So, I'm currently attempting to read through the Bible. My intention is to read through, and then go back and study more intentionally. Luckily, through the grace of God, I am still seeing something new in each chapter and verse I read.
Today, I read through Numbers 4. On the surface, it seems a bit dry and not very engaging, but there were several things that struck me and caused me to be in awe and wonder of my God yet again.
You see, in Numbers 4, God is laying out the rules for who is responsible for what with regards to the Tent of Meeting and all that lay within it for worship. If you read it, you'll notice that this isn't something that's arbitrarily decided. Each clan was numbered and had specific duties to perform and designated ways in which they were to perform them. Let's stop right there and dwell on this for a second, okay? God knew how many men within a certain age range were within each clan. Reading that, my mind immediately leapt forward to Matthew 10:30 where Christ tells us even the very hairs on our head are numbered. Can you even grasp God's intimate, infinite knowledge of you? My mind won't even wrap around that!
The next thing that stood out to me was that God showed these men an amazing grace in setting out specific boundaries for each of them. Each clan had a set group of items that they were allowed to touch and carry. Each of those items was to be wrapped, placed and taken up in a certain way. One clan even has a specific command NOT to do something. There was no doubt what was expected of them, and certainly no questioning or arguing with it. It reminded me that God has set specific boundaries and guidelines for those of us who are His children, as well. We have access to all of His commands, all of His requirements, through His Word. There should be no doubt or gray areas for us, either. Not only that, but we are equally blessed in that God knows the boundaries He has set for us and just how far He will allow us to go within those boundaries, whether we realize it or not. Now, there may be more room for "error" (read: sin) in our daily lives then there were in the directions God gave to the clans in Numbers 4, but again, we can be assured that God will only let us go so far before we are disciplined. In addition to that, our sin, if we are saved, has already been paid for! What a gift! What grace!
Another thing that stood out to me is that, as the people of God, they were not asked politely to serve. In this case, they weren't even asked where they wanted to serve. God simply commanded them to do it. The same is no less true of us today. Again, we may have a bit more freedom, but we are not asked whether we want to serve. We are told to be as our Master and commanded to serve others. This is something Christians fail at too often today. We make too many excuses. Look, if you have time to watch your favorite TV show, you have time to serve. If you are asked to serve in a certain area, and don't think you're gifted there, do it anyway. You might surprise yourself! And if not, there are always plenty of other ways to serve. JUST DO IT.
Finally, I was reminded again how blessed we are in Christ. Remember that "do not" command I spoke about earlier? It was that they shouldn't look upon the holy things, lest they die. Whoa! What a difference for us, right? Christ tore that veil for us and made a way that we would be able to approach and have fellowship with a God so holy that man couldn't even look on the holy things used to worship Him, lest their lives be forfeit. And yet, we can come before Him in prayer. We will one day see His face. And, perhaps most thrilling and incomprehensible of all, we can call Him Father.
Lord, thank You for being an omnipotent, holy God. Thank You that You have loved me enough that You would know the numbers of hair on my head. I can't fathom what that even means, Lord, for your ways are so far above me. Thank You for opening Your Word to me in ways I've never known before. Thank You for helping me to see the holiness and grace in the seemingly mundane. Forgive me for the times I've overlooked it or been too arrogant to care. Continue to grow me in grace and truth.
Today, I read through Numbers 4. On the surface, it seems a bit dry and not very engaging, but there were several things that struck me and caused me to be in awe and wonder of my God yet again.
You see, in Numbers 4, God is laying out the rules for who is responsible for what with regards to the Tent of Meeting and all that lay within it for worship. If you read it, you'll notice that this isn't something that's arbitrarily decided. Each clan was numbered and had specific duties to perform and designated ways in which they were to perform them. Let's stop right there and dwell on this for a second, okay? God knew how many men within a certain age range were within each clan. Reading that, my mind immediately leapt forward to Matthew 10:30 where Christ tells us even the very hairs on our head are numbered. Can you even grasp God's intimate, infinite knowledge of you? My mind won't even wrap around that!
The next thing that stood out to me was that God showed these men an amazing grace in setting out specific boundaries for each of them. Each clan had a set group of items that they were allowed to touch and carry. Each of those items was to be wrapped, placed and taken up in a certain way. One clan even has a specific command NOT to do something. There was no doubt what was expected of them, and certainly no questioning or arguing with it. It reminded me that God has set specific boundaries and guidelines for those of us who are His children, as well. We have access to all of His commands, all of His requirements, through His Word. There should be no doubt or gray areas for us, either. Not only that, but we are equally blessed in that God knows the boundaries He has set for us and just how far He will allow us to go within those boundaries, whether we realize it or not. Now, there may be more room for "error" (read: sin) in our daily lives then there were in the directions God gave to the clans in Numbers 4, but again, we can be assured that God will only let us go so far before we are disciplined. In addition to that, our sin, if we are saved, has already been paid for! What a gift! What grace!
Another thing that stood out to me is that, as the people of God, they were not asked politely to serve. In this case, they weren't even asked where they wanted to serve. God simply commanded them to do it. The same is no less true of us today. Again, we may have a bit more freedom, but we are not asked whether we want to serve. We are told to be as our Master and commanded to serve others. This is something Christians fail at too often today. We make too many excuses. Look, if you have time to watch your favorite TV show, you have time to serve. If you are asked to serve in a certain area, and don't think you're gifted there, do it anyway. You might surprise yourself! And if not, there are always plenty of other ways to serve. JUST DO IT.
Finally, I was reminded again how blessed we are in Christ. Remember that "do not" command I spoke about earlier? It was that they shouldn't look upon the holy things, lest they die. Whoa! What a difference for us, right? Christ tore that veil for us and made a way that we would be able to approach and have fellowship with a God so holy that man couldn't even look on the holy things used to worship Him, lest their lives be forfeit. And yet, we can come before Him in prayer. We will one day see His face. And, perhaps most thrilling and incomprehensible of all, we can call Him Father.
Lord, thank You for being an omnipotent, holy God. Thank You that You have loved me enough that You would know the numbers of hair on my head. I can't fathom what that even means, Lord, for your ways are so far above me. Thank You for opening Your Word to me in ways I've never known before. Thank You for helping me to see the holiness and grace in the seemingly mundane. Forgive me for the times I've overlooked it or been too arrogant to care. Continue to grow me in grace and truth.
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