As I began to work my way through the bible this New Year, I asked God to give me fresh eyes on the scripture that I read (almost) daily. God has been revealing connections to me that I haven’t seen in times past.
Today my connections revelation involves Joshua. I’m remembering the middle of the story, where Joshua son of Nun spies on the land of Canaan and he reports back to Moses that the land is good, the Israelites will inhabit it, and the Lord will provide. How did this man come to have this faith when so many of the other spies saw only strong enemies, a lot of work, and destruction for the people of God? I have been discovering the answers to that question in previous chapters of Exodus.
Here are three scriptures I have found, so far, that reveal to me why Joshua had such a heart for God. I’ll make some comments after you read all three sections.
Exodus 17:10-13
So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
Exodus 24:9-14
Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank.
The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”
Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God. He said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are with you, and anyone involved in a dispute can go to them.”
Exodus 33:7-11
Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent. The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.
During the events of Exodus 17, Joshua led a small army of men against a warring nation. To sum it up, it was only when Moses raised his hands in obedience to God that Joshua won the battle. Joshua had a small force of homeless, brick-making slaves to lead against a nation. I would imagine that Joshua’s response to the victory of the Israelites was pure gratitude toward God for saving his life as well as amazement at how God empowered him to lead the men. Would this be enough to convince you that God is worth following? Well, it doesn’t end there.
In Exodus 24, Moses and many other Israeli head-honchos were invited to dine with God at the foot of Mount Sinai. We see Joshua, now titled Moses’ aide, is allowed to tag along. Not only does he dine with the leaders, he and Moses are invited by God to spend time on the mountain in God’s presence. And, they get to be there for 40 days!!! Joshua had 40 days to bask in the glory of and hear the words of the Lord. Convinced yet?
In Exodus 33, Moses meets daily with the Lord. Again, Joshua is by his side. The glory of the Lord, which is the pillar of smoke, comes to the tent of meeting so that Moses and God can talk. Joshua is not only there to witness and experience it, he doesn’t leave! Moses returns to govern the camp and his faithful aide remains in the tent where he had experienced the presence of God.
These three glimpses of Joshua’s life show what the power of being in the presence of the Lord can do. It can give you the faith and the strength to stand against the established, older, and “wiser” leaders and proclaim that the Lord will give you what he promised. Spending so much time in the presence of the Lord softened his heart toward the Lord that he knew the power, he knew the glory, and he didn't deny what the Lord could do when put to the test. It is the same with us. As we spend time in the presence of the Lord, our resolve, our heart, our faith, and our sensitivity are strengthened that we can stand against a world full of people who say we believe in rubbish. Unfortunately though, the story doesn’t end there.
Joshua wasn’t the only one who experienced miracle after miracle hand-picked by God. Remember the plagues on Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the pillar of fire by night and smoke by day, the quail and manna provided for food, the striking of a rock that produced clean, drinkable water, and many more? The ENTIRE CAMP of the Israelites experienced all of these things. When they came to the foot of the Promised Land, what was their response? The same as time and time again in the desert; they grumbled, they complained, they decided that they preferred slavery to obedience and trust. Same God. Same presence. Same miracles. Different response.
So my question now is: Who do you want to be? Would you rather be a grumbling Israelite who experiences the presence of God and then dismisses that heart knowledge when the going looks a little rocky, or would you rather be a Joshua who not only experiences God’s presence but stays there as long as you can being strengthened for the next challenge? I know which one I choose and I pray my actions and deeds will show strength of character that can only come from spending time in the presence of the Lord and choosing Him from all other choices.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Thank You, But We Have Enough
Exodus 36: 3-7 They (the craftsmen) received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. 4 So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work 5 and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done."
6 Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: "No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." And so the people were restrained from bringing more, 7 because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.
Let me repeat just a portion of that, “because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work (Ex 36:7).” I came across this verse this morning and began pondering it. How did that happen? How did the people of Israel give more than enough to do the work that God commanded? To me, there are two separate attitudes at work here. One is the attitude of the people, and the other is the attitude of the leadership.
