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Calling me to task…. (devo reflection)

Leviticus 10:13 Eat it in the sanctuary area, because it is your share and your sons’ share of the food offerings presented to the Lord; for so I have been commanded.

I was reminded this morning that Jeremiah 29:14 reads, “I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.” So not only does God want us to earnestly seek Him instead of snarkily judging others, but also, if we do earnestly seek Him, not only will we find Him, but He will rescue us from our judgy ways.

Leviticus 10:14 But you and your sons and your daughters may eat the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented. Eat them in a ceremonially clean place; they have been given to you and your children as your share of the Israelites’ fellowship offerings.

I honestly didn’t expect for God to use these verses in Leviticus to call me to task for my terrible tendency to judge, but here we are. And here’s the rub: Judging others is incredibly easy. I know I’m not the only one who makes a snarky comment when something isn’t done the way I would do it or the way I think it ought to be done. It’s so easy and such a dangerous slippery slope.

Leviticus 10:15 The thigh that was presented and the breast that was waved must be brought with the fat portions of the food offerings, to be waved before the Lord as a wave offering. This will be the perpetual share for you and your children, as the Lord has commanded.”

Precious Savior, Thank You for calling me to task about my tendency to judge others. Thank You for the reminder that that tendency is my pride talking and my pride will separate me from You every single time. Help me draw closer to You always. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Leviticus 10:16 When Moses inquired about the goat of the sin offering and found that it had been burned up, he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, and asked,

Have a blessed day.

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With all our hearts…. (devo reflection)

Leviticus 10:8-9 Then the Lord said to Aaron, “You and your sons are not to drink wine or other fermented drink whenever you go into the tent of meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, 

Commentary on today’s verses is very judgy towards churches who use wine in their communion, which instantly gives me “the ick.” God’s purpose is to draw His people closer, not to have Bible scholars cast judgement. I honestly don’t think He would approve of the jab.

Leviticus 10:10 so that you can distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean, 

Jeremiah 29:13 comes to mind again as I ponder my reading today: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” God wants us to earnestly seek Him–not get snarky and judge others. He wants us to draw closer to Him. That will only happen when we seek Him with all our hearts, which we can’t do when we are making snide comments about others. 

Leviticus 10:11 and so you can teach the Israelites all the decrees the Lord has given them through Moses.”

Precious Savior, It can be so easy to devolve into judging and snideness, especially when we are busy talking about how others are missing the “Good Christian” mark. Help us to focus on You with our whole hearts, to try to draw closer to You so that we can worship You well, to love others and not judge, assuming that they are doing their best to draw closer, too. Help us, Jesus. Amen.

Leviticus 10:12 Moses said to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the grain offering left over from the food offerings prepared without yeast and presented to the Lord and eat it beside the altar, for it is most holy.

Have a blessed day. 

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Not for selfish gain…. (devo reflection)

Leviticus 4:8 He shall remove all the fat from the bull of the sin offering—all the fat that is connected to the internal organs, 

Commentary says of this section, “All selfish motives had to be removed in the sin offering.” The one bringing the sin offering could not partake of the sacrifice in any capacity, driving home the point that the sin offering was solely and specifically to atone for sin and not for any personal gain. 

Leviticus 4:9 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys— 

That philosophy makes perfect sense. How often do we see people acting out of the hope for selfish gain. God wants our whole hearts (Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”) He doesn’t want seconds or selfish motives.

Leviticus 4:10 just as the fat is removed from the ox sacrificed as a fellowship offering. Then the priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering. 

Precious Savior, Forgive me when I come to You with motives that are less than pure. Help me to desire a closer relationship with You not for personal gain but only so that I can know You better and praise You more. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Leviticus 4:11-12 But the hide of the bull and all its flesh, as well as the head and legs, the internal organs and the intestines—that is, all the rest of the bull—he must take outside the camp to a place ceremonially clean, where the ashes are thrown, and burn it there in a wood fire on the ash heap.

Have a blessed day. 

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But what can I do? (devo reflection)

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Even when my heart is breaking…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 29:15 You may say, “The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,”   

Seventy years in exile doesn’t sound like a picnic, but God has told the exiles that He wants them to live–marry, have children, build houses, encourage the children to marry and have children–to become a part of life in exile. He tells them that He will hear them when they pray, they will find Him when they seek Him faithfully. They are in exile, but He is still with them.

Jeremiah 29:16 but this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all the people who remain in this city, your fellow citizens who did not go with you into exile—

However, those left behind, those not in exile, will face sword, famine, and plague. They will be made abhorrent to the kings on earth. Even though at first blush exile seems like a punishment, in light of today’s verses, it definitely seems the better option.

Jeremiah 29:17 yes, this is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will send the sword, famine and plague against them and I will make them like figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten.

