He can't forget you

Today: Isaiah 49-53

"You probably don't remember me, but..."

Have you ever said those words? Or heard them directed toward you?

Imagine that you said those words to a person I'll refer to as a "Crush from Afar"? What would you want him/her to say to you?

I don't know about you, but I've had a few of those guys in my life. In college, there was one guy who I liked from a distance--he was really cute and friends who knew him raved, "He's just the NICEST guy!" I knew that he was a musician, that he attended Bible study regularly and that he was funny. The problem? He hadn't really met me...ever.

Imagine my surprise when he showed up on my doorstep. He appeared out of nowhere at an open house my roommates and I hosted during our senior year. I still don't know why he came...he wasn't really friends with any of my roommates or with me (obviously). In fact, the roommate who opened the door was so surprised that she exclaimed, "Whoa! Hi!"...and then proceeded to shut the door, leaving my Crush From Afar dumbfounded on the doorstep. She came inside and grabbed one of our other roommates.

"You'll never guess who's here--MIKE SMITH!" (Not his real name.)

"Well did you let him in?!?" said the ever-calm, rational roommate.

"Uh-oh..."

This story was very dramatic for me and my roommates at the time (and I'm not even giving you all the details here). But I doubt that my Crush From Afar would even remember this incident...or me...at all.

I thought my Crush was one of the most amazing guys on a small college campus. There were other girls who were much prettier, smarter and funnier. Why would he have time for me? Why would he know my name? I didn't expect him to and I still don't.

And as much as I'd like my former Crush From Afar to remember me, it's WAY more important...and pretty stinkin' miraculous...that God remembers me.

In comparison, God is SO MUCH more amazing than that my former crush. And He's one God with a zillion people clamoring for His attention and affection. Yet somehow, He remembers me...and you, too, of course. Take a look at this:

Can a mother forget the infant at her breast,

walk away from the baby she bore?

But even if mothers forget,

I'd never forget you—

never.

Look, I've written your names on the backs of my hands...

My pastor once read this passage to our congregation and asked, "Did you know that God has a tattoo?" I had read the verses above before, but picturing God with a tattoo that reminded Him of me seemed so much more vivid. Tattoos are painful...and pretty permanent (God's definitely is!).

Later in the passage, this beautiful excerpt describes more of the mark you and I left on our Savior--and how those bruises and scars are the permanent evidence of God's love for us. He can't forget you. No matter what:

He took the punishment, and that made us whole.

Through his bruises we get healed.

We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost.

We've all done our own thing, gone our own way.

And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him.
He was beaten, he was tortured,

but he didn't say a word.

Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered and like a sheep being sheared,

he took it all

in silence...

Still, it's what God had in mind all along,

to crush him with pain.

The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin

so that he'd see life come from it—

life, life, and more life.

And God's plan will deeply prosper through him.

Tomorrow: Isaiah 54-58

Remember the road

Today: Deuteronomy 8-10

I've never been a fan of cheesy inspirational posters. You know, the kind with a picture of a country road and big type at the bottom that says something like "Vision." Typically, I also avoid cliche inspirational comparisons like, "Life is a journey." However, perhaps some things are cliche because they communicate ideas in way most people can tangibly relate to.

If I were to describe life as a journey, I would say that sometimes the road has serious potholes--the kind you can drive over in a small car (like my faithful-since-college Ford Focus) and wonder, "How did I not lose my tire in that?" The road of your life may have some fatal collisions, traffic, dead possums and dog poo (did I really just type that?!?). However, it might also have kind drivers who help you change your flat tire on the side of the road in the rain. It may have police officers who help you navigate some rough spots. Sometimes you might be in the carpool lane with some pretty amazing people. And at times, it may feel like you're driving in the sun on a freshly paved expressway with nothing holding you back.

Do you ever take time to remember the road--and reflect on how you got to where you're at today?

In today's passage, Moses repeatedly encouraged the Israelites to "remember the road." More specifically, he instructed them to remember God's intervention, provision and miracles along their journey through the desert. Let's refresh by taking a peek at these verses:

Remember every road that God led you on

for those forty years in the wilderness,

pushing you to your limits, testing you so that he would know what you were made of,

whether you would keep his commandments or not.

He put you through hard times. He made you go hungry.

Then he fed you with manna, something neither you nor your parents knew anything about,

so you would learn that men and women don't live by bread only;

we live by every word that comes from God's mouth.

Your clothes didn't wear out and your feet didn't blister those forty years.

You learned deep in your heart

that God disciplines you in the same ways a father disciplines his child.

So it's paramount that you keep the commandments of God, your God,

walk down the roads he shows you and reverently respect him...

And here's a different part of the passage:

...So now Israel, what do you think God expects from you?

