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Fire starter

July 21, 2011 by kimcosgrove

Scripture:

Numbers 11:1 Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.

Observation:

The LORD takes the complaining of the heart seriously.

Application:

The people of Israel are known for their grumbling and complaining. But, let’s face it. I’m not any different. In fact, I can make a pretty good case that I am far worse. I sleep and work and live in climate controlled buildings. I am rarely hungry unless by my own will I forego food for the purpose of losing a few pounds. I enter a closet full of an array of choices for clothing my body. The moment I start to feel sick I head to a store full of medicines that will relieve my suffering.  I could continue, but I’ll stop for now. You get the point. How quickly I turn to grumbling when there is some bit of “suffering”. Let’s not even talk about real suffering for a moment… just something not happening that I would like.

Yesterday I was leaving work and heading to Sonic with 5 minutes of “happy hour” left in the day. A half-price Powerade slushy was what I decided I needed to finish off my work day. As I pulled away from the stoplight, I was sick to see police lights in my rearview mirror.  I turned the car off the road and found out from the nice policeman that my vehicle registration had expired in April. Did I grumble in my heart? Ummm… yeah… And it occurred to me that I was more upset that the policeman was doing his job than I was at my disorganization that led to the error. How messed up is that?

As I was reading these very words in Numbers this morning, I could sense a grumbling going on in my own heart. The irony was not lost on me. The words from the passage “in the hearing of the LORD” jumped out at me. What is not within the hearing of the LORD? I feel like I’ve done something if I can just keep the words from spilling off my lips. But the attitude is there. It’s in my heart. I feel wronged. The LORD is withholding something good that I need and desire. Am I not rebelling in that very moment? I am telling the LORD He is not good, He is not wise, and that He needs some help from me to run the universe. How offensive that is to a holy, good, loving and merciful Father. He’s withheld judgment from me for sins I have committed. He has placed the wrath I deserve on Jesus and given me His righteousness. Anything I receive from Him is a mercy. He owes me nothing. I owe Him everything. He is enough, no matter what the situation.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for your mercy. You are so good to me. Your goodness extends to Your willingness to let me experience the consequences of my own sin. Yet even in that, You do not leave me to experience it by myself. You are with me throughout everything that comes my way. Please continue to show me my inner attitudes and transform this heart that is quick to grumble into a heart that is grateful and thankful for each and every mercy.

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The First One

July 17, 2011 by kimcosgrove

Okay… this is intimidating. The first blog post ever ought to be profound. Of course, if you are looking for profound you probably should be reading a different blog. The whole reason that this blog exists at the moment is to help me process what I am learning through reading the Bible through in 90 days. I stumbled across a site that was organizing an event to read through the Bible, and I decided to join them. The site was Mom’s Toolbox and it has really been a great source of encouragement.

Every day we read about 12 pages of the Bible, and it takes about an hour. Once a week, we check-in on the Mom’s Toolbox site to let our group leader know where we are in the reading. So far, so good. I’ve been tweeting a verse each day that jumps out to me as significant. Additionally, I want to process through in more depth some of the things God is showing me. I am on week 2 of the 90 day read through, so I’m just going to start where I am.

Scripture: Lev 3:13 “He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting.”

Observation: By the sinner’s own hand, he slaughters the sacrifice.

Application: The reading today was Leviticus 1 – 14. It was all about how to perform the prescribed sacrifice to atone for sin. I should probably go back and count how many times and how many ways God said this. The overwhelming feeling upon reading all of this is that sin is awful. How could we have any other feeling? You have to take an animal that is without blemish and put a knife to it’s throat (actually… I’m not sure how the animal was killed), and slice it open. That’s awful. I don’t think I can even imagine what that must have been like to do that day after day.

Today, the weight of sin fell on me again. God prescribed the offender to do the killing to atone for the sin. The sinner had to put his hands on the animal, and then use the knife. There is no other way to really repent. To put it in New Testament terms, you own your sin (put your hands on the sacrifice), and acknowledge that you killed Jesus (our spotless lamb). Really, really sobering. How can we sin casually if we get this? Yet, I know that I do. I sin and it doesn’t even bother me. Thankfully, not all the time, but more than I want.

Prayer: Father, forgive me for my sin and for my casual attitude towards my sin. Remind me each time what it costs to have my sin atoned. Please renew in me a heart that desires holiness in my inner being.

 

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