Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 6-8, Psalm 77

“Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves WHOLEHEARTEDLY to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” – Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Moses continued his farewell speech to the Israelites by encouraging them to remember how the Lord had rescued them. He told them to fear the Lord and serve Him only, for God is a jealous God and He desires for us to DILIGENTLY obey His commands. He calls us to do what is right and good in His sight so that all will go well with us (Deut. 6:18).

Each January, our administrative team meets to look back over the past year. Together we remember ALL that God has done and all that HE has accomplished. We celebrate God’s generosity and His grace over the ministry to which He has called us. We then look forward to what is ahead, asking God for His guidance and His blessing. We long to see His vision for the ministry — His plan in His time.

My husband and I are going through a new stage of life — the empty nest. As we reflect on the last 22 years of raising our three daughters, we see decisions we can feel really good about and also moments we would choose to do over if we could. Thankfully there are more memories to celebrate and less decisions to regret.

Perhaps you have gone through this same process at the beginning of a new year or at the start of a new stage of your life. Perhaps you felt like the Israelites as they saw the mistakes they had made and the consequences of their decisions. There were probably moments to celebrate and memories to regret. Looking forward to what is ahead might have felt like getting a blank slate or a chance to start a new chapter of your life. God gives us moments like these to purposefully stand between what He has done for us and what He promises to do in the coming years — looking back and looking forward while praising God for every moment.

Moses was having a similar moment with God’s people as they stood between the wilderness and the promised land, looking back and looking forward. He told them their children would ask – Why do we do what we do? Why do we follow these traditions and rules? LET THEM HEAR THE STORIES. Make them aware of where God has brought us from and that we will be counted as righteous when we obey all God’s commands (Deut. 6:20-25).

“…Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure… Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. But he does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject him.” – Deut. 7:6-10

You have seen it with your own eyes! God has led you — sometimes humbling you, sometimes testing you, but all the time teaching you. He has provided in order to teach you that people do not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothes have not worn out; your journey has been long but your feet are neither blistered nor swollen. Now praise the Lord for this good land He has given you. In the midst of your plenty, do not become proud and forget the source of all blessings. Don’t think you have achieved anything by your own strength and energy but remember that it is the Lord who gives you the power to be successful (Deut. 8).

Father God, when we begin to feel rejected, when we feel we have lost your favor, we will remember the years you have stretched out your right hand over us. We will remember your wonderful deeds; we will recount the miracles we have witnessed in our lifetime. When we feel your unfailing love has vanished or your promise has failed, we will consider all your work and meditate on all your mighty deeds. When others say you have forgotten to be merciful or that you have withheld your compassion, we will say…

Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles;…
The waters saw you, God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed.
The clouds poured down water, the heavens resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth. Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen.
You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. – Psalm 77:13-20

Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 1-5

Have you ever anticipated something for a long time? Then you get to that moment and someone makes you pause for a moment of reflection. Have you felt the anticipation of what is about to happen and the anxiety of something delaying that moment you have been waiting for? It’s Christmas morning, but wait — the Christmas story hasn’t been read yet. You have arrived at the amusement park and you can hear others on the roller coast, but wait — time to pose for a picture. You are finally at the beach, but wait — you have to let your sunscreen dry before you run into the waves!

I wonder if this is what the Israelites were feeling as they stood between the desert they had wandered in for so long and the beautiful Promised Land of Canaan. The time had finally come, but Moses took the time to address the people he had led this far. What could have taken eleven days had taken forty years due to the Israelites disobedience. Moses reminded the people of what God had done for them and of the covenant relationship He had entered into with His people.

PAUSE AND REMEMBER.

The majority of the book of Deuteronomy is Moses’ last speech to the Israelites before handing leadership over to Joshua. He looked back over his time with God’s people, reminding them of God’s faithfulness to them through some of the hardest times. He intentionally reminded them of the last time God said to go into the Promised Land and take possession of it.

Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the desert. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place. In spite of this, you did not trust in the Lord your God, who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go. – Deuteronomy 1:29-33

The Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has WATCHED OVER your journey through this vast desert. These forty years the Lord your God has BEEN WITH YOU and you have not lacked anything. – Deuteronomy 2:7

DO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE.

“Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. Remember…” Deuteronomy 4:9-10a

There will be tough times ahead of you, “But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29).

