Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Today's Passage: Exodus 23-24

During the course of my life, I have often been around people that cause me to think to myself, "God has extraordinarily blessed them." It seemed to me that their lives were in perfect order and that God chose to bless these people in a great way in which everything goes their way. Their lives were going so great that it almost was enough to cause jealousy, and wonder why God cannot do the same in my life. That is pretty much the case here in Exodus 23-24 for Moses. We have the privilege of looking at a 'snapshot' of his life in which everything seems to be going his way. Moses was the only one who was able to approach and worship God closely. Moses then told the people what God said and they were ecstatic! He built an altar and then spent forty days with God on the mountain. It is quite easy to look at Moses and wonder, "Why is my life not filled with such perfection and blessings like Moses?"

Fortunately, we have a bigger picture of Moses and his relationship to his people and God. The times were not so perfect as we see here in these two chapters. Moses would continue to question God and his decisions, and the people would constantly doubt God's provisions and Moses' leadership. Moses had the privilege of being a key player in the covenant being confirmed and establishing God's law. God chose his servant to establish order and law to the people. Moses was able to do great things for God, but it can be seen here that Moses was simply following the calling of God. Moses had no great gift, in fact he had some flaws that may have even prevented him from being in a leadership position in contemporary times. However, the greatness of God comes pouring out of this passage, as well as the opportunity for man to worship the Creator. We may choose to intentionally worship our Creator and how He has worked out His plan for generations through people like Moses.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Today's Passage: Matthew 19

Jesus' directions on divorce are very important and if nothing else should provide a very real consideration to the level of commitment required in marriage. For today's blog, however, I would like to focus on the story of the rich young ruler.

We all have probably heard this story at one time or another; personally I can't even count the number of times I have heard a sermon podcast or seen a t-shirt with some part of this story depicted in it. Somehow the lesson in the story still rings true for all of us. This story has little really to do with the fact that the man was rich or a ruler. The real root of this lesson is: Are you and I willing to discard everything in our lives to follow Jesus?

The youth just got done with a lesson on becoming selfless last night in Hack. We learned that being selfless is being submissive to both God and man. Elevating others to a higher level of worth than ourselves. That is all Jesus was asking the ruler to do: "just show me that I (Jesus) am more important than your possessions."

We all have "possessions" in our lives that we really enjoy. Sometimes they are physical possessions, but sometimes they are friends, hobbies or even jobs. If we aren't willing to give these up for Christ than we are in the same boat as the rich young ruler. We walk away sad that we aren't growing closer to God when the real culprit is us and our unwillingness to put Him first.

I'm going to challenge you this week to do something. Before you start your day, while you're brushing your teeth or getting dressed, just pray every day for God to show you what He would like you to give up for Him. If you are brave enough to follow through with it I know that He will bless you.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Today's Passage: Exodus 22

One of the things that really got to me on my trip to Israel last week was not a biblical moment but a political one. Very often in our travels, we either passed very near to or a few times across "The Fence." "The Fence", as it is called, is the boundary between the Palestinian areas of Israel and the rest of the country. There are checkpoints with armed guards, giant concrete walls with razor wire, lookout towers...a very imposing boundary indeed. It was very clear where you were supposed to be and where you were not...and also very clear were the consequences for violating those boundaries.

In our passage today, God is setting up a fence for the Israelites. This isn't a political boundary, but rather a spiritual one. The people obviously needed very clear rules to show them the boundaries between sin and holiness. As you read today, I'm sure you thought some of these things should have been obvious to the Israelites, but apparently, they really needed clarification in their lives.

God wants to protect us from the consequences of sin. His Word sets up these boundaries so that we know exactly where we should and should not go. These rules aren't there to keep us from having a life, but rather to let us live life abundantly. Let us praise God today that He loves us enough to show us the way!

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Today’s Passage: Exodus 21

This chapter marks the beginning of three chapters that deal primarily with establishing the legal system for Israel. While most of it may sound straight forward and somewhat unpractical for our daily life, I would suggest that we take a deeper look into the meaning and reasoning for some of the laws put into place.

I thought it interesting that the first laws dealt with buying Israelites as slaves. (Just a few chapters ago, God had brought His people from out of slavery in Egypt.) At any rate, although this may not seem directly applicable to us today (since we do not regularly purchase Jewish slaves), there is a lesson to be learned. Notice the slave was to only work for the master for six years, then be released after the seventh, unless the slave says, “I love my master” (vs 5) then he could server his master for a lifelong commitment. This may seem outrageous, but the lesson to learn is how the master treated his slave. The master must have showed great kindness and graciousness for the servant to want to serve for a lifetime. So, while we may not have slaves, some of us do have people that we manage or are over; thus, how are we treating them?

In the next couple of verses (7-11), God’s law shows a shift in viewing women. During this time, women did not have rights as they do today. However, we see here that God’s law called for the respect due them. Also, the text speaks of the necessity and clear establishment of capital punishment. God did not take too kindly to those who murdered. Furthermore, He required the punishment of those who murdered after premeditation. The list goes on. The remainder of the chapter deals with the wide varying issues that may have come up in the Israelite society.

