Devotion.al

Tag: love

  • Communal Sacrifice

    Exodus 12:1–20, Nehemiah 8:1–18, Psalm 133

    The Exodus story, specifically the first Passover, always comes up around . Which makes perfect sense, as Week revolves around Passover, along with the seemingly obvious linking of being the ultimate Passover lamb (i.e., the sacrifice needed for Passover). All the Israelites were going to sacrifice a lamb for a household. This was a large communal thing. One could (and did) ignore it at their peril.

    Communal is something done or shared in a , such as a church. An action done by everyone creates a powerful effect. In the US, we’ve forgotten a lot of communal activities, much of this having to do with our culture of independence. We miss a lot. It is why communal celebrations such as Communion and Baptism are so important to the of the church. There is something also very powerful—and community building—in sharing a meal .

    “If the household is too small for a whole animal, that person and the neighbor nearest his house are to select one based on the combined number of people; you should apportion the animal according to what each will eat.” (Exodus 12:4)

    There are 2 important observations in this verse. The first is how important and sacred this sacrifice is. Sacrifices mentioned later do not have this built-in focus on not wasting the sacrifice; just properly disposing of it. This one mentions not wasting it as part of the sacrifice itself. It is to be part of the consideration when choosing the lamb to be sacrificed. There is a shared burden for neighbors to make sure that each other has enough, but not too much.

    The second observation is that by setting this boundary, extra emphasis is added to the communal nature of this specific sacrifice. This sacrifice and celebratory observation of Passover is not to be done in isolation.
    Isolation—the notwithstanding—allows us to not learn from others, not to be in community with others, and not love others. When the Israelites from exile, we read (Nehemiah 8:1-18) that the Israelites learned, mourned, and celebrated in community. Upon learning that there was supposed to be another festival—the Festival of Booths—they gather together (community) and celebrated it. Our celebrations, our learning, our mourning are (generally) more powerful in community, rather than in isolation. Fellowship and unity . Yet, we still tend toward isolation.

    Psalm 133 sums it up:

    How good and pleasant it is
    when brothers live together in harmony!
    It is like fine oil on the head,
    running down on the beard,
    running down Aaron’s beard
    onto his robes.
    It is like the dew of Hermon
    falling on the mountains of Zion.
    For there the Lord has appointed the blessing—
    life forevermore.

    1) Do you find yourself tending more toward isolation rather than community? Why?

    2) If you are an introvert, how will you allow yourself to be drawn and actively seek community? If you are an extrovert, how can allow and encourage people to join the community without overwhelming them?

    3) What other communal rituals (including secular ones) can you think of? What do they have in people’s lives, and why?

  • Do You and Can You

    Psalm 119:145–160

    This morning’s devotion is more of contemplation on these verses of Psalm 119.

    The psalmist is under pressure. He seeks .

    Thinking about your ‘s circumstances, especially those when in trouble or hurting:

    Do you…
    …put your in his ?
    …meditate on his promises?
    … that he is your champion?
    …believe in his ?

    Can you…
    … your affliction and look at God?
    …not compare your situation against those far away from God?

  • Learn What Was Lost

    Psalm 63:1–8, Isaiah 5:1–7, Luke 6:43–45

    “…Your is better than .” Do you ‘s love for you that way? Greater than life. This is similar to ‘ words about surrendering one’s life to the cross (Luke 14:25–27). David’s psalm is full of love of and for God. It is full of . This how God’s love is indeed better than life: trust.

    Yet, all too often people look at God’s love as not all that great. Isaiah’s Song of the Vineyard talks about how people have despised what God had done preparing the Promised Land for the people of Israel. What more could God have done? What so many people often seem to want God to do…make them. God, being God, does not make us (or the Israelites) follow, obey, or love him. Instead, God tears down his work. If they despise his gifts, why should they have them at all? Of course, the goal is not destruction or , but it is to what they have lost.

    In many ways, God sought to prune Israel and Judah of what turned them from God…pride. When Jesus turns to trees, instead of vineyards, the is the same. A tree, to produce more fruit, will be pruned. However, Jesus sets this as an all or nothing. Jesus says that a tree (person) produces either good or bad fruit. We all produce good and bad fruit, it would seem.

