Week 4: Return

• Day 20
• John 4:5-42
• Psalm 11

The woman at the well is thirsting for the teachings of Christ, and the Psalmist writes that God is looking to straighten us so we can receive Him.

Who are the Samaritans in my society?  People that would be shocked that I invited them to church?

Where is God trying to straighten me out?

Day 21

• Exodus 17:1-7
• Psalm 95
• The people in the wilderness treated Good and tried Moses. They were thirsty, then hungry, lost, and basically "are we there yet"-ing Moses for 40 so much that he didn't even get to see the promised land himself and he was guiding them.
  There needs were met at every turn, but only after their complaining. The story would have been different if they had simply asked. I imagine the annoying passive aggressive friend who says, "we're going to the movies again? Didn't we go last week?" Even though you are paying and they never offer a suggestion of what to do themselves.  God is meant to be praised, not played into computing to our requests, however dire they may be.

Day 22

Isaiah 6

A holy seed in the stump

Isaiah sees the Master himself and is humbled to his soul. He understands the utter failure of himself and anyone else in comparison to the Most High.

Even though an angel clears his sin with a coal from the altar, God describes a devastation that smacks of another Noah story without an arc.  God recognizes that everyone will be hard headed and won't listen or understand. Then, they will all be cut down like the Amazon. And, if a few manage to survive, the having away will begin again.

This imagery is difficult to swallow, as I'm sure the Jews felt when they first heard it.  I'd certainly want to suddenly listen real hard and understand if there was anyway to avoid this.  Man has been able to plead to God before in order to stay his hand from completely wiping out his creation. 

Noah and Lot were able to save themselves and their families from the destruction around them.  Who is pleading with God now? Who would be among the saved?

Day 23

• Psalm 93
• Romans 5

The container store of heaven

I like to compartmentalize my life. Have a place for every aspect, and every aspect of my life in its place.  Going somewhere like The Container Store or Ikea, you walk around thinking, if only I had these things, my life would finally be in order and I would be put together.

With my relationship with God and my faith, it is also tempting to think that specific actions or behaviors help me to stand out to God. As though, he would be impressed with how faithfully I attend services or how I give of my time or money.  The truth is, God is already attentively witnessing my life with a passionate and indescribable love the likes of which can only be poorly misunderstood. 

I should impress myself with Him and His ways.   The psalmist must have been inspired deeply by the nature around him, but many of us do not have the luxury of being near the widely considered gems of God's creation.  The ocean, mountains, forests, and the like are obvious choices to revel in the handicraft of the Creator. 

But how can we marvel in Midtown, on a crowded train, or a busy street?  It would be in the faces and testimonies of the people around us.  We are the most treasured of all God's creation.  As such, there is treasure and with in every person more valuable than the tropical rainforests or the last Beluga whale.

Day 24

Mark 7

As Christians, it is easy to look at the harsh words Jesus gave to the Pharisees and think, yea he was right to put Them on front street.  However, his harsh words are for all of us.  Just as there is no way for the Jewish people's ritualistic cleaning to clean their soul, there is also no affectation you as a human can practice that makes you more clean and holy.

Jesus, after being asked to clarify by the disciples, responds harshly as well. Apparently, they should be picking up much more of what he is putting down.

Day 25

• Mark 8
• Mark 9
• The feeding of four thousand and the conversation with Elijah and Moses are both wildly miraculous and tangible manifestations of the power of Jesus.  However, he asks the disciples not to share what they have seen.