Tag: pray

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Blessings and Curses

Deuteronomy 27-28 and Psalm 33

Be silent, Israel, and listen! You have now become the people of the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 27:9

We don’t see the phrase, “shut up and listen” too often, nor do we result to this tough position, but here we have Moses and the Levitical priests adding some punch to their words. Listen up people, here are your blessings and curses: curses for idol makers and commandment breakers, blessings for those who are obedient. Each of the curses are punctuated with an Amen! from the people. Lord, I hope that I will shut up and listen to you!!

I love the imagery in this description of those who are blessed for obedience:

The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven. Deuteronomy 28:7

That verse is so appropriate for many of my friends who are working so hard to serve Christ’s church. I thought about texting that to each one individually…still thinking about several. I pray that they will find comfort in the promise of the Christmas season. When we get down and feel beaten, I pray these words will pop up in their minds. Come Holy Spirit, come! Scatter my enemies!

No king is saved by the size of his army;
no warrior escapes by his great strength.
May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
even as we put our hope in you. Psalm 33:16,22

 

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Exclusion, Various Laws and Firstfruits

Deuteronomy 23-26

“…turned the curse into a blessing for your, because the Lord your God loves you” (Deuteronomy 23:5). Moses is referring back to the time when Balaam was hired to curse the Israelites, but God turned it around. The phrase I bolded makes me pause. Here we are a week away from Christmas, reading about our ancient forefathers and some of the most brutal times I know when suddenly this phrase, “because the Lord your God loves you.” Just a bit further, as we read more rules, “For the Lord your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you” (Deuteronomy 23:14).

The takeaway for me is simple: there are good reasons “why” all of this stuff is happening and those reasons center on the fact that God, the Creator of all, loves us. He cares about us and is working in our lives to protect us. Crazy!

The Christmas tree looks great and our girls are excited to celebrate together. I hope and pray we can somehow grasp this concept that God is moving in our lives.

Yesterday the passage discussed not going to war if you were engaged to be married. This law adds another dimension to God’s desire for us to have a healthy marriage:

If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married. Deuteronomy 24:5

What a concept: stay at home and bring happiness. This is certainly a gem to extract from the reading today!

 

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Legal, Financial and Ritual Concerns

Deuteronomy 15-18

Chapter 15 begins, “At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.” Wouldn’t that be amazing! The idea that “there need be no poor people among you,” is a worthy goal; even though, “there will always be poor people in the land.” Even today we see this reality and we know we must “not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them.” Lord, I pray we can “be openhanded” and truly loving to those in our community.

Reading through this part of the Old Testament is challenging. On one hand we see timeless wisdom in the statements above, then in the next section we read about our wonderful slaves. Puzzling for those who want to believe we Christians have it right, those who are seeking what we claim is the ultimate prize: Jesus Christ.

Rejoice! “Remember that you were slaves…” Judges, don’t accept bribes, don’t worship other gods or listen to occult practices. Purge the evil among the people. No more grumbling or complaining (I’m really preaching to myself). The Lord is my inheritance…no need for more!

There is a lot of wisdom in this section, but scary consequences for those who are “to be put to death.” In our posh and super civilized culture, this extreme measure makes no sense. What we must do is understand the historical significance and look for those themes that remain constant. This is not a call for capital punishment. It is, however, a call to be blameless before the Lord.

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Purity and the Nazarite Vow

Numbers 4-6

The Kohathites, Gershonites and Merarites have specific tasks to perform as part of their duties as Levites.

Moses provides a process for a husband to determine if his wife has had sexual relations with another man, specific process and details. I don’t believe there is a law written for the other way around. Interesting.

The Nazarite vow is applicable to men and women and demonstrated by abstaining from wine and other fermented drink plus “no razor may be used on their head.” They are also to avoid dead bodies, even family members.

In the midst of this narrative we see the wonderful Aaonic benediction, one I hear frequently growing up as a Presbyterian:

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace Numbers 6:24-26

The Lord wants to bless his people, to set them apart from the rest of the world. I pray, as those who profess Christ as our savior, we would freely offer this blessing to others from the Lord.

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More Laws and Feasts; Final Tabernacle Preparation

Leviticus 20-27

The theme of Leviticus might be this:

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. Leviticus 20:7-8

As a nomadic people, their first question may have been, “how can we show the Lord our appreciation?” Instead of looking at this as a long list of things you must do (or be put to death), perhaps we should look at this narrative as an answer to prayer. So many times I ask God, “what should I do next?” What if I learned two words from Leviticus today:

Be Holy

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

There are many festivals listed that help the people engaged throughout the year, a calendar of events to keep reminding everyone. The purposes listed in the NIV Study Bible provide a great summary for us to use as a model:

