God is Good

God is good.  Praise God.  Thank you Lord.  Those phrases have been a constant refrain over the last few days.  One of my sons, Jeremy, was involved in a very bad accident when he had a near head on collision with a semi.  The weather was bad that morning and there were many accidents.  I had no idea that my son would be among those involved in the accidents that morning.  A few days after the accident, we were buying some medical equipment and furniture for the house in preparation for Jeremy returning home from the hospital.  In our conversation with an employee, we talked about why we were buying the furniture.  After describing the accident and where it happened, she said that she and her kids had heard about his accident on the radio.  It was really bad.  The semi had to be towed away and Jeremy's pickup was smashed.  He was a little disappointed that his truck is totaled, but is more thankful that he himself is not totaled.  It will be a long recovery, but he is alive and still with us.  Jeremy said that he is so fortunate because it could have been so much worse than it was.  I told him that I do not know the name of his angel, but God had to have sent an angel to protect him during the crash.

God is good.  Yes he is.  But is he good because Jeremy survived?  Yes, most definitely.  But what if Jeremy had not survived the crash?   This thought hit me like a mac truck after the experience of seeing  Jeremy's smashed and twisted truck in the impound yard.  Even if Jeremy had not survived the crash, God is still good.  I had to ask myself would I still bless the name of the Lord as Job did?  Would I still say that God is good?  I am thankful that I do not have to answer that question from personal experience.  Regardless of how circumstances look on the surface, God is good.  He is on the throne, he allows things to happen, he makes things happen, and somehow in his infinite wisdom that is beyond our eyesight, he works things out for good.  Why? Because he is good. 

I am reminded of the 107th Psalm that says, "Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good.  His loyal love is everlasting.  Let the redeemed of Yahweh say so."  Some days it is easy to declare that he is good.  Other days it is harder and is more of a matter of faith.  However, regardless of how I feel about it, or how I understand it, God is good. 

The Teacher Fish

I recently read an article about the discovery of 3 new types of sea creatures that live in the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.  Evidently, they are previously unknown species of snailfish.  What is so unique about they are designed to live in a part of the ocean that few other creatures could survive in.  The article stated that they live in a trench in the bottom of the Ocean that is seven miles deep!  A submarine is able to only go about 2,000 feet deep.  They have very few predators because most other sea creatures are not capable of going that deep into the ocean.  The extreme pressure of the deep sea provides the environment for these unusual creatures to thrive in.  If they were to come to the surface, they would literally fall apart and melt.

Psalm 19 and Romans 1 tells us that the creation reveals to us something of the nature of God.  So what do these previously unknown creatures who live in the dark in an environment made for them tell us about God?  Maybe it is a reminder that each of us has our place and purpose in God's created order.  These unusual creatures have their unique place in the bottom of the ocean for whatever purpose they were created.  Maybe it is a reminder that we must live in the environment that God has created for us.  These creatures must remain in their environment, or they may be attacked by predators and fall apart from the lack of support of the deep sea pressure. If we do not remain in Christ, we will ultimately perish.  He provides protection, support, and life for us.  Maybe it is simply to remind us that God is infinite in his wisdom.  We never arrive.  There is always something more to discover and something more to learn.  Humility leaves us open to learning and enjoying new things. 

Children of God

Someone once said that the most difficult teachings we sometimes relegate to kids stories.  This includes the stories of David and Goliath, Jonah, and the birth of Christ.  When you start to dig deeper into these stories, you find messages that are difficult to put into practice.  The theory is that relegating these to children's stories helps adults to avoid a heavy message.  I wonder if this is not also true with music? 

I think of Jesus Love Me as a children's song, but the message of the song is pertinent to all people.  Some people have trouble with believing that Jesus truly loves them.  I sometimes see adults sing this song less enthusiastically than other songs.  I have found myself looking around the room for children to sing this song toward them rather than toward other adults.  Is this only a kids song with a kid's message?  Then there is a line in the song, "I will henceforth live for thee," which in some song books has been toned down to "I will try to live for thee."  Is this children's song too demanding that some adult somewhere had to tone it down?  I sure would rather say to my wife, "I will love you all my days" rather than "I will try to love you all my days."  If I wouldn't say the latter to my wife, why would I say it to God?

I am also thinking of the song, Trust and Obey.  I remember singing this on the Joy Bus as a child, and in Sunday School.  I typically think of it as a children's song.  It is so simple with very simple and easy to sing music.  But why is this a children's song?  Perhaps it was an attempt to reinforce obedience in children?  But does the need to reinforce faithful obedience stop when a child becomes an adult?  Do adults not struggle with faith and obedience as well?  Do we not need to keep singing songs such as this as a simple reminder?  Why would we think this message too simple if we continue to struggle with faith and obedience?

