How long will we wander, before returning to Him?

Posts tagged ‘Jacob’

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.

Prayer path (2)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

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

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88) [YOUR NAME HERE] Servant of the Lord

Let’s jump right in to today’s scripture passage, as there is so much to discuss.

Today’s scripture reading: Joshua, chapters 22-24, the final chapters

First of all, I’m sure you noticed as I did the repetition within the first five verses of today’s reading of Moses’ descriptor: Moses the servant of the Lord. Moses is mentioned like that three times within the first five verses of chapter 22, and every Bible translation I checked had the verbiage exactly like that: Moses the servant of the Lord.

moses-servant-of-the-lord

Wouldn’t you love to be described that way, as a servant of the Lord? Of course, enjoying that may hinge on pride, but really I’m just speaking hypothetically. If we are on this journey together, likelihood is that we all consider ourselves servants of the Lord, but do others see that servant-hood in us? If they do not, it is my opinion that we need to work harder. We don’t need to boast about our servant-hood  but those around us should see the Lord as Master of our lives, just by knowing and living in close proximity with us. Can they see it? Is it there? Is there more we can each still do?

Try it out for size:

Marilyn, servant of the Lord.

Lisa, servant of the Lord.

Alice, servant of the Lord.

Katherine, servant of the Lord.

(Insert your name here), servant of the Lord.

Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Now, let’s back up our titles with action!

Next, the business with the alternate altar struck me as more than a bit odd, and I would really love to hear some educated guesses on this one; hopefully you can help me get my mind around this whole story.

Thus says the whole congregation of the Lord, “What is this unfaithful act you have committed against the God of Israel, turning away from following the Lord this day, by building yourselves an altar, to rebel against the Lord this day?” (22:16, NASB)

“Did not Achan the son of Zerah act unfaithfully in the things under the ban, and wrath fall on all the congregation of Israel? And that man did not perish alone in his iniquity.” (22:20, NASB)

Then the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered and spoke to the heads of the families of Israel. (22:21, NASB)

“Far be it from us that we should rebel against the Lord and turn away from following the Lord this day, by building an altar for burnt offering, for grain offering or for sacrifice, besides the altar of the Lord our God which is before His tabernacle.” (22:29, NASB)

The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad called the altar Witness; “For,” they said, “it is a witness between us that the Lord is God.” (22:34, NASB)

I can see from a logical standpoint where the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh were coming from, but the feeling side of me can’t get the rationale behind having a copy of the tabernacle altar. I truly look forward to researching this topic further at a later date–as I am working through this year purposefully avoiding the outside influences that come with doing reading and research to accompany each day’s Bible in a Year passage of scripture; this year is about opening my own mind and understanding. Until then, I would love to know your thoughts or what you have studied about this particular portion of scripture.

As we come to the end of Joshua’s life, and therefore the end of the book of Joshua, I enjoy his sort of parting words and reminders and tying up loose ends.  Joshua, being older and certainly of a natural age to pass, seemed to know that he was not long for this earth, though it is not written that the Lord told him as much directly as He had Moses before him.

But Joshua tells the people of Israel: “Be very careful to love the Lord your God.” (23: 11, NIV)

“You know in your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words with the Lord your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed.” (23:14, NASB)

Then, my favorite part, the recap (my husband says I am queen of the recap, which is not necessarily a compliment in his book, but is in mine):

Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your forefathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the River and worshiped other gods. But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the river and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac, and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I assigned the hill country of Seir to Esau, but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.

“‘Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out. When I brought your fathers out of Egypt, you cam to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen as far as the Red Sea. But they cried to the Lord for help, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them. You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the desert for a long time.

“‘I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you, and y0u took possession of their land. When Balak son of Zippor, the kind of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beor to put a curse on you. But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand.