Moses’ strong desire was that history would not repeat itself – that Israel would learn from their past mistakes and move forward in righteousness and faithfulness to their covenant relationship with God. He reminded them of the 10 Commandments and then gave them this very wise advice:

“Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.” – Deuteronomy 4:39

“So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.” – Deuteronomy 5:32-33

NOTICE YOU HAVE LACKED FOR NOTHING.

Dear God, we thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for the times in our lives when you have carried us as a father carries his child. We praise you for those times when you have made us pause – when you have gone ahead of us in our journey, preparing the way and directing us down the right path. Your plan has never been for us to fear but always for us to trust in your provision. Thank you for watching over us, for remaining with us even when we struggled to trust you, and for your provision.

Abba Father, we thank you for being a God who is there for us — a God we find every time we seek you with all our heart and with all our soul. Lord, we patiently wait in anticipation of what you have next for us. Give us courage through the unknowns and patience in the waiting. We choose to walk in your way today, to remain in a covenant relationship with you. Guide us into your perfect plan, we pray. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Numbers 28-36, John 2:13-17

The next few chapters describe the many offerings God asked His people to make, and the timing of each of those offerings. Each offering had a purpose and came with detailed instructions. These sacrificial moments were described as a pleasing aroma to the Lord (28:2, 29:8). He then expressed to them the importance of keeping any vow or promise made.

“This is what the Lord has commanded: A man who makes a vow to the Lord or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do.” – Numbers 30:2

If you say you are going to do something, you should do it. If you commit yourself to something, you should faithfully follow through on your commitment. Obedience to God is expected and sacrificial living is like a pleasing aroma to Him.

The Israelite people were fickle and lacked the integrity God was calling them to. As they settled into the land of Canaan, there were Midianites living in the area (descendants of Abraham from his wife Keturah). The Israelites were strongly influenced by the Midianites, having sex with their women and participating in the worship of idols. This brought about a plague on God’s people.

We cannot be indifferent to the sinful world around us. If God calls us to make a change in our life, we must do it. If He reveals in us a sinful attitude or a temptation that is pulling us away from him, we must rid ourselves of all that is causing us to drift away from him. We must keep our promise to the Lord and make sure nothing becomes more important than living out our faith in Him.

God gave Moses one more mission — to lead the people of Israel in a battle against the Midianites. The army was successful in winning the battle but they compromised by bringing back the women and children along with the plunder. They held onto that which had caused them to sin in the first place — the sexual relationships with those who did not believe in God. The Lord had plans to bless His people but they were not fully following His instructions.

It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!” – John 2:13-16

What have we allowed into our lives that is causing us to slowly drift away from God? What is causing our hearts to be unfaithful to the One we have committed our lives to? Is there anything we have made room for in our lives that needs driven out in order to serve God with integrity and purity?

Lord, thank you for being a holy God who cares to have a relationship with us. Reveal in us all we have let slip into our lives, drawing our attention away from you. Cleanse us from the impurities of this world and the desire for earthly gain, so that our lives can be a pleasing aroma to you and to those in need of salvation. May our love for you be displayed in our lives with integrity and obedience. Amen.

But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God. – 2 Corinthians 2:14-17

God had a purpose for Balaam – a place he needed him to be. Because Balaam responded in obedience when God blocked his way, God was able to use him in this next story.

AVOIDING ROAMING CHARGES

After forty years of wandering around in the wilderness, the Israelites were finally making their way toward the promised land of Canaan. When they came to the edge of the land occupied by the Amorites, they sent a message to the king asking for permission to travel through their land on their way to Canaan. They promised to stay out of the fields and vineyards, staying only on the King’s road and refraining from drinking from any of the wells.

The King of the Amorites refused to be generous with God’s people and instead mobilized an army to attack the people of Israel. The King obviously UNDERESTIMATED THE POWER OF GOD. The Israelites slaughtered the army sent by King Sihon and occupied the land. They moved on to Jazer and then marched up the road to Bashan, where King Og was waiting to attack them.

The Lord said to Moses, “Do not be afraid of him, for I HAVE HANDED HIM OVER TO YOU, along with all his people and his land. Do the same to him as you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who rules in Heshbon.” And Israel killed King Og, his sons, and all his subjects; not a single survivor remained. Then Israel occupied their land. – Numbers 21:34-35

Now King Balak of Moab saw everything that happened and watched the Israelites camp across the river from Jericho. He sent for Balaam, offering him money to curse the people of Israel. Unlike King Sihon, Balaam understood the power of the Israelite’s God and replied:

Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord my God (Numbers 22:18). After hearing from the Lord, Balaam traveled to King Balak but warned him, “Look, now I have come, but I have no power to say whatever I want. I will speak only the message that God puts in my mouth” (Numbers 22:38).

