Author: Lynden McGriff

Today’s Reading :  Proverbs 3-5; Romans 10  

As a parent, manager, or a leader, one of the most important things that you can do is be consistent.  When you are consistent and your people understand who you are then they are more apt to follow and commit to you. 

As a parent,  we have to guide our children to make the best decisions with the resources they have available.   Being a dad is sometimes really challenging. I try to give and show my love to my children hourly, if not daily.  I am continually letting them know how much I love them and cherish them.  I also have to make the hard decisions that are not always joyful or happy, such as leading them and directing them with chores or consequences for their actions.  This is what a dad is about… loving and guiding my children consistently and lovingly to become responsible adults.  

The challenge is being consistent.  In my early years and sometimes now I will give so many directions that it can create confusion and anxiety with the kids.  I had to take a step back and distill the information into three to four main points and then be consistent with the delivery.  I also found that a little reward or sweetness to the interaction goes a long way.  

In the passages that we have today, is a great blueprint for being consistent. In Proverbs we have Solomon, speaking to his son.  In Romans, Paul is giving the Romans the same instructions of being consistent with the spreading of the gospel.  Many times we believe that if we do it once, it would be sufficient.  But these examples show us that we must be consistent and gentle with our communications with each other. 

 “My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you…

 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof…

 My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion,”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭2‬, ‭11‬, ‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live. 

Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. 

My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭4‬, ‭10‬, ‭20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding…

 And now, O sons, listen to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth…

 For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬, ‭7‬, ‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?[c] And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel.

Romans 10:14-16

 

Let us be consistent in all that we do. Be Blessed. 

 

Today’s Reading : II Samuel 13-14, Acts 28 

We have all done it. We have made an assumption about someone or something on the first appearance. This is how human nature works. We are given evidence and ideas from our previous encounters with others and we make a generalized guess of something new. From this introduction we can make a better informed decision from our interactions with that person to create a more informed decision of that person. Many people could say this is the “judging a book upon its cover” with first impressions.

In our passages today, we have two individuals who on the surface can be seen in through the lenses of the author completely differently, Absalom and Paul . After reading these passages several times, I see we have to dig deeper beneath the surface to see some of the aspects of each of these individuals.

In the final chapter of Acts, we are seeing the last interactions that are recorded for Paul aside from his letters to the church.  In this chapter and the previous chapters of Acts,  we see a full conversion and transformation of Paul.  We see him from the chief prosecutor and executioner of the earlier Christian to become the leading figure for the spread of Christianity throughout the world.  In this particular chapter, we witness an additional revelation as we dive deeper than the surface with the shipwreck and the other adventures.

 

“When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭28‬:‭3‬-‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The people of the island did not know Paul.  They assumed that he was an evil man, but then they believed he was a “god”.  After a little while, the people actually were able to see who he was and Whose he was.  He manifests the Spirit and God allows him to witness unreachable people with unforeseen circumstances.  This interaction can be the reason people in this particular isolated island received the gospel.  Can you imagine the countless stories and miracles that happened because of the shipwreck? Sometimes the hardest things that we experience can be a window into how God is going to use you in the situation.  

How many times have we been in terrible situations and circumstances that we can’t imagine we are going to get out of, then God shows up and delivers us to something better? Now ask yourself, how did God use that situation to bring others to him? How has your relationship with Him created a safe space for others to see the goodness in the midst of adversity and allow you to invite them into His presence? 

A couple days ago, I was listening to one of TD Jakes’s sermons, the Threshing Floor. In portion of this sermon. He is speaking about the alabaster box. He speaks about how the alabaster can shield the essence of anything that’s in it. He compares us to the alabaster box. Some of the things that God has in store for us even people that are close to us cannot understand it until God is ready for us to open it. Just as the natives did not know about Paul’s true essence, how many people that we know do not know our true essence? How many of us do not know our true essence? What do we have to do or go through for God to show us our true essence? When we make this decision to see what beneath the surface, we have to rely on God to be in charge of everything, the highs and the lows.  

Be blessed 

Today’s Reading : 1 Samuel 26-27; 1 Chronicles 8; Acts 18

  

Based on the Webster 1828 definition:  Integrity is the entire, unimpaired state of any thing, particularly of the mind; moral soundness or purity; incorruptness; uprightness; honesty.

