make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because You will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let Your holy one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand. (Psalms16:1-11)

So, this is probably a prayer in trouble.
But David reflects gratitude and loyalty.

In its simple structure, this Psalm exemplifies contentment...
David is urging us to:

1. REMEMBER that God is enough
   "apart from You I have no good thing."
   "Lord, You alone are my portion and my cup;"
   "You will fill me with joy in Your presence,"
   
   
2. TAKE NOTE that God has given us much
   "You make my lot secure."
   "The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places"
   "surely I have a delightful inheritance."
   
   
3. BE COMFORTED because God is with us and counsels us.
   "I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
   even at night my heart instructs me.
   I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
   With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken."
   
   
4. BE SECURE in knowing that God holds our future.
   "because You will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
   nor will you let Your holy one see decay.
   You make known to me the path of life"

David can end the Psalm with:
"You will fill me with joy in Your presence,
with eternal pleasures at Your right hand."

Contentment is learning to recognise what we already have...
David is in trouble, but he can still say, "You are my portion."
He looks at his life and sees that his boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places.
He looks beside him and sees God's presence.
He looks ahead and sees God's eternal promise.

May we Remember, Take Note, be Comforted and Secure in the knowledge and experience of God as the One who is enough, who provides abundantly, who goes with and guides us and secures our eternity.

This is contentment: It is not an achievement or attainment - it is a Relationship.

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EmmDev 2026-09-23 [Wisdom for Every Day Life] Contentment #1 - Where the Trouble starts...

Contentment #1 - Where the Trouble starts...

This week we look at Contentment and its enemies - Discontent and Comparison.
(I want to finish this series before we start the "Month of Mission" in October and so there will be a devotion each day, including the weekend to get us to the finish line on time...")

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'" "You will not certainly die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. (Genesis3:1-6)

Look at Satan's strategy:

• He says "Did God really say "Don't eat from any tree in the garden?" "
  He twists God's words. God only restricted them from one tree, but suggesting that it was more, he makes God look petty and restrictive.
• Eve takes the bait, she corrects the serpent, but she does add to what God said.
  God said "Don't eat from it"
  Eve said "God says "you must not eat from it AND you must not touch it."
• This gives the serpent the gap
  I can imagine him touching the tree and triumphantly saying: "You will not certainly die."
  So now he makes God look like He makes empty threats.
• Then he plays his trump card. ---> Discontent.
  "God is holding out on you. He doesn't want you to be like Him."
• All of a sudden the tree's fruit looks:
  - good for food
  - pleasing to the eye
  - desirable for gaining wisdom.
  And Eve eats and Adam too.

Discontent and Comparison lie at the heart of so much heartache in the Scriptures.

• Cain compares himself to Abel and kills him.
• Joseph's brothers are jealous of his pretty coat and the favouritism it represents and sell him as a slave.
• The Israelites forget the whips and labour of Egypt and they think of the leeks and onions, and complain about Manna.
• Saul is Jealous because of a song the women sang about him and David and tries to kill David.
• David looks at Uriah's wife and wants her, even though he has wonderful wives already and so he takes Bathsheba and kills Uriah
• King Ahab is king over all of Israel but is jealous over Naboth's Vineyard and Jezebel has Naboth killed

I call it the "Tyranny of More"

Can you think of times when discontent, comparison and their meaner brother, jealousy have clouded your judgement, messed up your decisions and soured your life?

We should be vigilant and thoughtful...

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EmmDev 2026-09-04 [Wisdom for Every Day Life] Seasoned Words #4 - How to do it...

Seasoned Words #4 - How to do it...

After laying a doctrinal foundation for eleven chapters, Paul now reminds the church in Rome to live out their faith practically. Part of this practical living is peacemaking, de-escalation and conflict resolution. Let's see what he says:

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans12:17-21)

How do we do all the things Paul is talking about?
How do we live in peace with everyone? How do we de-escalate anger, conflict and hostility?"

I think it takes three important steps:

1. PAUSE
   Slow down. Don't match the emotional temperature.
   Bring great calm into tense situations. Make sure you're not taking things personally and not acting out of emotion.
   
   
2. DISCERN
   What is actually happening?
   What's beneath these words?
   Where is emotion and anger blinding people?
   Where is there commonality?
   
