It was nice to have John back sharing with us this Sunday. His sermon covered the first 7-8 Chapters of Exodus. John described the priest’s job towards the people and towards God as they got started being a group set apart by God. They were to be mediators between God and man and would be until the arrival of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts. Moses was their spokesperson but he would not always be with them, so God was preparing a group of His people for this purpose. He set them aside in dress and actions to show the people how Holy God is and how to approach Him properly.
They were a nation in exile having been rescued by God from the hands of Egypt, and yet they did not belong to a land of their own. They were in the process of moving from exile to home. John reminded us that we are in a similar position. We are exiled as we were also rescued by God from the bondage of sin and are awaiting our home in heaven. It is a nice perspective and reminds me of Psalm 16:5-6 “The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. 6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” Do you consider your present life that God has provided as a place where God has drawn the lines or boundaries in pleasant places? Do you need to possibly reevaluate your perspective and try to see things though God’s eyes? Seeing the possibilities He has set before you? Are you awaiting your beautiful inheritance?
Another point John made was the wilderness was not a permeant place. They were on their way with God as their guide- remember the cloud and the pillar of fire? It would seem that they felt they were stuck and not moving forward with the amount of grumbling they have been doing. However, we never know how long we will have to wait on the Lord. Learning to wait patiently is a sign that the Holy Spirit is active and working in your life. They got impatient just a few chapters ago and gave up on God by building a golden calf. Where are you impatient with God? Are you willing to wait and trust God? Scripture confirms that God is sovereign and in control. Relinquishing that control is a hard thing for us to do but with it comes freedom. Psalm 37:7 has a great truth for us impatient ones. “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!” Lamentations 3:26 made me smile, I so have a hard time with this! “It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” Constantly we need to remind ourselves that God has this! Trust in Him! He cannot be rushed!
The children of Israel were in a special situation as they were learning to walk with God as a nation. They had to relearn their ways and leave the idolatrous tendencies and the pleasures of Egypt that they remembered, and be retrained by God in the wilderness. We also need to be retrained God’s way when we become believers. It is often hard to leave those old habits behind and those things we remember as being pleasurable. I still don’t see how they could have thought slavery in Egypt was preferable, but we do that too. They needed to learn to worship God and follow His ways so they could walk with Him. It did not happen overnight and it does not happen overnight for us either. We need to read God’s Word, study, learn to pray, fellowship with believers and become accustomed to God’s way for us.
He wants us set apart as we are a priesthood of believers.
The Holy Spirit indwells us when we accept Jesus as Savior, and as the Holy Spirit guides us we need to be patient with ourselves and know we will stumble. God promises to be with us! When you doubt remember 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
God has a place and purpose for all of us in His kingdom. We just need to stay focused, be patient with ourselves and God’s process and trust that He has drawn the lines of your life in pleasant places. Your inheritance is guaranteed!
Linda
Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass
LINDA'S BLOG
God has a place and purpose for all of us in His kingdom. We just need to stay focused, be patient with ourselves and God’s process and trust that He has drawn the lines of your life in pleasant places. Your inheritance is guaranteed!
Linda
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Our Sunday service is online and in-person at 11:00am.Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass
Linda is a member of Crossroads church and regularly blogs about her faith.
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