Maybe to understand the attitude of the people, we need to back up a few chapters. The short version of previous chapters of Exodus goes something like this: Moses goes to Mount Sinai to meet with the Lord; he is gone “too long” and the people make and worship a golden calf; Moses returns to find the calf and, in anger, breaks the stone tablets containing the law; the people repent so Moses returns to the Lord to beg for forgiveness for him and the people; Moses returns from the second trip to the mountain with new tablets of the law and a whole host of regulations on how to build a temple for God. That pretty much brings us up to speed.
So, now we come back to the attitude of the people. So many times when I read the bible, I know what is going to happen next. Israel does something bad, they repent, God forgives, they do something bad, they repent, God forgives, repeat, repeat, repeat. That little voice in the back of my head often wonders if they truly repent or if they just repent to make their own lives a little easier. Exodus 36 shows me that in this instance, the people repented with their whole hearts. They had already offered jewelry and coins to make the heretical golden calf; how much more should they offer to worship the One True God? They saw the error of their ways, and came together to build the temple, the dwelling place of the Most High. They ALL give with such a joyous heart that the craftsmen are literally flooded with more than what they need to complete the task at hand. Praise Adonai! How I would love to be in a place where my giving is not with a thought to what it will cost me, but to fulfilling the needs that God has made me aware of.
Now, how about the attitude of the leadership? THIS is where the revelation struck me. Who ever heard of a church leadership saying to the people, “Thank you, but we have enough.”? I can’t say that I have ever heard that in all the years I have attended churches. What a biblical model to put forth for consideration! “We, as the church leadership, know what our role is and what we need to accomplish this role. Please give as you can until this need is met, and we will let you know when we have enough.” I have always thought to myself that the more the church has, the more they can do with it. Maybe this isn’t the case. Maybe the church needs to know what their role is, and seek only what they need to fulfill that role. With leadership willing to say they have enough, the people will be more willing to give because they know that it must be needed. How about that for God choosing the foolish things of the world to shame the wise?
Now, I’m not saying that we need to do away with weekly/monthly/yearly tithes and offerings. That isn’t what this portion of scripture is referencing. This is a special project, a one-time expense that the Israelites gladly gave towards. To me, this is akin to raising all of the money (and more) for the new building project prior to breaking ground. Then, instead of adding on a new wing with the extra money, the church informs the people that it has what it needs and builds what they originally planned for. This could be a revolutionary way of thinking where church finances are involved. In a culture of materialism and “bigger is better”, learning how to recognize what is needed and what is enough can bring the peace from striving for more that we are all looking for.
6 Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: "No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." And so the people were restrained from bringing more, 7 because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.
Let me repeat just a portion of that, “because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work (Ex 36:7).” I came across this verse this morning and began pondering it. How did that happen? How did the people of Israel give more than enough to do the work that God commanded? To me, there are two separate attitudes at work here. One is the attitude of the people, and the other is the attitude of the leadership.
Maybe to understand the attitude of the people, we need to back up a few chapters. The short version of previous chapters of Exodus goes something like this: Moses goes to Mount Sinai to meet with the Lord; he is gone “too long” and the people make and worship a golden calf; Moses returns to find the calf and, in anger, breaks the stone tablets containing the law; the people repent so Moses returns to the Lord to beg for forgiveness for him and the people; Moses returns from the second trip to the mountain with new tablets of the law and a whole host of regulations on how to build a temple for God. That pretty much brings us up to speed.
So, now we come back to the attitude of the people. So many times when I read the bible, I know what is going to happen next. Israel does something bad, they repent, God forgives, they do something bad, they repent, God forgives, repeat, repeat, repeat. That little voice in the back of my head often wonders if they truly repent or if they just repent to make their own lives a little easier. Exodus 36 shows me that in this instance, the people repented with their whole hearts. They had already offered jewelry and coins to make the heretical golden calf; how much more should they offer to worship the One True God? They saw the error of their ways, and came together to build the temple, the dwelling place of the Most High. They ALL give with such a joyous heart that the craftsmen are literally flooded with more than what they need to complete the task at hand. Praise Adonai! How I would love to be in a place where my giving is not with a thought to what it will cost me, but to fulfilling the needs that God has made me aware of.
