pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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A Heart for Relationship

Readings: Leviticus 15, Leviticus 16, Leviticus 17, Leviticus 18

Leviticus 18:4 – “My regulations and my rules are the ones you must keep by following them: I am the LORD your God.”

Chapter 15 deals with genital emissions. Didn’t ever think I’d ever start a journal entry or blog with those words! These laws deal with becoming unclean via contact with emissions from the body. The concern and the remedy are the same as we read about in recent chapters. Wash the affected items and bathe the body. Contact with male emissions rendered one unclean until evening. Contact with a woman’s emissions made one unclean seven days – because of contact with blood. Two birds were sacrificed in both cases. One was a purification offering; the second was as a wholly burned offering.

Chapter 16 establishes the Day of Reconciliation (or Atonement.) Aaron bathes in the holy of holies and then wears special, set apart clothing. A bull, a ram, and two goats are gathered. The bull is sacrificed first to purify Aaron and his household. Lots are cast over the goats. One becomes “the Lord’s” and one becomes “Azazel’s.” Incense is then burned in the holy of holies. The smoke represents the prayers of the people. The first goat is sacrificed. Blood is sprinkled, making reconciliation for the peoples’ sin. Aaron then does the same for the tent and the altar, reconciling them to God’s holiness. Azazel’s goat, the scapegoat, is brought to the entrance and Aaron presses his hands onto its head, confessing all the sins of the people. It is led away and released into the wilderness. Aaron bathes and changes back into his normal priestly clothing. This day of self-denial and Sabbath will be observed annually on the 10th day of the 7th month.

Chapter 17 and 18 begin the “Holiness Code” that runs through chapter 26. All animals slaughtered are to be killed at the entrance to the tent of meeting because it involves the shedding of blood. Blood is life, it is sacred. Blood is not to be consumed. Chapter 18 deals with sexual actions. It begins with a warning: don’t be like the Egyptians or Canaanites. God demands better, holier behavior: “My regulations and my rules are the ones you must keep by following them: I am the LORD your God.” Within the great detail of this chapter we find a simple truth: God is prohibiting sexual sin. This is sex that only gratifies self. Sex for personal gain or sex outside of covenant relationship makes one unclean or unholy. Such perversion will “cause the land to vomit you out.” PS – don’t offer up your children to that Canaanite god Molech!

Prayer: Lord God, sandwiched between the health codes we began today with and the personal conduct codes we ended with we find your heart for relationship. We see your desire to provide a way for your children to be reconciled to you. Eventually you’ll send Jesus as the final atoning sacrifice. For your heart bent on relationship with us, your children, we rejoice and offer our thanks and praise. Amen!


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Good and Evil

Reading: Psalm 14

Verse 5: “God is present in the company of the righteous”.

Photo credit: Tech Nick

Today’s Psalm is attributed to David. It speaks of the evil and corruption in the world. They seem to be in control. Yet over and throughout it all is God. Connecting to yesterday’s passage from 2nd Samuel 11, could David be reflecting upon his own behavior as he writes these words? In his secret heart could he be hoping that God is with Bathsheba?

The Psalm opens recognizing that the fool says, “There is no God”. The fool says I can do whatever I want – I am god! The fool is corrupt and vile. Didn’t someone ask if that wasn’t Uriah’s wife? In verse four David acknowledges that evildoers “devour” God’s people “as men eat bread”. Sexual appetites can certainly devour others like common food. A most powerful man can have his way and then dismiss his victim like she was a common peasant.

And yet David knows in his heart of hearts that God is bigger than the evil of the world and the evil inside of him. In verses five and six he writes, “God is present in the company of the righteous” and “the Lord is their refuge”. Even though evil has been done, David hopes that God is present to and comforting Bathsheba. Yes, the Lord draws near to all who are abused and oppressed, to all who endure injustice and violence.

The part of David still connected to God can still long for salvation to come to Israel. He can still long for a better world even though his ‘secret’ actions work against it. I too have been here before – doing wrong in the present yet still hoping for God to make me right in the end. Even then God is our ever present refuge. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord, I must admit that I, like David, am never too far from sin. The fleshy part of me is ever seeking glory or power or possessions. Yet the divine within me is always drawn to you. Thank you for the Spirit within. Raise up that voice in my heart, O Lord. Amen.


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Loving God…

Reading: 1st Corinthians 6: 12-20

Verse 15: “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself”?

As followers of Jesus Christ we have a freedom that guides our living. Through Jesus Christ we are freed from the things of this world. Earthly pleasures still entice us, yes, but we find our joy and peace, our very identity, in and with Jesus. Yes, we will sin and one day face death, but in Christ we are freed from the shame and guilt of our sin and we are freed from worry or fear or anxiety over death. We see the things of the world as temporary and we see our life in Christ as eternal. But the freedom that we find in Christ is not permission to do anything and everything, knowing that Jesus forgives our sins. Faith calls us first to holy living and to humble service. Some in Corinth had this backwards. They were confused. Some were sinning openly and knowingly under the claim that “everything is permissible” because of the grace and mercy and forgiveness offered by Jesus.

Today’s passage centers on the sexual immortality present in some of the church members’ lives. Promiscuity and the use of prostitutes were the earthly pleasures that some were indulging in. Others in the church did not think these behaviors were in line with holy living. Instead of simply telling those who were sinning to stop, though, Paul helps them to think through this scenario so that they can think like this for themselves when other issues or questions arise. Paul uses “do you not know…” three times to frame their thinking. He reminds them that their bodies are “members of Christ himself”, that sexual union makes the two people “one flesh”, and that the body is the “temple of the Holy Spirit”. Ultimately Paul is reminding them that they are connected to Christ and that what they do with our bodies should honor him. To enter into sexual unions outside of marriage, to overindulge in food and drink, to lord one’s status or wealth over others, to do other unhealthy things with our bodies – all dishonor our bodies and therefore dishonor God. All of these issues were things that the Corinthian church would wrestle with and through using Paul’s framework. In the end, each issue would come down to loving God, loving neighbor, and loving self. Doing these well, the church brought honor and glory to God. May it be so with each of us as well.

Prayer: Lord God, in so many ways faith is about love. Does this thought or word or action show my love of God? Does it reveal my love of neighbor? Does is reflect a holy and righteous love of self? Guide me in your ways of love. Amen.