Then there is Jesus Loves the Little Children.  This was a very popular song in children's church, on the bus, and Sunday School.  The simple reminder in this song is that Jesus loves everyone, regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, age, or social status.  He "loves the little children of the world."  Is that not a message adults need to be continually reminded of?  How often to we adults need to relearn this message aimed at children? 

Maybe there's truth in the statement that some of the most difficult teachings of the Bible are relegated to children's messages.  That way, we feel as though we have moved past it and no longer have to deal with it.  But I wonder if it is more pride than anything else.  There are times when we need to be reminded of the simple basics.  The Bible calls us beloved "children" of God.  Therefore, his message is always pertinent to us.  We are never too old, big, or mature for his message. 

The God of Glory Thunders

As I sit here and observe the heavy rain and the high winds, my heart began to race a little.  I sat inside the safety of this building, but if this were a tornado, not even this building may be safe.  I sat and listened in case the sirens went off, warning of an impending tornado.  I learned the following day that this storm had done it's share of damage to buildings, signs, and even knocked out the power in certain areas.

My mind went back to other Nebraska storms I had seen.  A couple of years ago, I saw a tornado dipping down from the sky to the land.  Fortunately, it was at least three or for miles away and was not headed in my direction.  At another time, I remember a tornado warning in my area.  I was at a friends house who lived right on the river.  I was not too worried because tornadoes do not typically hit the river.  But then a flash flood warning came over the radio.  I decided the odds were better facing a possible tornado than a flash flood, so I headed home.  I can remember the two feet of water rushing down the street in the middle of town.  Fortunately, our home was on higher ground and I made it safely.  The following day, I went out to see the aftermath.  That water had actually torn up the asphalt all over the lower parts of town. 

I remember the aftermath of tornadoes in the city when I was growing up.  I was in elementary school back then, but those scenes of houses lifted right off their foundations are still vivid in my mind.

Storms can make person feel small and insignificant.  I still remember storms that came of the gulf when I was stationed there.  The amount of rain and the high winds made me feel like I was irrelevant to everything happening around me.  Fortunately, none of those storms during my time there developed into hurricanes.  I have seen photos of the devastation that a storm that starts at sea can make when it hits land.

I am reminded of the 29th Psalm: 

Ascribe to the LORD, O sons of the mighty,

Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His name;

Worship the LORD in holy array.

The voice of the LORD is upon the waters;

The God of glory thunders,

The LORD is over many waters.

The voice of the LORD is powerful,

The voice of the LORD is majestic.

The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;

Yes, the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,

And Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the LORD hews out flames of fire.

The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;

The LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the LORD makes the deer to calve

And strips the forests bare;

And in His temple everything says, “Glory!”

The LORD sat as King at the flood;

Yes, the LORD sits as King forever.

The LORD will give strength to His people;

The LORD will bless His people with peace.

This passage poetically reminds us that Yahweh is the all powerful Lord of the storm.  The army of the Lord is the wind, rain, flood, and lightning.  He shakes the ground when he thunders.

Here is what I find encouraging.  He does not reach down to destroy us, but to give life.  His voice causes his creation to skip and dance with life.  His voice causes his creation to give birth.  His voice gives his people strength and peace. 

Oh what a curious mix of trembling, fear, hope, and joy!  Truly he, and he alone, is the one that brings down to the grave and makes alive.  In the midst of the storm, I am reminded that God sits as king above it all.  He displays his power, which is not against me, but for me.  As my heart beats faster when I hear the wind howling and the hail beating against the roof, I am reminded that I am always safe in the arms of Jesus.  When might bring fear actually brings a sense of peace and calm.

I am reminded of Jesus, who was fast asleep in the middle of the storm.  His disciples were with him and had not yet grasped the full significance of who they were with.  Jesus, who tramples down the waves of the sea, who commands the wind with a single word, who is Lord of the storm, is our master and Lord.

The storm comes in many forms does it not?  Cancer may come and attempt to blow away my courage.  Sicknesses of various kinds may come threaten to topple my confidence.  Missed expectations in my walk with God may send the whirlwind against the walls of my faith.  Suffering may throw hailstones on the roof of my bravery. 

But then God reminds me that I am in the boat with Jesus, and there is nothing to fear.  The boat may seem like a scary place to be, but Jesus is not worried at all because he is Lord of the storm.  Jesus will lead me safely to the other side.  Even if the storm topples my tent, the tent was temporary anyway.  I am looking for a permanent home with the Lord that will never be destroyed.  Jesus will lead me safely to his eternal home where there will be no more sorrow, death, sickness, or pain. 

