The Wonder of God

Michael Easley, one of the Pastors at my church here in Nashville, was talking about being in awe of God.  Living with wonder of his mighty works.  He compared it to the excitement people feel when they get engaged to be married, or find out they are pregnant or have a baby, get a promotion, buy a house, or many other such milestones and how we want to share those things with everyone because we are so excited and can't contain ourselves.  And he asked us to compare that to how often we want to shout to the world the awesomeness of God, how often we can't contain ourselves over what God has done, is doing, and has promised to do.

This morning I had one of those moments of wonder at God around a passage of scripture I had been studying.  I had even shared this passage with other people before and heard some good expositon on it.  But for whatever reason I was just completely struck with wonder of God regarding these passages this morning.  I was laughing and couldn't contain myself and kept thinking to myself, "they didn't even show up, and God is still faithful."  It struck me so funny, and I was completely in awe from just that one glimpse at how God deals with us humans. 

I will share the verses, because I found the lessons so many and so awesome, but with God's living and breathing word, he brings it alive and makes his secrets known to us as we inquire of him, seek him, and he gives us the understanding we need for our lives for the moment, so there may be many of you that will just not "get" why I find this so amazing.  And that's ok.

Numbers 11 (I am going to summarize but you can read the whole chapter if you want it all in context).
"Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when he heard them his anger was aroused....When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the Lord and the fire [God's anger] died down." "...and again the Israelites started wailing and said, "If only we had meat to eat!...we never see anything but this manna!"  "Moses heard the people of every family wailing...The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled.  He asked the Lord, "Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?...They keep wailing to me...I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.  If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now..."

My first thought was "Wow, Moses was even a whiner."  Then I read on to how the Lord dealt with both the Israelites and Moses in this situation. 

First the Israelites, if you know how the story goes, the Lord provided meat, lots of it "until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it - because you have rejected the Lord, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, 'Why did we ever leave Egypt?'"  "But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague...there they buried the people who had craved other food."

And I thought of all the times I have craved "meat", how many times I've overlooked the Lord's blessing in my life and fail to see his provision of "manna" and I wail.  I complain about wanting more, wanting something else, wanting life to be different.  I am embarrassed to say it has happened far too often. 

Moses' response to the Lord promising meat hits home as well, "...Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them?  Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?"  Is that not the type of people we often are today, do we ever "have enough" are we ever "satisfied" and just delight in the Lord.  Woe to all of us who do not live with joy, peace and thanksgiving in our circumstances.  "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." Phil 4:12

Now Moses, what did the Lord do with that whiner?  Hmm, I was surprised.  The Lord did not punish or rebuke Moses.  No he had Moses bring 70 of of Israel's elders who were known as leaders and officials and God placed his Holy Spirit on them to help Moses carry the load.  "I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them.  They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone."  God was merciful and gave to Moses the desire of his heart, which was help in carrying the burden of caring for these people.

What was different, why did God punish the Israelites for whining and not Moses?  To me it all looked the same.  Then a friend pointed out to me exactly what was going on.  The people were all complaining to one another, but Moses took his complaint to God, as Sovereign and Provider. 

Other verses on the matter: "Jesus answered them, "Do not grumble among yourselves." John 6:43 and again, "And do not grumble, as some of them did-and were killed by the destroying angel." 1 Cor 10:10  But we may "...Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." John 16:24  "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Now I haven't even gotten to the part yet that had me laughing this morning in wonder at God.  "...and he [the Lord] took of the Spirit that was on him [Moses] and put the Spirit on the seventy elders.  When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, ...However, two men had remained in the camp.  They were listed among the elders, but [they] did not go out to the Tent [they didn't obey like the others].  Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. 

Wow, these two guys didn't even show up at the Tent meeting.  But God still put his Spirit on them where they remained, just as he had promised Moses.  His promise was that these 70 men would receive his Spirit.  God is so faithful, even when we are faithless, and THAT is exactly what made me wonder.  "If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself." 2 Tim 2:13  And "I know that [the Lord] can do all things; no plan of [his] can be thwarted." Job 42:2 

This is such GOOD NEWS as I remain where I am at times as well.  It is a wonder, and I am awed that God is merciful enough to come find me and still be faithful to put his Spirit on me.  Hallelujah what a Saviour!!

Christmas is the season for...

Well it is that time of year again when my kids ask all sorts of questions about traditions and how certain ones began, the meaning behind certain stories/songs and such.  I sometimes forget conversations I have had with which of my children so it seems the same things get retold again and again.

They ask about the cultural stories of Santa Claus and how Christmas has evolved (or probably more correctly devolved).  Advent and Hanakkuh traditions.  Things like why I don't have the three wise men (Magi) as part of  my nativity set: 

Because sweetie, the Magi didn't show up in the manger to visit the baby Jesus, they didn't show up till much later when he was a child living in a house with his mother.  And we don't have a record of exactly how many of them there were total. (i.e. Matt 2 tells us that the Magi came from the east following a star and spoke to King Herod in Jerusalem.)

Matt 2:9 "After they [the Magi] had heard the King [Herod], they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child [not infant] was." 
Matt 2:11 "On coming to the house [not manger or stable], they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him..."

And today we got into a conversation of what the angels sang (proclaimed) to the sheperds the night of Jesus' birth.  Unlike what the song "It came upon a midnight clear" says, the angles did not have harps of gold singing "Peace on Earth, good will to men from heaven's all gracious King!"

Luke 2:14 tells us the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds in the fields and was proclaiming Jesus' birth, and the heavenly host came "praising God and saying,
           "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

We need to remember that Jesus did not come to bring peace to Earth.  His peace, which is not as we think of worldly peace, is given to "whom His favor rests" which are believers and followers of Christ.

Luke 12:51 "Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division."
Matt 10:34 "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I have come to turn " 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.' "
Speaking to his apostles Jesus says in John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

The secularized Christmas stories and songs are all sweet sentiments that don't do any real harm.  Or do they?  For the Word tells us to "Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." 1 Timothy 4:7-8

No, I'm not a funsucker who can't enjoy a good Christmas Carol or silly Christmas story or movie and such.  But I do always want to remember what God did for me when he sent his son Immanuel (God with us), to be born of a woman, to die a sinners death for the punishment of my sins.  I want to have a clear understanding of the Word so that I know what my faith relies on.  And to teach these things to my children, so that each of us may Praise the Lord in all Truth this Christmas season and all year long.