Deuteronomy is a tough book to get through for me, but it may be starting to grow on me. This part talks about God’s law:

The Choice of Life and Death  (Deuteronomy 30:11-20)

11 “For this commandment that I command you today tis not too hard for you, neither is it far off. 12 uIt is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.

15 “See, vI have set before you today life and good, death and evil. 16 If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God1 that I command you today, wby loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules,2 then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 17 But if xyour heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, 18 yI declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, zblessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 20 loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice aand holding fast to him, for bhe is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in cthe land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

The essence of this is that what God expects of us is rather simple and clear. The moral principles are in the commandments He gave to Moses. Jesus confirmed them as loving “the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27). Looking at this, it appears entirely possible to do, and entirely reasonable for God to ask of us. Perhaps this is one reason why people can be reluctant to admit they haven’t fulfilled it; it seems so natural and to be expected. It is both sobering and encouraging to know that it is not hard for us. The word is near, and when we have it upon our hearts and mouths, we can do it.

Prior to the commandments given to the Israelites, God gave another relatively simple command to Adam, and thereby to Eve: do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or “you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17) This precedent command of God was again simple and clear, and entirely reasonable for God to ask of Adam and Eve. When Eve did not have God’s word near upon her heart and mouth but listened to the cunning words of the serpent and let them nestle in her heart the desire to eat of the forbidden tree, and when Adam blindly followed suit, they both became reluctant to admit they hadn’t done what was not hard.

The human heart and its desires don’t change much.

To preface, I was singing in a musical revue (collection of favourite musical songs put to an original storyline – “A form of theatrical entertainment in which recent events, popular fads, etc., are parodied. Any entertainment featuring skits, dances, and songs.” – from Ninjawords.com). One of the songs was from Mamma Mia, so the words must have been stuck in my head. I might have also borrowed my roommate’s copy of Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening to read and quote after she shared a bit with me? Here it is as I wrote it on the day.

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Feb 16

Mamma Mia

“I was angry and sad when I knew we were through
I can’t count all the times that I’ve cried over you…”

A song from the musical, VIMH.

Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening (see the entry)

Philippians 4:11

“For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.”

Yes, time and distance allows scabs to grow and cover wounds, but Hush, Christian child. Hush the murmur of discontent and take care to cultivate the grace that God has sown in you. We think sometimes that we have learned — it will take more pain before we learn more, and more to be content.

So put away the words “inconsiderate” “wish you were miserable too” “hate” “abandoned” “rejected” “cheated” “deceived” “blame” and more.

hush the murmur.

For you are loved, sought, redeemed, forgiven, shown mercy and grace, rejoiced over with singing, and quieted by his love. *

Was the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1937 part of “World War II” or was it just a “Sino-Japanese War?” If you call it the Sino-Japanese War, then why is the end of WWII marked by the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Taking this timeline, WWII starts with Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939 and ends with America bombing Japan… Why does that not quite line up? Perhaps until the world saw little Japan’s powerhouse war-waging capability, they dismissed Asian wars as regional affairs, not world affairs. In this case, even after the fact, Asian wars were not considered very important on the world stage; the fighting that broke out along the Eastern coast of Asia from Manchuria to Indonesia did not count as the start of WWII, but the regional wars of Europe did. This is not to say “change the history books” but to point out that simply naming something is actually not so simple.

(Blue indicates the extent of Japanese expansion in WWII)

Is a baby baptism and a baby dedication the same thing? Both may be done in the same spirit, but calling a baby who has been dedicated to be raised to know and fear God a ‘baptised’ child is vastly different from calling that baby a child whose rearing has been dedicated by the parents to God’s guidance. That is, if ‘baptism’ is to be an outward ceremony and declaration of a voiced decision to follow Christ by the one being baptised.

How far before love becomes idolatry? One is noble, the other hideous, taking the place of God. There is a difference, but it may not always be clear.

Semantics is a defining matter.

Hope gives wings to our dreams

Hope is an all encompassing feel-good word that doesn’t quite elaborate itself. Yet, always before a Christian is the simple reality of “I am not my own.” We place the weight of our hope not in any preference or desire, any payoff for effort or chance, but in the relationship we have with our Master and Lord. That “I am not my own” should give peace to my thoughts, for it relegates concerns of lesser importance (the “I’d really love ifs”) to the periphery, and allows you to see Christ more clearly at the centre.

