How Sweet Are God's Commandments!

Reading:  Numbers 1, 2
My Verse:  "Thus did the Israelites; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so they did" (1:54).

As I read this I feel the sweetness of Your love for the Israelites.  You care about them and so You provide them with direction and order as to how they are to  move forward.  They are getting ready to embark on a great adventure.  It probably looked pretty scarey.  Yet, You were preparing them all along and here You show them that You will not leave them.  You show them how they are to proceed with detailed commands. It is sweet, indeed, LORD God!

First, You had them count themselves - take a census.  This gave them some assurance of their great numbers.  They were 603,550 fighting men strong!  Then You told them how to order their camp, plus how they were to break down camp and set it back up.  You also told them how they were to travel.  It was all in an orderly fashion.  This made for less confusion.  They didn't have to spend time trying to figure out how to order themselves.  It was all set and so this provided them with a sense of calm, a sense of place, and a sense of correctness.  This is so important for peace of mind for not only individuals but also for the families, for the children.

You created us in Your image.  You are a God of order and so we Your creatures are also creatures of order.  We respond with a sense of well-being when things are in order. 

As a teacher, that was one of the things my students always wanted to know.  They wanted to know the order of the day.  They loved nothing more than a schedule!  I think then they could anticipate what was coming next.  It gave them a sense of order and oddly enough it also gave them some sense of control of their time.  They could then order themselves, so to speak to the schedule.  I think we all do so much better when we have some sense of order to our days, I know I do!

Chaos is the opposite of peace.  When we see countries that are at war - everything is a mess!  Families are terribly disrupted, governmental functions in disarray, wreckage abounds - it is utter chaos.  Children in these types of situations suffer trauma that haunts them the rest of their lives.  And so this same type of trauma damages children raised in chaotic homes.  How we need order to give us that sense of well-being, of peace.

I love  how Tozer states this idea of You, LORD God ordering our way here on earth.  It is not stifling by any means.  No it allows us to develop to become the people You would have us to be!  Like You did for the Israelites, You do for us - You provide an appointed way for each of Your loved ones.

"The man of true faith may live in the absolute assurance that his steps are ordered by the LORD.  For him, misfortune is outside the bounds of possibility.  He cannot be torn from this earth one hour ahead of the time which God has appointed, and he cannot be detained on earth one moment after God is done with him here.  He is not a waif of the wide world, a foundling of time and space, but a saint of the LORD and the darling of His particular care.

All this is not a mere dreaming, not a comforting creed woven as a garment to warm the shivering hearts of lonely, frightened souls in a dark and unfriendly world.  Rather it is of the essence of truth, a fair summation of the teaching of the Bible on the subject and should be received reverently, and joyously along with everything else which is taught in the Scriptures of truth"  (We Travel An Appointed Way by A.W Tozer).

Thank You LORD God for Your sweet commands! 

"the commandment of the LORD if pure and bright, enlightening the eyes" (Psalm 19:8).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

God Enables Me To Walk Erect!

Reading:  Leviticus 23 - 27
My Verse:  "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves.  And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect" (26:13).

Wow!  I am always amazed when I find these little treasures in Your Word, Oh LORD God!  I shouldn't be but always am.  It is fun for me to come upon these verses that speak so directly to me.  You are speaking to the Israelites but because Your Word is for all time and speaks to all peoples this speaks directly to me.  You broke my chains of bondage.  It is only because of You that I am able to walk erect.  Thank You.

The Israelites were first physically enslaved by the Egyptians.  They then were at the risk of being enslaved by the pagan practices around them.  This whole  book is about You trying to prepare them for living a holy life - a life free of bondage, a life where they could walk erect!  Over and over You tell them who You are.  "I am the LORD your God."

Today we struggle with this very thing - bondage.  It weighs us down and we walk around as though we have this great burden on our backs just like Christian in Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.  Sin is incredibly heavy and burdensome.  It sucks away our enerygy and joy.  To make it worse we deny Your LORDship over us!  We often forget or simply deny that You are the LORD our God. 

I just recently inadvertently caused several people pain.  Even though I did not do this on purpose, I was careless and so felt quite awful.  How this burdened me!  I felt like my strength was all gone.  I felt so saddened because I could not go back and fix the hurt I caused.  But, I know that You LORD God keep me.  You forgive me and will enable me to to walk erect again!  Knowing this helps me to look forward and know that it will be all right.  "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).

