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119) Saul and Our own Egos

Day 119 reading: 1 Chronicles, chapters 7-10

When I have studied this series of chapters before, my eyes have glazed over and not quite come out of their fog enough to recognize the critical importance of this final chapter of today’s reading. Chapters 7-9 are more of the all-important, but still no more interesting to read, genealogy. But chapter 10! Chapter 10, with headings in my Bible like: “Saul killed on mount Gilboa,” “Defeat and Death of Saul and His Sons,” or the most poignant, “Saul Takes His Own Life.” It’s very easy to not quite wake up from the genealogy fog to recognize the significance of such a short chapter, but it meant a TON to the people of Israel.

I feel quite sure–even without double-checking this statement–that biblical theologians have been able to pick this small chapter apart and unveil every aspect of what Saul’s death meant to the Israelites. However, me being a simple Bible reader and student, I know that I can’t grasp all that it really meant to the people then or for the futures of these people, but I can look at Saul in his humanness and grab hold of some critical pieces of the story and how those pieces relate to each of us today.

After all of the battles, the Lord’s anointed King Saul is being overtaken. In his admittance of defeat, he takes his own life. I can only imagine the despair that overtook him in those moments of clarity, when he realized how grave his sins had been and how he had misused his God-breathed power.

“Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance, and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.” (10:13-14, NIV)

Saul died because of his pride, because he never died to his pride when he was anointed by God to lead the Israelites.

Saul died because he did not follow the word of God.

Saul died because he not only did not consult God, but he did consult those against or in opposition to God.

Saul died because he was unfaithful.

Life is such a struggle. It doesn’t have to be, but we make it one. In all of our humanness, we allow our own pride and ego to get in the way of consulting God. I believe I have shared before my favorite way to remember just how deep ego drives us when I remember that EGO stands for: Edging God Out. This is the simplest way to describe Saul’s life as anointed king, for he truly edged God out of his life and forgot that he was a masterpiece of God.

Let’s you and I not forget that we are also blessed by God to do great things. We are built to serve Him and serve others. Let’s not forget to consult Him daily, hourly even, as we go along this journey. On your way to work, praying for protection and guidance for yourself and the other commuters on the road. As you sit at your desk or perform your job, praying for careful attention to detail so each job and each work of your hands is blessed. Eating our meals and snacks throughout the day, praying that the foods we choose bring nourishment to our bodies so we are better able to go and do and be all He wants us to be. Prayers as we fall asleep at night, praying that our thoughts and dreams are peaceful and of Him, that our sleep in restful and full, so that we may wake refreshed, again, tomorrow to face whatever we see with love.

God loves you, now go act like you know it!

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Day 120 reading: Psalms, chapters 102-104

Category:

1 Chronicles, Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Faith, Perseverance, Prayer, Quiet time, Rules worth LIVING by, Seeing God, Service

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91) Gideon, Gideon, I’m not Kiddeon!!!

The title of today’s article is a nod to one of my youngest daughter’s favorite CD’s…a collection of Bible songs, my favorite of which goes something like this: “Gideon, Gideon, I’m not kiddeon, you’re the one I want for the job…” Even knowing this reading of one of my personal favorite Bible stories has had this song stuck in my head for days!!!

Day 91 reading: Judges, chapters 6-7

Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. (6:1, NIV)

I am terribly excited. Today we are introduced (or reintroduced, as the case may be) to Gideon, one of my favorite people of the Old Testament. For me, Gideon is one of the more reachable characters from our history. He was called and he hesitated. He was called again and he hesitated again.

Let’s jump in!

Then the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord gave them into the hands of Midian seven years. The power of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds. For it was when Israel had sown, that the Midianites would come up with the Amalekites and the sons of the east and go against them. (6:1-3, NASB)

We find ourselves knee-deep in the story of unfaithful Israeal, falling away from God once again, and doing “what was evil in the sight of the Lord”. But the timing of the Midianite attacks strike me, as they were well-planned at the most destructive time possible. Verse 3 tells us that the Israelites had just sown their crops. They had done their planting and were feeding their seeds so they could reap a nourishing harvest, that would likely have to feed them much of the coming year. Therefore, the Midianites attacked right when it would leave Israel with no resources for food, but would provide for the Midianite army as they pillaged the land and stole all the resources Israel had available.

Can you recall a time when you faced a trial that seemed to be the end of a giant snow-ball effect; where the trial seemed so well-planned to cause the greatest amount of personal devastation on your own life?

So they would camp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey. For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, they would come in like locusts for number, both they and their camels were innumerable; and they came into the land to devastate it. So Israel was brought very low because of Midian, and the sons of Israel cried to the Lord. (6:4-6, NASB)

My NIV translation says the armies came upon the Israelites “like swarms of locusts,” which brings a very distinct picture to my mind. My family spent some time living in the flatlands of West Texas, where locust truly swarm thick as night. As these armies came and came and came and kept coming upon the Israelites in swarms, I can just picture the sheer number of people and the deafening noise of the enemy coming on so strong, I’m sure there seemed no where for Israel to go. They were far away from God; they had no exit-strategy.

But our Lord knows our trials and sees what we face. He saw the Israelites “brought very low because of Midian” (v 6), but His timing was perfect as He waited to act until the Israelites remembered to seek His guidance. How often in our own lives, do our human instincts tell us to just take care of it, when our initial instinct needs to be to first and foremost seek His wisdom?

“When the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord,” (v 7) He sent a prophet to save them. Here these words of God, and allow them to speak to your trials today as they spoke to the Israelites in their trouble:

“It was I who brought you up from Egypt and brought you out from the house of slavery. I delivered you from the hands of the Egyptians and from the hands of all your oppressors, and dispossessed them before you and gave you their land, and I said to you, “I am the Lord your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in those whose land you live. But you have not obeyed Me.” (6:8-10, NASB)

Wow! Does this resonate with you?!? We live in such fear, such a mode of preparation and defense against those who serve other gods (money, possessions, power, idleness, etc.) that we actually allow ourselves to be distracted from obeying the Lord our God.

Where is your Egypt?

What has enslaved you, either currently or in the past?

What people or situations have oppressed you?

What reminders has He sent into your life to speak over you words of love, and feelings of peace in the midst of the storms of your own life? How has He said to you, “I am the Lord your God; you shall not fear the gods of {those who are against you}.”

Then, an angel of the Lord appeared in the midst of the chaos. Gideon is in a huge hurry, working so hard to get the wheat stored and hidden from the Midianites, so that all will not be lost to the enemy and Gideon’s family will have some sustenance left for survival. There is a sense of urgency in Gideon’s actions that is so telling, even in this one simple verse. Then the angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press in order to save it from the Midianites. (6:11, NASB) But the Lord chose this moment to send one of His angels to appear to Gideon and stop him in his tracks.

Have you ever been stopped in your tracks of doing by a calling to stop? Did you stop, or did you keep doing?

The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.” hen Gideon said to him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” The Lord looked at him and said, “Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?” He said to Him, “O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.” But the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man.” (6:12-16, NASB)

Read that entire four verses, but then focus your attention on the beginning of verse 14: “The Lord looked at Gideon.” Other translations read: “The Lord looked upon him,” “The Lord turned to him,” and “The Lord answered.”

This picture of the Lord God stopping Gideon and turning to him, looking directly at him, and getting his attention in the midst of his dutiful busyness to tell Gideon he has been chosen to be useful. Wow!

Gideon did stop by this word from the Lord, and asked, “How can I save Israel? My family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.” (v 15) How many of us so often feel that we cannot truly make a difference in the Lord’s kingdom, feeling like the “least of these?” When have you felt so unworthy, so ill-equipped, so “least of these” in your walk with God and His calling on your life?

In our obedience, we are enabled by Him to be truly useful. As God reminded Gideon at the time, “Surely I will be with you, and you will defeat Midian as one man.” (v 16)

So Gideon said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me. Please do not depart from here, until I come back to You, and bring out my offering and lay it before You.” And He said, “I will remain until you return.”

Then Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour; he put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, and brought them out to him under the oak and presented them. The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And he did so. Then the angel of the Lord put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight. When Gideon saw that he was the angel of the Lord, he said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” The Lord said to him, “Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.” (6:17-23, NASB)

TEST #1: How often in our weakness and our uncertainty do we just beg God for a sign. ‘Lord, is this really the way you want me to go? Are you really leading me here or there? Really???’ And the Lord’s answer is a still, small voice, saying, “Yes.” “Then the angel of the Lord put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight.” (v 21)

Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and named it The Lord is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. Now on the same night the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s bull and a second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal which belongs to your father, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it;and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly manner, and take a second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.” Then Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the Lord had spoken to him; and because he was too afraid of his father’s household and the men of the city to do it by day, he did it by night. (6:24-27, NASB)

Again, there is a sense of urgency. Judges tells us that “on the same night” the Lord came to Gideon a second time, giving instructions about tearing down the altar of Baal and making a burnt offering to the Lord. Yet, even under direct orders from God, and even with the first sign that Gideon requested from God proven, Gideon still moves forward in fear of his enemies. He took 10 men for protection and out of fear he acted in obedience to God, but relied on the protection of night, rather than the Lord’s out-dwelling protection, for “he was too afraid of his father’s household and the men of the city to do it by day.” (v 27)

When the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was torn down, and the Asherah which was beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar which had been built. They said to one another, “Who did this thing?” And when they searched about and inquired, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash did this thing.” Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has torn down the altar of Baal, and indeed, he has cut down the Asherah which was beside it.” But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal, or will you deliver him? Whoever will plead for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has torn down his altar.” Therefore on that day he named him Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he had torn down his altar.

Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the sons of the east assembled themselves; and they crossed over and camped in the valley of Jezreel. So the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called together to follow him. He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, and they also were called together to follow him; and he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet them. (6:28-35, NASB)

One of my favorite phrases throughout the bible is “the Spirit of the Lord came upon…” in this case, Gideon. As the Lord’s indwelling Spirit came upon Gideon, he blew a trumpet and sent messengers throughout the land to be called together in God’s holy army.

Consider a time when you felt the Spirit leading you to act. You likely did not understand the why’s or how’s of what you were doing, but you trusted that He was leading you.

