Recall:
All who are skillful among you shall come and make all that the LORD has commanded: the tabernacle, Exodus 35:10
Reflect:
GRACIOUS! We have to go through all of this again?! Enough with the tabernacle already! But as my mind drifted while reading yet another description of the building of the tabernacle, God, as God often does if I allow it, gently placed some insights. The first time I read about the temple, back when Moses was receiving the instructions, I was reminded of the "interior tabernacle," and the importance of the attention I give to my relationship with God. In Exodus 35-37, as the people of Israel are actually working to build the temple, it reminded me of the importance of the attention that we show to our relationships together within the community of faith.
Respond:
Yes, it can be boring. It can be painstaking and mind-numbing. However, it is vital that my connection with God and with others is maintained. I will nurture my relationship with God. I will make it a priority.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Reading: Matthew 15:21-39, Acts 21:27-40, Psalm 36, Exodus 34
Recall:
God’s love is meteoric,
his loyalty astronomic,
His purpose titanic,
his verdicts oceanic.
Yet in his largeness
nothing gets lost;
Not a man, not a mouse,
slips through the cracks.
How exquisite your love, O God!
How eager we are to run under your wings,
To eat our fill at the banquet you spread
as you fill our tankards with Eden spring water.
You’re a fountain of cascading light,
and you open our eyes to light.
Psalm 36:5-9, The Message
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai carrying the two Tablets of The Testimony, he didn’t know that the skin of his face glowed because he had been speaking with GOD. Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, saw his radiant face, and held back, afraid to get close to him. Exodus 34:29-30, The Message
Reflect:
God is huge, God's purposes are huge. God is constantly working at the big picture level. Yet God still also works on the individual level, according to the Psalmist. That ability, if I can be completely honest, is on the very edge of my ability to believe. But what if it's true? How encouraging. I would be foolish not to put my complete trust in the one who has my best interest and the universe's best interest at heart.
Gotta love this passage from Exodus. Haven't seen many glowing faces lately!
Respond:
Exquisitely-loving God, love me. I don't know that I ever just let you do that. I'm always doing, always worrying about the stuff I've done. Rarely do I stop aand just let you love me. Not that you need my permission, you are always loving me. I just don't often enough stop and enjoy it. Thanks for not letting me fall through the cracks.
God’s love is meteoric,
his loyalty astronomic,
His purpose titanic,
his verdicts oceanic.
Yet in his largeness
nothing gets lost;
Not a man, not a mouse,
slips through the cracks.
How exquisite your love, O God!
How eager we are to run under your wings,
To eat our fill at the banquet you spread
as you fill our tankards with Eden spring water.
You’re a fountain of cascading light,
and you open our eyes to light.
Psalm 36:5-9, The Message
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai carrying the two Tablets of The Testimony, he didn’t know that the skin of his face glowed because he had been speaking with GOD. Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, saw his radiant face, and held back, afraid to get close to him. Exodus 34:29-30, The Message
Reflect:
God is huge, God's purposes are huge. God is constantly working at the big picture level. Yet God still also works on the individual level, according to the Psalmist. That ability, if I can be completely honest, is on the very edge of my ability to believe. But what if it's true? How encouraging. I would be foolish not to put my complete trust in the one who has my best interest and the universe's best interest at heart.
Gotta love this passage from Exodus. Haven't seen many glowing faces lately!
Respond:
Exquisitely-loving God, love me. I don't know that I ever just let you do that. I'm always doing, always worrying about the stuff I've done. Rarely do I stop aand just let you love me. Not that you need my permission, you are always loving me. I just don't often enough stop and enjoy it. Thanks for not letting me fall through the cracks.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Reading: Matthew 15:1-20, Acts 21:1-26, Psalm 35, Exodus 32-33
Recall:
Acts 21:26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having purified himself, he entered the temple with them, making public the completion of the days of purification when the sacrifice would be made for each of them.
Reflect:
This is another one of those little stories in the Bible that I don't recall reading or hearing. Paul went to see and give a report to James, the pastor of the church at Jerusalem. James, the original ornery Christian legalist, tells Paul that "people are talking" and "here is what I was thinking, Paul: go do the purification, head-shaving thing to show us you're with us."