It is also easy to become burdened down with the cares of the world.  So many loved ones that do not know You LORD God.  So many loved ones suffering in darkness.  I sometimes just become overwhelmed with the needs out there!  But You, LORD God tell me - "Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall" (Psalm 55:22).  Philippians 4:6 tells me.  "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."  I do struggle with this but I know that You, LORD God will help me here.  You will enable me to cast my cares on You.  You will enable me to not be anxious.  You will enable me to present all my requests to You with a thankful heart.  And so You will enable me to walk erect!

Thank You for reminding me that You are the LORD my God!  I needed this today!

"May the words of my  mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer" (Psalm 19:14).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!







 

I AM The LORD!

Reading:  Leviticus 21, 22
My Verse:  "So shall you heartily accept My commandments and conform your life and conduct to them.  I am the LORD" (22:31).

This is so fascinating, LORD God.  You are so careful to impress upon the Israelites that You are a holy God!  You tell them just how they are to behave, what they are not to do and what they are to do.  But the most important thing You do is remind them over and over just Who You are, "I AM the LORD."

All the rules and regulations You lay out here in Leviticus could seem overwhelming and burdensome.  I have often viewed them as such but today I am impressed by the great need for the Israelites to realize Who You are.  They needed to realize that they served a holy God.  You were providing them a way to see that daily.

And so I look at my day and wonder what is it that reminds me of You, LORD God?  Kindnesses of people remind me of Your goodness.  Your Word constantly reminds and teaches me just Who You are - when I read it.   Answered prayer brings joy and thankfulness to You. The special love of one's family.

And I thank You for the beauty we are still able to see in this fallen world.  We are having a beautiful stretch of weather.  The low winter sun casting beautiful bright light on the snow causing it to sparkle and shine soothes my soul.  The chirping birds eating at the feeder brighten my heart.  The cold crisp air freshens me. My Christmas cactus blooms with its incredibly beautiful bright fuchsia blossoms making me smile.  You are my LORD.  You are creator of all that is beautiful.  I thank You for providing beauty in my life.  You know our need of this kind of balm to our wounded and weary spirits.  In all these things You are telling me,  "I Am the LORD."

When I am at church service and hear the congregation worship You in song - it is a wonderful thing to be a part of that.  When I hear the pastor so passionately teach us Your truths from Your Holy Word I am refreshed and encouraged. The worship songs, the sermon, the prayers all help to point to You and the fact that You are our LORD God.

Knowing Who You are, being reminded of Who You are daily helps me to accept Your commandments.  It helps me to conform my life to them.  It helps me to conform my conduct to Your ways.  Your very goodness draws me to You.

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends" (John 15:13).
You, LORD God sent Your beautiful only son to do just this.  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish" (John 3:16).

We are coming up on that most beautiful of holidays - Christmas!  We get to celebrate You, LORD Jesus!  We get to put up a tree and decorations - all to remind us to ever look up to You for You are returning and on that blessed day - "every knee will bow before me; and every tongue will confess to God" (Romans 14:11).  Oh Blessed Day that will be!  http://www.mamuse.org/music/glorious/

Thank You for reminding me today that You are LORD!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

God Alone Can Sanctify Me!

Reading:  Leviticus 20
My Verse:  "And you shall keep My statutes and do them.  I am the LORD Who sanctifies you" (20:8).

 Dear LORD God, thank You for sanctifying me.  I kind of get this although it is hard to put the fact that only You can sanctify me and that You have sanctified me together with my being holy.  I think this is because I do not always feel holy, in fact I rarely feel holy.  More often than not I feel pretty inadequate and unholy!  But, here You tell me, "I am the LORD Who sanctifies you."

I had to look around a bit to help me better understand this idea of sanctification.  One study points out that "sanctify"  whenever used in the New Testament is in the perfect tense.  Being in the perfect tense means that the action happened in the past, it was completed, but it still effects us today.  In other words it is ongoing - it still applies to us.  Another interesting point was that the verb is passive, which means that the action was done to us not by us.  We have no part in it.  The work that You, LORD Jesus did on the cross was done in the past but still applies to me today. And it was a complete action.

