February 25 - The Still Big Voice

 Read today’s texts first: Numbers 17-18; Psalm 29; Mark 4

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

A proud leader can create waves
instead of calming them. 

I have often talked to my students or parishioners about the importance of tuning into the still small voice of God.  That’s how He chooses to speak to us most of the time – in the quietness of our spirit.  But we sometimes forget how powerful that voice is.  The psalmist reminds us with metaphors of thunder and lightning, breaking cedars and shaking deserts.  Right after we read about His thundering voice being “over the mighty waters” (2-3) we see that vividly illustrated in Mark 4.

After ministering all day, Jesus had earned a little shut-eye on the boat-ride back across Galilee.  He was rudely awakened, however, not by the crashing waves, but by the panicked disciples.  With an almost irritated reflex action, as quick and casual as you and I hitting the snooze button on our alarm clock, He calms the wind, the waves, and His disciples with three simple words: “peace be still.”  While He’s fluffing His pillow to return to dreamland, His disciples look at each other: “Who is this?  Even the winds and waves obey Him” (41).

Who is this indeed?  No wonder Aaron was to consider the priesthood a gift (Numbers 18:7).  To represent this amazing Jesus, our High Priest, is a privilege.  Speaking His words and bringing peace in the middle of rebellion, plagues, and any other storm we might face is a high calling.  Aaron’s budding rod is an illustration of authority that brings life.

So often those who have been given authority abuse it.  Power and pride can corrupt and the leader can create waves instead of calming them.  “Lord, my role as a priest, your representative, is a gift.  The big voice behind mine has limitless authority, but only when the words I speak bring peace, not strife - reconciliation, not retaliation.”

 

February 24 - Too Little Too Late

 Read today’s texts first: Numbers 14-15; Mark 3

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Sometimes there’s no way to redeem lost opportunities.

Sometimes I underestimate the importance of quick obedience.  I know God is merciful and full of grace so I have assumed on occasion that I can disobey initially then change my mind and everything will be okay.  Not so, as I can attest from personal experience and as we can see with the rebellious Israelites in Numbers 14.

Ten of the spies return with a faithless, fear-filled report and the people buy in big-time.  They doubt God’s ability to help them overcome the enemies occupying their promised land.  They say their fear is for their children: our little ones will become plunder (14:3).  Interestingly enough, it was their children who would defeat these same nations 40 years later:  God noticed the irony and was happy to point it out:: “your children, however, whom you said would become a prey – I will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected.  But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness” (31-32).

Naturally when Israel hears that they say, and I paraphrase, “well when You put it that way, we’re sorry!  Why wait to die – we’ll go now!”  Too little too late.  God warned them that they had missed their chance and anything they do after the fact they do on their own.  Well they did just that, heading into battle “heedlessly” without Moses and the ark (in other words, without God) and they came running home tripping over the tail between their legs.

Sometimes there’s no way to redeem lost opportunities.  “Lord, may I hear You the first time and do what You ask when You ask.  My reading in Mark 3 reminds me that to be a member of Your family I must be quick to do Your will (35)!”

February 23 - When God’s Got Your Back

Read today’s texts first: Numbers 12-13; Psalm 90; Mark 2

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

When you put God in front, He’s also got your back!! 

Moses had mellowed over 80 years.  Had Miriam challenged him when he was younger, things might have been different.  At 40, Moses killed an Egyptian for mistreating a Hebrew “brother.”  He was a gangster then, backing his boys in the hood.  But 40 years of herding mangy sheep around the backside of the desert taught him about humility.  What looked like misspent years uniquely prepared him for the demanding job of herding 2 million bleating Jews through another 40 years in the desert.

When Miriam questioned his authority, Moses apparently said nothing in his own defense.  But God had his back: he is faithful in all My household; with him I speak mouth to mouth… why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses? (12:7-8). If that wasn’t enough to make Miriam’s face turn white, the leprosy that followed sure did!  Fortunately, Moses, with a compassion that only comes from working through his own rebellion, looks past Miriam’s insubordination and asks God for mercy.  No doubt he remembered how his older sister had his back when he was just a baby in the bulrushes.