Then Gideon said to God, “If You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken, behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken.” And it was so. When he arose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece, he drained the dew from the fleece, a bowl full of water. (6:36-38, NASB)

TEST #2: Then Gideon asks for a second sign of God’s promise. This second test dumbfounds me, as Gideon admits twice to God within these three verses that God has told him specific all what to do as Gideon says, “as You have spoken.” So, even though God had spoken directly to Gideon, laying out the designs of God’s mission, Gideon still tests Him. Gideon is asking ‘Really? Are You sure?’ a second time. “And it was so.” (v 38)

Then Gideon said to God, “Do not let Your anger burn against me that I may speak once more; please let me make a test once more with the fleece, let it now be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground.” God did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on all the ground. (6:39-40, NASB)

TEST #3: Then, we see human nature really kick in, as Gideon begs Gods pardon, “Do not let Your anger burn against me that I may speak once more; please let me make a test once more…” (v 39)

From the least to the greatest—as Gideon’s family was of the lowest class in Manasseh, and Gideon was the youngest of his family—to the greatest, we will all know Him! Indeed!!!

This is the point where Gideon’s story gets really exciting! In a matter of a couple of days, through God’s guided calling, Gideon went from being the “the least of these” to the greatest warrior among God’s chosen people.

Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him, rose early and camped beside the spring of Harod; and the camp of Midian was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley.

The Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, ‘My own power has delivered me.’ (7:1-2, NASB)

The army of Israel gathered together 32,000 men, and God responded by saying, “The people who are with you are too many.” (v 2) His point here being that of course giant armies can defeat, but if God allowed a mighty army of 32,000 warriors to defeat the enemy, it would be easy for unbelievers to say it was by sheer number, and not by the will and power of God.

This is an easy trap to fall into as we go through life, as well, and one of the things I LOVE about small group ladies Bible studies. It is an awesome experience to attend a giant ladies Bible conference and get all fired-up for God and go out from there sharing His love with many. But how much cooler is it when there is a small number of ladies gathering regularly in prayer and study and deep adoration of the Word, who live and love and walk as Salt & Light in the world every day of their lives? Sometimes, getting fired-up for a weekend fizzles out just as quickly as the time it takes to get home and back to reality. But when a smaller grouping of God-seeking women, who come in the doors to gather together and lift one another up, then go out into the world and influence the lives of all they touch, there is no doubt where that kind of power comes from; for by His power we are delivered!

Now therefore come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’” So 22,000 people returned, but 10,000 remained. (7:3, NASB)

With one question, the gathering of 32,000 warriors is reduced to 10,000: “Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart.” 22,000 mighty warriors got a ‘pass’ on this battle for two reasons: 1) out of fear, which we know is not from God, but from the enemy; 2) because it was God’s perfect plan that those 22,000 would not be glorified for doing His work.

Then the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels to drink.” Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water. The Lord said to Gideon, “I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his home.” (7:4-7, NASB)

With a second test, the warrior army of Gideon was reduced from 10,000 down to 300: “The Lord said to Gideon, ‘I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his home.’” (v 7) This is a very interesting test, as the civilized way to drink would have been to kneel down, gather water into your hands, and drink from your hands. However, God chose the 300 men of the 10,000 who drank as dogs drink, lapping water with their tongues. This reduction in the number of warriors was also a reduction in the quality of people to the human eye. If the Gideon army was made up of 300, or 10,000, or 22,000, or 32,000 men who were like Conan the Barbarian, then defeat of the enemy would be obvious and eminent. However, defeating the Midianites with a rag-tag group of “the least of these,” in God’s holy name is a whole different story!

So the 300 men took the people’s provisions and their trumpets into their hands. And Gideon sent all the other men of Israel, each to his tent, but retained the 300 men; and the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.

Now the same night it came about that the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hands. But if you are afraid to go down, go with Purah your servant down to the camp, and you will hear what they say; and afterward your hands will be strengthened that you may go down against the camp.” So he went with Purah his servant down to the outposts of the army that was in the camp.Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the east were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as numerous as the sand on the seashore. When Gideon came, behold, a man was relating a dream to his friend. And he said, “Behold, I had a dream; a loaf of barley bread was tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came to the tent and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down so that the tent lay flat.” His friend replied, “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given Midian and all the camp into his hand.”

When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lord has given the camp of Midian into your hands.” (7:8-15, NASB)

Have you ever been awakened with a sudden urgency to pray for someone or some situation, or you feel guided to get up and write to someone or make a note to contact someone the next day when they are awake, as well?

Don’t you know that when the Lord wakes you up, He has something to say and He will use any means necessary to get your attention?! There is a quote from a 13th century poet named Rumi that illustrates this point beautifully: “The morning breeze has secrets to tell, do not go back to sleep.” God is in the morning breeze, and He is in those quiet times when we are awakened for seemingly no reason (not from a noise in the house, or kids wandering sleepily into your bedroom) with a desire to pray or just live in that quiet space for a time in awe of God’s power and mercy.

God did have a message for Gideon to hear that night, as well. He overheard the enemy warriors discussing a dream one of them had, for even the Midianite soldiers knew of the fall to come. “God has given Midian and all the camp into [Gideon’s] hand.” (v 14)

He divided the 300 men into three companies, and he put trumpets and empty pitchers into the hands of all of them, with torches inside the pitchers. He said to them, “Look at me and do likewise. And behold, when I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. When I and all who are with me blow the trumpet, then you also blow the trumpets all around the camp and say, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’”

So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just posted the watch; and they blew the trumpets and smashed the pitchers that were in their hands. When the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers, they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing, and cried, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” Each stood in his place around the camp; and all the army ran, crying out as they fled. When they blew 300 trumpets, the Lord set the sword of one against another even throughout the whole army; and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the edge of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. The men of Israel were summoned from Naphtali and Asher and all Manasseh, and they pursued Midian.

Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against Midian and take the waters before them, as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan.” So all the men of Ephraim were summoned and they took the waters as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan. They captured the two leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, and they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and they killed Zeeb at the wine press of Zeeb, while they pursued Midian; and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon from across the Jordan. (7:16-25, NASB)

Then 300 were reduced to 100: Gideon “divided the 300 men into three companies.” (v 16) So, the Lord has whittled the Israelite army of 32,000 warriors down to three companies of 100 men each to show that it is not by number but by Power that Israel overcame their enemies. “Gideon said to them, ‘Look at me and do likewise.” (v 17)

Gideon began with an army of 32,000 men, and defeated the Midianites with 100 left. Gideon didn’t do that alone. That was our Lord! Just think what He has in store for you and I.

Make it a great day,
Marilyn

Day 92 reading: Judges, chapters 8-9 (the adventure continues!!!)

Category:

Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Blessings, Faith, Gifts & Talents, Judges, Perseverance, Prayer, Seeing God, Service, Trust

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90) We Flourish When Led

Ever feel tested?

Ever feel like you are failing even the little tests with the big tests looming?

Ever feel like you’ve just made it through the biggest test of your life and ACED IT?

Day 90 reading: Judges, chapters 3-5

The Lord tested the Israelites, as He continues to test us, countless times.

They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord’s commands, which he had given their forefathers through Moses. (3:4, NIV)

Do you enjoy being tested? Do you relish in the stress and the difficulty? I do not. I don’t love the test itself, but the feeling of coming through a test with flying colors is awesome, right?

The Word of the Lord gives us the tools to get through any test He throws our way. The truth is clear: He knows exactly how we will react long before the test even hits our desks, but it’s how we answer the questions that help us grow in Him more every day.

As I noted on Day 89, I am already picking up on a theme of the book of Judges: When the chosen people have a leader, they flourish in their faith; when they do not, again and again, once again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord. (3:12, NIV)

And then they had Deborah as their leader/judge, and the land had peace forty years. (5:31, NIV)

First of all, between Deborah and Jael, this is a pretty feminist piece of history! I know my sisters out there love this passage! However, it raises a thought in my head, this thought comes out more about man-made religion than faithfully following the Lord, but I’ll throw it out there just the same. Why, if there is a prophetess, Deborah, in the Bible, obviously a powerful female leader of the chosen people of Israel, why are women generally looked upon as secondary in many kinds of leadership roles within the church? Why are female priests, pastors, and ministers not allowed in some denominations? Why, even if they are allowed, are they sometimes more secondary roles to the male head of the congregation? If the Lord appoints a female judge back thousands of years ago, why would some areas of the church think He only appoints men now? I’m not trying to stir the pot here, but these parts of our biblical history are all too often glossed over, so I’m curious to know the rationale behind our very-human thinking.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Day 91 reading: Judges, chapters 6-7

Category:

Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Gifts & Talents, Judges, Service

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89) Passing the Torch of Blessings

Today we begin with the book of Judges, chapters 1-2.

It is pretty awesome to me that we’ve come so far on our journey already (Genesis, Job, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, and two chapters of Psalms) and still have such a lot to learn, read, and experience in His Living Word still to come.

The Lord is so amazing in all the ways He is working through us and through this study. I love it! It makes me happy and excited and full to the brim with joy!!!

CHECK MY MEMORY: Is this the first time in our reading that the not-long-for-this-earth leader of the people did not appoint a new leader before his death? I understand that the Lord appoints each leader, but this time the Lord doesn’t appoint one until after the fact.

Abraham blessed Isaac.

Isaac blessed Jacob (Israel), accidentally, thinking he was speaking to Esau.

Israel gave final instructions to each of his sons before his own passing and Moses rose up as a leader and servant of the Lord, out of the tribe of Levi.

Moses laid hands on Joshua in his last days even though he was still strong and able-bodied.

However, Joshua died without the Lord giving him any instruction on who to appoint as a predecessor. This is odd to me and worth keeping in the back of my mind in the reading to come. God does nothing by accident. Period.

After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked he Lord, “Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?” (1:1, NIV)

This is a thought-provoking passage of scripture, these two little intro chapters of the book of Judges. When the people have a God-appointed leader, though they sin, the return quickly to the Lord, repent and correct. But without God-appointed leaders, or when His judges passed, the people forget the Lord and return to their evil ways, and even doing worse than they had done before against Him. His anger burned against the people and their worldly attitudes took precedence over anything of the spiritual realm. It’s just as the Song of Moses foretold before he passed on. The descendants of the Lord’s chosen people would not even know of God or hear of Him or the great works He did in the lives of their ancestors, so they did not walk in His light.

It is critical that our children and our children’s children and on down the bloodline, know where we’ve been, where we come from, what we have lived through, and how we lived to tell about it all. It is critical they know He has given this life to us and all the ways He has blessed us daily in big and small ways.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture reading: Judges, chapters 3-5

Category:

Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Blessings, Children, Judges, Trust

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86) Claim Your Prize NOW!

My friends, it just struck me today that we are two weeks away from hitting triple digits in our journey! The Lord is so good to have provided this outlet for us to come together and study and share His Word and our understanding. Wow, praise His name!