    1) As we look at the Song of the Vineyard, what insights does it provide you in regards to the parable of the good tree and the bad tree?

    2) Often we are more aware of the bad in our lives than the good. Can you see in your life where God has “built” your vineyard? What are the signs?

    3) People want , and yet often want people someone to “make them” do the right thing, just like the Israelites and Jews. Why do you think people are like this? Where do you see this behavior in your life?

  • Divine Encounters

    Psalm 63:1-8, Daniel 12:1-4, Revelation 2:1-7

    Often when we first come to know , our hearts are on . A colorful way of saying it is a “fire in the bones” or “fire in the belly”. In other words, we experience a . For others, it is not a fire, but a germinating plant slowing breaking through the shell of the seed, then bursting forth from the ground. There are many ways to describe that change. There are probably as many as there are people. Those new in their with Jesus will often seek more and more of Jesus. They will (like the psalmist) think of God as being more satisfying than rich food. They will think about God while just lying on their bed. In the middle of the night, they will think about God. Keeping that going, however, is always a task. Especially in times of trouble, trial, or just plain confusion.

    Daniel’s is not that literal, but it does convey . A new time of distress and discord will come. New nations will rise. God’s people, though, will still be on God’s heart. God will carry his people. However, even though they are “his” people, there will be a separation. What could be the separating point? Active relationship with God.

    As the Letter to Ephesus calls on the Ephesians to to their “first ”, so, too, are we called. We are called to return to the ways of the psalmist, always thinking about God. Within the letter is yet another reminder that there will be a separation between those who have an active relationship with God, and those who don’t. Just like any relationship, a relationship with God does not just happen. We have to work to maintain it. It’s not that God “walks” away from us, but that we walk away from him.

    1) Do you recall your first encounter with Jesus? What was it like?

    2) change, as should ours with God. Our relationship with God should always be deepening. yourself a moment to reflect and be honest with yourself. Is your relationship with God deepening? If not, good news! Let’s start now! God is always waiting for you to have a deeper relationship with him. If you have a deepening relationship with God, what will you do to help others deepen their relationship with God?

    3) Daniel’s and John’s (Revelation) visions talk about a separation between those who have an active relationship with God, and those who don’t. Does that scare you, or does that motivate you? Why?

  • A Father’s Legacy

    Psalm 89, Matthew 1:6–25, Matthew 2:19–23, Luke 2:41–52

    David: the man (somehow) after God’s own . Imagine passing that down as your legacy. Even more, how about passing it down for you. We “love” famous people. We “love” famous stories. Fame is fabulous. When we pass on family stories, which (we hope) are full of the legacy of our faith, we have this desire for immortality. It is this seed in us that seeks to break past the barriers of this . Even those whose full is in Christ have a bit of this in them. Children are one part of our legacy (whether biological or adopted or nurtured). Our story is another. However, are you willing to die to yourself?

    Today is the traditional day set aside for Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. Yes, that Jesus. That person who lived a life of mercy and , who died on a cross to bridge the divide between man and God, and rose again to show that there is life after this one for those who trust in him. Joseph is the father of that Jesus. The talks about Joseph briefly during Advent and Christmas. The churches in America might talk about Joseph on Father’s Day. Maybe. That’s about it. Joseph pretty much is a side character to us. Which makes sense, to a point. The Bible is God’s story for and to us. With Jesus being the Messiah and God, it makes sense that Joseph doesn’t quite get the limelight. Rightfully, Mary gets a whole lot of focus (some do take that overboard). Despite the message of our society, it really does take two.

    Sadly, we really don’t know much about Joseph. Some church traditions (not all) teach that Joseph was an older man who died early in Jesus’ life. That is not a rock solid fact. There are plenty of reasons why even a young man, barely older than Mary, would die before Jesus started his ministry. Does it matter when Joseph died? Not really. We can be pretty sure that he died before Jesus’ ministry began, but that’s it. So, why talk about Joseph, other than just it being “his” day on the church calendar?

