Our Need to Rid Ourselves of Idols!

Reading:  Genesis 35
My Verse:  "So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments.  Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone" (35:2,3).

Here is another beautiful illustration of how You, LORD God provide for your beloved.  Even though Jacob did not have the 'proper' response to the awful sin of his sons You still love him and provide for him.  As Your children we so often are like Jacob, we do not do as You would have us, as You teach us in Your word. How thankful we can be that Your love is not conditional, not dependent on how we behave.

I especially like here this idea of getting rid of idols and purification.  Jacob required his household to cleanse themselves of all idols, even to change their clothes!  This was to prepare themselves for going into the presence of You, LORD God.  How we forget Who You are!  You are a holy, mighty God. 

"Each of the four living creatures had six wings with eyes all around, even under his wings.  Day and night they never stop saying:  "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come" (Revelation 4:8).

This brings me back to Tozer's wonderful teaching on Your holiness in the The Knowledge of the Holy.  In it he states this.

"Until we have seen ourselves as God sees us, we are not likely to be much disturbed over conditions around us as long as they do not get so far out of hand as to threaten our comfortable way of life.  We have learned to live with unholiness and have come to look upon it as the natural and expected thing.  We are not disappointed that we do not find all truth in our teachers or faithfulness in our politicians or complete honesty in our merchants or full trustworthiness in our friends.  That we may continue to exist we make such laws as are necessary to protect us from our fellowmen and let it go at that." 

Oh, is that not sad?  We are 'conditioned' to sin!  Oh, LORD God, forgive me my callousness.  I so often charge into Your holy presence unthinkingly.  I forget how unclean I truly am before You.  Help me I pray to pause, to take time to put aside those idols - those things in my life that separate me from You.  How I need to take this lesson to heart.

"He says, "Be still, and know that I am God;
   I will be exalted among the nations,
   I will be exalted in the earth."  Psalm 46:10

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!



 

Sin is Not Static It Grows!

Reading:  Genesis 33,34
My Verse:  "The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully, because he had defiled their sister Dinah" (34:13).

This is a very sad and sordid chapter in the life of the Israelites.  Jacob's sons not only use deceit here as their father and their grandfather, Laban, had done in the past  but they take their sin a step further - to murder.  Sin, is an ugly thing it does not stay static, it grows and becomes ever more ugly and horrid.  Oh, LORD God, You tell us this over and over throughout Your Word.  You warned us from the very beginning through your warning to  Cain.  "Sin crouches at your door, its desire is for you" (Gen. 4:7).   Yes, the sons of Jacob "answered . . . deceitfully."  From their deceitful answer they went on to commit murder, basically slaughter of a town. 

Sadly, Jacob did not deal with this as he should have. It is obvious he did not teach his sons to honor You in all that they did.  In fact his initial reaction is not one of horror at the awful sin they committed here.  No, it is instead concern for his own safety and welfare.  "And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi.  You have ruined me, making me infamous and embroiling me with the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites!  And we are few in number, and they will gather together against me and attack me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my household" (34:31).

How often do we have this very same reaction to the consequences of our sin.  We are more concerned with how to deal with those consequences than with the fact that we hurt You so horribly.

For it is against You that we have sinned.  As David so eloquently states it in Psalm 51:3,4.

"For I know my transgressions,
   and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only have I sinned
   and done what is evil in your sight, . . .

It is always to You that we need to cry out for mercy not to people as Jacob was want to do here with the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

"Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
   blot out my transgressions.
 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
   and cleanse me from my sin!"  (Psalm 51:1,2)

Yes, sin is not static, if left unchecked it is ever progressive. Psalm 1:1 shows this progression of sin in our lives if we are not careful.

"Blessed is the man
   who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
   nor sits in the seat of scoffers . . .