I think I probably would have blown James off if I were Paul. "Don't you get it, man? It's not about that anymore!" But Paul said "OK." Paul did whatever he thought was going to help further the gospel.
Respond:
God, remind me always of what truly matters, people introduced to you and your good news of grace and life.
Acts 21:26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having purified himself, he entered the temple with them, making public the completion of the days of purification when the sacrifice would be made for each of them.
Reflect:
This is another one of those little stories in the Bible that I don't recall reading or hearing. Paul went to see and give a report to James, the pastor of the church at Jerusalem. James, the original ornery Christian legalist, tells Paul that "people are talking" and "here is what I was thinking, Paul: go do the purification, head-shaving thing to show us you're with us."
I think I probably would have blown James off if I were Paul. "Don't you get it, man? It's not about that anymore!" But Paul said "OK." Paul did whatever he thought was going to help further the gospel.
Respond:
God, remind me always of what truly matters, people introduced to you and your good news of grace and life.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Reading: Matthew 14:22-36, Acts 20:13-38, Psalm 34, Exodus 30-31
Reading: Matthew 14:22-36, Acts 20:13-38, Psalm 34, Exodus 30-31
Recall:
He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. Matthew 14:29
Reflect:
I love the Peter walking on water story. I love Peter! Continuous forward motion with him. Sometimes he gets it right. Sometimes he gets it wrong, but he's always moving forward and usually moving toward Christ.
Respond:
I could do much worse than following Peter's example. God, thank you for your call to be an apostle. May my life have the reckless abandon of Peter's life.
Recall:
He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. Matthew 14:29
Reflect:
I love the Peter walking on water story. I love Peter! Continuous forward motion with him. Sometimes he gets it right. Sometimes he gets it wrong, but he's always moving forward and usually moving toward Christ.
Respond:
I could do much worse than following Peter's example. God, thank you for your call to be an apostle. May my life have the reckless abandon of Peter's life.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Reading: Matthew 14:1-21, Acts 20:1-12, Psalm 33, Exodus 27-29
Recall:
Watch this: God’s eye is on those who respect him,
the ones who are looking for his love.
He’s ready to come to their rescue in bad times;
in lean times he keeps body and soul together.
We’re depending on GOD;
he’s everything we need.
What’s more, our hearts brim with joy
since we’ve taken for our own his holy name.
Love us, GOD, with all you’ve got—
that’s what we’re depending on. Psalm 33:18-22
“Now, order the Israelites to bring you pure, clear olive oil for light so that the lamps can be kept burning. In the Tent of Meeting, the area outside the curtain that veils The Testimony, Aaron and his sons will keep this light burning from evening until morning before GOD. This is to be a permanent practice down through the generations for Israelites. Exodus 27:20-21
Reflect:
Wow, In between catnaps while reading these passages from Exodus, my mind wanders to "Why?!" I can't believe that God would care about all of this pomp and pageantry. It seems to me to be religion run amok. How often to do we fall into this in our worship of God? Caring about the externals, making rules and policies and procedures?
But what if all of the pomp could be re-imagined as internal rather than external--kind of like the interior castle imagined by St. Teresa of Avila? The truth is that I don't have the connection with the Divine that I would like. I don't maintain a consistent discipline of coming to God, communing with God. Should I focus on building a tabernacle within, giving the attention to it that the crafters of the Hebrew tabernacle gave to it?
I do like the idea of the lamp, constantly tended by the priests, a constant sign that we are remembering the presence of God in our lives.
Psalm 33 is a wonderful reminder for our times. Even in the lean times, God holds us together.
Respond:
Love me God, with all you've got--that's what I'm depending on.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Reading: Matthew 13:44-58, Acts 19:23-41, Psalm 32, Exodus 24-26
Recall:
“God’s kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidently found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic—what a find!—and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field.
“Or, God’s kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for excellent pearls. Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it.
Matthew 13:44-46 (The Message)
He said, “Then you see how every student well-trained in God’s kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it.” Matthew 13:52
Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be—
you get a fresh start,
your slate’s wiped clean.