“‘Then you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. The citizens of Jericho fought against you, as did also the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites, but I gave them into your hands. I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove them out before you–also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow. So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’

“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods of your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods of your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (24:2-15, NIV)

Here’s what I love about this particular recap: this is your’s and my story, as well. Our versions have different details, but in the end, we are all on the same path to the Lord. My version would go something like this:

For generations, your family has served the Lord faithfully, acting in kind and serving the Lord in many ways. Through Eli and Ellen, Jack and Sherlie, the Lord has blessed your life, giving you Gary and Susan as faithful parents and role models to follow on your path. It is because of their faithfulness and good deeds in the Lord’s name that your life has been richly blessed, and through your service, your children’s lives will continue to be blessed, as well.

You have been sent around the country, meeting people and being introduced to cultures and people who you may not have ever been exposed to otherwise, with less faithful forefathers, but those experiences will serve you well as long as you walk the earth in service.

Then, through your husband’s family, you were blessed with a God-fearing husband, and through trials and tests, the Lord has been with you and protected you from the enemy, and brought you closer to Him. Together with your family, He brought you to a place where you would walk closer to God than ever before, as you progress down the path in faith, His grace is there with you always. He is leading you and directing you and your family continually, and as long as you listen to His guidance, you will continue to be blessed servants of the Lord.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. (24:15, NIV)

Day 88 reading: Judges, chapters 1-2

Category:

Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Blessings, Children, Faith, 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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55) The Levites & their Service

leviDay 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

Category:

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

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50) “I AM the LORD your GOD” (Leviticus, chapters 19-21)

50Oh, happy day, we have reached Day 50 of our chronological journey through the Bible. I want to take this opportunity, not only to go through my personal thoughts on today’s scripture reading, but also to do a little light house-keeping. Don’t panic…when I say “light” I mean it.

Primarily, what I want to do is tell those who may just be starting on this journey, to begin at the beginning! If you want to get in on this journey through our chronological Bible study, start today! We are reading chronologically so that we can build a little deeper understanding of the historic elements and keep everything in perspective.  So, if you’re just joining in the fun and have a mind to start this process, check out The “Bible in a Year–Chronological Study category, begin with my intro post and Day 1, and continue on through the days. I purposely numbered the posts by DAY rather than DATE so that anyone could start at the beginning without much confusion. It’s an awesome journey!

Day 50 reading: Leviticus, chapters 19-21"I am the Lord your God"

First, right from the get-go, there’s a theme that runs through today’s passage, and it’s a lovely theme.

The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” (19:1-2, NIV)

We are to be holy because our Creator is holy. We are holy because we were created in His holy image. We are to be holy because we have been given all the tools and rules to be holy.

“Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy.” (20:7-8, NIV)

“You are to be my holy ones because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.” (20:26, NIV)

How can the children of God ever do a thing or think a thought or say a word against God when He loves us so much and continually proves His love and grace over our lives time and time again?

“Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord.” (19:12, NIV)

“Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.” (19:15, NIV)

“Do not seek revenge of bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” (19:18, NIV)

“Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.” (19:28, NIV)

“When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” (19:33-34, NIV)

“I will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and spiritists who prostitute himself by following them, and I will cut him off from his people.” (20:6, NIV)

Friends, He wants nothing less for your life and my life than to be His holy ones.

“Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy.” (20:8, NIV)

I don’t know about you, but in the world we live in now full of tats and profanity and spiritualists and blatant immorality at every turn, I can certainly appreciate that the Lord gives us every opportunity for holiness and purity in His eyes.

“Keep all of my decrees and laws and follow them, so that the land where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out.” (20:22, NIV)

Sometimes, don’t we look around and all we see is the vomit of the land. And we, you and I, our friends and strangers, we have allowed this evil to either creep slyly in or crash down the door, but either way we must have left something unguarded. We are here on this journey to guard ourselves against evil and to arm ourselves with the Word. Our foundation is greater today than it was 50 days ago, of that I am sure, so keep on stepping and we will be linked arm-in-arm against those who are trying to prevent us from our holy gifts from God.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Day 51 reading: Leviticus, chapters 22-23

Category:

Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Blessings, Creation, Eternity, Faith, Forgiveness, Leviticus, Rules worth LIVING by, Trust

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26) God spoke through Joseph

Some days I wish our reading was more theme-grouped. For instance we ended yesterday’s reading and begin today’s reading with dream interpretation. I know there are several places throughout the Bible where the Lord speaks to people through dreams, or dreams have to be interpreted, and I would love to study those as a whole for comparison. Maybe next year! Until then, we will continue our reading, chronologically. I am no history buff, but I can already tell that I am putting some pieces together in Biblical history, just from our 26 days together. I’m looking forward to all the further knowledge we’ll gain from continuing our study.

