Good day dear friends. Happy Belated Mother's Day to all the mommies out there. We're on track to finish the Bible in now less than 52 weeks. Yesterday's sermon was on the farewell of Moses and the welcome of Joshua, and the sermon was on what their mothers might have said to them to make them the men they became.
Here is our study guide for today:Monday: Joshua 13, 14, 15What significance do you see in the fact that the Levites owned no land and had no inheritance?
We find in this no inheritance the basis for the itinerant system; that of being able to move from place to place to do the work of God. Our United Methodist Church clergy are all itinerant pastors (well most of them!). We can be called in the middle of the night by our bishop who may instruct us to leave one place to go serve in another. Some clergy may actually stay awake praying for that call to come! But the significance according to today's reading for those of the tribe of Levi is that God, the God of Israel, would be their inheritance as chapter 13 closes out. What greater inheritance could one want? The Levites were the men of God called to serve God and God being a God of all places and all people wanted them to be free to move around to do the work of the Lord in whatever place they might be called.
It is easy to fall in love with one place and not want to leave there. That's only human. And there are clergy today who do just that and will do anything not to have to move. And in the same way it is easy to not fall in love with certain places and to do anything to be kept from being sent to those. That is not the itinerant system, that is selfishness. God calls us UMs as He did the Levites to be obedient to God's leading and to serve where God calls. I used to belong to the Rio Grande Conference, a Spanish-language conference more than a geographic one. I could have been moved from Edinburg, Texas to Albuquerque, New Mexico with one phone call. At one time I wished for that, but the call never came. In the same way I could have been sent to El Paso or Beaumont.
How free are you to be obedient to God? The right answer should be that you're completely free (I can hear that credit card song playing even now in my head, "I'm free...to do what I want.") to do what you want, and more importantly, you're free to do what God wants. But do you want to? Are places, homes, things more important than what God wants. Our Sunday school class yesterday spoke of having a God-given vision but our human rebelliousness keeps us from being obedient and saying yes to God when we should. Don't let your selfishness limit your vision, for we serve a world-wide God!
PRAYER: Thank you dear Father for the inheritance that is ours when we trust and love You. For now help us see that which You want for and from us. Let me be free to do what You want. I pray in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.
Here is our study guide for today:Monday: Joshua 13, 14, 15What significance do you see in the fact that the Levites owned no land and had no inheritance?
We find in this no inheritance the basis for the itinerant system; that of being able to move from place to place to do the work of God. Our United Methodist Church clergy are all itinerant pastors (well most of them!). We can be called in the middle of the night by our bishop who may instruct us to leave one place to go serve in another. Some clergy may actually stay awake praying for that call to come! But the significance according to today's reading for those of the tribe of Levi is that God, the God of Israel, would be their inheritance as chapter 13 closes out. What greater inheritance could one want? The Levites were the men of God called to serve God and God being a God of all places and all people wanted them to be free to move around to do the work of the Lord in whatever place they might be called.
It is easy to fall in love with one place and not want to leave there. That's only human. And there are clergy today who do just that and will do anything not to have to move. And in the same way it is easy to not fall in love with certain places and to do anything to be kept from being sent to those. That is not the itinerant system, that is selfishness. God calls us UMs as He did the Levites to be obedient to God's leading and to serve where God calls. I used to belong to the Rio Grande Conference, a Spanish-language conference more than a geographic one. I could have been moved from Edinburg, Texas to Albuquerque, New Mexico with one phone call. At one time I wished for that, but the call never came. In the same way I could have been sent to El Paso or Beaumont.
How free are you to be obedient to God? The right answer should be that you're completely free (I can hear that credit card song playing even now in my head, "I'm free...to do what I want.") to do what you want, and more importantly, you're free to do what God wants. But do you want to? Are places, homes, things more important than what God wants. Our Sunday school class yesterday spoke of having a God-given vision but our human rebelliousness keeps us from being obedient and saying yes to God when we should. Don't let your selfishness limit your vision, for we serve a world-wide God!
PRAYER: Thank you dear Father for the inheritance that is ours when we trust and love You. For now help us see that which You want for and from us. Let me be free to do what You want. I pray in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.