Vocabulary.com states that integrity is “Having integrity means doing the right thing in a reliable way. It’s a personality trait that we admire, since it means a person has a moral compass that doesn’t waver. It literally means having “wholeness” of character, just as an integer is a “whole number” with no fractions.”

Throughout most of our lives, we have a moral compass which helps to guide and direct us into doing and living in a particular way. In today’s passage, we see during this point of Davis life his moral compass has strong integrity. Doing this point of his life, his father-in-law, Saul , is attempting to kill David.   This attempt doesn’t happen once or twice, but several times.  In each of these moments, David stands firm in his convictions of not harming God’s anointed.  In this particular point of the passage, others are pressuring him to act, but he doesn’t give in. 

”Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab’s brother Abishai the son of Zeruiah, “Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” So David and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army lay around him. Then Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.” But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” And David said, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish. The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go.”“

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭26‬:‭6‬-‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

How many of us will have the integrity to leave something that we want or desire to do God’s will?

How many of us will allow the process of what God has in store for us to be given at the right time and not now when we want it?

What does God have in store for us and ready for us to receive if we let him give it to us, instead of grabbing it for ourselves? 

Think of it as a nice hot cup of coffee that he has for us, but will give it to us when it’s just right.  If we are in a rush the gift that is ready for us will scald us and not be as pleasant. 

Have integrity and wait. 

Be blessed

Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 9-10;  Acts 8

 

There is a timeless curiosity and wonder of wishes.   Some of the stories that we have had have been told for millennia. One of the most told stories of wishes and their consequences is Aladdin. If you’re not familiar with Aladdin, a peasant finds a lamp that contains a genie. This genie can grant three wishes. Once the three wishes are completed then there are no more. One of the most interesting points of the story is that the genie gives the boundaries of the wish and once the wish has been granted, it cannot be reversed.

Many times in our lives we wish and hope for things to happen. We wish that we win the Powerball. We wish that we get this new job. We wish we had the love of our life. We wish for someone to return from the dead. But each of these wishes are out of our control. What if we did receive all of these wishes, what would the need or the necessity of faith be?

 

In today’s reading, and in the passage, the Israelites have wished, and begged for a king. The people of Israel were not satisfied with the leaders that God had given them for direction. They had complained for several hundred years. God gave them what they wished for. The first king that they received is Saul.

”But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.”“

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭8‬:‭6‬-‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

These are the boundaries and the consequences of the wish: 

”He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.”“

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭8‬:‭11‬-‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The king that was granted was the tallest and most handsome man that the people could have. He had all the things that would make a “great” king.  The only thing that separated Saul from truly loving God is his heart.  His heart was in the practice of the rituals, but not behind the essence of the ritual.  Saul wanted to please God by doing the correct thing, but not truly believing in the right thing. 

How many times do we try to do the right thing to please God? How many times do we try to say the right thing to please God? God is not concerned about the things, but the heart. The people of Israel didn’t want to do the heart search for God, they wanted to have someone do things for them.  The person who they received didn’t have the heart of God and didn’t give the people the things that they had hoped to receive.  God has all the things that are needed for us and  so much more in store for us if we accept him as the true king of our hearts and find peace in him. 

Be blessed 

Today’s Reading : Judges 7-8; Luke 22

If only I had $X,  I would be able to do a lot of things.  

If I could only get this degree, then I would be able to … 

If only, I had this job or career, things would be different.   

We often look at our circumstances and deficiencies in the midst of struggles. But we forget that God has a process and a plan in place for His glory to shine in the most unlikely places.  This is evident in the story of Gideon.  

In the beginning, Gideon was not a believer.  Gideon’s father and family decided to worship a different religion and gods.  Gideon had his doubts.  God sent an angel to talk to Gideon and let him know that he was the selected person to save Israel.  

”Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water.“

‭‭Judges‬ ‭6‬:‭36‬-‭38‬ ‭ESV‬‬

”Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.” And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.“

‭‭Judges‬ ‭6‬:‭39‬-‭40‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Not only did he ask for a sign,  Gideon ask for an assurance of the sign.  Once he received it, he was all in.  How many times do we ask for assurance and continue to ask for reinforcements?  We have to be able to listen and be confident in the answer. 

But to understand the thesis question, “How much do you need?” We have to look at the next passage.  