Thank You, LORD God that I can hold onto You.  Thank You that I can repent to You of my sins and You will not only forgive me but give me to the ability to do the right thing to right any wrong that I do.  You in Your loving mercy will "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

 

God Leads Us

Reading:  Genesis 32
My Verse:  "And Jacob said, "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O LORD who said to me, Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good, I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps.  Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children.  but you said, I will surely do you good, and make your offsrping as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude" (32:9-12).


LORD God this is an interesting passage about Your guidance, Your providence and Your protection.  Jacob is very afraid, after all when he left he was running for his very life from his brother, Esau!  Now he has to face him and he has no idea of what the reception will be.  He reminds You here of what You told him.  In fact he repeats Your promise to him.  "Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good."  and "but you said, I will surely do you good and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude."  He is very afraid but he moves forward because that is what You told him to do.

Oh, LORD, we can learn so much from this about Your leading.  I have been attending a seminar on Discernment - the quality of being able to grasp or comprehend what seems obscure.  Sometimes it does seem difficult to know what to do, especially if we are afraid as Jacob was here.  Yet, You teach us through Your Word that we are to be discerning, we are to have faith, and we can be confident in Your leading.

"My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:1-5).

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrew 11:1).

"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us" (I John 5:14).

The speaker at this seminar made a statement about the confusion many feel about knowing what Your will is LORD God.  He stated that there is some false teaching out there that only confuses people in this.  We need to trust that You will lead and guide us if we but seek You.  You are LORD God Almighty and You can do all things.  We need not be full of doubt and tossed to and fro.

Thank You for this passage on Jacob - for showing us how You do lead us even when we are scared.

"I love those who love Me; And those who diligently seek Me will find Me" (Proverbs 8:17).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
 

God Is In The Details!

Reading:  Genesis 30, 31
My Verse:  "I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me.  Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred" (31:13).

This is a fascinating conversation You have with Jacob, LORD God.  You remind him not only of the vow he made but the exact place he made it and what he did to mark that vow.  You were so very specific!  You are not a vague entity out there in space somewhere as so many would have You.  No, You know every detail of our lives and You use those details to bring us to You. 

Jacob actually recognizes that it is because of You that he is doing so well despite the abuses of his father-in-law, Laban.  "But the God of my father has been with me" (31:5).  His recognition of this helps him to respond positively to Your reminder of his vow and Your command to him to return to the land of his father, Isaac.

Another interesting detail here is the fact that Jacob talks to his wives, Leah and Rachel about this.  He doesn't just tell them to pack up because they were leaving.  He considers their opinion.   So often the women are left without any say in important matters - particularly in these eastern cultures. Yet here, Leah and Rachel are allowed to weigh in.  Their response is; "Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father's house?  Are we not regarded by him as foreigners?  For he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money.  All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children.  Now then, whatever God has said to you, do" (31:14-16).  And these are not sisters that got along!  They were very bitter to each other and yet in this case they agreed as to what Jacob should do.  You certainly had to have a hand in this little detail!

And then the matter of the spotted, striped and black lambs!  Way too much detail for me to deal with.  I can't even begin to understand what that is all about - only that You, LORD God worked in a most spectacular way to thwart Laban's deceptive ways and enrich Jacob.  It had to be so obvious to Jacob that all this was of You, and You alone.

Lord, You do as much for us.  So often You use the small stuff to reveal Your blessed Hand in our affairs - to show Your love for us - Your compassion and grace.

"For you formed my inward parts;
   you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
   Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
   My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
   intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,
    when as yet there was none of them" (Psalm 139:13-16).

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever" (Psalm 23: 5-6).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

 

Consequences Of Our Deception

Reading:  Genesis 29
My Verse:  "And in the morning, behold, it was Leah!  And Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me?  Did I not serve with you for Rachel?  Why then have you deceived me?" (29:25)

Deception is such a dreadful thing.  Yes, You do forgive us when we knowingly sin and then ask Your forgiveness.  But we cannot escape the consequences of our sinful acts, for there will be consequences.  As a parent this is so  important to remember.  Rebecca, Jacob's mother helped him in his deception.  She basically reinforced this natural tendency of Jacob's to deceive.  Instead of allowing You, LORD God to carry out Your plan she intervened and took things into her own control - even though it meant deceiving her own husband.  The consequences were to be felt for generations.

