Sunday, February 24, 2013

Week 9: Scapegoat

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:
  • Sunday: Leviticus 15:1-16:28, Mark 7:1-23, Psalm 40:11-17, Proverbs 10:13-14
  • Monday: Leviticus 16:29-18:30, Mark 7:24-8:10, Psalm 41:1-13, Proverbs 10:15-16
  • Tuesday: Leviticus 19:1-20:21, Mark 8:11-38, Psalm 42:1-11, Proverbs 10:17
  • Wednesday: Leviticus 20:22-22:16, Mark 9:1-29, Psalm 43:1-5, Proverbs 10:18
  • Thursday: Leviticus 22:17-23:44, Mark 9:30-10:12, Psalm 44:1-8, Proverbs 10:19
  • Friday: Leviticus 24:1-25:46, Mark 10:13-31, Psalm 44:9-26, Proverbs 10:20-21
  • Saturday: Leviticus 25:47-27:13, Mark 10:32-52, Psalm 45:1-17, Proverbs 10:22
Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of Leviticus:

Scripture: Leviticus 16:6-10
6 "Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household.7 Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 8 He is to cast lots for the two goats--one lot for the LORD and the other for the scapegoat.9 Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the LORD and sacrifice it for a sin offering. 10 But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to be used for making atonement by sending it into the desert as a scapegoat.

Observation:
Every year, the people of Israel had to designate one day of complete rest and restoration. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement ("Yom Kippur" in Hebrew), the LORD would cleanse his people from all their sins (v.30). Two goats had to be chosen: one as a sacrifice, the other as a "scapegoat". You wonder why it wasn't enough to just sacrifice the one goat, and let its blood symbolize the atonement for sin. Well, I think the other goat is a beautiful symbol of "life" that comes with the atonement. The LORD showed that if atonement was made (symbolized by the death and blood of the one goat), then He would remember the people's sin no more, and they would go free (symbolized by the scapegoat). Yes, the main purpose of the scapegoat was to carry the sin of the people to a desolate place, the goat that would escape/be removed ("Azazel" in Hebrew), see vs. 20-22. But this goat is also the one that lived! He escaped death so to speak. He was free!

Application:
In a very similar way, Jesus took the penalty for our sin. Because of his death and the blood shed on the cross, we, his people can go free. Our sins are cast away to the most desolate place, and we inherit life eternal. We are free! Perhaps the idea of a scapegoat is more positive than you would think at first...

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for your grace and mercy. We thank you that you see us through eyes of atonement. Our sins, though many, will be cast to the most desolate place. Thank you for the freedom you have given us in Jesus Christ. Let us never take that for granted. In His name we pray. Amen.

Have a wonderful week of scripture reading.

In Christ,

Dick

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Week 8: Issues versus Human Need

 This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:
  • Sunday: Leviticus 4:1-5:19; Mark 2:13-3:6; Psalm 36:1-12; Proverbs 10:1-2
  • Monday: Leviticus 6:1-7:27; Mark 3:7-30; Psalm 37:1-11; Proverbs 10:3-4
  • Tuesday: Leviticus 7:28-9:6; Mark 3:31-4:25; Psalm 37:12-29; Proverbs 10:5
  • Wednesday: Leviticus 9:7-10:20; Mark 4:26-5:20; Psalm 37:30-40; Proverbs 10:6-7
  • Thursday: Leviticus 11:1-12:8; Mark 5:21-43; Psalm 38:1-22; Proverbs 10:8-9
  • Friday: Leviticus 13:1-59; Mark 6:1-29; Psalm 39:1-13; Proverbs 10:10
  • Saturday: Leviticus 14:1-57; Mark 6:30-56; Psalm 40:1-10; Proverbs 10:11-12
Our S.O.A.P. this week is again from the book of Mark 3:

Scripture: Mark 3:1-6
"Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus' enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man's hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, 'Come and stand in front of everyone.' Then he turned to his critics and asked, 'Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?' But they wouldn't answer him.
He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, 'Hold out your hand.' So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus."

Observation:
This is a case of issues versus real human need...and how God chooses to navigate between the two. The religious leaders were lying in wait to see if Jesus would "heal on the Sabbath." That, for them, was the issue. These leaders adhered to sacred tradition, which painstakingly outlined every action that was forbidden on the Sabbath...down to the minutest detail. Included on the list was a prohibition against "practicing medicine." Therefore, when Jesus healed on the Sabbath, these leaders construed it as breaking the law (even though the details of their sacred tradition were not part of the original commands that God delivered to Moses).

Jesus, who is God in flesh, was not concerned about the issue. He was concerned for human need. This man was suffering...and Jesus had the wherewithal (and the desire) to do something about it.

What I find fascinating about Jesus' reply is that he did not quibble with the Pharisees about the inappropriate level of detail in their sacred tradition, which effectively majored in minors and missed the spirit of God's intent behind Sabbath keeping. Instead he focused on the most basic issue at stake: "Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?"

For Jesus...and this is what is most striking to me...Sabbath keeping was not dictated by the issue of non-work. It was supposed to be guided by real-time opportunities to do good: to help, to bless, to heal, and to comfort.