Think, if you will, about Jonah, and what would change about his thoughts and attitudes if he were to embrace that maxim, “I am not my own.”

“For Sheol cannot thank You;
Death cannot praise You.
Those who go down to the Pit
cannot hope for Your faithfulness.”

(Isaiah 38:18)

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As slaves to righteousness, believers are “under obligation” (Rom. 8:12; cf. 6:18) to honour God in how they live. Yet, for those who belong to Christ, the motivation to obey is far more profound than mere duty. “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments,” Jesus told His disciples (John 14:15, emphasis added); and again, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My Word” (v.23). The apostle John echoed Christ’s words in his epistles: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3); and elsewhere, “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments” (2 John 6). Genuine believers are characterized by a deep love for Christ, and that love inevitably manifests itself in obedience. [1] By contrast, those who do not love the Lord, either in what they say or by how they live, evidence the fact that they do not belong to Him. [2]

The only right response to Christ’s lordship is wholehearted submission, loving obedience, and passionate worship. Those who give verbal assent to His deity, yet live in patterns of unrepentant disobedience, betray the hypocrisy of their profession. To them, the terrifying weight of Christ’s question, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46) directly applies. As He warned the crowds at the end of the Sermon on the Mount, after describing they dangers of hypocrisy:

Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?” And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matt. 7:21-23).

Clearly, not all who claim to know the Lord actually do. Those who truly “belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal. 5:24). Rather than walking in the flesh, they now “walk by the Spirit” (v. 25), being characterized by a growing desire to obey the Word of God. As Jesus told the crowds in John 8:31, ‘If you continue in My Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine.” [3] After all, “each tree is known by its own fruit” (Luke 6:44); and genuine conversion is always marked by the fruit of repentance and the fruit of the Spirit. [4] Loving obedience is the defining evidence of salvation, such that the two are inseparably linked; as the author of Hebrews explains: “He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation” (5:9). [5]

Notes:

1) 1 Cor. 8:3; Eph. 6:24; 1 Peter 1:8; cf. Mark 12:30; John 21:15-17; 1 John 2:3

2) 1 Cor. 16:22; cf. John 8:42; Rom. 8:9

3) Cf. John 6:66-69; Matt 24:13; Col. 1:22-23; 1 Tim. 4:16; Heb. 3:14; 10:38-39; 1 John 2:19

4) Luke 3:8; Gal. 5:22-23

5) Cf. John 3:36; Rom. 1:5; 6:16; 15:18; 16:19, 26; 1 Peter 1:2, 22

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The longer I have been involved in the church, the more it has become clear to me that it is the same in the kingdom of God. The Lord plans big.

He has plans for our purpose (For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2:10)

Once He rules in our hearts, He is in it for the long-haul ( I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. -Philippians 1:6)

He plans for “eternal destruction” and “eternal encouragement.” (2 Thess 1:9, 2:16)

Now let us consider the mental timeframes I function on as one of many a recent graduate from the education system; one of many a young person. Breakfast, (second breakfast,) Lunch, and Dinner. This week, next weekend. First Semester, Second Semester. This summer, next summer. Mission trip 2008, mission trip 2009. “What am I doing next month, next year?”

Sometimes when you have that great conversation with someone about the gospel or get a great moment of teachability it is so poignant and encouraging that you want to frame it and put it in the mantlepiece of completion. Score! But people you thought loved the Lord will walk away, and that adrenaline-charged passion you had to read the Bible in a year may fizzle. Hm, fail. Or is it not so?

Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses a surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne. -Hebrews 12:1-2

This is not a five year plan, but a life-long marathon. Didn’t finish your reading plan in time? (Yes, this might be me.) Continue in the coming months, and do it with great joy and thanksgiving.

The intricate timeline that has most recently weighed on my mind the gloriousness of God at work is that of a church’s ministries. The nursery, where parents are relieved of their child to listen to God’s Word preached on Sunday morning, and where others are given the opportunity to serve those parents and their child. Sunday School, where kids begin to learn who God is and what He has said to us. Children learn to enjoy the community of the church, and others including youth are given the opportunity to ‘feed’ children. Youth ministry, where young people decide the doctrines they believe, and where they are influenced by their peers and challenged to grow. Adult ministry, where the occasional efforts of youth can become established habits. And where believers are given a chance to gather with fellow believers away from whatever part of the world they are functioning in.

