Today’s Reading Numbers 8-11, Colossians 1
With spring in the air, we were starting to see the formations of baseball teams and softball teams. This is a memory from childhood when we would play softball or basketball where there would be team captains. Each captain would handpick each of the individuals for the team. This process can be hard on both sides: hard for the captains to try to keep everyone’s spirits up and then hard for the individuals getting picked because of being the last one picked. In the end someone will not be happy. The difference with Christ choosing us is we all win. He chooses all of us, we have the option to be accepted. He has hand picked us already.
“Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the people of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine. And after that the Levites shall go in to serve at the tent of meeting, when you have cleansed them and offered them as a wave offering. For they are wholly given to me from among the people of Israel. Instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the people of Israel, I have taken them for myself.”
In Numbers 8, we see God is preparing the Levites as the chosen individuals to be set apart for the whole nation of Israel. We see how He has hand-picked them to be the priesthood to intercede, and to petition God for the entire nation. In this particular instance, God is hand-picking representatives that will be connecting with him. He shows how he will provide for these people through these intermediaries. He can use many avenues to bless us. We have to be in tune with his overall purpose for each of us, this only happens when we have a relationship with him.
“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.”
In Colossians 1, it shows us again that we are hand picked for God’s grace and glory. It tells that we were already alienated and lonely and in despair, but Jesus understood this and still hand picked us to be with him. We all have hand picked by him, but we have to accept that we are worthy of his grace. He is ready to give us comfort and peace if we would accept it as a gift.
A couple of days ago I had the honor of participating in a game with my kids. The object of the game was to tie or come up with the same result as the other team. Once you tied with the other team, the first person who recognized it was the same would scream. Then the team that lost would then become part of the other team. Then you would search for other teams to compete, until you are all on the same team. It was fun and exciting on many levels: the kids had a blast and each person wanted to tie with each other. On another level, it was showing us how it is possible to not be the victorious one and still have fun. It shows how God’s love no matter what the outcome of the situation, we always win and he has chosen us not to fail, but to succeed with Him and each other.
Be blessed