Now, how about the attitude of the leadership? THIS is where the revelation struck me. Who ever heard of a church leadership saying to the people, “Thank you, but we have enough.”? I can’t say that I have ever heard that in all the years I have attended churches. What a biblical model to put forth for consideration! “We, as the church leadership, know what our role is and what we need to accomplish this role. Please give as you can until this need is met, and we will let you know when we have enough.” I have always thought to myself that the more the church has, the more they can do with it. Maybe this isn’t the case. Maybe the church needs to know what their role is, and seek only what they need to fulfill that role. With leadership willing to say they have enough, the people will be more willing to give because they know that it must be needed. How about that for God choosing the foolish things of the world to shame the wise?
Now, I’m not saying that we need to do away with weekly/monthly/yearly tithes and offerings. That isn’t what this portion of scripture is referencing. This is a special project, a one-time expense that the Israelites gladly gave towards. To me, this is akin to raising all of the money (and more) for the new building project prior to breaking ground. Then, instead of adding on a new wing with the extra money, the church informs the people that it has what it needs and builds what they originally planned for. This could be a revolutionary way of thinking where church finances are involved. In a culture of materialism and “bigger is better”, learning how to recognize what is needed and what is enough can bring the peace from striving for more that we are all looking for.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Feasting Not Fasting
This Lenten season God showed me how to feast, not fast. When I was younger, a family tradition was to choose a food item to give up during the time of Lent. Instead of food, I decided this year to give up something that took time away from meeting with the Lord. I realized that there wasn’t much sense in giving up something that takes time away if I wasn’t willing to spend time with Him. The end result was that I set my heart on having a quiet time with the Lord in the mornings. If that didn’t happen, then instead of playing computer games in the evening, I would have my quiet time.
It has been 23 days since I began purposing to meet daily with God. Some days my meeting is brief, a few bible verses and maybe a chapter in a Christian non-fiction book. Other days my meeting is extended and I am able to spend time worshiping the Lord after reading His Word. Whether long or short, my time with God has become a feast for my soul. I have found, as David wrote in Psalm 63:1 “O God, you are my God earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” I have decided it is not about what I don’t do during this Lenten season, what I fast from; more important is what I do, what I feast upon. God has been faithful and merciful to me. He has met with me and fed my thirsty soul and soothed my weary body.
During the last 23 days, I have spent more time with the Lord than I have on other semi-important things in my life. My school work hasn’t had the attention that it needed, my house hasn’t had the attention that it needed, and probably my husband and kids haven’t had all of the attention that they needed. I know that I cannot continue this way indefinitely, but until the time when my extended feasting must come to an end, I know that Jesus is speaking to me also when he said, “Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Like 10:42).
My prayer in sharing this is that someone else can be moved by the Spirit of the Lord. I pray that someone who has decided to fast will see that fast become a feast for their soul. I pray that at God’s gentle prodding, we realize what is important and will last, and what can be put off for today. I pray that the Ruach Elohim, the Wind of God, will meet you and draw you to where He desires you to be. Peace and Joy in this time and in this season.
It has been 23 days since I began purposing to meet daily with God. Some days my meeting is brief, a few bible verses and maybe a chapter in a Christian non-fiction book. Other days my meeting is extended and I am able to spend time worshiping the Lord after reading His Word. Whether long or short, my time with God has become a feast for my soul. I have found, as David wrote in Psalm 63:1 “O God, you are my God earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” I have decided it is not about what I don’t do during this Lenten season, what I fast from; more important is what I do, what I feast upon. God has been faithful and merciful to me. He has met with me and fed my thirsty soul and soothed my weary body.
During the last 23 days, I have spent more time with the Lord than I have on other semi-important things in my life. My school work hasn’t had the attention that it needed, my house hasn’t had the attention that it needed, and probably my husband and kids haven’t had all of the attention that they needed. I know that I cannot continue this way indefinitely, but until the time when my extended feasting must come to an end, I know that Jesus is speaking to me also when he said, “Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Like 10:42).
My prayer in sharing this is that someone else can be moved by the Spirit of the Lord. I pray that someone who has decided to fast will see that fast become a feast for their soul. I pray that at God’s gentle prodding, we realize what is important and will last, and what can be put off for today. I pray that the Ruach Elohim, the Wind of God, will meet you and draw you to where He desires you to be. Peace and Joy in this time and in this season.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