Colossians 1:22 tells me that Your whole purpose in reconciling me was "to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation."  I have always had trouble with this.  I just didn't understand how I could be holy, without blemish and free from accusation. Ephesians 1:5 tells me that You, LORD God "chose us in (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight."  Again, this idea that I am holy and blameless!  I just have had trouble reconciling this with my daily life.  I fall short so often how is this to be?! 

But I begin to get it, however dimly.  I begin to realize that it is all You, LORD God.  Yes, my part is that I need to take this gift You offer me and realize that it is Your work - Your action alone that sanctifies me.  Because You view me as holy and blameless then I must live as one that is holy and blameless.  Still do not fully grasp how it all works out but I can only act on it.  I guess that is what stepping out in faith means.  I can use this fact as a motivator to strive to live as I should, to submit to You each day.  This is what Paul calls us to do in Colossians chapter 3. 

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth" (Colossians 3:1-2).

Daily, every moment of the day I need to be reminded that You, LORD God sanctified me and so because You did that You view me as holy and blameless.  My feelings, my doubts, my failings do not affect that at all.    I need only live as You view me - sanctified, holy and acceptable.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

My God is A God of Order

Reading:  Leviticus 17 - 19
My Verse:  "You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God; I am the LORD"  (19:32).

These chapters remind me that I serve a God of order.  Thank You LORD God for this wonderful reminder.  You did not leave the Israelites to flounder about and figure out for themselves how they were to be holy.  You told them to be holy and then You told them how to be holy.  You provided them clear directions on how to live a holy and orderly life.

I like this verse here.  It speaks to something that is woefully lacking in today's society - respect!  Rudeness seems to be the order of the day - it is what is cool!  Rude talk, rude dress, rude behavoir.  One sees it everywhere.  Here You remind me that I need to honor those older than myself.  Help me in this LORD God.

This verse also states that I must fear You, LORD God!  The Amplified Bible says "reverently fear your God."   Just what does it mean to "fear" God?  Proverbs 1:7 says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge."  Hebrews 12:28-29 gives a clear description of what it is to reverently fear or be in reverent awe of You, LORD God.  "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our 'God is a consuming fire.'"  Love that! 

Reverently fearing and being in total awe of You, LORD God needs to be the basis of my life.  It is only if I see You as the beginning and the end of all that I am able to live the holy, orderly life You would have me to live.  This reverent fear and awe becomes my reason, gives me a platform from which to operate so to speak. Reverent fear and awe of You LORD, leads to an orderly life.

"Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God.  I am the LORD your God (Leviticus 25:17).

"The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever.  The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous" (Psalm 19:9).

 Paul taught much on how Christians were to live.  He spoke to this need to be orderly often.

"For God is not a God of disorder but of peace" (I Corinthians 14:33).
"But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way" ( I Corinthians 14:40).

This is a wonderful attribute of Yours, LORD God for us to hang onto today.  We live in such a chaotic world - wars, storms, scandals seem to be more the norm than not.  Thank You for Your orderliness.  It helps me to order my day as You would have me to.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Be Holy, For I Am Holy

Reading:  Leviticus 11 - 15
My Verse:  "For I am the LORD your God.  Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I  am holy.  You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground.  For I am the LORD who brought up up out of the land of Egypt to by your God.  You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy" (11:44,45).

This is really rather fascinating.  So many rules about eating, personal cleaniliness and behavior.  You, LORD God were calling the Israelites out of Egypt into a land filled with a people that denied You and lived lives that were unholy and sinful.  You wanted the Israelites to be Your special and separate people.  For them to be this special, holy people they needed to be set apart.  The ESV study notes states that these rituals and distinctions between animals that were clean or unclean helped the Israelites to realize this apartness.  It helped to remind them that they served a holy God and needed to practice being holy themselves.

While these practices are no longer in effect because You, LORD Jesus abolished all that with Your new covenant with us, this command to be holy has not been abolished. (Col. 2:16-23)  Peter points out in the New Testament that I, as a Christian,  need to be holy in my walk with You, LORD God.

"Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at this coming. as obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.  But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written:   "Be holy, because I am holy" (I Peter 1:12-16NIV).
 
