In Exodus 31, we see the account of the building of the Tabernacle, and are introduced to two men with special skills - Bezalel and Oholiab. In today's verses, we see the account of the building of the Temple and are introduced to a man with special skills. 2 Chronicles 2:13-14 talks about the qualifications of a man named Huram-Abi. Huram-Abi was a skilled craftsman who could work in wood, soft metals, hard metals, stone, yarn and fine linen, and engraving. He was sent to Solomon by the king of Tyre at Solomon's request. If you were to grab your Bible and read Exodus 31:1-6 you'd notice that Oholiab was also a skilled craftsman who could work in wood, soft metals, hard metals, stone, yarn and fine linen, and engraving. After some further research, I found another parallel - Oholiab and Huram-Abi were from the same tribe of Israel.
I've sat here pondering this one for a while now, and asked God what His point is. I think I've got it and it's really not too earth-shattering: There is no such thing as a coincidence. God has planned all of history and the future already and we're just sitting here watching it play out. In the case of the building of His two "dwellings", God ordained that two men, generations apart would come from the same tribe and be gifted with the same skills to create structures and furnishings for the ultimate churches. Long before either of these men were born, God chose them to be His workmen. He could have chosen any two people in those two generations, but He decided that they would come from the same tribe even. It may seem like a small thing, but it really does blow my mind. There is such intent and attention to detail in everything God does.
Before I started writing this, I was complaining to myself about some things in my life that just aren't working out the way I wanted them to. Silly me then asked God to settle me down and teach me something. I get it now - God didn't just choose these two guys so carefully, He chose me carefully too. Everything that has happened in my life (or hasn't happened), He chose. And guess what? The same goes for you. One of my favorite Psalms is 139 which says that before the creation of the world, God knew who each of us would be (v.16).
And what's even better than that, He sees the details we miss. It was one thing for Oholiab and Huram-Abi to have the same skill set. That was pretty important considering the job they were each given. But God added a little detail that would forever link them to each other. And I think that detail was put in for us who would read about them someday. Just a casual reading of Exodus and 2 Chronicles wouldn't bring up this seemingly insignificant parallel, but it's there.
What are we missing in the detail of our lives because we're just looking casually at them? What has God weaved into the fabric of our stories that someday will cause people to marvel at His attention to detail? I don't yet know what it is in my life, but I can now honestly say, I can't wait to see it someday. Our God is the Master Craftsman, and He does incredibly detailed work!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
On Amazing Grace
About a week ago, many of us read today's verses (or similar verses in other Gospels). Matthew 27:57-61 tells about the acts of Joseph of Arimathea after Jesus' death. I'm sure as we've read this account over the years, we've always talked about the sacrifice Joseph made, or the irony of Jesus being buried in a rich man's tomb. The type of tomb Joseph had was very expensive, and criminals who were crucified were usually either left on the cross for the animals to eat (gross, I know - hope you're not eating breakfast right now), or taken down and thrown in a shallow grave in a field like the poor were. But I learned something new this week that I want to share with you.
Jewish law dictates that once a tomb was used, it could not be used again. However, that was only the case if the tomb was used for a non-family member. If, say, your mother was buried in the tomb and someone else in your family died, that person could also be put in that tomb and it would not be unclean. However, in the case of Joseph, since Jesus was not a member of his family, once He was laid in the tomb, it was considered unclean, and no one in Joseph's family would ever be able to use it. Joseph did make a rather significant sacrifice. He now had to go find some new after-life real estate, which was at a prime and would cost quite a bit of money.
What struck me when I learned all of this was the legalism of it all. Please note that I said this all was according to Jewish law, not God's law. Yes, as we read Exodus and Leviticus we see that God had some pretty strange and picky laws for the Jews to follow. But if that weren't enough, the Jewish leaders then decided to add a few thousand more (one version of the Talmud has almost 6,000 pages). To this day, there are Ultra Orthodox Jews who are living under not only the oppression of the blindness Satan is allowed to impose on them, but they are living under the oppression of thousands of man-made laws and the fear that if they break them their names will not be written the Book of Righteousness, and they will not go to Heaven. (An interesting study if you've got some time is of the Jewish holidays Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur - their sole purpose involves the confession of a year's worth of sins and hoping that one does it well enough to please God.)