”The Lord said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.’” Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained.“

‭‭Judges‬ ‭7‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

”And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ shall not go.” And the Lord said to Gideon, “With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home.” So the people took provisions in their hands, and their trumpets. And he sent all the rest of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the 300 men. And the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.“

‭‭Judges‬ ‭7‬:‭4‬, ‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The army went from 33,000 to 300.  This is essentially 0.9% of the army.  The full army would have been still a diminutive amount compared to the armies of the Midianites and Amalekites which is compared to the sands of a beach.   The size of the opposing army to Gideon is an unfathomable amount of people. These are uber extreme odds. But  God created this situation to show His power and glory through the small things.  

He shows that if we put forth the 0.9% of faith, he will bring the 99.1% to gain the victory.  

Where are the areas in our life that we are trying to do the 99%, but God is asking for us to have the 0.9% of faith to all his glory to shine? 

How much do we need? 

Be blessed 

Today’s Reading : Deuteronomy 27-31;Luke 12

Desolation.  Isolation.  Despair.  

These are some of the words that come to mind when I think of the wilderness.  About 20 years ago, I had a wilderness experience. Some friends of mine were getting married.  This was the one of the first weddings that I attended as an adult.  This particular wedding was in Plainview, TX.  It was about six hours away from Dallas. This city was close to Lubbock.   When I was driving to the city, the scenery was completely desert and Hill Country.  There was no cities or lights for miles and miles around. I can still remember that drive. It was a beautiful drive, but there was nothing around. You could literally look out for hundreds of miles with nothing around. That’s what I see when I read about the wilderness experiences for the Hebrews and Moses. But as always, I have had a renewal of my mind and of my understanding.   

And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: “You have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, 3 the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders. 4 But to this day the Lord has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear. 5 I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn off your feet. 6 You have not eaten bread, and you have not drunk wine or strong drink, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 29:2-6

In today’s reading,  my idea of the biblical wilderness shifts.  There are several wilderness experiences that are happening in the Bible. Some of the most memorable ones are: the 40 years in the wilderness with Moses; the wilderness experience of Elijah; the wilderness experience of John the Baptist; and the wilderness experience of Jesus.  In each one of these wilderness experiences, the protagonist is given: rest, refreshment, and renewal, in each of their experiences.

For Moses, God provided nourishment every day for 40 years that they were in the wilderness. They did not need to worry about protection, because God was with them. And in this passage, we see that their clothes never wore out. I have three kids and their clothes are constantly changing on a quarterly basis. And to have the idea that after 40 years are close we’re still new is mind-boggling. 

The wilderness experience for Elijah, he was provided for food by ravens and a stream.

Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe[a] in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” 2 And the word of the Lord came to him: 3 “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 4 You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” 5 So he went and did according to the word of the Lord. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. 6 And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. 7 And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.

I Kings 17: 1-7

The wilderness experience with John the Baptist, he was sustained on wild honey and locus. When you think about the only food that was given to him seemed small but it was to stay and he was filled daily. 

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”[a] 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare[b] the way of the Lord;
    make his paths straight.’”

4 Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

Matt 3:1-4

And then the wilderness experience for Christ, he was renewed and he became full into his ministry during his 40 days in the wilderness.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

Matt 4: 1-2

These wilderness experiences are not isolating or full of despair. These wilderness experiences allow the individual to create peace and be calm in what God has set aside for them. During this wilderness time God has made them holy. This time God has created new life for a bigger purpose. So when we see the wilderness, what are we seeing? How is God setting aside for his bigger purpose? 

As we are completing our Lenten journey and coming into Holy week, may God allow us to be renewed, and refresh to fulfill his purpose in our common days. 

Be blessed

 

Today’s Reading: Numbers 26-29; Luke 2

Family and inheritance.

How many of us are able to see our children?

How many of us are able to share  our history and our beliefs with our children?

How many of us are able to know our father and mother?

How many of us are able to know our grandparents?

How many of us are able to know our great grandparents?

Sometimes we take for granted the experiences that we have with our relatives. Sometimes, we take for granted the ease of speaking to our relatives whenever we want.  But for others, these experiences we would love to have just a glimpse or a whisper from my loved ones. There are so many legacies and inheritances that we receive from our predecessors, and we can give to our successors.