I had to look up the word 'consecrate.'  According to dictionary.com  it means - to make or declare sacred; set apart or dedicate to the service of a deity.  So I am to dedicate myself to You, LORD God.  It does seem a bit daunting until I realize that this is something I cannot do on my own.   I must  first submit to You and then You will help me to be dedicated to You. Philippians 4:13 states this so clearly!  "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me."

This brings to mind one of my Mother's favorite songs. "Without Him I Can Do Nothing."

This also brings to mind A.W. Tozer's teaching on how before we can be holy or even understand holiness we need to first think rightly about You, LORD God! He said.  "It is impossible to keep our moral practices sound and our inward attitudes right while our idea of God is erroneous or inadequate."   Our Sunday school teacher has been bringing up an interesting thought.  It is that we need to be careful to differentiate between ideas and practices that are our own traditions rather than Your teaching LORD God!  This is saying much the same thing as Tozer - help me LORD God to differentiate between Your teaching and  my own erroneous ideas.

So yes, help me to be holy LORD Jesus in all that I do!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

God's Way - Not Our Way!

Reading:  Leviticus 5 - 10
My Verse:  "And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, and put incense on it, and offered strange and unholy fire before the LORD, as He had not commanded them.  And there came forth fire from before the LORD and killed them, and they died before the LORD" (10:1, 2).

On first read this is shocking!  God appears to be a wrathful god indeed!  But, one has to look back at the previous chapters to this event.  LORD God, You  have clearly and deliberately outlined how the people and the priests are to behave and come before Him.  You made it very clear that You are a Holy God and cannot accept anything less than that which is holy and acceptable in Your sight!  That is why You so carefully spell out to the people how to be a holy people before You!

Nadab and Abihu were trying to do things their way.  It says they "offered strange and unholy fire before the LORD."  We do not know all that was involved, just that they were not obedient to Your clear directions.  It is interesting that Aaron, their father, "held his peace."   It may be that he knew they were in the wrong and he could say nothing in their defense.  He could not cry out to You, LORD God and ask. "Why?"  because he knew the why.

Oh, LORD God, I tremble in the reading of this.  I am made mindful of my own waywardness, stubborness, and selfishness!  I am reminded of the times that I have been deliberately disobedient to You - You, my holy LORD God!  I am so thankful that You are patient and ever so loving with me.   I certainly do not deserve it!

I love what Isaiah says about Your ways versus our ways.   

"My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the LORD.  
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, 
And my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Like David in Psalm 25 I too lift up my plea to You.

"To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul, O my God, I trust in You . . .
Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day" (Psalm 25: 1-5).

Thank You for Your patience with me.  Keep me on Your path, in Your way not mine!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

 

Without The Shedding of Blood . . .

Reading:  Leviticus 1 - 4
My Verse:    "If any one of the common people sins unwittingly in doing anything the LORD has commanded not to be done, and is guilty, when the sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed. (4:27, 28).

I enter into the halls of Leviticus with great trepidation.  This book has such a sense of solemnity, grandeur and  loftiness.  There is so  much fire and smoke and all that letting of blood!  All the rituals are so very specific,orderly and graphic - everything drips with holiness! Oh, LORD God, You are holy.  It is only by the shedding of blood that sins can be cleansed away and forgiven!

I especially like that sin is identified here as "anything the LORD has commanded not to be done."  Too often "sins" are renamed as disorders or lifestyle choice and so are no longer considered sins.  We are intolerant, even hateful if we say something is a sin, is aberrant behavior according to Your Word, LORD God.  Thank You that we do have Your word - the Truth.    We have a guide that is specific and clear about just what sin is!

I also like how this verse points out that we need to be responsive to those around us or to Your nudge, to Your conviction.  For "when the sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed."  Sin is so dreadful, it separates us from You and so we need to deal with it immediately before it starts to make us ugly!
  
All this ritualistic sacrificing  makes me realize that there has to be an accounting on my part -  I need to ask, seek Your forgiveness. The Israelites had to physically go through a ritualistic act to bring their sin before You, to let You know they are aware of their sin and are asking for Your forgiveness.  So we today need to come before You with our sin, for You only can forgive and cleanse us.  Thank You for this lesson.

I am  so grateful to You, LORD Jesus for what You have done for us.  What the Israelites were doing had to be repeated every time they sinned.  You made the ultimate, final blood sacrifice with Your own blood.  Just before You died on that cross You cried, "It is done!"  Hebrews 9:25 and 26 tells us.  "Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly . . . But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."

