Exodus 40:35 "Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle."
Moses and the Israelites had finally finished creating the tabernacle complete with all of the equipment and articles used within it. They set it up and upon completion, the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. God's presence filled it in such a way that Moses could not even enter it!
I have to ask myself what work has God asked me to do that in the end, his glory so enveloped it, that I could not go near it? What have I put my hands to lately that God has blessed in this way? I get that God doesn't always show up in a cloud or pillar of fire, but I would love to create more moments in which it was unmistakable that God's glory was there and was thick and heavy. I need God to lead and direct me, even specifically and meticulously, like he did with Moses so that his glory can fill the work he has for me do.
Dear Jesus, help my heart follow you and help my hands do what you want me to do, so that your glory will increase. Amen.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Radiant Face
Exodus 34:29 "When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord."
Moses has gone up again the second time to Mt. Sinai to receive the law. Upon returning to the Israelite camp, his face shone radiantly because he had spent time with God.
Does my face shine radiantly? Do people notice anything different about me because of my faith? I have asked myself this question many times in my life-even within the past few years on this blog and in my journal. Unfortunately I think I still have the same answer to this question. I'm not sure people always see my face shine radiantly. I truly wish they would and not because I force it or fake it but because it is real and genuine. And this radiant face is a result of spending time with the Savior. I will continue to seek God's face and turn to him daily with the hope and expectation that my face will shine brighter and more radiantly day after day.
Dear Jesus, help my face to shine for you and because of you. Amen.
Moses has gone up again the second time to Mt. Sinai to receive the law. Upon returning to the Israelite camp, his face shone radiantly because he had spent time with God.
Does my face shine radiantly? Do people notice anything different about me because of my faith? I have asked myself this question many times in my life-even within the past few years on this blog and in my journal. Unfortunately I think I still have the same answer to this question. I'm not sure people always see my face shine radiantly. I truly wish they would and not because I force it or fake it but because it is real and genuine. And this radiant face is a result of spending time with the Savior. I will continue to seek God's face and turn to him daily with the hope and expectation that my face will shine brighter and more radiantly day after day.
Dear Jesus, help my face to shine for you and because of you. Amen.
Monday, November 22, 2010
40 Days
Exodus 31: 18 "When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God."
Moses has been on the top of Mt. Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights receiving the Law from God. At the end of the ordeal, he comes down the mountain with two stone tablets.
Much of the law is boring. Let's be honest. So many details on fabric and gold and dimensions of this and that...don't have sex with this and don't have sex with that...and on and on it goes for 40 days. However, Moses got to spend time with God and hear God's specific instructions on how to live. Despite the boring details, Moses pays attention to God and his plan. Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights with God listening to all of this. When was the last time I spent 40 minutes listening for God and paying attention to him? I get bored in a 1 hour, 15 minute church service! Today I need to relax and listen. I need to pay attention to the details today.
Dear Jesus, thank you for your word, your details and your truth. Amen.
Moses has been on the top of Mt. Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights receiving the Law from God. At the end of the ordeal, he comes down the mountain with two stone tablets.
Much of the law is boring. Let's be honest. So many details on fabric and gold and dimensions of this and that...don't have sex with this and don't have sex with that...and on and on it goes for 40 days. However, Moses got to spend time with God and hear God's specific instructions on how to live. Despite the boring details, Moses pays attention to God and his plan. Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights with God listening to all of this. When was the last time I spent 40 minutes listening for God and paying attention to him? I get bored in a 1 hour, 15 minute church service! Today I need to relax and listen. I need to pay attention to the details today.
Dear Jesus, thank you for your word, your details and your truth. Amen.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Turn the Other Eye, Tooth, Hand, and Foot
Exodus 21: 24 "eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise."
Moses and the Israelites are receiving the law at Sinai. God tells them that if someone wrongs someone else, they are to be punished in an equal way. This was different from many of the surrounding nations. In other tribes, villages, and nations people would seek out revenge and usually the punishment would be much more severe than the crime.