I read yesterday about a man in Israel named Isaac who is an Ultra Orthodox Jew. According to the person he was talking to, he was searching for Truth. He talked about how he just wasn't sure his religion had it right and about how he was reading the writings of other religions - Hinduism, Buddhism, etc. He said he felt trapped in the ritual of his religion. The writer had the opportunity to share with Isaac about the truth of God's grace, and that is exactly what I take away from today's passage.
Because Jesus borrowed a tomb, we are free from the laws the Jews fear. Because Jesus didn't stay in Joseph's tomb, we can accept God's grace and mercy. We do not have to keep track of our sins and confess them once a year. We're free to do that the second we fall, and know, without a doubt, that because Jesus conquered sin and death "once, for all" (Heb. 7:27), we are bathed in His righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21) and we know our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life (Rev. 21:22-27, 1 John 1:9). If you haven't thanked Jesus for dying for you today, stop and do it now, then pray for someone you know who is still hoping that they'll get into Heaven instead of living with the assurance that comes through Christ that we will one day see Him face-to-face.
Jewish law dictates that once a tomb was used, it could not be used again. However, that was only the case if the tomb was used for a non-family member. If, say, your mother was buried in the tomb and someone else in your family died, that person could also be put in that tomb and it would not be unclean. However, in the case of Joseph, since Jesus was not a member of his family, once He was laid in the tomb, it was considered unclean, and no one in Joseph's family would ever be able to use it. Joseph did make a rather significant sacrifice. He now had to go find some new after-life real estate, which was at a prime and would cost quite a bit of money.
What struck me when I learned all of this was the legalism of it all. Please note that I said this all was according to Jewish law, not God's law. Yes, as we read Exodus and Leviticus we see that God had some pretty strange and picky laws for the Jews to follow. But if that weren't enough, the Jewish leaders then decided to add a few thousand more (one version of the Talmud has almost 6,000 pages). To this day, there are Ultra Orthodox Jews who are living under not only the oppression of the blindness Satan is allowed to impose on them, but they are living under the oppression of thousands of man-made laws and the fear that if they break them their names will not be written the Book of Righteousness, and they will not go to Heaven. (An interesting study if you've got some time is of the Jewish holidays Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur - their sole purpose involves the confession of a year's worth of sins and hoping that one does it well enough to please God.)
I read yesterday about a man in Israel named Isaac who is an Ultra Orthodox Jew. According to the person he was talking to, he was searching for Truth. He talked about how he just wasn't sure his religion had it right and about how he was reading the writings of other religions - Hinduism, Buddhism, etc. He said he felt trapped in the ritual of his religion. The writer had the opportunity to share with Isaac about the truth of God's grace, and that is exactly what I take away from today's passage.
Because Jesus borrowed a tomb, we are free from the laws the Jews fear. Because Jesus didn't stay in Joseph's tomb, we can accept God's grace and mercy. We do not have to keep track of our sins and confess them once a year. We're free to do that the second we fall, and know, without a doubt, that because Jesus conquered sin and death "once, for all" (Heb. 7:27), we are bathed in His righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21) and we know our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life (Rev. 21:22-27, 1 John 1:9). If you haven't thanked Jesus for dying for you today, stop and do it now, then pray for someone you know who is still hoping that they'll get into Heaven instead of living with the assurance that comes through Christ that we will one day see Him face-to-face.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
On Volunteering
Our verse today is Leviticus 19:5, which says, "When you sacrifice a fellowship offering to the Lord, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf." The NKJV* says it another way: "And if you offer a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord, you shall offer it of your own free will."
The fellowship or peace offering the Israelites made was a voluntary offering, separate from offerings for sin or offerings to commemorate occasions. It was something they chose to do. The NIV and some other translations add a bit to the verse that isn't there in in the King James: if you're going to voluntarily do something for the Lord, do it in a way that He will accept. In the case of the offering, the verses following verse 5 talk about the proper way and time to eat the offering. (This offering, unlike some others, was meant to be eaten by the person who made it along with the priest in a communal meal. It had to be eaten within a certain time frame, otherwise, the person eating it would be unclean and would be banished, and the offering would be null.)
