DevoBlogging – Day 60

Numbers 33 is quite a travelogue. As I read it to the children I found myself actually saying that they, “went from this place to that place, they stayed a little while, then they moved to the next place.” The old joke is that they would have arrived much sooner if a woman was leading them because she would have asked for directions. This may be true if haste was the primary goal of the exodus. The more we spend time in these first books of the Bible the more aware we should become that this journey was not just about getting there. This was a journey of becoming God’s people. The circuitous route from Egypt to the “promised land” is one of discovery as much as it is about destination. Clearly it is tough work moving from bondage to freedom. This is will be made clear when we see that only two people complete the journey from beginning to end.

An excellent map of Numbers 33 is found at http://www.generationword.com/ot_maps/map_imgs/58_nu.33.jpg

DevoBlogging – Day 59

Number 28 and 29 are as helpful for the people of Israel as they are instructive for us. These chapters highlight the significance and importance of the festivals given by God to the people.  As modern Christian we move through the Advent –Christmas -Lent – Easter – Pentecost cycles of the calendar. However, if you were to ask the average layperson the “festivals” would probably be stated as Christmas and Easter. We even have a name for those who frequent the church on those particular holidays. We call them “C & Es.” Each local church can usually throw in a “local” festival such as homecoming, harvest days, or the like. It looks as though the further we move from our Hebrew roots the more we are able to put aside the discipline of worship and giving unless it fits our particular needs or niche.

Numbers 28 and 29 gives clear directions and instructions for the festivals. Worship at appointed times gives the worshipper a focus for preparation. We can then organize our schedules around the pending celebration. Plus if you are not sure what your offering/sacrifice should be this is prescribed as well. All of this helps us to adjust not only our lives but our livestock (livelihood) as we prepare or the festival seasons

Worship (worship always includes bringing an offering) is not something that we just get around to at some point when it fits our schedule. Numbers 28 and 29 is a direction for the Hebrews and a reminder for us that worship, the presentation of gifts, offerings, and sacrifices is not to be handled in a haphazard manner. The message for the church of today may be that we need to straighten up, get on God’s schedule and recognize that God acts in precise ways and that he expects some precision from his people – particularly when we worship.

DevoBlogging – Day 58

What if? What now? What’s next?

In these middle books of Torah we have followed the Hebrews from bondage in Egypt to wandering through the desert. In today’s reading from Numbers 27 we start to see the next dramatic move for our wandering ancestors. As we began the story in Exodus the thematic question driving the narrative was, “What if God delivered us from the task masters in Egypt. The story quickly moved to a new question once God’s deliverance was made complete with the crossing of the Red Sea. The new thematic question was, “What now that we have been delivered?” For much of Exodus, all of Leviticus, and now most of Numbers we have read about the, ”What now?” As we know the story moves forward. The people of Israel do not remain forever in the middle of the desert. Their forty years of sojourning will soon end.  We are now at the point in the story of a new question that will drive the narrative, “What’s Next?”

Two instances highlight the pending shift the first is in Numbers 27:7:

“What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and turn their father’s inheritance over to them.

The other is a few verses later in Numbers 27:20:

Give [Joshua] some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.

The first instance points out what would become the basis for a cultural shift in regards to women when it came to inheritance. Both the Hebrew scriptures and the New Testament scriptures lay significant ground work over the ages towards a balance of what men and women are capable of in terms of ministry. This is a small but significant step for the people of Israel and for the people of God.

The second instance helps us to see the transition of leadership from Moses to Joshua. The people of God will always need leaders. God’s people will continue while leaders will naturally come to the end of their leadership. This could be for a variety of reasons. In the case of Moses it would be his death. God was preparing the Hebrews for what’s next. Just as I believe that God is preparing us for, “What’s next?”

Pastoral Prayer – February 26

O Lord, we begin today our Lenten journey towards the promise of Easter. It is in these forty days that we will attempt to reclaim the discipline needed to make it day to day in a world that is often at cross purposes to those of us who find purpose in The Cross.

We are reminded once again that we journey in a time between Jesus’ glorious resurrection and his return. To our sensibilities it often seems as though you have delayed your return.

We are anxious – will it be today, tomorrow, maybe the next day….we wait…and we ask Lord that you help us as we wait to do so with purpose and discipline.

And when we cry, “Where have you been?”

Help us to hear you answer, “Why aren’t you following?”

Amen

Guest Blog

From United Methodist Youth Handbook, pg. 69

The United Methodist Youth Benediction

The UMY Benediction has been a standard closing ritual for many UMY groups for many years.  Group members stand in a circle, crossing their right arms over left arms, and the joining hands.  Speaking aloud, the youth repeat Numbers 6: 24 – 26.  After saying “Amen,” group members raise their arms, turn to their right, and face outward while continuing the hold hands.

In the closing circle, facing each other with arms crossed and hands held, the group is tightly knitted together, symbolizing the sense of closeness and the singleness of purpose and heart that binds them together in Christ.  However, as disciples all are called to go into the world facing outward with arms wide open.  So at the conclusion of the prayers, all turn to face the world.  This new posture symbolizes going into the world as ambassadors of God’s grace, justice, and truth, with heart, arms,         and eyes open.  Though the groups is not as tight as it was moments before, all are still “in touch” with one another and with the faith that binds them until Gods brings them together again.

The Lord bless you and keep you;

The Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Amen

 

Numbers 6: 24 – 26

 

Selleck, Michael. United Methodist Youth Handbook.  Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1999.

