Yeah it's late but there's been a lot of Jon things happening today. Went to my new job induction which was a little dull but at least the company seems nice and the staff seem friendly enough. Got to get to Runcorn somehow... Any suggestions? Also went to the cinema tonight and saw Red. Really recommend this if you want a shooty film with a difference. John Malkovich is really funny and it's got Ernest Borgnine in it for crying out loud!! Onto business then
Today’s readings
Exodus 39:1-40:38
Mark 9:2-32
Psalm 26:1-12
So we finish out Exodus and what have we learned from reading this book? Well Exodus as shown God take His people out of a realtively safe place where they were going to be worked as slaves but still live in security inside the borders of Egypt. He gave them rules and laws which were complicated and went against their nature because they broke them straight away. He told them that they were going to get to a better place but then made them take ages. And He gave them a leader who was a nervous speaker. Hardly a glowing advert for following God. But this book heralds the start of God's people actually living for Him. To me Exodus is about how we have to accept that God wants us to live for Him but that we are going to have to change ourselves if we want to follow His will. There's no good staying where we are, doing the same things that trap us in our old ways and thinking God can still work there. He wants us to want to risk everything for Him and to seek out His will in the hard places. That might be physically but it might very well be emotionally or spiritually. What are we holding back from God? What do we fear to release to Him even though we are a slave to it. Security comes from the familiar but if that familiar isn't healthy then Exodus shows that God wants to change that and help us live to our potential even if it takes change and discipline from us.
And in case you're wondering, I did read the last two chapters :) I like especially how all the work that the Israelites put in is rewarded by God being present with them. That's a nice little reward that is sure to be applicable to us as well. If we follow God's will then He'll be there in what we do. Lovely stuff!
Into the New Testament we erupt and we're back at the transfiguration. Interesting reading this through how we understand God to be unchanging. Because I believe God can change but that He is also unchanging. Ha! Christians speak rubbish sometimes don't we... But what I mean is that God's promises are always there and not broken but God's methods can change. But here we have the disciples seeing Moses with Jesus and being good Jewish chaps, they'd remember all the bits we've just been slogging through and so are eager to build tents for Jesus and Moses and Elijah. But God speaks and commands them instead to listen to Jesus. I think today's reading is telling us that it's important to make ourselves ready for Jesus but that we need to be prioritising our time between being good enough to receive God and actually bothering to listen for His word. There's no point in us just trying to live according to God's will if we never stop to listen to Him and pray to Him about what we're doing.
The miracle Jesus performs is another interesting one. Andy highlights on the Soul Survivor vlog that Jesus is acting with compassion and cutting through the arguments that the disciples are having. But I think there's more to this if we think about it. Jesus' relationship with His disciples is fascinating. He goes from rebuking to loving to teaching to empowering and everything else at the drop of a hat. Especially in Mark we see Jesus being volatile with His repsonses and emotions. Now I think that this is also part of God being changing. Jesus isn't always in the best of moods with us and will get angry and heartbroken by what we do. Other times He'll be waiting to comfort us or give us wisdom. He knows what we need specifically. For example, I like how He swears the disciples who saw the transfiguration to secrecy from the other disciples. If Judas had known what had happened would he have acted the same? Or would Thomas have had the same doubts? Jesus knew what needed to happen and knows what we need too so changes according to that need. It's up to us though to communicate with Him as the disciples do and yes they do get their ears chewed off but look what comes next. Jesus first tells them about power coming through God not them and then He teaches them about what will happen to Him. It's never just a telling off. There's always the love and the wisdom waiting in the wings.
Finally our Psalm today shows David realising that the best way to receive God's love, blessings and wisdom is to be focused on Him and remove the influences in your life which draw your attention away from God. That's a nice little reference to our first point about being in God's presence when we concentrate our lives on Him. I love it when a plan comes together.
And that's your lot for today. Yesterday's song is here. Questions, criticisms and feedback welcome as always,
Jon
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