   
3. SEASON
   Start with humility.
   Speak words that fit the moment.
   Make people feel heard and taken seriously.
   Make sure that what you are aiming for is to reveal grace and not your cleverness.

And, at the end of the day remember what the stakes are:
We are not trying to win arguments but to win people's hearts.
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EmmDevs will be pausing for two weeks...

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EmmDev 2026-09-03 [Wisdom for Every Day Life] Seasoned Words #3 - Abigail's Example

Seasoned Words #3 - Abigail's Example

Our reading comes from the life of David, before he became king and while he was running from Saul. It was a tense and stressful time and a man named Nabal offended David greatly. The offense was so great that David set off to kill Nabal and wipe out his household.

Thankfully, Nabal's wife, Abigail, was a wise women who, when she heard about the offense, put together a wagon of supplies and set off to meet the furious David. Our reading is long, but the devotion is short...

Abigail acted quickly. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys. Then she told her servants, "Go on ahead; I'll follow you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal. As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them. David had just said, "It's been useless -- all my watching over this fellow's property in the wilderness so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good. May God deal with David, be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!" When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground. She fell at his feet and said: "Pardon your servant, my lord, and let me speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name -- his name means Fool, and folly goes with him. And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent. And now, my lord, as surely as the Lord your God lives and as you live, since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal. And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my lord, be given to the men who follow you. "Please forgive your servant's presumption. The Lord your God will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because you fight the Lord's battles, and no wrongdoing will be found in you as long as you live. Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling. When the Lord has fulfilled for my lord every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him ruler over Israel, my lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord your God has brought my lord success, remember your servant." (1Samuel25:18-34)

Abigail's quick thinking, positive action and sincere words are a really excellent example of how to de-escalate a volatile situation.

• Her generous gift to David and his men indicates her serious commitment to healing the rift.
• By coming alone she indicates both vulnerability and trust
• In her words Abigail is both humble and smart:
  - she acknowledges Nabal's failure,
  - she recognises David's destiny and the pressure he has been under,
  - and she is bold enough to show David that giving in to his anger will damage his reputation.

Her actions and attitude stop David in his tracks and he exclaims: "Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands."

We are called, like Abigail, to be peace-makers.
Very often we will have to begin at a place of brokenness.
We will step into anger, tension, frustration and hurt.
And, with God's gracious help, we can bring calm and resolution.

Tomorrow we'll look at some practical how-to's...

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EmmDev 2026-09-02 [Wisdom for Every Day Life] Seasoned Words #2 - Peacemakers

Seasoned Words #2 - Peacemakers

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew5:3-12)

There's really not much I can add to our reading.
Our world is full of war and conflict.
- Nation against nation
- Corporation against corporation
- Race, Culture and Tribe all locked in conflicts
- Gangs, Families, Spouses and Siblings damage each other with words, actions and inattention
- Friends and Neighbours are separated
- Religions, Ideals and Ideologies are at loggerheads.

And there's open conflict, hidden conflict and unspecified aggression.

And we're all hurting.

The Sermon on the Mount is the pinnacle (pun intended!) of Jesus' teaching.
In His striking introduction Jesus lists the nine groups of people as "blessed."
The seventh "blessed" is reserved for the peacemakers.
Those who de-escalate.
Those who are agents of reconciliation.
Those who reduce conflict, misunderstanding and aggression.

Each blessed state has its own reward: the Kingdom, comfort, the earth, being filled, mercy, seeing God or a great reward in heaven. However, to me, the reward of peacemaking is significant - being called "children of God."

And to some degree, the best peacemakers are those who are poor in spirit, who have mourned, are meek, hunger and thirst for righteousness and yet show mercy and remain pure in heart. And, interestingly, peacemakers are persecuted and insulted by those who don't want peace.

With our words, attitudes and closed-mindedness we can aid and abet conflict.
We need to make deep-rooted adjustments to undermine the powers that work against peace.
Being a peacemaker is not a hat we put on and take off as needed, it needs to be part of our nature.

When the deep desire for peace or wholeness or "shalom" is deeply rooted in us,
it seems that we most resemble God,
and people see it and call us His children.