Day 26 reading: Genesis, chapters 41-42

God used Joseph to interpret the cup holder and baker’s dreams in yesterday’s reading, and the Pharaoh’s dreams in today’s. Joseph gives all the glory to God, and, in turn, God spoke through Joseph.

sky sunset stormEvery day that I wake up from a night full of dreams, I wonder ‘why did I just dream that?’ I analyze, I think through, I go over and over through the details of the dream, and I wonder at it’s cosmic meaning. Like I said yesterday (also within our dream-theme), I am resigned now to believe that if the dream is of great importance, God will be sure I:

  1. remember it in the morning
  2. understand it’s deep meaning
  3. that the details and instructions are laid out for me Barney-style (so simplified that even I can get what He’s trying to tell me).

I think anymore that God has resorted to speaking to me in my deepest prayers, and in our quiet time together; I think He knows that at least then I’m the most open to whatever He has to share with me, and under those circumstances, I will better accept any message He has for me.

Does anyone else feel this way? Like it better be REALLY obvious if God wants to speak to you through your dreams because, let’s face it, we have some really strange dreams sometimes. Scary at times, day to day stuff at other times, romantic, even sometimes dirty; and every time don’t you just wake up and wonder, ‘why???’ I do!

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.” (41:39-40, NIV)

God does some strange things, sometimes, at least by human standards. But, just like he allowed Joseph to be sold into slavery by his brothers, then spend years in prison just to be freed and made second only to the Pharaoh; when we remain true to Him and His calling for our lives, He is able to work through us as He did through Joseph. There’s no account where Joseph doubted that God was working in Him. Joseph knew God was with him. And, no matter the worldly circumstances, Joseph took comfort in that knowledge.

Then, after seven years of feasting and in the midst of seven years of famine, Jacob sent all but one of Joseph’s brothers to Egypt for food; he sent them unknowingly to their long-lost brother, Joseph. Can you imagine how Joseph’s face flushed when he first saw his brothers?

I know too well the feeling of running into someone that I haven’t seen in a long time but didn’t get along with when I did see them. Or, some quarrel or disagreement came between you which has never really been resolved, just swept under the rug. That issue is all but forgotten when suddenly, without warning, there’s that person who caused you so much pain or anger or guilt. In that first moment of seeing them, isn’t it like going through a thousand different emotions in a split second? When you’ve lived life like I have, you’ve made some enemies, you’ve wronged some people, you’ve left things undone, and you’ve tried to forget the pain in the past. But the flush that goes through you when you see that person again or when something reminds you of that memory hits hard.

As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. ”Where do you come from?” he asked.

“From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.”

Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. (42: 7-8, NIV)

I gather from that passage that Joseph’s initial reaction was perfectly human anger and distrust.

Just like I wish we were studying these few day’s worth of passages by theme, I also found that I wanted to keep reading even when I reached the end of today’s study passage. We reach an exciting climax in the story of Joseph and his brothers, just as we reach the end.

As they were emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his pouch of silver! When they and their father saw the money pouches, they were frightened.

Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!”

Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him back.”

But Jacob said, “My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him on the journey you are taking, you will bring my gray head down to the grave in sorrow.” (42: 35-38, NIV)

My heart caught in my chest. I can’t wait for Joseph to see Benjamin and for all to be right, again, in their family. I want Jacob to see his dear son, alive! I want to see the brother’s faces when they realize who they’ve been bowing down to, that brother whom they envied so that they thought of killing him. This is such an interesting part of the Bible and I am so enjoying reading it all, chronologically, with completely fresh eyes and a heart only for God.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Day 27 reading: Genesis, chapters 43-45

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Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Blessings, Faith, Genesis, Healing, Prayer, Quiet time, Seeing God, Trust

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25) What Dreams May Come

Day 25 reading: Genesis, chapters 38-40

Today we begin with one of Jacob’s 12 sons, Judah. Many times I feel a lot like Judah, as I go about life, not seeking God’s guidance and direction, but making my own human judgments. Judah did not seek His wisdom in any areas of his life and paid dearly, and all of this while his own father was mourning the loss of his son, Joseph.