In our case, we aren't making animal sacrifices and don't have to be concerned about when they're eaten, but I think there's still a principle we can take away from this passage. When we do something voluntarily for the Lord, we need to be careful that we're doing it in a way that will be accepted by Him. In other words, when you decide to give of your time or other resources, be careful how you do it. Jesus talked about the way some people of His time were "volunteering" for God. In Matthew 6, He talks about giving to the poor, praying and fasting. He warned people to do these things as privately as possible - not to draw attention to themselves or to seek the approval of the people around them. He told them, basically, to check their motives.
The same holds true today. When we agree to do something for God, either in church, or even just before God, what is our motivation? Are we doing it so that someone here on earth will appreciate us and how hard we work for God? Are we doing it so that we'll "gain points" with God or get Him to do something for us? Or are we doing it out of gratitude for what He has done for us? Are we doing it as a pure act of worship? These are the sacrifices God accepts. These are the sweet fragrances that reach Him.
I had a conversation with a friend tonight that has me thinking a little further. Maybe it's time to take a look at the things you're doing to serve God. Service isn't necessarily easy, but sometimes, when something we're doing starts to feel like a burden, it may be God telling us to take a break, or even that He has something else for us to do instead. For years, I taught Sunday school, and for years, I enjoyed it. But one Sunday, I suddenly felt like I was hitting a wall when I tried to teach, and that continued for a few weeks. I first thought that maybe Satan was trying to keep me from teaching, but after a while, I realized that it was God telling me to take a break. For years I'd been teaching, but I wasn't being fed myself. I needed to stop giving and start taking in for a little while. It sounds selfish, but it was exactly what I needed to recharge and even redirect what I was doing.
So if you're feeling frustrated in a ministry, check your motives. If they're ok, check in with your Boss to make sure you're still doing what He wants you to be doing. And if you're considering either a new ministry or a vow to God, talk it over with Him first and make sure that when you voluntarily give, you do it "in such a way that it will be accepted."
* Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
The fellowship or peace offering the Israelites made was a voluntary offering, separate from offerings for sin or offerings to commemorate occasions. It was something they chose to do. The NIV and some other translations add a bit to the verse that isn't there in in the King James: if you're going to voluntarily do something for the Lord, do it in a way that He will accept. In the case of the offering, the verses following verse 5 talk about the proper way and time to eat the offering. (This offering, unlike some others, was meant to be eaten by the person who made it along with the priest in a communal meal. It had to be eaten within a certain time frame, otherwise, the person eating it would be unclean and would be banished, and the offering would be null.)
In our case, we aren't making animal sacrifices and don't have to be concerned about when they're eaten, but I think there's still a principle we can take away from this passage. When we do something voluntarily for the Lord, we need to be careful that we're doing it in a way that will be accepted by Him. In other words, when you decide to give of your time or other resources, be careful how you do it. Jesus talked about the way some people of His time were "volunteering" for God. In Matthew 6, He talks about giving to the poor, praying and fasting. He warned people to do these things as privately as possible - not to draw attention to themselves or to seek the approval of the people around them. He told them, basically, to check their motives.
The same holds true today. When we agree to do something for God, either in church, or even just before God, what is our motivation? Are we doing it so that someone here on earth will appreciate us and how hard we work for God? Are we doing it so that we'll "gain points" with God or get Him to do something for us? Or are we doing it out of gratitude for what He has done for us? Are we doing it as a pure act of worship? These are the sacrifices God accepts. These are the sweet fragrances that reach Him.
I had a conversation with a friend tonight that has me thinking a little further. Maybe it's time to take a look at the things you're doing to serve God. Service isn't necessarily easy, but sometimes, when something we're doing starts to feel like a burden, it may be God telling us to take a break, or even that He has something else for us to do instead. For years, I taught Sunday school, and for years, I enjoyed it. But one Sunday, I suddenly felt like I was hitting a wall when I tried to teach, and that continued for a few weeks. I first thought that maybe Satan was trying to keep me from teaching, but after a while, I realized that it was God telling me to take a break. For years I'd been teaching, but I wasn't being fed myself. I needed to stop giving and start taking in for a little while. It sounds selfish, but it was exactly what I needed to recharge and even redirect what I was doing.
