Day 38 of reading 365 days through the Bible. Immanuel, which means God with us, is the lens through which I am reading every page. Today’s assigned reading was in Exodus, chapters 25-27. The Exodus chapters were full to the brim with God’s {withness}. In practically every sentence, I could see a loving Father creating a place where He could fulfill His desire to meet with His people, while at the same time keep them safe and preserve their lives.
“The lampstand will stand in the Tabernacle, in front of the inner curtain that shields the Ark of the Covenant. Aaron and his sons must keep the lamps burning in the Lord’s presence all night. This is a permanent law for the people of Israel, and it must be observed from generation to generation.”
Exodus 27:21 NLT
I hope you will go to the book of Exodus and take in the wonder of a God who cares so deeply about His creation. I hope you will see, not just a Father’s desire to meet with His kids, but a desire to cooperate with, team up and build together. God’s creativity doesn’t just stay in Genesis 1-2, it spills out through the gifts and talents, and pure artistry of the people with whom He has chosen to partner.
It’s simply mind-blowing, and spectacular to behold!
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south. Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.
They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
Psalm 107:1-6
However, this scripture also popped up in my reading today, and it captivated my thoughts for a good long time. How does this one sentence of wise counsel from the word of God invite meet to see God with us?
The tongue has the power of life and death,
Proverbs 18:21 NIV
and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Immediately, I think…the brain. It’s amazingly complex and critically vital to life. And then the heart, a muscle for sure, but really I mean, the soul of us. However, this sentence focuses our attention on the tongue, which has the power of life and death. The tongue speaks, but then there’s an essential need for an ear to listen.
We know that without the attachment of brain and heart, there would be no words to speak or hear. Words from the brain without the heart of love engaged would be clanging cymbals. Words only attached to our hearts are void of reason and order. A connection of both is necessary.
God talks to us and teaches us about knowledge, wisdom, love and relationships. Pondering thoughts today: Does God have to?
He’s God so really God doesn’t have to do anything, but He wants us to know. He wants us to know about His design for humans. He wants us to know about the great opportunity we have to learn from Him. And if we’re willing to humble ourselves to read His words as much as we read the latest bestsellers and textbooks, we would gain some valuable wisdom from the designer Himself.
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NIV
But can we humble ourselves to some mustard seed of faith that admits we don’t and cannot know everything. We are a culture addicted to knowledge. Google has the answers. Just ask Siri. But are we really becoming narrow minded in our approach to learning?
I think the answer is yes. I have questions Google can’t answer because Google didn’t create the world. My questions are many times ignored by Siri because there’s no heart or faith context from which to form a satisfying answer.
Do you have questions? Do you wonder how things really work? There are philosophical minds, scientific enthusiasts, and some of us are romantics who see the best in every situation. But no matter our bent or background, we can all agree that we don’t know everything.
Can’t we?
I’m asking a question of the Lord in my current season of life. Father God likes it when I ask Him questions. He likes it because I am confessing that I don’t know and He does.
I’m asking Him to teach me His ways. I’m asking him to teach me what’s important for me to know and to teach me how to trust Him with the unknown. I’m asking Him to open the eyes of my understanding in conjunction with faith, heart, and life experience in a way that is balanced from His perspective so that wisdom and humility become the fruit.
I’m confessing. There’s so much I don’t know. And I’m trusting that the Creator of all things is the best teacher. I believe He wants us to know because He left us with instructions and a Counselor, the Holy Spirit.
In the tongue, says the Creator of it, is the power of life and death. With such power comes responsibility. And with responsibility rightly rooted comes a desire to offer life. I need to take these words seriously.
Don’t you?
May we seek God with our questions and take His words of life to heart. May we seek His understanding – surrendering to the One who intricately designed it all and knows how it works together for life in Him or death in the flesh.
Will you pray with me?
Lord, helps us to seek Your face, and speak words of life that come from a heart instructed by You. Teach us Lord how to take the thoughts of this world captive and make them obedient to Your Spirit. In Jesus name, I seek humility and understanding, life and love. Amen.
Eyes on Jesus and Shine,
Lisa
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