  • Sabbath: Rest for people and animals
  • Sabbath Year: Rest for land
  • Year of Jubilee: Help for poor; stabilize society
  • Passover: Remember Israel’s deliverance from Egypt
  • Unleavened Bread: Remember how the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt in haste
  • Firstfruits: Recognize the Lord’s bounty in the land
  • Weeks: Show joy and thankfulness for the Lord’s blessing of harvest
  • Trumpets (later: Rosh Hashanah): Present Israel before the Lord for his favor
  • Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur): Atone for the sins of priests and people and purify the Holy Place
  • Tabernacles: Memorialize the journey from Egypt to Canaan; give thanks for the productivity of Canaan
  • Sacred Assembly: Commemorate the closing of the cycle of festivals
  • Purim: Remind the Israelites of their national deliverance in the time of Esther

 

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Craftsmanship; The Golden Calf

Exodus 30-32 and Psalm 19

Bezalel and Oholiab step into the picture. Not kings or judges, not prophets or apostles, these men were chosen because of their great skill. Bezalel was filled “with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills–to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts” (Exodus 31:2-6 & 35:30-33). Oholiab was chosen as a skilled teacher. Together they did the work of creating all of the items in the royal tent (including the tent itself).

This is great motivation for me to read and should encourage all those who labor for the Lord. Bezalel doesn’t get a lot of attention in the narrative of the Bible and is probably not frequently preached on, but he and Oholiab were those responsible for creating the place of worship, for setting the stage upon which the priests and leaders could do their part. God indeed blessed them with skills, but I believe it was because Bezalel and Oholiab had proven themselves before the Exodus 35 statement was penned. Most of us want to be skilled at something, but most lack the resolve to put in the effort to get to the finish line. In the arts, there is no finish line, just continual improvement. Sports are popular because there are boundaries and time limits, music and art are not about perfection, they are more about the spirit of the craft.

God honors these men by including them in the Bible for us to learn by example. I can only be useful by learning my craft and honing my skills and rejoicing in the Lord every day. Whatever talents God has given us, he has a purpose and reason behind it. Our responsibility is to do our best for Christ every day, without regard to fame or glory on earth or among men–only with regard to Christ the King.

The Golden Calf

Really Israel, really Aaron? Yep. They went there. As I sit in judgment, I wonder if I would have joined the party. My prayer is that simply by reading this narrative I won’t fall short as our ancestors did; that I would learn from their mistakes.

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Joseph and Jacob Reunited; Final Blessings

Genesis 45-50 and Psalm 12

Joseph reveals himself to his brothers and completely forgives them all. It’s interesting that Joseph presents his family to Pharaoh and “Pharaoh and all his officials were pleased” (Genesis 45:16). Joseph’s service to Egypt was one with such integrity and honor that all those in power, the royal dynasty if you will, are pleased to see him overjoyed with the reunion of his family. Truly remarkable.

Jacob (Israel) finally gets to see his lost son, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive” (Genesis 46:30). Joseph arranges a meeting with Pharaoh, with a bit of prompting. It’s an interesting conversation. Jacob is certainly respectful of Pharaoh, his position and prestige, but the sense I get from the narrative is not one of pauper vs king. Jacob is introduced and “after Jacob bless Pharaoh…” the conversation begins.

Pharaoh didn’t “need” Jacob’s blessing, yet he receives one at the beginning of the conversation and one at the end as Jacob departs.

After 17 years, Jacob is prepared to die, so he gathers his sons to give them his blessing (Genesis 49). So the twelve tribes of Israel are blessed and the stage is set for the coming years.

One of the most famous verses comes after all of the drama of this story is played out. Though it’s difficult to appreciate the magnitude of the power, here is the simple text from a humble servant of God:

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Genesis 50:20

For some reason my mind saw one of the closing sequences in The Lord of the Rings, the conversation between Frodo and Sam. Perhaps this was Tolkien’s attempt to portray the incredible journey that Joseph was required to take in order to save his people. Through battles, deception, greed, anger, lust, etc., Frodo survives and accomplishes his mission. Much the same for Joseph and his family endures. I rather like the comparison, but then again, I rather like the LOTR.

The big takeaway for me: humble obedience. Both Jacob and Joseph show incredible strength and humility at the same time. These are characteristics I pray I can learn from, traits I pray for. May all the honor and glory be directed at the God who watches over all and may we never forget how he loves us and desires to see his family reunited.

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The Famine

Genesis 42-44 and Psalm 11

Joseph’s dream becomes a reality some 20 years in the making:

So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. Genesis 42:6

To disguise himself, Joseph uses an interpreter to employ his scheme to hold his brothers and teach them a lesson. Deep inside it seems Joseph’s longing for his family never faded. Twenty years of living through incredible highs and lows, yet still he has a heart for those who despised him. Amazing.

Reuben’s told you so response is humorous, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen!” (42:22). There is much debate at the camp when the brothers return (less Simeon). Jacob doesn’t want to lose Benjamin, even though Reuben assures him of safety. Judah adds his name to the list of those who will ensure Benjamin’s safety and Jacob relents and sends them all on their way with twice the silver and other gifts.

Joseph prepare a banquet to receive his brothers, but the story is not over yet. They enjoy the food and are released the next day with provisions and a surprise: a silver cup is hidden in Benjamin’s sack. The penalty is set: Benjamin is to become a slave, but Judah’s plea breaks Joseph’s heart (next chapter).