I am now reminded that our Lord will not lead us safely around the storm, but will lead us safely through the storm.

Here are some passages that are a good reminder of the various ways our Lord thunders from the Heavens.

Nehemiah 1:2-8

A jealous and avenging God is the LORD;

The LORD is avenging and wrathful.

The LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries,

And He reserves wrath for His enemies.

The LORD is slow to anger and great in power,

And the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.

In whirlwind and storm is His way,

And clouds are the dust beneath His feet.

He rebukes the sea and makes it dry;

He dries up all the rivers.

Bashan and Carmel wither;

The blossoms of Lebanon wither.

Mountains quake because of Him

And the hills dissolve;

Indeed the earth is upheaved by His presence,

The world and all the inhabitants in it.

Who can stand before His indignation?

Who can endure the burning of His anger?

His wrath is poured out like fire

And the rocks are broken up by Him.

The LORD is good,

A stronghold in the day of trouble,

And He knows those who take refuge in Him.

But with an overflowing flood

He will make a complete end of its site,

And will pursue His enemies into darkness.

Job 37:2-13

Listen closely to the thunder of His voice,

And the rumbling that goes out from His mouth.

Under the whole heaven He lets it loose,

And His lightning to the ends of the earth.

After it, a voice roars;

He thunders with His majestic voice,

And He does not restrain the lightnings when His voice is heard.

God thunders with His voice wondrously,

Doing great things which we cannot comprehend.

For to the snow He says, ‘Fall on the earth,’

And to the downpour and the rain, ‘Be strong.’

He seals the hand of every man,

That all men may know His work.

Then the beast goes into its lair

And remains in its den.

Out of the south comes the storm,

And out of the north the cold.

From the breath of God ice is made,

And the expanse of the waters is frozen.

Also with moisture He loads the thick cloud;

He disperses the cloud of His lightning.

It changes direction, turning around by His guidance,

That it may do whatever He commands it

On the face of the inhabited earth.

Whether for correction, or for His world,

Or for lovingkindness, He causes it to happen.

Psalm 107:23-32

Those who go down to the sea in ships,

Who do business on great waters;

They have seen the works of the LORD,

And His wonders in the deep.

For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind,

Which lifted up the waves of the sea.

They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths;

Their soul melted away in their misery.

They reeled and staggered like a drunken man,

And were at their wits’ end.

Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,

And He brought them out of their distresses.

He caused the storm to be still,

So that the waves of the sea were hushed.

Then they were glad because they were quiet,

So He guided them to their desired haven.

Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness,

And for His wonders to the sons of men!

Let them extol Him also in the congregation of the people,

And praise Him at the seat of the elders.

Following the Example of Christ

He couldn't believe what he saw. He drove around the block to see if he saw what he thought he did. Sure enough, there was a lady on a wheelchair trying to shovel her driveway with a snow shovel. He noticed many drivers going by straining their necks to see this unusual sight. "Hmmmm," he thought to himself, "I wonder if I should stop and help." There were still a bunch of errands he needed to get done before it got dark. Then he remembered, "I am a Christian. My Lord washed his disciples feet, and one of them had become his enemy." With that, he stopped the car and got out. She looked startled at first as he walked toward her. Then she smiled. "Would it be okay if I were to help?" He asked. With a smile on her face, she handed him the snow shovel. Then she said, "I am trying to clear it off so I can get in and out on my chair." The city snow plows had gone by and created a hard mound of snow at the end of her drive way. He introduced himself and then went to work on the driveway. The snow was hard and icy at the end of the driveway. There would have been no way she would have gotten it off in her wheel chair. After he finished, he looked up and saw she was still smiling. He handed the shovel back to her. The look on her face was one of deep appreciation. "Will that do it?" He asked. "Yes, and then some," she replied. "God bless, and have a happy New Year," he said. He could see the look of relief on her face that the job was done. He knew another snow would be coming, so he made a mental note to go by again and see if she might need help.

Jesus stated emphatically that he did not come to be served, but to serve (Mt 20:28). He demonstrated this toward the end of his ministry.  At the last supper, even though he was the head of the table, he got up, took off his outer clothing, wrapped a towel around his waist, and went to work washing his disciples feet Jn 13:1f).  This demonstration of servanthood must have shocked his disciples.  After all, he was their teacher and Lord.  It has been pointed out that this was the job for the low man on the household servant roster.  It would have been like that job no one wants that always goes to the new guy.  When I picture Jesus volunteering to do that task that goes to the low man on the totem pole, I begin to get a sense of why Peter reacted in the way that he did. 