Meanwhile, The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master (39:2, NIV). And, as a result of the Lord being with Joseph, The Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian (39:5, NIV).

But the portion of today’s reading that is particularly interesting to me is the part about the dream interpretations the Lord works through Joseph, while Joseph, the cup bearer and the baker were imprisoned. I have been a student of dream interpretation for decades. My earliest memory of journaling about my dreams was in the fifth grade or so, and I only remember that because I remember the computer I was using at the time.

tandy1000ex-ad(The Tandy 1000, my first “real” computer–it’s particularly funny to see, now, with the iPhones and tablets and hand-held gadgets  even my five year old has these days, but back in the day I thought this giant computer was awesome!!! By the way, this is the exact computer I had, complete with the stand you see in this old ad. It was HUGE. It took up my entire desk…plus there’s the printer and the joysticks and the diskettes….ahhh, those were the days.)

I have filled pages and diaries and journals with my own dreams and the interpretations that these books have taught me, but no matter what these dreams that flow so freely while I sleep have never made sense in their interpretations. The explanations of what driving or eating or a grandparent sighting or a child’s birth meant never seem to coincide with the explanations of any other aspect of the dream. Finally, I gave up trying to interpret my dreams, I tossed out all of the books that teetered on the side of non-Christian, and I stopped scribbling notes in the darkness of night with keywords or catch phrases to keep handy for the next morning when I could attempt to make sense of it all.

Joseph said to [the cup bearer and baker], “Do not interpretations belong to God?” (40:8, NIV)

In all of those years of documenting and researching the meaning of my countless dreams, I cannot remember one time consulting with God. I have always felt dreams were such powerful things, and even through my Christian walk, I have still left interpretation to human minds.

Now, though I am still curious when I have a particularly off-beat dream what it’s supposed to be telling me, I obsess about it much less. I figure that if God is trying to tell me something or give me a special task, He will make it clear enough that I won’t misunderstand. Friends, I know there are areas of my own life where I need to let go and let God (I don’t remember where that phrase originated, but I think it’s about as old as the Tandy 1000 ;-) ). Seeking Him and trusting Him in all of life’s moments will bring us eternal prosperity, no matter where our worldly circumstances take us.

Make it a great day,
Marilyn

Day 26 reading: Genesis, chapters 41-42

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

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24) Prides comes before the fall

As I began today’s reading, I had just finished my Bible study lesson on the pride of King Uzziah, and how pride can be our ultimate downfall when we allow it to take hold. Pride says that we are in charge, which puts us in the place of God. It’s a slippery slope.

Bible study toolsFor instance, this chronological study has gained some attention, and some readers have even chosen to subscribe to this blog because of what you’ve read here. That excites me to no end but not because that makes me anything special, it means that there are people out there who are also interested in strengthening their foundation through the Word and that this blog was at the right place at the right time. I’m not pretending here that my words are Spirit led or inspired but I promise you, friends, that I pray constantly that the words I write herein and the understanding I gain from each days scripture reading bring glory to God. Subscribing means you’re along for the ride and that is very exciting!

So, all that to say that I’ve got pride on the brain and it still seems fitting with our 24th day of reading, too.

Day 24 reading: Genesis, chapters 35-37

Right off the bat let me reference the verse that points to foreign gods still being a part of Jacob’s family’s life. With all that God, the Lord of all, has done and spoken to Jacob I am absolutely blown away by this.

So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone.” (35:2-3, NIV)

I guess that answers the question of what happened to Laban’s gods that Rachel hidden in chapter 31 (day 22), but how tragic that even after all of God’s provisions for Jacob and his family, that they were still holding on to those no-good, crummy gods.