Today’s scripture passage: Joshua, chapters 16-18

“You are a great and numerous people and have great power.” (17:17, Amplified)

I found this really well done map, that appears (to my layman’s eyes) to be pretty accurate. I love the internet as a research tool and want it to be very clear that I can in no way, shape or form take any credit for this very cool map. It takes viewing it in its full-sized splendor to really be able to read and decipher it, but it is absolutely worth the extra steps.

The Promise Land Division Among the Twelve Tribes of Israel

Joshua asked the Israelites, How long will you be slack to go in and possess the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you? (18:3, Amplified)

How long will I be slack in truly taking hold of all God has in store for my life? How long will I live in fear of what the world will think or what my family would think if I truly embraced the calling I feel on my earthly existence?

How long will you be slack in claiming all that the Lord our God has to offer you? Are you already? Are you making the most (really, the absolute most) of your talents and your energies in His name? The potential He has blessed each of us with is a prize worth claiming, and worth living out each and every day. Choose TODAY!

This book we hold in our hands (or that is collected in an app on our phones) is truly the Living Word of God. Through His Word, Joshua is speaking to each of us who is being slack in taking hold of all God is handing us.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture reading: Joshua, chapters 19-21

Category:

Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Gifts & Talents, Joshua, Perseverance, Service

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82) Our Lord Knows Us!

It’s always a tough transition from one great leader to the next. It’s not as difficult when the first leader wasn’t quite living up to the hype, but either way there are growing pains involved.

Can you even imagine following in Moses’ footsteps? How do you think Joshua felt? Surely he was among the most faithful or this critical job would never have been passed to him, but still, there must have been some natural, human nerves involved.

Moses Joshua

I found this lovely image of Moses laying hands on Joshua and wanted to share it with you. I do not know the artist but thanks to the joys of modern technology, anything you want is always just a click or two away.

Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the Spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. (Deut. 34:9, NIV)

Today’s scripture passage: Joshua, chapters 1-4

As with every other leader God has chosen, Joshua was given specific instructions. The Lord said to him, “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you or forsake you.” (1:5, NIV)

And the Israelites were behind their new leader in faith, saying, “Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses.” (1:17, NIV)

If we are faithful to Him, He is faithful to us. He will never leave us nor forsake us, either, and He will be faithful always to us just as He was to Moses, to Jacob, to Isaac, to Abraham, to Noah, and so on down the line. It is only when we forget him that our relationship begins to slip; He does not every forget us.

“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (1:8, NIV)

I love this passage of scripture. Sometimes, when I’m feeling particularly weak, I like to carry my Bible with me wherever I go. Not to be seen by others, in fact most others rarely know I have it with me, but just to know it is there with me (even though it’s pretty huge, as discussed on Day 80). I may never open it on these days when I carry it with me all the time, but at least it’s there in case I need to find some words of strength in the Word of the Lord.

He speaks to us in so many ways, though. He speaks to us through our prayers with Him, or through the praise and worship music we crank up while driving down the road, or through a kind email from a friend at just the right time. We are instructed again and again throughout the Bible to never let Him get far from our hearts or our minds, so that we will be in constant communion with Him, our Lord and our Redeemer. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

I love to watch all of the wonderful ways the Lord works in our lives constantly. Just as the people reported to Joshua after they scoped out the land the Lord promised them and found that He was faithful to His promises, we watch the Lord make our enemies crumble and hurdles in our lives overcome by faith alone. They said to Joshua, “The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us.” (2:24, NIV)

When the Lord works and wants everyone to know, without a shadow of a doubt that He is Lord Almighty, He does it up BIG:

So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. (3:14-17, NIV)

And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord. No sooner had they set their feet back on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before. (4:18, NIV)

Isn’t that glorious?! It is mentioned twice that they stood and crossed on dry ground. The water did not just stop flowing for a time being, He completely dried the ground, the river bed of the Jordan River, so that His chosen people could cross and not stumble, not fall, and not sink into the mud. Wouldn’t that have been an amazing feat to experience? Don’t you wonder sometimes how the Israelites could have possibly reacted against God time and time again when they got to experience His works like this?

That day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they revered him all the days of his life, just as they had revered Moses. (4:14, NIV)

In what seems to be his first act of leadership after crossing the Jordan, Joshua spoke to the people of Israel, saying, “The Lord your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.” (4:23-24, NIV)

Do you know what always gets me about these fantastic signs and miraculous acts the Lord works in each of our lives? He knows us. He knows that even with all He has done and continues to do in our lives, He knows that we will fall again, maybe just a stumble or maybe we’ll fight right on our faces and take years to recover, but we will fall nonetheless. Yet, He does these things in our lives anyway. He works from love.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Day 83 reading: Joshua, chapters 5-8

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Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Blessings, Faith, Joshua, Seeing God, Trust

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81) I Put My Life in His Almighty Hands

Today we get to venture into the song that Moses taught the Israelites before they continued on to the Promised Land without him at the helm.

Day 81 reading: Deuteronomy, chapters 32-34, and Psalms, chapter 91

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Now therefore, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it on their lips, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the sons of Israel. For when I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to their fathers, and they have eaten and are satisfied and become prosperous, then they will turn to other gods and serve them, and spurn Me and break My covenant. Then it shall come about, when many evils and troubles have come upon the, that this song will testify before them as a witness (for it shall not be forgotten from the lips of their descendants); for I know their intent which they are developing today, before I have brought them into the land which I swore.”

So Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the sons of Israel. (31:19-22, NASB)

THE SONG OF MOSES

There’s so much included in the Song of Moses, but what really stood out to me were the times it felt like Moses was singing right into my heart.

I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. (32:3-4, NIV)

Is this the way you repay the Lord, O foolish and unwise people? Is he not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you? (32:6, NIV)

How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the Lord had given them up? For their rock is not like our Rock, as even our enemies concede. (32:30-31, NIV)

See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. For I lift up my had to heaven, and say, I live for ever. (32:39-40, KJV)

There’s so much to that song, so much depth, so much life. I would absolutely have loved to hear it with a tune, which would help the children of Israel remember it better and recite it again and again in song.

When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, he declared to them, “Take heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you–they are your life.” (32:45-47, NIV)

This year-long chronological study is not just idle words, either, it’s a matter of life for us, as well.

MOSES BLESSES THE TRIBES

Reuben: Let Reuben live and not die, nor his men be few. (33:6, NIV)

Judah: With his own hands he defends his cause. Oh, be his help against his foes! (33:7, NIV)

Levi: Bless all his skills, O Lord, and be pleased with the work of his hands. (33:11, NIV)

Benjamin: Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long. (33:12, NIV)

Joseph: Let all these rest on he head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers. (33:16, NIV)

Zebulun: They will summon peoples to the mountain and there offer sacrifices of righteousness; they will feast on the abundance of the seas, on the treasures hidden in the sand. (33:19, NIV)

Gad: When the heads of the people assembled, he carried out the Lord’s righteous will, and his judgments concerning Israel. (33:21, NIV)

Dan: Dan is a lion’s cub. (33:22, NIV)

Naphtali: Abounding with the favor of the Lord and is full of his blessing. (33:23, NIV)

Asher: Most blessed of sons is Asher; let him be favored by his brothers, and let him bathe his feet in oil. (33:24, NIV)

THE DEATH OF MOSES

And now, as I have said before, after all that Moses has obeyed and all that he has done through the power of the Lord, though his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone (34:7, NIV) the Lord called Moses home without crossing over into the Promised Land. This seems to me such a bitter sweet end to Moses’ life, but I’m sure that in his dutifulness Moses didn’t mind and understood better than any other man in history ever could have.

And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said. He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. (34:5-6, NIV)

Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses. (34:9, NIV)

And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, in all the signs and the wonders, which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, and in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses showed in the sight of all Israel. (34:10-12, KJV)

What a beautiful end to such an obedient leader.

Now, we come to this beautiful passage in Psalms, chapter 91. This chapter is especially close to my heart this week as just a few days ago, while travelling, I was invited to church with a sweet friend of mine and her family. I was so glad to go, not only because the church service was as lovely as the company, but because severe weather had kept so many at home that day that if it weren’t for our presence in the building, the congregation may not have even entered into the double-digits. This would have been a real shame as the pastor was such a nice speaker, the praise music upbeat and powerful, and the entire morning absolutely blessed. In the course of this service, we read this chapter from Psalm aloud and it resonated with me even more, because I knew you and I would be studying it together now. I am going to include the entire Psalm herein, in the same translation (I think) that we read aloud in that little church. It’s beautiful and especially poignant on the heels of the previous reading of Moses’ last days.

He who dwells in the shelter of the most High

Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,

My God, in whom I trust!”

For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper

And from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with His pinions,

And under His wings you may seek refuge;

His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.

You will not be afraid of the terror by night,

Or of the arrow that flies by day;

Of the Pestilence that stalks in darkness,

Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.

Of of the destruction that lays waste at noon.

A thousand may fall at your side

And ten thousand at you right hand,

But it shall not approach you.

You will only look on with your eyes

And see the recompense of the wicked.

For you have made the Lord, my refuge,

Even the Most High, your dwelling place.

No evil will befall you,

Nor will any plague come near your tent.

For He will give His angels charge concerning you,

To guard you in all your ways.

They will bear you up in their hands,

That you do not strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread upon the lion and cobra,

The young lion and the serpent you will trample down.

“Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him;

I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.”

“He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will rescue him and honor him.”

“With a long life I will satisfy him

And let him see My salvation.” (NASB)

Isn’t that just stunning imagery? Now, hear your voice added to a church of believers reading that passage in unison, and imagine who wonderful the Glory of God was working that day in my life.

Because I put my human life in His Almighty hands:

He will be forever my refuge and my fortress
He will be my most trustworthy companion
I will be protected and shielded from evil at every corner
I will not be afraid, I have no reason to fear
Evil cannot even get close to me, cannot break through His barrier
I will watch the wicked fall and pay for their evil ways
I not only have Him as a shield against evil, but He also sends His angels, my guardian angels, to protect me along every step of my journey
Because I love Him, He will deliver me
Because I know His name, He has a place for me in heaven
When I call on Him, He will answer my call
He is with me in times of trouble
I will see salvation!

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Day 82 reading: Joshua, chapters 1-4

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Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Blessings, Deuteronomy, Eternity, Faith, Psalms, Trust

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75) Debt Free? But we LOVE our debt…or we must!

Day 75 reading: Deuteronomy, chapters 14-16

checkbook balancing

Let’s just jump in to this one!!!

First of all, let me acknowledge the obvious, that I am not an Israelite and that these rules were directed straight at the Israelites…however, what if we interpreted these governing rules to our lives just as the Israelites were called to do. Let’s focus on Deuteronomy 15:1-11.

