Glory to God, not to me

 

Our family has a big event coming up in a few weeks. It began when God suggested to me through a distant relative’s eager desire that we should have a family reunion. I argued with Him. Knowing the work involved and my inability to organize such an event, I simply did not want to do it. However, He persisted, even waking me up several times very early in the morning with a to-do list of ideas. One of them was to enlist a few helpers.

The plans came together and invites were drafted and sent to everyone that had emails — which took some scrounging. Now, we have a venue near the farms where my parents and Dad’s siblings all grew up, a caterer, music volunteered by family members, and many other perks, plus nearly 100 who said they are coming. I am overwhelmed and excited, but also nervous about the doing of it.

I have imagined people thanking me for all my ‘hard work’ to make this happen and have even patted myself on the back a few times. But how dare I to forget this was God’s idea and the work of His Holy Spirit to guide me and remind me? Today’s reading is a warning again about making ME the center of my life. This Scripture speaks to my heart about the attitude God wants me to have, now, and at this big event, and always…

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:8–11)

It is not a wedding feast yet I was invited to make it happen by the Lord who loves bringing families together. He cares that we see one another and enjoy time talking and sharing our lives. He planned this event and He gave much needed energy and ideas to bring it this far. God needs to be “moved up higher” and I need to take the lowest place and consider how to honor and bless others, as well as giving glory to God. The glory of such a gathering is not mine.

PRAY: Jesus, thank You for reminding me that all of what has happened, is happening, and will happen is because of You. Your hand is in the plan and the working out of that plan. I’ve been amazed at the ideas and help of others. One person even said if someone could not come because of financial needs, he would pay their way. This is a God-thing. Not all of this family knows and lives for You yet those who believe in You have pitched in with enthusiasm. I’m trusting You to bring us together with whatever purpose You have in mind. Certainly You will bless us in surprising ways as You already do, and it is my hope that some will realize Your grace and power and their lives will be transformed. Forgive me for letting the desires of ME to sneak into this. Keep my focus where it should be… loving them because of Your love, and blessing them because I’ve been blessed.

I ride in the same boat . . .

 

 

READ Numbers 10–12

We took a week to celebrate our anniversary. It has been a happy week — until I ate a dessert when I was already stuffed with that special meal and realized this is the basic form of gluttony, one of the ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ and the sin we normally associate with that word. The worst was how I’ve been concerned about a person who is a hoarder . . . another expression of gluttony. Finding out that I am no better takes a hit on my pride.

Today’s reading hits the same topic. The Israelites had been delivered from bondage in Egypt, a picture of deliverance from sin. They were on their way to the land God promised them but began to complain, first about their lot in life and then about the food God provided . . .

And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down. (Numbers 11:1–2)

Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.” (Numbers 11:4–6)

Moses took their complaints to the Lord with a compliant of his own. He said, “I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.” (Numbers 11:10–15)

Here I am complaining to the Lord about another Christian stuck and stunted in his growth because he cannot stop craving for reasons unknown and saves stuff that he does not need nor does anyone else need, filling his house with it and making excuses for it . . . and I often eat what I don’t need and have even complained to God about the burden of this other person because he seems to be hindering answers to prayer, prayer for some of the same things I pray for.

In that wilderness situation, God did two things. First He gave Moses some support by telling him:

Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone. (Numbers 11:16–17)

Then God dealt with those who were complaining about their food not being what they wanted:

You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wept before him, saying, “Why did we come out of Egypt?” (Numbers 11:19–20)

However, this desire to have their own way seemed contagious. Moses’ brother and sister began to attack Moses and had to learn the hard way not to complain about his leadership:

And the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward. And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed. (Numbers 12:5–9)

Miriam broke out with leprosy and Moses cried to the Lord to heal her, but He said she must be shamed for seven days outside the camp before being restored. (Numbers 12:13–14)

What is God saying to me? Be careful of judgmental criticism. While discernment is needed to know what is needed, God informs me so I will pray, not so I will look down my nose. I am a sinner also, and need to deal with my own cravings and complaining, my own gluttony that over-indulges. Not only that, I cannot bear any burdens without help because I am just as prone to sin as the people whose sin bothers me. That said, I’m thankful for Isaiah 12:2: “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” He is amazingly patient with me!

 

Antidote to fear

Numbers 21; Psalms 60–61; Isaiah 10:5–34; James 4

Yesterday two people called. The first is a woman who knows Jesus and who trusts Him completely during this pandemic. She knows where she will go if she is inflicted and dies. At the same time, she obeys all the rules and is not griping about them.

The other person knows about God, but she is terrified. The isolation is getting to her. She wants to trust the Lord but said she cannot do it, “It is too hard.” She does not know Him and is struggling with how to live under such a threat to her and her family. I tried to explain but realize only the Holy Spirit can reach her heart with saving faith and peace.

Numbers 21 tells of God’s people fluctuating from trust to frustration with God because He was not giving them what they wanted.

“Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. (Numbers 21:5–9)

This is another OT example of trusting Christ who was also lifted up, yet life was only given to those who turned to look at the bronze serpent. It didn’t happen by merely knowing it was there.

The psalmist exemplifies this choice too. David was in a low spot with enemies all over him. He felt defeated and alone. In faith he called out to God:

Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. (Psalm 61:1–3)

My second caller needs to do that. So do I. I could take His care for granted and yet there is no guarantee of getting what I want. He bids me to seek His face. His Word continually invites communion, trust, closeness. Even the morning news pushes me toward the Lord. I feel protected in our home, but the world out there is portrayed as unsafe and dangerous. I can understand why my friend is so afraid. She does not know the Refuge, the Strong Tower of peace.

The other truth that helps me is knowing God is in this. Isaiah 10 is about God using a godless entity to deal with the disobedience of His people. That seems odd and unfair but it happened often in OT history. In this instance, after telling them only a few will remain after He deals with them, He adds:

In that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no more lean on him who struck them, but will lean on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. . . . For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. Destruction is decreed, overflowing with righteousness. For the Lord God of hosts will make a full end, as decreed, in the midst of all the earth. Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts: “O my people . . . . be not afraid . . . . For in a very little while my fury will come to an end . . . and in that day his burden will depart from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck . . . “ (Isaiah 10:20–27)

God will use harsh means to correct His people, yet I share this thought only with those who believe in Him. The caller with faith in Christ wholeheartedly agrees. The other caller is not ready to hear that God has a plan and is using Covid-19.

If anyone wonders why the people of God need this trial, James 4 offers clues. Too many have become “friends with the world” and proud, speaking evil against one another and boasting about our plans as if God has no hand in our lives. James warns:

`“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (James 4:6–10)

APPLY: I have pride, been double-minded, and need to continually humble myself before Him, trusting Him and drawing near in obedience and mourning my neglect. I also need to pray for others who need to know the peace He gives to those who totally trust Him with their lives.