RE Verse reading–Genesis 1:26-31; Romans 5:1-11 (day seven) “They brought [Him] a coin, and He asked them, ‘Whose IMAGE is this?’ ‘Caesar’s they replied.’ “–Mark 12:16. With a Mayoral election coming up on Saturday, my mind is on this story. “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars, but RENDER TO GOD THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD’S.” These are unforgettable words and wisdom from Christ. The backstory is from Genesis 1. Jesus knew, assumed we would know as well, that God stamped His likeness on us, His image in us. Like a Roman coin, we are marked off as God’s property for God’s purpose. While we owe something to the state, and should gladly return to it attentive and informed involvement, we owe everything to God, our very lives! So, go vote on Saturday, but come worship on Sunday (and every day of the week). All of us have two loyalties. One should always be higher than the other. We belong to God!
Tag: God
Peace
Re: Verse reading–Genesis 1:26-31; Romans 5:1-11 (day Six)
Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “God is seeking worshippers who worship in Spirit and truth.” (John 4:23) We are those worshippers, and not of our own making, but God’s. In Jesus’ death we have forgiveness of sin for all time, but in the resurrected life of Jesus we find our righteousness. In other words God required more than forgiveness for us to be at “peace” with Him; He required a righteousness that forgiveness alone could not provide (Romans 4:25). God transferred the infinite and beautiful righteousness of His resurrected Son onto us, those who by faith rest in the Son. So our slate was not only wiped clean from past and future sin, but our sin was replaced with the righteousness of God’s Son! That jaw-dropping transfer gives us “peace” with God, giving us the privilege to come to God as worshippers.
And by the way, this is no tenuous peace, but a true peace. It is not like King Saul, who changed his relationship with David on a dime. David never knew what Saul he would encounter. An angry Saul? Friendly? Ally? Enemy? Not so with God. The resurrected life of Jesus affords us true everlasting peace with God; we can “boldly approach the throne of grace!” (Hebrews 4:16) God made that happen; He sought after you and made a way!
Love
Re: Verse reading–Genesis 1:26-31; Romans 5:1-11 (day three)
“God created mankind in his own image.” The celebrated idea of our times is that constraint on human power is oppression, that boundaries are made to be crossed, that order is a tool of the privileged to deny people a voice. And so the story of contemporary society has become a story of endless self-expression, self-focus, and self-indulgence. The rise of the “selfie” perfectly sums up the state of our thinking. As creatures made in God’s image, we, like God, have the power to carry out our will. Interestingly, though, the Bible says “God is love”, not “God is power.” God is powerful, but his love informs his power. Without love, God’s power would destroy, not create. The same is true for us. Without love, our power isn’t our glory, but our destruction.
Imago Dei
Re: Verse reading–Genesis 1:26-31; Romans 5:1-11 (day one)
“Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over. . . all the earth.” Genesis 1:26. It is an uniquely Jewish/Christian thought. Not found in other religions or secular philosophy. Humans are made in the image of God. Every human is a small representation of His nature! We do not earn our value. It is ours by virtue of His plan and purpose. Some say that His likeness is seen in human CREATIVITY. He is the creator. We are “creative”–music, art, architecture, literature. Others say it is our RESPONSIBILITY to rule over the planet. Others say it is our SPIRITUALITY (lost in sin, but restored in the death and resurrection of Christ)–the capacity for real, mutual friendship with the Holy One. Whatever else it means, the image of God marks humans as uniquely valuable to Him. It proposes a HIGH dream of what is planned and possible for every life.
Not until the cloud moves
Re: Verse reading–Exodus 39:32, 42-43; 40:1-2, 16-17,32-38 (day seven–last day in our study of Exodus)
“If the cloud did not lift, they did not set out.”–40:36.
Years ago, I learned the spiritual principle. Stay where God puts you until He puts you somewhere else. It has been a great safeguard. Against restlessness, against dissatisfaction, against “looking for another job” when the one I had was hard or disappointing. The Spirit has a different message. Stay where you are! Learn the lesson of this place! Don’t run! Don’t blame! Change! Endure! Serve! Never be LURED away from your present assignment by promises that life will be better or more fair or more fun. Move only when you are LED by the Lord. “Is life so wretched? Isn’t it rather your hands are too small, your vision which is muddled? You are the one who must grow up.”–Dag Hammarskjold. When the cloud moves, we are free to do so. Until then, we are to stay and serve and grow.