Someone is responsible for organizing that potluck. For arranging the Sunday School schedule. For ordering the pizza for movie night. For registering you at that camp. For preaching the sermon. That one success matters and it doesn’t matter: none of it would be very meaningful or effective if it did not flow continually from everyone involved so that God’s people are living entire lives dedicated to him

The basic measure of our walk with God is not whether we take big steps or loud steps or fast steps but that we endure. That is a good thing to remember in the frustrations and uncertainty of investing our lives and investing in others. This requires a lot of patience, vision, and regulation.

Take one from Warren Buffet: look into long term investing. Choose the Good News and ride out the ups and downs.

As much as working with kids makes me think children are cuter than ever, it has also reinforced what I know of children being depraved (corrupt with sinfulness) rather than innocent.

Yes, even that little boy who stays behind and says, “I don’t really need anything inside; I just wanted to be with you.”

Yes, even that little girl who says, “It’s cold in here,” and snuggles up to you.

Yep, and even that tiny boy who decides to hold onto your hand with his itty bitty one just after you’ve met for the first time because you broke the ice with him and amused him.

Cute, but also depraved:

Children want to be first.

Children care most about their own needs.

Children love if they are loved, and even then the love is often fickle and changing.

These are not always true to the same extent in each child, but having spent a good amount of time with children this past while, these strike me as much as their littleness and lovableness do. For me, this realization is always accompanied  by a surge of feeling, where sad is indistinguishable from glad.

Usually when I realize that I’ve been “childish,” it is a similar selfish strain of behaviour. Depravity changes surprisingly little between generations.

Read it here: The Clean and the Unclean

Below is an excerpt speaking of the Jews’ standard of separateness from the world and our separateness:

They would remain as much a distinct people, as if a great wall of brass had been built all around them, or as if they had been transported to some island, and an impassable gulf had been put between them and any other kindred upon earth. They were separated for ever. Now friends, you will say, “What is the use of this to us?” I answer, it is the earthly type of a heavenly mystery. When the Jews were put away as the people of God for a time, then the Gentiles were grafted into their olive, and though we did not inherit the ceremonies, we did inherit all the privileges to which those ceremonies point. Thus all of you who name the name of Christ and are truly what you profess to be, are solemnly bound to be for ever separated from the world. Not that you are to leave off your daily intercourse with men. Our Savior did not do so. He was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. Yet, you know, he was always in the company of sinners, sitting at their table, seeking their good, and hunting after their souls. He was with them, but he was never of them; he was among them, but always distinct and separate from them; not conforming himself to them, but transforming them to himself. He hath set us an example. It is not the seclusion of a hermit, nor the exclusion of yourselves in a monastery, where you would be of no service to your fellow-men, but it is a higher and more spiritual separation which I claim of Christians to-night. You are to be in the world, and among the world, you are to mingle with all sorts and conditions of men, but still to maintain the dignity of your newborn character, and to let men see that you are among them as a speckled bird, as a light in the midst of darkness, as salt scattered over putridity, as heavenly angels in the midst of fallen men. So are ye to be a distinct people, a chosen generation.

Just above this passage, Spurgeon made a very interesting point about the importance of ceremonial rituals. (Yes, interesting! Though I will admit I am reading Leviticus, the book of ceremonial laws, and it is not the most thrilling book of the Bible.) Among the Middle Eastern religions, the strict and stricter regulations of Muslims and Jews meant that there was little to no conversion between religions. Spurgeon says, “the familiarity which seems necessary in order to proselyte is quite prevented by the barrier that precludes from intercourse at the table.” I find that wording a little convoluted, but essentially, lifestyles and ‘customs’ are an important barrier to preserving your faith and preventing you from falling away. Humans have habits, and habits are powerful.

Leviticus 13 talks about infectious diseases and mildew (a spreading fungus) being “unclean.” This word unclean has the meaning of ceremonial uncleanness attached. In any case, it conveys the idea that an impurity spreads quickly. That explains a bit about how vigilant God wanted his people to be about staying holy and pure. The smallest dot can spread if unattended to. Intermarrying with surrounding nations resulted in increased the Israelites’ idolatry time after time. It is an important discipline to self-assess and to weed what needs to be got rid of. (This last little paragraph about Leviticus was from me, not Spurgeon. Take this last paragraph as me processing thought, not as a great preacher’s commentary.)