    Joseph’s legacy is the Savior of the World. Every time we say Jesus’ name in , thanks, and , we are also declaring Joseph’s legacy. We don’t think of Joseph that way, but Joseph’s legacy is , even now here on Earth. In fact, we think very little of the quiet legacies. If you have the chance, read Buck Jacobs’ short story, “The Janitor and the CEO.” Basically, the CEO was all sorts of flashy, and the janitor wasn’t. The janitor, however, had a welcoming committee in Heaven. So, perhaps instead of having a Paul kind of legacy (or Peter, Timothy, Jude, John, Mark, Luke), you could have a Joseph kind of legacy.

    1) Think of the legacy you are passing on. Is it all about you? Is it about God? Really, what is it about?

    2) We often compare ourselves to others. Do you find yourself comparing your legacy to those of others?

    3) Often we look at the legacy we passed on to others, but neglect those who are now in our circle. Are there people in your relational circle that you haven’t been looking at as bearers of your legacy?

    FD) Have you ever wanted to be, or still want to be, famous? Why?

  • A Mighty Legacy

    Psalm 105, Exodus 33:1–6

    Have you ever known people that no matter how much you might respect, like, or even them, that spending a large amount of time with them would result in personal injury? It could be a parent, aunt, uncle, cousin, or sibling. In families, a lot of is stored and maintained, meaning that family gathers while good on many levels, can be stressful or even hurtful. If your family gatherings do not have this, give praise to God and all the family members who have made sure to pass on such a blessed and loving . Truth be told, however, most families are not so blessed. Moses’ extended family was a trial for Moses, but not just Moses.

    God had relational limits. Think on that for a moment. There is a limit. The stubborn Israelites wouldn’t make it, for they kept God. And, perhaps, that is the point. When someone repeatedly rebels against God, there is a limit. Yet, there is something hidden in plain . God says that God will not go with them, for they would end up not making it. It was not that God did not love them, nor that they were no longer the people he called. They had put a limit on their with God. God accepted that. It could be more for Moses’ information than anything else. Moses wanted God right there. His relationship with God was good. “Let’s go !” God knew that the Israelites just wouldn’t be able to do it.

    One of the beauties of Scripture is its honesty. God’s people really did not have the best relationship with God. There wasn’t a cover-up. Let’s see: they struggled mightily with God; they rebelled directly against God; they opposed his chosen leaders; they lifted up other gods over God; they killed God’s prophets; they didn’t believe God a lot. Despite that, they faithfully passed on God’s word from generation to generation. While still struggling with God, they still believed that God was . They recognized the gap between themselves and God…and trusted God. That is a mighty legacy to pass on.

    1) Sometimes when we tell a story, it’s not flattering to ourselves. Can you think of a story someone shared that delivered a good message but put them in a bad light?

    2) Often we give people either too much, or too little leeway in our relationship with them. Can you think of a relationship you have like that? What can you do to balance that out in a God-honoring way?

    3) Pain (emotional and physical) and (material and otherwise) are often part of a story of significance. Can you think of something like that which is part of your story?

    FD) The story of our life fits inside of God’s story. What does your story tell others about God?

  • Buildings and Foundations

    Psalm 74, Ezra 3:1-11, 1 Corinthians 3:10-17

    In Seattle, building after building is going up with those huge cranes on top. The population of Snohomish County is projected to by 10,000 people per year for nearly the next 20 years, and the first couple of years of that projection (already having passed) have exceeded that growth. As we look around the area, there is a lot of building going on. Around Generations Church, there are multi-house developments being completed at an amazing pace. As those homes are built, a lot of effort goes into them. The community (the City of Marysville) has requirements for the development, roads, and houses. The developer has to meet all those requirements. In addition to meeting those requirements, the builder has to meet the expectations of people they’ve never met…the buyers. There really is a lot that goes into building a house.

    The first is the ground itself. The ground has to . Everything goes from there. The next is the foundation. The interplay of ground and foundation are critical to the durability and lifespan of the house. If both are not prepared well, and in harmony, there will be trouble.

    Through Creation God created the ground. All of us, believer and nonbeliever, walk upon it. It is the foundation that is the dividing point. When the foundation is Jesus Christ, it should be different than the “foundation” of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, even Judaism (though there will be similarities there). The biggest difference is the understanding of who Jesus is. Jesus is the one and only begotten of God. Jesus is God. Instantly, the foundation of Christianity is different. However, the problem in the church (and has been for centuries) is the concern about what is on top of the foundation.