No, "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins" (Hebrews 9:22). You, LORD Jesus shed Your blood for me!  Thank You.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

God Provides the Will and the Skill!

Reading:  Exodus 35 - 40
My Verse:  "And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and wisdom, with intelligence and understanding, and with knowledge and all craftsmanship" (35:31).

This is a  most beautiful section of the Bible.  LORD God, here You remind me of whence all our skills and abilities come!  You tell Moses how You want Your place of worship to look and be.  You are very detailed and orderly in how You want this to come about.  Then You provide each man and woman with that which is necessary to make this all come about - the will and the skill.

I am reminded here of teaching art to children.  Too often children are told to draw or paint a picture of something without any preparation.  The teacher expects them to just come up with it - then of course the child is intimidated and feeling inferior or inadequate because they can't come up with something.  No, there needs to be much preparation.  The student needs to be provided some guidance, direction and material from which to draw their own creative ideas. When provided this kind of guidance the results are beautiful.

That is what You do here LORD God.  First, You tell the Israelites what You want then You provide each and everyone the material - "filled with the Spirit of God, with ability and wisdom, with intelligence and understanding, and with knowledge and all craftsmanship."  You do not expect the people to draw from a blank to do what You expect. 

Even when You asked them to give of their own bounty to build the temple - You provided them the desire to give - "And they came, each one whose heart stirred him up and whose spirit made him willing, and brought the offering to be used for the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and the holy garments" (35:23).  You provided them the desire and they had the option to respond to that or not.  So You do with us.

Even the ladies that were to do the sewing, were able to do so only because You gave them the ability and the desire to do that service. "And all the women who had ability and whose hearts stirred them up in wisdom spun the goats' hair" (35:26).

Yes, You endow each of us with the will and skill to do that which You would have us do.  Looking back on Moses is a wonderful picture of this - You provided him each step of the way in his journey with what he needed to carry out Your will.

Thank You, LORD God for providing me all that I need to live an abundant life!  I have a hard time seeing that but I need only trust on Your all sufficiency! 

You, LORD God told Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

I love this prayer of Paul's and claim it for myself.  "I pray that out of his glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being"  (Ephesians 3:16).  And I pray it for those dear to my heart.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

A Merciful and Gracious God!

Reading:  Exodus 34
My Verse:  "The LORD said to Moses, cut two tables of stone like the first, and I will write upon these tables the words that were on the first tables, which you broke" (34:1).

Poignant is the word this verse brings to mind.  I am intensely, strongly moved by what You LORD God say here.  Moses lost his temper and broke the first set of tablets that You wrote on.  But You tell him here that even though he "broke" the stones, You will again "write upon these tables the words that were on the first tables."  You mercifully and graciously forgive him.  You mercifully and graciously are willing to do the writing again for the rebellious nation of Israel.  In doing this You, the Almighty LORD God show Your mercy and grace.

So much to learn from this verse.  There was an interlude in  Your program.  The people messed up terribly.  Moses lost his temper.  You told Moses that You would not stay with them.  Things are not good.  There is a lot of tension and anger and remorse.

Yet, here You show how truly loving You are.  You could have completely destroyed the Isrealites as You said in 32:10.  "Now therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and that I may destroy them. . ."  Moses begs You to not do that and so You graciously agreed. "Then the LORD turned from the evil which He had thought to do to His people" (32:14).  Then You say You will not accompany them to the promised land. (33:3)  Again Moses begs You to not abandon them.  And again You mercifully and graciously relent. 

Oh, LORD God, here I am made fully aware of Your Mercy.  It is an active thing.  You are not a far away entity - coldly dealing with us as we deserve.  No, You intervene in our lives over and over as we so often mess up!  If You did not we would be so lost as were the Israelites! 

I like Tozer's definition of mercy and grace in The Knowledge of the Holy.  "Mercy is an attribute of God, an infinite and inexhaustible energy within the divine nature which disposes God to be actively compassionate."  "Grace is the good pleasure of God that inclines Him to bestow benefits upon the undeserving."

This example of Your loving mercy and grace reminds me of how I too need to be merciful and gracious in my daily walk - in my interactions with those around me.  Sometimes this is so hard to do and yet You require that of me.

