~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
Leviticus 13:1-59 ~ Mark 6:1-29
Psalm 39:1-13 ~ Proverbs 10:10
Old Testament - Today in Leviticus chapter 13 we read about contagious skin diseases and mildew. Quite a chapter! It does make sense to me that this level of detail is given by God on these topics. These instructions were health instructions for the community of Israel as a whole. Zondervan's commentary notes that "the ceremonially unclean were excluded from the camp (the area around the tabernacle and courtyard), where the Israelites lived in tents. Later, no unclean persons were allowed in the temple area, where they could mingle with others." I look at this from the standpoint that they did not have medicines back then to heal people of these contagious diseases - and as such, the only way to keep the diseases from spreading to the entire population was to isolate the sick. I know this doesn't sound compassionate on the surface... but was there a better option at that time? In the New Testament we read about Jesus curing people of leprosy, which was a couple of thousand of years later. It's obvious that skin diseases were a major issue in Moses' day and through Jesus' day - as was mildew during Israel's rainy season of October through March - particularly along the coast and by the Sea of Galilee where it is very humid. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Leviticus chapter 13 begins at this link and you'll see a few "Next Commentary" links at the bottom of each page to take you through the chapter.
On a side note, leprosy, or Hansen's disease, is still in existence in our world today, though at much lower incidence rates than ever before. It is a sad disease to learn about... I did a google image search on the word leprosy and was pretty shocked by the pictures. The World Health Organization's website says this - "Today, diagnosis and treatment of leprosy is easy. Essential work is being carried out to integrate leprosy services into existing, general health services. This is especially important for communities at risk for leprosy, which are often the poorest of the poor and under-served. Full control of leprosy has eluded mainly in some parts of Angola, Brazil, India, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nepal, and United Republic of Tanzania." More info on leprosy in our world today is at the World Health Organization's website at this link.
All of a sudden now these 3 verses about Jesus and leprosy in Matthew chapter 8 verses 1 through 3 really stand out to me... - "When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cured of his leprosy."
New Testament - Today we read in Mark Chapter 6 verse 4– “Then Jesus told them, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” This verse reminds me that sometimes when we really move forward in our faith, our friends (“hometown” from the verse above) and our relatives can sometimes not understand what is going on with us. I think there are phases of our walk with God where really it becomes very personal – between us and God – and through that process God will transform us. And our friends and relatives sometimes may not appreciate our change for various reasons – just as Jesus’ friends and relatives did not appreciate his ministry in this verse. I hope that this verse can be of comfort to you if by chance you are having challenges reconciling your faith and your changed heart with your friends & relatives expectations of who you were in the past. Know that you are on the right path. As long as you are staying focused on God and his will for your life, you may have to accept some loss of “honor” (per the verse above) in your status with your friends and relatives. You may not seem to be as “cool” or “fun” as you once were in your friends’ eyes. But – if in God’s eyes you are loving Him with all of your heart and you are loving your neighbors as yourself, then you are eternally cool and fun in the Kingdom of Heaven. And that’s where it really counts. Where are you seeking “honor” in your life today? In the eyes of your friends and relatives – or in God’s eyes?
An image for verses 18 & 19: "John kept telling Herod, "It is illegal for you to marry your brother's wife." Herodias was enraged and wanted John killed in revenge, but without Herod's approval she was powerless." -
Psalms - Today we read in Psalm 39 verse 5 – “My life is no longer than the width of my hand. An entire lifetime is just a moment to you; human existence is but a breath." This verse is a powerful verse for each of us to meditate upon.
I love verse 7 of this Psalm - "And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you." Is this true of your life today? Are you putting your hope anywhere else?
Proverbs - Proverbs chapter 10 verse 10 today teaches us - "People who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof promotes peace." This is a great reminder that in the long run it is so much better - more peaceful - to stand up to an injustice or wrong. We should not let things slide. I think this can apply to our own lives as well. If we know we ourselves are doing something wrong, we should not just "wink" at our wrong. But we must reproof it and confess it and let Jesus heal it.