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EmmDev 2026-09-01 [Wisdom for Every Day Life] Seasoned Words #1 - De-escalation

Seasoned Words #1 - De-escalation

In the sixth week of our Wisdom Series we look at "Seasoned Words" which is all about conflict resolution, de-escalation and peace-making in a world where outrage, conflict and vilification is the order of the day.

The book of Proverbs lays a great foundation by recognising the importance of the tongue. The tongue is a box of matches that can start great fires. We need to learn to use it well.

1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly. 4 The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. 7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools. 18 A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel. 23 A man finds joy in giving an apt reply-- and how good is a timely word! (Proverbs15:1-23)

We have some modern-day proverbs too. My favourite two are:
"Words are like toothpaste, once they've been squeezed out you can't put them back."
"Make sure your brain is engaged before putting your mouth into gear."

But let's reflect on the proverbs we've read...

• vs.1 We all know that it is not only the words, but the tone with which they are delivered. Spouses know the subtleties of this one... "What's wrong honey?" "Nothing..." (When "Nothing" is spoken with folded arms, averted eyes and monotone you know trouble is brewing!) When harsh words are countered with harsh words, tempers flare quickly. But when harsh words are met with an even and reasonable tone, it calms the conversation.
  
  
• vs.2 Jesus warned that whatever fills the heart will flow from the mouth. When we feed our hearts and minds garbage, the mouth will echo that. It's amazing how people who didn't swear and cuss will eventually begin to do that if everyone around them and the movies that they watch do that. Wholesome talk (output) flows from wholesome input.
  
  
• vs.4 I find it so interesting that in this proverb, deceit functions as the opposite of healing. This is a very sobering thought. When our words are constructive, uplifting and affirming, we bring healing and this healing is a tree of life. Look at environments where this kind of speaking is the norm. People flourish, laughter abounds and self-images are solid. Look at environments where deceit, division and manipulation are the norm. What do you find there? Crushed spirits. (I can't imagine a greater sadness.)
  
  
• vs.7 The contrast here is striking. The wise spread knowledge with their LIPS, but although fools spread folly through their words, it is their HEARTS that the proverb writer sees. This should give us serious pause for thought.
  
  
• vs.18 The hot-tempered man stirs dissension, the patient man calms a quarrel. This speaks of an inner state. The hot-tempered person lives with anger that is ready to emerge at any point. Dissension gives them a place to vent. The opposite is patience, someone who is more at rest in themselves. Their peace is contagious.
  
  
• v.23 All our other verses have contrasted the positive and the negative. This verse dwells on the powerful benefit of a constructive and thoughtful tongue. It celebrates the apt reply and the timely word. Choosing the right tone, the appropriate words at the right time yields a result that is good and brings joy to the speaker. This should be our goal.

As we go into this week of seasoned words, may our words be constructive and timely and reflect a wholeness and patience within us that we nurture and protect.

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EmmDev 2026-08-28 [Wisdom for Every Day Life] Sober Thinking #4 - The Importance of Love

Sober Thinking #4 - The Importance of Love

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1Peter3:15-16)

Although Peter is talking about sharing our faith, I think the same principles apply to our sober-thinking in the midst of a confused world where outrage, manipulation and vilifying of people who have different views are the order of the day.

We are not called to win arguments, but to win people.

Paul warns Titus: "But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless." (Titus 3:4)

Love needs to determine what we fight for and how we engage our world and the challenges it poses.
We must combine:
- Rootedness in Christ and His Community
- Discernment that is based on God's standards revealed in Christ and His Word
- Love that is sincere and genuine - wanting to do the best for those around us.

Whatever we discern, should be tempered, expressed and implemented with love.

• Before we draw our conclusions we need to be sure we are not operating out of fear, pride, or hate.
• When we communicate our views we need to be able to say: "I don't agree with you" or "My understanding of God's plan is different from the view you are expressing" without sounding holier-than-thou, condemnatory or arrogant.
• When we implement our decisions, we should do our very best not to alienate, humiliate or denigrate others.

Rootedness gives us something solid to stand on. Our roots are in Christ.
Discernment helps us understand what is true and what is best.
Love determines how we treat the people involved.

Let me say it again:
We are not called to win arguments, but to win people.

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EmmDev 2026-08-27 [Wisdom for Every Day Life] Sober Thinking #3 - Discerning

 

Sober Thinking #3 - Discerning

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians1:9-11)

Paul is praying for the church in Philippi.

