Deuteronomy
26:1–27:26, 2
Corinthians 6:14–7:1, Psalm 40:1–17
Sometimes I read these passages with a teacher’s mind,
trying to sort them out and write the connections. Sometimes I read them with
praise as I see the wonders of God and His Son Jesus Christ. Sometimes I read
them and am struck with the way God gets into my head and heart and tells me
what to do with a problem, or how to deal with the events of the day and the
issues of life. Today, God was giving me good advice. First the verses, then His
word to me . . .
“And you shall make response before the Lord your God, ‘A wandering Aramean was
my father. And he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and
there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. And the Egyptians
treated us harshly and humiliated us and laid on us hard labor. Then we cried
to the Lord, the God of our
fathers, and the Lord heard our
voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a
mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and
wonders. And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land
flowing with milk and honey. And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of
the ground, which you, O Lord,
have given me.’ And you shall set it down before the Lord your God and worship before the Lord your God.” (Deuteronomy 26:5–10)
When I pray, I usually start with worship or confession,
praise or keeping short accounts. This passage suggested that I begin with a
rehearsal of my spiritual journey, remembering what I was before being
delivered from slavery to sin, and how God brought me out of that and into a
new life. After that, He says to yield to Him all that He has given me, setting
my life before Him in worship. What a great idea, so that is how I began when praying
today.
“Then you shall say before the Lord your God, ‘I have removed the sacred portion out of my
house, and moreover, I have given it to the Levite, the sojourner, the
fatherless, and the widow, according to all your commandment that you have
commanded me. I have not transgressed any of your commandments, nor have I
forgotten them.” (Deuteronomy
26:13)
This one speaks for itself, except I spent a bit more time
on the way He says to divide actual offerings. It could be money, but also
time, intercession, and other sorts of ways to give a blessing to people in
need. The list says the Levite, which I interpret as the men of God who give
their lives to serve me; my pastors and others who minister the Word of God to
me in various ways. Then the list says the sojourner, the fatherless, and the
widow. Orphans and widows I understand, but needed to think more about
sojourner. My current online professor gave a definition last week. This is
more than a traveler. He says “resident alien” is a good translation except for
our sci-fi connotations. It is someone from a foreign place who lives here and
has been made welcome. There are many sojourners in our neighborhood. This list
gives me good instructions!
“What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we
are the temple of the living God; as God said, ‘I will make my dwelling among
them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to
you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.’ Since
we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement
of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.”
(2 Corinthians 6:16–7:1)
An idol is anything I put my trust in or care about when
it should be Jesus. This happens. I hear you, God.
“I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my
heart. I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation;
behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord. I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I
have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your
steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.” (Psalm 40:8–10)
Praise is never intended to be a ‘closet’ prayer. God’s Word
is clear that when He blesses me, I am tp speak of it aloud and to His people.
Today, I did that several times with several people. As I post this tonight,
may it go out to an even ‘greater congregation’ and encourage each one to also
trust the Lord and rely on His steadfast love and faithfulness.
