Monday, February 8

Hey - it's late. I'll just say that this week has started off better than last week and I look forward to more goodness...on to the reading.


Reading for February 8

Exodus 28:1-43

The lengthy details continue here. Now God is giving extremely specific instructions on how to assemble the priestly robes. There's an entire chapter worth of copper rings and gold breastplates. Again, this section is not terribly interesting, but it did make me think about God and his relation to us these days. I don't know anyone who's said they've heard God speak to them directly. I mean there have been subtle clues for everyone - signs and things that require a certain degree of interpretation to receive the message, but this. God is speaking for a long LONG stretch here and giving details down to the smallest detail - so this isn't something that Moses gleamed (gleaned?) from watching a squirrel fall out of a tree onto a bowl of yogurt. So why doesn't this happen anymore - why doesn't God come down when I'm in distress and lay out details down to the inch and second about what I should do?

Matthew 25:31-26:13
OK - a couple of cool things here. First is another emphasis on my favorite part of Jesus message, and that is to care for the needy.

³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
 ³⁷"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
 ⁴⁰"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

I have a tattoo on my wrist that says "...as if for Him" to remind me of this verse. Everyone who is needy is representative of Jesus. I always try to remember this every time I go to the city and inevitable pass several homeless people. Most of the time I am selfishly looking for a Burger King though. I have bought meals for homeless folks a few times, but the number of times I looked the other direction are more than I'd care to admit.

The other cool thing here that I just made the connection for is that Jesus' crucifixion occurred during Passover. Passover was the day that all the first born males of Egypt were struck down by God to free his people. Now it's God's son who is being struck down to once again free his people. Wow - that sort of changes my view on the God of Exodus. It's almost as if he himself was humbled - in Exodus he was vengeful and wrathful and would take any measure necessary against others to free and help his people. Now he is sacrificing himself by giving his son to die. Kind of retribution against himself...wow what a cool connection.

Psalm 31:9-18
God is good. David's enemies are bad. God please help me. God please don't help my enemies. Same stuff.

Proverbs 8:12-13
 ¹² "I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
       I possess knowledge and discretion.
 ¹³ To fear the LORD is to hate evil;
       I hate pride and arrogance,
       evil behavior and perverse speech.

A-HA! Finally a definition of what it means to fear God. I think for the most part, I hate evil - I hate when people are proud and especially when people are arrogant. Well, now I have something to go off of, and I can start working on this fear of God that is so important.

I am really excited that I found that Passover connection between Matthew and Exodus. It's exactly what I was hoping to find and what my fragile faith needed to stay on its feet. Yay.

Cool - alright I'm beyond tires. I'm also beyond tired and am making spelling errors like "I'm beyond tires" Like I passed those tires miles ago.

Yes. Goodnight.