Who You Say I Am

My mom always said that I should have been a lawyer. 

Even from a young age, I had an innate ability to explain my reasoning for doing something with a multi-point defense, with the sole purpose of maintaining a reputation as a “good kid,” and to keep myself out of trouble. 

That trait, although prayerfully refined with time and maturity, has followed me into adulthood. I’m sure I’m not alone in this, but if someone lies about me, or misunderstands me - the offense runs deep. You know those people that always walk around talking about how they “don’t care what anyone thinks,” about them? Yeah. Can’t relate. 

No amount of “dust your shoulders off,” or “sticks and stones” mantras could keep me from going to great lengths to correct or fight an incorrect perception or lie with evidence of who I really was. 

The only thing that started to diffuse my need to be my own defense lawyer and publicist at all times, was the revelation that no one lies about me more than I lie about me, to me. Rarely do I fight my own internal dialogue with the same passion that I look to gate-keep others. 

“Not good enough.” “Unlovable.”  Those thoughts flash through my mind unchecked, as I side with myself as the ultimate authority on who I am, even when it’s hurtful. 

When we sing songs like “Who You Say I Am,” it reminds me that I am not the ultimate authority. I am who He says that I am. Anything that I think about myself has to line up with what God thinks of me. If it doesn’t…it’s time to hold court. 

I am “Chosen”. The God of the Universe knows my name. I’m “Not Forsaken,” He hasn’t forgotten about me, and He promises to never leave me. I am His child, and His is the only opinion that matters.

Remembrance and Rest

At this point in the story of Exodus, we have seen God repeatedly communicate his motives for rescuing the people of Israel from slavery – He had a desire to commune in relationship with them.  

In chapter 23 we see God continue to lay out the pathway to ensure that His people might remain in relationship with Him. He speaks of two essential components to remaining in relationship with him - remembrance and rest. 

In His goodness, God instructs His children to remember His good works, in the form of formal celebrations. Not because He needs applause or attention, but because He desires for His children to connect to their memories in a way that impacts their thoughts, feelings and actions. 

This act of remembering was intended to call the people to respond rightly to the God who rescued them. This demonstration of trust and obedience is best realized in the second component of remaining in right relationship– rest.  

Just as God commanded rest for His people through, in the Old Testament, He calls us to live the same. God requires rest, not to control us, but because He knows that His people need to be refreshed. He also knows that the tendency of man is to toil tirelessly, in an attempt to maintain control, and see things work out in a way that they desire. When we refuse to rest, we are weary in our work and weighted down physically, mentally and emotionally. 

Jesus calls us to come to Him in our weariness, follow His example, and find the rest that we need for our souls. 

All through the New Testament we see Jesus exemplify this rest and trust by continually communicating His obedience and dependence on the Father. 

Rather than relying on His own strength to control outcomes,  He continuously submitted to the will of the Father, even to the cross. 

If we are also going to experience the rest that Jesus calls us to, we need to depend on the Father to meet our needs and to use the strength that He has entrusted to us to bring glory and honor to His name. 

Our culture’s pervasive drive for independence has made it difficult for many to remember and rest in Him. We too, like the children of Israel should build in regular rhythms of remembrance, so that we are not likely to rewrite history and think that we’ve gotten to where we are on our own.  

Questions to Consider: 

Read Deuteronomy chapter 8, and consider the dangers of forgetting who God is and what He has done in your own life. 

What are some of the obstacles or distractions that make obedience and trust in God difficult for you? How can you follow Christ’s example and move towards a more restful life?

Let Your Light Shine

Our culture has a way of shaping rules, God’s rules specifically, to be “restrictive,” and “rigid.” But just like we find comfort and safety in stop signs and traffic lights - we can know and trust that God’s rules are meant to keep us safe, and have reason that we can rest in. 

The Lord believes his rules are a benefit to his people and a blessing to the nations. God graciously reveals his character to his people through his rules. And he also provides a roadmap for his people to fulfill their purpose. 

By living in obedience to the rules God provides to his people, they would be able to maintain a right relationship with their Redeemer. And as obedient children, the people of God would also be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, meant to represent God to the nations.

God’s requirement of His people to follow His rules, was not meant to birth a dutiful obligation, but its intention was to continue to foster relationship. The Lord considered the people of Israel to be his children. And as his children, they were to have a conduct that reflected the character of their Father to contrast the world in order to introduce the surrounding nations to the abundant life they had found in following the one true God. 