God shows his fairness and justice here at Sinai. Thousands of years later, Jesus goes a few steps further and teaches we should not seek equal vengeance. In fact, we should be quick to turn our cheek, and forgive our enemies. God wants me to be patient and kind to other people-even when they wrong me. My heart should never be set on vengeance or getting back at someone. It's so easy, and possibly human nature to want to "get someone back" and make them hurt for what they did to me. That is not the way of Jesus.
Dear Jesus, help me forgive and turn the other cheek. Amen.
Moses and the Israelites are receiving the law at Sinai. God tells them that if someone wrongs someone else, they are to be punished in an equal way. This was different from many of the surrounding nations. In other tribes, villages, and nations people would seek out revenge and usually the punishment would be much more severe than the crime.
God shows his fairness and justice here at Sinai. Thousands of years later, Jesus goes a few steps further and teaches we should not seek equal vengeance. In fact, we should be quick to turn our cheek, and forgive our enemies. God wants me to be patient and kind to other people-even when they wrong me. My heart should never be set on vengeance or getting back at someone. It's so easy, and possibly human nature to want to "get someone back" and make them hurt for what they did to me. That is not the way of Jesus.
Dear Jesus, help me forgive and turn the other cheek. Amen.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Better than a Yellow Flag
Exodus 18:20 "Teach them the decress and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform."
Moses and the Israelites have come out of Egypt and suddenly Moses finds himself as judge and jury for the entire nation! His father-in-law Jethro stops by for a visit and encourages Moses to create a better system of administrators and judges to lighten his load. And most importantly, he tells Moses to teach the people themselves the difference between right and wrong.
As I read this, I thought about Jack and Ellie. Oftentimes I feel like a referee blowing whistles, throwing flags, and calling fouls as they argue and fight. That is my job to an extent but maybe I need to do a better job of teaching them more about right and wrong and how we treat others? I want them to know the right way to live, not because I said so, but because it is who they are and they have truly learned it. I must do this by what I say but more importantly by how I act and what I model for them.
Dear Jesus, help me be a better role model and teacher for my children today. Amen.
Moses and the Israelites have come out of Egypt and suddenly Moses finds himself as judge and jury for the entire nation! His father-in-law Jethro stops by for a visit and encourages Moses to create a better system of administrators and judges to lighten his load. And most importantly, he tells Moses to teach the people themselves the difference between right and wrong.
As I read this, I thought about Jack and Ellie. Oftentimes I feel like a referee blowing whistles, throwing flags, and calling fouls as they argue and fight. That is my job to an extent but maybe I need to do a better job of teaching them more about right and wrong and how we treat others? I want them to know the right way to live, not because I said so, but because it is who they are and they have truly learned it. I must do this by what I say but more importantly by how I act and what I model for them.
Dear Jesus, help me be a better role model and teacher for my children today. Amen.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Listen Up!
Exodus 12: 11 "This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord's Passover."
The Lord is giving instructions to Moses and Aaron about what the Israelites are to do on the night they escape from Egypt. The Lord is very specific about what they do, what they eat, how they eat it, what they wear, and how they must leave.
At times God gives us very clear instructions. At other times he does not. When he does, we better listen up! In this case, God gives his people very clear and urgent instructions because he is about to rescue them from slavery. I am sure there are things I need to be rescued from-greed, pride, sloth, and envy, to name a few. What clear instructions has God given me lately? Have I been listening clearly to his voice, or am I skimming the details and doing things my own way? I need to listen and listen carefully to his voice. I may need some rescuing of my own.
Dear Jesus, help me listen for you so clearly and follow you so closely I can make no mistake about my path. Amen.
The Lord is giving instructions to Moses and Aaron about what the Israelites are to do on the night they escape from Egypt. The Lord is very specific about what they do, what they eat, how they eat it, what they wear, and how they must leave.