Spoken Blessing
Re: Verse reading–Exodus 39:32, 42-43; 40:1-2, 16-17, 32-38 (day four) The Israelites had done all that God had commanded them through Moses. They had followed His instructions to the letter. For once, they had done good. Verse 43 says, “So Moses blessed them.” Moses spoke good words to them…he praised them for their obedience. Words of blessing and encouragement can lift the spirit of everyone. Do you like to receive praise from your authority…your boss, your parent? Parents (especially Fathers)…do you bless your child with the words of Scripture? Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” A spoken blessing is a prayer. Giving your child a spoken blessing will help them to strengthen their character, to face temptations, or to walk in wisdom. For your children to hear you pronounce blessing into their life will impact them immeasurably. Spoken blessings call on us to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as we pronounce these prayers. Remember…death and life are in the power of the tongue.
Wherever He Leads, I’ll Go
Re: Verse reading–Exodus 39:32, 42-43; 40:1-2, 16-17, 32-38 (day two)
And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys. (Exodus 40:36-38 KJV)
When the Lord was calling me to full-time ministry this part of the Exodds story spoke the most to me. Whatever the season of life, career, family you may be in when the Lord moves, it’s time to go. What gave me the most peace about this is that the Israelites may come to a wonderful oasis on their journey where they felt they could stay indefinitely, but when the cloud moved they knew it was time. It is rarely about our comfort or convenience, but always about his plan. I didn’t have a cloud to see, but I relied on the Holy Spirit to guide me, the Word to instruct me, and the assurance that God heard my prayers for guidance. Wherever he leads, I’ll go.
God with us
Re: Verse reading–Exodus 39:32, 42-43; 40:1-2, 16-17, 32-38 (day one)
“So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels.”–40:38.
At the end of the day, it is our only advantage, the only thing that distinguishes Christians from other people. The Lord is with us! Not because we are good. The golden calf settled that. Not because we are strong. Years of slavery gave them (us) nothing to offer. Rather, because He called us to Himself in covenant, because He has given us His name. Not fail safe! Not something that anyone should take for granted! Years later God would remove His glorious presence from the temple and nation. Even now, there are “Christians” who by grieving and quenching the Holy Spirit, live without any evidence of His nearness. Protection. . . Identity. . . Guidance. . . All these are ours when God is with us.
Gifted
Re: Verse reading–Exodus 35:4-10; 20-35; 36:2-7 (day seven)
“Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability.”–36:2.
The biblical idea of spiritual gifts is larger than we sometimes think. Most of us are familiar with “tests” that can be taken to identify our “gifts”. But these instruments often use a very narrow list of possible giftings. Bezalel and Oholiab were probably excluded. The SPIRIT had given them artistic skill. See 35:30. Metal, stone and wood. They were craftsmen. They were also, by the same SPIRIT, gifted to teach others. See 35:34. Reminds me of the FBCSA Imago Academy. SPIRITUALLY gifted artists, training the next generation to serve God through music, voice and art. Are you gifted? Don’t be surprised if the Lord “summons” you to develop and use your gift in Kingdom service. As true with money and freedom (Happy Memorial Day, everyone) as it is with talent, “To whom much is given, much is required.”
Real Image
Re: Verse reading–Exodus 35:4-10; 20-35; 36:2-7 (day six)
And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the Lord’s contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. Exodus 35:21
God’s all-sufficiency is not in question. At first glance it would seem that God is in need; that He needs their stuff, along with their time and energy in order to build the tabernacle and its furnishings. This simply isn’t true, after all God created the heavens and the earth out of nothing. God was quite able to fashion a tabernacle of his liking in the blink of an eye. So what was God doing if he didn’t need anything from the people?
I think we find the answer all throughout Exodus 35-36. Moses reminds us over and over that the people gave because their hearts were stirred to do so, and they were able to do the work only after the filling of the Holy Spirit. I believe God was calling them back to their deepest nature, being fashioned in the image of God. God not only was invested in establishing a symbolic and tangible presence among His people, but also was doing the work of restoration. This whole business of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the new covenant with an enslaved people has everything to do with God restoring all things unto himself. This restorative work began in the earliest days after the Fall and ends with Jesus’ return, but God is clearly working towards that end in building the tabernacle.
Could it be that the giving of ourselves, whether things or time or skill, taps into our truest nature? Could it be that both the inspiration to create with artistic skill, and the work itself is the reflecting of God’s image in us? After all who gives like our God? Or who creates like Him? When we give out of the stirring of our hearts, or create with our hands by the power of the Holy Spirit we begin to realize what it truly means to be human, men and woman made in the image of God.