Laban, Rebecca's brother, does to Jacob what Jacob and his mother, Rebecca, had done to his own father - deceives him.  It is interesting to note that they are brother and sister - Laban and Rebecca.  They were raised in the same environment - this use of deception to accomplish their goals seemed almost like the natural thing to do.  They were not raised in a home that honored You, LORD God and so were not taught Your perfect ways.  They did what seemed right in their own eyes. 

Jacob ends up with two wives - this is not how You meant marriage to be.  Genesis 2:22-24 is very clear that You meant marriage to be between one man and one woman.  This is what You ordained. And so anything else is wrong and will result in strife, unhappiness and more sin.  Jacob does have many children but what a mess his household became!  Turmoil, animosity between  sisters and  amongst the many children result from this deceptive act of Laban.

It is very hard to "wait on the LORD"  as You would have us to do LORD God! We so want immediate action.  Sometimes we think we see a solution to our difficulty and go with it rather than look to You for guidance.  Even as Your children we do this.  But You tell us "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. . . . Be still and know that I am God; . . "(Psalm 46 1-11).

Your Word is full of examples of the results of man's feeble attempts to solve problems through the use of deception.  Over and over You show how this only leads to more sin, more pain, more problems.  Moses, when he took the life of a man.  David, when he took another man's wife. 

Lyrics to a song come to mind here that speak of  the greatest deceiver of all.

"The devil he wore such a fine, fine shirt
and it stayed so clean while he dragged me through the dirt."

Satan is the father of lies and the great deceiver!  "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires.  He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.  When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44).  You, LORD God plead with us to not allow ourselves to be deceived by him.  "And He said, "See that you are not led astray.  For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am He', "The time is near.'  Do not go after them" (Luke 21:8).

Dear, LORD God, help me to have a "pure heart and clean hands."  Help me to meditate on Your perfect Word that revives my soul, Your trustworthy statutes that make me wise, Your right precepts that give joy to my heart, Your radiant commands that give light to my eyes, Your pure fear that endures forever and Your sure ordinances that I can rely on for they are righteous! (Psalm 19).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
 

Our Conditional Love

Reading:  Genesis 26, 27, 28
My Verse: "Then Jacob made a vow saying,  "If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go,and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that You give me I will give a full tenth to You"  (28:20-22)

Oh, LORD God, You had just appeared to Jacob.  You reassured him of Your promises to his father, Isaac.  You promised him that You would care for him.  "Behold, I am with you and will keep you whenever you go, and will bring you back to this land.  For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you" (28:15).  You, LORD God say all this to Jacob even after the deceptive things he had just done.  He was basically running away because of what he had done to his brother.

His response seems so lacking and yet was probably reflective of where he was spiritually.  He did  not know You as His LORD and Saviour.  You were a far off entity.  He knew You as God but not his personal God. 

So he does a thing that was commonly done in the culture within which he lived.  Instead of building an altar to You, he built a stone pillar.  And he says You will be his God if . . . .  No, Jacob is not in a good place here.  It will take much more hardship and many more years before he finally comes to know You as his God, his personal, saving LORD.  But You made him a wonderful promise here.  "For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."  You were relentless with him.  You were not going to let him go. 

How like Jacob we still are today.  We so often make conditions with You.  How often do the words, "LORD, if You will do this then I will . . ."  slip out of our mouths!  We keep putting You off.  But You pursue us.  Your great compassion and love does not allow You to easily give up on us.
Thank You for that, LORD God. 

We can be ever so grateful that You, LORD God, love us unconditionally!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

"This is how God showed his love among us; He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.  This is love; not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" (I John 4:9-10).

"Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens,
Your faithfulness to the skies.

Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
Your justice like the great deep.
O LORD, You preserve both man and beast.

How priceless is Your unfailing love!
Both high and low among men
find refuge in the shadow of your wings" (Psalm 36:5-7).

Yes, if we had to depend on our own ability to love we would be lost indeed! Thank You, LORD God.  "I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever" (Psalm 52:8)!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!



 

God's Providence

Reading:  Genesis 24
My Verse:  "And they called Rebekah and said to her, "Will you go with this man?"  She said, "I will go."  (24:58)

Oh, LORD God, what an amazing illustration of You and how You provide for Your loved ones.  There is a saying that crops up among Christians.  "With God there is no such thing as an accident or mere coincidence."  So many things have to occur for a single event to come about.  It is fun to read this story because as a reader we can see the whole thing unfolding before our eyes. We get to see how You were at work here.  We get to see the amazing faith of the characters as they stepped out into the unknown in faith.  They were willing to put it all on the line because they trusted You!

Abraham believed what You told him when You said the land was to belong to his posterity.  He took steps to insure that this would happen.  He was careful not to let his son go back to the land he came from.  In faith he sent his servant to look for a wife for Isaac instead of sending Isaac to look for his own wife.  He told his servant.  "The LORD, the God of heaven, Who took me from my father's house, from the land of my family and my birth, Who spoke to me and swore to me saying, To your offspring I will give this land - He will send His angel before you, and you will take a wife from there for my son" (24:6).

The servant did exactly as he was told.  He also was a believer.  This is so obvious in his prayer before meeting Rebekah.  He set forth the conditions that would indicate to him Your guidance and You did exactly as he requested so that he had no question about the girl being the right one!  It is a truly amazing story. 

Not only was Rebekah the first girl to show up and do all that he prayed she would, she was also of the family, a relative.  And Rebehak was willing to leave her home and family and journey with this strange man to a far off land to marry someone she hadn't even met before!  You truly had to have Your hand upon her to help her to do that. 

Thank You, LORD God for this truly amazing story of Your providence.  You do want so much to DO for us!  How often we miss out on Your blessings because we don't step out in faith.  Help me, today, LORD God to look to You, to trust You for my all.

"Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee" (Nehemiah 9:6).

"The LORD is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works" (Psalm 145:9).

"Are not two little sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's leave (consent) and notice.  But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Fear not, then you are of more value than many sparrows" (Matthew 9:29-31).

Yes, You LORD God are good!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
 

Accepting of Favors

Reading:  Genesis 22,23
My Verse:  "And he said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, "But if you will hear me: I give the price of the field.  Accept it from me, that I may bury my dead there" (23:13).

This is an interesting passage.  It echoes what happened in Genesis 14 where Abraham refused any favors from the kings that he had rescued.  Abraham here insists on paying for the land even though he is offered it for free.  What do I take away from this, LORD God?  You after all had previously promised Abraham this land.  "I will give this land to your posterity" ( Gen. 12:7).  It seems that Abraham could have taken that promise at face value and viewed all the land as already his.  But he doesn't do that.  He acquires the land the proper way - according the the practices and laws of the people that lived there.  He was in fact very insistent on doing it the proper and legal way.  It is a good lesson for us today.

So many gladly accept something that is offered freely without thinking about the strings that are attached, because there are always strings(obligations) attached!  Roman 13:8 says:  "Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law."
 
I Corinthians 4:1-2 says we are to be trustworthy in the way that we live out our lives before You!  "This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.  Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy."

I like this passage about Abraham.  I like how he dealt with his business affairs.   He was a very wealthy man and so must have been quite shrewd in his business dealings, but from these two incidents one gets the impression that he dealt cleanly and precisely with those whom he had business dealings.  He was also cognizant of the culture in which he lived.  He made a point to understand what was expected of him. 

