Leadership and leprosy

Today: Numbers 11-13

Today's passage had a lot of interesting things to read, think and write about. I could choose to write about Joshua and Caleb's excursion to the Promised Land--I've heard lots of sermons on that. I could talk about God's provision of quail to His people--another interesting part of the passage. But I thought I'd write about a strange part of the passage I've never heard anyone teach about before--when Moses' sister was cursed with leprosy.

Let's take another peek at the story:

Miriam and Aaron talked against Moses behind his back

because of his Cushite wife (he had married a Cushite woman).

They said, "Is it only through Moses that God speaks? Doesn't he also speak through us?"

God overheard their talk.
Now the man Moses was a quietly humble man,

more so than anyone living on Earth.

God broke in suddenly on Moses and Aaron and Miriam saying,

"Come out, you three, to the Tent of Meeting." The three went out.

God descended in a Pillar of Cloud and stood at the entrance to the Tent.

He called Aaron and Miriam to him.

When they stepped out, he said,

"Listen carefully to what I'm telling you.

If there is a prophet of God among you,

I make myself known to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams.

But I don't do it that way with my servant Moses;

he has the run of my entire house;

I speak to him intimately, in person, in plain talk without riddles:

He ponders the very form of God.

So why did you show no reverence or respect

in speaking against my servant, against Moses?

The anger of God blazed out against them. And then he left.
When the Cloud moved off from the Tent, oh! Miriam had turned leprous, her skin like snow.

This is a weird story. First of all, we don't know everything Miriam and Aaron were exactly saying about Moses or his wife. Secondly, I think it was strange that Miriam--only Miriam--was cursed with leprosy. Why not Aaron, too?

Here are a few of the things we do know: God's just. God hears, sees and knows everything. Miriam and Aaron were not only Moses' siblings, they were also leaders. God grants authority to leaders and wants people to respect authority He has established.

Another thing we learn from this story? God doesn't avoid confrontation. In fact, in this passage, God demonstrated the value of straight-up communication--by talking with Miriam and Aaron directly, He addressed His concerns and challenged their thinking.

To some extent, He may have been modeling the behavior He wanted them to follow (see Matthew 18:15-17). Instead of gossipping and griping behind Moses' back, as leaders, Miriam and Aaron should have gone to Moses directly to address their concerns (if they had anything legitimate)--with a spirit of love and a desire to resolve differences and maintain unity (for their sake and for the sake of the people they led together). My gut (and some of the context of this passage) tells me that their backbiting really came out of jealousy--perhaps more Miriam's jealously than Aaron's. Maybe that's why He delivered the mysterious consequence of (temporary) leprosy to Miriam alone.

I don't know if the last few sentences are true--only God knows our motives. Maybe that's one of the key take-aways from today's strange story: God knows our hearts. How we think and speak about people--in this case, leaders--matters to Him.

Tomorrow: Numbers 14-15

Gifts and dedication

Today: Numbers 7

Have you ever given (or received) a gift given out of obligation?

Gifts given from a sense of "I'm supposed to do this" are not fun for the giver or the receiver. There's no heart in them.

Like you and I, God likes to receive gifts given out of dedication. In this passage, a literal dedication (of the Tent of Meeting) was taking place. After the gifts were given according to His expectations, God showed up and talked with Moses.

Throughout the Bible, God celebrated people who gave gifts out of dedication--people like Jacob who built an altar to God, the wise men who honored Jesus after His birth, the widow who gave her last coins, and the woman who anointed Jesus with perfume before His death.

These givers gave different amounts. But they gave gifts not out of obligation, but dedication--out of LOVE.

Tomorrow: Numbers 8-10

Love God. Love people. That's it.

Today: Exodus 19-21


"Love God. Love people. That's it."


I remember hearing this quote for the first time at Trinity Western University, the Christian college I attended. It was always attributed to Professor Paul Hughes, a Religious Studies professor there. I don't know how I heard it because I never took a class from him. I tried to Google the quote today to determine its origination. Interestingly enough, the most frequently identified speaker was none other than my future husband...uh...Hillsong United's Joel Houston. :) But whoever said it paraphrased Jesus Himself when He discussed the two greatest commandments (see Matthew 22).