Count yourself lucky—
GOD holds nothing against you
and you’re holding nothing back from him. (Psalm 32:1,2)
Then they climbed the mountain—Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel—and saw the God of Israel. He was standing on a pavement of something like sapphires—pure, clear sky-blue. He didn’t hurt these pillar-leaders of the Israelites: They saw God; and they ate and drank. Exodus 24:9-11
Reflect:
Wow, I thought the laws were boring. I hadn't even gotten to the instructions for the ark of the covenant and tabernacle yet!
In Exodus 24:9-11, Moses, Aaron, and the elders were able to approach and see God. Verse 11 makes a special point of noting that they were not harmed. Why were they not harmed and later a big deal is made about Moses not seeing god face to face?
The Kingdom of God is like someone who finds a treasure in a field and selling everything he has to buy that field. I am starting to feel that way. I am beginning to hear whispers and feel the faint breezes of another world, another reality--or I guess the reality. My "reality"--life in Western culture, probably isn't very real at all. What if God is real? What if what God says is true? How then do I live?
Respond:
God, I don't want to hold anything back from you. I want to live my life in the Kingdom. I will keep practicing.
“God’s kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidently found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic—what a find!—and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field.
“Or, God’s kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for excellent pearls. Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it.
Matthew 13:44-46 (The Message)
He said, “Then you see how every student well-trained in God’s kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it.” Matthew 13:52
Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be—
you get a fresh start,
your slate’s wiped clean.
Count yourself lucky—
GOD holds nothing against you
and you’re holding nothing back from him. (Psalm 32:1,2)
Then they climbed the mountain—Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel—and saw the God of Israel. He was standing on a pavement of something like sapphires—pure, clear sky-blue. He didn’t hurt these pillar-leaders of the Israelites: They saw God; and they ate and drank. Exodus 24:9-11
Reflect:
Wow, I thought the laws were boring. I hadn't even gotten to the instructions for the ark of the covenant and tabernacle yet!
In Exodus 24:9-11, Moses, Aaron, and the elders were able to approach and see God. Verse 11 makes a special point of noting that they were not harmed. Why were they not harmed and later a big deal is made about Moses not seeing god face to face?
The Kingdom of God is like someone who finds a treasure in a field and selling everything he has to buy that field. I am starting to feel that way. I am beginning to hear whispers and feel the faint breezes of another world, another reality--or I guess the reality. My "reality"--life in Western culture, probably isn't very real at all. What if God is real? What if what God says is true? How then do I live?
Respond:
God, I don't want to hold anything back from you. I want to live my life in the Kingdom. I will keep practicing.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Reading: Matthew 13:24-43, Acts 19:1-22, Psalm 31, Exodus 21-23
Recall:
Another story. “God’s kingdom is like a pine nut that a farmer plants. It is quite small as seeds go, but in the course of years it grows into a huge pine tree, and eagles build nests in it.” Matthew 13:31-32 (The Message)
When people who are fighting injure a pregnant woman so that there is a miscarriage, and yet no further harm follows, the one responsible shall be fined what the woman’s husband demands, paying as much as the judges determine. If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. Exodus 21:22-25
Reflect:
Wow, I got into the law section of Exodus. What a joy--not. I stumbled across this passage that I have never heard quoted. It isn't one that the anti-abortion forces taut, for obvious reasons. If a woman miscarries as a result of injury, the perp has to pay up. If the woman herself is killed, the perp is responsible for life. It would seem that The life of the mother is more valuable than the life of the fetus. I don't know if any conclusions can be drawn from the isolated passage. I just thought it was interesting.
I heard Jesus' voice in Matthew 13. God's Kingdom is like a mustard seed (or a pine nut as Peterson imagines it?). Yeah, it grows big, but it takes a long time, more than a lifetime. I think some have realized that over the course of history, and they have stayed steadfast and watched the Kingdom grow.
Respond:
I will seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.
