Today's reading from the Chronological OT/NT Reading Plan is: Exodus 16-18, Matthew 27:1-26
Good Sunday morning, ladies! Well, there is quite a bit going on in today's readings! It's been hard for me to pick what to focus on here. What first really caught my attention, was the manna that God provided the Israelites. First, let me quote some notes from my bibles...
"The manna, literally means, "What is it?" Not only was it remarkable for its size, shape color, taste, and variety of uses, but especially for its daily appearance at dawn, its tremendous abundance, its strange capacity for breeding worms at the end of each day except the sixth, and its sudden and permanent disappearance as soon as the Israelites entered Canaan. It taught the people to look Godward for their daily bread, and it pointed toward the One who claimed to be the true bread from heaven, even "the bread of life." "-The King James Study Bible
"Manna appeared on the ground each day as fresh white grains the size of pearls. The people gathered it, ground it like grain, and made it into honey-tasting pancakes. For the Israelites the manna was a gift-it came every day and was just what they needed. The Israelites were not to work on the Sabbath-not even to cook food. Why? God knew that the busy routine of daily living could distract people from worshiping Him. It is so easy to let work, family responsibilities, and recreation crowd our schedules so tightly that we don't take time for God."-Life Application Bible
This is just amazing, and special to me, to read these passages. God provided this miraculous substance, this manna, to take care of His people. These whiny, grumbly people who were constantly questioning God's ability to care for them, and saying they'd rather be enslaved again, than face these difficulties. Now I believe that they didn't truly want to be back in Egypt, but they just weren't happy with their situation, and wanted better for themselves and their families. I can understand that, I can. But hindsight for us, we know that had they just trusted God wholeheartedly, this would of been a much quicker walk through the Wilderness.
This manna is exquisite to me. It was just enough...not too much, not too little. It would go bad after just one day, so that God could teach them to depend on Him daily, rather than their own ability to store and preserve; their own means of self preservation. However, on the day that He wanted them to focus solely on Him, and not be distracted with the cares of this world, it would stay fresh from the night before, so that they would not have to gather and prepare it! I mean, how AMAZING! And yet, through this miracle that God provided, in all it's detail, they still resulted to lack of trust in God, and complaining about life once again over water, in chapter 17. We know God supplies water, miraculously, and yet the cycle continues as we will continue to see as we keep reading.
Haven't we done this time and again, in our own lives, even though God has shown us miraculous things as He cares for us, and provides for our every need?! And we've even had all these accounts in His word too, to show us that He will provide and care for His own. My husband recently lost his job, and a close friend of mine, had her husband lose his job a month later, so we have been on this journey together. God has done amazing things for both our families, and we have to stand in awe of how He has orchestrated it all! Our husbands are both in new jobs now, have been for a few months. Life moves on, and we now have to fight the earthly temptation to question whether God will meet our needs once again in new challenges that arise. We are praying so hard, and asking God to help us focus on Him, and KNOW that He will always be there for us, and provide for our needs, and often times, even our wants! She shared a thought out of her devotional a few days ago, and it really touched me. It said this...
"If we would only move straight ahead in faith, the path would be opened for us. But we stand still waiting for the obstacles to be removed, when we ought to go forward as if there were no obstacles at all."
WOW! I mean, think about that for a minute. How blessed would our lives be, if we completely surrendered every aspect of them to God, and just walked in faith, never stopping to doubt?! Never stopping to try and figure out how WE are going to move the obstacles?! God's ways are above our own, and limitless! He created the mountains, and He WILL move them for you, if He needs to. No problem we have is too big for our God!
In chapter 18, the judges are finally appointed by Moses. This really took a large burden off of him. These were not to replace the spiritual elders. They had a whole different set of tasks, and really improved the quality of life for Moses, and the people.
I just want to touch real quick on the verses in Matthew too. Obviously, this is a sad passage, and Judas couldn't handle the guilt from his actions. Many believe that He had political motives for why He turned Jesus over, and wasn't expecting the outcome that came. No matter the reason, he couldn't live with what he had done. The thing that has always gotten me about this passage though, is Pilate.
Pilate was known for being a cruel, harsh leader, and excessively infuriated the Jews. There is a lot going on in his life at this point. Historical records indicate that he already had legal trouble from the people and his job was kind of at jeopardy here, so I know a lot was at stake for him. I just wanted to point out one obvious, but important thing. He had several chances to right the situation. He felt Jesus was innocent, Roman law stated that an innocent man shouldn't be put to death. His wife even told him of a troubled dream she had about this, yet he wouldn't do the right thing, for fear of what would happen to HIM! By not making a decision to do what was right, he chose to do what was wrong. He tried to give himself a false sense of peace, by saying he washed his hands of it all, but you can't do that.
Whenever we chose to do nothing, and not stand for what is right, and against what is wrong, we are in the wrong. Peer pressure, fear, all kinds of things and emotions can keep us from standing up for what it right. But you know what? When you think about it, they are all selfish motivations. What will this mean for me? How will people look at me? As Christians, we are never to be focused on self, but on others. We are to focus on God, glorifying Him, and doing His will. This means always putting God and others before ourselves. We can try to wash our hands of it, and ease our own conscience, but God will know, and we will know deep down inside.
Sorry it got long, that's what happens when I can't pick an area to focus on! lol!
Tomorrow's passage: Exodus 19-20, Matthew 27: 27-50
7 comments:
Great post, Kristi! I too find myself learning to trust God for daily needs, as I have had a home daycare for a few months now and I have to trust that I will have enough children to care for that our financial needs will be met on a week-to-week basis. (Most of my kids are part-time, so the income isn't very predictable, as they don't always come on the same days, or the same number of days each week.) I'm amazed at how well our needs have been met.
So glad to hear it, Miriam! God is so good!
Great post. The appointment of the judges stood out for me too because it really did ease the burden that Moses had and it made everything run better. I tend to be a martyr and I am terrible at delegating. If I would learn to let things go, it would reduce the stress I feel sometimes when I am trying to do it all.
The Judas situation always makes me very confused. Here was a man who had spent so much time with Jesus-one of his closest companions- and yet he was convinced to give him up for money. Was it because he honestly believed that Jesus being perfect could never be found guilty and therefore never be sentenced that made him do it. Or was it something else that prompted such a terrible act?
The fact that Moses took his FIL's advice show a lack of pride on his part.
I love all the details about the manna too!
I really appreciate the devotional quote - very true. God will not always move the obstacles, even when we do step out in faith. But He will be with us every step of the way, obstacles or not.
Oops, that was me, not Nathan ;)
I just don't know, Pamela. Some scholars believe that Judas was unhappy with Jesus' calm and humble approach to His misistry. He felt Jesus should be more "powerful and forceful" in His dealings with Rome. Perhaps he was trying to force Jesus into action against Rome, but once he came to his senses, and realized what he truly had done, he couldn't bare the consequences.
To me, it shows me how being a doer of God's Word, and not a hearer only, is so important. We know God knew Judas would be the intrument through which Jesus was handed over, but I believe their are lessons to be learned here. God allowed it for a reason. When we force our wishes, and plans, rather than focusing on God, and staying in His path, bad things always happen.
Yes, sometimes God puts obstacles in our path for our own good, that need not be removed. That wasn't the context of the devotional though. The obstacles it was talking about, was ones like not having money to eat or pay bills; aquire shelter, etc. Those things that we know are God's will, but at the time, seem unobtainable. All of them things that we know God promises to do, but our human minds often times can't see past the present circumstances and obstacles! :)
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