So if you're feeling frustrated in a ministry, check your motives. If they're ok, check in with your Boss to make sure you're still doing what He wants you to be doing. And if you're considering either a new ministry or a vow to God, talk it over with Him first and make sure that when you voluntarily give, you do it "in such a way that it will be accepted."
* Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
On Living Like a Baby Christian
I think when most people first begin their walk with Christ (a.k.a. "get saved"), they are excited, eager, maybe a little nervous, and they want to drink up as much of God and His Word as they can. Yes, they're on an emotional high, but they're also on a spiritual high. How many of us who have been on this journey for a few years, emotions not withstanding, can say that we're still in that place?
Our verses today are found in Colossians 2:6-7, which says, "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him..." Just as. In other words, remember what you were like when you first recieved Christ? Be like that. Easier said than done? Probably. But here's a great thing about God: when He tells us to do something, He always gives us a little help.
How can we get back to wanting more and more of Him and living like we're excited that we know Him? Verse 7 very kindly gives us the answer: "[live] rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught..." Spend time in God's Word. Find a Bible Study (either a book or a group) and learn everything you can. Ask God to give you a hunger for Him and His Word. (Believe me when I tell you, of all the prayers I've prayed lately that have seemed to go unasnwered, that is definitely not one of them!!) Be like the Bereans Luke talks about in Acts 17:11. When you hear someone preach or teach from the Bible, go home and check out what he or she said for yourself. Dig a little deeper than you normally do. Check out the cross-references in your Bible when you read something. Ask God to show you something new, even in the old, familiar verses and stories. I truly believe that if you ask God for more of Him and for a better understanding of His Word, He will gladly comply.
Finally, add the last piece of verse 7: "[live] overflowing with thankfulness". I've found that there's no better way to fix a bad mood, or even a spiritual slump than to start thanking God for things. Try this: make a list every day of things you are thankful for, but use the date as a goal. For example, on the 7th of the month, list 7 things you're thankful for. It'll be an easy exercise at the beginning of the month, right?
We all go through highs and lows. We all have times when we feel so close to God and other times when we're not even sure we're saved. But if we make an effort to study the Bible, we will be "strengthened in the faith". (And by the way, on days when I'm feeling less than spiritual, I tell myself I'm studying it for "academic" purposes and it seems to eventually get me back in the right frame of mind.) We may not always have the same emotional high that comes from a new or renewed relationship with Christ, but with a little effort and by God's grace, we can still live our lives with the same hunger for Him. And if you need help getting started on today's list, thank God that He never asks us to do anything without also giving us what we need in order to obey.
Our verses today are found in Colossians 2:6-7, which says, "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him..." Just as. In other words, remember what you were like when you first recieved Christ? Be like that. Easier said than done? Probably. But here's a great thing about God: when He tells us to do something, He always gives us a little help.
How can we get back to wanting more and more of Him and living like we're excited that we know Him? Verse 7 very kindly gives us the answer: "[live] rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught..." Spend time in God's Word. Find a Bible Study (either a book or a group) and learn everything you can. Ask God to give you a hunger for Him and His Word. (Believe me when I tell you, of all the prayers I've prayed lately that have seemed to go unasnwered, that is definitely not one of them!!) Be like the Bereans Luke talks about in Acts 17:11. When you hear someone preach or teach from the Bible, go home and check out what he or she said for yourself. Dig a little deeper than you normally do. Check out the cross-references in your Bible when you read something. Ask God to show you something new, even in the old, familiar verses and stories. I truly believe that if you ask God for more of Him and for a better understanding of His Word, He will gladly comply.
Finally, add the last piece of verse 7: "[live] overflowing with thankfulness". I've found that there's no better way to fix a bad mood, or even a spiritual slump than to start thanking God for things. Try this: make a list every day of things you are thankful for, but use the date as a goal. For example, on the 7th of the month, list 7 things you're thankful for. It'll be an easy exercise at the beginning of the month, right?
