Mar 17
…also, why my blog will have a theme for the next little while.
This year at our church we decided to take a more intentional approach to the season of Lent. I got to have a part in creating some of the resources for this (which you can take a peek at here), so I did a lot of thinking about how I wanted to participate in this 40-day journey. And I had a great little plan all worked out. Read more
(Lent scripture blog #1)
Today I read Deuteronomy 28. Take a second to read it.
There is no escaping the meaning of this passage.
Obey God and keep his commands –> you will experience blessing.
Don’t obey God–>you will not experience blessing, in fact you will experience curse.
I read this and immediately I ask God to help me be obedient. Because I really do want to be… I really do believe that living life in line with God’s preferences is the best way to live.
But just as immediately I question my motivation. Am I just after the blessing? Would I still have this sincere desire to live obediently if it wasn’t linked to blessings in scriptures like this?
I wish I could honestly say, “Yes! Absolutely yes! I want a life that looks like how God wants it to look… I want to do this because I’m thankful and I love God!” I will I could be that purely motivated. But I can’t, because I’ve read Deuteronomy 28 and now these ‘blessing’ thoughts are rattling around with the ‘purely motivated’ ones and they all get tangled. And yet, God gave us this scripture for a reason.
When we give our kids chores to do, we would love to hear, “Thank you, mother, for this opportunity to serve our family! I shall gladly take on this list of chores with all my heart, all my mind, all my strength.” Sooo not happening. We consistently link the completion of chores with some kind of positive consequence, all the while teaching, teaching, teaching that everyone has a part in keeping our household running because it’s just expected… it’s just reality. We want to grow adults that assume responsibility for their own surroundings, right? Because this is the best way to live. But in this growing up phase, we conflate the reward and the teaching.
Is that God’s approach with us? There is inherent value in living the way He asks… there is inherent value in obeying. But there is also reward, because we are still children.
Thoughts?
Sep 8
I was introduced to ‘Da Jesus Book‘ this week. It’s a translation of the Bible into ‘Hawaii Pidgin’ dialect. I find it amazing that there are people who spend their entire adult lives immersed in culture and language so the Bible can be translated.
So anyway…. my favorite verse (John 10:10) in Hawaii Pidgin:
Da steala guy, he ony come fo steal, kill, and bus up da place. But I wen come so da peopo can come alive inside, an live to da max.
So… this day… go live to da max.
I’ve just started a new Bible reading plan on YouVersion, a plan that has me reading Matthew/Mark/Luke/John all at the same time. I’ll be immersed in stories about Jesus’ life and teachings… like a blast from a fire hose.
Today, here’s what jumped out at me:
In Luke 2, we learn about Simeon, a devout God-following Jewish man. God had told him he would not die before seeing the one who would save Israel… the Christ. God prompted him to go to the temple on one particular day, the same day Joseph and Mary took their baby, Jesus, to the temple as was the custom. Simeon immediately recognized that this newborn baby was the Christ, saying… my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel. (Luke 2: 30-32)
Simeon recognized Jesus because the Holy Spirit led him to do so. He was walking with God closely enough that it was natural for him to recognize God’s ‘salvation’. He saw because of God’s Spirit.
Years later, Jesus, his family, and his disciples (the men he had asked to travel with and learn from him) were all attending a wedding. The host ran out of wine, and Jesus ended up turning multiple jars of water into the best wine of the night (after a little exchange with his mother… which I would love to have witnessed). John 2:11 says this, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
Later these same disciples realized that the things Jesus did fulfilled the prophecies in the scriptures they had studied as boys. This strengthened their belief that he was the Christ.
The disciples recognize the truth about who Jesus was by his actions and through the fulfillment of prophecies happening right in front of them. They saw because of God’s word and the experience they were having together.
Our pastor says this over and over… God’s Spirit, God’s word, God’s people. This is how we know God… this is how we live within his will… this is how to live the best possible life.
This is how we can recognize Jesus at work, around us, wherever we are.
Theme: Linen by The Theme Foundry
