Daily Scripture Reading: I Samuel 4-8
Focal Passage: I Samuel 6:20
My father owned and operated a construction business and lumber yard when I was younger. I can remember spending many hours in the back of that lumber yard playing and working on different projects. However, there was one central tool in the middle of the warehouse that no one played around with. It was the huge saw that we used to cut lumber. This saw was fast, sharp, loud, and scary. When I was old enough to start using it, my dad gave me very specific instructions as to where to keep my fingers and how to avoid them getting caught by the saw. The saw was powerful and fast and could do many amazing things, but I always had a healthy respect (or in Biblical terms, fear) of the saw because I valued what it could do to my fingers if I wasn't careful and paying attention.
In the focal passage today, the Philistines had an interesting encounter with one of God's tools. The Ark of the Covenant was captured by them and every time it went into one of their Philistine towns the entire town would have things happen to them. This pattern that the Philistines observed convinced them to fear or respect God, and they decided to return the Ark of the Covenant back to its rightful owners: God's people, the Israelites. Even God's own people did not respect it the way that they should. In I Samuel 6:20 the men of Bethshemesh asked, "Who is able to stand in the presence of this holy Lord God?" They recognized that there was a huge difference between God and themselves.
We have lost the fear (respect) for God that we should have. The fear of God in the Bible is talking about a reverance, respect, honor or recognition of who God is (His holiness, His judgment, His power) in compared to who we are. We struggle with trying to be the best in our careers, have the best stuff we can possibly afford, with the highest education we can attain so that we can achieve for ourselves. We spend so much time building ourselves up, that we forget to acknowledge in our everyday lives that God is greater than all of us and He is ultimately in control of everything. Perhaps what we need is more people being stricken dead as soon as they disobey God (like in the Old Testament). Personally, I think I take in so much sin in my life that I become oblivious to God's presence in the world and in my life. I accept the things of the world and forget to have a hunger and thirst for the things of God. What do you think? Tell me about your healthy or unhealthy respect (fear) of the Lord.
Lord, help me to fear you today. Help me to hunger and thirst for your righteousness and allow me to seek first the kingdom of God!
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Give me MEAT or give me death
Daily Scripture Reading: Judges 16-18
Focal Passage: Exodus 16:2-3
We have this ongoing debate in my home. Terri and I disagree about the necessary ingredients that are required for a meal time. I am no vegetarian, never had any desire to be, nor do I understand people that claim to be. A meal must come with some type of meat, preferably beef (like a 12 ounce New York Strip steak) in order for it to be classified as officially dinner. You might get by with a baked potato or salad or soup for lunch but for dinner it must have some type of meat in it! This is even Scriptural. Seriously. I will prove it to you.
Today I was studying for a Bible study I am teaching Wednesday night and I was reminded that even God's people complained about not having meat to eat. They were in the wilderness and grew tired of the daily routine of water and water only. Then God rained down bread from heaven, but God's people complained again...bread and water alone is really not a meal. Then in Exodus 16:12, God told His people He would send them meat (quail) every evening.
Ok...let me be honest with you. This passage of Scripture is really not about whether or not every dinner has to have meat with it. However, it does remind us of our human tendency, to grumble. Grumbling constitutes a dominant theme all throughout the Israelites' wilderness wanderings and it describes not only the Israelites' typical attitude when faced with difficulty, but ours as well. The lack of food affected the entire Israelite community and the grumbling and complaining led to angry accusations against human leaders and God.
God had only shown care and love for His people. Moses had led the people out of bondage and slavery to freedom. When faced with difficult times, however, the people had forgotten all of the ways both God and his leader had provided for them. Instead of remaining loyal to God and trusting Him to see them through the difficult time, they blamed Him. We have a tendency to do the same thing today. God can use difficult times or circumstances to strengthen our faith and commitment in Him. We need to trust Him and depend on Him in every situation.
When do you have difficulty trusting in God? How have your life experiences helped you grow more devoted to Him in good and difficult times?
Focal Passage: Exodus 16:2-3
We have this ongoing debate in my home. Terri and I disagree about the necessary ingredients that are required for a meal time. I am no vegetarian, never had any desire to be, nor do I understand people that claim to be. A meal must come with some type of meat, preferably beef (like a 12 ounce New York Strip steak) in order for it to be classified as officially dinner. You might get by with a baked potato or salad or soup for lunch but for dinner it must have some type of meat in it! This is even Scriptural. Seriously. I will prove it to you.
Today I was studying for a Bible study I am teaching Wednesday night and I was reminded that even God's people complained about not having meat to eat. They were in the wilderness and grew tired of the daily routine of water and water only. Then God rained down bread from heaven, but God's people complained again...bread and water alone is really not a meal. Then in Exodus 16:12, God told His people He would send them meat (quail) every evening.
Ok...let me be honest with you. This passage of Scripture is really not about whether or not every dinner has to have meat with it. However, it does remind us of our human tendency, to grumble. Grumbling constitutes a dominant theme all throughout the Israelites' wilderness wanderings and it describes not only the Israelites' typical attitude when faced with difficulty, but ours as well. The lack of food affected the entire Israelite community and the grumbling and complaining led to angry accusations against human leaders and God.
God had only shown care and love for His people. Moses had led the people out of bondage and slavery to freedom. When faced with difficult times, however, the people had forgotten all of the ways both God and his leader had provided for them. Instead of remaining loyal to God and trusting Him to see them through the difficult time, they blamed Him. We have a tendency to do the same thing today. God can use difficult times or circumstances to strengthen our faith and commitment in Him. We need to trust Him and depend on Him in every situation.
When do you have difficulty trusting in God? How have your life experiences helped you grow more devoted to Him in good and difficult times?
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