Joshua and Caleb had the same confidence God would have their back when the Israelites moved into the Promised Land (13:30).  Even the giants that the other ten spies saw everywhere (it was really only the sons of Anak) were dwarfed in comparison to the God who covered their backside against Pharaoh.  We see the same power in Jesus, who when questioned about His authority to forgive sins, healed the paralytic as proof (Mark 2:9-12).

“Lord, that is my desire: to know Your will and to do it, in my personal life and ministry.  Thank You that no matter what giants lay in wait ahead of me, You are bigger, and You’ve got my back.”

February 22 - Kill Me Now Lord

 Read today’s texts first: Numbers 10-11; Psalm 27; Mark 1

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Lord, if I ever say ‘kill me now’
please don’t take me seriously!” 

Moses is a funny guy, I’ll give him that.  He could be as sarcastic in his complaints to God as the people were with him: Moses said to God, “Why are you treating me this way? What did I ever do to you to deserve this? Did I conceive them? Was I their mother? So why dump the responsibility of this people on me? Why tell me to carry them around like a nursing mother, carry them all the way to the land you promised to their ancestors? Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people who are whining to me, ‘Give us meat; we want meat.’ I can’t do this by myself – it’s too much, all these people. If this is how you intend to treat me, do me a favor and kill me. I’ve seen enough; I've had enough. Let me out of here” (11:11-15 MSG).  God not only humored Moses during these rants (they were pretty funny!), He referred to him as a friend, one He was willing to talk to in person, “mouth to mouth” (12:8).

David, “a man after God’s own heart,” had the same kind of open and honest relationship with his Lord.  In today’s psalm he is again complaining about his enemies and their false accusations.  But as usual he comes around to acknowledging God’s goodness and his own determination to wait for the Lord (13,14).

However, in the Mark 1 reading, Jesus seems to be much further along in His relationship with the Father.  Here we see Him slipping away quietly before dawn to pray (35).  We don’t know how or what He prayed, but I doubt it would have the same level of desperation (and sarcasm) you hear from Moses or David.  Jesus faced the same kinds of problems with His disciples as they did with their subordinates, but those quiet times away with the Father seem to keep Him on a more even keel.  Nowhere did He ask for God to kill Him, but when that later became a possibility He quietly prayed “not my will, but Thine be done.”

“Lord, I need that kind of quiet, calm resignation to Your will to characterize my prayer life.  But in the mean time, thank You for Your patience when I complain like Moses and for a lot fewer reasons.  And if I ever say ‘kill me now’ please don’t take me seriously!”

February 21 - Clouded Vision

 Read today’s texts first: Numbers 8 & 9; Acts 28

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Fear is not a factor as long as we’re with You,
but it sure would be if we were left behind. 

What was the significance of God leading His people with a cloud by day and a fiery cloud by night?  Why not something more illuminating, like the Bethlehem star or lightning from Sinai, or a cute little sunbeam/moonbeam?  A cloud seems foggy, uncertain, maybe a little depressing (like most days in Vancouver).  Is that really the metaphor God wants us to associate with His presence and His leading in our lives?

Apparently so.  And His people had to keep their eyes constantly on that cloud, day and night, to make sure they moved when it did (9:21).  It wasn’t a matter of God being with them; it was about them being with God.  This idea flies in the face of our me-centered theology today.  We like to think of God as a personal valet we bring along wherever we go, to make sure we have a sunny day, a warm, fuzzy feeling, and a parking place close to the mall entrance.

The uncertainty of following a cloudy vision, that can move us out of our comfort zones at any moment, is unsettling to say the least.  Paul is living proof.  He knew Rome was next on his list of must-see cities in his plans to travel the world, but I’m sure he didn’t plan on being under arrest for two years in

Caesarea, getting shipwrecked and spending three months on Malta, or spending at least two more years under house arrest in Rome.  But he was following the cloud.

