no "knock-offs"

"You shall say to the Israelites, 'This shall be my holy anointing oil... it shall not be used in any ordinary anointing of the body, and you shall make no other like it in composition..."

(Exodus 30:31-32)

God gives Moses the precise mix/recipe for the most sacred anointing oil to be used in the temple by the priests (note: it involved liquid myrrh, cinnamon, aromatic cane, cassia, and olive oil).  Later, God gives the mix/recipe for powdered incense, too.  In both cases, God stipulates that the people are NOT to attempt to reproduce it for any other purpose than worship.  In fact, those who do, shall be "cut off from the people!"

We live in a copy-cat society.  Designer clothing, shoes, handbags, accessories, etc. are purchased by the wealthy... and somewhere in Asia, knock-off versions are being created & sold worldwide.  It's a huge (and illegal) industry.  Why was God so quick to stipulate against it?

History has shown that we humans are so hungry for spiritual blessings, we'll often do/try anything.  "Holy relics" were a hit during the Middle Ages ("Hey, buddy... want to buy a piece of the cross Jesus was crucified on?!?  It'll bring you power!").  We love to wear our crosses on our necks & put the fish stickers on our cars, today.  Could it be that God knew we'd try to exploit/use the holy oil & incense for our own purposes?  That what was meant to honor God IN WORSHIP would soon become a personal "spiritual shield" we'd wield, will-nilly?

Some things are best left alone.  There are no "generic" brand spiritual short-cuts.  No knocks-offs en route to the Kingdom of God.  But that's hard for us to hear, isn't it?  We're not used to waiting.

"Lord, make me patient.  Help me wait for Your timing & plan with my life.  I don't want to rush or take a short-cut for the route You have for me.  AMEN."

Idol Plans

[From 3/31/11]

"You shall not make for yourselves an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth."

(Exodus 20:4)

The people have been through a lot.  Oppressive slavery in Egypt.  Signs & Wonders by God (aka "Ten Plagues!").  Passover & release.  Rejoicing turns to panic as the Egyptians attack.  God's salvation (again!) through the Red Sea.  And now God comes to speak to them as a group (cute thunder & lightning & earthquakes!).  God has set his indelible mark on this people, and now he's ready to lay down the ground rules for their relationships (with Him and with each other).

One of the early commandments God gives in Exodus 20 has come to be known as the "NO IDOLS" clause.  the people weren't to make any images, statues, carvings, etc. trying to re-present God.  No bulls, eagles, sheep, camels, etc.  Nothing to resemble any creature on, above or below the earth.

Author & pastor Rob Bell has an interesting insight on this.  He remarks that instead of images of wood or stone, God will use the lives of His people to show the world who He is.  I like that.  Of course, it adds a bit of pressure to us, too.  We must live in such a way that others come to see the Almighty.  And that's no idol plan!

Keep Still

[FROM 3/30/11]

"But Moses said to the people, 'Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the LORD will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again.  The LORD will fight for you, and you only have to keep still."

(Exodus 14:13-14)

The Hebrew people have been freed (finally!) from slavery in Egypt.  God has done an amazing thing in their midst and set them free.  Now the Egyptians are reconsidering their actions.  They'll soon pursue & attack the Hebrews.  But God knows this.  And God has a plan.  The people can't see it, of course.  Fear clouds their eyes and hearts.  Major fear!  Crippling fear.

But God (through Moses) calms the people.  "Don't be afraid.  Stand firm.  See the deliverance..." Even though the powerful Egyptian army is fast approaching, God is in control.  And here's the great battle plan of the Lord: "The LORD will fight for you, and you only have to keep still" (v.14).

We are a busy people, aren't we?  Things to do... places to go... people to see... projects to complete.  We're frequently "on the move."  Sometimes, however, we're too busy for our own good.  Psalm 46:10 reminds us to "Be still, and know that I am God."  It may be that what we need most is to simply be still, and let God do "the fighting" for us. 

Keep still.

Keep still.

Keep still.

Prayer TIME

"One day Peter & John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon..."

(Acts 3:1)

Aiea UMC has Sunday worship at 8am and 9:30am.  Other congregations worship a bit later in the morning.  Some even worship on Friday nights, Saturday nights, Sunday nights & Wednesday nights.  There's no uniform worship/prayer time in Christendom (unlike our Muslim brothers & sisters).

So it has always intrigued me whenever I read Acts 3, as Peter & John head to the temple "at the hour of prayer, at 3 o'clock."  Was that just the time of services that day or every day?

My Oxford Study Bible notes two scripture passages: Exodus 29:39 and Leviticus 6:20... saying it was the time of day sacrifices were offered with prayer (it also lists Jewish historian, Josephus, as confirming this practice).  I look up the passages and they both talk about 2 times of sacrifice each day: once in the morning & once in the evening.  So 3pm must have been the "evening" service.

But then I was drawn to another passage... Matthew 27:46 - "And about 3 o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, 'Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?'"  That quote of Psalm 22 was uttered by Jesus while on the cross... just moments before he died.  Is it a coincidence that the "Lamb of God" gave up his life as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity precisely during the afternoon "hour of prayer/sacrifice" in the Jewish community?  I don't think so.