Obedience to God’s rules would allow the children of Israel to experience the fullness of the blessing that he prepared for them. And the Lord knew that disobedience to his rules would cause his people to reflect the character of the surrounding nations, which would result in them experiencing the same negative consequences. Because He is righteous and just, they would be vomited out of the very land He had prepared for them and promised to them. 

While we as the people of God today are under a new covenant, the Lord still has the same purpose for his people. His sons and daughters are to be his representatives to the nations. To fulfill this purpose we must live in obedience to the word of God and conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called. 

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

We don’t have 613 laws, like the people of God in the Old Testament to provide a roadmap for a life that would be pleasing to the Lord. However, we have something better than the law; we have the example of Christ.

The Scriptures are replete with passages that reveal the character of Christ and the expectations that God has of his people. Ephesians 5:1-2,  for example,  lets us know that we are to copy the character of Christ  and live as a people who exemplify His love. 

Questions to Consider: 

How can I be more intentional to leverage the opportunities God entrusts to me (at work, home, grocery store, etc.) to let my light shine so that others will be drawn to his love?

List out the conduct that is worthy of the calling to which you have been called to in Ephesians 4-5. Circle the ones that you are struggling with, and be intentional to practice those attributes.

Reconciliation

In this week’s passage, we see the Hebrew word, “shalam,” a total of 14 times. This word means to  “amend, and to make good for it.” 

Shalam was translated four different ways in Exodus 21:22–22:15. God required those who had wronged their brother or sister to restore, repay,  and to make restitution for the damage they had caused to their neighbor and/or their possessions. 

God also had a rule for those who were wronged by their neighbor. God required that the wronged not to retaliate, but forgive. They were to trust God with the judgment, and accept the repayment or restitution from their neighbor. 

God was teaching his people what it takes to maintain healthy relationships. His people were to repent when they have wronged someone, and to forgive when they have been wronged. 

Just like God demonstrated His grace and mercy by providing the people with a pathway to restore relationship with Him after disobedience, He shows the people how to demonstrate the same restitution and forgiveness with each other; by making good for offenses and by requiring his people to be gracious and merciful when offended. This Old Testament principle is still a requirement God has for his people today.

We see in passages like Matthew 5:21-24 that the Lord requires his followers to repent when they have wronged a brother or sister. Repentance is so vital that Jesus tells his followers they are to leave the very altar of God to be reconciled with a brother or sister they have offended. In Matthew 18:15-35, we see that the Lord requires his followers to forgive when they are wronged. Forgiveness is so crucial that Christ said the one who doesn’t forgive won’t be forgiven. 

If we are to have relationships that honor our Redeemer, we must pursue reconciliation. When people are in conflict with one another, they must do all in their power to come together for meaningful change. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 lets us know that Jesus reconciled us to himself. He did this by paying the price for our sins that we might be forgiven. And when our hearts were open to his love, we repented of our sins and were brought into right relationship with the Father through the sacrifice of the Son. 

But Jesus didn’t just stop at reconciling us to himself.  He also gave us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, he wants us to share this message of his love with all people, to include those who consider themselves our enemies (Luke 6:27-36).

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.

 2 Corinthians 5:20

Questions:

God has proven that he is a trustworthy and just judge. Why is it so challenging to release our right to retaliate and trust God to judge justly?

A lack of forgiveness fills our heart with hate and slowly makes no room for love. How have you seen angry hurt your life, and how are you going to release the hate to make room for God’s love?

King Of Endless Worth

There is a lyric in the song “Heart of Worship” that stands out to me every time I hear or sing it. It says,

“King of endless worth, no one could express how much you deserve.”

I get punched in the gut when I think about that one. Because although I don’t like the spotlight all that much, I do like being appreciated, and when I feel like I’m not appreciated, it makes me want to not do whatever it is I was doing that I thought I deserved appreciation for.

But then I turn around and look at God - the God who made me, and then died for me, and now holds me, provides for me, keeps me, doesn’t let go of me, sustains me every second of every day, is endlessly patient with me, infinitely gracious towards me, and loves me with a love I can’t even fathom - and then I think about how I toss him some appreciation on Sunday mornings, and maybe a couple minutes of each day throughout the week in my quiet time. But thats about it.

It doesn’t add up.

I get caught up on my moments of feeling undervalued when my whole life easily undervalues the One I claim it is marked by. Praise God He doesn’t quit on us when we don’t give Him what He deserves.