Another story. “God’s kingdom is like a pine nut that a farmer plants. It is quite small as seeds go, but in the course of years it grows into a huge pine tree, and eagles build nests in it.” Matthew 13:31-32 (The Message)
When people who are fighting injure a pregnant woman so that there is a miscarriage, and yet no further harm follows, the one responsible shall be fined what the woman’s husband demands, paying as much as the judges determine. If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. Exodus 21:22-25
Reflect:
Wow, I got into the law section of Exodus. What a joy--not. I stumbled across this passage that I have never heard quoted. It isn't one that the anti-abortion forces taut, for obvious reasons. If a woman miscarries as a result of injury, the perp has to pay up. If the woman herself is killed, the perp is responsible for life. It would seem that The life of the mother is more valuable than the life of the fetus. I don't know if any conclusions can be drawn from the isolated passage. I just thought it was interesting.
I heard Jesus' voice in Matthew 13. God's Kingdom is like a mustard seed (or a pine nut as Peterson imagines it?). Yeah, it grows big, but it takes a long time, more than a lifetime. I think some have realized that over the course of history, and they have stayed steadfast and watched the Kingdom grow.
Respond:
I will seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Reading: Matthew 13:1-23, Acts 18:18-28, Psalm 30, Exodus 19-20
Recall:
He replied, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn’t been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That’s why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they’re blue in the face and not get it. Matthew 13:11-13
Before boarding the ship in the harbor town of Cenchrea, he had his head shaved as part of a vow he had taken. Acts 18:18b
You did it: you changed wild lament
into whirling dance;
You ripped off my black mourning band
and decked me with wildflowers.
I’m about to burst with song;
I can’t keep quiet about you.
GOD, my God,
I can’t thank you enough. Psalm 30:11-12
Reflect:
Why do some people get it and some people don't? Why are some people tuned into the Divine and some people not? And what, if anything, can be done about it? The words placed in Jesus' mouth here are that some people that have the insight and some that don't. Peterson softens it a bit by imagining that Jesus tells stories to "nudge people toward receptive insight." Actually...Peterson completely re-imagines it. NRSV translates 12 as "For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away." Peterson paraphrases it as "Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears."
Jesus' strived to nudge people toward readiness. A MUCH better way of thinking about it.
Respond:
I am going to start imagining my mission as nudging people toward readiness.
He replied, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn’t been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That’s why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they’re blue in the face and not get it. Matthew 13:11-13
Before boarding the ship in the harbor town of Cenchrea, he had his head shaved as part of a vow he had taken. Acts 18:18b
You did it: you changed wild lament
into whirling dance;
You ripped off my black mourning band
and decked me with wildflowers.
I’m about to burst with song;
I can’t keep quiet about you.
GOD, my God,
I can’t thank you enough. Psalm 30:11-12
Reflect:
Why do some people get it and some people don't? Why are some people tuned into the Divine and some people not? And what, if anything, can be done about it? The words placed in Jesus' mouth here are that some people that have the insight and some that don't. Peterson softens it a bit by imagining that Jesus tells stories to "nudge people toward receptive insight." Actually...Peterson completely re-imagines it. NRSV translates 12 as "For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away." Peterson paraphrases it as "Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears."
Jesus' strived to nudge people toward readiness. A MUCH better way of thinking about it.
Respond:
I am going to start imagining my mission as nudging people toward readiness.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Reading: Matthew 12:38-50, Acts 18:1-17, Psalm 29, Exodus 16-18
Recall:
“When a defiling evil spirit is expelled from someone, it drifts along through the desert looking for an oasis, some unsuspecting soul it can bedevil. When it doesn’t find anyone, it says, ‘I’ll go back to my old haunt.’ On return it finds the person spotlessly clean, but vacant. It then runs out and rounds up seven other spirits more evil than itself and they all move in, whooping it up. That person ends up far worse off than if he’d never gotten cleaned up in the first place.
Matthew 12:43-45
Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name;
worship the LORD in holy splendor.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD, over mighty waters.
The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
Psalm 29:1-4
When the layer of dew had lifted, there on the wilderness ground was a fine flaky something, fine as frost on the ground. The Israelites took one look and said to one another, man-hu (What is it?). They had no idea what it was.
So Moses told them, “It’s the bread GOD has given you to eat. And these are GOD’S instructions: ‘Gather enough for each person, about two quarts per person; gather enough for everyone in your tent.’” Exodus 16:14-16
Reflect:
I was just talking to someone about this passage from Matthew. We have to take care to fill ourselves with something. We can't just get rid of stuff, we can't just keep fixing problems.