1. At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.

This first verse of chapter 15 gets my mind reeling! At almost 35 years old, I am reaching the end of my 5th 7-year cycle. The mere thought of having all debt erased every seven years is unimaginable…and short of college loans, I’ve avoided most debt, but even just that one type of debt would be a HUGE relief!

In the MUCH bigger picture, as of this millisecond that I am writing the actual amount, the U.S. National Debt stands at $16,530,855,700,032 (according to usdebtclock.org). The furthest back I could find doing some quick research this morning, it appears that in 1791, under the presidency of George Washington, our country was somewhere around $100,000,000 in debt. Our country’s debt then took a nose-dive under the care of Andrew Jackson around 1835, with only approximately $50,000 U.S. debt.

Allowing for inflation, I have calculated that the country’s $100,000,000 debt from 1791 would equal about $1,329,336,052 today. I can almost wrap my head around that number. It’s still unbelievably high, but I am honest enough with myself to know that I know very little of the detail and difficulty that goes into running the greatest country in the world.

That being said, however–and I want this to really stick–if the George Washington number is our “norm” or “control” in this calculation, our current national debt is OVER 12,435 times that amount!

Our country was built on biblical standards and beliefs. Imagine, not only on a personal level, but on a world-wide level, what could be done with being freed from debt every seven years as God originally intended.

2. This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel the loan he has made to his fellow Israelite. He shall not require payment from his fellow Israelite or brother, because the Lord’s time for cancelling debts has been proclaimed.

Do you ever find yourself still holding a grudge from something that happened a decade or more ago? This doesn’t even have to be a money- or debt-based question, just one of reality.

Imagine if someone borrowed money from you but weeks and months went by without being repaid. I’m sure that’s not too difficult to imagine; we’ve all been there. You either stop hearing from that person all together–usually out of guilt for not being able to repay you–or you do still hear from them but it’s just awkward. It makes you mad, it likely makes your spouse mad (because he told you not to lend that money out in the first place, right???), and it puts a strain on a relationship that was pretty good up to that point.

Now, imagine all the stress that would be left behind, and the relief that would be felt if you honored God’s Word and cancelled that debt all together?

Are there some people in your life who could use some debt cancelling? Someone you having forgiven? Someone who you have hurt or been the victim of hurt that may be 10, 20, even 30 or more years old? We carry around these emotional debts like badges of honor, sometimes, and allow them to take over what could be a very contented life.

3. You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your brother owes you.

This is where things get really juicy…especially in reference to our current national debt issue. According to the sources I’m looking at, $5,584,380,790,150 of our U.S. National Debt is held by foreign countries. That’s right, a third of our debt is held outside of our own country. I realize this isn’t news to many people, but that doesn’t make it any less shocking when we look at the grand scheme of things.

At the end of that seven-year cycle, when all other debt is cancelled, according to today’s reading of God’s Word, $5 Trillion of that debt is still very much on the table and due. God did not ever intend for this to be the way we operated as a people or a society.

4-5. However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today.

In a time where the average tax payer has $146,194 in personal debt, we likely can’t fathom letting go of our debt. We carry it around with us like a security blanket. We nurse it along, adding to it all along the journey. Instead of living at or below our means, we live above our means…by an average of $146,194!

Yet, if our world had continued along the path God laid out for us through Moses, not only would our accumulated debt have evaporated every seven years, but there would be super-poor or super-rich, because we would all be in the same boat. The rich wouldn’t be able to just keep getting richer by charging the borrower interest for an eternity, because that debt would be relieved after seven years. The poor wouldn’t continue getting poorer just because, unlike today’s culture, that poor man wouldn’t have been set off into a rapid downward spiral because he lost his job or he made a bad investment.

6. For the Lord your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.

Lend to others but borrow from no other nations???? Certainly the U.S. isn’t hearing that right. Surely, God didn’t really mean that????

When we owe money to others, they have the power and we have given that power up. Period.

7-8. If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs.

This joy that would have come from living these rules God laid out would allow us to reciprocate giving with happy hearts. In our obedience, the Lord richly blesses you and I, so even the poor are blessed by our generosity and are no longer poor.

9. Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year of cancelling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.

If we were living in a world that lived by these rules, imagine the freedom of living the cycle of debt-free living. Knowing that every seven years not only are your personal debts relieved, but those who owe you are also forgotten. Just like Jesus dying for our sins so that every time we ask for forgiveness, God completely forgets what we ever did to sin in the first place, such would be our mindset about money and borrowing and accumulation of wealth and of debt.

10. Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

To give freely of ourselves, our time, and our resources, and never hold a grudge or count that as debt–Wow! As God blesses you, you in turn bless others!! And, furthermore, in your obedience, the Lord sees and is pleased with you!!!

11. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.

Whew! That hits HOME!

This is one of those days that REQUIRED research and digging into some of the truths about the situation our U.S. economy is in. So, although my normal goal is to read and share my own feelings on any given section of biblical reading, today my feelings required some back up!

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Day 76 reading: Deuteronomy, chapters 17-20

**Debt calculations derived from a shocking real time website: USDebtClock.org. I encourage you to check it out! It also offers world debt calculations, and state by state breakdowns, as well.

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Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Blessings, Deuteronomy, Faith, Rules worth LIVING by, Service, Trust

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71) For the Lord your God is a compassionate God

“You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I commanded you.” (Deuteronomy 4:2, NASB)

Day 71 reading: Deuteronomy, chapters 3-4

Moses is still speaking to the Israelites:

“I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, ‘Your eyes have seen all that the Lord your God has done to these two kings; so the Lord shall do to all the kingdoms into which you are about to cross. Do not fear them, for the Lord your God is the one fighting for you.’” (3:21-22, NASB)

He is fighting for us, too. We are His people, too. He is dwelling with us, too. Our eyes have seen His great works in our own lives, too! It’s amazing to me how distant the Bible can seem at times, when really, it’s a retelling of our own lives each day.

“Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons.” (4:9, NASB)

He deserves our due diligence. Our sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters and all the family to follow down the line, deserve to know Him and all that He has done in the lives of our families and our world.

This part about the Word and commandments and instructions not departing from the heart strikes home with me. Have you noticed that certain verses from our daily reading have stuck with you throughout the day? Have you gotten in a bind at some point along our journey and recalled a lesson we have learned together that was just perfect for that situation? I have. I have seen the hand of God working through this chronological study several times already in our 71 days.

“But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.” (4:29, NASB)

When we need Him, He is already several steps ahead of us. He knows our needs, and He fulfills them.

“For the Lord your God is a compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.” (4:31, NASB)

Even if our own human fathers and mothers didn’t wander around the desert for 40 years with Moses, we are His children and He made a covenant with our fathers, and father’s fathers as well. He protects those who serve Him and remember Him and put Him at the forefront of our minds, daily, just as He keeps us forever at the top of His list.

“Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the Lord, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other.” (4:39, NASB)

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture reading: Deuteronomy, chapters 5-7

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Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Children, Deuteronomy, Eternity, Faith, Rules worth LIVING by, Seeing God, Trust

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70) He Will Fight For You

Day 70 reading: Deuteronomy, chapters 1-2

The book of Deuteronomy will be a bit familiar to us by now, but in real-time, there has been the passing of 40 years as the Israelites have journeyed out of Egypt and toward the Promised Land. So, I can certainly understand the need for repetition (there are days I don’t remember something important from five minutes before). I think it will also serve as a nice refresher course for us, especially in the areas when we (I) might have glazed over at times through Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. But the critical points within the book of Deuteronomy will be lifted up to helps us all remember.

“See, I have placed the land before you; go in an possess the land which the Lord swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to them and their descendants after them.” (1:8, NASB)

The NIV says to go in and take possession. I love this. It’s like you and I telling one another to just own it, just do it, or dig your heels in.

Our Lord, the same Lord of the Israelites and of Moses, has given us plenty, an overabundance, all we have to do is go in and take possession. What areas of our lives do we still not truly “own” in Him? What areas have we not given up in our human, worldly ways, and therefore cannot take possession of through Him? He has given us so much, every breath, every grain of sand, every star, every raindrop, every flower and tree and blade of grass, every bite of food and the ability for our bodies to digest the food perfectly. Go in and take possession.

“Then I said to you, ‘Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the desert…In spite of this, you did not trust in the Lord your God.” (1:29-30, 32, NIV)

It is so easy to praise God when He saves us from ourselves and from danger around us. It is so easy to pray when we need help or there is illness and evil coming at us from every angle. But even when we see His works in our own lives, first hand, time passes and we have tendencies to forget and we have tendencies to complain and want and seek satisfaction elsewhere.

But He tells us through His Word not to fear, that He is with us. Go and take what He has given to us. Own it. Don’t keep living the same pattern in your own lives as I am working on correcting in my own life. I want to go strong on God’s path for the rest of my worldly life, not waver, not get on the path then fall off the path after a few months, just to scrape my knees up and remember Him and climb back on the path over and over and over again. Let us all together stay strong in Him, grown continually through Him, and deepen our relationship with Him.

The Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast desert. (2:7, NIV)

He is here with me now. He is there with you, dwelling in you, as you read this post and study along with me. He is with the person in the office next to yours at your job, and the person in the car next to yours driving down the road. He is with us as He always has been and will continue to be. Some of us are in the middle of vast deserts in our lives, but please be aware that He is there with you. He IS there with YOU!

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Day 71 reading: Deuteronomy, chapters 3-4

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Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Deuteronomy, Faith, Perseverance, Seeing God, Trust

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68) Believing and Doing

Day 68 reading: Numbers, chapters 33-34

Today’s reading strikes right at the heart of our own humanity, and His own Lordship.

And the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,

“Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, ‘When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan;

Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places.‘” (33:50-52, KJV)

Friends, it’s easy to believe in God. It’s easy to call on Him when we need help out of a sticky situation. But is He really the Lord of our lives? It’s easy to answer a quick “yes” but are we walking the same walk while we’re talking that talk?

What pictures take time away from God, our families, and our friends?

What molten images do we pay more attention to than these?

What areas of our lives to we need to do a personal gut-check and see the high places we’ve put ourselves in, where we could use some plucking-out?

My dear friends, I have said before and I will continue to share this sentiment: we are hear to lift one another up, to help one another along this journey, and to help our own running checks and balances in the works within our communities. Let us check ourselves, keep Him first, and tread lightly around all of the worldly treats and treasures that can so easily trip us up. I’m there for you and I know you are there for me, as well.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Day 69 reading: the last two chapters of Numbers, 35-36

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Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Faith, Numbers, Rules worth LIVING by, Service

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63) The Roller Coaster of Trust

Today’s scripture passage cuts painfully close for me. I never realized I would see myself in the book of Numbers, but there I was this morning, right there on the pages of the Living Word of God.

