Month: September 2018

The Lord said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Exodus 34:1 (Chapter 34 with a few references to 33)

Moses spent forty days on Mount Sinai with God.  During this time God laid out the architecture for His covenant nation. But then there was the issue of a stiff necked people, some fear and impatience and a party to celebrate a little, inanimate object.  In anger, the work of God’s hand was destroyed.

The offensive idol was melted down, crushed into powder and cast upon water. Moses told the people to drink the gold dust sprinkled aqua.  Once that precious metal entered their digestive systems there was only one exit.  Yes, indeed, that little cow became glittering poop (something to consider when you put worldly things above God). Now, God called Moses to chisel out two more tablets and return to the mountain. Once again, the Law was inscribed on stone, along with specifications for worship, but there is a new dynamic.  God’s radiance is seen in Moses.

God didn’t make Moses, or anyone else, piece His broken work together again. Much commentary and historical artwork depicts a distraught Moses, but that is not the point of this story. God makes all things NEW! Not broken then fixed like a holy Humpty Dumpty. Tomorrow is a NEW day because God specializes in NEW things. You are a NEW creature in Christ, (II Corinthians 5:17) not ‘new and improved with a little wear and tear’. Finally, the presence of God leaves one better for the experience.  There is a standing invitation, just turn and face the Son.

Love,

Gretchen

    

“If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” The Lord replied, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”  Exodus 33:13-14 (Chapter 33)

This chapter gets personal. Moses reaches out to God, not just on behalf of the people he leads, but for the wellbeing of his own strength and soul. Exhausted from the drama of discontent, fear and restless sinfulness, Moses wants more than the skills needed to guide these people in covenant keeping. He longs to be a man, in the likeness of God, who can lead a Holy nation. 

There is a profound difference in knowing who God is and acknowledging His mind boggling character, that loves with out reservation, defines justice and forgives and forgets because He wants to, and choosing to be molded in His images once again.  It was freewill that brought man down, and freewill that brings us back to the creation God made and said was good.

Seek God’s favor and you will find rest.

Love,

Gretchen

And he took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it.  Exodus 32:20 (Chapter 32)

The Hebrew children were very quick to return to the past when they felt they had been abandoned.  It was only six weeks since they made a pledge to be God’s people when they begged to replicate an idol, the bull, a principal god of Egypt. They broke the very first commandment.

Moses, gravely aware of the catastrophe before him, threw down the tablets written by the hand of God.  Knowing the end was near if he did not intervene, he stood before God, brave and heroic, and volunteered to give his life if forgiveness wasn’t an option. He is becoming like the God He trusts and worships with His whole being.

There were swift and severe consequences for the sin of these people. Death and eternal separation from God came immediately to those who refused to repent. However, God is long suffering and He never turns down an opportunity to forgive. Some things, such as man’s stiff necked evil, never change. Thank God! He never changes either!

Never Give Up,

Gretchen

They will know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God. Exodus 29:46 (Chapters 25-31)

The Hebrew children had a grand inheritance. They were God’s chosen people, purposed to bless the entirety of mankind!  Except, they were a pretty ragtag group that left Egypt in the dark of night. Barely even a culture, God began to form a set apart people that would change the face of the earth.

Immediately following emancipation, God began Israel’s lessons in faith.  He protected and provided, teaching them what absolute trust and obedience looked like and the rewards it would precipitate.  Soon, God defined His Holy standards and set His covenant people on a course to their new cultural identity. Now, it is time to worship the One True God and seal the hope and promise that is in Him alone.

God gives Moses very specific instructions, the blue print of the Tabernacle that would become the center of Jewish national life and was the foreshadowing of the Christian faith. God is to have a home in the center of our lives. He will never leave or forsake those who trust in Him. The materials for this Tabernacle were those things given to Israel, by the Egyptians, on their flight to freedom. A long labor in slavery reaped a great reward.

The character of God is our standard bearer when faith is shaken and our bodies grow weary. In this establishing of worship patterns and habits, all that is required is already there, God doesn’t take, He gives. It is not a process of man cowering before an Almighty Deity, but an inauguration of our daily relationship with the One from Whom all blessings flow. God want’s intimate connections with those He breathed life into and He does most of the work Himself.