Spiritually, we have to go on the offensive. If I am chasing the Divine, there isn't time or space for the evil spirits to come back.
Exodus 16 is an almost comical passage to read. Comical because anyone who has ever led or attempted to lead people can identify so closely with this millennia-old passage. There will always be some who just can't or won't get it. Here's when you pick up the manna, here's when you don't. Pretty simple yet...
16:14-16 is a great picture of how God often works in my life. I have a concern or a need and God provides for it--often in a way that is completely unexpected, a way I didn't request because I didn't know to request it.
Respond:
Gracious God, you indeed are mighty. You provide. You provide. I praise you with the Psalmist. Continue your gentle work with me. Continue to draw me into you. You know what is best for me. You can take care of what I need and identify the things I don't.
“When a defiling evil spirit is expelled from someone, it drifts along through the desert looking for an oasis, some unsuspecting soul it can bedevil. When it doesn’t find anyone, it says, ‘I’ll go back to my old haunt.’ On return it finds the person spotlessly clean, but vacant. It then runs out and rounds up seven other spirits more evil than itself and they all move in, whooping it up. That person ends up far worse off than if he’d never gotten cleaned up in the first place.
Matthew 12:43-45
Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name;
worship the LORD in holy splendor.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD, over mighty waters.
The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
Psalm 29:1-4
When the layer of dew had lifted, there on the wilderness ground was a fine flaky something, fine as frost on the ground. The Israelites took one look and said to one another, man-hu (What is it?). They had no idea what it was.
So Moses told them, “It’s the bread GOD has given you to eat. And these are GOD’S instructions: ‘Gather enough for each person, about two quarts per person; gather enough for everyone in your tent.’” Exodus 16:14-16
Reflect:
I was just talking to someone about this passage from Matthew. We have to take care to fill ourselves with something. We can't just get rid of stuff, we can't just keep fixing problems.
Spiritually, we have to go on the offensive. If I am chasing the Divine, there isn't time or space for the evil spirits to come back.
Exodus 16 is an almost comical passage to read. Comical because anyone who has ever led or attempted to lead people can identify so closely with this millennia-old passage. There will always be some who just can't or won't get it. Here's when you pick up the manna, here's when you don't. Pretty simple yet...
16:14-16 is a great picture of how God often works in my life. I have a concern or a need and God provides for it--often in a way that is completely unexpected, a way I didn't request because I didn't know to request it.
Respond:
Gracious God, you indeed are mighty. You provide. You provide. I praise you with the Psalmist. Continue your gentle work with me. Continue to draw me into you. You know what is best for me. You can take care of what I need and identify the things I don't.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Reading: Matthew 12:22-37, Acts 17:16-34, Psalm 28, Exodus 13-15
Recall:
I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Matthew 12:36-37
He discussed it with the Jews and other like-minded people at their meeting place. And every day he went out on the streets and talked with anyone who happened along. Acts 17:17 (The Message)
GOD will fight the battle for you.
And you? You keep your mouths shut!”
Exodus 14:14
Reflect:
Amid the horrors of Exodus 13-15, including the song praising God for the dead Egyptians, there's a great insight. Let God fight the battle and keep your mouth shut!
I love the way Peterson paraphrases Acts 17:17. Paul went out and TALKED to people--anyone who happened along.
Respond:
I am going to talk to more people--the anyones who happen along--the people I come in contact with.
I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Matthew 12:36-37
He discussed it with the Jews and other like-minded people at their meeting place. And every day he went out on the streets and talked with anyone who happened along. Acts 17:17 (The Message)
GOD will fight the battle for you.
And you? You keep your mouths shut!”
Exodus 14:14
Reflect:
Amid the horrors of Exodus 13-15, including the song praising God for the dead Egyptians, there's a great insight. Let God fight the battle and keep your mouth shut!
I love the way Peterson paraphrases Acts 17:17. Paul went out and TALKED to people--anyone who happened along.
Respond:
I am going to talk to more people--the anyones who happen along--the people I come in contact with.
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