Just this: Live in his presence in holy reverence,

follow the road he sets out for you,

love him, serve God, your God, with everything you have in you,

obey the commandments and regulations of God

that I'm commanding you today—

live a good life.

Sound familiar? This passage ties closely to some of the other themes in recent passages (see my blog site for the last few if you're interested). In these chapters, God (via Moses' message) isn't just encouraging the people to remember the roads they've been on--He encouraged them to remember His miraculous faithfulness, guidance and correction. I believe this instruction isn't about focusing on the past, but learning from it--it's about turning away from mistakes, living in obedience and most importantly, trusting in God all along the way. And you don't even need a cheesy poster to do that. :)

Tomorrow: Deuteronomy 11-13

Remembrance days

Today: Leviticus 22-23

I don't know if I've said it yet on this blog, but I lived in Canada for four years.
One of the (many) cool things about Canada that I'll always remember is a holiday called...well...Remembrance Day. It's a day in November that most of us in the States refer to as Veteran's Day--a day to remember the sacrifices of our armed forces (the holiday really started to commemorate veterans of World War I).

What's different about the Canadian observation of the day is that it's very visible--over half the of the population wears red poppies, put them on their backpacks, pins them on their coats--in honor of the country's vets. (Note: In case you're interested, they wear poppies because of a poem called "In Flanders Fields.") I thought the visual representation of support for those who served was really cool. It also made it easy to remember the holiday and those who served.

Do you know that God likes "Remembrance" days?

It's something I definitely noticed in today's passage. Take a look:

The seventh day is a Sabbath,

day of total and complete rest,

a sacred assembly.

Don't do any work.

Wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to God.

In addition to describing the Sabbath, this passage outlines several holidays God designed for His people to remember Him and what He did for them.

As I'm writing this post, Christmas is barely three days away! And as much as I LOVE my family, spending time with friends, a break from work and giving (and receiving) gifts, Christmas is first and foremost a time to remember a day when the world was changed forever. It's a time to remember the history-altering event when a little baby in a manger was called Emmanuel--God with us. Think about that. God came to be with us, to walk with us, teach us, to help us and heal us. That baby grew up and changed the world--but more surprisingly, the baby born over 2,000 years ago in a stable cared enough to change me. That's a miracle worth remembering this season and always.

Tomorrow: Leviticus 24-25

"It's not fair!"

Today: Genesis 38-40

"It's not fair!" is a pretty common statement and thought for many people. Today is Thanksgiving day in the U.S. and while many are feeling pretty grateful, I'm sure some "It's not fair!" exclamations were made...as in "It's not fair! My favorite football team lost!" or "It's not fair! I can't eat pie and stay thin like my sister!"

But perhaps there were more serious statements, too. Someone probably thought, "It's not fair! I should be home with my family instead of sick at this hospital" or "It's not fair!
I should have food--at least a turkey--to feed my kids."

Even though all of us have plenty of things to be thankful for (if you're reading this, you're breathing...and reading...so there's two!), life doesn't always seem fair. What do you do in the "It's not fair!" moments in your life?

In today's passage, it was very interesting to read about two people--Tamar and Joseph--who faced extremely "unfair" situations.

Tamar was a widow whose husband "grievously offended God and God took his life." She was a woman who could have been seriously angry at her husband and God. To top it off, her husband's family treated her poorly. Their tradition stated that her deceased husband's brother(s) should have married her--restoring her place in their family and her livelihood. Instead, she was basically left to fend for herself.

Tamar took a unique approach to her "It's not fair!" situation--she resourcefully (maybe even deviously?) tricked her father-in-law (the same guy who unjustly kept his youngest son from marrying her) into sleeping with her and taking her back into the family. Wow. I don't know many people today who would still have that fight, that courage, within them to go after what was rightfully theirs...and back then, it would have been even more difficult for a widow to do so.

What's really amazing is that Tamar's name is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus. First of all, women's names didn't normally appear in genealogies. At. All. But the fact that this once abandoned...and later scandalously courageous...woman was mentioned as one of Jesus' ancestors? That's mindblowing.

The other person who faced an "It's not fair!" situation in today's passage was Joseph...again. The guy sold by his brothers into slavery is thrown into jail unjustly--because he actually did the right thing! To top it off, he helps two politically well-connected guys in jail by interpreting their dreams. And at the end of the passage, we learn that one of the guys (Pharaoh's cup bearer) was restored to his place of honor...only to forget Joseph, the guy who helped him. It's not fair!

Throughout today's chapters, you won't read that Tamar or Joseph said anything resembling "It's not fair!" even once. Tamar powers through her unjust situation through her ingenuity, courage and resourcefulness. Joseph just keeps trusting God, working hard, doing and being his best. God saw their attitudes and their hearts and completely turned around their unfair circumstances. We've got more reading to do before we find out the rest of the story...

Tomorrow: Genesis 41-42