What I was able to come away with after reading and perusing through the passage was the necessity of justice and integrity. Our God is a holy God, who calls for His follows to be holy as well. The laws in and of themselves never sufficed for the salvation of someone. Faith has always been the way. The laws serve to keep order in a sinful world.

The challenge for today: Inspect your life for an integrity issues. Are you able to come before the Holy God?

Friday, March 27, 2009

Today's Passage: Exodus 19-20

I don't often find myself thinking or saying this, but in some ways, I'm jealous of the Israelites wandering in the desert. While their life was very difficult (and after seeing the wilderness with my own eyes last week, I can tell you it was way more difficult than I had imagined before), their relationship with God was so personal and intimate. Can you imagine what it would be like to follow God in a cloud of smoke or pillar of fire? Can you imagine feeding on manna and quail provided by the Lord? Or can you imagine, as our passage talks about today, seeing the glory of the Lord covering an entire mountain?

These two chapters remind me of the awesome nature of God's holiness. He is so holy that the people coulnd't set foot on the mountain...they could see God's holiness, but they couldn't be a part of it. Moses receives the Ten Commandments as God's way of bringing holiness to the people...or at least, moving them toward holiness.

Thanks be to God, that through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ, holiness has come to man! I may not live in holiness all the time, but holiness now lives in me. I want to strive, as Peter says in I Peter 1, to "be holy because I (God) am holy." I want to honor the same Spirit that once engulfed a mountain that now is inside of me.

When is the last time you were amazed by God's holiness? Are you treating His Word with the same reverence the Israelites were commanded to treat this mountain? What about the Sabbath day...are you keeping it holy by giving it reverence and importance? God is truly awesome, and when we forget how awesome He is, we're heading down the same road the Israelites are about to take in a few chapters with the golden calf.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Today's Passage: Matthew 18

I think it would be really easy to spend four days on this passage and still not really get to everything it has. There is so much to take from this chapter that I encourage you to spend some extra time on it. For our time today, I really want to focus on the section about the lost sheep.

It is funny how God works with us sometimes, as this is really where I have been lately. I have really been feeling that God has been pressing on me to start having a passion for the lost sheep. I have allowed myself to really get in a routine and, for lack of a better term, a bubble. I go to work at a Christian university, then I go to school at the same Christian university, and then I come and spend time at our church. I am surrounded by sheep that are already found. God, however, has stirred my heart and told me that it is time to go looking for lost sheep.

I think we all get in a groove of doing our everyday schedule and we get our eyes focused on things and we forget to look for sheep who are wandering aimlessly as we pass them by. We have got to figure out how to slow down from our daily routine and start intentionally spending time looking for those who do not have Christ. I was reading a book last night for a paper and in it the author talks about the first time we really experience God. It made me think back to when I accepted that I needed a savior back in middle school. I had such a passion for God then that I had to tell my friends about the change. I was a lost sheep that was found, and all I wanted to do was find other lost sheep. I believed that God was big enough to change me and anyone else who heard about him.

I still believe that, but sometimes I do not act that way. I am sad to say that I think that passion I had as a teenager has dwindled. The good news is I have realized it and want to change. I want to have the passion and excitement that I had the day I first believed. Think of when you were the lost sheep, and then think of how amazing it was to be brought into the flock by Christ. We have to return to that excitement!

My prayer for you is the same prayer I pray for myself, that I would remember the passion that I had when I first joined the flock, so that I may have the passion to find others that need to be brought into the flock.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Today's Passage: Exodus 16-18

At this point in the Moses saga I just get annoyed with the Israelites. I mean, are you kidding me? God just miraculously and majestically delivered them out of bondage in Egypt and they're complaining. Actually, they're not just complaining, they have the nerve to say they'd rather go back to slavery in Egypt because of the abundance of pots of meat. It's like the ten plagues never happened! Red Sea ring a bell? I love how God answers their "grumbling." He sends mysterious manna. Now, the manna came with its own set of clearly defined, easy to follow rules, but the Israelites couldn't even handle that. God amazingly provided just enough food for each person every day...no more, no less. During the week, two day old manna went bad, but on the Sabbath, it lasted for two days so that they would not have to break God's commands. Of course that didn't keep them from trying to gather too much, or from keeping leftovers when they weren't supposed to, or looking for it on the Sabbath. Up to this point, God's timing and God's provision have been nothing less than perfect and yet the Israelites don't seem to remember any of that.

Well, that's when my toes get stepped on a bit. I find myself so flabbergasted with the Israelites...and yet...I'm exactly the same. God has provided for me time and time again. He continuously protects me with his perfect timing. I can look back at my life and see how He has been at work, answering every prayer...maybe not the way I would have liked, but in a way that was part of his perfect plan. I can see clearly that his way did, in fact, end up being the best way and that my way would never have worked as wonderfully. And yet, I find myself questioning God and his timing and longing to go right back to Egypt. Back to a life that I know. It might not have been ideal, but at least I knew what to expect. What lesson does God have for me that, like the Israelites, I just can't seem to get. Is there something that is a constant struggle? Something that He has equipped me to fix and yet I continue to fumble with? What can I do today to show my trust in God and his perfect plan?