The text says that Jesus "loved them to the end," and therefore began to wash his disciples feet.  Love trumps pride.  Love gives generously.  Love serves above and beyond.  Love is the example that Jesus demonstrated for us.  He asked, "Do you understand what I have done for you?  You call me teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for this is what I am.  Now that I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feed, you also should wash one another's feet.  I have set an example for you to do as I have done for you.  Truly I tell you that no servant is greater than his master…"

I need to remember that I am not greater than him that I should find any kind of service beneath me.  Love for God and love for neighbor should motivate me to serve.  I am reminded of those historical accounts where outsiders found it strange among the Christians that masters were serving their slaves.  But this is nothing unusual in the Kingdom of God.  The Kingdom turns the world's values on its head.  The nobody becomes somebody, and the somebody becomes nobody in the kingdom.  The ground at the foot of the cross is level.  God exalts the humble and humbles the exalted.  Jesus said that a mark of discipleship is to love as he loved (Jn 13:35).  Jesus demonstrated part of what love looks like in the upper room. 

Years ago, I heard a story about a woman who had just about lost hope, and stumbled onto a church and walked in asking, "Is this the church that helps people?" The brethren all came together to help this single mother, from repair of her car, to helping her get a new home for her family and finding a job. She was overwhelmed at the benevolent goodwill of these brethren. She experienced the love of God through these brethren. She became a Christian and promptly began a lifestyle of also helping other people even through her humble means. She felt it a great blessing to have the ability to help other people.  This is not extraordinary, but is rather ordinary in the Kingdom of God. 

Bible Reading Reflection (Deuteronomy 1): Age of Accountability

In my reading, I was reminded of a question that comes up regularly.  At what age should my son or daughter consider being baptized?  When I was younger, I remember discussions about reaching what people called the "age of accountability," which is a point in a person's life where they become mature enough to be held accountable as an adult.  Of course, the problem was that no one seemed to know what that age of accountability was.  Some placed it as young as 10, others placed it closer to age 16.  I always felt a little uneasy about baptizing a ten year old for the simple fact that in no other area of life would we even dream of holding a person that young accountable as an adult.  We would not support marriage at such a young age nor would we hold someone legally accountable as an adult at that age.  If being baptized is analogous to becoming married to Christ, then it is a very adult decision.

When God redeemed Israel from bondage in Egypt, he led them to freedom toward a new home.  However, they were rebellious and stubborn and initially refused to enter the land, opting to elect a new leader and return to Egypt.  As a result, God told them this:

 “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. So tell them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very thing I heard you say: In this wilderness your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. But as for you, your bodies will fall in this wilderness. Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die" ( Numb 14:27-35).

The children under 20 years old would suffer for the sins of their fathers by being stuck living in the wilderness for forty years.  However, God does not hold those under twenty years responsible in the same way he does those who are twenty and older.  Those under twenty would enter the land after their parents had all died in the wilderness.

In Deuteronomy, those who were under twenty are now adults and their parents have all died in the wilderness. Moses is preparing them to enter the land God granted to them.  Moses recounted their history, and how their parents had rebelled against God, refusing to enter the land, making plans to return to Egypt.  Then Moses reminded them of what God had said:

"When the Lord heard what you said, he was angry and solemnly swore: 'No one from this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your ancestors, except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed the Lord wholeheartedly.'

Because of you the Lord became angry with me also and said, 'You shall not enter it, either. But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it. And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad—they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it" (Dt 1:34-39).

This text jumped out at me: " And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad—they will enter the land…"  This group included everyone under twenty years old.  God did not hold those who were under twenty responsible as an adult. 

This reminds me of some of the scientific literature I have seen on human growth and development.  Apparently, the brain is the last part of the human body to physically mature.  Even though the rest of the body looks like an adult body, the brain is still developing until about age twenty.  This is why a seventeen or eighteen year old might respond to a situation more on emotion and impulse rather than sound judgment.  Perhaps this is why God does not hold them responsible as adults.  They were not yet fully mature.

As I think about the implications this has for the conversion of children, I wonder about the wisdom in pushing teenagers to be baptized.  If it is an adult decision, and if it is the most important decision one will make in life more than even marriage, then pushing a teen toward it may not be the best course of action.  Expecting a life-long adult commitment, with adult understanding that requires an adult level of emotional maturity may be setting a teen up for failure and discouragement, not because he or she is not committed, but because he or she may not yet be emotionally capable of such a decision.  This means that if a child wants to be baptized, a parent may hold them off for the same reason they would hold them off from getting married.  One would not disfellowship a child for the same reason one would not try a juvenile in an adult court.  The child is the responsibility of the parent until he or she begins to transition into adulthood.  Childhood is a time of preparation, training, instruction, and encouragement.

