As Christians, we are given a similar gift – the gift of “priesthood” as we are able to approach the throne of God through Jesus our High Priest. As priests we are to protect and keep the temple of God holy – that is, our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit.

When the Israelites give to God, a portion goes to the Levites. The order of giving is not Israelites > Levites > God, but Israelites > God > Levites. This mindset is important to remember for both givers (Israelites) as well as receivers (Levites). We don’t give directly to people, and we don’t receive directly from people.

And the Lord said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel. (‭Numbers‬ ‭18‬:‭20‬ ESV)

To have nothing, yet everything at the same time. We used to sing this song at church, the meaning is much deeper.

What a beautiful and powerful psalm – with the way the verses flow, and the power of the message. Within each verse, each event in the Israelites’ lives, it says : “for his steadfast love endures forever”. I don’t think this is merely for artistic reasons – it reminds us that God’s steadfast love is intertwined with all the events of our lives.

It’s true. And if I may add my own, cheesy but true to my heart, verse:

Life with the Lord is so much better
for his steadfast love endures forever.

As christians, aside from eternity in God’s presence, we are also destined to experience afflictions and trials of different kinds to tempt us to abandon our faith. “Just as it has come to pass, just as you know.”

What is this “joy” that Paul is describing? He talks about being worried, having fear. He is not worried nor fearful about the afflictions, but about the faith of the Thessalonians – “that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain. (‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬ ESV)”

When he found out that they were standing firm in the faith, in love, Paul and the others were filled with joy.

How can you encourage your spiritual fathers/disciplers? By letting them know, through your life, that their labor was not in vain.

The first part was a passage for this year’s midyear prayer and fasting. Here’s what I wrote then.
Why spend Money, Energy, and Time, on that which does not satisfy? Why indeed. Definitely not as wasteful as before, definitely. But I have my moments.. Short-sightedness, Low stamina to persevere (due to lack of exercise) leading to quick-fixes or “junk-food”, Laziness.

You think the wine and milk you have now is good? What God offers is so much better. And it’s free. Only that you come to Him, listen to Him, and stay on His side.

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (‭Isaiah‬ ‭55‬:‭6-9‬ ESV)

The last part of that passage is sometimes taken out of context. It is often quoted without the first part, to say that man is not able to comprehend the mind of God. Although that is true, I believe the passage talks about two things we will not be able to “predict”: 1) God’s time-limit when it comes to repentance and 2) the abundance of His compassion. As people, we have our own ideas, usually contrasting, when it comes to these two things. Our thoughts, even our greatest or collective minds, cannot be fully trusted because of our humanity. We can trust God’s thoughts and ways. He is the Master Designer, sovereign over all creation.

You think you’re stressed? Moses is stressed. What a stressful situation to be in – an angry mob you have been leading wanting to undermine you on one side, an all-powerful God you have been trying to obey wanting to vindicate you on the other. At this point I don’t know anymore what is going on in Moses’ head.
Maybe that is what leadership is. Servant Leadership. In obedience to your Master and Maker, you bring man – in good times or bad times – from death to life.
There are strategies and techniques for effective leadership, but when push comes to shove, the real leader is the one who actually does the hard work and perseveres. When all around him is failing and falling away, he stays true to his Mission. He stays close, even closer, to his Master.
The question is why. I can understand the God of great and immeasurable love doing something like this. But a man of finite mind, finite love, finite life? I can understand man doing it for his family, the close circle of the people he loves. But for a disrespectful, thankless, angry mob? How?
The only reason is if, when, the finite man is transformed by the infinite God. That is the only way – he knows some things we don’t know, he understands and sees much more than we do, he is given power relative to the responsibility.
This power is not to be demanded, like how Korah rebelled, it is given to those chosen by God’s infinite wisdom and grace.