Numbers 10:30 - Hobab, Moses brother-in-law, wanted God and Moses to leave him alone. Not going with you Moses! I'm going home to my own country, to my own family. There are people in your life who when you invite them into your life with God, it stirs up in them places they don't want to go. You touch places inside of them they don't want to face. Sometimes I think that the problem is me but their resistance really shows that their problem is with their God and I'm just the agent at the ticket station. "Get up, God. Chase my enemies to the hills.." Open my eyes to see that when I stir things up in people, I need to enter my own Rest. "Rest with us, God. Stay with us." And how do I find that kind of Rest when my world resists me so. Help me God not to self destruct. "For without You, what am I to myself but the Leader of my own destruction?" (Augustine). Wonder what you stir up in people? And what stirs up inside of you as you listen to God and others?
Bev, thank you for the insight you picked up on during today's read.
ReplyDeleteWhat stirs up in me...I know for sure Only God's Holy Presence in my life is my true desire. Now, Sylvia you must be in denial, I say to myself as I realize I became Hobab as recent as last night.
God has instructed me on what foods I need to consume to remain healthy which are always available, but it is my choice (free will). I knew God had called Les and me to attend our dear friend's birthday celebration dinner last night. As we arrived for this small dinner for 9 party among other activities, I wanted to enjoy the food and not feel denied of the full pleasure. God even placed another Siesta there to show me what to select from the dinner buffet and how to enjoy the birthday cake etc and still feel satisfied by the full pleasure in everything at this event.
In retrospect I realized I missed a huge blessing as I became the Leader of my own Destruction with several of my food choices last night.
Thank you LORD for this morning a fresh new day; I pray for Elohim to stir up an intense desire in me to live in Your Presence and a willingness to immediately obey your instructions. Forgive my rebellion.
Thank you Bev and Siestas for the reminder to constantly Seek His Presence then immediately obey.
"They camped at God's command and they marched at God's command. They lived obediently by God's orders as delivered by Moses." Obedience... It is so clear-cut. Just do the right thing. It is a choice to be obedient. They didn't stop to think about (or pray about) whether they were going to be obedient or not. They just camped or marched. May every Word that comes out of my mouth today be obedient to Christ. It sounds easy, but I still have to be intentional about it.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice Monday, girlfriends. Let's keep following His directions and touch the life of someone who may not know Him like we do. Let's be His light!
Much love,
Angie xoxo
This Song Sylvia must Sing:
ReplyDeleteAng,
You said it so well...thoughts I had too just too much for me to write. Valentine Birthday Girl in MI you are a huge blessing in my life.
The Israelites were obedient - when God said march, they did, when He said camp, they did - obedience brings life and blessing not death and curses.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read these verses from Chapter 10: 29 Moses said to his brother-in-law Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, "We're marching to the place about which God promised, 'I'll give it to you.' Come with us; we'll treat you well. God has promised good things for Israel."
30 But Hobab said, "I'm not coming; I'm going back home to my own country, to my own family."
Two things I take with me this morning. Moses' knew God so intimately he had no doubt about his future because he trusted God's promises. He asked of God when he planned. "Give me some time; I'll find out what God says in your circumstances." God will reveal what we are to do. Sometimes, all we need is some time with Him and to ask.
ReplyDeleteThe other morsel this morning was the closing words of Moses--a morning and evening prayer I have not prayed before:
"Get up, God! Put down your enemies!
Chase those who hate you to the hills! And when the Chest was set down, he would say,
Rest with us, God,
Stay with the many,
Many thousands of Israel.
Angie, your prayer is absolute and pure and devoted. "May every word that comes out of my mouth be obedient to Christ." Doesn't sound easy at all, but shows your faith in Him and His promises.
Sylvia, you make an important point for me today-God has instructed, but it is our choice and we have plenty of opportunities to fall short. God honors your heart's desire for His holy presence so beautifully.
Annette, thank you for the reminder that the magnitude of "obedience brings life and blessing" is all through these pages--His holy presence. Pastor Gregg said yesterday, "Delayed obedience is disobedience." Not only are we to obey but we are to march when He says march!
Bev, Augustine's quote is haunting me this morning as my own reality this morning. "The leader of my own destruction"--You are the agent at the ticket station again for me. God uses your pure, intentional heart for Him to stir the deep places inside others. You not only stir places within that aren't in line with Him, but you fan to a flame those embers of His Spirit that needed igniting within me. Your question requires a lifetime of opportunity and reflection (I need to enter my own rest...how do I find that kind of Rest when my world resists me so?)
Each of you add so much to the readings each day. I love gleaning my own treasures, and coming to read comments after and seeing another bounty to imprint on my heart.
Happy Monday. We have a clean slate to start fresh and be His Light.
This spoke to me from the section on Numbers in 66LL:
ReplyDelete"You will experience terrible failure and crushing conflict on the road that leads to where I'm taking you, but it is the right road even when it feels like it's killing you."
I am the little lamp throwing light back to the front of the Lampstand. It is very dark here inside this holy place. Death overwhelms me here in this Holy place. Christ is my substitution and He is my illumination.