As a practice, I do not discourage children who want to make that commitment.  They love God and want to please him, which pleases God.  They want to follow Jesus, which I encourage.  However, it is a marriage, and I explain it in terms of marriage.  It is a very adult decision.  I have often thought about whether starting a tradition of a formal period of betrothal up till the day of baptism would be a good thing.  This would involve instruction and guided growth in service and ministry.  Something to act as a symbol of that betrothal might help to strengthen a child's faith and commitment.  This might help with the child's desire to express his commitment to Christ even though he or she may not be emotionally or spiritually ready for baptism. 

In the end, I suppose the encouragement for parents in this regard is to not get bent out of shape if a child is not yet beating down the doors to the baptistery yet.  The more important thing is not so much whether they have been baptized, but whether parents are instructing them regularly, whether parents are including them in service and ministry in the name of Christ, and whether parents are modeling love for God and for the neighbor.  I have known kids who were pushed toward baptism by parents, but they were never really committed.  Baptism is not some magic ritual that equates to commitment. 

I think of my own experience with my own children.  I included them in ministry, service, and discussions about God, scripture, and service.   I had not yet considered the age twenty marker that God identified in the text from my reading.  My younger two children were older teens when they made the decision to be baptized.  However, they had reached a level of emotional maturity that they understood the level of commitment this would take.  They were what some people called, "an old soul."  They have been involved and committed and are still faithful Christians today. 

Loving God's Law

The Psalmist often declares his love for God's law.  One might wonder how one could love any kind of law to the point of writing poetry and music about it.  With the exception of School House Rock, I have never heard any songs on the radio or television extolling the beauty, desirability, and delightfulness for law.  Poring through volumes of dusty law books is not typically part of a person's top ten favorite things to do.  Many hire lawyers and other professionals to do this for them.   

What about God's law?  Many have similar feelings toward God's law, which may stem from the word, "law."  Granted, it is God's law and not man's law, but many still do not find delight or beauty in it.  On the other hand, the New Testament assessment is that the law is good.
^"So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good" (Rom 7:12)

"…I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good" (Rom 7:16).

"But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully" (1 Tim 1:8).

When we hear the word, "law," our prior experience and culture colors how we understand that word.  We most likely think of courts, lawyers, policemen, and public statutes that permit or prohibit.  We think of dos and don'ts.  While the law of God does have this aspect, it fails to capture the true essence of God's law.  The Hebrew word for law is Torah.  It usually does not mean "law" in the same way our English word means law.  It often has the more general meaning, "instruction."  The Hebrew word, torah has several other forms that demonstrate this.  The verb form, yarah, is often translated, "to teach, instruct, direct."  A related noun form, moreh,  means, "teacher."  

Torah is not just a list of dos and don'ts, it is instruction about God and life.  This becomes even more apparent when you consider what the Torah consists of.  Genesis through Deuteronomy is what is classified as Torah, or books of law.  With this designation, you might expect something that looks a little like our constitution or local statutes.  However, it reads more like a history book that lends itself to life lessons and instructions.  God "instructs" through history, through teaching about himself and ourselves, and through statutes.  It is truly God's instruction.  Even the rules within the Torah are not empty rules for the sake of rules.  All of it was designed to instruct.  In fact, throughout the Bible, Torah is often used interchangeably with God's "word, instruction, meditations, statutes, commandments, judgments, etc."  Our English concept of "law" is too limited and confining to capture the beauty and goodness of the Lord's Torah.

Many remember how a bill becomes a law from that old catchy School House Rock tune, "I'm just a Bill…"  The Psalmist also wrote songs extolling the beauty, goodness, wisdom, sweetness, and life giving nature of God's Torah. 

The Psalmist's song celebrates the fact that through Torah, God's people could grow in wisdom:  "Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, For they are ever mine" (Ps 119:98). 

His law could guide his people successfully through the challenges of life:  "Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path" (Ps 119:105).  "Those who love Your law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble" (Ps 119:165).

His commandment helped his people gain greater insight;  "The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes (Ps 19:8).

The Torah of God restores the soul:  "The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul" (Ps 19:7).   "Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness; Revive me, O Lord, according to Your ordinances (Ps 119:149).

