Tag Archives: Jesus

Sin Substitute

Posted in Daily Devotions: Chapter by Chapter by

Slushy Mess

Today’s Devotion: Leviticus 6

My daughter and I were at Target on Saturday and she asked for a cherry slushy from their concession area. It was one of those self-serve stations and when the red liquid froze it eroded like a volcano all over her hand, the counter top and floor. She looked at me with big blue eyes and said, “Mom! It blew up!” I was feeling a bit embarrassed for her and overwhelmed by the messy project before us so I asked the cashier for her help. She came over with the most genial, light-hearted spirit and said, “No big deal, that happened to me once.” Bless her for her sweetness, she took the awkwardness out of the moment and even offered some humor amongst the mess.

She cleaned it up and gave us a new cup for a second chance. As she walked away I said, “Thank you for taking such good care of us.” Another woman, within range of my comment, gave me a very strange look. My look back at her must have been equally odd so she qualified her reaction with a statement, “I am sorry, I just had to see who said that because it is so unusual to hear someone be pleasant and complimentary these days.”

It is unfortunate that our retail and food service employees take such abuse from their customers, its even more unfortunate that it is uncommon to see someone treating them with dignity and respect. This story is timely, of course, because you know I’m going to make this story about our devotional this morning.  Isn’t there a parallel to what God is doing with the sin offering?
In chapter 6, the instructions are again given to the priests. The sin offering, which speaks of the work of Christ on the cross, was to be offered where the burnt offering was sacrificed. The burnt offering speaks of the person of Christ. Christ must be holy, harmless, and free from sin to be a satisfactory offering for sin. He must be able to save. This is why the virgin birth is essential in the plan of salvation. This is the One who was conceived by the Holy Spirit in a virgin. The sin offering was holy because Christ was free from sin—though He was made sin for us. It was my sin and your sin that caused Him to die, not His sin. He didn’t die simply because He was arrested by the Romans. He could have stepped off this earth at any moment. He told Peter that He could call for legions of angels, if He wished to do so. He was made sin for us and He died in our place.

Just as we had a chance to make another slushy, God gave the Israelities a chance to right their wrongs. In verse 5 God tells Moses,  “Or whatever it was they swore falsely about. They must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day they present their guilt offering.”

Jesus paid it all – even the restitution we could not pay. What a great perspective to start the week.

 

Dress For The Best

Posted in Daily Devotions: Chapter by Chapter by

Fashion Model

Today’s Devotion: Exodus 28.

When I was younger, my Mom used to tell me to wear my “Sunday best”. I had a couple of dresses that were very special and I only wore them to church on Sundays or dress up events like funerals, weddings, school pictures or concerts. As I read Exodus chapter 28, I thought of my Sunday best.

God was very specific about this certain outfit because it is the attire that Aaron would need in order to enter into the presence of God. It appears that Aaron was promoted in this chapter so God is making sure that Aaron was appropriately suited to represent the position of high priest.

Have you ever heard the quote, “Dress for the position you want, not the position you have?” After reading Exodus 28 and the criteria of this Godly dress code, I believe that statement applies here – Dress the Best for God. What does that say about our choices for our wardrobe? As it has been in the past four chapters of Exodus, God has every intricate detail covered and in this one, He is a bit more personal. This one describes our own physical presence in relation to a perfect God.

It causes me to think about what a Christian woman should wear to represent Christ. I know we are not supposed to dress immodestly because we don’t want to draw negative attention to ourselves. If we want people to see us as followers of Christ, as I tell my daughters, in words, actions, thoughts and deeds – what does that look like? I think the way we dress can say a lot about who we are and how we desire to honor God.

This chapter is a call out to me on what dressing for God looks like. It certainly leaves us with much to think as it relates to our choice for dress. We don’t just turn our Christianity on or off whether its a Sunday or any other day of the week, so the question I will take to my closet this morning is, “How can I dress for Godly Success?”

Dangerous Assumption

Posted in Reflections From My Heart by
Just Believe

Just Believe

Genesis 20:11 Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’

I want to just smack Abraham. Here is a prophet of God and he lies to Abimelech that Sarah is his sister. His rationale, “There is surely no fear of God in this place.” [This is where I would launch a good back hand across the back of his head.] So what Abraham – Isn’t that when God reveals himself? But Abraham is afraid that telling the truth could result in death so he chooses to lie instead?

What?! Like getting caught in a lie would guarantee his safety? As a result, Abraham made a dangerous assumption in Genesis 20.

I’m seeing a theme in Abraham’s life and I believe Abraham’s greatest fault is his disbelief in God. Yet, the single, most fundamental thing that God asks of us is to believe. That is a theme throughout the entire bible and is also God’s message to us. In Genesis, we see evidence of God’s heart for those who believe and then fast forward to the new testament and to sum it up in one verse, Acts 16:31 says, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.” Without belief in God, nothing else matters… NOTHING! From our own salvation to how we live out our lives in reverence to God as a [action] believer!

My message as I interpret what God is trying to tell me in Genesis 20 is to do a heart check on my belief. Do I believe God? Confession… I want too. Maybe I need a good smack to the head too. This should be a no-brainer, but this is where my story and Abraham’s are parallel. I am prone to do things as to how I ‘think’ they should be rather than believe God. I am unapologetic when I say that I believe IN God – It’s the simply “BELIEVING God” that I still need work. Therefore, I rest in His grace and appreciate biblical example’s, like Abraham, who are given to us to show that God is with us, even when we take matters into our own hands.

Girlfriends Wipe The Tears

Posted in Reflections From My Heart by
Just Being There

Just Being There

Luke 7:13

When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” (NIV)

I ran into a friend yesterday and in the moment decided to grab a spontaneous lunch. I had not talked with her in awhile so it was great to take the opportunity to catch up. We started with the usual question, but this time with well intended meaning, “How are you?” She immediately melted into tears.

I don’t know a woman alive who hasn’t experienced this situation. It amazes me how God puts people in your path at just the right time and those people are usually girlfriends, right? I had no idea (at the time) that she was anything but o.k. Upon our initial embrace she was smiling, her eyes were sparkling, she was genuinely grateful to see me and she looked happy. But that magic question, combined with a safe and honest environment, allowed her to stop the charade and let it all go.

What proceeded to come out of her mouth was a situation that I knew I could not fix. As my mind was striving to find the right words and the most comforting gestures, I found myself praying instead. I was praying that God would intervene. I prayed that God would be her comfort and be her source of peace; that he would love her and reveal Himself to her in and through these (horrible) circumstances that had her pouring out to me.

I didn’t have the right words to say and I most certainly didn’t have the answers that would make everything o.k. for her, but as we departed and she assured me  that “she’d be fine.” I left with a sense of confidence that she really will be more than fine. I trust that God will work in and through her situation. I’ve been in her shoes where I have needed a friend, sounding board, confidant, and shoulder to cry on. It is true that no one and nothing can fix us when we’re broken, but it sure is a gift from God when we have someone to walk alongside of us in those times of need and as much as prayer doesn’t seem like enough, I know she is not alone.