Day 16 of 90 Devotion

Dearest e-votees-

Day sixteen of our cover to cover voyage through the Bible. Today we get the account of the conquering of the Promised Land, including the stories of Jesus' ancestor Rahab the prostitute and the defeat of Jericho. Today's reading is full of rewards and consequences for abiding in or neglecting the will of the Lord.

If you want to see the readings for our trip through the Bible you can follow this link:

www.christthegoodshep.org/biblein90days.html

Peace,
Karl

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Day 16 Readings: Joshua 1:1-14:15

"Be strong and courageous" is a refrain that appears repeatedly in our readings today.

Often we are faced with challenges that seem larger than our ability. And they are in our own strength. But if it is God's will and God intends to support our efforts we can accomplish so much more that we might imagine. As Switchfoot popularized "we were meant to live for so much more"--God has big plans and all the strength we need to press into that future.

Stepping outside of our own visions and abilities and trusting the leading and equipping of God takes courage. Where did Rahab get the courage to protect the spies? Where did Joshua and Caleb get the courage to believe that God would deliver the Promised Land into their hands? Where did Peter get the courage to step out of the boat and onto the water? Where did Joseph of Arimathea get the courage to ask for Jesus' body? Where might we get the courage to step into the new and scary places that God may be calling us into?

"Be strong and courageous" and remember Philiipians 1:6: God will bring to completion the good word begun in the day of Christ Jesus.


God we thank you for witnesses like Joshua, Caleb, Rahab, Peter, Jesus, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa and all the others who lives of strength and courage inspire us. Amen.

Day 15 of 90 Devotion

Dearest e-votees-

Day fifteen of our cover to cover voyage through the Bible (one 6th of the way there—woo hoo!!!). We have completed the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) and now have only 61 books to go.

If you care to follow along you can find links to the assigned Bible passages at:

www.christthegoodshep.org/biblein90days.html

Peace,
Karl

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Day 15 Readings: Deuteronomy 23:12-34:12

The set of books that began with the creation of all things and the origins of humanity end with the death of Moses and rather sobering consequences laid out for the tribes for when they fall away.

Moses spent a full third of his life wandering out in the desert with a stiff-necked people.

It seems that if the people, and particularly Moses and Aaron, had a hard time following God closely even with their incredibly close vantage point then what hope have we?

The truth is in our own strength and in our own understanding we have little hope at all.

Thankfully Jesus came bearing God’s strength (shown powerfully through his submissive weakness) and bearing God’s insights (shown powerfully through his teaching beginning at least as far back as a twelve year old boy teaching in the Temple). In Jesus we have all the reason in the world to hope.


God we thank you for the love, life and ministry of Jesus. Help us rest and trust in him no matter where we sojourn. Amen.

Day 14 of 90 Devotion

Dearest e-votees-

Day fourteen of our cover to cover voyage through the Bible.

If you care to follow along you can find links to the assigned Bible passages at:

www.christthegoodshep.org/biblein90days.html

Peace,
Karl

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Day 14 Readings: Deuteronomy 8:1-23:11

It's deja vu all over again. (apologies to Yogi Berra)

Almost everything in today's reading we have seen before. There are a few things that have made an appearance that weren't in the first iteration of the law but by and large it is recapping what was already said.

The point of this text is that the people hearing it (those who were less than 20 or not even born at the time of the Exodus) need to recall God's deeds of delivery and the law given (to those 20 or older) as they enter into the promised land. Generations don't always share wisdom and stories between them well. So God has Moses tell again the stories and the expectations of God. This is needed because...

People learn by repetition. People so easily forget. People's forgetfulness can lead to dire breakdowns and consequences.

Some people are critical of worship forms that seem to repeat themselves or have clearly discernible patterns. Some go so far as to call liturgical forms dead.

We learn by repetition. We so easily forget. Our forgetfulness can lead to dire breakdowns and consequences.

Some people shun regular and frequent communion saying that having it so often makes it less special. To them I might say "How special was your last breath?" and beyond that I might say...

