Numbers 33:40-35:34 ~ Luke 5:12-28 ~ Psalm 65:1-13 ~ Proverbs 11:23
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Old Testament - Today in Numbers chapter 33 we read about the other nations in Canaan. In chapter 34 we read about the boundaries of the Promised Land. Below is a map of how the tribes will divide Canaan - which we will read about later in the Bible in more detail:
In chapter 35 verses 10-12 we read about the Cities of Refuge - "`When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, designate cities of refuge for people to flee to if they have killed someone accidentally. These cities will be places of protection from a dead person's relatives who want to avenge the death. The slayer must not be killed before being tried by the community." Reading about the Cities of Refuge reminds me of our current day laws of "innocent until proven guilty." It seems like the Cities of Refuge idea still lives on in our justice system today in some regards.
New Testament - In Luke chapter 5 we read one of my favorite healings' of Jesus - where he heals the paralyzed man on the mat - in very large part because of the paralyzed man's friends who carry him to Jesus! I love that his friends did this. I pray if I was paralyzed I would have friends like these! Check out verses 18 through 20 - "Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to push through the crowd to Jesus, but they couldn't reach him. So they went up to the roof, took off some tiles, and lowered the sick man down into the crowd, still on his mat, right in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, "Son, your sins are forgiven."" I am fascinated by this - "seeing their faith" - I don't know if this is a quirk of the New Living Translation or if indeed Jesus literally saw the faith of the paralyzed man's friends. My hunch is that he did. And this makes me realize that sometimes when our faith is at a low point, maybe our friends can help carry us along and bring us closer to Jesus. And maybe we should act like these friends for someone in our life who is "paralyzed" by something.... Is there someone in your life that you can help "carry the mat for" and in doing so bring them closer to Jesus? Wow. I pray I have friends like this - and I pray I can be a friend like this to others...
Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Luke chapter 5 titled "Stretcher Carriers and Sermon Critics" is at this link.
Psalms - Psalm 65 has some amazing verses about nature! I love verse 8 - "Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy."
When is the last time you have been inspired to shout for joy to God for the beautiful sunset he created?
Verse 7 of the Psalm says this - "You quieted the raging oceans with their pounding waves and silenced the shouting of the nations." When is the last time you have stood in complete silence before God because of his beautiful Creation?
Proverbs - Today's Proverb 11:23 teaches us: "The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath." This is a great teaching that leading a godly life will lead to happiness. And leading a wicked life.... brings wrath. This is sobering to really ponder. It's a choice each one of us must make. What type of life will we lead? And where will that life choice ultimately lead us. I pray each of us are on the Path of Life toward and with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. It's the only path that leads to eternal happiness.
Worship God: Today's readings in Luke today remind me of the Britt Nicole song, "The Lost Get Found." Here's a great live version of this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXi709LCKWk
Are you Lost? Click here and be Found!
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." Luke 5:20 NIV
Prayer Point: Pray that you have a true saving faith in Jesus. Pray that through Jesus your sins are forgiven today and forevermore. Pray that you will follow Jesus in obedience the rest of your life.
Comments from You & Questions of the Day: Based on our readings in Luke today, have you ever had someone "carry you on a mat" when you were in a time of need? Have you ever had friends that demonstrated great faith in you? Conversely, have you ever carried friends on their mat when they were in need? Do you think we are called to carry each others burdens? Why or why not? 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
Numbers 33:40-35:34
51 "Speak to the Israelites and tell them: `When you cross the Jordan River into the land of Canaan, 52 you must drive out all the people living there. You must destroy all their carved and molten images and demolish all their pagan shrines. …55 But if you fail to drive out the people who live in the land, those who remain will be like splinters in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass you in the land where you live. 56 And I will do to you what I had planned to do to them.' "
God wants us to be in the world but not of the world, we are to be salt and light in a dead and dying world yet I find being in the world but not of the world a difficult task to navigate. I know that you can be amongst people yet be detached from them and you can be separated from people yet be attached to them. What is the ‘key’ in walking this walk like Jesus? When Jesus was around sinners they were converted to seeing life from God’s point of view. He definitely wasn’t converted to their lifestyle. And that is the dilemma I find myself in how to be amongst the world yet not take on the lifestyle of the world.
