A Visual Reminder

Reading:  Numbers 15
My Verse:  "And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD; to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after" (15:39).

This is an interesting concept - to have a visual reminder of You, LORD God.  How well You know us - our failings, our tendencies to "follow after (our) own heart and (our) own eyes."

You ordered the Isrealites to "make fringes or tassels on the corners in the borders of their garments throughout their generations and put upon the fringe of the borders or upon the tassel of each corner a cord of blue."  This was so they would have something to look at to help them to remember You. "That you may remember and do all My commandments and be holy to your God" (15:40).

This makes me think of when the Israelites rebelled and built the golden calf so they would have a visible god to worship.   Is this why we are warned to be careful what we view with our eyes?  We have this awful tendency to"follow after" and "whore after" the things which we want and see with our eyes.  We also seem to need like the Israelites something tangible before our eyes - to give us something to "look" at! 

You, LORD God, know and understand us.  You know our needs - especially this need  of something tangible to view - this need of a visual reminder.  Because of that You provided us much in this way - we just need to know where to look.  A knowledge of You is required in order to appreciate that You are everywhere before us.

I was once out gazing at the stars with another person.  It was so incredibly beautiful and I was just in awe of Your grandeur.  This other person was rather amazed that I could see so much beauty in the sky.  She said it was just the sky.  She did not know You and so her vision was clouded and so limited.  I felt sad for her and so grateful to You for opening my eyes to You!

I think of Your grandeur in the great paintings, such as the Michelangelo's great works, and Da Vinci, Rembrandt.  I think of Your grandeur when I view the heavens, especially the photos that come from the Hubble.  I think of Your grandeur when I view the incredible intricacies of Your creation under powerful microscopes. I think of Your grandeur when I view the amazing symmetry and beauty of flowers in my garden.  Yes, You are everywhere visible to our eye!

"I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless" (Psalm 101:3).  Only what is  beautiful and worthy of You, dear LORD Jesus!  As it says in Philippians 4:8 only what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable are we to think and meditate on!

I know that I need You to open the eyes of my heart to You.  Paul prayed this in Ephesians 1:18
"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened..."

The psalmist prayed this in Psalm 119:18. "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law."

Yes, the visual reminders are everywhere before me, I just pray LORD God that You keep my eyes open to them.  I pray that I not be blinded by things which are not of you.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Surety of God's Salvation

Reading:  Numbers 13, 14
My Verse:  "And Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among the scouts who had searched the land, rent their clothes.  And they said to all the company of Israelites, The land through which we passed as scouts is an exceedingly good land.  If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land flowing with milk and honey.  Only do not rebel against the LORD . . ." (14:6 - 9).

Oh, LORD God how refreshing and encouraging to my spirit is this story of Joshua and Caleb.  These two wonderful men who were so assured of You, of Your salvation.  They had absolutely no doubt of the victory You would bring them despite the witness of the other eight scouts.  Even though they were the minority here it did not sway them from their trust in You and sureness in Your provision for them.

How we need this encouragement in today's world.  We are in the minority.  But like Caleb and Joshua we need not doubt that You are God, Almighty!  We need not doubt that You will carry us through whatever endeavor we embark upon if we but trust and rely on You and Your guidance and provision.

Throughout Your word You bring us stories of not only Your provision but also the results of rebelling against You.  The eight scouts that brought the bad report, and swayed the people against You were struck with a plague and died.  Then the awful punishment on the rest of the Israelites that rebelled.  They were to wander for forty long years and die in the wilderness.  They would die lost and wandering - never finding the home that only You can provide us - the promised land.

The events of verses 39 -45 are interesting and alarming..  Here the Israelites mourn after Moses tells them Your judgment on them.  They then decide to go up and fight the enemy.  Moses warns them that God is no longer with them and will not help them because of their disobedience.  Even with all that has happened the people ignore the warning of Moses and try to fight.  They are sorely defeated.

Oh, LORD God help me to be ever sensitive to Your guiding hand.  I do not want to be as the Israelites here - constantly rebelling and bringing Your wrath upon themselves.

 There does seem to be a point of no return.  I don't think we can ever know when that is but how I pray for the many loved ones that continue to put You off.  Even though You are ever patient, this story shows that there is a point where there seems to be no turning.

I pray that I live my life in such a way as to show the surety I have in Your salvation.  I pray this that I might be an encouraging witness for You - a witness like Caleb and Joshua. I pray that this surety of who I am - a child of You, will be visible to those around me.

"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the LORD's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the LORD, who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Help me to bravely pray as Paul did.  "But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until  that Day what has been entrusted to me" (2 Timothy 1:12).

Thank You for the testimony of Caleb and Joshua!

Ditat  Deus - God Enriches!

Face to Face With God

Reading: Numbers 12
My Verse:  "But not so with My servant Moses; he is entrusted and faithful in all My house" (Numbers 12:7).

This is pretty amazing.  Moses was a chosen man, indeed!  Oh, LORD God, You spoke with  him face to face.  And Moses was a timid man.  "Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth" (12:3).  I know that he was shy and didn't like speaking in front of people.  When You first called him to service he protested mightily!  But You helped him past that.  I just wonder if after he started meeting with You face to face that he became even meeker, more aware of his sinful nature?

