SOAP 02/22/2014 Numbers 10:21

Today's reading: Numbers 10, 11; Psalm 27; Mark 1

S) "²¹ Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy objects; and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival."

Numbers 10:21 (NASB)

O) First of all, it's kind of amazing to read the whole process of the Israelite camp picking up and moving out. Imagining the myriad on the move... it must have been an amazing sight. Second, specifically in this verse, we see the manifestation of God's perfect plan executed correctly. Because of the shear numbers, by the time the Kohathites made it to the next camp site, the Merarites and Gershonites were already there ahead of them, with enough time to have the rest of the tabernacle set up for use (once the Kohathites had the holy objects placed). This chapter marks the first movement of the Israelites since God gave them all of their extensive and explicit instructions, particularly, the instructions for their departures, arrivals, and encampment. So, with this verse, the Kohathites see how the plans of The LORD work in their lives. They see how He has a purpose behind His rules.

A) I can easily imagine being a Kohathite, carrying my holy article, and arriving at the new campsite to see the tabernacle already set and ready. I can imagine it, because I have seen it. They say, "hindsight is 20/20," but it's hard to connect the realizations we have to the unknown before us. I can look back and see the finger of God all over my life, but that doesn't always translate to looking forward and seeing God's plans working together. I think there are two things that will help. First, is to really celebrate when I reflect on my recent past and realize one plan or another that came together with God's perfect timing, provision, protection, etc. Second, is to reflect more often. I'm thinking maybe I should even write out a journal to record these times in my life...

P) Father, I know I don't often get to see Your plans at work in my life as they happen, and it's even more rare to see them ahead of time, but I thank You that I get to see them in hindsight, at least. Thank You for showing me Your faithfulness, in all of its grace and mercy. Your goodness to me is undeserved and beyond my ability to fully know. Open my eyes to see and my ears to hear, so that I can clearly perceive all You are ever trying to show me, according to Your will. Let me believe, according to the testimony of my own life, knowing all of the miracles You have done in the past, even for me. Give me the discipline and diligence to start recording these things, so that my family, my kids, and grandkids, and on throughout generations, can see the goodness of The LORD. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 02/21/2014 Numbers 8:25-26

Today's reading: Numbers 8, 9; Acts 28

S) "²⁵ But at the age of fifty years they shall retire from service in the work and not work any more. ²⁶ They may, however, assist their brothers in the tent of meeting, to keep an obligation, but they themselves shall do no work. Thus you shall deal with the Levites concerning their obligations."

Numbers 8:25-26 (NASB)

O) Primarily, the Israelites were shepherds. They were very good at it, historically, and The LORD made them prosper, too. Some of them are also (or will be) farmers, and God gave them instructions about how to care for the Promised Land when they get there. And they were also work-aholics. God had already imposed a weekly Sabbath, forcing them to rest so that they were not completely exhausting themselves. He also set up a Sabbath for the Land, itself. All of these things, though, are primarily regarding physical rest. But, in the above verse, God is now addressing a group of workers who are not exactly doing a physically demanding job. I mean, there were parts of the work that were physical, but not to the same degree as farming or shepherding. So, there was a natural point when an old man could no longer work other forms of jobs and would naturally move into a mentoring/teaching position. But, when it comes to ministering to The LORD, that wasn't necessarily the case. So here, God imposes a retirement. Even still, it's important to note that the retirement is not a complete arrest of work. It changes, fairly significantly, but it doesn't simply end.

A) There are a lot of things I will enjoy about retirement. I will enjoy the time I get to spend with my wife. I will enjoy time with my kids (and I hope, grandkids). But one of the areas that is the most intriguing to me, is the free time to volunteer in ministry. Whether that is local, just at my church, or out in the mission field, it gets me excited to think that there are so many hours to be suddenly freed up to pursue time of ministry in capacities that have always been out of my reach. It's also worth remembering that, God sets the retirement age. Just like every other area of my life, I need to be in prayer and ask The LORD when it's time for me to retire, and work diligently until then.

P) Father, give me patience to wait for retirement. Thank You for changing and maturing my heart, when it comes to my work ethic. Continue to put the correct motives in my heart, to remember that my work is to You, regardless of whose name is on my paycheck. According to Your will, let me look forward to retirement, pondering what may come, without neglecting my work at hand. In all things, especially my work, ministry, and retirement; let me seek Your will in prayer. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 02/20/2014 Numbers 7:9

Today's reading: Numbers 7; Psalm 23; Acts 27

S) "⁹ But he did not give any to the sons of Kohath because theirs was the service of the holy objects, which they carried on the shoulder."