Luke 5:12-28
17 … And the Lord's healing power was strongly with Jesus.
Jesus was in a room full of people and the text says that there were some religious teachers and some Pharisees (Far-to-sees) sitting near by who came from every conceivable town and village in Galilee and Judea. What ever their personal reason for coming to hear Jesus, no one in that room was sick except the guy whose friends put him through the roof or where they? Now the paralyzed men’s friends I see them from two different perspectives neither may be right. They either loved their friend so much that they wanted him to be healed so that he can live a productive life. Or they may have wanted him to be healed because they had to carry him around. Hmmm.
I can’t believe that everyone in that room, except for the man who made an entrance through a hole in the roof, was walking in Divine Health. Everywhere that Jesus went people were calling out, falling out and shouting out to be healed, he even touched and healed a man with leprosy. So what’s up with this group? One thing for sure these guys had so much pride that they wouldn’t dare submit their sick bodies to the healing touch of Jesus. Today, even today, many fail to submit sick bodies; sick souls to Jesus even after seating in a room watching others get healed. Pride will kill ya!
Psalm 65:1-13
1 What mighty praise, O God,
belongs to you in Zion. We will fulfill our vows to you,
…3 Though our hearts are filled with sins,
you forgive them all.
How often do we feel inadequate, ashamed, undeserving to come to Jesus, yet the Sweet Psalmist of Israel gives us an encouragement to praise God through our inadequacies because He has the power to cleanse us from all unrighteousness after He has forgiven us of all our sins.
Proverbs 11:23
This Proverb is another way of saying, “We Reap what we Sow.”
Grace and peace,
Ramona
Posted by: Ramona | March 21, 2011 at 08:40 PM
Luke 5: 12-13
12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy.[a] When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.
Jesus, our LORD, are compassionate and forgiving. He answered the man that he was willing to make him clean. Reflecting on our own lives, are we willing to forgive other's 'offences'? Jesus is willing. We, who model after our LORD, should be willing.
Psalm 65 is also comforting. So is today's Proverbs 11:23.
Just a brief note: it is important to arm ourselves with God's words to fight the fight. Do come back everyday to read God's Words and share God's enlightenments.
Posted by: Frederick Y | March 21, 2011 at 10:41 PM
Numbers 33:40-35:34
Today’s reading in the book of Numbers speaks about taking possession of our inheritance as we see the Promise Land divided among the Israelites. This serves as a reminder for us to take possession of our inheritance by leaving behind that territory we once occupied before knowing Jesus and occupy the Promise Land where we’re new creatures in Christ. I thought it interesting that each tribe had its own separate territory except the Levites, they were wonderfully scattered within each and every territory providing spiritual leadership for each tribe.
The cities of refuge also stood out for me in today’s readings. Numbers 35:6-8 “Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone may flee. In addition, give them forty-two other towns. 7 In all you must give the Levites forty-eight towns, together with their pasturelands. 8 The towns you give the Levites from the land the Israelites possess are to be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: Take many towns from a tribe that has many, but few from one that has few.”
Although the city’s of refuge is a place of safe haven for those that unintentionally killed someone, it also metaphorically speaks of Christ as our safe haven. We were all guilty before our High Priest Jesus declared us not guilty. Just as the offender is safe as long as he abides within the city of refuge, the same goes for us as long as we abide in Christ. In the city of refuge the offender is set free only when the High Priest in the city of refuge dies. We were set free by the death and resurrection of our High Priest Christ Jesus.
The book of Numbers is wonderfully rich in metaphors reminding us to take possession of our inheritance and walk in faith taking God at His word.
Posted by: Steve T | March 22, 2011 at 11:53 AM
Did psalm 63 inspire Matt Redman's song, "Praise Awaits You"?
Posted by: bajo | March 22, 2011 at 10:09 PM