We learn by repetition. We so easily forget. Our forgetfulness can lead to dire breakdowns and consequences.

Some people shun regular and frequent communion with the saints saying that Christmas and Easter may well be sufficient for them (if even that frequently). Our constitutional requirements for voting members are so painfully and woefully inadequate (worship, communion, offering of record within the last two years). Some might say that they are meeting the bare minimum expectations. I might say back...

We learn by repetition. We so easily forget. Our forgetfulness can lead to dire breakdowns and consequences.


God help us learn by faithfully tending the repetitions and cycles of the faith life. Help us remember what can so easily be forgotten. Help us remember that Jesus came to repair the breakdowns and fulfill the consequences so that we might have sure and certain hope and life. Amen.

Day 13 of 90 Devotion

Dearest e-votees-

Day thirteen of our cover to cover voyage through the Bible. We have now completed Numbers. 4 down, 62 to go.

We enter into Deuteronomy which is a Greek compound word: “deutero-” meaning “2nd” (as in deuterium, the 2nd isotope of hydrogen with an atomic mass of 2) + “-nomos” meaning “law” (as in autonomous, one’s own laws). It recounts the summarizing of the law for the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land at the end of 40 years of wandering.

If you care to follow along you can find links to the assigned Bible passages at:

www.christthegoodshep.org/biblein90days.html

Peace,
Karl

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Day 13 Readings: Numbers 32:20-Deuteronomy 7:26

The founding documents (archival, historical, inspirational, including laws, consequences, boundaries, census data, etc.) continue to be laid out for the people.

In Deuteronomy we get the recounting of the 10 Commandments (hence the “2nd Law” moniker).

Deuteronomy 6:4 is known as the Shema (check out http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Scripture/Torah/The_Shema/the_shema.html)

It sets up what Jesus calls the greatest commandment: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and with all your strength. (Luke 10:27 adds mind, too). Jesus says that abiding with that commandment coupled with loving your neighbor as yourself fulfills all the law and the prophets. All that we have read and will read up through Day 68 (June 20th) is brought to completion in loving God and loving neighbor as self.

Part of the challenge of today’s texts are reconciling loving neighbor with destroying previous occupants of your new home. The texts are clear about the need to decimate those in the land. How do we abide the tensions of loving neighbor (and Jesus had a broad definition of who was neighbor) with these particular and harsh texts in Numbers and Deuteronomy?

In large part we rest in the truth that Jesus has done what we cannot and that we can take our cues from Jesus and his life. The only things Jesus really got violent with were the moneychangers in the Temple and that time he shriveled up a fig tree. Jesus’ love trumped violence. Jesus’ love trumped (or at least sated) God’s wrath. Jesus’ love is our hope and our sure and certain cornerstone.

God help us learn and know of our spiritual heritage. Help us live, breathe and emulate Jesus’ love. Amen.

Day 12 of 90 Devotion

Dearest e-votees-

Day twelve (a very important Biblical number) of our cover to cover voyage through the Bible. If you care to follow along you can find links to the assigned Bible passages at:

www.christthegoodshep.org/biblein90days.html

Peace,
Karl

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Day 12 Readings: Numbers 21:8-32:19

Much about the expansion of the Israelite people into the Promised Land in today’s texts.

Their expansion comes at great cost to the previous inhabitants of the land.

Proper offerings are again rehearsed and the census of the tribes are taken again.

This destructive expansion can be hard for our modern sensibilities. Many of us are aware of our own place in the world coming at great expense to previous inhabitants. Even were it not the case that we were living in the land of a displaced people we have benefited disproportionately from the labor and sacrifices of others.

God has called us to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds and strengths and to love neighbor as ourselves. As we ponder who our neighbor might be we do well to remember those who came before us and those who bear the brunt of our comfortable lifestyles.


God we so often live in ways that contribute to exploiting others. Teach us to see your image in all and to seek to address injustice that your name might be glorified. Amen.

