by Jennifer on February 22, 2012
Numbers 28:18
On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.
Our passage today seems like a dichotomy. Scattered throughout is the phrase “on the ‘so-and-so’ day, hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.” But in between those phrases is a detailed job description of all of the festivals, offerings, etc. to be done daily, weekly, and monthly. If you can imagine all of the work it would take to take care of all the animals and fields of produce involved, then preparing it all for offerings and sacrifices, without electricity or running water….YIKES! It sounds like tons of work!!!
The dichotomy is that the scriptures are telling us to do both. Yes, do the work, then yes, rest. In our marriage, my husband’s schedule in his head runs like the Energizer bunny. He can think of 15 different things he wants to accomplish in one day, and the next day, and all week long. He can just go and go. I, however, have a head that works like this: do the next thing. I am very methodical, checking off my list, giving lots of room for, uhm, interruptions. (I am a momma of several!) The harmony we strive for involves a lot of give and take on both of our parts. He’s usually the “burr” in my saddle and I’m trying to hold back the reins. We truly do need the “tortoise and the hare” mindset to make this thing work.
God has such infinite wisdom that He knew we would need the complete picture as we walked out this strange and wonderful earthly life. I believe a measure of our success could simply be how much time we spend on the road after falling one day into the “tortoise” ditch, then over the other side to the “hare” ditch. Balance. We need the balance of both vigorous work and refreshing, worshipful rest. By the way, the tortoise and the hare do both cross the finish line!
Reading through the Bible: February 23, 2012
Numbers 28-30 http://www.blueletterbible.org/reader/daily/generic.cfm
by Jennifer on February 21, 2012
Numbers 27:21b
At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”
Training our children to obey is a full-time job. Even with a troupe of angels, prayer, grace for our mistakes, and Jesus Himself, moms and dads have their hands full with this one endeavor. Though many would jump at the chance to train a prize dog, we can shirk at the hope that our children will ever respond to “yes, no, and who’s in charge.” But children who can obey their parents grow up to be adults who can obey God.
I am amazed at Joshua (and we are just beginning his story). But the truth is, I’d love to hug his mom and dad! If you notice, when his name is mentioned, it usually says, “Joshua, son of Nun.” His dad gets the credit, but mom’s name isn’t even mentioned. YET, their diligent training became world-renown….through their son!
Obedience doesn’t come just because we demand it, or even from using training and discipline alone, it comes from building a relationship. And it is life and death, because we can all face a time when a child tries to run towards a busy street. Then, obedience can save their life. Thankfully it seems like it doesn’t take perfect people to parent children to obey. It does take commitment and consistency, though. And when we fall, the God of Heaven is more than able to get us back on the right track. He’s got a lot on the line, you know. Us, and our children!
Reading through the Bible: February 22, 2012
Numbers 26-27 http://www.blueletterbible.org/reader/daily/generic.cfm
by Jennifer on February 20, 2012
Numbers 23:19
“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
Throughout the course of time, men endure times of plenty and times of lack. When the grass is green and everyone is enjoying abundance, few pay attention to the prevalence of dishonesty. You would think that the more we have the more grateful we would be, and thus, more content. But that’s just not the case.
On the other hand, when times are lean, a man’s word becomes weightier than gold. Everybody bonds together and shares the little that they have and prays for more to give. And it’s during such times that a neighbor might need to borrow a pinch of this or a dab of that, for which they might say, “If you loan me two eggs today, I will get you some more by Friday; I’m good for it.” Honestly, I live for days like that.
That’s God. His Word, every promise of it, is sealed in these words of Numbers 23. If He ever said He would never leave us or forsake us, you can take it to the bank. I might forget a date on the calendar or you might have forgotten about a cookie sheet somebody loaned you a year ago. But God is not like us in that way. His Word is good and His Memory is even better.
Reading through the Bible: February 21, 2012
Numbers 23-25 http://www.blueletterbible.org/reader/daily/generic.cfm
by Jennifer on February 19, 2012
Numbers 22:32-34
32 The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.”
I wonder how Balaam felt that day, knowing he almost got killed, along with knowing his donkey saved his life? I do wish sometimes we could get very clear, outspoken messages from the Lord like Balaam did, but the consequences of “missing it” look like they were pretty tough!
The angel called Balaam’s path “reckless.” How often do I walk recklessly and have absolutely no idea that I am doing so? How many times have I completely missed the Holy Spirit’s direction for me to stop and repent? Oh, how I need a “donkey” to give me a clue sometimes.
34 Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”
Balaam’s response is the aim of my heart in this life. Yes, I will miss the “donkey” and the clues I should have seen. Yes, I will be reckless in thought, word, or deed. And not only must my heart be repentant and tender, I must be willing to “go back.” And grace covers backward as well as forward, as long as I get back on the road.
Reading through the Bible: February 20, 2012
Numbers 21-22 http://www.blueletterbible.org/reader/daily/generic.cfm
by Jennifer on February 19, 2012
Numbers 20:2, 3-5, 7-11
2 Now there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron.
What a painful lesson brilliantly captured in the twentieth chapter of Numbers. God has guided, instructed, protected and provided for this mass of runaway slaves. Every moment of their continued existence is nothing short of miraculous. But you can’t tell it by their attitude in this chapter. They meet with a bit of resistance and they lose their minds. 3 They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the LORD! 4 Why did you bring the LORD’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? 5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”
The way they talked, you would never have guessed they were the same group begging God to rescue them from the cruel Pharaoh who was killing their babies and building pyramids in his honor by the sweat of their brow. This didn’t catch God by surprise, but it did Moses. 7 The LORD said to Moses, 8 “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”9 So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
He lost his temper. Completely frustrated with their lack of respect for God’s presence, Moses let his feelings get in the way of his function. God just needed him to play his role, not force his will, which is easier said than done. I pray for help constantly in this area. Because just like Moses, I could let an ungrateful person steal my opportunity to experience all God has planned for me.
Reading through the Bible: February 19, 2012
Numbers 18-20 http://www.blueletterbible.org/reader/daily/generic.cfm
by Jennifer on February 18, 2012
Numbers 16:8-9
8 Moses also said to Korah, “Now listen, you Levites! 9 Isn’t it enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near himself to do the work at the LORD’s tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them?
“Bloom where you are planted.” Contentment. It’s rare and hard to find these days, when we seem to be swimming in excess at every turn. And we know it’s in the nature of man to always want more, because the smallest of children can continue to ask for something else, while standing in front of us with a cookie in each hand.
The drama of the Hebrews can really become comical sometimes. We are on the outside looking in, reading about a time we didn’t see. It’s easy to shake our heads and wonder how in the world they didn’t thank God every day for their freedom from slavery. Well, they were out of slavery, but the slavery wasn’t out of them! God knew it would take days, months, and yes, years, to renew their minds to walking in His presence as sons, not slaves. Their new geographical location was only the beginning of this process.
Wherever you might be planted today, resolve to put roots down and grow some flowers, patiently. Know that being content right in the middle of difficult circumstances is just the stuff that new growth is made of. That also means that the “promised land” brand of soil might be just around the corner.
Reading through the Bible: February 18, 2012
Numbers 16-17 http://www.blueletterbible.org/reader/daily/generic.cfm
