Thursday 7 April

Deuteronomy 6:1-8:20

Love the Lord.  Oh church, let us love the Lord.  Deeply love Him and really love Him.  That is our Sinai in this desert of the Law, that is our sacred and wonderful place of revelation in the midst of hardship and struggle.  To fix our eyes on the Lord and to let our heart grow in affection for Him, to have Him as the first in our day and the last.  To deeply desire him and be fully gratified in Him.  To be warm towards Him and unrelenting in our attending towards him.  This was how Jesus summed up the Law in words and this is how Jesus fulfilled the Law in deeds.  It’s just love, mere love.  And yet there is nothing stronger and nothing more wonderful.  It’s a simple and child-like thing and yet all riches and all wisdom lies therein.  Love.  Oh church, let us love the Lord.  Let us love the Lord again.  He is so worthy of it.  All we have has come from him. He loved us first, so let’s love him back.  Let us love the Lord, let us really love Him, let us deeply love him. Let us love the Lord oh church, let us love the Lord.

Luke 11:33-54

And love is a distinctive of Jesus followers; love and justice are the daily tithe for those who walk in the way of the Lord.  Eating with others, calling them to account, lifting your fingers to help them - this is love.  Unlocking the keys to knowledge and ushering people in - this is love.  Giving what you have to the poor and taking the least important seats - this is justice.  Listening to the prophets and following their call - this is the justice of the Lord.  And this love and justice, this glorious distinctive of The Way, is released through the eyes - through what we see and how we look at the world.  That is where we should focus our prayers, that is where we should expend our efforts - on having the Spirit renew our vision, on having the Spirit giving us eyes to see the Father and all that the Father is doing.  Love and justice don’t come through sheer effort and skill - they are prayed in through the eyes, they are flooded into our hearts through what we see. So let us look on Jesus and fix our gaze on him.  Let us see him and love him.  Let us let Him shine his light into us.  Then we will see love and justice flowing from us into the places we reside.

Psalm 42:1-6a

I’ve never seen a deer pant.  In fact I’ve barely ever seen a deer.  A dog panting - that I have seen, but never a deer.  I wonder if deers slobber as much as dogs?  My soul slobbers for you O God...

Wednesday 6 April

Deuteronomy 4:15-5:33

Reflection.  I guess nights upon night of nothing to look at except sand-dunes can lead one to reflect a fair bit.  Spending 40 years camped in a “vast and dreadful” desert probably doesn’t lead to a particularly rapid pace of life.  Which is why these passages are a goldmine.  Moses must have done his fair bit of thinking about God and, as he begins to lie down on his death-bed, he is speaking out words of 24-carat value.  Verses 32-40 deserve several readings.  I think the main sense is one of immense privilege.  Moses has had a fair bit to do with other nations (generally destroying them!) and sees the hugely unusual state his nation is in - actually wooed by the one real and powerful God, rescued from oppressors, protected from enemies, provided a land they never could have won and now held in the crook of God’s arm in a covenant of deep mercy and strength.  Reflection is something I want to make more time for.  I want to find space to consider long and hard what it is the Lord has done for us and to let him grow a deep sense of gratitude in my heart.

Luke 11:5-32

Carrying on with the distinctives of followers of Jesus, we see here - played out in 3 different ways - the distinctive of knowing where power lies.  The first pass at this distinctive covers the fairly run-of-the-mill question of provision - followers of Jesus know that all resources lie in the hand of God and that he is the only one who has power to give the Holy Spirit (his empowering presence) to those who seek him.  The second pass raises the bar a little and shows that all spiritual authority lies with God. God’s power that performed the 10 plagues of Egypt (the finger of God) is the power of the kingdom being wielded by Jesus to drive out the works of the Satan.  Followers of Jesus know that evil can only be tackled by one force.  The third and final pass takes us into the stratosphere of power-wielders.  Followers of Jesus know that God will be the judge of every single individual who has ever lived.  Followers of Jesus know that the axis of history and of destiny turns on the one man Jesus and what people do with him will decide how they fare on that day.  The culmination of these 3 is a vibrant and single-minded distinctive - a gaze fixed markedly in only one direction, a life tilted permanently and decidedly towards submission to God.  Every issue and every problem is always put to God for him to resolve.  His is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and for ever. Amen

Proverbs 8:32-36

Is it unwise of me to say that wisdom has probably made her point at least 27 times already and it is starting to wear a little thin? “Wisdom - I think we’ve got the idea that we need to find you... but what do you actually look like??  Why can’t you get onto the dog and vomit bit - everyone always loves a good story about dogs and their vomit.