Happy Monday,

Gretchen

Today I am going to champion children, the churched and unchurched, the noisy, nosey, never listen sort, that fit very nicely in a seat belt on the way to your church! I hope you will trust my heart, because I am passionate about those local missionaries in your backyard, who shine a light into the darkness so that others, especially the littles, may find their way to everlasting life.

Children the world over are the same.  They have dirty hands and faces and they do not care! Washing takes away from time better spent investigating and experiencing surroundings. A child’s imagination and fascination is limitless and fearless. EVERYTHING, including windows, glass doors (no need for push bars, they don’t use them,) drawer pulls, walls, light switches, floors and carpets will be smudged. Get a rag and bring a smile, because the first sign of church decay is the absence of muddy footprints. Someday, these little rapscallions will wash the stains of others, because we served them well.

Children break things. They do not purposely destroy, it is part of the investigative process.  How much strain can an object take? And……they believe it can be fixed with any combination of glue, tape, bubble gum, band aids and scissors. Children are not malicious, simply curious. If a broken crayon ruins your day, a new box is less than two dollars at your local retail store. Give me a call and I’ll hook you up. BUT, take heart. They will learn to be patient and gentle as they grow and discover the wonder of serving others, because we taught them well.

Food is a science project. Children long to thoroughly see, smell, touch and then taste everything on the buffet.  BUT, one bite is all they want.  Please don’t get angry when they are wasteful. The expectation of their discerning palate and appetite might be too high. Love them anyway. They will learn to conserve as they grow and become servants in the Kingdom, because we fed them well.

Children do not tithe, yet, they are the most needy and expensive demographic your congregation will ever support. It’s a mission field! If this frustrates you, take a moment and imagine every church in your town void of youth programs and the support systems they manpower. Then, imagine every child in your neighborhood with a church home, receiving the love that will nurture and empower them to become the Masterpiece their Creator gave His Own Son, for them to be. Someday, they too will tithe, because we invested in them well.

Children learn what they are taught, directly and indirectly. If you want them to be different, then teach them, lead them, love them. They are blank slates with love as their first language. So you should speak it fluently…….… loud and proud.  Their future depends on it.

My greatest frustration is negative opinions expressed by people who have no plan to change anything. They just stir the air around them, content to let everyone know they are unhappy. Don’t be a mumbler about today’s youth if your only gift to them is judgement and distain. 

I know everyone isn’t called to teach Bible class for Jr. High boys, (the highest calling the in Kingdom!) but support the one who is!  Don’t begrudge the sacrifice it takes to show a child, beyond all doubt, that JESUS LOVES THEM, RED AND YELLOW, BLACK AND WHITE, AND YOU DO TOO!

And whoever welcomes one such child in My Name welcomes Me.

Matthew 18:5

I hope you still love me, because I love you. 

Gretchen

“If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help him with it.”  Exodus 23:4-5 (Chapters 21-24)

As for how we are to treat each others and honor God, ten straightforward foundations were given, but then God continued with judgements, statutes and civil law. These rest on God’s authority, not an earthly king. Human life and dignity is prioritized, because God cares! And He expects us to also!

The division of church and state is a basic principle of life today, but for this covenant nation, God was the Only State and He orchestrated life to balance in harmony regarding all things morally, religiously and legally. One Law, One God, for the protection and provision for everyone. Sadly, this is a distant, fictional utopia, except………………Those who are alive in Christ honor what God honors and love who God loves. Then, peace permeates life.

Love,

Gretchen

Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” Exodus 20:20 (Chapter 20)

Moses led the people to Mt. Sinai. A year earlier he was keeping his flocks when he saw a burning bush, stepped on Holy ground and heard God’s call. On this day, Moses climbs the familiar mountain to meet face to face with his faithful God and receive the laws that will create a Holy nation, who’s design is to bless the entire world.

In the beginning God spoke life into being. Now He speaks the words for living. The elemental foundation of ethical norms for all people, of all ages, begins in the first Ten Commandments. God’s concern for the whole of life is evident in His standards for family and community relationships.  Human life, sex, property, speech and thought are all addressed.

As our Maker, God knows us best and knows what’s best. Reverence for His Holiness is the basic principle of how we approach Him. Jesus said, “Hallowed be Your name.” (Matthew 6:9) And later He summarizes all of God’s law into two things; love God and love one another. When we are busy loving like Jesus loves, we won’t have time to sin. God made it that easy!