Comments from you & Questions of the Day: Back to Psalm 39 verse 5 above - how does this verse speak to you? Do you feel like life moves fast sometimes? If so, how are you spending your time? Are you being intentional about how you invest your time? Are you being intentional about your work? Your friends? Your finances? Volunteering? Serving others? Loving others? Watching TV – or not watching TV? (Have I gone off on my “Kill Your Television” soap-box yet this year? :) I’ll save it for a future post...) Do you think life really is “but a breath”? Are you spending your breath wisely? With your breath are you constantly loving God with all your heart and loving your neighbor as yourself? Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
God bless,
Mike
yes :-) the older i get the faster life seems to go..as a child days were warm and endless you could spend an entire afternon sitting in the sun stroking the cat but now one seems to scarcely catch your breath and youre on to the next thing....my aim for this year is to learn to discern Gods real purpose for my life, to learn how to say no when asked to do something that might appear to be a good thing but id really just be cluttering and filling my life with deeds that might be taking the time i should be using for something else God wants me to do as a priority...im finding this really hard as it feels wrong to say no to someone.
Posted by: Stef | February 21, 2007 at 10:21 PM
Brother, let me just say ewwwwwwwww! I tried to eat breakfast with this morning's readings. Try reading about spreading puss-filled infections with white hairs and then looking down at some milky cheerios!
On a serious note, I really feel like the heart of the Psalm calls me to get off my seat and into action. Most of us are created to do one really extraordinary thing through our life. Not just do it once, but to do it as God designed us, for our entire hand's breadth.
In my own life, I've seen what that one thing is, and I'm pursuing it. And I have seen the honor that prophets do not have at home. I don't think it has to do with becoming less fun. I think it has everything to do with the authority that we have in the Gospel. It says the people Jesus was teaching took offense at him. We all run into that, especially the people who try to share the Gospel with unsaved parents. Try and figure that chain of command out, a child who has an authority, not posessed by the parents, who have a commanded authority over their righteous children.
And don't worry... if you're worried about making your calendar too busy and you want to say "no" but find that difficult, try this. You will never feel like a jerk if you just remember, when you are saying "no" to extra business, you are saying "yes" to more time with your God and more time with your commitments already in place, to do one thing really well, just as you were designed.
Posted by: dmarts | February 22, 2007 at 08:19 AM
um...Levit is kinda gross today with hairs and boils. yeck. sorry, these verses made me laugh: “If a man loses his hair and his head becomes bald, he is still ceremonially clean. And if he loses hair on his forehead, he simply has a bald forehead; he is still clean."
In Mark, reading about ppl rejecting Jesus made me sad. Its still going on today. some ppl say, well if God performed a miracle, i would believe. well, they didnt believe it back wen they had Jesus' miracles before their eyes. this verse made me sad: "And he was amazed at their unbelief."
Herodias made me so mad! grrr. how evil!
i love psalm 39. I'm tyring to live all for Him, put Him first in all areas...and He is my onlyyyy hope!! i am nothing without Him...i'm so helpless! i need His touch every second of every minute.
concerning the brevity of life, it actually seems rather long to me. everyone says, life is short, which in comparision to eternity it is. but my life has been soooo long! am i the only one that feels like this? i feel like i have lived enough...like its time to retire and get ready to go 'home'. unfortunetly its been a long life of heartache, but if it brought me to the Lord, i am beyond grateful for the pain! I feel young and hopeful on one side, on the other i think, man...how much longer i got? 45 more yrs? yikes.
LOL! gotta love v 10 "But please stop striking me! I am exhausted by the blows from your hand."
Prov is funny too, "People who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof promotes peace." haha, i never trust ppl who winnk, i dont know what it is...seems shady.
(forgive me, i've been stuck at home studying for a state exam for days, actually weeks, n i'm just a lil burnt out on life... emotionally drained, hence my negativity and insane outbursts of laughter while reading the Bible...i think its cause i'm so happy to read the bible rather then to read Becker CPA review, lol.)
Posted by: Jenny | February 22, 2007 at 10:21 AM
Mike's questions remind me of Psalm 90 "teach us to number our days aright" and Lamentations 3:21-25 about how God's compassion and mercy on us is new every day. Enjoy it! No matter what happened yesterday, today is a day of full and complete grace and hope.