God's instruction was given to learn, meditate on, and form the heart and character of his people. In fact, the New Testament says that the law has become our "tutor" or "schoolmaster" to lead us to Christ (Gal 3:24).

The ultimate Torah of God is Jesus who is literally the personification of the word of God.  The Bible says that the Word became flesh and lived among us (Jn 1:14).  He "explained" or "interpreted" God (Jn 1:18).   Jesus expounded on God and on God's instruction throughout his ministry as he did in the Sermon on the Mount.  He also demonstrated God's Torah in the way his lived his life.  Therefore, as Christians, our meditation on God's instruction centers on Jesus Christ, the personification of Torah.  No instruction is clearer than the person of Jesus Christ himself.  He is our wisdom, our guide, our Lord, our life.  He is our meditation and our delight. He is sweeter than the honey of the honeycomb.  He restores our soul when we are weary.  He is the bread of life.  He is the living water.

What a great blessing that God has now given us his Torah in the flesh, Jesus Christ himself, who not only instructs us, but has become our redemption, reconciliation, and reformation.  

Thank you Lord for the way you have provided instruction for us.  May we learn to long for, savor, and delight in the sweetness of your word, which is our life.  Thank you Lord for your patience. 

Rebellion is as the Sin of Divination (Reflecton on Num 12-17)

One of the recurring themes in the book of Numbers is outright rebellion.  It could no longer be characterized as doubt or fear as in the book of Exodus because the people of Israel have seen God's deliverance and faithfulness to them demonstrated time after time.  Rebellion against Moses and Aaron amounted to rebellion against God.  They were God's chosen leaders.  Several times, God was ready to wipe out the people.  God had already warned them of the danger they, a stiff-necked and rebellious people, were in by being in close proximity to God.  Moses intervened each time.  One time he had Aaron make atonement for the people so that they would not be wiped out by a plague of God's wrath.

No wonder there were so many reminders placed before the people.  The gold censors of those Levites who rebelled against Moses and the Priests were hammered into gold plating for the altar out front was a reminder.  The tassels God told them to attach to the edges of their garments as a reminder to obey the Lord's commands was another reminder.  Aaron's staff that had budded was a reminder of God's choice for priestly leadership.  And the list goes on and on.

The sad thing is that the children were going to suffer for the sins of the fathers.  Because of their pattern of rebellion, all of the adults were condemned to live the rest of their lives in the wilderness.  The rest of their life would always be a struggle, and their children were going to struggle too.

What is the lesson for me as a Christian in all of this?  This is a reminder of the enormous significance of honor.  The Bible tells me as a Christian to honor kings, governors, and anyone who is in authority over me.  All authority comes from God, and to dishonor those in authority is to dishonor God.  I know that if it came down to choosing to obey God or obeying men who give instructions contrary to God's ethics and instructions, that I choose to obey God rather than men.  But with that aside, I need to remember to give honor to whom honor is due and to pray for those in authority.

If this is how it is with authorities in the world, how much more so is it when it comes to authority in the Kingdom of God?  Whether it is fathers in the home or elders in the church, I need to remember to give honor where honor is due.  Elders are to be given double honor.  To dishonor them is to dishonor God.

When I read these texts in the book of Numbers, this message reaches out and grabs me.  Speaking out against God's appointed leaders, disrespecting them, defaming them, ridiculing them, or doing anything like this is done not only against them, but against God.  It is no small or trifling matter.  This is a hard lesson to swallow, especially in a culture that sees these sorts of things almost as a civic virtue.  This is not the way things should be in God's church.  The Kingdom of God is not the kingdom of this world.

I am reminded of what Samuel told King Saul after he disregarded the instruction given to him, "Rebellion is as the sin of divination."  It is not a small trifling matter.

Lord, help me to set aside pride and learn humility.  Help me to trust in your presence enough to honor those in authority.  Help me to learn to disagree with meekness and modesty.  Help me to balance respect with responsibility.  Remind me of the necessity to find ways to encourage the leaders in my life.  Help me to see prayer for them as part of my duty.  Thank you Lord for your patience. 