Have a Great Weekend Eve,

Gretchen

Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. Exodus 18:20 (Chapter 18)

God Bless Moses’ father-in-law. If there is a story in the Bible that seems real today it is this.  Mrs. Moses saw her husband drowning in a workload he couldn’t gain an upper hand on.  She went home to dad and just happened to mention it. Wise ole’ papa came to the rescue with some very sound advice. 

When Jethro arrived at the seen of the Great Exodus, it was evident that God’s power and glory were at work and he appropriately led praise to the One True God. He also recognized this leadership role put an incredible strain on Moses. As a person of government himself, he did not bring criticism, only years of experience and a suggestion for efficiency.

Serving as everything to everyone, corporate leader to a massive population moving between homes, was daunting.  IN ADDITION, this enormous group squabbled constantly. They couldn’t live in community with each other either. So Moses found himself serving as judge and intermediary on top of everything else.  This is not a reflection of Moses’ inability, it was more than any one man could do! So Jethro advises; teach them the laws and hold them accountable, then chose men of integrity to administrate and judge. Delegate and teach.

The simple truth is, God DOES NOT ask any one to do more than they are capable of.  He qualifies the called and provides time, wisdom, energy and manpower to succeed. He also doesn’t ask you to do for someone, what they are perfectly capable of doing themselves. (Yes I said that, read it again!) Beyond these limits it is important to distinguish between man’s demands and God’s. One is time well spent, the other………..

Love,

Gretchen

When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it.  Aaron and Hur held his hands up-one on one side, one on the other-so that his hands remained steady till sunset.  Exodus 17:12 (Chapter 17)

Same song, second verse…….The Israelites came to a place in the desert where there were no wells or oasis.  Sooooooo, they assumed God had left them to die and expressed their rotten attitudes to Moses, who then went to God and received instructions on providing water. Spoiler! They all survived, because God is persevering in patience and love.

A nomadic tribe from Esau called the Amelekites, attacked Israel, possibly to keep the new water fountain for themselves.  Joshua, Moses’ successor, leads a force to defend Israel.  However, all victory belongs to the Lord, for this young nation has no army or defense other than their God.  Moses is instructed to lift his staff, the one that turned the Nile into blood and the same that drew water from the rock.  While the battle raged, Moses arms grew weary, so Aaron and Hur stepped in to take his burden as their own. The Amelekites were not only defeated on this day, but they were wiped completely off the face of the earth.

What would have been the fate of Israel if Moses had been left to lead, praise, pray and lift his arms all on his own? Do you need help holding your arms up through the battle? It is not weakness to grow weary. God will provide.  Are you God’s provision for someone else? Is it your time to hold the arms until foes are conquered? Will victory depend on your commitment to the cause? 

Have a Great Wednesday,

Gretchen

“And in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD, because He has heard your grumbling against Him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?”  Exodus 16:7 (chapter 16)

I hope you will read all of Exodus, chapter 16, because the verse I have chosen seems odd, but it makes a great point for each of us to remember on our journey of victory in salvation.

God has brought the Hebrew children into the desert that lies between Egypt and their homeland.  They are now a new creation, the chosen people. That’s pretty awesome! God does not guide them on the shortest or most convenient route along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea or even straight across the peninsula. They would be waylaid by bandits and established cultures would draw them away from their purpose.  By the time their traveling is over, all that will be remembered is, “God alone is a faithful protector and provider.” They will be a Theocracy and God will be their government. 

It only took one month for the victors to become discontent and mutinous. The food and water they carried with them depleted and they didn’t see hope for any more. In fear they grew anxious and angry, then judged and blamed their leaders. Slavery was considered a positive against the struggles of their freedom.

In the verse above, notice the people grumble at Moses and Aaron, but Moses, Aaron and God know it was not a nutrition crisis, but a faith issue. This lack of trust lead to disobedience/sin and God addressed it.

There are no sins except those against God, first and foremost. Only He can judge justly and He will. Moses was called to lead, not replace God, so He let God be God. This is not an easy task when we as humans take criticisms personally or are deeply harmed or hurt by the behaviors of others. Release your pain and heartache to God’s loving authority. It will free you to live in peace, and strength will replace your anguish.

Love,

Gretchen