"The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love" (Psalm 145:8).

"The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in  mercy and loving-kindness"  (Psalm 103:8).

"Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yes, our God is merciful" (Psalm 116:5).

Thank You, LORD God, for this lesson on Your mercy and grace!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

The Intercession of Moses

Reading:  Exodus 33
My Verse:  "And the LORD said to Moses, I will do this thing also that you have asked, for you have found favor, loving-kindness, and mercy in My sight and I know you personally and by name" (33:17).

This is powerful in so many ways!  Moses has grown so incredibly not only as a leader but also in his relationship with You, LORD God.  Moses again intercedes for the people of Israel.

This man who once claimed he couldn't talk before people now boldly comes before You, asking that You  not leave the people. You, LORD God told Moses.  "Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey, but I will not go up among you, for you are a stiff-necked people, lest I destroy you on the way" (33:3).  You said You would send an angel before them but You Yourself would not be there.  Moses would not accept this.  He pleaded with You that You go with them all the way.  He would settle for nothing less.  He even begged You to not send them if You would not be there with them.  "And Moses said to the LORD, if Your Presence does not go with me, do not carry us up from here" (33:15)!

Oh, LORD God, what does this teach me - this story of the intercession of Moses?

You tell Moses that You "will do this thing also that you have asked"  for several reasons.

First, because  he has "found favor, loving-kindness, and mercy in My sight."  Oh, LORD God You are a merciful God.  You are a loving God.  You are a kind God.  Simply by following You, LORD God, by being obedient to Your guidance You will bestow upon us the fruits of the Spirit.  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23). You will heal and transform us to be the kind of people You want us to be that we may find favor, loving-kindness and mercy in Your sight.

Then You tell him, "I know you personally."  Oh, LORD God what a wonder - to be known personally by You!  When Moses went to the tent to call on You, You did not ignore Him but You met with him there. "When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the door of the tent, and the LORD would talk with Moses" (33:9).  You were angry with the people but You would not turn Your back on Moses because You knew Him personally.  You had a relationship with him.  You loved him.

Finally, You say You knew his name.  That is a powerful thing.  I do not fully understand the power in this but I sense that there is so much more to this than I can grasp.  You use You name at crucial times throughout scripture to show the power of it.  When Moses requested that he be allowed to see Your glory You said to him.  "And God said, I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim My name, THE LORD before you. . ."  Back in Exodus 3:14. You say.  "I AM WHO I AM.   This is what you are to say to the Israelites; I AM has sent me to you."  Philippians 2:10 tells us, "so that at the name of Jesus every knew should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth."  Yes, there is great power in a name, especially in Your name, LORD Jesus!

Thank You for this lesson of how if I have a relationship with You, You will answer me when I call on You, because I have "found favor, loving-kindness, and mercy" in Your sight and  You know me "personally and by name."

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Our Impatience!

Reading:  Exodus 31,32
My Verse:  "They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, These are your gods, O Israel, that brought you up out of the land of Egypt" (32:8)!

Oh, LORD God, what the Israelites did here is not so very different from what we do today.  We are so quick to forget Who You are as did the Israelites.  We want immediate gratification today even more.  We live today in a society where we expect things now, not tomorrow!  Impatience rules our hearts and lives!

Moses went up the mountain to commune with You.  He was to find out what and how You wanted them to proceed.  However, they grew tired of waiting for Moses to return from the mountain so they built themselves an alter - a golden calf to which they could worship.  They wanted something visible and tangent and immediate.  They forgot Who You were, LORD God.  They forgot that You see all and know all.  You saw what they did and grew angry.  You wanted to destroy them and start over with Moses. "I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people; now therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and that I may destroy them, but I will  make of you a great nation" (32:9,10).

Wow!  You are Almighty God!  How we need to remember that!  You give us life and take it away so very quickly.  We are so impatient but You, LORD God are ever patient with us.  Yet, even You grow weary of the sinfulness of Your people.  Moses intervened and You listened.  "Then the LORD turned from the evil which He had thought to do to His people" (32:14). What a wonderful example of intercessory prayer.  Thank You for this, LORD God.  You do listen to us when we pray to You with a fervent, believing heart.