Am trying to think how this applies to my daily life.  Accepting favors is actually something I struggle with anyhow.  I never like the feeling of obligation I get when someone else does something for me.  I know that there are times when I should be willing to accept help, especially from a fellow Christian.  On the other hand I like to be able to help others whenever I am able.  It seems to be a dichotomy.  But, LORD God, You are wise and You use people in our lives in many different ways.

Help me to be discerning.  Help me to know when it is okay and when it is not okay to accept a favor.  Even when it seems that I should be getting such a favor, I need to make sure all such transactions are done cleanly, honestly, and legally!  I need to also be aware of the culture or traditions that are in play around me.

"Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me"  (Psalm 5:8).

"The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps" (NASB Prov. 16:9).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

 

You Meet Us Where We Are

Reading:  Genesis 21
My Verse:  "Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink" (21:19).

Here we have Hagar, again in the wilderness on her own.  Only this time she is not running away.  She did what You told her to do the first time and went back and was submissive.  This time she is sent away.  Sometimes it is so hard for us to understand the why of our situation.  Even when we seem to be doing what You would have us to do we still are not in a good situation.  Hagar was sure they would both die there in the desert, she and her son.

Then, You appear to her again.  You provide her the water they need.  You then tell her that they will live and her son would be the father of many.   "Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation" (21:18).

How I need to take this lesson to heart.  LORD God, You do and will provide our deepest needs.  You meet us where we are if we but cry out to You.  I was just visiting with a friend.  We spoke of suffering, how it is only for a time.  Though we do not and cannot see the end of it when we are in the midst of suffering it does come to an end.  When we come out of it - if we have relied on You - we are stronger, richer, and blessed by You.  Knowing this does not make it any easier.  Hagar wept and knew she and her boy would die.  And so we often come to that kind of despair.

I am reading Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross.  St. John was a Spanish monk in the 1500's.  The book is his journey from the empty ritualism of Catholism to a real personal loving relationship with You, LORD God.  Reading his story makes one realize how so much of the battle is indeed within ourselves - within our own minds - within our spirit.  He speaks much of the need for You to purge our souls to enable us to receive Your love and for us to be able to truly love You.  This purging is not an easy thing.  But You do it because You love us. 

Oh, LORD, help me to simply hold on during these times of purging.  You know me and know what it is I need.  You met Hagar where she was. You provided her not only the water she desparately needed but You also gave her a promise that she might have hope.   And this You do for us today.

There are so many other examples of You meeting us where we are in the Bible.  Thank You for them, for the encouragement they bring.  Thank You for showing us Your tenderness and compassion through these stories of Your love.  We simply need to hold onto that - Your love.

"Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
hide me in the shadow of Your wings . . ." (Pslam 17:8).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
 

God Intervenes

Reading:  Genesis 20
My Verse:  "Yes, I  know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me.  Therefore, I did  not let you touch her" (20:6).

Oh, LORD God, You step into the affairs of man to keep a terrible thing from happening.  For at this time, because of Abraham's lack of faith in You, LORD God he creates a dangerous situation that could have consequences throughout the ages.  Because of his fear and lack of faith he asks Sarah to again do a despicable thing.  Yet, here You make sure she is not touched.  You do this to make it very clear so that there is no question as to the parentage of the son to whom she will give birth.

Yes, You stepped in and actually appeared to Abimelech.  Wonder of wonders Abimelech is anxious to please You, he and all his people!  They were God fearing and responded immediately and correctly to You.  How wonderful is that!?

How often do we as Abraham, lacking faith, flub up our situation?  We get blinded by the immediacy of our problems, forget to look up and panic.  Then we try to fix things on our own - generally only making things worse.  What do You tell us over and over?

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).

I love this verse. 

"He says, "Be still, and know that I am God;
                               I will be exalted among the nations,
                               I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalm 46:10)

Sometimes I just need to take a deep breath and stop my worrying.  I need to stop and allow You to soothe my racing mind, my anxieties.  For really what can I do? I see only a little bit of the big picture.  I only understand a very small part of what is happening.  You, are God Almighty and You love me more than I can ever understand.  You have plans I know nothing of.