Application:
This makes me wonder how often I allow myself to be taken in by issues instead of human need. It is a lot easier to make pronouncements about an issue than it is to deal with the messiness of human life. I want to be forever open to the possibilities that Jesus is calling me to a form of "Sabbath-keeping" that takes me outside the box of my own presuppositions, which are conditioned by my tendency to adhere to simple, manageable issues rather than grapple with the complexities of human need. I want to be able to carry myself with Jesus' wisdom, which will take me beyond the simple, black-and-white answers of an issues-driven mentality and put me squarely in the center of God's will.

Prayer:
O Father in heaven, please help me to respond to the needs around me the way Jesus responded to the needs that he encountered. Please give me wisdom to see beyond a given issue to the real human need that lies behind it…and, please, for Jesus' sake, give me the courage to act accordingly. Amen!

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Week 7: Submitting to God's Leading

 This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:
  • Sunday: Exodus 30:11-31:18; Matthew 26:47-68; Psalm 32:1-11; Proverbs 8:27-32
  • Monday: Exodus 32:1-33:23; Matthew 26:69-27:14; Psalm 33:1-11; Proverbs 8:33-36
  • Tuesday: Exodus 34:1-35:9; Matthew 27:15-31; Psalm 33:12-22; Proverbs 9:1-6
  • Wednesday: Exodus 35:10-36:38; Matthew 27:32-66; Psalm 34:1-10; Proverbs 9:7-8
  • Thursday: Exodus 37:1-38:31; Matthew 28:1-20; Psalm 34:11-22; Proverbs 9:9-10
  • Friday: Exodus 39:1-40:38; Mark 1:1-28; Psalm 35:1-16; Proverbs 9:11-12
  • Saturday: Leviticus 1:1-3:17; Mark 1:29-2:12; Psalm 35:17-28; Proverbs 9:13-18
Our S.O.A.P. this week is again from the book of Psalm 32: 
 
Scripture: Psalm 32:8, 9
The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you.
Do not be like a senseless horse or mule
that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control."

Observation:
God will take an active part in leading us through life...if we let him. He will advise us and watch over us. What could be better than receiving daily guidance and counsel from the Living God?

Yet we can be stubborn and rebellious, like a senseless horse or mule that requires a bit and bridle to keep it in line.

Application:
I want to get over the notion that I am "the master of my own destiny and the captain of my soul." God and God alone is the master of my present and future. He alone is the captain of my soul!

I want to yield myself completely to God's influence in my life, trusting him to guide me along the best pathway for my life.

Today I rest joyfully in the truth that God is God and I am not.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for taking such an active role in my life. Please help me shed any and all tendencies to resist your influence. I want to walk in the pathways in which you would have me walk and receive your advice readily. I pray in Jesus' name...amen!

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Monday, February 4, 2013

Week 6: But LORD... / But the LORD...

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:
  • Sunday: Exodus 17:8-19:15, Matthew 22:34-23:12, Psalm 27:7-14, Proverbs 6:27-35
  • Monday: Exodus 19:16-21:21, Matthew 23:13-39, Psalm 28:1-9, Proverbs 7:1-5
  • Tuesday: Exodus 21:22-23:13, Matthew 24:1-28, Psalm 29:1-11, Proverbs 7:6-23
  • Wednesday: Exodus 23:14-25:40, Matthew 24:29-51, Psalm 30:1-12, Proverbs 7:24-27
  • Thursday: Exodus 26:1-27:21, Matthew 25:1-30, Psalm 31:1-8, Proverbs 8:1-11
  • Friday: Exodus 28:1-43, Matthew 25:31-26:13, Psalm 31:9-18, Proverbs 8:12-13
  • Saturday: Exodus 29:1-30:10, Matthew 26:14-46, Psalm 31:19-24, Proverbs 8:14-26
Our S.O.A.P. this week is again from the book of Exodus, Chapter 19:

Scripture: Exodus 19:20-21
20 The LORD came down on the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses climbed the mountain. 21 Then the LORD told Moses, "Go back down and warn the people not to cross the boundaries. They must not come up here to see the LORD, for those who do will die.

Observation:
The LORD calls Moses to the top of Mount Sinai to meet Him there. As soon as Moses reaches the top, God tells him to go back down again, to warn the people not to climb the mountain themselves. Moses protests! “But LORD… you already told them… and…” Verse 24 says: But the LORD said: “Go down anyway and bring Aaron with you." Moses’ protest is understandable. He is 80 years old, and he just climbed to the top of the mountain. Now he has to go back all the way and come back up again. Besides… he already had warned the people. This seems like a useless exercise (literally) in his eyes. But obviously, the LORD thought differently, and... the LORD wins! Moses has to go all the way down.

Application:
There have been plenty of times in my life when I thought God told me something to do that didn’t seem to make sense to me. Many times I have made excuses in my head that started with… “But LORD…”. I wonder if those events would have been written up in a book, just like Moses in the book of Exodus, how many times it would say after that… “But the LORD…” Do you see the difference between our response: "But LORD...", and God's response: "But the LORD...". God wants the best for us, and sometimes asks us things that don't seem to make sense at all. Why climb a mountain when you're 80 years old, only to hear you have to go back down again, repeat something you already did, then come back up again...? Why?? Well... because the LORD told you so. But the LORD said...

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, I know this is a risky prayer to pray, but I do know it is the right thing to pray: please help me to do your will, even though at times it doesn't seem to make sense to me. Help me to overcome my own poor judgment at times, and submit to your perfect will for my life. I love you with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Have a blessed week.
In Christ,

Dick