SEARCHING FOR SIGNAL

Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth-baal, built altars and made sacrifices in hopes that Balaam would curse Israel. Balaam went alone to the top of the hill and God met him there, giving Balaam the words to say and the message to give – a message blessing Israel instead of cursing them. Frustrated, Balak took Balaam to another place overlooking the Israelites. Balak asked Balaam to at least curse some of the Israelites if he couldn’t curse all of them. They built more altars and offered more sacrifices. God commanded Balaam again to bless the people of Israel.

“Rise up, Balak, and listen! Hear me, son of Zippor. God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through? Listen, I received a command to bless; God has blessed, and I cannot reverse it!…” – Numbers 23:18-20

Balak took Balaam to a third place, hoping it would please God to curse the Israelites from there. God again blessed His people and Balak flew into a rage. God gave Balaam a final message for King Balak. Not only would He bless the people of Israel, He would use Israel to crush and destroy the nation of Moab.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

I wonder if we ever communicate with God in the same way that King Balak did. Like moving from place to place to get better cell phone reception, do we refuse to listen to God’s first reply to us and continue to manipulate our circumstances to get a different result? “Can you hear me now?” When God gives us clear instructions, do we stall and try other methods to get what we want instead of obeying and accepting His plan?

God, this morning we have gone alone to our mountaintop and you have met us there. Show us your plan and give us direction, giving us also the strength to accept your will. Reveal if there is anything you have told us to do and we have ignored it, hoping for a different message next time we hear from you. Forgive us for manipulating our situation instead of submitting to your Lordship. God, may our heart’s desire to please and serve you be stronger than our own selfish desires. We love you, Lord. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Numbers 20–22, Psalm 119

Do I trust in my own leadership or in the God who led me to this moment?

When God’s people camped at Kadesh, there was no water and they began to rebel against Moses and Aaron once again. They blamed the leaders for their discomfort and circumstances. Without water, there would be no grain, no grapes, no pomegranates, and obviously nothing to drink. Moses and Aaron fell face down before the Lord with this new problem and God gave them clear instructions, just as He is generously in the habit of doing for us.

“You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the entire community and their livestock.” – Numbers 20:8

Moses took his staff of leadership with the intent of following God’s instructions but, when the moment came for him to act on his leadership, Moses trusted in his staff more than He relied on His God. He was to speak to the rock and he instead struck the rock. Water poured forth and the needs were supplied, but not in the way God had instructed Moses. Moses found himself relying on the strength of his own leadership instead of God’s miraculous power, and the consequence was great.

“Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!” – Numbers 20:12

Am I focused on my own plan or listening for God’s plan?

Balaam was so focused on his own plan, what he thought he should do, that he was both blind and deaf to God’s attempts to block his plan.

God’s response through his angel (22:32-33): “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. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her.”

Once God had his attention, Balaam’s response was one of repentance and obedience (v.34): “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.”

We live in a world of smartphones, smart tvs and smart cars. If we need an answer to a question, we ask Siri. If we need directions, we go to Google Maps. If we want to hear a song, we ask Alexa. Our exercise bike became a Peloton with online trainers, and we do more talking on social media than we do face to face. But has our culture become so “smart” that we have stopped following God’s word and stopped hearing His voice?

So again I ask — do I trust in my own leadership or in the God who led me to this moment? Am I focused on my own plan or listening for God’s plan? Am I pushing after what I want instead of listening for God’s instruction? I want to respond as Balaam did. I want to be the one who has a heart of repentance and is willing to go with God’s plan the moment I realize that I am doing my own thing instead of following the Lord. I want to be smarter than my mode of transportation.

Thank you for the reminder, Lord, to live in faith and not fear. Please show me if at any moment today I am trusting more in myself than in You. Quiet the distractions and circumstances in my life so that I can better listen for your clear instructions and your plan. My desire is for your way and not mine. I love you, Lord. Amen.