Day 63 reading: Numbers, chapters 21-22

Then Israel made this vow to the Lord: “If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy their cities.” The Lord listened to Israel’s plea and gave the Canaanites over to them. (21:2-3, NIV)

So, once again, God saves the day in a big way. I feel like I’m on a roller coaster ride with the Israelites at the helm, but I’m sure that’s how my own life will feel in retrospect, too.

But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses (21:4-5, NIV).

Again? And again…and again…and again. Why do the Israelites keep forgetting that He’s the real deal. Why do they only call out to Him when they need His miracles and then throw Him by the wayside when they are bored?

Aren’t we just as bad about that? I hope none of you reading this can relate to this, but I know my own walk tends to vacillate at times, too. You know, one minute you’re praising God and high as a kite on Him alone, then the next moment your child walks in the door with a bad report card and all of your praising goes out the window. Or you have a car wreck and although you are thankful to still be alive, you’re cursing the woman who broadsided you because she was talking on the phone, putting on lipstick and had a dog in her lap…all while attempting to drive.

Things happen in our very human lives that render very human responses; and I believe that God understands that completely. He knows what is in our hearts. He knows that He is in our hearts. So having very human moments in our day to days will not tear us from our Lord, but speaking out against Him over and over again as the Israelites are doing obviously took it’s toll on the relationship between the two.

Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. (21:6, NIV)

So Moses prayed for the people.

The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” (21:8, NIV)

Again, the Lord gives His people an “out.” Just think of the scripture passages from just the past few days when the Israelites watched as the earth opened up and swallowed so many of their people whole, then were consumed by Holy fire, then a plague wiped out a number of them. So many watched their fellow comrades die on the spot because of their attitudes toward the Lord, yet here they were again, speaking out against Him; And here He is again saving them and proving His Presence with them.

And is it just me or was Moses almost as forgiving as the Lord Himself? Always praying for the people even after they rebuke him and speak against him? He has a supernatural tolerance for the people, because of what God had done in his life.

The Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together and I will give them water.” (21:16, NIV)

He always provides for our needs. Always.

Then the people when on and won another battle and occupied more land, just as the Lord always said they would. And even in their fear, the Lord spoke to Moses to cover them.

The Lord said to Moses, “Do not be afraid of [Og king of Bashan and his whole army], for I have handed him over to you, with his whole army and his land.” (21:34, NIV)

When God is for us, when God is leading us, when we take God by the hand and follow Him and the path He has laid out for our lives, who can possibly stand against us? Hear this: NO ONE.

“A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me.” (22:5, NIV)

Recall this passage from Day 16 of our journey:

The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse.” (Genesis 12: 1-3, NIV)

Then, we meet Balaam (and myself face-to-face in the mirror of the Living Word of God):

But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.” (22:12, NIV)

But Balaam answered [Balek and the other princes], “Even if Balek gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God.” (22:18, NIV)

Are those ever words to live your life by. Only God gives me strength to do all that I do.

That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”

Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him.

When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field.

When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it.

When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with a staff.

Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”( 22:20-22, 23, 25, 27-28, NIV)

I have a confession to make. I uses to write my blog postings at night. It’s my most creative time and the juices are flowing. The problem with this is that then I stay up far later than I should and don’t end up getting enough rest at night. How many of you know that alarm clock or children pounding down the hallway come at the same time every morning no matter how much or how little sleep you get? So, my answer to this issue was that I would start going to bed earlier and waking up earlier, too. But at least by studying and writing early in the morning, I have a set time and a set schedule to keep me on track. The key there is that I can’t sleep through my alarm clock…

At night I pray that the Lord wake me up as early as I need to be woken up in order to read and write on the next day’s scripture passage, and this morning as I was set to get up and read, my alarm was set for 5:00 a.m., but my Lord work me up at 4:21 the first time. Note: the first time. Some mornings, I can’t seem to help having mental bargaining going on in my head with God. Me bargaining with God. Really? I’m as bad as the Israelites! So, this morning I slept through His 5:21 wake-up call, then His 4:28 wake-up call, then His 4:33 wake-up call, and on they went until I finally responded.

Friends, I don’t know if that makes me more like Balaam or more like the donkey in today’s passage, but let me tell you that when I finally got out of bed and into the Word, I was struck down by this last portion of scripture.

Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown. (22:31, NIV)

Doesn’t life go smoother (at 4:21 a.m. or any other time of the day or night) when we follow the path He sets for us. When we ask for His Mighty Hand to save the day (or wake us up), doesn’t it work out better when we follow His path, step-for-step? Friends, I have to tell you, I don’t want to be like the Israelites on their roller coaster ride. I want to live a life of smooth sailing, following God close on His heels, never distracted from the world, but always facing Him for guidance, then actually DOING WHAT HE SAYS TO DO.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Day 64 reading: Numbers, chapters 23-25

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Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Faith, Forgiveness, Numbers, Perseverance, Quiet time, Rules worth LIVING by, Seeing God, Trust

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61) “Separate Yourselves from the Assembly”

Today’s scripture reading is interesting in kind of a put-you-in-your-place kind of way…

Day 61 reading: Numbers, chapters 16-17

Right off the bat, we’ve got the people rising up in revolt against Moses. (16:2). They had seen with their own eyes the Spirit of the Lord coming on Moses on numerous occasions, yet they rose up against him. They had been led and directed by God through Moses for years, through fears, and throughout their journey into safety, yet they rose up against him. That’s almost more than I can wrap my head around. I cannot imagine seeing all that the Israelites had seen, all of the works and awesome, supernatural happenings the Lord had shown them, yet turning against Moses, the Lord’s chosen leader.

When Moses heard this, he fell facedown. Then he said to Korah and all his followers: “In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him and who is holy, and he will have that person come near him.” (16:4-5, NIV)

Don’t you know everyone’s heart jumped when Moses said those words? I know mine sure would have!

Moses also said to Korah, “Now listen, you Levites! Isn’t it enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near himself to do the work at the Lord’s tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them? He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too.” (16:9-11, NIV)

Don’t we just do that, though? Isn’t that just human nature? Give us an inch and we’ll take a mile. Free us from slavery and we want to go back. Feed us healthy, nourishing food every day, and we still want more, better, different. Bless us with the gift of serving Him in a special way, and we want to be the head honcho!

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Separate yourselves from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.” (16:20-21, NIV)

More panic! By now, after the 60 days that preceded this one, that when God tells everyone to stand back, He’s about to do something BIG. And then it happens:

“But if the Lord brings about something totally new and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.”

As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, with their households and all Korah’s men and all their possessions.(16:30-32, NIV)

And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were offering incense. (16:35, NIV)

But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah.

Does He know how to drive a point home, or what?

Friends, let’s not be so proud and mule-headed that God has to literally open up the ground and swallow us whole, alive, and kicking. I know you’re there, too. We’re all saying a big “Amen” together.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Day 62 reading: Numbers, chapters 18-20

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Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Numbers, Rules worth LIVING by, Seeing God

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60) Resisting the Israelite Mindset

Today’s an exciting day! We visit two books for today’s reading: Numbers, chapters 14-15 and Psalms, chapter 90

“Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”

How often do we think just that kind of thought about our old lives, the lives before we dedicated them to Him?

The thoughts and selective memories can be like an old, worn out recording, playing over and over in our heads:

Wasn’t life easier back then?
Wouldn’t life have been better if I’d have married him, and not him.
Wasn’t life happier when I still had all of those credit cards and could buy anything I wanted as long as I still had some credit left?
Wouldn’t it be more fun if I still did that, instead of this?
Wasn’t life more fun when I was still drinking…heavily…daily?
Wasn’t life more carefree when I was hanging out with my buddies, getting high, and just passing the time?

Any of these sound familiar? Everyone has their own set of “What If’s.” Everyone has their own set of Israelite Mindsets.

Then, we were delivered, gave ourselves over to His will for our lives and now look at us: having to actually do stuff to lift Him up, having to make higher-caliber friends that don’t let us swim in our addictions or strongholds, having to make the most our of our lives. Bummer?

“The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord.” (4:7-9, NIV)

Friends, let us not moan and groan when things get tough. As long as we are in His service there is an exceedingly good life ahead!

The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?” (14:11, NIV)

God already knew the answer. He already knew what was in store. He knew since before He created the world. He knew each of us before time began and He knows how we will respond. But He also loves us and created us in His image to do His will and live fruitful lives. He works miraculous signs in our lives each and every day. If we’re not catching them, we may have our focus in the wrong place.

“Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as you have declared: ‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.’ In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.” (14:17-19, NIV)

Let us ask the same of our Lord. Let us thank Him for being slow to anger and abounding in love for each of us. I thank Him for punishing me for my wrong doings, for just as a parent who punishes their own children, it is for the child’s own well-being and future’s sake.

“Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert.” (14:33, NIV)

He punishes to the third and fourth generation, and He blesses, as well. I look into the eyes of my own sweet children, imagining the generations to come, and know that I am responsible for their blessings. I am responsible for making their lives as full of blessing as I can, as they will be for the generations to come after them.

The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the Lord, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. Then you will remember to obey all y commands and will be consecrated to your God. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord your God.’” (15:37-41, NIV)

What reminders do we have each and every day that remind us of our blessed life in Him? This question brings us to Psalms 90, A prayer of Moses the man of God:

Lord, you have been in our dwelling place throughout the generations.

Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

You turn men back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, O sons of men.”

For a thousand yours in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.

You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning–

though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered.

We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation.

You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.

All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan.

The lengths of our days is seventy years–or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

Who knows the power of your anger? For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Relent, O Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants.

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble.

May your deeds e shown in your servants, your splendor to their children.

May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us–yes, establish the work of your hands.

It’s not always the easy route to rest our faith on Him, and to resist that Isrealite Mindset while roaming through the desert, but that’s why I’m so thankful that we have each other. I’m so thankful we have friends and family who can help lift us when we’re down. That’s why we must surround ourselves continually with people whose presence in our lives remind us that there are better things ahead than what we’ve left behind. We’re on this road to Him together–just hang on.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Day 61 reading: Numbers, chapters 16-17

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Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Faith, Numbers, Perseverance, Psalms

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59) Ever Thankful = Ever Humble

Do you ever find yourself just plain ungrateful for what you have?

Grousing about what you don’t have or what you wish you had?