I thank You and praise You for intervening in my life whenever I try to go in the wrong direction.  I thank You for intervening to fix my mess ups.  Doubt is a terrible thing!  It plagues us.  Help me to learn from this passage about Abraham.  Help me to cry out to You in my moments of doubt.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.  Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil" (Proverbs 3:5-7).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Lingering In Our Sin

Reading:  Genesis 19
My Verse:  "But he lingered.  So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him and they brought him out and set him outside the city"  (19:16).

This an amazing chapter concerning Lot and the incredibly sinful city he chose to live in.  One wondered how he was able to continue living there.  It had to be an incredibly vile place!  You, LORD God could no longer abide the crimes of the people and "because the outcry against its people has become great before the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it" (19:13).  So, yes, it had to be vile.  And yet when the angels told Lot to leave because it was going to be destroyed, Lot lingered.  He was reluctant to leave this place. 

How often do we do that very thing?  Like the Israelites looking longingly back to Egypt at the "good"  things they had there, we too sometimes have selective memories of the past, the past when we were without You, LORD God.  This brings to mind the words of an elder of my home town.  At this gathering someone started talking about how it was so much better back in the 'good old days'.  This elder immediately spoke up and said.  "Pshaw!  You can have those 'good old days'.  I like my automatic washing machine and out-board motor and refrigerator and freezer!  I am glad those good old days are gone!"  We all laughed of course.  But how we need to be reminded that life without You in it is anything but good!  Lot seems to have forgotten what it was like to have You in his life.  He lived amidst this sinfulness so long he had come to tolerate it and so lingered.

That is a scarey place to be.  Yet that is where so many of us are.  I just heard a story on the radio the other day of a Catholic college that offered a psychology course that dealt with aberrant behavior.  Listed in the aberrant behaviors was homosexuality.  Of course, there was a huge outcry against them.  The school even had some kind of rating taken away from it because of this "intolerant"  viewpoint. The spokesperson for the outcry against the school said that because the American Psychological Association (APA) determined that homosexuality was no longer aberrant the school was wrong to call it so.  And yet, here You, LORD God, destroyed two cities because of this sin.

Your Word is very clear on what is sinful.  I believe that we all know in our heart of hearts what is truly wrong.  We are after all made in Your image.  No matter how we try to rationalize that what we are doing is okay we still know that it is not. And yet, because we want so much to have our own way and not admit You as LORD we continue to lie to ourselves. 

Oh, LORD God, I thank You for Your Word.  "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (John 20:31).

I thank You for the presence of the Holy Spirit.  You gave us a promise.  "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws"  (Ezekiel 36:27-27).  

We do not need to linger and become tolerant of sin as Lot did.  With him You were merciful by phsyically moving him out of harms way. This You continue to do for us by reaching out to us - reminding us everyday of Who You are through the world around us, through Your word and through the Holy Spirit.  Thank You.

"For His merciful kindness is great toward us; and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD" (Psalms 117:2).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
 

A Little Lie

Reading:  Genesis 18
My Verse:  "Then Sarah denied it, saying, I did  not laugh; for she was afraid.  And He said, No , but you did laugh"  (18:15).

It seems a little thing - Sarah's lie here, her denial.  Yet, You, LORD God confronted her and made her face the truth of what she did.  I read this several times and have been pondering it.  I keep thinking that it seems of so little significance.  Yet all that You have included in Your Word is for our benefit, for our edification.  Each thought is of great import or You would not have included it.  And so I am forced to wonder what am I to learn from this little incident?