All other prophets You spoke to in visions and dreams.  "Hear now My words; If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD make Myself known to him in a vision and speak to him in a dream" (12:6).
When You spoke to Moses You did so clearly.  "With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly and not in dark speeches; and he beholds the form of the LORD" (12:8).  So Moses was unique in this, meeting You face to face.

What is it like to be face to face with You, LORD God?  Is it like looking into a mirror?  Would we  by looking upon You face to face see our very souls - our every flaw glaringly obvious?  You must have had to give Moses an extra measure of grace to handle such an awesome experience.  You are gracious to us, LORD God.  We surely could not handle the reflection we would get back from Your shining, pure face. 

There is something to be said for ignorance.  And yet . . . it is also sad to live one's life in ignorance of You.  Too many in this world live lives that are so devoid of You.  I do not understand how they deal with the void in their souls - for there is a void, a hungering after something.  Even as a follower of You I still sometimes feel adrift, uncertain.  It is sometimes a struggle to keep myself firmly anchored to You!

I know that as a Christian I must grow.  I must become ever closer to You.  I must become more and more like You.  In this growing process, Your light reveals more and more  of my flaws, my sinful nature.  Your light brightens every corner, cleansing me with that beautiful pure light of Yours.  I also become more and more aware of how I cannot live without You.

Moses was a special man -"entrusted and faithful in all My house."  It will be wonderful to meet him.I look forward to that.

But, now I am here on this earth.  I need to keep my eyes ever on You, trusting that You will carry me through.  There is so much I do  not understand - so much ugliness on this earth, so much sadness.  My heart sometimes feels like it cannot bear the pain of all those hurting souls out there.  I sometimes do not know how to handle the tragedies that weigh us down.  Oh, LORD God, this is when I must hang ever tighter onto You!

"My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  When can I go and meet with God?" (Psalm 42:2).

Help me LORD God to live that I too might be counted as "entrusted and faithful" and that I will be ready to meet You face to face!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

How We Complain!

Reading:  Numbers 10, 11
My Verse:  "I am not able to carry all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me" (11:14).

Oh, LORD God, You are gracious to us even in our complaining - and how we do complain!  Forgive me, I am embarrassed to say I do it all the time!  Dear LORD help me in this.

This passage is all about this dreadful habit of ours.  We complain about everything.  The Israelites are complaining about their hardships.  You grew angry with them and punished them for this.  "and when the LORD heard it, His anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burned among them and devoured those in the outlying parts of the camp" (11:1).  Later they complained about their food.  Here You granted them their greedy desires and gave them meat to eat.  When You gave them the meat they did not thank You for it but greedily piled up way more than they needed. So  with the meat You also put upon them a plague that killed many.  In this complaining the people were not looking to You for help but were just griping about their wants and desires and condition.  And so You punished them.

And yet there are times when You are gracious to us as You were to Moses.  He just felt overwhelmed with all the needs of the people.  He was even to the point of asking You to take his life.  ". . . kill me I pray you, at once, and be granting me a favor and let me not see my wretchedness" (11:15).  How often are we there ourselves?  Sometimes things on this earth just feel too burdensome.  And like Moses, we despair.  How we need reminding of Your love for us.  How we need reminding that You will help us to carry these burdens - You in fact will carry them for us. 

In this case You told Moses to gather "men of the elders of Israel whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them" and You would anoint them with Your spirit to help him bear the burdens of the people. This helped Moses to realize that he did not have to bear the burdens alone.

In looking at these two kinds of complaining - that of the people and that of Moses.  The people were literally just complaining.  They were not crying out to You - they were crying out about their situation.  Moses on the other hand was crying out to You.  He had a personal relationship with You and so cried out to You that he just couldn't bear it any more.  And so You responded to him.  You responded to his need.

This is so important.  I need to remember this when I find myself starting to fret.  I know that You love me and so, like Moses I must cry out to You in my every need.  I must instead of focusing on my problem, I must focus on You!  I must be thankful for all that You do for me. 

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall  not be in want" (Psalm 23:1)

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

"Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice.  Blessed are all who wait for him!" (Isaiah 30:18).

Thank You, LORD God for this lesson!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Stand Still!

Reading:  Numbers 7, 8, 9
My Verse:  "And Moses said to them, Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you" (9:8).

  Such a wonderful command from You, Oh LORD God!  But, oh, it is a most difficult one!  We fret.  We strive.  We cry.  We beg You for immediate help - now!

This passage is such a beautiful illustration of how You want to care for us.  You visually show the Israelites Your guiding presence in the form of "the cloud by day and appearance of fire by night" (9:16). By the cloud they knew when they were to be still and when they were to move.  When You wanted them to move You moved the cloud.  When You wanted them to be still You kept the cloud still.  It is wrong  for us to think they had it easy!  For even with this visual reminder of You  it was hard to be still and wait upon You.  They actually got themselves into trouble by not obeying this guidance.  (Numbers 14:1-4)   www.esvbible.org/search/Numbers+14/1-4

And so today we too get ourselves into trouble.  We just find it so difficult to wait upon You!  We panic because we see the immediacy of our trouble.  The illustration in Joshua 3 is another wonderful picture of You asking us to "stand still."  You told the priests to walk into the Jordan and "you shall stand still in the Jordan" (Joshua 3:8).  Talk about immediacy of trouble!  They were in this raging river, it was the time of harvest,  "now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest" (Joshua 3:15).  No, they were not asked to do a  simple thing.