Thank You, LORD God for Your loving mercy to us who are so undeserving.  Thank You for Your wonderful teaching through this Your Word.  I need to not let the cry of the immediate dominate me and turn me aside from You.

"Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength;  they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary" (Isaiah 40:31).

"Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.  Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret, it leads only to evildoing.  For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land" (Psalm 37:7-9).

"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).

Still my heart LORD God when I grow impatient.  Help me to turn from my immediate need and turn my eyes upon You!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

With A Willing Heart

Reading:  Exodus 25 - 30
My Verse:  "Speak to the Israelites, that they take for Me an offering.  From every man who gives it willingly and ungrudgingly with his heart, you shall take My offering" (25:1).

This is so good.  LORD God, You do not ask of us what we do not want to give You.  You risked all of Your beautiful creation by giving us a free spirit, a free will.  You wanted us to be sentient, rationale beings, able to made our own decisions, own choices.  Here You tell Moses to take an offering only from those who give "willingly with his heart."

How we must pain You with our reluctance, with our dragging feet.  We are so slow to grasp Your beautiful gift of salvation.  Even when we do accept Your free gift we are slow to give our all to You.  We tend to be selfish - hanging onto our possessions, our time, our talents - thinking it is ours alone. 

Yet, throughout Your Word You tell us how we would only be blessed by giving to You!  You teach us that giving is all about attitude.  To illustrate this You compared the giving of the poor widow to that of the wealthy scribes. "For they all threw in our of their abundance, but she, out of her deep poverty. . ." (Mark 12:44).

"Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to" (Deuteronomy 15:10).

"Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the LORD with a whole heart, and King David also rejoiced greatly" (I Chronicles 29:9).

"Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it" (Proverbs 3:27).

"Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back" (Luke 6:30). 

Most of these teach about giving of one's time and possessions. But this teaching of Yours goes deeper.  You LORD God also want our hearts.  You want us to give You our hearts "willingly and ungrudgingly."  In Revelation 3:16 You say.  "So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!" 

Oh, LORD God, I pray for a willing heart in all that I do.  For all that I do should be as unto You! (I Corinthians 10:31)  That means giving You all my heart willingly!

Ditat Deus- God Enriches!

The Written Word of God

Reading:  Exodus 24
My Verse:  "And the Lord said to Moses, Come up to Me into the mountain and be there, and I will give you tables of  stone, with the law and the commandments which I have written that you may teach them" (24:12).

Here, You tell us LORD God that You wrote the commandments on tablets of stone.  You wrote them that they may be taught.

Today we have the Bible, your written Word.  Many attack it and try to discredit the Bible.   Many try to break it up and say only parts are true or can be taken seriously.    And yet the more I read it the more amazed I am at the cohesiveness of the entire Bible.  Reading it from Genesis to Revelation has become a wonderful journey for me.  I love how everything in Your Word, LORD God, is so connected!

I was trying to research when the use of writing was first spoken of in the Bible and ran across an article of this amazing study done by an Ivon Panin.  It seems Panin is a converted Russian Nihilist and Harvard scholar.   He studied an amazing phenomenon of the Bible having to do with the absoluteness of the Bible's mathematical structure.  The article states that this phenomenon could "only be understood in the light of Divine inspiration."   I am not a mathematician but even I can marvel and be astounded at the wonder of the mathematical connections and cohesivness of the Bible as spelled out by Panin.  "Panin proceeded to prove that every book of the Bible carries such numeric features, that each numeric feature is necessary to cause the numerical scheme of the entire Bible to work out correctly, and that nothing can be added to , or subtracted from, the Bible, as we have it, without spoiling these features" (Panin)

This is marveleous because You tell us in Revelation 22:18, 19 this exact thing.  " If any man shall add unto this writing, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: . . . And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city . . ."

As an ancient document the Bible has a amazing amount of other documents to support it.  There are also a large number of actual scriptural documents that help to support the internal integrity of the Bible - the words we read today can be relied on to be accurate. 

Thank You, LORD God for this preservation of Your Word, the Truth.  You tell us again in Revelation 22:10. "And he told me, Do  not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book and make no secret of them for the time when things are brought to a crisis and the period of their fulfillment is near."

I thank You that I can rely on Your Word to be truth.  I can rely on it to be a guide for my life.  I can rely on it to draw me ever closer to You, LORD God.  Thank You for Your Written Word! 

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!