One of the greatest stories in the Old Testament, replayed in many ways. There is much to learn from the entire story, but what lesson should I take from this today? Judah’s sincere commitment to his father gets my attention. Judah was the one who devised the plan to sell Joseph (Genesis 37:26) and it was his plea to Jacob to take Benjamin to Egypt as required. In reading the narrative, it may be true that Judah has the most to lose from amongst the brothers. Though he’s not the oldest, he left them and built his own family (Genesis 38). Yet he is willing to become Pharaoh’s slave for the sake of his brother, perhaps for the sake of his brothers. Perhaps there is deep regret for his original plan to sell Joseph. Now he is put to the test and he does not disappoint. We don’t hear his prayers of confession, nor his admission of guilt in the first offense. It’s hard to say if Judah (and his brothers) ever mentioned the fact that they conspired against Joseph–perhaps that is the point.

Christ forgives our sins. He doesn’t lay them on the table and require that we recant them one by one, he simply forgives them all. We are released from the past.

Let go of the guilt and lay it all before Jesus. He completely forgives all.

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Joseph the Interpreter

Genesis 40-41 and Acts 7:9-10

Stephen’s speech, just before his stoning (with Saul as a witness), succinctly summarizes how God provided for our ancestors in the darkest of hours. My present uncomfortable circumstance pales in comparison, but I know that God will provide for me and my family and so I pray that I will learn even more today than yesterday, that I will grow in faith and obedience as I read about Joseph’s rise from prison to leader.

Genesis 40 begins with: “Some time later…” This reminds me of Hebrews 12:10-12 — no one really appreciates being disciplined during the act, but “later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness.” I’m not sure Joseph was thinking all of this was about discipline or producing anything positive. He interprets the dreams of the cupbearer and baker, but apparently receives no recognition. Chapter 41 starts with “when two full years had passed…” Both of these chapters implore us to be patient, to walk with integrity on the path before us, even when it’s challenging or confusing.

Finally the cupbearer remembers Joseph and he is retrieved from the dungeon and brought to Pharaoh to interpret the dream. I love Joseph’s response:

“I cannot do it, Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.” Genesis 41:16

Not only does God inspire Joseph to interpret the dream, but he lays out a detailed plan for how to respond to the years of plenty and the years of famine. Pharaoh was impressed, “You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders.” And so it came to pass as Joseph prophesied.

What did Joseph do during his time in the dungeon? Somehow, he appeared before Pharaoh on a moment’s notice and skyrocketed to fame. Or did he? Day after day in the dungeon, there was no sign for relief. Whatever the routine, there was no margin for release, much less blessing and promotion. So how did Joseph spend this time? I like to think that he rise to fame was consistent with his daily preparation. In my imagination, Joseph was tending to other prisoners, praying for God’s provision and thanking God each day for another opportunity to serve. He knows he’s done nothing to deserve the punishment inflicted, yet he can’t deny its existence.

The choice is before him: focus on the dire circumstance, whine and complain, tell and retell the story of how horrible your family is, how they sold you, blah, blah, or choose to see the day as an opportunity. I think Joseph was thankful every time he awoke. These are just my thoughts, but based on Pharaoh’s immediate acceptance of Joseph, I think they aren’t far from accurate.

Lord help me to practice my faith daily, hour by hour, minute by minute. When the time comes, let my integrity be worthy of your honor. Discipline me Lord so that “later on…” I will be your effective ambassador.

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Isaac Gets Life

Genesis 22-24 and Hebrews 11:17-19, John 3:16, Romans 8:32

“Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”>Genesis 22:7

This is an amazing, familiar story that I’ve heard preached and taught several times. Isaac was born to Abraham as promised, now Abraham is put to an ultimate test.

One thing that caught my attention this morning was Isaac’s question, “where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Apparently, Isaac was familiar with the system of sacrifice; that is, Abraham raised him in such a way that Isaac knew the process well: you willingly sacrifice the best you have for the Lord.

“and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” Genesis 22:18

Surely Abraham knew God would bless him during his time on earth, but he had to know these words were set for some distant future–he would not fully realize the blessing. Lord, help me to be willing to sacrifice my best without reservation. Help me to understand that I might not see the future you have planned through some action I take today, but let me be true to your will.

Abraham dispatched a servant to find a wife for Isaac from his own people, very intentionally not from Canaan. The servant set off with a prayer that God would reveal the right woman to him when he got there. At the well, Rebekah showed incredible kindness to Abraham’s servant, so he concluded this was a providential meeting.  Rebekah’s father, Bethuel agreed that she would become Isaac’s wife. Somehow Laban is in the decision chain here and as they were getting ready to leave, he and Rebekah’s mother ask the servant to let her stay for 10 days or so before leaving. The servant suggests the decision will be Rebekah’s to make. Her willingness to go immediately continues the story of obedience. (Laban’s story continues later.)

May we all learn from these stories of great sacrifice and faith.

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