Not seeing all that you do have in your life?

You’re not the only one!

Day 59 reading: Numbers, chapters 11-13

Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. (11:1, NIV)

How can we complain about all that we lack when all that we already have comes from Him?

The rabble who were among them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost–also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!” (11:4-6, NIV)

Now, granted, 40 years of manna would get old. But the Israelites had selective memory. They forgot that they were slaves to the Egyptians who fed them. At no cost? At the price of their dignity!

I have a note in my bible next to this passage that reads: Selective memory kills current successes and action.

When I look back on my memories, I don’t want to only remember the good, but I want to remember the real, the struggles, the hardships, the lessons learned. This is why I keep coming back to the Word, every day, to remind myself what my life was like before I truly dedicated my life to Him, and remember that I don’t want to turn back to my old ways. I will not allow myself to have selective memory.

“Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will eat it. You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, but for a whole month–until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it–because you have rejected the Lord, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, ‘Why did we ever leave Egypt?’” (11:18-20, NIV)

When we are ungrateful to Him, it tends to turn around and bite us, doesn’t it? I can think of too many instances when I thought I really wanted something or someone and I begged and pleaded, and eventually got exactly what I asked for and realized why it wasn’t mine to begin with.

Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth. (12:3, NIV)

I believe humility is among the first steps we must take in our walk with our Lord. When we humble ourselves before Him and before others in His name, we show our thankfulness for all that we have been given.

When we are doubtful of our calling to walk with God, or when we are challenged and scared, remember the words of Caleb: “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” (13:30, NIV)

He knew as we should know that God is able! When He sends us to do something, to act, to move, He will not let us fall unless that is all part of the greater plan He has in store for us. When we humble ourselves to follow His path for our lives, He will show us the way, give us a road map, and we will know with all certainty that we cannot fail.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Day 60 reading: Numbers, chapters 14-15 and Psalms 90

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Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Blessings, Gifts & Talents, Numbers, Perseverance, Service, Trust

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55) The Levites & their Service

Day 55 reading: Numbers, chapters 3-4

I just want to jump right in because today’s scripture passage is so interesting to me, especially on the heels of our Day 54 passage.

Yesterday, the Levites were excluded from the census…but that was a census of those males 20 years old or older for use in the Israelite army. That delineation of “army” just caught me today as I was reading. The Levites weren’t being excluded yesterday, but being saved for the most critical of jobs in God’s realm of delegating work. Yes, I knew that Moses and Aaron descended from the Levite tribe, but that didn’t register yesterday like it has today.

The Lord said to Moses, “Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community at the Tent of Meeting by doing the work of the tabernacle. They are to take care of all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle. Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to him.” (3:5-9, NIV)

“The Levites are mine, for all the firstborn are mine.” (3:12-13, NIV)

Would you rather serve in God’s army or as one of His priests?

The Lord said to Moses in the Desert of Sinai, “Count the Levites by their families and clans. Count every male a month old or more.” (3:14-15, NIV)

This point alone speaks volumes to me: yesterday’s census was of males 20 years old or older to serve in the Israelite army; today’s census is of males only one month old or older to serve, preserve, and care for the holy tabernacle.

These were the names of the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

These were the names o the Gershonite clans: Libni and Shimei.

The Kohathite clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

The Merarite clans: Mahli and Mushi. (3:17-20, NIV)

The total number of Levites counted at the Lord’s command by Moses and Aaron according to their clans, including every male a month old or more, was 22,000. (3:39, NIV)

THE GERSHONITE CLAN

Numbers 7,500 males one month old and older

Numbers 2,630 males aged 30-50 years old

The leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael. (3:24, NIV)

THE MERARITE CLAN

Numbers 6,200 males one month and older

Numbers 3,200 males aged 30-50 years old

The leader of the families of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail. (3:35, NIV)

THE KOHATHITE CLAN (The clan which Moses & Aaron descended from)

Numbers 8,600 males one month old and older

Numbers 2,750 males aged 30-50 years old

The leader of the families of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel. (3:30, NIV)

The chief leader of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest. (3:32, NIV)

The Levites were given jobs within the Tent of Meeting, and specific jobs were given to those men ages 30-50. I love this because I can’t think of a more able-bodied age than that age range. Sure, 20 year olds are strong, but really aren’t usually as careful as they “should” be. And 60 year olds have wisdom but maybe after a lifetime of hard labor their bodies weren’t as steady as they once were. The 30-50 age range would ensure able bodies and even minds to handle the most precious of the Lord’s earthly possessions.

At the Lord’s command through Moses, each [male of the Levite tribe aged 30-50 years old] was assigned his work and told what to carry. (4:49, NIV)

The descendants of Abraham are the Lord’s people.

More specifically, the descendants of Abraham through Isaac are the Lord’s people.

Actually, the descendants of Jacob through Isaac and Abraham are the Lord’s people.

But to be the Lord’s chosen people, descended from the Kohath clan, through the Tribe of Levi, through Jacob/Israel, through Isaac, through Abraham–now there’s a family tree!

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Day 56 reading: Numbers, chapters 5-6

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Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Blessings, Children, Faith, Genesis, Numbers, Seeing God, Service

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54) The 12 Tribes & God’s Promises

Day 54 reading: Numbers, chapters 1-2

I found some beautiful artwork based on the twelve tribes of Israel that I wanted to share with you, also. First, some stained glass that is based on the glass paintings by Marc Chagall, called “The Twelve Tribes of Israel.” I thought these were absolutely stunning!

Wouldn’t you love to see these in person? I am an artist by nature and an art lover by design, and these pieces stir something in me. They are moving. I hope you feel the same delight in looking at them, even on this small scale. But can you just imagine with me, standing in the midst of all of these incredible works of art, all while studying the twelve tribes right now through our daily readings? Wow! What an experience that would be.

Today’s scripture reading has me thinking about my own family lines. I was tempted to get all nostalgic and go through decades of family pics to share, but that really doesn’t have anything to do with the Bible lesson, so I resisted the urge. But, I did do quite a bit of internet research for images and renderings depicting the 12 tribes; the most beautiful I found were the stained glass windows. I also found these praise banners, which I liked and thought I would share.

Jacob had twelve sons:

The sons of Leah: Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun.

The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.

The sons of Rachel’s maidservant Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali.

The sons of Leah’s maidservant Zilpah: Gad and Asher. (Genesis 35:23-26, NIV)

I wanted to look back and see where each of the tribes of Israel had begun and how far they have come up to this point in our reading. I believe these kinds of connections are paramount to our foundation work in the Word.

And God said to [Jacob], “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.” (Genesis 35:11-12, NIV)

TRIBE OF REUBEN

Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.” (Genesis 29:32, NIV) **”Reuben” sounds like the Hebrew for “he has seen my misery”

Numbers 46,500

The leader of the people of Reuben is Elizur son of Shedeur. (2:10, NIV)

“Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it.” (Genesis 49:3-4, NIV)

TRIBE OF SIMEON

[Leah] conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon. (Genesis 29:33, NIV) **”Simeon” probably means “one who hears”

Numbers 59,300

The leader of the people of Simeon is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. (2:12, NIV)

All the men who went out of the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male in the city was circumcised. Three days later, while all of them were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and attacked the unsuspecting city, killing every male. They put Hamor and his son Shechem to the sword and took Dinah from Shechem’s house and left. (Genesis 34:24-26, NIV)

“Simeon and Levi are brothers–their swords are weapons of violence. Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased. Cursed be their anger, so fierce, as their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel.” (Genesis 49:5-7, NIV)

TRIBE OF LEVI

Again [Leah] conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi. (Genesis 29:34, NIV) **“Levi” sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for “attached.”

“You must not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the census of the other Israelites. Instead, appoint the Levites to be in charge of the tabernacle of the Testimony–over all its furnishings and everything belonging to it.” (1:49-50, NIV)

TRIBE OF GAD

Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. Then Leah said, “What good fortune!” So she named his Gad. (Genesis 30:10-11, NIV) **“Gad” can mean “good fortune” or “a troop”

Numbers 45, 650

The leader of the people of Gad is Eliasaph son of Deuel. (2:14, NIV)

“Gad will be attached by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels.” (Genesis 49:19, NIV)

TRIBE OF JUDAH

[Leah] conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah. (Genesis 29:35, NIV) **“Judah” sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for “praise”

Numbers 74,600

The leader of the people of Judah is Nahshon son of Amminadab. (2:3, NIV)

“Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. You are a lion’s cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness–who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his. He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.” (Genesis 49:8-12, NIV)

TRIBE OF ISSACHAR

God listened to Leah, and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son. Then Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my husband.” So she named him Issachar. (Genesis 30:17-18, NIV) **”Issachar” sounds like the Hebrew for “reward”

Numbers 54, 400

The leader of the people of Issachar is Nethanel son of Zuar. (2:5, NIV)

“Issachar is a rawboned donkey lying down between two saddlebags. When he sees how good is his resting place and how pleasant is his land, he will bend his shoulder to the burden and submit to forced labor.” (Genesis 49:14-15, NIV)

TRIBE OF ZEBULUN

Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. Then Leah said, “God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor, because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun. (Genesis 30:19-20, NIV) **”Zebulun” probably means “honor”

Numbers 57,400

The leader of the people of Zebulun is Eliab son of Helon. (2:7, NIV)

“Zebulun will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships; his border will extend toward Sidon.” (Genesis 49:13, NIV)

TRIBE OF EPHRAIM (descendants of Joseph)

Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.” She named him Joseph, and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.” (Genesis 30:22-24, NIV) **”Joseph” means “may he add”

Numbers 40,500

The leader of the people of Ephraim is Elishama son of Ammihud. (2:19, NIV)

“Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. With bitterness archers attcked him; they shot at him with hostility. But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, because of your father’s God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breast and womb. Your father’s blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers.” (Genesis 49:22-26, NIV)

TRIBE OF MANASSEH (descendants of Joseph)

In Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. (Genesis 46:20, NIV)

Numbers 32, 200

The leader of the people of Manasseh is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. (2:20, NIV)

Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children to.” (Genesis 48:11, NIV)

TRIBE OF BENJAMIN

While [Jacob and his family] were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and had great difficulty. And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for you have another son.” As she breathed her last–for she was dying–she named her son Ben-Oni. But his father named him Benjamin. (Genesis 35:16-18, NIV) **”Ben-Oni” means “son of my trouble,” “Benjamin” means “son of my right hand”

Numbers 35, 400

The leader of the people of Benjamin is Abidan son of Gideoni. (2:22, NIV)

“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.” (Genesis 49: 27, NIV)

TRIBE OF DAN

So [Rachel] gave [Jacob] her servant Bilhah as a wife. Jacob slept with her, and she became pregnant and bore him a son. Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me; he has listened to my plea and given me a son.” Because of this she named him Dan. (Genesis 30:4-6, NIV) **“Dan” here means “he has vindicated”

Numbers 62,700

The leader of the people of Dan is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. (2:25, NIV)

“Dan will provide justice for his people as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan will be a serpent by the roadside, a viper along the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider tumbles backward.” (Genesis 49:16-17, NIV)

TRIBE OF ASHER

Leah’s servant Zilpah bore jacob a second son. Then Leah said, “How happy I am! The women will call me happy.” So she named him Asher. (Genesis 30:12-13, NIV) **”Asher” means “happy”

Numbers 41, 500

The leader of the people of Asher is Pagiel son of Ocran. (2:27, NIV)

“Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king.” (Genesis 49:20, NIV)

TRIBE OF NAPHTALI

Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. Then Rachel said, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.” So she named him Naphtali. (Genesis 30:7-8, NIV) **“Naphtali” means “my struggle”

Numbers 53, 400

The leader of the people of Naphtali is Ahira son of Enan. (2:29, NIV)

“Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.” (Genesis 49:21, NIV)

These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family. All the Israelites twenty years old or more who were able to serve in Israel’s arm were counted according to their families. The total number was 603,550. (1:44-46, NIV)

Isn’t that amazing?! God certainly keeps His promises. 603,550 MALE descendants aged 20 years old or older. These numbers do not include males under the age of 20 or any females.