The quote seems so simple...but how does it connect to the ten commandments we read about in today's passage?

Leave it to another Trinity prof (I think it was Dr. Martin Abegg...) to point out the fact that all of the ten commandments tie back to one of these two "greatest commandments." If you're really loving people, for example, you're not murdering, lying or stealing from them. Likewise, if you really love God, you don't worship any other gods (people, things or ideas that are contradictory to Him). You honor God by spending time talking with Him and learning about Him (keeping the Sabbath).

Sometimes people overcomplicate what it means to live for God. They get legalistic. Rigid. But Jesus encouraged people to come to Him as little children. I have yet to meet one rigid kid. :) Kids jump on people (and things). They have fun. They get messy. They ask questions. They laugh.

To be fair, I do believe that God deserves our highest respect and honor--even in this passage, He proclaimed death for people who disobeyed Him. However, ultimately, God is love. He wants us to get to know Him and to love Him with all our hearts--and He wants us to love others. That's it.

Tomorrow: Exodus 22-24

The staff strikes again

Today: Exodus 16-18

Are you ever amazed by people who use regular things in creative ways?

If you've ever seen a Food Network special on cake decorating, you know what I'm talking about. Chefs take sugar or chocolate and construct absolute masterpieces. They build edible sky-high castles with working moats and bridges. They construct colorful parrots and giraffes out of sugar. These designers challenge the status quo thinking of what seems possible...using things found in most homes across America.

In today's passage, God uses Moses and his simple shepherds' staff to perform some miracles once again. Moses struck a rock with the staff--and water miraculously appeared. At another point in the story, God helps the Israelites defeat an enemy in battle, as long as Moses' staff is raised. These are two different uses for the same staff--both different from how the staff was used before.

As I read today, I thought about the "What is in your hand?" post and passage earlier this week. God is creative enough to continually use the same tool in multiple ways. If you used something "in your hand" a few years ago, it doesn't mean you're done. God may want you to use that tool again...and perhaps in a completely different way. I think our role in the process is to look at the "tools" we have, remain openhearted, listen to God's direction and obey. He's the creative Master who can use the "ordinary" in extraordinary ways.

Tomorrow: Exodus 19-21

The chase...and the path to promise

Today: Exodus 13-15



God keeps His promises. It's a common theme I've definitely seen so far throughout this project and reading the Bible together. But today's passage illustrated how sometimes the path toward a promise fulfilled can look a bit different than most human beings would like...in fact, it can look frightening.


Today we read about the Israelites' escape from Egypt and how God miraculously parted the Red Sea. That's what most people remember most about the story. I've heard, read and seen it a hundred times (hello, Charlton Heston and "The Ten Commandments" movie!). Usually, I focus on the miracle. It's pretty amazing, right?


However, I think some lessons from this passage are not about the miraculous parting of the Red Sea. I think we could probably learn something about God (and ourselves) from the Egyptians' terrifying chase through the desert.

God promised His people that they would be set free, loaded up with riches from Egypt and led to the Promised Land. He promised to be with them. They were thrilled to be on the path toward a promise fulfilled. Things happened just as God said--they were released by Pharaoh and loaded down with treasures from the Egyptians.

Then something changed...Pharaoh's mind. His army of skilled soldiers and battle equipment charged into the desert after the Israelites. (I don't know about you, but I would be horrified if an army of trained soldiers surrounded my defenseless family!) The Israelites had their children with them. They felt trapped--they felt that Moses and God duped them. They were scared and angry, too.

But God never promised the Israelites (or us, for that matter!) that the path toward His promises would be easy. It may look scary at moments--totally different than what we ever wanted or imagined, but it could be a path that leads us to a miracle.

Remember this: Before the Red Sea, there was a chase. The path toward promise isn't always paved...but God's Presence is always there.


Tomorrow: Exodus 16-18

What is in your hand?

Today: Exodus 4-6

There are some things you hear, see and read that can totally shape or change your life.