Reflection on Our Shepherd

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.  We hear those words from the 23rd Psalm typically at funerals.  What many of us may not realize is that this is not a funeral Psalm.  It is not about the Lord being our shepherd after we die, but when we are in danger.  The comfort of the Psalmist comes from the nearness of God.  Left to himself, he would be pursued by his enemies who would overtake him.  Instead, the Psalmist declares that it is goodness and mercy that follows him all the days of his life, not his enemies.  The shepherd watches over his sheep, he protects them, examines them, binds up wounds, leads them to clean water and good pastures where there is plenty of food.  If a sheep wanders away from the fold, he is in trouble even if there are no predators.  What happens when there is no shepherd to shear his wool?  I read about a lot sheep that would have died if he had not been found.  His wool was so thick, he got an infection from it, especially in the areas where he had to try and relieve himself.  Jesus said in John 10 that he is the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.  He has come to give us abundant life.  In Matthew 18, he points out how the shepherd will leave the 99 sheep and go out in search of one lost sheep, and when he finds it, he rejoices and brings the lost sheep back home.  I can imagine the lost sheep pictured in the photo was so glad to have been found, and especially when all of that matted wool was sheared off so he could be healthy again.  If this sheep had remained lost, he would have died.  Thank God that Jesus the good shepherd came after us and began the process of making our hearts healthy and whole again.  He laid down his life for us, and rose from the grave, and because of this, he has the power to save us when we are lost. 

Bible Reading Reflection (Lev 10) - Strange Fire

I am very familiar with the story of Nadab and Abihu.  In discussions on treating God as holy through obedience to his specific commands and instructions on how to approach him, this is often cited as an example.  Reading the text again, I am trying to picture the scene.  Fire came from God and consumed the offering made to him and everyone fell flat on their faces with a shout! What a sight that must have been!  Nadab and Abihu seem to be the only ones who were not on their faces.  Instead, they offered strange fire before the Lord which God did not command.  I don't know if it also included strange incense, but what ever they did, it was in clear disregard for the very specific instructions God had given them.  Once again, fire comes out from God and consumes them!  Aaron and his remaining sons were then instructed by God not to tear their robes or mourn them.  The rest of the people would mourn, but Aaron and his sons were not to mourn, at least not visibly.  As leaders in the sanctuary, they apparently needed to demonstrate to the people that God's response was appropriate.  They needed to keep their composure and show how important it is to approach the holy God in the way that he had instructed.  They needed to provide an example in discerning between the holy and unholy, the clean and the unclean, when it comes to approaching the Lord with and offering. 

Here is what is curious.  The latter half of the chapter has an account of how Aaron's remaining sons did not treat the goat of the sin offering properly according to God's instructions.  The entire offering had been burned up!  They were supposed to have eaten part of it as God had instructed.  Moses was understandably angry at Aaron's remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, especially in light of what had just happened with Nadab and Abihu.  Aaron's response was that they did this in light of what had just happened to Nadab and Abihu.  It seemed inappropriate to feast when that sin had been committed.  Aaron asked, "Would it have been good in the sight of the Lord?"  It did not seem to them that this would have been pleasing to God.  This answer seemed to satisfy Moses.

The curious thing is why was this deviation seemed to be accepted.  Why did God strike down Nadab and Abihu, but not Eleazar and Ithamar?  Maybe it had something to do with what God desired and had communicated.  "By those who come before me, I will be treated as holy, and before all the people I will be honored."  Eleazar and Ithamar surely understood the gravity of the situation.  Their refraining from feasting does not seem to stem from treating God flippantly.  They attempted to honor God, but it must have seem less than honorable in light of the sin of Nadab and Abihu and God's response to be feasting on that day.  They apparently chose to fast instead.  This was something they had apparently put a lot of though into.  Perhaps they agonized over it.  Their desire was to honor God and please him.  Maybe this is why God responded to Eleazar and Ithamar differently than he did to Nadab and Abihu. 

If I am correct in understanding this correctly, it says something about God.  He has never been interested in obedience that amounts to empty compliance.  It is not about conformity to arbitrary rules.  It is about what is going on inside of me.  As a husband would hardly delight in his wife's heartless and outward acquiescence to his desires, how much less would God delight in me if I do something similar?  The greatest command according to Jesus is to love God.  This is to be the root of my relationship with God.  All that I think, say, and do needs to grow out of this one command.  God only delights in my fruit when all of my devotion grows out of this command.  This is why God is deaf to meaningless repetition and ritual or any other heartless words directed towards God.  In fact, words and service without love has the same effect as a clanging gong or cymbal, which indicates that God may find it repugnant and irritating rather than pleasing and beautiful.  Motivation is just as important, if not more important than the activity itself.  Wrong motivation can cancel out a right action.  

Lord, help me to grow in love for you above all else.  Help me to understand your presence.  Help me to understand what it means to love and honor you.  Water the root so that my love for you can grow and bear all kinds of fruit that is delightful to you.  I want every branch of my life be connected to love for you.  I cannot do this on my own.  I am often selfish and clueless.  Fill me with your Spirit.  Thank you Lord for your patience and mercy.

