Thursday, 3/5/2015

“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.” ~ Elbert Hubbard

NUMBERS 34-36

God gives Moses the specific boundaries for the promised land.  He designates certain towns and cities as refuge cities.

13These are the commands and regulations the Lord gave through Moses to the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.

MARK 10:32-52

James and John ask if they can sit at Jesus' right and left in glory.  They in essence are trying to jockey for validation.

41When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.43Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

JOURNAL

Over and over Jesus communicates that following him has nothing to do with position or status.  Following him has everything to do with loving others.  I read again 1 Corinthians 13...here is my assessment of my track record in loving others.

1. Patient: Fail, people never change and they get on my nerves.
2. Kind: Fail, I need time for me and being kind is too much work sometimes.
3. Without Envy: Fail, why do others get more than I do?
4. Without arrogance: Fail, I am not near as wicked as most.
5. Without rudeness: Fail, some people just don't deserve my politeness
6. No record of wrongs: Fail, my life would be so much better if not for others failures
7. No delight in evil: Fail, they got what they deserved
8. Rejoices in truth: Fail, who really wants or can handle the truth all the time???
9. Always protects: Fail, tired of taking up for others...let them fight their own battles.
10. Always hopes: Fail, people suck, things never seem to work out like I want.
11. Always perseveres: Fail, what is the point?
12. Never Fails: FAIL, FAIL, FAIL

I realize that I have no basis to ever judge, criticize or be consumed with anyone else's failures.  I have a great gapping log sticking out of both eyes.  And yet God loves me.  

This is the true tension of the Gospel and this is Jesus' constant message...we are broken and messed up and have failed to even keep one law and yet we walk around with arrogance pointing out how others have failed.  I promise that if I was God, I would have tossed my sorry excuse for a human being into the raging fires of Hell, a loong time ago.

Yet, this is the confounding beauty of the Gospel!! God doesn't..instead he suffers and dies and all he asks me to do is to love others the way he loves me.

12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (John 15:12)

Wednesday, 3/4/2015

"They say a person needs just three things in this world to be happy: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for." ~ Tom Bodett

NUMBERS 32, 33

The Reubenites and Gadites come to Moses and ask to settle in the land in which they currently are camped...instead of crossing into the promised land.

 10The Lord’s anger was aroused that day and he swore this oath: 11‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more when they came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob— 12not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’ ...14“And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the Lord even more angry with Israel. 15If you turn away from following him, he will again leave all this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.” 

50On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho the Lord said to Moses, 51“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, 52drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images and their cast idols, and demolish all their high places. 53Take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess. 

MARK 10:1-31

 13People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

Jesus is then confronted by the rich young ruler who asks him what he needs to do to inherit eternal life...through the course of the dialogue Jesus says he must sell everything he owns and give it to the poor and follow.

22At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

24The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is^e to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

26The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

27Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

JOURNAL

The texts from both the old and new testament are similar in that God is asking for obedience.  In both scenarios the Israelites and the rich ruler are unwilling to follow.  In the case of the two clans...they are satisfied with where they are.  They see no need to go further, with the rich ruler, he as well is satisfied with this part of his life...why does he need to go any further into obedience.  

Because God is after our heart not trying to satisfy us with things outside of him.  Yet I know that this is my tripping point as well, I listen often to that little dark voice that says, "God wants you to be happy, you deserve more, you have had a tough time and need to get your fair share".  Yet that is not God, God only promises that I will find joy and hope and love when I love him with all my heart...When I am willing to follow no matter where he commands me to go...no matter what he commands me to do.  Because he has given me everything already...his love, his grace, his redemption.  He has set me free from bondage and why would I ever choose to disobey him?

7“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,whose confidence is in him.8They will be like a tree planted by the waterthat sends out its roots by the stream.It does not fear when heat comes;its leaves are always green.It has no worries in a year of droughtand never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

Tuesday, 3/3/2015

“Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods." ~ Edmund Burke 

NUMBERS 30, 31

1The Lord said to Moses, 2“Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.”

The Israelites attack the people of Midian 

7They fought against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and killed every man. 8Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword...
13Moses, Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp. 14Moses was angry with the officers of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—who returned from the battle.15“Have you allowed all the women to live?” he asked them. 16“They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord in the Peor incident, so that a plague struck the Lord’s people. 17Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, 18but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.