How I need to keep this in mind.  I am too quick to think my situation as unique.  I need constant reminding that You are LORD of my life!  I need constant reminding that You love me more than I can ever understand.  I need constant reminding that You see the big picture - I do not, I cannot!

 Help me LORD God, to be still and silent when You tell me to.

"The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent" (Exodus 14:14).

"Teach me and I will be silent;
   make me to understand how I have gone astray" (Job 6:24).

Help me, LORD God to listen for Your guidance, to be discerning and patient.

"And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it,"  when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left" (Isaiah 30:21).

"Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him" (Psalm 37:7).

"I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
    and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the LORD
    more than watchmen for the morning,
    more than watchmen for the morning" (Psalm 130:5.6).

Oh LORD God, keep me from rushing out into places I have no business in , or strength and wisdom for.
Yes, LORD God, help me to wait for You.  Help me to stand still.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!





 

God's Blessing!

Reading:  Numbers 6
My Verse:  "The LORD bless you and keep you;
                    the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
                    the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace" (6:24 - 26 ESV).

How beautiful.  This speaks to Who You are LORD God - You are LOVE!  You want so much to show us this love and compassion that You have for us.

I watched a  movie on Martin Luther.  It impressed on me the great need to "correctly handle the word of truth" ( 2 Timothy 2:15).  It also impressed on me the great need Luther felt to know You and to know that You loved him.  So many of that day and even of our day live without this knowledge.  They see You as a great judge in the sky. But You are love.  "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (I John 4:8).

You want to bless us - bestow on us many good things, including Yourself. 

You want to keep us - watch, guard and protect us as You did for Job.  "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has?  You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land" (Job 1:10).

You want to "shine" upon us - Your face gives us light, healing, enlightening light.
     This phrase is repeated in Psalm 80, "and cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved!"
    "You are my lamp, O LORD; the LORD turns my darkness into light" (2 Samuel 22:29).
    "The unfolding of your words gives light it gives understanding to the simple" (Psalm 119:130).

You want to be gracious to us - it is Your good pleasure to bestow upon us benefits we do not deserve.

You want to "lift up Your countenance upon us" - You want to look at us with approval.  ESV study notes says this is to take notice of us and treat us with Your favor.

Finally, You want to give us "peace" - You want us to have tranquility of heart and life.  You want us to have this always, even in the midst of turmoil.  "My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).

"Bless the LORD, O  my soul.  O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty" (Psalm 104:1).

Thank You for this blessing!  Thank You that I can hide away in Your love! http://www.sovereigngracemusic.org/Songs/Hide_Away_in_the_Love_of_Jesus/10

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Confess & Restore!

Reading: Numbers 3, 4, 5
My Verse:  "Say to the Israelites, When a man or woman commits any sin that men commit by breaking faith with the LORD, and that person is guilty, then he shall confess the sin which he has committed, and he shall make restitution for his wrong in full and add a fifth to it, and give it to him whom he has wronged" (5:6, 7).

This is such an enormously important concept!  Oh, LORD God, You leave nothing out when dealing with us.  You know our sinful hearts and You also know our reluctance to own up to our sin.  Here it is pretty plain that we need to  not only confess our sin but seek restoration with those that we sin against!

It really is amazing that this concept has been universally accepted. It has even become step 5 and 8 of the 12 steps to Alcohol Recovery. 
     Step 5:  "Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs." 
     Step 8:  "Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to made amends to them."

Oh, LORD God, how we need to realize that only through following Your precepts can we find healing and restoration.  The Alcoholics Anonymous have realized this by including Your very law into their program.  They have realized that only through Your law are we restored.

   "The law of the LORD if perfect, restoring the person; 
          the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
    The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; 
          the commandment of the LORD is pure and bright, enlightening the eyes.
    The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
          the ordinances of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
    More to be desired are they than gold, even than much fine gold; 
          they are sweeter also than honey and drippings from the honeycomb.
    Moreover, by them is Your servant warned; 
          and in keeping them there is great reward" (Psalm 19:7-11).

It is actually becoming a rather popular thing to do.  One hears of celebrities 'fessing up and asking forgiveness for their sins, well they don't actually say "sin"  but basically admit to doing wrong.  There is such a release of stress and guilt when one does this.  It is one of those things that is so terribly hard to do but once done provides immense relief from the heavy burden of guilt.

Thank You, LORD God for this wonderful lesson. Your Word is sure, pure and true.  It makes me wiser.  It enlightens my eyes.  It rejoices my heart.  It restores me. How I need this reminding every moment of my day!  And I pray for courage to not only own up to my sins but to seek restoration if I have sinned against another.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!