Numbers 7; Psalms 42–43; Song of Solomon 5; Hebrews 5

I am a numbers person. This is really no surprise given my educational background.  We called ourselves “accounting dorks” back at the IWU Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority house in 1994.  There were 4 of us.

Here are my numbers on Numbers 7:

• With 89 verses, Numbers 7 seems like the longest chapter in the Bible.
• Psalm 119 is actually the longest chapter in the Bible, it has almost double the number of verses – 176 in total.
• Our 2016 biblejournal.net schedule (following the McCheyene plan) will get us to Psalm 119 on June 22.
• Don’t worry though, we have an entire week allocated to Psalm 119 (7 days, June 22-28).
• Seventy-three of the verses (7:12-7:83) in Numbers 7 say the exact same thing, just with different names.

Truth be known, it isn’t really the numbers themselves that I love. Don’t get me wrong, solving the math problem or getting the financial statements to balance gives me a sense of fulfillment, but that isn’t really where my energy comes from.  Rather, it’s how I can use the numbers to tell a story, to make my case, and to influence my audience.  That’s why I love the MD&A (Management Discussion & Analysis) section of an annual report.  It’s the story behind the numbers.  Investors beware, this is an UNAUDITED section of the financial statements.  It is full of management spin, which is why it’s so fun!  Yes, 22 years later I am still an accounting dork.

When it comes to the book of Numbers (and Leviticus for that matter), are you like me? I’ve found this reading to be pretty hard.  It has a ton of historical details and, frankly, isn’t overly inspiring.  Yet from reading 2 Timothy last week, we know God included these scriptures in the Bible for a reason.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

In the book of Numbers so far, God’s people have:

• Taken a census
• Arranged their camp
• Assigned serving duties to men of each tribe
• Outlined rules for unclean people, confession and restitution
• Established the Nazarite vow

All were these actions were taken in accordance with instructions God gave them through Moses. The Lord blessed them.

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

“So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:22-27)

This brings us to Numbers 7. In response to God’s blessings, each tribe brought offerings before the Lord.  Seventy-three verses in Numbers 7 explain exactly what each tribe brought.  Twenty-six sacrifices by my count (3 serving pieces of precious metal, flour/oil mixture, incense, 21 animals), which are explained in the same painstaking detail 12 times.  What is God trying to tell us?  A few ideas to consider:

• God’s people are obedient to his instructions. Did you notice, the sacrifices each tribe brought align with God’s detailed instructions from Leviticus (grain offering, burnt offering, sin offering, peace offering and redemption values)? As Christ followers, we are called to be obedient (John 14:23, James 1:22).
• We each matter to God. The sacrifices offered by each tribe were recognized, individually, by God. This approach affirms that God values people. There is power in numbers (Matthew 18:20), but God also cares deeply about each one of us (Luke 12:7).
• All gifts/roles/responsibilities in the kingdom of God are equally important.  Each tribe had a different number of people and a different role for serving in the tabernacle, but all were equally important and valued.  Likewise, it takes a variety of roles in the Church today to accomplish God’s objectives. All matter (Romans 12:4-5).

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).

 

Today’s Readings: Numbers 2, Psalm 36, Ecclesiastes 12 and Philemon 1

I love writing for Monday’s! I feel like it’s a fresh start for you and me. It’s an opportunity to start the week with a positive intention. Speaking of intentions, I was going to write on Ecclesiastes again since there were some great threads in today’s reading but then something grabbed me. Buckle up, this is one of those days Jesus fans, I’m on fire!!! When I first read Philemon 1 for today I was honestly a little disappointed. The text immediately came back to me. Mike Baker preached on this whole chapter not too long ago at Eastview. I was thinking, surely there isn’t anything that I, as a new Christian can add to the amazing message Mike has already delivered. So, I was just flippin’ pages thinking about Ecclesiastes and futility again when I came upon a commentary by Kevin L. Smith. Kevin wrote a short work for the HCSB about the Bible and Civil Rights. In a few paragraphs as an introduction to Philemon he explains how themes from the bible, including Onesimus’ story was a foundation for the spirit and energy of the Civil Rights Movement in the early 1960’s. He goes on to describe how Martin Luther King used key verses to illustrate the issue of equality among humans. Smith goes on to cite several instances in the Bible where Jesus calls his people to love their enemies and pray for those that persecute them (Matthew 5:44).

And now…I am thinking! Thinking about how Paul’s message to Philemon is alive today. I’m thinking about our recent history and #blacklivesmatter. As you may or may not know our family is the of twist cone variety. My husband is black, I’m lily white and our “natives” as I call them are chocolate vanilla twist. Suddenly this isn’t just a story, it’s alive. The book of Philemon is described as Paul’s only letter we have that is of a “private nature.” It’s a deeply personal message he writes to Philemon about his slave named Onesimus. Philemon was a rich business guy that Paul converted through his ministry in Colossae. Philemon appears to be a pretty decent guy. The church meets at his big house and it seems that Paul has a lot of love and respect for him. Philemon has a slave, Onesimus that has run away after a conflict of some sort. Philemon is Onesimus’ legal owner. Paul writes to him from Rome where he is under house arrest, awaiting his trial. In the letter he asks Philemon to welcome Onesimus back into his home, not as a slave but at as brother. He says,

“I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. I would have been glad to keep him with me in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for awhile, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother…” (Philemon 1:12-16)

 Has God ever set up this situation in your life…the one where you are so sure you are right about another human being. The situation in which you are convinced that you know more than they do, that your role is to teach them, that they depend on you…and then one day the veil is lifted and it is just the opposite. Did you catch those words that Paul used:

“…I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but by your own accord”