Recall with me, if you will, this passage from day 17 of our journey:

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”

Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, “You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.” (Genesis 17: 1-7, NIV)

Friends, He keeps His promises, and His love is everlasting. Praise His Holy Name!

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture reading: Numbers 3-4

**Notes came from my Experiencing God Study Bible

Category:

Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Blessings, Children, Genesis, Gifts & Talents, Numbers, Seeing God, Trust

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44) The IF’s and the WHEN’s of the Rules

Today we embark on Leviticus. And, because we are reading chronologically, we can rest assured that we are picking up essentially right where we left off in Exodus. Moses and the people are going to be instructed more in-depth about worshiping their One and Only Lord.

Day 44 reading: Leviticus, chapters 1-4

I continually have to remind myself that we live in very different times. All of the talk of skinning and cutting into pieces animals for burnt offerings (1:6) would have been something the people of those times were used to doing in their normal food preparations so I’m sure they thought nothing of it then. I’m neither a butcher by trade nor an avid hunter, so every time the animal sacrifices are mentioned in our readings, my stomach turns a little, but I hope that if the Lord told me to sacrifice an animal I would sure obey.

Can we be honest here? Is 44 days long enough together for me to be honest about something?

Half way through today’s reading, I was absolutely glazed over. All of this talk of offerings for this and offerings for that; offerings for this kind of person and that kind of person. I had to stop reading. I had to pause and pray a fresh prayer to our Lord asking Him to open my eyes to see what He wanted me to see from this passage. He didn’t speak to me, sitting here at my desk, but the Word did open up to me in a whole different way and my reading of today’s passage was more meaningful. Just because I am moderator of this blog, I am learning new things each day in our readings and starting over with a clean slate before the Lord as I build up this foundation.

This is what the Israelites were doing at this time in our history, as well, and at this point in any person’s journey, the rules and instructions have to be laid out. I am thankful to be learning this history, even though it challenges me every day and because it challenges me every day.

Whew, I feel better now.

Today we’re reading about burnt offerings to the Lord; burnt offerings from the herd, from the flock, of birds; grain offerings baked in an oven and of firstfruits; fellowship or peace offerings from the herd, from the flock, and of goat; and sin offerings of all kinds. Today, I would like to focus on the sin offerings because, let’s face it, the Israelites were only human and so are we still today. Our closeness to God helps us get a firm grip on our strongholds and our sins, but the reality is that humans have a sin nature, so the Lord offered up ways to ask forgiveness for those sins.

With the mention of these sin offerings and the instructions regarding them, one particular point jumped off the pages at me: there are when’s and there are if’s.

WHEN any of you brings an offering to the Lord…

IF the offering is a burnt offering from the herd…

IF the offering is a burnt offering from the flock…

IF the offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds…

WHEN someone brings a grain offering to the Lord…

IF you bring a grain offering baked in an oven…

IF your grain offering is prepared on a griddle…

IF your grain offering is cooked in a pan…

IF you bring a grain offering of firstfruits to the Lord…

IF someone’s offering is a fellowship offering…

IF he offers an animal from the flock as a fellowship offering…

IF he offers a lamb…

IF his offering is a goat…

“When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands…” (4:2, NIV).

“If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people…” (4:3, NIV)

“If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, they are guilty” (4:13, NIV)

“When a leader sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the commands of the Lord his God, he is guilty” (4:22, NIV).

“If a member of the community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, he is guilty (4:27, NIV).

WHEN anyone sins unintentionally,

IF the anointed priest sins,

IF the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally,

WHEN a leader sins unintentionally,

IF a member of the community sins unintentionally

Friends, we are going to sin, no matter our position before God, we will sin and He knows that. He knew that the Israelites, even His chosen people, would sin and He planned accordingly. If He knew the people would never sin again once they were saved, He would not have had to include these kinds of rules because these rules were specifically for the Israelites He had just rescued.

WHEN: anyone sins unintentionally and when we become aware of that sin, we are to repent to our Lord. This is interesting to me because I do believe there are times when we actually sin unintentionally. However, do you find, like I do, that it is the unintentional sins that are even more difficult to come before God confessing? The sin was done, maybe just a moment ago, maybe years ago, and I didn’t know then what damage I was doing, but now I do and I just want to hide. But the Lord references these unintentional sins several times because even if they are years down the road, we must also confess these to Him and be forgiven.

IF: the anointed priests sin…or our pastors, ministers, elders, deacons, or other church leaders. As obvious as it sounds, even our pastors are just people, too, with human errors and defeat and temptations. Sometimes our leader’s sins are such that they actually prevent them from fulfilling their roles in the church in the same leadership capacity that they once did, but they are still people and children of God, worthy of forgiveness.

IF: the entire community sins unintentionally. If we, as a nation or a body of people sin, we must ask forgiveness of our Lord.

WHEN: a leader in our community sins unintentionally. The Lord specifies that IF an anointed priest sins, but WHEN a leader sins. I believe one has to have a pretty strong calling on one’s life to devote it to ministry or priesthood or nunship (is that a word?) or any pastoral role, so although these people are “just” people, people who have chosen the ministerial life certainly strive to walk in God’s light more often than not, so I can understand how they are an IF. However, leaders of our communities, our states, our nations, our civic clubs, are man-appointed leaders with very human shortcomings. Leaders are a WHEN, not an IF.

IF: a member of the community sins unintentionally. If we, as children of God, sin against Him, whether intentionally or unintentionally, we must atone for our sins. It is our job to seek the Lord’s awesome forgiveness for our shortcomings.

Confession of our sins doesn’t need to be a begrudging activity, it is freeing. It is humbling, but my friends, it brings us freedom through His Word and through His grace. I am so thankful for the opportunity to seek forgiveness for my sins, those I make unintentionally and intentionally. Imagine a world without that option. One strike and you’re out….YIKES.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Day 45 reading: Leviticus, chapters 5-7

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Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Exodus, Forgiveness, Healing, Leviticus, Prayer, Rules worth LIVING by

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41) The God of Second Chances

I am excited about today’s scripture passage for several reasons, which you know you can count on me to share here. I hope this passage made your heart flutter a bit, too!

Day 41 reading: Exodus, chapters 33-35

First of all, I think it’s very cool that just yesterday (on Day 40 of our journey), we referenced forty-day periods in biblical times and here we find ourselves today, with Moses spending 40 days with the Lord:

Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant–the Ten Commandments. (34:28, NIV)

Let me tell you, friends, that the moment I turned to this page in my Bible, I recognized that it was special. The first page of our reading was a God-send to me years ago when I was seeking Him so hard and found Him right here in His Word. I have written about this before, so if it’s a repeated story, please forgive me…I’ll make it as quick as I can.

Summer, 2009: It had been a rough year. Heck, it had been a rough three years, but as the years wore on, they tended to get progressively worse as things do when nothing really gets fixed but only swept under the rug. Let’s just say there was no more room under that rug! But my life got another chance and that chance was all based on God. I wasn’t raised to talk about when I was “saved” or if I’ve been “saved” yet. I was raised in church. My family was often active in leadership roles and such within the churches we attended. I taught and was even on staff at times, but if I had to pinpoint when I was “saved,” I wouldn’t name my baptism date or the date I was confirmed into the church as an infant, it would be the summer of 2009. That’s when my whole life was saved!

So, I had this energy suddenly that was coming from no where but up, from no one but Him, and one night I was lying in my bed reading while my husband slept like a rock next to me. I was praying and reading and shuffling through my Bible, this foreign book to me for so many years, when I came across this very special passage that we read together today:

Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” (33:12-13)

Although, I knew absolutely nothing of the context of what I was reading (and remember, I was a lifetime Christian…heck, I even attended a Christian university where the Bible was as much textbook as inspirational Word), this passage struck me so hard and brought me to tears. But when this passage hit me, it moved me to deep communion with our Lord.

I prayed: Dear God, You have filled me with the Holy Spirit and moved me to action–but I don’t see clearly what your will/your mission is for me yet. Please open my eyes and quiet my mind so that I may recognize your calling for me and that I may follow the path You set for my full of your energy. Amen.

The next passage He revealed to me spoke to me loud and clear. It is in Jeremiah and through that combination of scriptures (and is the RS2H theme scripture), I understood at least the next step of His calling on my life. I was so excited when His Word came to me so clearly I almost woke my husband up, but decided against that. I can assure you, though, friends, he heard all about it first thing the next morning and several times since that night.

I love the next few verses, too, as they speak to us who have realized that we have to have the Lord’s ever presence in our lives for security, fulfillment, and grace:

The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” (33:14-15, NIV)

It’s like me on that fateful (or is that “faithful”) night, when I essentially told the Lord the same thing. If You aren’t going to be there, I can’t go. I can’t go this alone, not here, not now, not ever. Lord, I need you to guide me and be with me.

