Day 89
Numbers 27:12-29:11, Luke 8:1-18, Psalm 38:13-22
Today sees a huge event in the story of the Exodus. Aaron died a few days ago because of their disobedience and here Joshua is named as the one to take over from Moses when the times comes. Moses is a massive figure in biblical narrative but it was Joshua who took the people to the next step, and victory of the Canaanites.
What follows however is information that we have already read, all of the various feasts and sacrifices. And yet, this is an important part of the narrative. There is a new leader and the rules need to be restated, more importantly the covenant between God and the people is restated. There may be a new leader, a fresh start, but God is making sure that the fresh start is built on the same foundations as the covenant that he made with Moses.
We find that when we start with prayer and worship, what follows is rooted in God. The periphery and the finer detail comes into much sharper focus when we put God at the centre and this is what is happening here for the people of Israel. There is the risk that the people will look to Joshua, the new leader, and not look any further, there world view may turn very earthly. So as soon as Joshua is placed before the people the focus on God is restated.
Jesus gives the same picture, the focus has to be on the word of God, for the word to take root and bear fruit. When the focus is not in the right place we are like the stony ground, the path and the thorns. But the good soil is where the word takes root. Then the light can shine from its stand and it can shine in the darkness.
Like Israel, there are times when we need to restate our covenant, to put God back in the middle. We need to look beyond earthly things, and back to what needs to lie at the heart. And as the Psalmist said to God, "come quickly". There is no better time to start than today to put God back in the centre of our lives.
Today sees a huge event in the story of the Exodus. Aaron died a few days ago because of their disobedience and here Joshua is named as the one to take over from Moses when the times comes. Moses is a massive figure in biblical narrative but it was Joshua who took the people to the next step, and victory of the Canaanites.
What follows however is information that we have already read, all of the various feasts and sacrifices. And yet, this is an important part of the narrative. There is a new leader and the rules need to be restated, more importantly the covenant between God and the people is restated. There may be a new leader, a fresh start, but God is making sure that the fresh start is built on the same foundations as the covenant that he made with Moses.
We find that when we start with prayer and worship, what follows is rooted in God. The periphery and the finer detail comes into much sharper focus when we put God at the centre and this is what is happening here for the people of Israel. There is the risk that the people will look to Joshua, the new leader, and not look any further, there world view may turn very earthly. So as soon as Joshua is placed before the people the focus on God is restated.
Jesus gives the same picture, the focus has to be on the word of God, for the word to take root and bear fruit. When the focus is not in the right place we are like the stony ground, the path and the thorns. But the good soil is where the word takes root. Then the light can shine from its stand and it can shine in the darkness.
Like Israel, there are times when we need to restate our covenant, to put God back in the middle. We need to look beyond earthly things, and back to what needs to lie at the heart. And as the Psalmist said to God, "come quickly". There is no better time to start than today to put God back in the centre of our lives.
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