Don’t we do that, too? I know that I have a tendency to take hold of Him and His Word but still want to cling to some (or even most) of my old ways. Is there more comfort in the old ways that have landed us where we are today, or more comfort in the God that is with us always, knowing all and being all? My heart says the latter but my human nature still clings to the things of this world. How to overcome? I would love to know anyone’s thoughts on this that feel compelled to share.

The second portion of today’s reading is the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors; a story we have heard since we were young ones in Sunday School and VBS, then as we age and were introduced to the musical rendition. We’ve heard this story from every angle, and today I am looking at it with pride in mind.

Joseph’s brothers were so proud and so jealous of him that they sold him into slavery. I do think it is a sad telling of the nature of man that even with all that Jacob went through to overcome his own parents favoritism, Jacob played favorites with his own.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons. (37:3, NIV)

Maybe it is natural for parents to favor some children over others. In a house like ours, the immediate needs are the ones that consume our time, as parents, so sometimes my husband and I find that we need to reset. We realize that the better behaved children have not gotten the attention they deserve because we have been so busy dealing with the issues. Jacob played favorites with Joseph and made a clear difference between he and his other sons. And in their anger and pride, the lesser sons took Josephs life in their own hands.

Pride makes us to terrible things, think terrible thoughts, and take the focus off of God, our Creator, our Source, and our Provider of all. Pride makes me talk when I really should listen. It makes me act when I know I should be still. It makes me think thoughts that are unhealthy and knock me off of His path.

In this journey through the Bible chronologically, I know we will study example after example of one’s pride coming before their fall. I hope having a stronger foundation in the Word will help each of us battle pride with scripture and win our sin natures for our Lord.

Make it a great day,
Marilyn

Day 25 reading: Genesis, chapters 38-40

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Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Children, Genesis

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23) Still Struggling to do His Will

Day 23 reading: Genesis, chapters 32-34

We have two important stories in today’s reading. First, Jacob seemingly making amends with his brother, Esau, whom he once tricked out of his birthright then out of his blessing.  The passage begins with mention of Jacob being met by an unknown number of angels of God; we don’t know what the circumstances were or what was told to Jacob in that meeting, but we know that next Jacob begins to pursue a renewed relationship with his brother, so I am of a mind to think that Jacob was instructed in that meeting to make amends with Esau.

Jacob went above and beyond in this pursuing of Esau; taking part defensive and protective measures (by breaking up his flock of livestock as well as people) and proactive (by sending gifts ahead for Esau). All of these measures either worked beautifully or they weren’t necessary in the first place, as when Jacob met up with Esau, he asked,

“What do you mean by all these droves I met?”

“To find favor in your eyes, my lord,” Jacob said.

But Esau said, “I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.” (33:8-9, NIV)

Esau met Jacob with love and welcomed him with open arms. Yet, at the first opportunity, Jacob took his clan away, again, from Esau.

So that day Esau started on his wy back to Seir. Jacob, however, went to Succoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. (33:16, NIV).

The second well-known story from today’s reading is the story of Dinah, Jacob’s daughter by Leah, and her defilement by Shechem.

I begin to question Jacob’s thought processes here. He has wrestled with God. He has prayed. And, yet, he seems to be doing something that was not in God’s plan for his human life. Instead of reuniting with his twin brother, Esau, Jacob went elsewhere and, there, his family was discraced by sexual impurity, and the reaction of his sons against that impurity. They departed from God, tricking the people of Hamor and Shechem.

earth_1_apollo17Is it just me or does Jacob’s human sin nature make you feel a little bit better about our own faults? Jacob “saw God face to face, and yet [his] life was spared” (32:30, NIV). Jacob, grandson of Abraham, who walked with God, received direct instruction from God and was often in direct contact with God and His angels, and yet he still goes his own way so often. This is half relief and half additional stressor. Jacob saw God and still disobeys. This makes me in all of my humanness feel a little better about the constant battles I have between what is right by God and that I know will not bring Him favor. It makes me a little stressed, because I figure if even someone who hears directly from God can do wrong…what about me?