The situation was something to laugh at.  Sarah is "old, well advanced in years; it had ceased to be with Sarah as with women."  It was basically impossible for her to bear a child and she hears this person say that she will.  "The Lord said, I will surely return to you when the season comes round, and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son."  This quite naturally caused Sarah to laugh to herself.  "Therefore Sarah laughed to herself, saying, After I have become aged shall I have pleasure and delight, my lord (husband) being old also?"  It was a laughable situation.  But then she was confronted. She was questioned as to why she would think it laughable because with God all things are possible.   Then, of course she lied, denying she laughed.  She did so because she was afraid and probably embarassed that they took notice of her and knew she was eavesdropping.  It seems in this little verse it is not so much the topic as the fact of her lie - a little lie. 

We so often get caught up in little lies.  It is so easy to lie about little things because we think it doesn't really matter, no one else is hurt.  Or we are caught off guard and our natural response it to try to cover for ourselves.  Yet, You LORD God know every thing that we do.  We are an open book to You.  You require of us to be pure, to be perfect.  "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48).  And so You confront her with her lie.  "But You did laugh."

We are not to be careless in how we live out our lives before You, LORD God!  We are not to be careless in how we think of You because that is revealed in all the little things of our life - our attitude, how we respond to awkward situations.  I must stay tuned in to You.

"Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposedfully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people).  Making the very most of the time because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be vague ;and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the  Lord is" (Ephesians 5:15-17).

LORD God, help me today to take this lesson of Sarah's little lie to heart.  Help me to be ever aware of how You want me to live before You.  Help me to have "clean hands and a pure heart" (Psalm 24:4) for "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Walk & Live Habitually Before Me!

Reading:  Genesis 17
My Verse:  "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, I am the Almighty God; walk and live habitually before Me and be perfect (blameless, wholehearted, complete) (17:1).

There is no question here as to what You, LORD God expect from us.  The New Testament echoes this command.  "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect"  (Matthew 5:48).  So while these words were directed at Abram at the time they were stated, they are for us as well.

I have often struggled mightily with this admonition.  Generally I would skim over these words and hurry on to something else.  For I knew that I was not perfect or could ever be.  I knew and know that You alone LORD God are perfect."And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good?  No one is good except God alone"  (Mark 10:18).  Yes, I understood this completely. 

So how does one respond to such a command?  I am learning so much as I keep reading and studying and listening to learned teachers of Your Word.  The Hebrew and Greek are definitely different languages and so much is lost in translation.  I believe that is why I like using the Amplified Bible - it tries to grab all that meaning!

The ESV notes states that the Hebrew for "walk before me"  indicates that this is to be ongoing - we are to do this on a regular basis.  Walking before You, LORD God should become habitual for me.  I remember once hearing a speaker liken our walk to football or any sport practice.  He said that they require athletes to repeatedly practice various moves.  By doing this it becomes habitual and one does not need to think on each and every move as they perform their sport.  Another term for this is automaticity.  And so we should live before You.  I need to "practice"  living as You would have me to even when I don't feel like it.  I need to live with purpose before You and by doing this regularly it will become more and more "normal" for me to walk before You habitually.  I like that and as I grow in my walk with You, LORD God I do sense that I am developing some of this automaticity.

The verse then goes on to say "be perfect."  I once saw an amplified of the amplified that stated this phrase in this way, "be on being perfect."  In other words we are to strive toward this in our daily walk with You, LORD God.  It is ever ongoing.  Paul likens our walk to a race.  "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14). 

I am often overwhelmed with all this.  My natural sinful nature wants to kick back and just be!  Why must I always be striving!  But as I slowly grow in You LORD God I realize that if I don't strive - if I am not going forward I will be going backward.  There simply is  no in between. 

Most importantly in all this I am learning that the striving is not on my part alone.  I cannot do this on my own.  I must ever be calling on You to keep me upright on my feet.  Since I have started running I am able to see how one does improve, ever so slowly!  But I need to keep at it in order to improve - I can't just kick back and let it be!  I actually feel better after really pushing myself. 

LORD God, thank You for Your constant help, constant encouragement.  I know I am not on my own here.  You are, El Shaddai, God Almighty! 