“Lord, it’s not always clear where You are leading me, but if You’re moving I’m going too.  Fear is not a factor as long as I’m with You, but it sure would be if I was left behind."

February 20 - Fear is Not a Factor

 Read today’s texts first: Numbers 7; Psalm 23; Acts 27

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Our worst case scenario, dying, is our best case
scenario, being with Jesus forever. 

When we step into the realm of faith (yesterday’s devotional), fear is no longer a factor (yes, borrowing the phrase from a gross reality show is intentional!).  Even when we walk through a dark valley, with no idea where we are going and the shadow of death engulfing us, there’s nothing to worry about (Psalm 23:4).  God is with us.

A past journal entry on this day recorded the story of Sargon and I walking through the college singing an impromptu duet of “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”  Yes, it was both a strange sight and a strange sound (the students had a good laugh at our expense), but it was also significant in other ways.  We represent two completely different people from opposite places in the world (Sargon is from war-torn Iraq), singing together because of the peace we now share in knowing Jesus.

I can imagine Paul singing the same kind of song while his ship was being torn apart off the coast of Malta.  He knew he was going to arrive in Rome in one piece so nothing along the way seemed to bother him.  Even the poisonous asp hanging off his hand (I read ahead to ch. 28) had no effect on him (quite literally).

The promise of Psalm 23 is true – when God is with us, goodness and lovingkindness follow us every day of our lives.  Our greatest fear, the shadow of death, has no effect when we realize death is just a doorway to “the house of the Lord” where we will dwell with Him forever (6).  Our worst case scenario, dying, is our best case scenario, being with Jesus forever.  “Thank You Lord that wherever I follow You, fear is simply not a factor.”

February 19 - The Faith Factor

 Read today’s texts first: Numbers 5 & 6; Psalms 22; Acts 26

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Reason will take you so far, but when we include
the faith factor, it all begins to make sense. 

Reason will only take you so far.  Paul was a logical thinker and a convincing speaker.  After his defense to Agrippa, the king was almost persuaded to become a Christian (28).  Festus, on the other hand, thought Paul was crazy (24).  Reason, logic and intellect will only take you so far – eventually faith must become a factor.   When we take that leap of faith and actually become a believer, it all begins to make perfect sense.

Notice I said “begins.”  I’ve been a Christian for over 60 years, but I’m still not ready to explain the significance of the jealousy ritual in Numbers 5 or the Nazarite vow in Numbers 6.  I am, however, far enough along in my faith journey to appreciate the incredible prophecies in Psalm 22.  David likely has no idea that he is prophesying a blow-by-blow description of Christ’s crucifixion.  He thinks he’s just complaining about another one of his bad days, but the Great I Am, who sees the future as if it’s the present, places words in his mouth of undeniable detail describing His death.

We know Jesus had something to do with this Psalm because He quotes it while hanging on the cross: “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” (1). Then David includes these incredible insights.

• Despised by the people (6)
• Scorned and mocked by a gaping crowd gathered around (7,12,13,16)
• Poured out like water (water and blood flowed from His side) (14)
• Bones out of joint (effects of the crucifixion) (14)
• Incredible thirst (15)
• Pierced his hands and feet (16)
• Bones unbroken (17)
• Casts lots for His garment (18)
• The eternal effects of His death and resurrection (24-31)

This description could not possibly apply to David, but it vividly describes the last hours of the Messiah to come through his seed.

Once we include the faith factor it all makes so much sense.  The capacity of our Jesus to describe the details of His death more than 1000 years before He even appeared on planet Earth as the Babe in Bethlehem is mind-blowing.  “Lord, may I never doubt that You know exactly what’s going on and how it’s all going to turn out in the end.  Fear should not be a factor, but faith sure is!”