From the Master . . .

Leviticus 2–3; Proverbs 18; John 21; Colossians 1

Reading from four places can mess with my focus or like today, can give me four strong thoughts for the day. They are thoughts about worship, confession and repentance, seeking God’s advice in my activities, and instruction about increasing my love for others.

Worship: Peace with God is incredibly precious. The OT peace offering had to be perfect, but even then, it was only temporary: “If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offers an animal from the herd, male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord.” (Leviticus 3:1) This offering pointed to the offering of Jesus Christ who made peace with God an eternal joy:

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (Colossians 1:19–20)

For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14)

This reality is one huge reason to worship God today. No matter what might go wrong, my relationship with God can never be lost because it is based on the work of Christ who secured peace for me. He is my peace.

Confession: I’m learning more about listening to others but sometimes find my mind wanting to talk more than listen, to interrupt instead of hearing the other person finish. The Word of God rebukes me for this and tells me what to do instead.

A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. (Proverbs 18:2)

If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame. (Proverbs 18:13)

An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. (Proverbs 18:15)

That last line suggests I’m not as smart or as wise as I think I am. Time to deal with this bad attitude.

Seeking His guidance: Peter was an experienced fisherman but after Jesus rose from the dead, things changed. He was not as skilled as he thought he was. (Nor am I.)

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. (John 21:3–6)

Just because I was good at an activity in my BC days does not mean I can carry on without Jesus being my instructor in those things now. Peter and the others were astonished at their catch, particularly after not having the success they were accustomed to having. This passage does not encourage me to go back to those old days and ways; it tells me to rely on Jesus no matter what I am doing, even things that I already know how to do. If I want results, I need to listen to Him and do what He says. My stubborn pride is taking a long time to learn this and obey it.

Loving others: Today’s reading makes a connection I’d not noticed before . . .

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven . . . . (Colossians 1:3–5)

Subtle suggestion here — that my faith in Christ and my love from others flow out of my hope (not a hope-so hope) of eternal life. In other words, the deeper my realization of what God has promised me the deeper my faith in Jesus and my ability to love others. I’ve noticed that the less I am concerned about me, the more I can focus on Christ and on His people. Lately, I’ve noticed that the greater my anticipation of being with Jesus, the easier it is to care about what happens to other people. I’m not worried about me. He is taking care of my needs. I’m free to love without concern for the cost. Awesome. Only God can do such a thing in my selfish heart.

APPLY: Reread. Worship. Confess my selfish arrogance and repent. Seek His guidance, even for the activities I think I know, and love others without concern for any cost to me in time, energy or resources. Thank You Jesus for filling my cup.

Without the blood . . .

Does the sight of blood make some people queasy? One of my children fainted when a lab tech took his blood. I turn my face away if a TV show is gory. Blood signifies pain, suffering, and death, but without blood, no one would be alive, and without the shedding of blood God does not forgive sin.

The story of God’s redemptive work using shed blood includes the exodus of His people from their bondage as slaves in Egypt. This historical situation depicts the wrath of God on sin and the provision of God for deliverance.

The people were about to leave under the leadership of Moses and Aaron, but first the final plague of death would strike the firstborn of every living creature. God told each household to take a lamb without blemish and on a certain day they were to kill it . . . 

“Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.” (Exodus 12:1–14)

Those who mock this practice and say it is barbaric have little understanding of the seriousness of sin. God is holy and sin must be punished by death. Nothing else will do, but in mercy He told His people He would send a Savior, and in the meantime, He would accept a perfect lamb as their substitute, an atoning sacrifice that bore their guilt and saved them from God’s wrath on sin.

In the fullness of time, the Savior came and was put to death, shedding His blood to atone for human sin. Mock it, dismiss it, laugh at it, but to our own peril . . .

“Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” (Hebrews 9:22) (‘Almost everything is forgiven except the rejection of God’s saving plan!)

I don’t like to think about His blood. First, it reminds me that my sin is a serious matter, and that God the Son had to come here, suffer, and be put to death because of it. Yet I have peace with God and my conscience is purged from guilt because of the blood of the Lamb, His sinless sacrifice. . .

“For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” (Colossians 1:19–20)

“He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” (Hebrews 9:12–14)

These and many other verses speak of the power of His blood. Through it I have access to God and a secure victory over my spiritual enemies, death, hell and the grave. I will stand wholly pure before God, and praise Him for saving me from sin by the blood of Christ.

“Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation . . . .” (Revelation 5:9)

The second reason that I don’t like to think about His blood is what He suffered. This is the Creator of the universe put to death by mere mortals who think our way is better than His. We are fools — He humbled Himself for billions of fools, many of whom ignore Him, shake their fists at Him, curse Him, and make fun of a faith that requires blood. Yet He died asking the Father for our forgiveness.

Jesus, what can I say? You died, shedding your precious blood to release me from the bondage of sin and to continually cleanse me from sin’s power. Forgive us for our lack of response and consideration for the redeeming blood You poured out on our behalf.