Hello. Read it again. Do you see how Paul is gently subverting the cultural implications of slavery in the year 60 AD? He’s essentially asking Philemon to consider Onesimus his spiritual brother and partner in faith, which makes their owner/slave relationship no longer possible. But he’s doing it by inviting Philemon to look beyond cultural norms and asking him to consider Onesimus as his brother in Christ. Stop there. That is powerful! Paul is saying that Onesimus has far more value than just a slave. He tells Philemon that Onesimus would be an effective substitute or stand in for Paul himself while he is imprisoned. He says,

“So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.” (Philemon 1:17)

 So, I have to ask myself, who is my slave? What an ugly question, right? From the outside looking in it probably looks like I’m the Paul in this life. But I’m not. We’re not. Today’s Bible Gateway commentary closes with this, “Our decisions about social conventions bear witness to our convictions about God.” We are living in a real season of differences. Our political climate is engineered to divide us. We build relationships with people that are like us and push others aside. What if I got a letter from Paul today? What would it say? How would he invite me to be a sister in Christ? My husband and I have talked a lot about the Black Lives Matter campaign. We’ve talked about how we can raise Christian children that bear witness to our family conviction that all lives matter. I believe that Martin Luther King and others that led the Civil Rights Movement had something in common with Paul. They recognized that all humans are created in the image of God. That obedience is reserved for our Heavenly Father, not those we’ve enslaved for our own benefit. Paul closes with this:

“Yes brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.”

 

 

 

Leviticus 27; Psalm 34; Ecclesiastes 10; Titus 2

Have you ever had a friend whose presence seemed to have a bad influence on almost every situation? Reflecting over my childhood years, a few of these people come to mind.  I was generally a pretty good kid, but when one of these friends was around, things always seemed to go downhill.  My parents knew who these “bad seeds” or “ring leaders” were.  I knew it too, I was just never willing to concede.  Admitting my folks were right may have propelled me to make a different choice, which may have led me to miss out on the fun.  No thanks.

Now that I’m old, and have kids of my own (I have one who suffers from a severe case of FoMO – the Fear of Missing Out), the wisdom found in 1 Corinthians 15:33 means more to me than ever, Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals.    Funny thing is, this truth applies no matter how old we are.  It also goes both ways.  While one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch, one good, influential person can also raise everyone else’s game.  We see these truths illustrated in the first four verses of Ecclesiastes 10 today.

Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.  A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left.  Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.  If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest.

Verse 1 is about the bad apple. In contrast, verse 4 gives us a picture of the person who doesn’t get pulled into the fray, rather they stand their ground and help to diffuse a bad situation.  That would have been a really good argument to use with my parents back in the day.  “Mom, I actually need to be there.  Who else is going to stand their ground and influence the group to make good choices?  See, it is my duty to help save them from themselves.”  Truth is, back then I wasn’t quick enough to think of that argument nor did I always want the responsibility of trying to influence good choices.  I was usually busy just trying to fit in and have some fun.

Jump forward to today’s passage in Titus 2. Do you see a similar theme?  The first ten verses of Titus 2 are all about teaching biblical truths and modeling god-honoring, upright behavior in order to influence others.  Titus 2:7-8, Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. Mike Baker, Senior Pastor at Eastview, often reminds us – your greatest witness is the life you lead.

Think about this today. Are you being influenced by the company you keep OR are you using your relationships to influence others and bring them closer to Jesus?  Are you along for the ride to get maximum enjoyment from life OR are you intentionally using your circumstances to be salt and light to this world?  Jesus calls us to the latter.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:19-20

Leviticus 25; Psalm 32; Ecclesiastes 8; 2 Timothy 4

Man holds an unquenchable hunger and thirst for knowledge . Not just knowledge, but wisdom. My own pursuit of these is generally framed around fixing something in my life. The purveyors of answers make promises of living a big life. In fact, it’s not just about living a big life, but doing so while maintaining balance. You actually can have a huge career, the body you deserve and a healthy family. You can have it all. Do you want to hear more?

I listened to a similar pitch just this morning. Apparently, all I have to do is agree to work really, really hard, being 100% sold out and committed to achieving my goal. When I do this and send him $5,000.00, I will be introduced to the simple secret that has eluded me, and apparently millions of others, since the beginning of time. Despite the high cost, it is a compelling message. Not just to me either.  He interviewed a recent graduate of the course. Guess what? The course paid off 10 fold and the man’s marriage was saved from the brink of disaster. All because of these few secrets that have never been revealed. Do you want to know more?

The answer is YES, I WANT TO KNOW! Please, tell me now how I can live this ridiculously awesome life. I am ready!

This is exactly what 2 Timothy 4:3 predicts. The writer knows that my propensity is to seek answers that suit my own desires.  I have “itching ears.” The evidence is overwhelming. I can sit through hours of podcasts and study page after page of business strategy to potentially satisfy my own compulsions. More recently, I have devoured books on psychological theory explaining how the human mind interprets information. It is fascinating. I absorb all of this information to make some sense of my life. Of course, all of these things have failed me. My newly acquired wisdom and knowledge have not silenced the voices of negativity and doubt between my ears.  I remain insecure in my ability and my marriage is less than I think it can be.

Despite my efforts, God has protected me from deception. As I reflect upon my study habits, He reveals that I attempt to learn more about getting rich than being rich. There is a huge difference! The biggest one is surrender. You see, finding something that will tickle my brain is easy. It doesn’t require confronting my weaknesses and it energizes my spirit.  Filling me with possibility. The other way, the Jesus way, is hard. It requires that I give up my own dreams while I embrace my weaknesses.  The Jesus way requires complete transformation of my spirit. To be harsh, it requires death. Ironically, it is in death, that I find life. Jesus tells us right. He says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).  Real Truth.