David gives me such hope in 2nd Samuel. David is a soldier – a friend, someone who is running and running from being captured from Saul, a loving father, a sinner, and humble. He constantly sings the praises of God even when he is broken down – and in fear that Saul would capture him.

Sometimes I tried to imagine myself ACTUALLY in his shoes. What if – I was a great soldier – that outshone our U.S. Government , and they wanted to capture me. Hiding in the caves of Utah, or running across the California desert – trying to escape their every move – it would be hard to put God in the forefront of my mind. Yet time and time again – David admits his sins, and focus’ on God.

Could I be a smidgen of what a great example David was?

THEN against all odds – David spares Sauls life when it looks as though he finally could put an end to the cat chase. Saul finally dies at the end of the book with a suicide as the opposition army was upon him.

Then – instead of standing up and declaring he was King – he waited – patiently for God to respond.

Do I wait patiently? – Do I follow God in this way – and listen for his direction?

Its been too easy to get caught up in politics this year. I’m not only a delegate for the 31st senate district in MN, but I also tweet a BUNCH about my political beliefs and take part in rants. But – are they always biblical… or am I following a biblical approach to politics when talking about others?
[sadly] Not always.

The people of Israel wanted a King – because other nations had a king, and they didn’t want to “just” follow God – or at leas that’s what I got out of 1st Samuel. They wanted to conform. Sometimes when venting my disdain for the [current] administration I often get caught up in the blame game, and the pointing of fingers – when really – do I know their heart?

Perhaps their heart really is good, or perhaps it is evil as was Sauls – either way- I need to put God before politics…. Sometimes if what I say is going to hurt others – then I shouldn’t say it. Or if it will lead people further away from Christ – or cause people to believe that Christ is NOT the center of my world then I need to reassess.

I need to honor God first and foremost. Not the KINGS of the world…..

Lessons from Ruth

I’ve gained a lot of perspective from reading through the book of Ruth. The story doesn’t give a lot of background on how close Ruth & Naomi were before the deaths of their husbands, but instead of moving back home to live with her [Ruth’s] family she stayed with Naomi to help her out.

The theme of a strong sense of family and loyalty is played out here, and I’m also pleasantly surprised to see that Boaz also was willing to help his family out. Good works in Gods eyes are rewarded. Ruth sacrificed and stayed with Naomi, and in turn she was blessed to have a new husband in Boaz.

One stand out story to me is of Samson.

Growing up I wasn’t super familiar with a lot of the bible stories that many get in Sunday school because I never went to Sunday school. Rather I went to “big church” with my folks which truthfully a lot of times I spaced out and wasn’t really paying attention (until I got older).

So the first time I ever heard of the story of Samson was from my daughters “Read & Share” Bible.

THIS is LITERALLY what it says about Samson.

First off. It shows a super nice picture of Samson:

So imagine my [HUGE] surprise this week to find out that Samson is actually a HUGE jerk! I mean – ok I definitely don’t want my preschooler learning about the REAL Samson quite yet, but I can’t believe how terrible he is. Actually I kind of can’t believe how much killing is actually going on in Judges (and Joshua). I am really wrestling with this… I realize the Lord wanted to purge evil away from the Israelites, but this is not the God i’m accustomed to in the New Testament. [obviously] I’ll have to keep reading!

Lessons from Joshua

How often do I just ask God to help me with the small stuff, but not realizing that BIG things are God sized issues too? Joshua asked God to make the sun stand still. I’m pretty sure if I just casually asked, “God, please make the sun stand still” it would never happen.

Part of the reason is that my faith small. Am I really trusting that God will provide for the BIG things too?

Over the past few years I put some HUGE requests before the Lord. One was that my brother would find a wonderful woman, and be happy, as well as sell his house. BOTH of which happened.

The other was that my cousin Sara & her husband Joel could have a baby which was very very difficult for them, and THAT happened too. Over the course of the next weeks I’ll look internally and see what else I’ve been holding out from my Father – because He is in the business of doing BIG things!

Lessons learned from Deuteronomy ~

Obey the Lord your God. In this chapter – the final pilgrimage before the Israelites cross the Jordan River – Moses prepares his people to obey the Lord. Much of what was covered in Deuteronomy was not new, but rather re-iterated- as if what he was saying was really really extra important.

It also reminded on several occasions of what God had done for the Israelites!  Do I remember what God has done for me? The awesome and amazing prayers He has answered, or do I get caught up in the now too often? I ought to remember that the Lord is always with me, and He always goes before me! (Deuteronomy 1:30).

