What is Your Promised Land?
Josh 22 (NIV) 1 Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh 2 and said to them, “You have done all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and you have obeyed me in everything I commanded. 3 For a long time now—to this very day—you have not deserted your fellow Israelites but have carried out the mission the LORD your God gave you.
4 Now that the LORD your God has given them rest as he promised, return to your homes in the land that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan. 5 But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
Back in the Forties, it was not uncommon for households to include grandparents, parents, their children and sometimes siblings and their children. In my own family, my grandmother and two of her daughters and their husbands lived together for years. I am sure for such an arrangement to work there had to be compromise and mutual love and respect.
In today’s scripture, we see 2 1/2 tribes who decided to settle together in the land east of Jordan. Why? They had large herds of cattle and when they reached the fertile land east if the Jordan they essentially said, “We’re home!”
There is generally no better feeling than being home. In this instance, the only condition to “going home” was the requirement to help the rest of the tribes conquer the Promised Land, and to keep God’s commandments.
Whether or not we have reached our “Promised Land,” may we hold fast to God and His unchanging hand, and may we serve Him with all of our heart and soul, keeping His commandments.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
El Roi, the God Who sees
Gen 16 (NIV) 7 The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”
“I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered.
9 Then the angel of the LORD told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.”
11 The angel of the LORD also said to her:
“You are now pregnant
and you will give birth to a son.
You shall name him Ishmael,
for the LORD has heard of your misery.
12 He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers. ”
13 She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me, ” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”
You will remember Sarai and Abram. Sarai tired of waiting for God to fulfill His promise to Abram that he would be the Father of many nations. So Sarai, rather than steadfastly waiting on God, urged Abram to take her handmaiden Hagar, an Egyptian, who got pregnant with Ishmael. But Hagar made fun of Sarai, and as a result Sarai made her life untenable. Hagar ran from Sarai to the desert. While Hagar was awaiting death, an angel found and delivered her and Hagar recognized one of God’s characteristics as “the Lord who sees—El Roi.
Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when once we practice to deceive. I am convinced the primary reason God speaks against divorce and remarriage is our inability to handle multiple spouses and families. Yet in the Old Testament it was a common practice for a man to have multiple sexual partners. Why? Two possible reasons are (1) God told man to be fruitful and multiply, Gen 1:28) and, (2) it was a form of protection for a woman to be in the household of a man since women were largely untrained and uneducated.
Don’t you find comfort in knowing that God sees us? It is God’s ability to see us that is a part of His being omniscient, or all-knowing. Do you suppose that because there are times in our lives when we feel invisible that we cannot imagine a God who loves us and sees us? When we arrive at the point in our lives when we can see with our minds and our hearts that God loves us and knows our name, then we will be able to know, believe and understand that God not only loves us, He sees us.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Speak Love
Prov 12 (NIV) 18 The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Sometimes when I hear a word that is so critical and does nothing but steal another’s joy, I wonder if the person speaking intends for their words to hurt. Are they trying to wound the other person? Are they even aware of the impact of their words?
But the scripture speaks to someone who is reckless and not deliberate, someone who does not mean to hurt another, and is likely unaware of the consequences of their actions. And I think possibly the best way to insure that I do not let my words hurt another Is to be intentional in speaking good, speaking encouragement, speaking the love of God.
May we breathe in God’s words each morning, so that we speak out God’s love the rest of the day.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Jehovah Nissi, our Banner
Joshua 8 (NIV) 6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. 8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Have you heard the phrase “swan song?” It is a final gesture one makes before the end—the final soliloquy in a play, the last action one takes, perhaps a good deed. It actually originates from the ancient belief that swans, whose songs are not known to be particularly melodic and sometimes silent altogether, sing a beautiful song while dying.
When I read this chapter in the Old Testament, I feel as though this is Moses’ swan song. He is telling the people that his part of this journey is over.
I love the way Moses steps out of the way and ushers Joshua in. From a human perspective I think of all Moses sacrificed to free the Israelites, to lead them through the wilderness for forty years—a disobedient, stubborn people who complained incessantly and returned to their idols whenever Moses was not in their presence.
And then I realize I probably identify more with the Israelites than with Moses. I hope if I had been in his place, and God allowed me only a glimpse of the Promised Land, I could have departed with the same spirit as Moses, but I fear God would have heard a lot of complaining. “But, YHWH, don’t you remember all that I did, what about that time…?” Or, God forbid, “I deserve to go.”
But, Moses, knowing the battles that faced God’s chosen, tells them and Joshua to be strong, reminding them that God would go before them. Jehovah Nissi, God their banner, would go ahead of them, and as long as they proceeded under the banner of God, victory would be theirs.
Even Christ followers can step away from God’s banner. We marry the wrong spouse, and suffer a lifetime because we believed surely God brought us together; we take the wrong job, and perhaps a series of jobs, but years later realize God was not in those decisions either.
May we, at whatever stage we are in, recognize it is never too late to come under God’s banner. Will there still be consequences from not waiting on God? Yes—bad choices produce bad results. But take courage, child of God, the battle is not over and the victory will be yours.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Here Am I
1 Samuel 3:1-9 (ESV)
The Lord Calls Samuel
1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.
2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.
4 Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.
6 And the Lord called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
We all have words we love to hear. Who doesn’t want to hear the words I love you, or I’m so glad you’re my friend. Have you ever wondered about the sweetest words God ever hears? I suggest to you they are not I love you, nor I praise you, nor even have mercy on me. Instead, I believe the sweetest words God ever hears are, Here am I.
When we look at the stories in the Bible that give us strength and hope, the common thread is that when God calls people to help complete his work on this earth, He doesn’t seek the best or the strongest or the youngest, but the willing.
Samuel had been living with Eli for probably 8 years by now, and it is important that we are told “And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. “
Not only had Samuel never heard the voice of God, but it would seem God was no longer speaking to Eli. So, when Samuel first heard his name being called of course he thought it was Eli. But when Samuel realized it was God’s voice, he didn’t come up with a list of excuses as to why he couldn’t serve, he didn’t hide, instead his response was “here am
I. “
Today God’s call is still upon each of us. We have the benefit of having the Holy Spirit living within us and we have the completed word of God. We are each called to share Jesus with the world.
You’re probably thinking, oh preacher, don’t tell us you want us to go knocking on doors to invite people to church.” No, in fact I’m fairly certain that no longer works.
Before I left Asbury for my ministry, there were a couple of times when we went out for a few hours and hung door hangers that had info about our church and an invitation to come and visit. I wrote my name and phone number on the ones I gave out. There were about 200 each time I went out, but no one ever contacted me.
I think the more effective means of sharing Jesus is what used to be called lifestyle evangelism. Wherever we find ourselves during the day, we engage people in conversation. How are you, how’s your day going? You’d be surprised how people respond when they realize you really care about them.
If you want to be used of God to share Jesus with others, simply start your day by agreeing with God that this day you will do no harm, you will do good and you will stay in love with God. Ask God to send someone across your path to whom you can minister, and then get ready. You will begin to meet people who are hungry for human interaction. Whatever you say and do, do it in the joy of the
Lord and that just might be enough to give someone hope.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Seeking Holiness 