Philippi was a Roman colony with a strong Roman identity. Paul planted the church there with a remarkable collection of early members: Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth; a slave girl freed from demonic possession; and the Philippian jailer and his family. It was a diverse congregation - and not always harmonious. (Paul had to urge Euodia and Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord.)

Discernment, the ability to understand the situation, to find the best way, and to make the right choices was a very necessary skill for the fledgling church in Philippi and so Paul prayed for it.

What is so interesting is how Paul prays for a chain reaction to happen in them.
There are a number of links in the chain.
Each link is important and, without each link, the rest of the chain falls away.

The first link is love, and we'll talk about love in detail tomorrow, but Paul prays that love will abound in two particular ways: Knowledge and Depth of Insight. Knowledge without love can be clinical and even cruel. Knowledge can be a dagger that kills or a scalpel that saves. Love makes the difference. Similarly, facts need interpretation or deep insight. Without love it is possible to come to harsh conclusions from facts. Love gives a generosity and sensitivity to our interpretations and insights.

The next links are discernment of what is best, pure and blameless.
Discernment, means that a choice, a determination, a judgement has to be made.
It needs to be what is best for all,
it needs to be pure, coming from the best of motives,
and it should be blameless without the baggage of corruption or compromise.

Our eighth link there should be a sense of focus and longevity to to our journey, that our characters are being shaped and ready for Christ's coming.
The next link is that our decisions bear the good fruit of righteousness
and the final, tenth link, is that the glory and praise goes to God.

These links give us the chain of discernment.
It starts with love and ends with the glory of God.
Paul prayed that this would be a quality of the Philippian Church.
We pray the same for ourselves...

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EmmDev 2026-08-26 [Wisdom for Every Day Life] Sober Thinking #2 Wisdom AKA Rooted

Sober Thinking #2 Wisdom AKA Rooted

Yesterday I talked about the three legs of the table of Sober-Thinking which I listed as Wisdom, Discernment and Love.
The diagram showed "Rooted" instead of "Wisdom".

"Rooted" is a better description than Wisdom...
Our reading for today comes from a list of soldiers who came to help transition David into kingship after Saul's death. It's a formidable list of brave warriors and heroes, from various but the one of the tribes stands out...

These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul's kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said: - from Judah, carrying shield and spear -- 6,800 armed for battle; - from Simeon, warriors ready for battle -- 7,100; - from Levi -- 4,600, including Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, with 3,700 men, and Zadok, a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from his family; - from Benjamin, Saul's tribe -- 3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to Saul's house until then; - from Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans -- 20,800; - from half the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king -- 18,000; - from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do -- 200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command. (1Chronicles12:23-32)

The tribe of Issachar is described differently from the others.

Firstly, they are described, not in terms of battle-skills, but in terms of "understanding the times and knowing what Israel (the people of God) should do." This is striking: these are people who are ready in season and out of season. They had their finger on the pulse and they could make wise decisions about what to do. To have this kind of wisdom requires more than observation. It requires principles, experience and a framework for interpreting what we see. For God's people, that framework is the Word and ways of God. Observation and knowledge is useful to a point, but one needs a set of principles and depth of experience to know what to do. The tribe of Issachar didn't just have good observation and interpretive skills, they also combined principle and experience to "know what to do."

Secondly, where all the other tribes are listed by headcount, Issachar is listed as "200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command." This is striking. Where as the other tribes are listed as individuals, Issachar are listed as a groups, clans, or units. There is a sense of community about them which conveys a powerful sense of belonging and connection.

Issachar was rooted.
- They functioned as a community and not individuals.
- They had a clear perception and understanding.
- They knew what to do because they drew on principles and experience.
- They knew what Israel (the people of God) should do - they walked closely with God.

We're called to be rooted in the same way:
- We need to walk closely with God.
- We need to be part of a healthy vibrant community.
- We need to have clear perception and understanding.
- We should spend time in God's Word (Principles) and learn from our experiences and the experiences of others.

These roots take time to develop, but they are important.
When the wind blows, the question isn't:
"How strong is the tree today?"
It's: "How deep are its roots?"

When the world is blowing hard, we can't suddenly grow roots.
We need to discover that we already have them...

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