We all go through highs and lows. We all have times when we feel so close to God and other times when we're not even sure we're saved. But if we make an effort to study the Bible, we will be "strengthened in the faith". (And by the way, on days when I'm feeling less than spiritual, I tell myself I'm studying it for "academic" purposes and it seems to eventually get me back in the right frame of mind.) We may not always have the same emotional high that comes from a new or renewed relationship with Christ, but with a little effort and by God's grace, we can still live our lives with the same hunger for Him. And if you need help getting started on today's list, thank God that He never asks us to do anything without also giving us what we need in order to obey.
Monday, March 24, 2008
On Waiting
Today’s verse is 2 Samuel 1:3, but let’s back up and get some context. 2 Samuel opens with David learning about the death of Saul and Jonathan. The Israelites were in a battle against the Philistines, and verse 9 tells us that Saul knew he was about to die. Rather than dying at the hands of the enemy, he asked one of his own to kill him. An Amalekite living among the Israelites came to David and told him that he was the man Saul asked to kill him. He said that he complied, took Saul’s crown and arm band and fled to where David was hiding out. After grieving briefly for Saul and Jonathan, David turned to the man and said, “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?” (v.14). He then had his men kill the Amalekite.
David’s response seems cruel, doesn’t it? The Amalekite said that he was doing what Saul had told him to do. However, if we look back at 1 Samuel chapter 31, we find that the Amalekite wasn’t the one who killed Saul. Saul had killed himself. I’m not sure why the Amallekite lied to David, but in the end, he died for it. And whether God would have saved Saul’s life or not is anyone’s guess, but Saul’s act of manipulating the situation and taking his own life took away the opportunity for God to do something miraculous.
Regardless of who killed Saul, I think the “point” for today remains this: Let God be God. Is there something you’ve been praying about for a long time without an affirmative answer? Don’t try to force God’s hand. He has a plan and specific timing, and when we try to manipulate people or circumstances to get our way, we take away the opportunity for God to surprise us with what he as in store for us. Yes, we may get what we want, but what will we have missed? How do we know that what we want is what is best? Perhaps God had something we would have liked even better in mind. So even though it’s hard, continue to pray and wait on the Lord.
[But here’s possibly even a better idea (and a bonus “point”). I have a couple of things I’ve been praying for for years, and I’m still waiting to see what will happen. A few days ago, I decided to stop praying about those specific things. God knows what I want. I don’t have to keep telling him over and over again. (Yes, Jesus told us in Luke 18:1-8 to pray persistently, but I think I’ve reached the point where I’m just whining about things instead of simply being persistent.) So now, instead of praying for myself all the time, whenever I start thinking about these issues, I stop and pray for someone else instead. If you find yourself being consumed by something you’ve been talking to God about, maybe it’s time to take the focus off yourself, spend your prayer energy on someone else, and bless their life instead.]
David’s response seems cruel, doesn’t it? The Amalekite said that he was doing what Saul had told him to do. However, if we look back at 1 Samuel chapter 31, we find that the Amalekite wasn’t the one who killed Saul. Saul had killed himself. I’m not sure why the Amallekite lied to David, but in the end, he died for it. And whether God would have saved Saul’s life or not is anyone’s guess, but Saul’s act of manipulating the situation and taking his own life took away the opportunity for God to do something miraculous.
Regardless of who killed Saul, I think the “point” for today remains this: Let God be God. Is there something you’ve been praying about for a long time without an affirmative answer? Don’t try to force God’s hand. He has a plan and specific timing, and when we try to manipulate people or circumstances to get our way, we take away the opportunity for God to surprise us with what he as in store for us. Yes, we may get what we want, but what will we have missed? How do we know that what we want is what is best? Perhaps God had something we would have liked even better in mind. So even though it’s hard, continue to pray and wait on the Lord.