With regards to the dietary and health laws, keep in mind that these people lived a simpler life. There were far less people than there are now and thousands of years have passed. There are so many more germs and variants now. Many of the diseases that we encounter are do to the effects of pollution. Many are even self inflicted that have to do with us polluting our own bodies through sinful practices. But God has not left us just with the treatments of thousands of years ago. He has given skilled craftsman in the health industry. He has given so many cures and treatments and laid on the hearts of so many of His own people answers to some of the worst of diseases.
Yet we all know that death is 100%. We are only made completely whole in the next life. He does have an exact day where He will take us home to heaven. Until that day, we are to live each day here on earth to the max.
Posted by: Stacey | February 22, 2007 at 10:26 AM
Oh Jenny Jenny Jenny ... you're on fire for the past days, girl!!!! "everyone says, life is short, which in comparision to eternity it is. but my life has been soooo long! am i the only one that feels like this? i feel like i have lived enough...like its time to retire and get ready to go 'home'". I recognize this when I have my days of being burned out, drained, negativity, struggles ... then I feel like "Well, you know what, Jesus? Today would be a good day ... please get me out of here!". But that's only when I'm emotionally exhausted, because for me personally it feels like my life here on earth, is going FASSSSSSSSSSSST! When I look at my little boy, who's 4 years old now, I wonder if I haven't been fooled for the past 4 years and somebody made a year 200 days. It's not that life feels short or anything, because I'm enjoying EVERY minute with Jaden and Rene. Want to hear something typical? When I'm at work, 4 hours feel like 10 hours, but when I'm at the playground going crazy on the swings with my boys 1 hour seems like only 10 minutes! How about that, eh? I do not hate my job, not at all, I have a wonderful job. But, yes, I rather spend my time being with my boys. So ... where was I going with my story? I don't know .... I was thinking, Jen, you go ahead and vent here about being burned out on life ... this is the right place. I love you, you know that and I'm happy you share this here. That way you give me exact directions on how to pray for you. Things will be fine ...
So while I'm here ...
The most important verse in todays readings is for me Mark 6:4 "Then Jesus told them, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family." I think I've told you before that I'm slowly losing my old 'friends' .. or I don't know what they have been LOL They think I join a 'weird community' ... oh well, than so be it. I don't care anymore. If they can't respect me for who I am, then fine. I pray for them and hope they will find Jesus some day. I still forward emails to them, cause we didn't officially 'divorce', but we aren't really talking anymore. So I still forward emails to them about Jesus Christ and about Christianity. I refuse to change myself into a quiet Christian, because I'm a proud Christian and I want to preach the Gospel! I want to share with everybody why there's a big smile on my face 24/7!!!!!!! I want to shout it out that the Lord Jesus Christ saved me! I'm happy! I'm free and they can be to, if they wouldn't shut me out! You know ... I heard that someone said "Mae's fake happiness makes me physicly ill". Ha ha ha ha!!! Well, actually I shouldn't laugh, I should cry for this person, I mean, how bitter and sad is this persons heart when you get sick over someone that is happy? This is pure jealousy, I know they want what have! But sadly they think they can't have it, but it's so close! Eternity is so close, they don't even realize it! So okay, they hate me, they refuse to listen to my words, which are actually God's words. But hey ... I'm fake, so what do I know? So now I'm also wondering what's going to happen at work, slowly people getting to know that I'm a Christian ( and a proud one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), one woman decided not to speak with me anymore. She has a second job which is reading tarot-cards, for herself and for others. Not to long ago I was talking to one of my clients over the phone, this client was totally unreasonable, but I didn't want to end the conversation with a fight, so I apologized for everything. Which wasn't my fault in the first place, but I chosed to keeping my client and put my 'pride' aside. So my co-worker (the tarot-reader) said "If it were me talking to Mr Janssen, I'd tell him to take the d*mn contracts and shuff them up in his *ss". So I told her "Oh no, I'm not going to say that. I don't talk to people like that, I'm a Christian". Her answer was "Well, I'm a Christian too. But no one talks to me like that!". So I looked her in the eyes and said "Interesting ... a Christian who reads tarot-cards". She turned away from me and didn't talk to me ever since. I didn't want to offend her in any way, I just wanted to know who she trusted more: the cards or the Lord. But I never got a chance to ask her that. Before I'd go into some weird discussion with Mr Janssen, I'd make sure he'd had to shuff the contracts some place ... but I don't feel the need now. I want people to feel good about themselves, and yes ... me apologizing to Mr Janssen made him think that he was right about the whole thing. That's okay, If I made his day I'm happy for him. "You may not seem to be as "cool" or "fun" as you once were in your friends' eyes. But – if in God's eyes you are loving Him with all of your heart and you are loving your neighbors as yourself, then you are eternally cool and fun in the Kingdom of Heaven". I choose to be cool and fun in the Kingdom of Heaven any time!!! But hey ... you think I'm cool and fun, don't you???? LOL!!!!!