The rest of the line goes,

“Though I’m weak and poor, all I have is yours, every. single. breath.”

Now THAT adds up.

The right response to this God is worship, which He is worthy of endlessly, and worship is more than a song (like this song says). He deserves every breath He gives me. And that’s just a poetic way of saying that as long as I am breathing, then I’m alive to give God glory. And I can do that anywhere, anytime.

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

The bible puts it as simple as that. So the challenge this week is this:

Glorify God with every breath you have. Worship him when you are eating, cleaning, driving, speaking, thinking, working, relaxing - when you are breathing.

Slow down, be intentional, think about where you could apply this, and then ask the Spirit to help you this week!

He is the King of Endless Worth, and He deserves more than we are giving Him. But praise God He doesn’t give up on us!

Rescued To Love

The Lord’s purpose for rescuing the Israelite people was greater than releasing them from the oppression they experienced under the Egyptians. (Exodus 19:5-6)

He desired to be in a relationship with them and for them to represent him to the nations. To maintain this right relationship with their Redeemer, and to be a people group set apart for a special purpose, the children of Israel had only to obey the rules the Lord gave them.

Obedience to the rules would cause the children of Israel to look completely different from the other nations in their practices. One of the ways they would demonstrate this distinction between God’s people and other people groups was how they valued everyone they encountered.

In Exodus 21:1-32, we see the Lord teaching His children to care well for those who were impoverished, vulnerable and even those who the world would disregard. It didn’t matter the socioeconomic status, gender, age, nationality, etc. Everyone that had anything to do with the nation of Israel was to be treated as an image bearer of the Creator.

While we are no longer under the old covenant, God communicates the same expectation for the people that rescued from the of slavery to sin, through the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus.

He lets us know through 1 Peter 2, that all who have come to Christ are now “a chosen race (people group), a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). And as this set apart people group, the Lord expects us to value all people as well.

We learn in the book of James that we are to show no partiality. We aren’t to treat someone better or worse because of their status. Rather we are to love everyone as Christ loved us. To show partiality is to disobey the voice of the Lord (James 2:8-9). We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. And the Word lets us know how that looks in such passages as Colossians 3:9-17.

We are to have compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, and love towards all. This is not a suggestion that the Lord makes. It is a command for those who have come to Jesus for refuge. We are to shower people liberally and freely with love. This kind of radically different treatment of all people will cause all people to experience a love that is incomprehensible. The Lord has rescued us for a purpose. He wants us to represent him to the world. And we will do that by living love to all, even if the world thinks some don’t deserve it.

QUESTIONS

1. What are some of the things that make it difficult for you to live out love to all people as the Lord commands us to?

2. Think of where God found you and what he has done for you (Ephesians 2:1-10). Who do you need to extend this kind of love towards?

The Living God

Our God is a LIVING God -  not one made and represented by silver and gold, like so many other gods that the Israelite people were aware of. 

Because He is living, He was able to invite the people of Israel to meet with Him, walk with Him, and learn about His character. We’ve seen Him do this continuously throughout the book of Exodus, through the deliverance of the Israelites by the ten plagues, and even after He has brought them out, He continues to prove himself faithful and trustworthy. 

He asks the people to make an altar immediately following the giving of the ten commandments. Why? Because the commandments themselves were a pathway to communion with God, and a demonstration of His grace. The altar would be a tangible location for which this communion could be experienced. 

We can see throughout Scripture that God has always provided his people with atonement for their sin. From Adam and Eve, to Noah after the great flood. 

Verse 24 shows us that this altar was not just to be for the sin offerings of the people to restore communion once a commandment was broken, but for burnt and peace offerings as well–making this directive for the altar an invitation for relationship. 

“In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you…”

Here is a God who has personally made Himself known to His people. He then gives His people instruction to come to Him, and He promises to come to them. 

We see in the New Testament the ultimate display of God’s relational nature, when He gives His Son as the ultimate sacrifice for our sin, creating an eternal pathway to communion with Him. (Romans 3:23-26, John 3:16) 

Because we are God’s people through faith in Jesus, we should be pursuing His presence, and expect to experience all of who He is.

Questions to Consider:

How are you intentionally creating a space where you can go and be in God’s presence?

If God promises to be with us and bless us, how are you experiencing the presence of God and the blessing of being in communion with your Creator?