At times God gives us very clear instructions. At other times he does not. When he does, we better listen up! In this case, God gives his people very clear and urgent instructions because he is about to rescue them from slavery. I am sure there are things I need to be rescued from-greed, pride, sloth, and envy, to name a few. What clear instructions has God given me lately? Have I been listening clearly to his voice, or am I skimming the details and doing things my own way? I need to listen and listen carefully to his voice. I may need some rescuing of my own.
Dear Jesus, help me listen for you so clearly and follow you so closely I can make no mistake about my path. Amen.
Friday, November 12, 2010
What's in My Hand?
Exodus 4:2 "Then the Lord asked him, 'What do you have there in your hand?'"
God has instructed Moses to go to Pharoah and demand that he let the Israelites go. Moses is scared and doesn't think he is up to the job. "They won't believe me" Moses whines to God. God then asks Moses this very simple yet profound question.
"What do you have there in your hand?" Moses has been asked to do the impossible and according to God, all he needs to pull it off is whatever may happen to be in his hand at that moment! To do the impossible, we don't need an action plan, vision statement, finely worded philosophy, grand strategy, mighty military, or loads of cash. We need God! In this story he begins with a common shepherds staff and changes the world. What can he do with me and what I have? God wants me to do radical, crazy, big things for Him and His kingdom. What is stopping me? It better not be things I may or may not have. God is not limited by my talent, my resources, my insecurities, my past, my ideas, my stupidity, or my energy.
God please use me and what you have given me to do your work today. Amen.
God has instructed Moses to go to Pharoah and demand that he let the Israelites go. Moses is scared and doesn't think he is up to the job. "They won't believe me" Moses whines to God. God then asks Moses this very simple yet profound question.
"What do you have there in your hand?" Moses has been asked to do the impossible and according to God, all he needs to pull it off is whatever may happen to be in his hand at that moment! To do the impossible, we don't need an action plan, vision statement, finely worded philosophy, grand strategy, mighty military, or loads of cash. We need God! In this story he begins with a common shepherds staff and changes the world. What can he do with me and what I have? God wants me to do radical, crazy, big things for Him and His kingdom. What is stopping me? It better not be things I may or may not have. God is not limited by my talent, my resources, my insecurities, my past, my ideas, my stupidity, or my energy.
God please use me and what you have given me to do your work today. Amen.
Monday, November 01, 2010
One Day
Exodus 3:1 "One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he went deep into the wilderness of Sinai, the mountain of God."
Moses is tending a flock and he sees a burning bush. God speaks to him through the burning shrubbery, telling Moses to confront Pharoah and save his people. Moses reluctantly agrees and trudges off to Egypt. The rest is history.
I love how this passage begins "one day." Exodus chapter three. The burning bush. The beginning to one of the pivotal stories in all of history. And it begins "one day." No particular day. Not a holiday or notable day on the Sinai calendar. Just one normal, average, run of the mill day. This shows any ordinary day can become extraordinary if we are willing to stop and see the burning bushes in our lives. One day. Is today that day? Is tomorrow? It could be. It should be. God has big things for us all one day. I need to notice the burning bushes, God speaking to me today. One day.
Dear Jesus, help me see you each day in every place, face, conversation, and shrubbery. Amen.
Moses is tending a flock and he sees a burning bush. God speaks to him through the burning shrubbery, telling Moses to confront Pharoah and save his people. Moses reluctantly agrees and trudges off to Egypt. The rest is history.
I love how this passage begins "one day." Exodus chapter three. The burning bush. The beginning to one of the pivotal stories in all of history. And it begins "one day." No particular day. Not a holiday or notable day on the Sinai calendar. Just one normal, average, run of the mill day. This shows any ordinary day can become extraordinary if we are willing to stop and see the burning bushes in our lives. One day. Is today that day? Is tomorrow? It could be. It should be. God has big things for us all one day. I need to notice the burning bushes, God speaking to me today. One day.
Dear Jesus, help me see you each day in every place, face, conversation, and shrubbery. Amen.
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