I told you my plans, and you answered. Now teach me your decrees. Help me understand the meaning of your commandments, and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds. – Psalm 119:26–27

Today’s Reading: Numbers 16–19

“I am giving you the priesthood as your special privilege of service.” – Numbers 18:7b

Just like Miriam, another person thought more of himself than he should. Korah from the tribe of Levi, along with three others from the tribe of Reuben, incited a rebellion out of jealousy; he was jealous of Moses’ leadership and jealous of Aaron’s elite position as priest.

They united against Moses and Aaron and said, “You have gone too far! The whole community of Israel has been set apart by the Lord, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to act as though you are greater than the rest of the Lord’s people?” – Numbers 16:3

“Korah, he had already given this special ministry to you and your fellow Levites. Are you now demanding the priesthood as well?” – Numbers 16:10

As a Levite, Korah had been given a special ministry but it was Aaron and his sons who were made priests. Korah became discontent with what God had blessed him with and coveted the priesthood. But we cannot demand anything from the Lord. A calling is a privilege to receive, not a right to demand or a position to covet.

For his selfishness and pride, Korah and his followers received the wrath of God. For the first time ever, the earth opened up and swallowed the tents of these rebellious men, taking all of their families down into the grave alive. The other 250 men who had entered into the rebellion were burned up with a fire from the Lord (Numbers 16:31-35).

The Lord gave Moses instructions to gather a staff from each leader of Israel’s 12 tribes, with the leader’s name inscribed on the staff. The 12 staffs were placed in the Tabernacle in front of the Ark and God said sprouts would grow on the staff of the man chosen by God. When Moses went back to the Tabernacle the next day, Aaron’s staff had not only sprouted, it had budded, blossomed, and was producing ripe almonds (Numbers 17:1-8).

When God calls us into leadership, He takes the staff we have been given to lead with and He makes something grow. When we remain humble, recognizing the source of the growth, God can take our leadership beyond our wildest imagination. He can take our calling and make it sprout, blossom and produce fruit.

So do I tend to be more like Korah or Aaron? Do I allow jealousy to creep into my heart or find myself allowing the game of comparison to steal my joy? I pray that I humbly accept the leadership of others whom God has called. When it is my turn — when God calls me to do something significant for Him — I pray my humble spirit and faith in Him allows God to take my life and make something sprout, blossom and produce fruit for His glory!

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that REACH deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. – Jeremiah 17:7-8

Today’s Reading: Numbers 13–15

Now the Lord told Moses to send out men into the land of Canaan to explore the land. Twelve men were chosen, one leader from each of the twelve tribes of Israel.

“See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” — Numbers 13:18-20

The men came back and reported what they had found and brought back the fruit of the land. The land was indeed flowing with milk and honey and the fruit was luscious, but the people were powerful and the cities fortified. They celebrated the bounty of the land but worried about the size of the men in Canaan, calling them “giants”.

THEY CHOSE FEAR INSTEAD OF FAITH.

God was blessing them with a wonderful opportunity — the fulfillment of His promise to them. God had proven to them that He was both their protector and their provider, yet they lacked the faith to step forward in obedience. Thankfully two of the spies saw the size of their God rather than the size of their enemy.

But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!”

But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers and that’s what they thought, too!” – Numbers 13:30-33

God was angry with the people for once again living in fear instead of faith. God was ready to destroy the Hebrews with a plague, but once again Moses intervened and prayed for God to forgive His people.

“Please, Lord, prove that your power is as great as you have claimed. For you said, ‘The Lord is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love, forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. But he does not excuse the guilty…In keeping with your magnificent, unfailing love, please pardon the sins of this people…’” – Numbers 14:17-19

We serve a God of compassion who was once again willing to look past the doubt of many to see the faith of a few. God recognized in Caleb a different spirit. He saw that Caleb followed him wholeheartedly. Because of their faith in God, Caleb and Joshua were the only ones who would enter into the land of Canaan.

WHEN OTHERS CHOSE FEAR, THEY CHOSE FAITH.

So do I tend to be more like Caleb or the other spies? Where am I on my faith journey? Do I have the tendency to back away from difficult situations and tough conversations, or do I respond to the Spirit’s leading regardless of my fear? Do I choose to live in fear or in faith? I want to be like Caleb, one who has a different spirit and follows the Lord with all my heart – living in faith and not fear.

