God’s part: trains us, loves us, protects us, defends us, delivers us, fights for us, thinks of us, rescues us, provides for us

Our part: to bless God, to sing to God

Kinda unbalanced, don’t you think? : )

Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. (‭Psalm‬ ‭144‬:‭11‬ ESV)

We are not able to control what people say – lie – about us. God will be the one who will rescue and deliver, just like with Daniel and Joseph.

Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord! (‭Psalm‬ ‭144‬:‭15‬ ESV)

On the seventh month – on days 1, 10, then 15 to 22.. are special days when assemblies are held and offerings are made. That’s a lot, with very specific instructions for the quantity and quality of the offerings. This is in addition to the other special days and offerings that they were commanded to do.

Is God really concerned about these feasts and offerings? I believe, not so much. He is much more concerned with the heart of the people. He says so himself.

So these commands are really tests – opportunities – for God’s people to show their love for God. We need an outlet somehow. For truly grateful people, we can’t just not do anything, we need a way to respond.

Now that Jesus has done the ultimate sacrifice, these offerings and animal sacrifice are no longer required. In IT terms – depreciated. It is an insult to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus to still try to obtain holiness through one’s own efforts.

So what is the command to those who have been saved by grace through Jesus? Love God, love others.

Final chapter of Isaiah..

Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. (‭Isaiah‬ ‭66‬:‭1-2‬ ESV)

The house I have – this body, this life that you have given me – is all that I can offer. And I offer it all.

Contrite – to be broken. Means to relinquish control of one’s life, of one’s will. It’s surrender. Recognizing that the Creator, our Heavenly Father, knows and desires what’s good for us.

I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them, because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in which I did not delight.” (‭Isaiah‬ ‭66‬:‭4‬ ESV)

: (
When God calls, answer. When God speaks, listen. And don’t go the opposite direction..

“For I know their works and their thoughts, and the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and shall see my glory, (‭Isaiah‬ ‭66‬:‭18‬ ESV)

The Day will come.

Even more reason to spend time with God daily – not just weekly on Sundays, not just during times of trouble, or of repentance, or of thanksgiving. Here God is even saying to perform the offering two times a day – at morning and then at twilight (or dusk, around sunset time).

There’s also one for every first of the month – might be a good habit to make?

I also noticed how often the phrase “you shall not do any work” came up. That says a lot about God – like, how he cares for our well being, and how He is basically saying for us to trust Him with provisions for those days we did not work to spend time with Him. It should be noted that those times of not working, is for us to spend time with God not on other things.

“No one living is righteous before you”

Even David, chosen by God and upright in man’s standards, acknowledges that before God no one is righteous. We all miss the mark. But we are able to approach Him, and bring our requests, our aches and pains, to Him because of His grace.

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. (‭Psalm‬ ‭143‬:‭5‬ ESV)

When we are discouraged, when our spirit and our faith is failing, think about God – what He has done, who He is. Great is the measure of our Father’s love.

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. (‭Psalm‬ ‭143‬:‭8‬ ESV)

We need Him daily. Yes, in the morning, first thing. To remind us of His love, to get guidance in the way we should go.

“For your name’s sake”, “In your righteousness”, “In your steadfast love.”

Our requests to God should ultimately be according to His will. For His glory, not ours. According to His promises, according to His grace.