I love what Moses says in Deuteronomy 4:7, “What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?” – God is always near to talk to, and chase after- yet again.. I become complacent , and lazy – thinking… I’ll connect with God in prayer, and silence tomorrow.

Favs:
Deuteronomy 4:19 – Its ok to marvel in the beauty of the world – so long as I am not praying to it, or thinking that “it” is the Lord.

A reflection on the book of Numbers…

The burnt offering, atonement offerings,  offering for shelters, daily offerings, etc etc etc….The book of Numbers taught me about the many offerings the people were to give to God. For all kinds of things throughout the day, week, month and year. I reflect on my own life, and wonder what I really offer to God. Sure I try to be a good wife, mother, and friend. Serve and give when possible, but -I- don’t- give -with- abandon!

I realized I take for granted the sacrifice that Jesus made. Plain and simple. I go about my day often with no thought about how much time was consumed during the time of the Israelites fulfilling all of these offerings, and I’m concerned about my to do list which often has nothing to do with honoring God… the clothes I’m wearing, the car I drive, the school my daughter goes to, and how clean my house is.

Sure I listen to Christian music and read the bible – but I don’t humbly accept 99% of the time what Christ has really done for me.

Christ…, He fulfilled all of these obligations in the books of law. My head has been swimming these past few months with the do this -do that- do this- do that, and frankly I’ve been exhausted thinking about it, much less doing it! Where did these people find the time? God knew nobody could do ALL OF THESE THINGS- because we are so far from the perfection of God.

In chapter 28 I was tired from reading the requirements for the offerings. Every year we help our family friends butcher chickens. I know – this is a very Lindsey Ingalls Wilder of me – and this year we cleaned 48 chickens, and at the end of the day we were simply exhausted.  Now this is a once per year kind of thing- not a monthly or daily thing. The amount of work it takes to slaughter, and clean animals is just understated in the book of numbers!

I can’t imagine the stress the Israelites must have felt. I take for granted what Jesus has done for me and Numbers has pointed this graciously out.

I’ve been connecting my thoughts from these books with songs so often because I don’t exactly know how to verbalize how I feel. But this song really ties it true for me. After reading through the book of Numbers, and others with all of its laws, and regulations surrounding the offerings, I realized how much I need to offer myself up to God. Completely and with abandon. Back in the time of Numbers you had to physically produce offerings to the Lord and what does the Lord require of me now?

Walk humbly with your God. God isn’t asking me to slaughter animals, or bake bread, and offer up these aromas to Him – but to simply offer my heart to Him – let him Love me and love him in return! 

Lessons from Leviticus

What is my main takeaway from Leviticus? Man am I glad for Jesus! Reading through all of these requirements of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offering etc etc etc makes me so thankful that Christ laid himself out as the final sacrifice.

My head was swimming this past week trying to comprehend all of the things I would have to do each day to atone for my sins.

Leviticus 14 was especially thorough in all you had to do should you encounter a skin diseases!

Anyways – its reminding me to be more thankful to God in what he did on the cross. Not only did he pay my “access” ticket into heaven, he also wiped away the need to offer more and more sacrifices to God.

Leviticus is also pointing out how HOLY our Father is. How set apart he is from us. Could anyone actually follow through all of the sacrifices? I’m not sure any of us could be right in front of God! But through the lens of Christ we are made new.

Over the past two weeks or so I absolutely fell in love with this song by Addison Road – What do I know of Holy? Reading through the book of Leviticus really really has put this in to perspective… what do I really know of the word Holy? Its not just angels coming out to sing Halleluja, or fasting on certain days… God is so far past magnificent for us to understand – what do I really really know of Holy?

Enjoy: 

Thank you Christ for what you’ve done for me!

In verse 22, 23 it says:

Genesis 22
I can’t imagine as a mother – the scene of God asking me to sacrifice my daughter, by striking her with a knife, and then burning her. But Abraham did as he was told. Perhaps internally he struggled with this – but its not recorded here in the book of Genesis – he simply obeyed without question.

This is fascinating. Did he tell Sarah? I had to give pause in this part of Gods story. What did she say if he did tell her, and what would she say when he returned without her? In todays society if a parent stated, oh, I offered our child up for a burnt offering to God we would be arrested, and scorned for life! What was life like in the time of Abraham?

I had to stop and ask myself… In what ways can I obey readily? Perhaps and hopefully God never asks me to sacrifice my daughter as a sign of my faith, and fear in him, and through Jesus’ sacrifice I don’t believe he ever will…  but in what other ways does he lead me to sacrifice? I hope over the next weeks I can be in tune with his gentle whispers on how I can more readily sacrifice for Him.

Chasing Christ!