Gosh, it seems so simple as I read the words in Numbers 9. When the Cloud descended, they camped. When the Cloud lifted, they marched. "They lived obediently by God's orders as delivered by Moses." It doesn't seem that simple in my life, but it is. It's me that complicates things. Trust and obey, Cici. Trust and obey.
ReplyDeleteBev, your post really has me thinking. There are certain people in my life who I bring out the WORST in, just by being who God has made me. Your observation about being the agent at the ticket station hit me.
My relationship with my older sister - a fellow believer - is broken, seemingly beyond repair, and causes great pain for my parents. I don't know what to do as she won't respond to my requests to talk and try to resolve it. Her resentment of me goes back to our childhood, but I struggle with how to be okay with this broken relationship that I can't control. I want to resolve this but I can't do that alone. I do need to enter my own Rest. Yet how do I "find that kind of Rest when my world resists me"?
Honestly, I'm at the point that I don't even like my sister and don't really want to be friends with her. My tears are over how much I know this mess must break God's heart, not to mention being a terrible witness to those around us. Ugh. So I press on, wondering how God will work things out with her, wondering what my next step of obedience is and will I take it.
Sorry, Bev. Your post just brought all of this up again in my heart and mind. Love you.
Annette, Thank you Annette for your kind words. (And I love reading the encouraging words you guys write to each other!) I don't even remember writing about the ticket agent. Wondered what you were talking about? LOL. Had to go back and read my post. My short-term memory on these cancer meds is sporadic. I watched the playoff basketball games on Saturday that meant so much--- or so I thought--- and couldn't remember who won the girls game. It's hard! It is very meaningful to me to read your comments and hear what lingers for you. You make me want to fall forward every day. Love you and deeply appreciate this little journey together!
ReplyDeletePS - every time I wash my hands (which is a lot with cancer) I think of your comment about running water being clean and wonder if I'm dealing with my stuff that moment? More taken with: Holiness or comfort? Holiness or deliverance? Holiness or happiness?
Cici, oohh! If we were all honest, there are people in our lives that we don't want to be friends with---not interested. Me included. Are there big people and little people in my life? We can walk away from friends but relatives... I just know this that you will wrestle and win and move in to love whatever that looks like. You will deal with the unholiness of your own heart as God brings it up. You are letting Him do His work. 2Thes 1:11 may God fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. I keep thinking about Joseph and how he waited on God when he got out of prison to right the wrongs with his family. He had all the resources to go after them and make something happen. Joseph let years go by and carried the hurt in his heart naming his children after the wrestles of his heart. Psalm 27:13-14 - I would have despaired unless I had believed I would see the Goodness of God...wait o my soul on God and not on any man. I don't know Cici---no answers from me over here on the other side of town. Just a broken heart along with you that I've thought that I was a little better than my relatives who have so "missed" me. What do I want more than the Love of Christ? Longing to live with you broken before Him, not better, not bitter. And I do believe HE is stirring up a whole lot of good in you and through you. He's been doing that for a good while!
ReplyDeleteCici,
ReplyDeleteI had a broken relationship with my sister. We couldn't even talk with each other. It was rooted in our both thinking we were doing the right thing.
I went through Beth Moore's beautiful Bible study, John the Beloved, and God starting healing my heart. I wanted to heal our relationship.
I sent an Easter Lily to her through the florist at Easter and the card said simply,
I'm sorry. I love you. Pray with me that our relationship will be healed.
We healed in God's timing and we are two hearts united now. She was with me through my own hard times and I stood by her when her only son died at the age of 24.
May God breathe LIFE and FORGIVENESS into your hearts and minds by His Work of Glory.
And my heart breaks with yours. I wish you Shalom.
Cici, I am the older sister in our family. I too suffer a broken relationship with my sister. We've never been close. I am not blessed though in the respect that she is not saved. We were close for a time while mama was in a nursing home, once mama died the bond was broken. She is in a very hard place right now and we have virtullay no contact. I understand your heart ache and break....I will pray for you and for your sister. God has heard your prayer and He will answer in His time and in His way. Just look to Him and keep your focus on Him and He will answer your prayers concerning your sister. Blessings...
ReplyDeleteReading your responses from yesterday, again stir the Holy Spirit within me. Sylvia, I am still praying the prayer you prayed Monday Morning, "Thank you LORD for this morning a fresh new day; I pray for Elohim to stir up an intense desire in me to live in Your Presence and a willingness to immediately obey your instructions. Forgive my rebellion."
ReplyDeleteThe Israelites obedience thus far in our readings, still amazing me. I love the saying, Delayed obedience is disobedience. How I am encouraged by this simple truth.
Friends, thank you so much for your encouraging words. They're such comfort to my soul.
ReplyDeleteMy emotions are all over the map, depending on the day, but daily I choose to trust God with my sister and with what He's doing in me. I continue to put my hope in God, not in my sister changing her mind about me. Intellectually, I KNOW that all things are possible with God, but this one seems like it'll take a miracle. So that's what I pray for.
Thank you, thank you for your prayers and encouragement. I appreciate them more than I can express.
Love,
Cici