[But here’s possibly even a better idea (and a bonus “point”). I have a couple of things I’ve been praying for for years, and I’m still waiting to see what will happen. A few days ago, I decided to stop praying about those specific things. God knows what I want. I don’t have to keep telling him over and over again. (Yes, Jesus told us in Luke 18:1-8 to pray persistently, but I think I’ve reached the point where I’m just whining about things instead of simply being persistent.) So now, instead of praying for myself all the time, whenever I start thinking about these issues, I stop and pray for someone else instead. If you find yourself being consumed by something you’ve been talking to God about, maybe it’s time to take the focus off yourself, spend your prayer energy on someone else, and bless their life instead.]
Sunday, March 23, 2008
On Turning the Everyday into Eternity
So I'm cheating a little bit today - I'm not "flipping & pointing". It's Easter, so let's do something that fits: Today's verse is Luke 22:20, which talks about "the cup" at the Last Supper. I've learned quite a bit about this part of the Last Supper story this week (with thanks to Beth Moore and my NIV Study Bible), so let me share my new-found knowledge with you.
During the Seder, four cups of wine are drunk, representing the four "I wills" of Exodus 6:6-7:
1) I will bring you out (the Cup of Sanctification), 2) I will free you from slavery (the Cup of Deliverance), 3) I will redeem you (the Cup of Redemption), and 4) I will take you as My own (the Cup of the In-Gathering).*
The first two cups are drunk before the main meal while the second two are drunk after the main meal. As Jesus ate the Passover meal with His disciples, Luke 22:20 says, "after the supper, He took the cup". Which cup did He take? It was third cup - the Cup of Redemption. It was this cup that Jesus, our Redeemer, turned into the cup of the New Covenant in His blood. (This, by the way, will count as today's "flip".)
The "point"? Everything that Jesus did He did with a specific purpose - to bring people to the Father. Nothing in His life was an accident or a coincidence. Jesus used the Passover meal, which had been celebrated for centuries and was familiar to the disciples, to forever change the meanings of the "I wills". Through Jesus' blood, God has brought us out of our sin, freed us from our slavery to it, redeemed us to Himself, and has taken us as His own.
Is there something familiar in your life that God will use to bring someone to Himself (or even to bring you closer to Him)? Maybe it's a talent you've just always had. Maybe it's something you learned as a child. Maybe it's an activity you do every day. Or maybe it's a bad experience in your past that God will "flip" into something good. Whatever it is, be on the lookout. Our God is a God of purpose, and His purpose is that no one should die without belonging to Him (2 Peter 3:9). You just never know when God will choose you to forever change the course of someone's eternity.
* Taken from Jesus the One and Only copyright 2000, Lifeway Press.
During the Seder, four cups of wine are drunk, representing the four "I wills" of Exodus 6:6-7:
1) I will bring you out (the Cup of Sanctification), 2) I will free you from slavery (the Cup of Deliverance), 3) I will redeem you (the Cup of Redemption), and 4) I will take you as My own (the Cup of the In-Gathering).*
The first two cups are drunk before the main meal while the second two are drunk after the main meal. As Jesus ate the Passover meal with His disciples, Luke 22:20 says, "after the supper, He took the cup". Which cup did He take? It was third cup - the Cup of Redemption. It was this cup that Jesus, our Redeemer, turned into the cup of the New Covenant in His blood. (This, by the way, will count as today's "flip".)
The "point"? Everything that Jesus did He did with a specific purpose - to bring people to the Father. Nothing in His life was an accident or a coincidence. Jesus used the Passover meal, which had been celebrated for centuries and was familiar to the disciples, to forever change the meanings of the "I wills". Through Jesus' blood, God has brought us out of our sin, freed us from our slavery to it, redeemed us to Himself, and has taken us as His own.
Is there something familiar in your life that God will use to bring someone to Himself (or even to bring you closer to Him)? Maybe it's a talent you've just always had. Maybe it's something you learned as a child. Maybe it's an activity you do every day. Or maybe it's a bad experience in your past that God will "flip" into something good. Whatever it is, be on the lookout. Our God is a God of purpose, and His purpose is that no one should die without belonging to Him (2 Peter 3:9). You just never know when God will choose you to forever change the course of someone's eternity.
* Taken from Jesus the One and Only copyright 2000, Lifeway Press.
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