Obviously, this is one of those days when this awesome trip through the Bible is doing more tripping me up than making my path clearer.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Day 24′s reading: Genesis, chapters 35-37

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Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Blessings, Genesis, Seeing God

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22) When He Speaks

Day 22 reading: Genesis, chapters 30-31

Horton Family 2009Again, the cultural differences between the time period we’re reading through and the time period we are living in are so vastly different, yet the lessons are universal. Although many men joke about having more than one wife, and mistresses, concubines, etc…all my logical mind can think is, “How did they afford all of those kids?” Steve and I have five kids, two of which are now grown and on their own (his, mine, and ours, in case you’re doing the math), and it’s still a stretch to pay for them all! Jacob had at least six sons with Leah alone, not to mention all of the other children. Good grief. That would just stress my husband out!

Today, though, what really interests me is how God sometimes takes us in a completely different direction than we initially planned. Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” (31:3, NIV)

And I return, also, to a question I posed yesterday about the IF’s and the THEN’s and the Lord God of Jacob’s father, Isaac, rather than claiming Him as his own. Jacob responds here to God’s calling back to his homeland, “the God of my father has been with me” (31:5, NIV), and my reaction is completely different. Today–and maybe it’s a difference in the way it is used–I see the God of my father reference more as a reverence for all that his father, Isaac, and his father before him, Abraham, had done and promised, and that Jacob was being protected because of those promises. The way I read today’s scripture, Jacob believes that God is protecting him and his family because of his forefather’s obedient lives.

Then, God speaks to Jacob in a dream, and reminds him of the vow Jacob made to God (or the “test,” whichever way you want to look at it): “I am the god of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.” (31:13, NIV)

As Jacob is sharing this dream with his wives, I love that for the first time recorded, the sisters actually agree. “Do whatever God has told you” (31:16, NIV). So many women take issue with submission to a husband, male-figure, or even any other authority figure in their lives. I know, I used to be one of them. But then I realized that if you are following the direction of someone who is faithful to God and is putting godly direction above all else, then submitting to that is nothing negative and can only have positive outcomes.

I find the stealing of Laban’s gods (statues, I suppose?) an interesting twist of events. Yet, even once God came to Laban in a dream, telling him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either god or bad,” Laban still obsesses and hunts for his gods among Jacob’s things (31:24, NIV). I have said this before and I will most likely say it a hundred times more, but if God spoke directly to me, in a dream or otherwise…I WOULD LISTEN. (I hope) But certainly, if God spoke directly to me, I would no longer doubt (if I doubted before) the existence and omnipresence of the Lord our God. And, I would absolutely, without a doubt, STOP looking for the other gods. I truly don’t understand this part of the history.

Today, as I was going about my daily thinks, I recalled a memory of a babysitter I once had. Penny was a kind, Christian woman with bright red hair and a love for God. Penny loved to watch soap operas, but once she became a Christian, she traded in her Guiding Light and As The World Turns for a Christian soap opera (which, I still think is a complete contradiction). I always thought it absurd that a Christian soap (“stories”) even existed, and especially since I was never around soap operas (thank you, Mom) I really didn’t see the thrill of any of them, Christian-based or not. But now I see. Soap operas began in the beginning! We have read Job and much of Genesis and we’ve already got enough material for some pretty juicy stories. Drama has always been around; it didn’t begin with the Valley Girls of the 80′s; it began with a piece of fruit in a garden that was too tempting for human will to resist. Friends, we can’t always escape the drama, but we can control the ways we allow the drama to effect our lives, and how we respond. Hopefully, by rebuilding our foundation on the Lord, we will approach the stories of life in the healthiest way possible, and always trust in the Lord, our Provider, to bring us home to safety.

Make it a great day,
Marilyn

Day 23′s reading: Genesis, chapters 32-34

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

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21) Giving God an Ultimatum?

Congratulations to us for reaching the 21-day mark. We have officially made God a habit! Making God a priority in our lives begins with having a strong foundation in the Word. After all, if we don’t know what God said, how are we going to truly know how to behave or what to believe when the world seems to be attacking from all angels? Stick with this, friends, and we will all learn that lesson together!

Day 21 reading: Genesis, chapters 27-29

In today’s passage, we get into the stories of Isaac and his sons Esau the skillful hunter and man of the open country, and Jacob who was a quiet man, staying among the tents (25:27, NIV).