DevoBlogging – Day 55

Numbers 20

      The prevalence of fallen “preachers” throughout history reminds us all just how easy it to forget from whence our power comes. “Thus saith the Lord” so easily becomes “listen to me” and “look at me.” It has become great sport to make fun of the fallen televangelists and mega church pastors. I am not talking about the media or atheists or church haters. Those who claim to be a part of the body of Christ I believe take far too much pleasure in seeing one of these “phonies” exposed. Don’t get me wrong I am all for exposing those who would use the church for purposes that are in contradiction to Christ’s call for his people. We just shouldn’t be so glee-filled.

     I tend to think that these folks didn’t start out as charlatans. These people were called by God and served faithfully for a time and then lost their way. They forgot that whatever power they had was not from their own making. They forgot that they were servants of God. In Numbers 20 Moses and Aaron bring forth water from a rock for the people of Israel.  Moses says, “Shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” God views this as less slip of the tongue and more taking credit that was undeserved. It was not “we” that brought water but God that brought water. This would make all kinds of headlines today in church and non-church publications. Twitter and Facebook will be filled with “two too big for britches” type posts. We should all be careful not be indicted by our judgment of others

     A big lesson for all of us in this passage is: the more credit we take for ourselves the less we are able to lead others. God does not immediately strip Moses and Aaron of their leadership positions but he does remind them and us that the time of leadership for each of us will end and that God will continue on for all time.

Are You in Debt So as to Embarass Yourself?

March Newsletter – Special Preview

At the ordination of United Methodist ministers the question is asked, “Are you in debt so as to embarrass yourself?” this is generally responded to with smirks and giggles because  so many of us carry significant debt from seminary.  In the midst of preparing for my own Lenten discipline this question came to mind. My immediate response nineteen years removed from ordination was, “Perhaps I am in debt so as to embarrass myself.” The debt causing me to blush is far more profound than something that occurs due to a fiscal imbalance where I owe more than I have or could hope to repay in my lifetime. The debt I speak of is a spiritual debt that should leave our very soul embarrassed. We have all been given so much and returned so little. We have been blessed with opportunity, resources and time yet we complain because there is not enough, opportunity, resources and time. During these forty days of Lent we are given the opportunity to turn our lives in a new direction away from embarrassment towards fulfillment.

During Lent we are reminded that if something is “lent” than it is borrowed and needs to be paid back. Thus whatever our Lenten discipline is it needs focus on allowing for more of ourselves to be offered in return for the great blessing we have received. The word Lent as we use it today comes from an Old English word meaning to lengthen. As we approach Easter we cannot help but notice the lengthening of the daylight hours.  This also can remind us as we approach the celebration of Easter to bring more light than darkness into the world by our thoughts, words, and deeds.

I hope that each of will ask ourselves this question as part of our Lenten journey, “Are we in debt so as to embarrass ourselves?”

DevoBlogging – Day 54

   

Numbers 16, 17, 18

     It is hard not read these chapters of Numbers and not come away with a picture of God whose wrath is immediate, expedient and complete. Those who would stand against Moses, Aaron, and God are quickly swallowed up by the ground. When I read these passages I am glad that I am a part of a Christian tradition that focused first on the loving aspects of God. I can never remember be afraid of God. Lack of fear does not mean there is lack of respect for God. This does not mean that there have not been times in my life when I know that I have disappointed God. I think that this is because I was taught from an early age that you had to pay attention to what The Bible says more than you need to pay attention to specific verses of The Bible says. This is why it is important for us to read the Bible all the way through.

      We cannot read the Bible and not see the wrath of God wielded in powerful and horrific ways. We will see that this not only an Old Testament trait of the almighty. The wrath of God is seen in the New Testament as well. We will continue to come across actions of God against enemies and followers. The good news is that after we see God’s anger on display we all see God offering a way for reconciliation. Each time I read certain portions of scripture I think like the Israelites, “The earth will swallow [me] too! (Numbers 16:34)” Then I read on and find God already making a new way.

DevoBloging – Day 53

Numbers 13:33

“…There we saw the Nephilim and to ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them”

     It is Ash Wednesday. This is the day we answer the call to penitent living as part of a Lenten discipline. In our services today we will hear the words, “Repent and believe the Gospel.  - You are dust and to dust you shall return.” This day more than any other on the church calendar calls us to reflect on our own mortality. If somehow we forgot we are reminded today that no one here get’s out alive. Today’s reading from Numbers should remind us that we are still mightily afraid that unknown called death.

      The spies returned from the land of Canaan with great fear. The people who already inhabited the land were said to be giants. The fear for the people was that they would come out of bondage only to be crushed like grasshoppers. In and of itself this fear does not seem unreasonable. After all who wants to be crushed like a bug under foot? However, taken in context the people seemed to have forgotten that God made a promise to deliver his people. God promised not only deliverance from Egypt but also “Promised” land.

     Ash Wednesday is not only a time to remember our mortality but to remember the promise that god has made to each of us. For the people of Israel it was the “Promised Land.” For the people called the church it is the promise made complete in the crucifixion-resurrection of God’s son Jesus: eternity. Today we begin our journey toward the celebration of Easter remembering that we will all die but that we need not fear. God is with us and God’s promise abides now and forever.

An Ash Wednesday Reflection

Under My Nail

Unclean and ill-prepared

 A cross imposed the sorrows shared.

Repent, Return – a just excuse

Are we there yet? Thou shalt choose…

An invitation to be dust

and to return it seems we must

It is my hand that reaches out

to calm the cry – to turn about.

You ask me how this can be

I can only claim the mystery.  

It is the ash not the wail

that remains for me-  under my nail.