Numbers 7:9 (NASB)

O) The ark, the alter, the table, the lampstands, bowls, utensils... essentially, everything on the inside of the tabernacle. God assigned these things to be carried by hand, not by cart. Some of the objects were large and heavy, requiring long poles so that their loads could be shouldered by multiple people, including the ark. The ark actually couldn't be touched, anyway, so the poles were especially important. Some of the objects were much smaller, like bowls for incense, and could have been put on a cart quite easily, but God still had them separated to be carried by hand. There are myriad reasons that make sense for this distinction. God sanctified these items as holy and set apart, so it makes sense that He doesn't want them treated as common. They were also quite expensive, as most of these objects were overlaid with gold, so handling them delicately (specifically, by hand) makes sense. But for all we know, there could be countless reasons that do not occur to us, that God could have for making this directive.

A) Envy is a tricky trap. It's very easy for me to put myself into this verse as one of the sons of Kohath, who might envy some of the other clansmen who get to use the ox carts to carry. I can't apply this to a particular ministry, per se, but just to life circumstances in general. It's easy to get drawn into a "why me" mentality. This verse reminds us that, while God loves us all equally, He does not call us to live life equally. The important thing to remember, though, is that He has a purpose behind everything. My circumstances might seem harder to me than others', but I may not be getting the whole story. Sometimes I think of circumstances happening to me. Maybe I need to think of me happening to circumstances. God didn't look out at the Kohathites and consider that He needed to belabor them. These articles were created and needed to be moved, so God called the Kohathites to do it, because He knew they were up to the task. Maybe God looked ahead, at the circumstances that would happen starting 01/13/1982 and He chose me knowing that I was up to task. I need to look at my burdens, any and all of them, as a call to "shoulder a holy object" and consider myself blessed to be chosen. Maybe that's a bit grandiose, but it's humbling and envy-ending.

P) Father, I know I don't always get to know what You know. But, according to Your will, open my eyes to see my circumstances differently. Let me see the trials and difficulties in my life as opportunities to shoulder a burden for You, LORD. Soften my heart to respond in joy at every opportunity to serve You in my life. If I get to use a cart, I'll thank You for the respite. If You call me to shoulder the weight, then I'll rejoice at being called. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 02/19/2014 Numbers 5:14

Today's reading: Numbers 5, 6; Psalm 22; Acts 26

S) "¹⁴ if a spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife when she has defiled herself, or if a spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife when she has not defiled herself,"

Numbers 5:14 (NASB)

O) Most of this chapter is about what to do after this verse is in effect, so to speak. As Old Testament Law, the rest of the chapter isn't exactly applicable, since Jesus fulfilled the Law, but this verse still holds a heavy warning. Certainly, if a man's wife is adulterous, he has cause to be jealous. What he does in response to that jealousy is fulfilled differently now, because Jesus fulfilled the Law (see link above). But the real warning, I think, is in the second half of this verse where a spirit of jealousy comes over a man, being jealous of his wife when she is innocent. The term, "spirit of jealousy" shows us that there is an external source to this suspicion. In the previous verse (Numbers 5:13), especially the end of it, it's made clear that the husband wouldn't have a reasonable suspicion. So, we're left with a pretty clear case that there is an outside influence toward an unjustified suspicion. There is a spiritual enemy against marriage.

A) One of the concepts that is lost, even in churches today, is the idea of spiritual warfare. Because our worldview has become so wrought by the scientific community, I think we've become deceived about the very existence of a spiritual world, let alone its influence on us. I don't want to overreact, because we have victory in Jesus's name. But neither do I want to neglect an area where I can fight, in prayer, to protect my marriage and the marriages of people I love.

P) Father, first I ask that You protect the actual fidelity of my marriage. Protect the fidelity of the marriages of my brother, in-laws, other family and friends that I know and love. Also, LORD, protect us each, from a spirit of jealousy that would sabotage any of these marriages. Marriage is a holy gift, a blessed example of smallest possible church, and a shadow of the relational covenant we have with You. Keep together what You have joined, and let no man or spirit separate, according to Your word in Matthew 19:6. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 02/18/2014 Numbers 4:31-32

Today's reading: Numbers 3, 4; Acts 25

S) "³¹ Now this is the duty of their loads, for all their service in the tent of meeting: the boards of the tabernacle and its bars and its pillars and its sockets, ³² and the pillars around the court and their sockets and their pegs and their cords, with all their equipment and with all their service; and you shall assign each man by name the items he is to carry."