    When the Israelites returned to Jerusalem from exile, the was no more. It still held its preeminence in Israelite religious culture, but its magnificence was long gone. However, the foundation was still there. Instead of being stuck with the outward appearance, the exiles celebrated the next feast. The feast they celebrated was the Feast of Booths, intended to annually remind the Israelites of their ancestors’ wandering in the desert. They celebrated wandering on a firm foundation. When we wander through (or just take the next right) and remain on the foundation of Christ, all will (eventually, at least) be well.

    As Paul writes about foundations, he acknowledges that people will build the “temple of their hearts” with what they can. Some people, through no fault of their own, only have twigs, rocks, and mud to make one with. Some people, through wrong decisions, will have -scarred wood to build with. , through the and mercy of God, will build with gold and jewels. Now, we aren’t talking about literal gold, jewels, or mud, or twigs. We’re talking about the spiritual condition of the heart. What makes it even more interesting is that we may be deceive ourselves with what we are thinking are building. We may think we are building with gold, but we are building with mud. Or, we may thing we’re building with twigs, but we are building with jewels. In many ways, though, it doesn’t really matter what our spiritual temples are built with, but that they are built. The refiner’s fire will burn away all the pain and misery, and all that remains between us and God.

    1) Foundation as the starting point. How do you view Jesus as your foundation?

    2) Can you see the foundations others might have? What is the weakness and/or of their foundation?

    3) Why do people look past the foundation, even of their own homes, let alone their spiritual life?

    FD) Only before God’s creative grace and love can mud, stick, jewel, gold, stone be viewed as the same. What does that tell you about how God looks at people?

  • Heartful Rest

    Psalm 23, Deuteronomy 10:12–22, Hebrews 4:4–13

    Sleep is good. is good. Too much of either is bad. Too little of either is bad. Sleep and activity must be balanced. All too often, however, neither of these are correctly balanced in our lives. The lazy or lonely or depressed often get too much rest, and movement begins to cease. Those who are too active, rarely resting, usually become less themselves and even begin to lose their grasp on things, trying to keep it all together. Does any of this sound like you?

    While Psalm 23 may be the most famous psalm, and many take solace in it. In the King James Version, Verse 2 says, “…maketh me to lie down…” The NIV says, “…he makes me lie down…” Some translations do say, “…lets me…”, but most don’t. The Hebrew “rabats” (רָבַץ) has more emphasis than just “lets”. David was a as a boy, during his most formative years, so shepherding would always be near to his and understanding. Sheep (like people) sometimes have to be made to rest. Are you being made to rest? Resting is not everything, though.

    As Moses speaks to the people at the edge of the Promised Land, he calls them to activity. They are instructed to walk in God’s ways. They are to God. They are to God (with their whole hearts and souls). They are to do something. They must be in with God. Yes, there were rules. Before you are quick to judge the Israelites on the law, look at our own law books, and understand that we have far more rules than they did. This is important as we Christians are often too quick to say how bad “all” their laws were. The center of it all was heart and soul directed toward and in relationship with God. As they entered the Promised Land, they were to take this understanding with them. If they had taken it truly to heart and practiced it, the story would have turned out different.

    In some ways, the author of Hebrews is trying to drive home the same point. Hearts aligned with God achieve true rest. However, note that the author of Hebrews did not there. The author of Hebrews notes that Joshua did fully realize the goal, but does not blame Joshua. It was a pattern of disobedience that led to a lack of rest in the Promised Land. The author of Hebrews is warning his readers that we cannot just “rest” on God’s and love. We must respond to it. God’s grace and love don’t “require” a response, but only a response of following, love, and worship (from heart and soul) is a true relationship with God.

    1) Have you ever found yourself checking-off the “God to-do” list? What emotions come to mind when you think of that?

    2) Why do you think Moses emphasizes “heart and soul”? Shouldn’t one be enough? Aren’t they the same? What about the mind?

    3) We are often busy doing “stuff”. How much of this “stuff” is Holy activity?

    FD) Do think it odd that the writer of Hebrews says, “make every effort to enter the rest?” Effort to rest? What does that mean?