Bound in the Bundle of Life

In the book of I Samuel 25:29, we read the following unusual sentence: “If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life in the care of the Lord your God.”  When I first came across this verse over twenty years ago, I remember then that it caught my attention. These words are spoken by the beautiful and wise Abigail, wife of her boorish husband Nabal, who just dishonored David.  In response to this insult, David has gathered his group of vagabond soldiers to destroy all the male population living with Nabal. Hearing of her husband’s rashness, Abigail sends servants with food and requests favor of David to reconsider his decision. The phrase “bound in the bundle of life,” may have been just what was needed for David to change his mind.  To be bound in the bundle of life is to know that you are protected and cared for, very deeply.  When someone was sending something very valuable to someone of importance, the servant would take the valued item and wrap it in cloth, cotton, and other soft materials to protect the item.  That which was valued, was then wrapped again and again to ensure its safe arrival.  Thus we have this statement, “bound in the bundle of life.”  Abigail is reminding David that he has gotten to where he is because of God’s protection and value upon his life.  Just in the previous chapter, David had a close encounter with Saul and once again David is reminded that God is in complete control and really doesn’t have to avenge his honor…God will take care of loutish Nabal, just as He is about to remove Saul from his throne.  For now, David’s wanderings and difficulties are all a part of God’s plan to prepare a King…and though the road may be a rough one, he will arrive safely—“bound in the bundle of life.”

Prayer Needs

Dear Prayer Team:

New Staff Member
We recently hired a much-needed formatter to help us prepare our many books for publication. Her name is Jana Phillips, daughter of our previous board member, Dr. Barry Phillips. Jana is skilled in InDesign, the formatting software we use. The contribution she'll make is a wonderful answer to prayer—thank you; your prayers are making an enormous difference.

Marketing Director
Next Sunday I will be interviewing a woman from western NY for the position of marketing director. Someday I will share how our paths crossed, but for now, please pray for wisdom. It sounds like she would be a fit for Lamplighter, but I need discernment as I meet with her.

Speaking Engagements
This week I will be speaking in Boise, Idaho. On Tuesday evening I will be conducting a parenting seminar, and on Wednesday and Thursday I will be speaking to Christian school teachers. Please pray and that my heart will be pure and prepared, and that lives will be changed as the Word goes forth.

Family Life Radio Network
Debbie and I will drive to western NY to attend a board meeting with Family Life Radio Network this Saturday. We hope to be a support and encouragement to this ministry. The Lamplighter's dramatic audios will be one of the topics!

Family Life Today
In September, Family Life Today, with Dennis Rainey, (different than Family Life Network) wants to meet to discuss the creation of the Lamplighter dramatic audios. Please continue to pray for discernment concerning the details of this endeavor.

Chief Operations Officer
On October 2, a gentleman and his wife will be staying at our home to discuss the possibility of becoming Lamplighter's first Chief Operations Officer. This individual seems to possess the qualities that would be perfectly suited for this position, however, I like what Billy Graham said: "I would rather interview fifty people and not hire any of them than to hire the wrong person." It is my priority to build a strong team that will propel Lamplighter forward to serve future generations. With your continued prayer support, I am confident that this team will continue to be built in God's perfect timing.  

Thank you…I couldn't do this without you.

Mark Hamby

A Culture of Discipline

This morning in staff devotions we read in Proverbs, "He who gives thought to the word shall find good."

The word "word" in Hebrew is the word for "matter." He who gives thought to a matter shall find good. Simply, the person who takes time to think things through will be successful.

In the book Good to Great and the Social Sector, Jim Collins writes about a culture of discipline. It is within this culture of discipline that attention to detail and a focus on results occurs. Sustained great results depend upon building a culture full of self-disciplined people who take disciplined action, fanatically consistent with their passion, skill, and ability to generate revenue or fulfillment of one's mission.

A culture of discipline is not just about action. It is about "disciplined people who engage in disciplined thought and who take disciplined action—operating with freedom within a framework of responsibilities—this is the cornerstone of a culture that creates greatness. In a culture of discipline, people do not have jobs; they have responsibilities." In his book Good to Great, Collins states: "When you have disciplined people you don't need hierarchy. When you have disciplined thought, you don't need bureaucracy. When you have disciplined action, you don't need excessive controls." When we "expect great things from God and attempt great things for God," (Carey) within a culture of discipline, nothing is impossible. It is within this culture of self-discipline that our pursuit of knowledge leads to inspiration, and inspiration leads to imagination, and imagination to innovation. Without a culture of discipline, imagination is not connected to reality; thus life is lived wishing to be great but failing to be good at anything (Spurgeon).

Joshua, Ezra, and David all understood the importance of disciplined thought and actions. In Joshua 1:8 we read, "This book of the law shall not depart out of my mouth, but I shall meditate therein day and night, that I may observe to do according to all that is written therein, and then I shall make my way prosperous, and then I shall find good success." In Ezra 7 we read that Ezra was skilled in the law of Moses (Genesis to Deuteronomy), and the hand of the Lord was upon him. "For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord and to do it and to teach His statutes and rules in Israel." In Psalm 1 David writes that the person who delights in the law (Word) of the Lord day and night, all that he does will prosper. Those who will cultivate the discipline of studying God's Word and practicing it will find good.

May the following true story be an encouragement to you. This letter comes from a 12-year-old girl who was part of our Lamplighter summer reading contest. This is what she wrote after reading the book Mary Jones and her Bible:

It is hard for me to comprehend how, from such a young age, this girl was able to save up for ten years for a Bible. The longest I have ever been able to save for anything was one year. This book truly changed my life. All of a sudden, I had a true longing to read the Bible all the time. I read Mary Jones and Her Bible about a month ago, and I still devour the words of the Bible. On all my breaks from school I work on my Bible memory (Corinthians chapter 13), or I just get out my Bible and read it. The Bible is the first thing I read in the morning, and the last thing I read at night. I certainly intend to read this book to my little brother, who is only 6 years old. He already has a sincere love for God's word. I am also sure other children would enjoy this book.

"Disciplined people who engage in disciplined thought and who take disciplined action" will find good!