First of all, let me just say that in my very shallow understanding of the culture in which we read, I think today’s reading is a bit odd. It confuses me. I mean, Isaac and Rebekah obviously played favorites with their children, and so Rebekah made sure that Jacob, her favorite, was blessed instead of Esau, Isaac’s favorite? And, Isaac only had one true blessing to give out? And, the remaining blessing wasn’t really much of a blessing at all, but more of a curse, it seems. I’m so lost. It’s days like these when I wish I were reading some studied commentator to help me through these rough spots. But, like I have said again and again, I am not because I want to know what the Word says…then I will build on that.

When my eyes are so tired at the end of a long day of staring at details on a computer screen, and everything is so blurry, I am struck by the way old Isaac ended his days; so blind that he couldn’t even decipher one son from the other. When you can’t tell goatskins from hairy man, you’re pretty far gone.

And Rebekah, Isaac’s scheming wife, when she butts in, she really butts in! I’m curious what the future readings will reveal about the remainder of Rebekah’s life, as she spoke to Jacob (her favorite), “My son, let the curse fall on me. Just do what I say; go and get [the elements of trickery] for me.” Whether she paid for the way she handled things in this situation while still on earth or whether she began her stay in heaven with a pretty hefty stay in time-out would be interesting to know.

I have a very distinct picture of Rebekah and Jacob in my minds-eye, and it’s not a terribly flattering picture. When Isaac asked Jacob (though he thought he was speaking to Esau) how we got everything together so quickly, Jacob’s response bothers me: “The Lord your God gave me success.” (27:20, NIV) Not anything about the Lord being Jacob’s God, Jacob’s belief, but his father’s God.

Then, later, once Jacob journeyed to the land that he called Bethel (or house of God), he says something that strikes me as a #1 no-no in dealings with God: testing Him.

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s house, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.” (28:20-22, NIV)

Cross Overlook (1)IF God will do all of these things. THEN Jacob will consider the Lord his God. And after all of that, THEN Jacob will give back a tenth. Let me just say that IF I told God in prayer that IF He did this thing and that thing for me THEN I would praise Him forevermore, I would NOT expect my instructions to be fulfilled. Rather, I would be running for my life and expecting lightning to strike my self-consumed world! IF-THEN…

But you know what, I think Jacob gets his lesson pretty quickly in the Leah/Rachel saga. I believe the Lord worked through Laban to make sure Jacob paid dearly, in years of labor, payment, wives, and children, for testing God with all of his IF’s and THEN’s. We walk on shaky ground when we start telling our Creator how He needs to do things. I can’t speak for you, but there are certainly ways in my life that I have tried to tell God how to run my life…though I wouldn’t have seen it from that slant at the time.

Although I have been really trying to avoid referencing any scripture passages outside of our daily passages, today the following passage was lifted up to me and it was too beautiful not to share with you.

The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

“Ah, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.”

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
(Jeremiah 1:4-8, NIV)

This passage struck a chord with me as I read and write on this journey. I am still very young; I am only 34 with many years and experiences yet to come. But I know one thing is certain: I feel a calling on my heart to do what I’m doing, and to share with you as I go along. My spiritual maturity may still be in its youth, but when the Lord leads me to His Book and urges me to read and share, that’s what I am going to do. I am not intending to tell you, the readers, anything new and profound, but I am uncovering a new understanding as I read and share, and I hope you are looking at our Christian history in a fresh light, as well.

Friends, I am thankful for all of you on this journey with me. I think of you often and you are in my prayers. Although I am here and you are there, and I know nothing of the journey you are on personally, or the place you are in your own life, and you know only as much as I choose to write herein, we are connected. God has drawn us together and I am excited for the day that we are united in heaven and can realize we knew each other now but in our human lack, couldn’t even comprehend the connection. Glory to God in all of His Majesty!

Make it a great day,
Marilyn

Day 22 reading: Genesis, chapters 30-31

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Bible in a Year-Chronological Study, Faith, Genesis, Jeremiah, Seeing God

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