THE STORY OF JESUS: Leviticus 25-27 “Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants.” (Leviticus 25:10) The sabbath cycle (working 6 days, then resting) looks forward to God’s rest. It is a ‘not yet’ reality, something we look forward to. Human life in God’s creation begins with rest; Adam’s first full…
Category: daily meditations
In Christ, anyone may come near!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Leviticus 21-24 “No man who has any defect may come near.” (Leviticus 21:18) We were made to be complete, whole and holy… yet no one is. These requirements for the priests seem to require ‘perfection’. The whole law of Moses seems extreme, both in its demands and its punishments. It makes one wonder,…
Unexpected treasure!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Matthew 13:47-52 “Every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” (Matthew 13:52) Do you have lots of stuff buried in storage? Sometimes we even forget what treasures…
Right under our nose!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Matthew 13:44-46 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.” (Matthew 13:44) The kingdom of God – God’s version of this world, as it ought to be – is a buried treasure. We walk over it, we pass it by, without even realizing it. Its all around us, but we…
Uproot the weeds NOW!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Matthew 13:36-43 “Will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.” (Matthew 13:41) The disciples have ears that are hungry to hear, so they press Jesus to explain. Jesus answers plainly: the field is the world, good seed are people of the kingdom, etc. The punchline of…
Mustard seed confidence!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Matthew 13:31-35 “I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.” (Matthew 13:35) As I understand it, the kingdom of God is THIS world under God-like human rulers. This is how God set up His creation kingdom at “the creation of the world”. But since we were ejected from paradise, it…
He gives us great victories!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 18 “He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing love to his anointed, to David and to his descendants forever.” (Psalm 18:50) This is a song of extremes. God rescues David by shaking up the whole earth (vv.7-15) David is helped because he is innocent, guiltless (vv.20-24) David totally smashes his…
So many laws… HELP!!!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Leviticus 18-20 “Keep all my decrees and all my laws and follow them. I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:37) A variety of laws on many different issues, though mostly regarding sex. Some laws make sense, some don’t; some seem irrelevant and some universal. But which is which, and who decides? Are we bound…
Life is precious!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Leviticus 16-17 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” (Leviticus 17:11) God makes us alive by His Spirit; blood keeps us alive, giving our body…
I don’t have to give in to the weeds!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Matthew 13:24-30 “No… you may uproot the wheat with them.” (Matthew 13:29) The kingdom of God/heaven is this world, as originally created by God. We know the story from Genesis 1-3 how the Enemy sows weeds of selfishness. But God does not give us up on, He doesn’t kill us to start over. God…