In Numbers we are given a glimpse of the transition of inheritance from the tribe of Israel :

“The sons of Joseph according to their clans: Manasseh and Ephraim. 29 The sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the clan of the Machirites; and Machir was the father of Gilead; of Gilead, the clan of the Gileadites. 30 These are the sons of Gilead: of Iezer, the clan of the Iezerites; of Helek, the clan of the Helekites; 31 and of Asriel, the clan of the Asrielites; and of Shechem, the clan of the Shechemites; 32 and of Shemida, the clan of the Shemidaites; and of Hepher, the clan of the Hepherites. 33 Now Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters. And the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 34 These are the clans of Manasseh, and those listed were 52,700.”

Numbers 26:28-34

“Then drew near the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of Manasseh the son of Joseph. The names of his daughters were: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 2 And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest and before the chiefs and all the congregation, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, saying, 3 “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah, but died for his own sin. And he had no sons. 4 Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father’s brothers.”

5 Moses brought their case before the Lord. 6 And the Lord said to Moses, 7 “The daughters of Zelophehad are right. You shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father’s brothers and transfer the inheritance of their father to them. “

Numbers 27: 1-8

In today’s reading in Numbers, we have a very important precedent being made. We have individuals claiming their blessing. What makes it more impressive is that these are the daughters of one of the descendants of Jacob.  In this particular passage, the daughters claim their blessings.  These daughters knew their blessing and they were not afraid of claiming their blessing. They did not allow the status quo to dictate how they were going to get their blessing. They knew the Spirit was with them, and took courage in that to claim the blessing. 

This was such a momentous occasion that this became part of the Mosaic law of inheritance. This was one of the first documented places where women were equal to their male counterparts. It is truly amazing how these issues were addressed and settled doing this early part of biblical history. This situation also allows me to question, why can we not continue to have this strong presence of equality into today’s society?

The blessing of the inheritance was seen in two spots in Numbers. The daughters were also part of the census. The census was a historical marker of the inheritance and the counting of the individuals of each clan.  Another important census that is found in our adjacent reading of Luke 2. 

What has God given you or promised you that you have not claimed? God‘s blessings are not contained to who we are. God‘s blessings are not contained on what we look like. God‘s blessings are not only for one gender. God‘s blessings are not only for certain people. God‘s blessings are for all who acknowledge God and obey his word. Are you ready for your blessing? Are you ready to claim your blessing?  

Be blessed

Today’s Reading: Leviticus 24-25; Psalms 81; Hebrews 9

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

In the beginning of the Bible in Genesis,  God worked and toiled for six spans of time that we equate with days.  On the seventh day, God rested and observed what he had created.  He took a pause. God stopped for a moment and enjoyed the view and the fruits of his labor.  He was at peace with creation.  He was absorbing and settling in his relationship with all he made. 

In Leviticus 25, Moses is given rules and guidance from God directly on Mt Sinai.  As we observe in the preparation of the law, God is giving us a guide to live by.   The Sabbath is expanded. The Sabbath is also observed on a yearly (seven years) and then every seventh- rotation of the seven years (49 years) , which God granted as the 50 years described as Jubilee.  

God is putting these set times as a guide for us to breathe.  This is a time that we must reflect and observe with each other and commune with each other.  I have witnessed in myself that there are times that I am constantly working and trying to the next level. I will push myself to my limits and not take a break and see what’s around.  The Sabbath reminds me of the times that I have traveled over the years.  I love to explore and hike.  Sometimes you get into the groove and want to get to the destination, but the journey and the sights that you see on the way is the true essence of the journey.  God created the Sabbath so that we can have a glimpse of the awesomeness that he is surrounding us on our journey of life.  

God created the Sabbath to allow us to have relationships.  He knew that we are a focused group of individuals.  Once we are committed to something that interests us, we will not stop until it is achieved.  God created the Sabbath to allow us to create and maintain our relationships with our creator, with others, and with ourselves.  If we don’t have these time-outs or pauses then we would not stop to think and interact with each other.

I know that some are very skeptical of this Sabbatical year.  They are wondering where would the money or resources come from during this year of rest.  

“Therefore you shall do my statutes and keep my rules and perform them, and then you will dwell in the land securely. The land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and dwell in it securely. And if you say, ‘What shall we eat in the seventh year, if we may not sow or gather in our crop?’ I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, so that it will produce a crop sufficient for three years. When you sow in the eighth year, you will be eating some of the old crop; you shall eat the old until the ninth year, when its crop arrives.“

‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭25‬:‭18‬-‭22‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God will not only provide enough resources for you in the present year that you are producing, but he will also provide enough resources for the following year and the next as you come out of the sabbatical.  He is in it for you and the relationships that you have.  