MARK 9:30-50

33They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

35Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

42“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. 43If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. [44]^b 45And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. [46]^c 47And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48where

“ ‘the worms that eat them do not die,

and the fire is not quenched.’^d 

JOURNAL

Well so much for Balaam obeying God.  Here we find that he did not do it the overt way but actually got the Midianite women to entice the men of Israel to sleep with them.  As a result a plague breaks out, kills several thousand but then God has the Israelites attack and everyone but the female virgins are killed.   

Then in Mark we find the disciples arguing about who is the greatest among them.  I can just see them all jockeying for position in what they believe is going to be an earthly kingdom.  Jesus of course turns all this upside down and then gives them the warning to not let anything cause others to fall and to not let anything, even your own body to stand between them and God.

Reading these passages I am horrified as to how casually I have treated the Gospel.  For most of my life I have used it as help guide instead of the authentic word of God.  So often I have dismissed whole sections as parts I can ignore because it did not seem to fit my particular circumstance in the way I wanted it to fit. I realize more than ever that the Gospel is not something to casually read and use when I need help.  I am guilty of minimizing God and completely dismissing his word.  I have spoke of things I did not understand, I have acted in ways that never considered God or his word. I have questioned God because of things that seemed unfair...I have acted in ignorance and scoffed at the creator.

1Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:

2“Who is this that obscures my plans

with words without knowledge?

3Brace yourself like a man;

I will question you,

and you shall answer me.

4“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?

Tell me, if you understand.

5Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! (Job 38:1-5)

Prayer

Life is hard!  Even with knowledge of God's word and a realization of my own destructive habits...I still emotionally crave the things of this world in ways that let me know that I am far from home.  It lets me know that I am double-minded and weak and full of anger, laziness and pride.  Yet my God is quietly relentless and will not let me go...he washes over me with his love and grace, he tends to my hurts, hugs me through my bitter rage and gives me strength to love in the face of hate.

God you are beyond my understanding, beyond my minds ability to conceive...how can you faithfully love me when my heart so often drifts from you?  How are you not weary of my pettiness?  How do you continue to grace my life when I fail to be faithful? I know that it is because you love and love, real true authentic love has no bottom...never runs dry, always hopes, is patient, does not fear or envy, keeps no record of wrongs...never delights in evil, rejoices full in truth, always protects, always hopes, always perseveres and never fails.

Yet you never can be captured or tamed or manipulated...you are stronger than any force on earth, larger than the universe itself, deeper than the blackest hole...Father tame my wandering mind and cowardly heart, fill me full with your love and grace.

Monday, 3/2/2015

I am absolutely convinced that no wealth in the world can help humanity forward, even in the hands of the most devoted worker in this cause...Money only appeals to selfishness and always irresistibly tempts its owner to abuse it. Can anyone imagine Moses, Jesus or Gandhi with the moneybags of Carnegie?  ~ Albert Einstein

NUMBERS 28, 29

God gives Moses instructions on 

• Daily offerings
• Sabbath offerings
• Monthly offerings
• The Passover
• Festival of weeks
• Festival of Trumpets
• Day of Atonement
• Festival of Tabernacles

MARK 9:1-29

Jesus takes 3 disciples Peter, James and John with him up on a high mountain.  

There he was transfigured before them. 3His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

They come back down that mountain and there is a boy who has seizures and the disciples are unable to heal him.  

25When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

26The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

28After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

29He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.^a ”

JOURNAL

The quote by Einstein is extremely sobering...I often think that if I just had more resources I could do...fill in the blank. However, reading the Bible and taking everything in context it is easier to see that faith, trust and love is all that God is after and none of that is directly fixed or answered by more resources. 

It is easy to get distracted by the miracles and some of Jesus' words and begin to apply those to situations in my own life.  It is easy to think that every situation can be resolved and fixed in the way I want.  It is easy to start going to God and thinking that if I just follow a certain script and pray a certain way then God will fix my problems, heal my hurts and give me my heaven on earth.  That is the marketing genius of our world, promise us an easier way to get what we really want.  

Here is the danger of taking things out of context in scripture.  While Jesus healed lots of people, he did not heal everyone.  While Jesus gave the Israelites hope, he did not elevate them out of their suffering.  While Jesus eased people's hunger, he did not make them rich.  So what is the point in following and trusting Jesus, if it is not guaranteed to fix our immediate problems?  If God really loves me, why does he not alleviate all my suffering?  Why do children suffer?  Why are some people allowed to be selfish their entire lives and seem to get everything they want?......Because as much as I want my heaven to be experienced here in this world, I have to realize that Jesus never promises such, and is operating from an entirely different perspective. 

36Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” (John 18:36)