For me, one of those pivotal messages came while I was in high school from my pastor, Kevin Gerald. I think the message was titled, "What is in your hand?" (if not, that's how I remember it anyway!).

It was a message based on today's passage. Once again, Moses has several "Why did you pick me, God?" moments (like we discussed yesterday). But here's part of the conversation we'll talk about today:

Moses objected, "They won't trust me.

They won't listen to a word I say.

They're going to say, 'God? Appear to him? Hardly!'"
So God said, "What's that in your hand?"

"A staff."
"Throw it on the ground."

He threw it.

It became a snake; Moses jumped back—fast!
God said to Moses, "Reach out and grab it by the tail."

He reached out and grabbed it—

and he was holding his staff again.

"That's so they will trust that God appeared to you,

the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
God then said, "Put your hand inside your shirt."

He slipped his hand under his shirt, then took it out.

His hand had turned leprous, like snow.
He said, "Put your hand back under your shirt."

He did it, then took it back out—as healthy as before.

I won't even attempt to recreate the message of my pastor or any other great leaders who have taught on this passage. But I'll highlight a few of the things that stood out to me today:

• God asked Moses, "What is in your hand?"
  It's a really simple question...and I wonder if God continually asks it to people throughout the world today. God has a purpose for each life He's created--and He's equipped all of us for that purpose. If you know what your life's purpose is, maybe you should ask yourself the question to determine how you can get started on it. And if you don't know exactly what your purpose is, ask the question anyway--it might help you to figure out what your purpose is.
  
• Moses' staff was in his hand.
  To Moses (a guy used to working with sheep), a staff was a tool that he used everyday. It was ordinary. It was probably something he didn't view as valuable or significant. What are the things like that in your world? Maybe they're not things...but skills you have, something about your background, a hobby...something you've got that you probably don't even notice most of the time?
  
• God gave not one, but two signs for Moses--more than Moses asked for. That says something (pretty cool!) about who God is.
  
• God used what was in Moses' hand...but he also used the hand itself. This makes me think of a few things--sometimes God will use not what have you have, but who you are. I also thought that it could signify that sometimes we're called to put ourselves (literally) on the line...not just our money, skills or intelligence--but our lives, our time, our bodies--to go after what God calls us to.

Tomorrow: Exodus 7-9

Why did you pick me, God?

Today: Exodus 1-3


Have you ever had one of those moments when you absolutely knew you were supposed to do something...but you had doubts at the same time?

You may have thought that the task was so important that someone else should complete it...someone else with more experience, talent, brains, time or influence. You may have thought that the task was important, but wondered, "Does it need to happen now? Or would it be better if I took the 'wait and see' approach? Things happen for a reason, right?" Right?

But the feeling in your gut won't just go away...maybe because it's God at work. And if is, it's better to listen.

In today's passage, Moses had a "Why did you pick me, God?" moment when God asked him to talk to Pharaoh. Let's take a look:

Moses answered God, "But why me?

What makes you think that I could ever

go to Pharaoh and lead the children of Israel out of Egypt?"

"I'll be with you," God said.

"And this will be the proof that I am the one who sent you:

When you have brought my people out of Egypt,

you will worship God right here at this very mountain."

Then Moses said to God,

"Suppose I go to the People of Israel and I tell them,

'The God of your fathers sent me to you';

and they ask me, 'What is his name?' What do I tell them?"

God said to Moses, "I-AM-WHO-I-AM.

Tell the People of Israel, 'I-AM sent me to you.'"

God continued with Moses: "This is what you're to say to the Israelites:

'God, the God of your fathers,

the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob sent me to you.'

This has always been my name, and this is how I always will be known..."

I love how the Bible has some very real people. I mean, Moses was hearing the voice of God from a burning bush for goodness' sake--and he still had doubts. God's response is amazing, though--He promised to be with Moses and He even gave Moses the words to say.

I think God's response to Moses is really the same response He offers when He calls us to do something. So if you think that feeling in your heart is God (and it's aligned with what His Word says), then rest in the fact that He will be with you...and can help give you the right words to say and the steps to take to tackle your challenge.

Tomorrow: Exodus 4-6