Lord, When I am focused on the disappointment of my plans, it is hard for me to think about Your plan and the things you might be protecting me from, saving me from, by not allowing my plans to come to fruition. It’s hard to thank You for my broken dreams. But I know You love me–deeply, fiercely, eternally. I know You want Your best for me. Help me to trust You always, even when my heart is breaking. Amen.

Jeremiah 29:18 I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse and an object of horror, of scorn and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them. 

Have a blessed day.

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Even though…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

The overarching message I get from Jeremiah 29 thus far is that even though God has sent the Israelites into exile, even though He has said He will leave them there for 70 years, He isn’t abandoning them. He doesn’t want them miserable. He isn’t inaccessible to them.

Jeremiah 29:14a I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.

Even though He has sent them away, He hasn’t turned His back on them. He wants them to marry, have children, become a part of the community. He wants them to seek Him, to pray to Him. Even though this move is not what the Israelites want, it is part of God’s master plan. They can trust Him. He is with them even now.

Jeremiah 29:14b …I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord,

Lord, I struggle with so much in this text–the need for people to be exiled, the length of the exile, the fact that You tell them to wait, for 70 years, in joyful hope, giving their all each day. What I don’t struggle with is that You are still with them. You still love them deeply. You still listen to their prayers. Help me to cling to what I know–Your deep and abiding love. Help me to trust. Amen.

Jeremiah 29:14c …“and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

Have a blessed day.

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Clinging to His promises…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 29:10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.  

Verses 11, 12, and 13 have always filled me with such hope and joy, but verse 10 sure is a conversation stopper, isn’t it? My humanity gets caught up on the reality of seventy years–SEVENTY YEARS–in exile.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

In His sovereignty, this news is positive because it is truth–this exile won’t be quick as false prophets claim, but there will be an end. And even in exile, even though all that is familiar is far away, God still has a plan for them, He still hears them when they pray, He is still present if they seek Him with all their hearts.

Jeremiah 29:12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 

Lord, There is so much that I don’t understand, but I trust You. I don’t like the idea of separation, but I recognize that there are things that I do that push me away from You. I don’t like waiting, but I know that my timing and Your timing are not the same. I don’t like pain and heartache, but I know that I am limited by my earthly understanding. Help me to remember that Your thoughts are nothing like my thoughts, and Your ways are far beyond anything I can imagine (Isaiah 55:8). Help me to cling to Your promises. Amen.

Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 

Have a blessed day.

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God says wait…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 29:7a Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile….

Everything about this passage seems to reinforce the idea that God says wait. The exiles are told to, essentially, get comfortable, settle in, make the best of it where they are. They are instructed to pray that their home in exile prospers because if it does, they will, too.

Jeremiah 29:7b …Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

That seems a pretty hard pill to swallow. But underlying all of this instruction is an unspoken promise from God: I am with you. I have a plan for you. If you trust and obey, you will prosper. Trust Me. Trust Me. Trust Me.

Jeremiah 29:8 Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have.

Lord, It is so incredibly difficult when I want to live big, dream big, and you tell me to wait and to trust. Help me to live joyfully this day, exactly where You have me. Help me to trust in Your sovereignty, Your mercy, Your love and goodness. Give me peace like a river as I wait in joyful hope for You. Amen.

Jeremiah 29:9 They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.

Have a blessed day.

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Content in this day…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 29:4 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:  

When I want something, I am afraid I can get a little Veruca Salt about it (think Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Hands on hips, stomping foot, “I want it NOW!”) Can’t we all? However, we don’t always get what we want (cue the Rolling Stones), and in today’s scripture, the exiles certainly didn’t get their first choice.

Jeremiah 29:5 “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.

I feel pretty certain that they would not have chosen to live in exile, building, settling, planting, harvesting, consuming, marrying, having and raising children to marry off so that they too can repeat the cycle. All of this in exile. But God has a plan.

Jeremiah 29:6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters.

Precious Savior, Forgive me when I get so invested in my own plan that Yours seems like an inconvenience. Help me to trust You, always, even when it’s not what I want. Help me to never forget Your deep abiding love for me. Help me to be content in this day exactly where you have me. Amen.

Jeremiah 29:6b …Increase in number there; do not decrease.

Have a blessed day.

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On weariness and choices…. (devo reflection)

Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 
Weary is a good description today. I haven’t slept well in two days, I’m behind on my grading (no surprise), and I got up early (because I couldn’t sleep anyway) only to find that I can’t grade because the internet is down. And it’s only Wednesday.
Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 
But I know I have a choice. I can devolve into a temper tantrum of 2-year-old proportions, or I can turn to Jesus. I can lament the things I can’t check off my list this morning, or I can draw closer to Him.
Isaiah 40:31 But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. 
Jesus, I am weary. This morning isn’t going at all the way I planned. Help me to choose You instead of frustration. Help me to draw closer to You instead of falling apart. Help me to find rest in Your presence. Amen.
Jeremiah 31:25 For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.” 
Have a blessed day.