Did this become a "teaching point" for the early church?  I'm not sure  But it's another reminder to me of God's completeness.  God used the Jewish worship service time table to make the ultimate sacrifice.  Jesus' words, " didn't come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it" gain even greater meaning.

Wow.

(Guess what I'll be doing at 3pm today?  Offering up a prayer of Thanksgiving.  It is the hour of prayer, you know!)

Influencing the Present...

"Joseph said to his father, 'No so, my Father! Since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.'  But (Jacob) refused, and said, 'I know, my son, I know; he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great.  Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.'"

(Genesis 48:18-19)

Jacob (the Trickster) is nearing the end of his life.  He and his 11 sons have been reunited with Joseph - the son who'd he assumed was dead (but was actually sold off into slavery by his other brothers).  Joseph had, by the grace of God, become a very powerful man in Egypt, and was able to provide for his entire family during a severe drought.  Now he brings his two sons to Jacob for a blessing.

Jacob, of course, is the subject of the other "memorable" blessing story in Genesis - for he is the one who tricked his father, Isaac, into giving him the blessing that was supposed to be for his older brother, Esau.  Now with his grandsons before him, Jacob does the very same thing - gives a greater blessing to the younger!  When Joseph protests, Jacob tells him that he knows what he's doing.

Does Jacob see something in his grandson, Ephraim (the younger) that he doesn't see in Manasseh (the older), which will lead to greatness?  Or is Jacob still a champion of "younger brothers," whomever they may be?  It's hard to say.  But it's clear that Jacob's past continues to influence his present.

What even from YOUR PAST (positive or negative) continues to influence your present?  Have you given it to God to become a blessing in your life & others' yet?  God can take anything you've gone through and use it for good... the question is, will we let Him?

(Not so) choice pick!

"Lot looked about him, and saw that the plain of the Jordan was well-watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD... so Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward."

(Genesis 13:10-11)

God calls Abe at the ripe young age of 75.  "Go to the land that I will show you," God says.  So Abe goes.  He takes his beloved bride, Sarai (age 60), and his nephew, Lot.  Both men had more than their share of livestock and workers.  Too much, actually, to get along together.  So Abe gives his nephew first pick of the new land.  "Chose one side and I'll take the other.  No questions asked."

Lot, probably in his mid-40's to early-50's, was no dummy.  He quickly assessed the situation, saw the fertile plains to the east, and made his decision.  Real estate investors would have applauded his choice ("It's all about location, location, location!").  Lot took the "better land."  Or so it seemed.

There was one problem, however... the better land housed some very "unsavory" characters.  You see, the cities of Sodom & Gomorrah were in the east.  Although Lot didn't know it at the time, his entire life would be devastated by his "choice pick."  The Bible tells us that God would eventually destroy those two cities because of their rampant, vile, & incessant sin.

So what's the "moral" of the story today?  Choose wisely?  Maybe.  Don't pick "Sin City"?  Possibly.  But it could be even simpler than that.  Looks can be deceiving.  What appears at first to be "a sure thing" may actually have deeper issues at work.  Maybe we shouldn't be so quick to choose what WE THINK will be the best for us... and instead, seek God's direction & guidance in our lives.  God may know (quite a bit) more than we.

Bum Rap

"At the end of 40 days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made & sent out the raven; and it went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth."

(Genesis 8:6-7)

Perception is often reality.  Consider the raven in the story of Noah's Ark.  Anyone with a cursory familiarity of the story remembers two birds: the raven & the dove.  One bird has come be to known as a hero, the other a goat (figuratively speaking, of course).  One became a symbol of purity & peace, the other a pest.  One returned to Noah, one didn't.  One brought back reconnaissance intel, the other was selfish.  At least... that's the perception, isn't it?

But is the raven getting a fair shake in this story (or our understanding of it)?  It was, indeed, the first bird released by Noah after the flood.  It flew & flew & flew... until it eventually found a place to land.  That's all we know about it.

The dove, on the other hand, gets much more press.  It is sent out (some non-descript time after the raven)... cannot find a place to land... and subsequently returns to the ark.  I sit really more loyal to Noah than the raven?  Or just not as physically fit?  Maybe doves aren't strong endurance fliers?  Well, a week later it gets sent back out... and this time returns with an olive branch (oops, no, it's a LEAF!).  A week later, Expedition III is launched... and this time the dove NEVER returns.

Now maybe Noah briefed the dove prior to each expedition, explaining in "dove-talk" what was expected (bring me a branch/leaf, scout us out a new home, go on your merry way, etc.).  But I doubt it (Dr. Doolittle is not a biblical story).  More likely, the dove was just acting like any other bird.  Just like the raven, the dove eventually flew away when it had the chance.  Because that's what birds do.

Why blog about this?  (Good question)  I think I was reminded this morning that there are always 2 sides to every story (or reputation!).  And a person's (or creature's) rep may or may not be reality.  I should take the time to get to know for myself... then form an opinion.

(And how about a shoutout to all those misunderstood ravens out there today!?!?)