Day 11 of 90 Devotion

Dearest e-votees-

Day eleven of our cover to cover voyage through the Bible. If you care to follow along you can find links to the assigned Bible passages at:

www.christthegoodshep.org/biblein90days.html

Peace,
Karl

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Day 11 Readings: Numbers 8:16-21:7

Much complaining, challenging and rebelling in our assigned texts for today:

• Grumbling about hardships that brought fire down around the outskirts of camp
• Quail buried the camp in response to grumbling and then the grumblers were buried in the desert
• Miriam and Aaron incur wrath when they grumble against Moses (Miriam becomes leprous for a week, Aaron not so much—hmmm.)
• 10 of the 12 scouts into the Promised Land bring back a fearful report which causes the community to wander in the desert for 40 years
• The 10 scouts were struck down and died of a plague
• A Sabbath breaker is put to death by stoning
• Korah, Dathan, Abiram and their families are swallowed by the earth while Aaron is reaffirmed with a budded almond staff (which became an ark of the covenant keepsake)
• Moses and Aaron incur God’s judgment for being hasty and not honoring God is bringing water from a rock which keeps them from entering Promised Land
• People slow on the uptake complain, yet again, about food and water and venomous snakes set upon the grumblers

It is hard to read these passages of judgment and destruction. It is hard to imagine these people are so slow to realize the consequences that their complaining, challenging and rebelling can have.

Surely were we there we would have chosen better and differently. Right?

Even in the midst of all of this suffering and death there are hints of the Christ that is to come.

Jesus is the bread of life. Jesus is the source of living waters. Even the snakebites will be healed by one lifted up in the desert which Jesus ties directly to his death on the cross when talking to Nicodemus.

The sad and crushing thing is how slow we are and how often we fail. The good and hopeful thing is that Jesus will crush the head of the serpent once and for all (see one of the first hints of the Gospel in Genesis 4:15).


God we so often live in ways that are contrary to how you have called us to be. Even if we are spared the more decisive judgments as in our readings today we know the pain of our rebellion. Help us amend our ways, trust in your mercy and abide in Jesus. Amen.

Day 10 of 90 Devotion

Dearest e-votees-

Day ten of our cover to cover voyage through the Bible. If you care to follow along you can find links to the assigned Bible passages at:

www.christthegoodshep.org/biblein90days.html

Peace,
Karl

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Day 10 Readings: Leviticus 26:27-Numbers 8:14

Today’s texts start with some stern warnings from God about what will happen to the Israelites should they abandon the pattern of living that God is providing. Leviticus concludes with some instructions about offerings made to God.

Numbers has much to say about the quantities of people, gifts and responsibilities of those tending the tabernacle. By the time our texts for today are done the Levites have all been properly instructed and installed and are ready to lead worship.

We have a section that relates to how a woman expected of unfaithfulness is to be examined. Particularly troubling to our modern sensibilities is that there is no parallel guidelines for what to do with a male who might be unfaithful. It is also troubling that there is no consequence for an incorrect accusation or “spirit of jealousy” about the wife. The man is free to make accusation. The woman must be proven faithful through this test to be relieved from the accusation. I am grateful this burden of fidelity examination has fallen off the job description of the modern pastor.

What we can take from all these verses is that God cares deeply about the relationship between God and God’s people. How we present ourselves, what we bring to the table (or altar) and how we conduct ourselves matter greatly. God longs for relationship with all of God’s people yet there are standards to be met. God will not tolerate being trifled with when it comes to worship and covenant.

It is amazing that the Israelites were able to tend to this relationship as well as they were (which wasn’t always so well)—I’m sure we would do no better.

The good news is that Jesus came and fully tended this relationship. He taught us to love God with all our hearts and all our souls and all our minds and all our strengths—and he lived a life that showed us how that looks. He taught us to love our neighbors (and our enemies) as our selves—and he died a death and rose again to show us how that looks. Jesus has done all that was required. “Well done, thou good and faithful savior.”


God we thank you that you have set us apart--made us holy. You have standards of holiness and purity that challenge us to the core. We thank you that Jesus came to do what we could not or would not. Help us live as your holy people in loving and grateful response to the life we find in you—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.