The next portion of today’s scripture that I find most intriguing is that after Moses shattered the original two tablets from his time with God on Mount Sinai, The Lord said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.” (34:1, NIV)

Who says God doesn’t give us second chances?! I mean, Moses was so angry with the Israelites that his anger burned against them and in the process he threw down and shattered the very writing of God. I feel guilty if I drop my Bible on the floor, and they’re mass-produced pieces anymore, nothing like the scrolls or stone tablets of ancient times. You tear up your Bible, you just replace it. You shatter the stones that you just spent days up on a mountain alone in the Presence of God to get, and there’s only one place you can get a replacement: from the Lord, Himself.

And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.” (34:6-7, NIV)

Our Lord shows us time and again that He does not want to see us perish, but wants us to all have eternal life. In today’s scripture there is an example of this in that the Lord threatens not to go along with Moses and the Israelites “because you are stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way” (33:3, NIV).

Now, I am quite certain that the all-knowing, all-creating, all-loving Lord wasn’t really ransoming or trying to decide to go or not to go like an indecisive human, but this is a beautiful example of how even when He is frustrated with us, He still remains with us, giving us yet another chance at life as He wants us to know it. And, literally, thank God for that!

Friends, I hope you are having an amazing time in God’s Word, even through all of the rules and garments and details; and that you continue to pull out all of the evidence of love and grace in our lives.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Day 42 reading: Exodus, chapters 36-38

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Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Blessings, Exodus, Faith, Healing, Perseverance, Seeing God, Trust

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40) Knowing His Word

We are at day 40 in our journey! I think that calls for a celebration! Over and over in the Bible we will read of 40-day journeys and tests. Have we passed our test by reaching this mini-landmark together? YES! Reading the Bible, chronologically, in its entirety in a year’s time is a big deal and it is incredible that I have travelling buddies on this road with me. We are not alone on this journey. At the helm, we have our Lord, opening our eyes and building up our understanding on Him. When I am feeling weak, I have Him and each of you to lean on; when you are feeling weak, you have Him and myself to turn to. If you and a friend are on this journey together, you have one another when you’re just not feeling it. I have even received a dear note from a married couple who is on this journey with us, and I am sure that on days that one isn’t feeling encouraged or is confused, the other is there to help. All along, God is here. We are all a community, whether we share or comment or can put faces with names, and I am grateful to each of you who are travelling with me, it’s going to be an awesome ride!

Day 40 reading: Exodus, chapters 30-32

Again, we open our daily reading with the acacia wood, overlayed with pure gold. I think this is a particularly interesting repetition considering my Bible note from Day 37. (Just for quick recall: the wood is representative of Jesus’ humanity, and the gold represents His divinity.) I also love that the scripture (30:3) doesn’t just read that these pieces are to have a gold overlay, but a pure gold overlay. Pure gold, just as our Lord is purely divine.

I get excited when I read about a specific location where God tells Moses that this is “where I will meet you” (30:6, NIV). To meet with God, and to have direct instruction from Him for your special time with Him. I feel like we have a taste of what that feels like, though, don’t you? Sometimes, the Spirit just comes over you in such a strong way that there’s no denying His Presence. Then, other days when you’re doing all the “right” stuff, saying all the “right” things and are wondering where that feeling went? He’s still there, He’s always there, but sometimes we have a scheduled meeting time with Him (whether we know it was scheduled or not), and like Moses, have our time with our Lord. I relish those times so much. Wouldn’t you love to bottle that sensation up like it’s even tangible? I have exciting news: we can and we do! We’re already well on our way to having that meeting time with God be more and more tangible, and more and more powerful, by building up our foundation through His Word.

Sometimes I absolutely get the urge to stand directly on my Bible because I get so excited about this book holding so many of the keys to unlocking mystery after mystery of our heritage. (By the way, I would never actually stand on my Bible, but I will stand on the Word of God for the rest of my life.) We are all God’s children and our Father is loving and gracious to His children. So much of who we are leads back to this book, His inspired Word, and that is the tangible evidence that we are drawing nearer to our meetings with Him.

I want to take an informal poll here. You don’t even have to answer me, I just want you to think about this. When reading through the Bible, do you ever find yourself thinking, ‘They built altars to God 2,000 years ago, that would be kind of cool. I think I’ll build an altar to God.’ Do you? I do. Not necessarily a full-blown altar, but certainly some more sacredly cared-for spot. But I never have and I know that the reason I haven’t is that my biggest fear is that the altar would become for me the item of worship, and would become like an idol in that it would actually take away from God. Sometimes even good things and good intentions can turn out to be a bad plan.

As I was reading through today’s scripture passage, all the description of the incense and fragrances to be used for worship sounded so amazing that–even though I have always hated modern-day incense–I must admit that I began to think about bringing some of those fragrances into my home. Then I read it, the verse that stopped me in my tracks:

“Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the Lord.” (30:37, NIV)

Then, like a one-two punch:

“Whoever makes any like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off from his people.” (30:38, NIV)

Times like these make me so glad I am on this journey (I know, I come up with a new reason to be glad I’m on this journey every day–but that’s a good thing, too!). This is a perfect example as to why knowing the Word is so critical to building His foundation in our lives. If we don’t know the whole story, and only bits and pieces, we may make some of these kinds of mistakes. We wouldn’t know better, but that doesn’t make it right in God’s eyes, does it?

A few years ago, a group of my girlfriends and I went to the Deeper Still convention in Oklahoma City, OK. The speakers for this incredible weekend of women’s worship were Kay Arthur, Beth Moore, and Priscilla Shirer. Well, apparently I have lived under a rock for the entirety of my life up to that point because I had never heard of Kay Arthur, but Beth Moore described Mrs. Arthur as the “matriarch of women’s Bible study,” so I must have missed something. Anyway, as soon as Kay Arthur (or Miss Kay, as Priscilla Shirer called her) began to speak, I was absolutely blown away! She’s amazing! Every word that came from her mouth was so wise and dead-on-the-mark. She said one thing, in particular, that really struck me and I will never forget it. She said (and I’m paraphrasing):

“I don’t want to stand before God in heaven and not know what His Word said.”

Amen, Miss Kay!

Friends, I don’t want that, either. This foundation, even though some of the books we have studied so far are a bit tedious at times, are critical to our understanding of the greater picture. I don’t think God wants us to just read the really interesting and really moving parts of the Bible. I think He wants us to know what’s in there, front-to-back, so that if we make an error in judgement (like trying to replicate the incense formula God spoke of in today’s reading), we will know it’s an error.

My next informal poll involves the Sabbath and keeping it holy. In my family, Sunday’s are more relaxing days that the rest of the days of the week, but I would not go so far as to say they are restful. Just today, though, I was watching an intriguing show done by National Geographic on the times of Jesus Christ, and one of the specific topics that was covered in the episode I watched was about the Sabbath and keeping it holy. It focused primarily on ways the Jewish people still today truly do no work, and prepare the entire week ahead to insure that the Sabbath (in this case from Friday evening at sun-down, until Saturday evening at sun-down) is kept completely as a day of rest. No food is prepared on the Sabbath, nothing is cleaned, nothing is fixed. This applied even to the candles being lit at the beginning of the Sabbath period and not replaced or re-lit when they either burnt down to the base or blew out, or to lighting a wood burning stove, but when the fire goes out or grew cold, it was not to be stoked, re-lit, or adjusted in any way. It was particularly interesting for me to read today of all days, on the heels of reading this passage of scripture in Exodus this morning.

The Lord said to Moses:

“Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people. For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death. The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come a a lasting covenant. It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested.” (31:14-17, NIV)

Is anyone else guilty of reading this particular biblical rule and thinking, ‘Yeah, but the Lord doesn’t know how much laundry I have to get done on the weekends or about Sunday afternoon baseball games.’ He doesn’t? HE DOES!

This past weekend, I walked past my husband as he was cooking dinner and I was carrying another laundry basket full from the dryer to the dining room table where I fold, hang, and sort, and I said, “So much for our day of rest.” This was at 5 o’clock. Practically bedtime and we, literally, hadn’t stopped going going going since we woke up for church that morning. Rest just wasn’t happening. It was more relaxing than every other day of the week, but still no where near what God called us to do in our observance of the Sabbath.

All of this thought about time and rest, altars and incense, brings me to an odd occurrence in our reading today. While Moses is up on Mount Sinai, the people (and, apparently, Aaron, as well) became impatient. So much so that Aaron took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” (32:4, NIV)

Are you kidding me? Wait, let me rephrase that: ARE YOU KIDDING ME? All of these people are at the base of this mountain, waiting and waiting, BUT seeing that the Lord’s physical presence is still there at the top of the mountain with Moses, and there they all are building a golden calf to worship.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.” (32:7, NIV)

Don’t you know, even the one and only all-knowing God is saddened when we replace Him with things that seem more important to us at the time? Beginning today, I am going to amp-up my efforts to make His time all about Him. Sometimes, we catch ourselves when we are allowing stuff and schedules to take His place in our lives, and sometimes He has to step in with His mighty hand and knock us down a few notches to get us to listen.

Picture the scene with me here: The Israelites are feasting and celebrating, sacrificing and worshiping to a golden calf, and in the middle of it all, Moses comes down the mountain with the two tablets in hand, ready to share the true Word of God with the people. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. (32:15-16, NIV)

And when we realize what stupid stuff we have done, and all the ways we have sinned against the Lord, replacing Him with our own ambitions and worldly stuff, doesn’t our anger rage just like Moses’ did against the Israelites? I get so angry with myself sometimes, when I’ve done something particularly idiotic. It’s always, ‘I knew better.’ Although I don’t have false hopes that I will never sin again once this year of reading and studying as passed, I do know that the more I allow the Lord to have all of me, all the time, the less inclined I will be to doing the things that I know not to do, and the more inclined I will be to give Him all.

We are only human, with human sin natures, but this journey is beginning on the right foot and the road ahead leads to Him for an eternity. Here’s to a beautiful journey!

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Day 41 reading: Exodus, chapters 33-35

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Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Blessings, Exodus, Faith, Prayer, Quiet time, Rules worth LIVING by, Seeing God, Trust

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91) Gideon, Gideon, I’m not Kiddeon!!!

90) We Flourish When Led

89) Passing the Torch of Blessings

86) Claim Your Prize NOW!

82) Our Lord Knows Us!

81) I Put My Life in His Almighty Hands

75) Debt Free? But we LOVE our debt…or we must!

71) For the Lord your God is a compassionate God

70) He Will Fight For You

68) Believing and Doing

63) The Roller Coaster of Trust

61) “Separate Yourselves from the Assembly”

60) Resisting the Israelite Mindset

59) Ever Thankful = Ever Humble

55) The Levites & their Service

54) The 12 Tribes & God’s Promises

44) The IF’s and the WHEN’s of the Rules

41) The God of Second Chances

40) Knowing His Word

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