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A day set aside for Him…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 31:16 The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. 

The Israelites are going from 400 years of constant work every day of the week, to observing the Sabbath, implementing a day of rest. This day of rest is so important to God for the Israelites to observe that He says “… Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people.” (v14). 

Exodus 31:17a It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, 

Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is alive and active….”, comes to mind as I read today’s verses about observing the Sabbath. Rest, these days, is much easier to come by for most. I think what God wants is a day set aside for Him, to touch base with Him, to sit with Him, to listen to Him. Does He want that daily? Yes! But setting aside one day a week dedicated to Him is a great start.

Exodus 31:17b and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’ ”

Precious Savior, Thank You that You want relationship with us, that it is so important to You that You urge us to observe a Sabbath rest. Thank You that we are no longer under the threat of death or banishment if we don’t observe the Sabbath. You don’t want automatons. You know time with You is good for us, and You want that for us. Help us to seek it for ourselves. Amen.

Exodus 31:18 When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.

Have a blessed day. 

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The Urim and the Thummin…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 28:27 Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod. 

Today’s verses sent me on a bit of a deep dive into Urim and Thummin (v30). Turns out, not much is known about them except that they were a way for the high priest to divine the will of God. They are thought to be two stones, one light and one dark, indicating yes or no. 

Exodus 28:28 The rings of the breastpiece are to be tied to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband, so that the breastpiece will not swing out from the ephod.

One commentary suggested that “The High Priest would ask God a question, reach into the breastplate, and pull out either a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’” and that this method was preferable to relying “on feelings, or outward appearances, or to simply use no discernment at all.”

Exodus 28:29 “Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord. 

Precious Savior, My brief look into Urim and Thummin has me stumped this morning. It feels a bit like asking a Magic 8 Ball a question and shaking it to see what it says. And that does not square with who You are and who You are to me. Help me to make sense of Your word, which is alive and active (Heb 4:12), so that I can understand and draw closer. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 28:30 Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.

Have a blessed day. 

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Stay curious…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 28:17 Then mount four rows of precious stones on it. The first row shall be carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; 

A quick Google search tells me what I already suspected: Each row and each stone in today’s reading is symbolic. The stones represent the twelve tribes (v21) and the specific stones each have properties that associate with families within the twelve tribes. 

Exodus 28:18-19 the second row shall be turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; the third row shall be jacinth, agate and amethyst; 

I suspect I could spend quite a lot of time digging into just these verses, these stones, this symbolism if I wanted, and perhaps I will at some point, but today, I am reminded of Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is alive and active….” There is intention and meaning here, layer upon layer of it for any who wish to plumb the depths.

Exodus 28:20 the fourth row shall be topaz, onyx and jasper. Mount them in gold filigree settings. 

Precious Savior, Again I am reminded to “Stay curious” when it comes to Your word. Even as my eyes glaze over with all the specificity, I know that this detail exists for a reason and that by studying it, I can learn more about and draw closer to You. Thank You that Your word is alive and active and that I can learn more of You through the study of Your word. Amen.

Exodus 28:21 There are to be twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

Have a blessed day. 

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God’s word and our agendas…. (devo reflection)

Exodus 21:1 “These are the laws you are to set before them:

Commentary posits that this section of scripture marked a “great moral movement” in slavery among the Hebrew people, but all I can do when I read this is cringe. I am absolutely certain that “good, Christian” slaveholders (an oxymoron to be certain) used these verses to “protect their property” in American history, and it makes me sick to my stomach.

Exodus 21:2 “If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything. 

I sincerely believe that “God’s word is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edge sword…” (Heb 4:12). I believe that where I am in my life influences what I see when I read and study His word. I also believe it is incredibly easy to use the Bible to support our own interpretations and agendas if we aren’t careful, and that, quite honestly, scares me.

Exodus 21:3 If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. 

Precious Savior, I do not want to bend Your word to fit my will, my interpretation, but I think that where I am in life helps me to see things in scripture that I am unable to see at other times. Help me to read and study Your word honestly and earnestly. Help me to draw closer to You, to love others as You love. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 21:4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.

Have a blessed day. 