Posted by: Mae | February 22, 2007 at 04:02 PM
Leviticus 13
Certainly on a practical level - the teachings on leprosy indicate a need for keeping the Israelites from being infected. Preserving their number and maintaining their healthy growth as a population.
But what about the spiritual nature? What is God saying here symbolically that we can use today? Leprosy has always been denoted symbolically as sin.
"This passage is talking to us about the afflictions and diseases of the spirit, the hurtful attitudes we have, the burning resentments, the feelings of anger and upset we go through, and the grudges we carry around in our hearts toward one another. These are to be detected because they can be very dangerous, and the process is to expose them to a priest." - Ray Stedman
We are all "blind" to ourselves in some manner. We may not see in ourselves something that is wrong. The condition needs to be looked at by another (a priest/NT=believer) and given time to be considered.
If by prayer and the Word of God it does not spread then it is taken care of spiritually. If raw, spreading, deeper - it is still a problem.
If one turns all white - then we are cleansed by the Word of God through repentance and asking for forgiveness - "white" all over symbolizing being clothed in righteousness.
If not - then the believer who has this "sin" problem faces isolation - perpetual sin will separate you from the body. Probably more because you do not want to be around the assembly, more than being outcast. Symbolically with torn lives, loss of beauty reflecting Christian lifestyle, and giving off a vibe of "unclean".
The good news is - turning to God, repenting of your sinful behavior, and asking forgiveness will return you to health.
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Garments - Mildew
Garments reflect character and the nature of relationships. (we wear different things in different roles we have in life.)
Relationship is examined over time, if spreading perhaps that relationship is unhealthy and needs ot be ended. If not spreading, then wash in the Word of God and if not changed then end. If dimmed - then cut out the bad nature of the relationship. If it comes back then end the relationship.
If clean after washing - wash continually (a second time in the Word of God), and it is clean and the relationship continues.
Posted by: John | February 22, 2007 at 06:11 PM
Mark 6
A Prophet Without Honor
On Jesus' return to Nazereth he taught. Instead of enbracing the "wisdom" they perceived, instead of taking the miracles as "signs" to heed Jesus' words - the Nazarenes fell back on what they knew.
They knew His former occupation (carpenter), they knew His family? They knew what their five senses told them - and it was enough to reject the teaching.
Is it any different today? People who only acknowledge what their senses tell them - have a hard time with the supernatural. If you cannot acknowledge God - How can you be open to the Word of God?
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Disciples Sent Out
It seems that if people were not listening or welcoming - the disciples were to leave.
Consequently, if the people listened - what were they listening to:
"They went out and preached that people should repent." (Mark6:12)
This was what John the Baptist preached - Repent.
But now, the message is expanded, for John's message ended in a symbolic baptism. Here the disciples drove out demons and healed people. Perhaps this was the beginning of the disciples exposure to the connection of Repentance and the healing power of Jesus over evil and sin (sickness) in people's lives.
It should be noted that "Judas" was a member of the twelve. What implications does that have for us today??????
Posted by: John | February 22, 2007 at 07:07 PM