Be still and know / That the Lord is in control / Be still my soul / Stand and watch as giants fall / I won’t be afraid if you are here / You silence all my fear / I won’t be afraid / You don’t let go / Be still my heart and know / I won’t be afraid [Be Still, Hillsong Worship]

Today’s Reading: Numbers 12, Hebrews 3, Psalm 103

He revealed his character to Moses
and his deeds to the people of Israel.
The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
He will not constantly accuse us,
nor remain angry forever.
He does not punish us for all our sins;
he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. – Psalm 103:7-10

CALLED OUT BY GOD

Have you ever been “called out” for your behavior or actions or attitude? That is literally what happened to Miriam in this next passage of scripture – she was called out. Moses was a very humble man but Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses, concerned that he was getting all the credit. “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?…Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” (Numbers 12:2)

God heard them and called them out of the Tabernacle where they received a good old-fashioned lecture. Miriam had to know she was in trouble the moment she heard God say, “Come out to the Tent of Meeting, all three of you.”

Listen carefully to what I’m telling you. If there is a prophet of God among you, I make myself known to him in visions; I speak to him in dreams. But I don’t do it that way with my servant Moses; he has the run of my entire house; I speak to him intimately, in person, in plain talk without riddles: He ponders the very form of God. So why did you show no reverence or respect in speaking against my servant, against Moses? – Numbers 12:6-8 (The Message)

Jealousy and pride crept into Miriam’s heart and she began thinking more of herself than she thought of God. Not only did she get called out by God, she was placed in a “time out” of sorts. Miriam was struck with leprosy and made to spend seven days outside the camp by herself – seven days covered with skin as white as snow, time segregated from her family and friends. She had plenty of time to find the humility she was lacking.

Miriam also had time to consider how her actions were impacting others. While Miriam was in her “time out”, the people didn’t move. No progress was made while the Israelites waited for Miriam to learn her lesson. Her bad attitude and jealousy had literally stopped the movement of God’s people. Are there times when our attitude or selfishness is standing in the way of where God is taking His people, His church?

CALLED BY GOD INTO MINISTRY

God made it clear that Moses had “run of the entire house” or as it says in the NLT, “Of all my house, he is the one I trust” (12:7b). The writer of Hebrews also spoke of the faithfulness of Moses and how he was entrusted with God’s entire house (God’s people) because he was a faithful servant. In the same way, Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house for he was faithful to God who appointed him (Hebrews 3:1-6).

And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ. – Hebrews 3:6b

So do I tend to be more like Miriam or Moses? Do I worry about receiving glory and credit, fame or attention? Or do I humble myself before God, only concerned that God receives glory? Like Moses, I want to know God intimately and humbly enter His presence. I want to be called by God, not called out by God. I am so thankful this morning for a God who forgives us, even after our most foolish moments.

For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.
The Lord is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
For he knows how weak we are;
he remembers we are only dust.
Our days on earth are like grass;
like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
The wind blows, and we are gone—
as though we had never been here.
But the love of the Lord remains forever
with those who fear him. – Psalm 103:11-17

Today’s Reading: Numbers 1-6 and 10:11-11:35; Psalm 131

Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord — now and always. – Psalm 131

The nation of Israel went through a time of responding to all the Lord commanded them to do through Moses. They were growing in numbers and God’s blessings were evident, but the people began to whine and complain.

NO LONGER ENOUGH

The people of Israel (all 603,550 of them plus women and children) were still wandering in the wilderness and had not yet arrived to the land God had promised. Eventually the Israelites became tired of this way of life – tired of the work of picking up and moving, wandering from place to place. They were tired of the manna God had provided for them to eat and they began to whine and complain. Manna was no longer enough for them. Now they wanted meat. Moses became aggravated with the people and began to feel sorry for himself, taking out his frustrations on God.

And Moses said to the Lord, “Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly? Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? Did I give birth to them? Did I bring them into the world? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms like a mother carries a nursing baby? How can I carry them to the land you swore to give their ancestors? Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep whining to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!” – Numbers 11:11-15

“Don’t make me come down there.” This was a common sentence at my house as I was growing up and in this passage we hear God giving the same sort of fatherly warning. He said He would come down and the Israelites would get what they wanted – Oh boy, would they get it!

