Photo © Unsplash/Anton Darius | @theSollers
How is it
that in our
overworked
underpaid
hyperstressed
neverhushed
go go go go
culture
we aren't
running full tilt
to the God
whose covenant sign
is rest
the God
whose binding contract
stipulates that
we were
first and foremost
created to know
peace?
Nehemiah 13
For Nehemiah, this must have been a shocking end to his story. He had devoted his life to overseeing the rebuilding of the Jerusalem walls and ushering in a new era of spiritual revival for the Israelites. The dramatic rebuilding of the wall—which had survived numerous attacks and intended detours by political enemies—had been topped off by a spiritual celebration in the temple, culminating in a signed covenant made by the people.
Photo © Unsplash/Kyle Glenn
God revealed himself
to Moses
by a different name
than he had used
with Abraham
and Isaac
and Jacob.
An infinite God
with infinite names,
never failing
to manifest his presence
to the finite—
those who may resonate
for one reason or another
with a particular
moniker.
Photo © Unsplash/Yoann Boyer
God said
I am your God, and I am with you.
Jacob replied
If God will be with me, then he will be my God.
This, this!
is the human problem—
Always adding doubt to God's steadfast recipes.
Always placing conditions on God's unconditional offers.
Always suggesting a coalitional approach to God's unilateral operations.
NUMBERS 28
Before the Israelites entered the Promised Land, once again, God went through His expectations of them regarding the offerings and sacrifices they were to bring to Him at the sanctuary. This included daily offerings, Sabbath offerings, monthly offerings, and sacrifices to be offered during The Passover and The Festival of Weeks. With daily, weekly, monthly, and annual sacrifices prescribed, it sounds like God wanted the Israelites to come see Him often.
Forefather Abraham must have been filled with
such foreboding as the appointed blade drew near.
He could never have foreseen God's circumscriptive request...
nor foregone its fulfillment once it had been proposed.
After all, he was God's foremost friend on the planet.
Mostly, though, he didn't want God to foreclose on the covenant—
Ishmael had turned out to be the forerunner of the promise,
just a foretaste of the legitimate heir.
God was still forecasting Isaac's arrival,
so obedience was forefront on Abraham's mind.
He cut a deal, therefore, skin and all.
EXODUS 1
I was so intrigued by this statement in the first chapter of Exodus: "Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt." (vs 8) This astonished me! Certainly, some time had passed in Egypt, but a new king came to power who did not know about Joseph? This was the man who had single-handedly come up with the plan to rescue Egypt (and all the surrounding nations) from famine. How could anyone forget about Joseph?!
GENESIS 46
Perhaps a short one, but a good one, for today. There is no other god like God. Of course, the further you read the Scripture, the more declarations you find to that effect. But this is something we can learn about God without reading the declarations. Genesis 46 is a good example. First, God calls to Jacob in the night, telling him not to be afraid to go down to Egypt. God renews His promise to make Jacob (Israel) into a great nation there.
GENESIS 28
There is something so interesting in this chapter, and it is the comparison between God’s promises and our promises.
As Jacob is journeying to find a wife, God renews His promise to make a great nation from Jacob’s descendants. He says, "I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying.
GENESIS 9
I know, I know. Stalker has such a negative connotation these days, but if you read the book of Genesis, you might see it in a different light by the end! If you want to try something interesting, read it for yourself, as much as you can in one sitting. There's one thing that keeps happening over and over—God, running around, making covenants with people. By the time you get to the end, God sort of looks like a stalker, but a good stalker—one who's just interested in blessing people.