Numbers 4:31-32 (NASB)

O) And now we have the census for the Levites in chapters 3 and 4, and it gets very specific. Not only does the tribe get numbered, but the clans get a breakdown number, and then just the men 30-50 years old get numbered, and here we see that God wants the work each man does (during the transport of the tabernacle) to be specific to each man. So, if I was a Levite son of Merari, I might be assigned to carry one particular socket that fits a bar (which someone else would carry).

A) The specificity of our God continues to astound me. Sometimes, I get the feeling that God's will is some kind of spectrum. Like, there are clearly things which are outside God's will (like sacrificing your kids to Molech). Then, there are things which are clearly within God's will (giving thanks, for example). But sometimes, things seem to fall into some sort of middle area of uncertainty. Like, is it God's will for me to watch a PG13 movie? Is it His will for me to watch any movies? Even when it's more of a ministry, there can be this conundrum. Like, if God's calling me to be a pastor, do I go to seminary first? If I am a pastor, what order should my service be? What time should my service be? Should I have more than one service? Etc., etc., etc.. Sometimes, I get the response that God's has a perfect will and a permissible will, and a lot of these questions go to the latter. I think God has a specific will. I think the more we deviate from that, the more we forfeit what could have been. I know God is gracious and merciful, and I am thankful because I know that I do not hear Him as clearly as I want to hear Him. So, where it leaves me, is knowing that I serve a God of specificity, but He is gracious to allow for my tone-deaf ears. I will seek His perfect will and be thankful that He can use my imperfect execution.

P) Father, open my eyes to see and my ears to hear. Let me become more and more in tune to Your will about my life. As I read Your Word each day, let me become more and more aware of what Your will is in every facet of my life. Holy Spirit, guide me toward perfect obedience and remind me to pray and ask for direction in the first place. I believe that You are exceedingly good. I believe that You know the best possible choice, the best possible outcome, for every decision before me. So, let me seek Your ways first, and give me wisdom to make the most of what I can discern. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 02/17/2014 Numbers 1:50

Today's reading: Numbers 1, 2; Acts 24

S) "⁵⁰ But you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings and over all that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it; they shall also camp around the tabernacle."

Numbers 1:50 (NASB)

O) I'm a big fan of the fighting monk character in movies and videogames. From old kung fu films to Final Fantasy games to Firefly, the fighting monk always seemed to blend this cool combination of fatality and soothing. They can tend your wounds as easily as he can kill you. But that is not how God works with His people, here. The tending of the tabernacle and ministry to The LORD is too important, too delicate, too lethal.

A) Sometimes, I want to be doing dozens of things for God all at once. I'll hear a message about the missions field and I'm ready to go from "zero to hut in 4.2 seconds." On the Sanctity Of Life weekend, I'm ready to volunteer all of my time at CareNet. On and on my interests and passions can pull me into a thousand different spiritual battles. What I need to remember, though, is that sometimes those fights just aren't my fights. God has specific callings on the lives of every follower. He redeems with specific purposes in mind. I need to know my own purpose, and support the other fighters the way God wants, not join the fray the way I want.

P) Father, Your grace is enough for me. I accept what You would have me do, trusting that it is both, the most effective use of my time, but also, ultimately, the most fulfilling. In obedience, I will keep my eyes ahead. I want to answer Your every call, however You want to use me. It's Your will, Father, not mine. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 02/16/2014 Acts 23:6

Today's reading: Leviticus 26, 27; Acts 23

S) "⁶ But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, “Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!”"

Acts 23:6 (NASB)

O) This verse is reminiscent of Jesus answering a question with a question. Paul takes careful note, while on trial, to know his accusers. It is very telling, also, that he knows here, not to try and persuade anyone. He realized that this particular group was not going to tolerate him presenting the gospel again (since that's why he was there in the first place).

A) It is so incredibly important to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, when you are faced with a difficult audience like this. Whether it's an official, legal trial, or it just feels like one, I need to be praying constantly for wisdom and guidance to know what to say and how to say it. God is very clever, and I really believe He wants us to be clever and discerning and wise, when it comes to the persecution we choose to endure, as opposed to finding a way out of it.

P) Father, I want to be fearless when it comes to presenting Your gospel. In every instance, I want to be ready in obedience, before You even call me to act or speak. But, I also want to be wise and effective about it. I want to be led by Your Holy Spirit, to know when and how to speak. Show me when to fight and when to seek an escape, so that I am best used by You, according to Your will. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.