Thank You for this prayer of Paul's.  "And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ"  (Phillippians 1:9,10).  Amen to that!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!





 

Submit To Authority!

Reading:  Genesis 16
My Verse:  "The Angel of the LORD said to her, Go back to your mistress and [humbly] submit to her control" (16:9).

This is an especially difficult passage for women and anyone in a situation where they are under the authority of an unkind person.  Hagar's solution to her problem was to run away, remove herself from the situation.  But, You, LORD God, tell her to return and submit. 

Hagar's response to this is surprising.  She does not whine about it or cry, "Foul!"  No, she sees that You do care for her.  She recognizes the truth of Your love for her.  ". . . because the LORD has heard and paid attention to your affliction."  She calls You, El Ro'i or God of seeing.  She calls You that because "here I have seen Him Who looks after me."  One senses a softening in her attitude because she realizes she is cared for and that You, LORD God have and will make provision for her.  It doesn't mean the problems will go away, but You have let her know that You are aware of her situation.

How hard it is for us to allow You to be there for us.  Even when we do let down our guard and allow You to be our guide and saviour we tend to forget and go back to trying to deal with difficulties on our own.  This very thing happens with Hagar later. 

You teach us much about submission. You are a God of order and You have established systems that help us to live in an orderly way despite the sinful nature we all have and the mess we tend to create.  Yes, whether it be in politics, community, the home or the church You gave us direction.

"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God" (Romans 13:1).

"Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account.  Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you" (Hebrews 13:17).

"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the LORD.  For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is Himself its Savior.  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.  Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, . . . " (Eph. 2:22-26)

I especially like this admonition:
"Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ" (Eph. 5:21).

Oh, LORD God, You are a loving God, I need to keep coming back to that.  You see far beyond what I see.  You also want what is best for us.  There is so much injustice in the world, help me to see and believe that You are LOVE!  "LORD, I believe;  help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24). 

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!



 

 Your Abundant Compensation!

Reading:  Genesis 13, 14, 15
My Verse:  "After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision;  Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great"  (15:1).

So much happens in these three chapters - battles, special blessings, a vision from God, prophecy -  all of it so very exciting!  Through it all, Abraham who sinned so terribly in the previous chapter is  trusting You, LORD God - trusting You in mighty ways. 

It almost seemed brash the way he immediately put together an army and went after the invaders.  He seemed to do it without any hesitation, fully trusting that You would take him through this with victorious results.  And You did!

Then when Melchizedek, king and high priest of Salem came out to feed him and bless him, Abraham immediately recognized that this was Your priest because Melchizedek gave You, LORD God the glory.  "Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High, And he blessed him and said Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor and Maker of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, Who has given your foes into your hand!"  (14:18,19).  How beautiful.  Abraham "gave him a tenth of all [he had taken]" (14:20).  How wonderful to be able to discern immediately who is of You, LORD God.

When the King of Sodom  told Abraham, "Give me the persons and keep the goods for yourself" Abrahams response was totally different.  The king of Sodom gave no praise to God and did not even seem to verbally thank Abraham for what he had done.  Abraham immediately declined anything from this king, not wanting to be indebted to him or have any dealing with him. Oh, LORD, help me to be so discerning.  It is so important to be so tuned in to You that we are able to do this and recognize truth when we see it in those that we deal with on a daily basis.

Then You give Abraham his special blessing.  "After these things, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I am your Shield, your abundant compensation, and your reward shall be exceedingly great!"  (15:1).  Here You, LORD God not only tell Abraham that he will have a son but that his progeny will inherit all the land that was before him.  You also warn Abraham that they (his progeny)  will suffer greatly but will come into their inheritance.  So expansive and far-reaching is this blessing for Jesus, Himself, comes out of this.  Wow! 

Your abundant compensation is there for all of us to receive.  We need only turn ourselves to You and allow You to heal us, forgive us and transform us.  LORD God, help me to stay turned to You to receive the many blessings You want to bestow on me!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!