DISSATISFIED AND BORED

Moses responded – Where am I supposed to get enough meat to feed all these people?!! Oh Moses, I wish I could not relate to your faithless behavior. I know I serve a God who provides generously, yet I find myself asking how I am supposed to do what God is calling me to do. I can also sadly relate to the people who have been blessed by God but have become dissatisfied and bored, ready for God to bless in a new and different way. Oh, what a patient God we serve! Oh, how we must frustrate Him!

God answered Moses, “So, do you think I can’t take care of you?” – Numbers 11:23a (The Message). Or the NLT version says, “Has my arm lost its power?” and the NIV says, “Is the Lord’s arm too short?”

Over and over again Moses had witnessed both the Lord’s provision and the Lord’s anger at the complaints and selfishness of the people, yet here he is — the one lacking the faith to believe that God could do what He said He would do. I would love to sit here in judgment of Moses and shake my head in unbelief but the truth is that I am no better than him. I hear the Lord asking me, “Is the Lord’s arm too short? So, do you think I can’t take care of you? Has my arm lost its power?”

GOD IS MORE THAN ENOUGH

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. – 2 Corinthians 9:10

Over and over again we witness God’s provision. My prayer for us today is that we know with confidence that God can take care of us, that His arm is not too short. I pray that we remain in a state of obedience without questioning God or praying for more than what God is giving us. I pray that God does something within each one of our hearts today, causing us to only desire what He desires for us and to be content with what He has for us. Lord, may these things be true in our lives today. Amen.

“The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” – Numbers 6:24

Today’s Reading: Leviticus 18-27

This is clean; this is unclean. This is permissible; this is unacceptable. You can eat this, but don’t eat that. Chapter after chapter in Leviticus defines how God wants us to separate ourselves from sin and from situations that might tempt us to sin. We serve a God who requires holy living, but who also generously equips and supplies us with HIS holiness. Praise God!

So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the Lord your God. Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord who MAKES YOU HOLY. – Leviticus 20:7-8

I love this! The Lord God, who requires us to be holy, makes us holy. That’s the kind of gracious God we serve! He clearly lays out his expectations of holy living and what it looks like to obediently follow his commands, but He knows we cannot make ourselves holy. It takes the hand of the Almighty to reach down and do something in our lives as we submit our will to Him. Then God gets the glory for our life of holiness.

HIS HOLINESS IS ON DISPLAY AND NOT OUR OWN EFFORTS TO PERFORM.

You must faithfully keep all my commands by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord. Do not bring shame on my holy name, for I will display my holiness among the people of Israel. I am the Lord who MAKES YOU HOLY.” – Leviticus 22:31-33

The book of Leviticus lays out the requirements of God for the people of Israel — requirements of how to worship, how to make sacrifices and how to life their daily life. God instructed them on how to live in relationship with a holy God and how to live in relationship with others. Just as we learned in Exodus, God’s command is clear – to love God also requires that we love others.

HIS HOLINESS IS ON DISPLAY WHEN HIS LOVE FLOWS THROUGH US.

Act with justice, speaking up for others (5:1). Do not spread slanderous gossip (19:16). Show respect for the elderly (19:32). Love foreigners as you love yourself (19:33-34). Don’t take advantage of one another (25:14). Help those who have fallen into poverty (25:25,35). Be generous towards the poor:

“When you harvest the crops of your land, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. Leave it for the poor and the foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God.” – Leviticus 23:22

More than 2000 years later, the apostle Peter reminded the people again of God’s call to holiness. Just as God commanded in the book of Leviticus, Peter taught the same connection between holy living out of love for God and holy living displayed in our love for others.

So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”…For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God….You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. – 1 Peter 1:14-22

The God-required response to our salvation is to love each other. Our salvation is not just about us. We were not saved to live focused on ourselves but we were saved to focus on God in obedience and love. We were called to holy living and that call includes living a life of love and kindness toward others. That is what God required of the people of Israel in Leviticus, that is what God required of the Jewish Christians to whom Peter wrote, and that is what God requires of us today.

…you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.” – 1 Peter 2:9-10

Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that GOD SUPPLIES. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen. – 1 Peter 4:8-11

Our holy God, who calls us to be holy, will make us holy. What He is asking us to do, He will equip us to do. He will give us spiritual gifts and He will supply us with the strength and energy we need to do what He is asking us to do. Why? So that our lives will bring glory to Him. That is my desire this morning – to live a life of obedience, letting God come in and MAKE ME HOLY for His glory and for His purposes. Lord, this is my prayer!