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Glimpses of God…. (devo reflection)

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“We won’t be shaken….” (devo reflection)

Hebrews 12:26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 

What jumps out at me as I read today’s verses is in verse 27: “… so that what cannot be shaken may remain.” It reminds me of an old Building 429 song, “We won’t be shaken.” A blurb online about the song says it “focuses on the fact that God will protect you in your worst position and we won’t be shaken from all the things happening around us.”

Hebrews 12:27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

I am a firm believer that God holds us securely in the palm of His hands. And when I typed the words above, the image that so clearly came into my mind is one hand firmly below us, one hand firmly over us, protecting us from all sides. In order to do that, we have to be on our knees. It can feel crushing. But we are securely protected. We aren’t crushed. We aren’t destroyed.

Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 

Precious Savior, Thank You for knowing that in our humanity, we are shaken, all the time. Thank You that Your hand of protection surrounds us, bringing us to our knees so You can cover us. Thank You that even when we fear, even when we rage, even when we don’t understand, You are in control and You are holding us. Amen.

Hebrews 12:29 for our “God is a consuming fire.”

Have a blessed day.

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Choices…. (devo reflection)

Hebrews 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 

Yesterday’s verses were a reminder of the terrible place they were NOT. Today’s verses are a look at Mount Zion, where they are: City of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem. Thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly. The church of the firstborn. The spirits of the righteous made perfect.

Hebrews 12:23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 

However, arrival at Mount Zion is not a guarantee. Verse 25 tells us, “See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks.” We have choices, and we can choose poorly. But we can’t say we didn’t know.

Hebrews 12:24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for Your Word, for Your encouragement, for Your reminder of the choices we have. Help me to choose You again and again and again. Amen.

Hebrews 12:25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?

Have a blessed day.

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Maximum contrast…. (devo reflection)

Hebrews 12:18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm;  

As the image in today’s verses gets progressively more bleak, I have to keep coming back to verse 18: “You have NOT come to….” This is NOT the reality of where you are. These verses are set up for contrast, and they seem to provide maximum contrast pretty effectively.

Hebrews 12:19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them,

This terrifying place of burning and fire, of darkness, gloom, and storm, of trumpet blasts and begging and terror–this is NOT where you are. “You have not come to….” Thank You, Jesus, because this place sounds terrifying.

Hebrews 12:20 because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” 

Precious Savior, Thank You for using contrast to so effectively show us where we are not. The mountain You describe sounds terrifying. Thank You that with You, that is not where we are. Help us to stay far, far from that horror. Amen.

Hebrews 12:21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”

Have a blessed day.

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Focusing on Jesus…. (devo reflection)

Hebrews 12:14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 

God’s stepping on my toes hard with verses 14 & 15. That bitter root seems to be growing out of control at the moment. Everything feels personal and petty. As you would imagine, it’s a great headspace to hang out in.

Hebrews 12:15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 

The devo I read each morning contained this gem today: “As your circumstances consume more and more of your attention, you are losing sight of Me. Yet I am always with you….” I allow myself to be consumed by my circumstances, by the everyday pettiness that is just a part of life, and I forget that Jesus is right there with me. I become bitter about the inconvenience instead of being thankful for my Savior’s presence.

Hebrews 12:16 See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. 

Precious Savior, Forgive me for my shortsightedness. Forgive me for allowing the chaos and pettiness of life to consume my focus and attention. Thank You that You are with me always. Help me to focus on You instead of all the little annoyances of life. Amen.

Hebrews 12:17 Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.

Have a blessed day.

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Even as we stumble along…. (devo reflection)

Hebrews 12:11a No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful…. 

Precious Savior, Help us to lean into Your word, to look and listen for You, to seek and see You on every page. Help us to strengthen our feeble arms and weak knees by carrying out Your word to the best of our ability every day.

Hebrews 12:11b …Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Loving Father, Help us remember that we are Your deeply, fiercely, completely loved children, that You love us so much that You lay down Your life for us. When we are stung by Your discipline, help us to remember that it is training us, leading us, guiding us so that we can live a more godly life for You.

Hebrews 12:12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 

Heavenly Father, Thank You that Your word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Help us, even as we stumble along, even when the path is steep or rocky or seemingly insurmountable, to know that You are with us, guiding us, protecting us, loving us. Always. Amen.

Hebrews 12:13 “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

Have a blessed day.