Bible Reading Reflection (Lev 1-8)

The New Testament states that the things written before are for our learning.  The law is a school master to lead us to Christ.  Even though we are not under the law that was given specifically to Israel, and not to the church, there are still vivid lessons to learn.  I need to slow down and read more carefully.  I need to ask, "What does this teach me about God, myself, and my relationship with God?"

I am struck by the fact that when there is sin among the people it is not just the priests that act on their behalf for atonement.  The elders are instructed to bring a bull for a sin offering.  Instead of pointing a finger and saying "they" sinned, the elders represent the people in making atonement for sin in the camp.  The offering required is larger than the offering required for any individual that sins. 

Unlike the sin offering for an individual, the blood is required to be brought into the sanctuary by the priest, sprinkled before the veil seven times, and put some of the blood on the horns of the incense altar in the sanctuary.  The rest of the blood is to be poured at the base of the altar in front of the sanctuary, then burn the fat, kidneys, long lobe of the liver, and burn the rest of the carcass outside of the camp.

God doesn't give the specific rationale for all these details, but the vivid visual of all of this happening brings several things to mind.

First, there is the sheer gravity of sin.  Life blood offered before the Lord shows that sin is a matter of life and death.  Sin, which is disobedience to God, forfeits what God offers in fellowship to him, which includes life.  There are sin offerings, guilt offerings, the morning and evening offerings, and more.  I wonder how much blood there might have been over time before the veil in the sanctuary and on the horns of the incense altar, and on the altar in front of the sanctuary.  These blood stains would have been constant reminders of sin, and the danger that sin poses to life and fellowship with God.

Second, there is the condition of the heart.  God instructed that these offerings were for those who sinned "unintentionally."  This was not intended as a means by which one could buy his way into sinning willfully.  Perhaps this is why the offerings were to be from the flock or the fields, and not something they picked up from the wild that cost them nothing.  There is so much emphasis on "purity" in these passages, which are supposed to teach a lesson about remaining pure.  True purity is not mere ceremonial purity, but purity of the heart.  My desire should be to have a pure heart, as the Psalm says, "Create in me a pure heart O God."  Jesus said that the pure in heart will see God.  This reminds me that outward obedience to a ritual in itself does not magically remove sin.  Obedience must be obedience from the heart, rather than going through the motions as if the actions have some magical power in themselves.  God is not like this.  He is the living God and desires a change in heart.  Whether it is baptism, repentance, prayers of confession, I need to realize that it is much more than an outward ritual, but an inward submission of the will and heart to God.

Third, there is solidarity.  It seems that the attitude of the elders was to be to act on behalf of the people rather than to point a finger at them and separate themselves from them.  As shepherds, they took responsibility for the people as a whole.  It would be similar to elders in the church having a special prayer service where they confess to God that there is sin in the body and ask for forgiveness.  They prayer is not for them, but for "us" together as a people.  As a people, "we" have sinned.  It seems to me that there has to be an attitude of humility and solidarity in order to do this.  Pride and arrogance would cause me to think in terms of "them" rather than "us."  God redeemed a people, not just a bunch of separate individuals.  I tend to think more in terms of individual responsibility, which is definitely a biblical concept, but I do not tend this think in terms of collective responsibility and collective guilt, which is also a biblical concept.  As a leader in the body, I need to take this to heart.

Fourth, there is grace.  I usually don't hear Christians talk about this in terms of grace, but what else can it be?  God has declared that he is slow to anger and abundant in steadfast love.  It is covenant love.  Because of this, God provided a way for redemption and reconciliation.  These were not arbitrary rules, but show us some lessons we need to learn about sin.  Also, these are a shadow of the ultimate sacrifice.  This is not a sacrifice that we make, but one that the Lord makes for us.  Jesus, because of his steadfast love, offered not the blood of bulls and goats, but his own blood in order to provide eternal redemption.  The New Testament says that the blood of bulls and goats could never really take away sin.  They are a reminder of sin.  It is the blood of Jesus that once for all takes away sin.  This makes sense, because the only one that can forgive sins against our Lord is the Lord himself.  He offers his life for ours.  This shows in an even more vivid way the sheer gravity of sin along with the sheer gravity of God's undying love and loyalty to us.

Lord, may I see sin as you so.  Help me to be able to look past the initial enticement to see the devastation and death it brings.  Purify my heart.  May I learn to enjoy the pleasures of life in the way that you intended with joy, peace, and holiness.  The blood of the Lord offered for me?  For us?  How can it be? How great is your love!  How great is your loyalty!  How great is your mercy!  Thank you Lord for your patience.