God is in it for you to prosper and multiply and recharge and refresh yourself. He has many things in store for you if you acknowledge him.  He wants more than ever to have you happy and healthy.  Let us look in our lives and see where we can take rest and enjoy the celebration that God has in store for us. 

Today’s Reading: Exodus 32-34; Philippians 3

Exodus 34:1- 10

The Lord said to Moses, “Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2 Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain. …4 So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone. 5 The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands,[a] forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” 8 And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. 9 And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

 

The presence of God.  This is one of the most profound encounters of God in the Old Testament.  One of the first encounters of God is when God connects with Abraham and Jacob.  But this one is where God actually makes an appointment with Moses and gives him an assignment.  

Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2 Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain.  

 

The next thing that happens is God comes down from Heaven and walks in front of Moses.  Moses is in the official presence of God. He is one of the first persons to see and interact with God at this level.  Moses had previously been in the presence of God at the burning bush, but now he is actually standing with God.  Let this sink in for a minute.  He is physically in the presence of God.  As we read more in the chapter, he spends 40 days with God and the time that he has spent with God is evident on his face.  His face showed such a glow that he had to actually wear a veil to dampen the glow of the Holiness that he encountered.  

 

This is just one of those passages that makes you feel in awe of the relationship between Moses and God.  But then I remember that Christ has come and given us the same opportunity to have this relationship with God.  We may not be able to be in the physical presence as Moses, but we are in the spiritual presence of God continually.  When you are in this relationship, you are able to show the presence of God in all of your work and your life. 

 

Let us pray that our life can be a reflection of God that others may see it on your face as with Moses.

 

Be Blessed

 

Did I miss something? 

Today’s Reading: Exodus 1-3; Galatians 5

One of my favorite subjects is history. When you look at history and your view of history, you are more open to understand many of the things that are happening in today’s society. History will show you our Highs and our Lows. But we have to be willing to see the whole picture, not parts of that picture.

On our recent excursion to Hawaii, my son, and I went to visit Pearl Harbor. For the majority of my life, I have known about Pearl Harbor and the consequences of the attack on the naval base. But I was enlightened in Hawaii to understand that the Japanese intention was not to create a war, but to obtain and secure resources for their own endeavors in World War II. I also found out that there was an embargo act that the United States had placed on Japan before this attack.  This embargo sequestered  Japan’s fuel supply which fed into and  would have contributed to the attack on poor Harbor. I am  trying to explain or assuage the brutality of the attack, but I found a deeper understanding on the motives of Japan. If we do not understand our history, or if we do not die deeper to see the full story, we can have misconceptions.

In the story of Exodus and Moses, I have read through this passage Countless times throughout my life. While growing up as a young man, I have watched “10 Commandments“ every Easter and Passover for 20+ years. But it wasn’t until this reading this year where I had my eyes opened more.  While preparing for this blog, I read this passage several times, and also listened to it as well. When I was listening to it, my son was also there, and his eyes opened up when he heard that the children were killed. He did understand that there was a law to kill the boys of the Hebrews. He was shocked and wanted to know more about the situation. As a father, I was able to walk him through the history.

There are some things that I did not know for myself or I forgot. 

• Moses was a couple months old when he left his mom and was taken by his sister to the Nile. 

”Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months.“

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

• Moses actually was nursed and raised partially by his mom and his siblings. 

”Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”“

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬-‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

• Moses was protected from the beginning of his life until the end of his life.

No matter what situation we are in, God has a plan and a purpose for us. We see that with Moses, that God had a purpose of a plan for him from when he was a newborn baby. God actually took care of Moses, and provided for him in his birth home, with his mother, with his people from an early age throughout his life. Sometimes it may feel that we are not in God‘s presence or feel that we are not being taken care of by God. But when we look back over the history of our lives, we look at the small details that actually are God’s presence in our life to make us who we are today.

What are some things that are in our past that we may have forgotten that allows us to be where we are today? Where are the small blessings that we have forgotten but others may remember that we need to be reminded of? Where has the spirit been in the small things this week for you that you may be a blessing to others?