Tuesday 5 April

Deuteronomy 2:24-4:14

Do you get a sense of deja vu? Do you get a sense of deja vu? Do you get a sense that this is an old joke that self-respecting people really wouldn’t use?  Indeed, we have seen the defeat of King Sihon and of King Og before (although last time some crazy cat forgot to mention the incredible nature of his bed!  A certain colleague of mine who may well be a worship leader named Paul has made enquiries as to whether he would be able to pick one up but it seems that IKEA are out of stock).  But what we get from this section is Moses’ understanding of the law as being not just worshipful but also missional.  Obedience to the commandments of God would, in Moses’ mind, not just keep the people from sin but would send a clear message to the surrounding nations that the “Lord God is near” and that his nation is a “wise and understanding people”.  We get all throughout the bible the idea that obedience to God actually makes life better.  Worship of Yahweh is not a dirge of difficult obedience in the vain hope of some future reward but is a celebration of proximity to God, of provision by him and of the fact that the perplexities and problems of life have already been seen by Him and He has laid us a path to walk through them.  Followers of God, if they are obedient and faithful, will be distinctive.  And this distinctiveness will not be of being miseryguts or partypoopers but of being wise and understanding - of being people who really know how to do life well.

Luke 10:25-11:4

We are pretty much halfway through Luke now and he has layed out ample evidence of the personality (birth, baptism, miracles, transfiguration) and plan (Luke 4 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me..., sending out of the 12 and appointing of the 72) of Jesus.  Now he comes to his distinctives (I was going to say his praxis because it followed the trend of starting with a ‘p’, but ‘praxis’ sounded so horribly pretentious that I felt sick at the thought of it).  So here are 3 distinctives today - firstly, followers of Jesus have mercy on people they bump into, regardless of social custom.  Secondly, Jesus’ followers are not worried and upset about many things but focus on the one thing that is needed (does anyone actually know what this is because Jesus doesn’t seem to say.  I wonder if it is the dusting?).  Thirdly, Jesus’ followers pray with intimacy and dependance.  Merciful, not worried and dependent of the Father - a pretty cool trio I think... and there is more to come over the next few days.

Psalm 41:7-13

Some incredible prophecy here with allusions to Judas, the resurrection, the ascension and the coronation of Jesus.  Not bad for the butt-end of slightly-moany worship poem.

Monday 4 April

Deuteronomy 1:1-2:23

Deuteronomy is a great book - one of my favourites.  The bulk of it is Moses’ final sermon before he pops his clogs, but there are a few pieces of editorial comment on the sermon to set it in context and explain a few bits and pieces here and there.  As it was his last words, Moses has obviously taken some time to reflect on what he has seen through the desert (what he calls the “vast and dreadful desert” - poor bloke) and so we get some really useful summaries of what all that Exodus to Numbers stuff was about.  1:29-33 is a great one of these.  We see that Moses - someone who was intimately involved with the narrative - saw it not primarily as one of punishment or of heavy legislation but of a father carrying a son, protecting him, providing for him, guiding him.  For Moses, the desert experience was one where all the running was done by the Lord and the only contribution of the people was not to trust to one on whose back they sat.  There were a few of exceptions to this - Caleb, Joshua and Moses (and their families) - but all the glory and all the credit goes to God.  And we live in similar times - where all we bring to the party is our sin and yet, in his incredible love and generosity, God picks us up and carries us, feeding us with his daily bread and taking us inexorably forward towards the promised land.

Luke 9:57-10:24

Following on the back of yesterday’s revelation of Jesus as a releasing, empowering Messiah we see him working out that revelation today.  We rightly talk of the 12 apostles but the appointment of the 72 is hugely significant for understanding who Jesus was and what he was doing.  12 people wandering around with the authority of Jesus is one thing - they would be fairly easy to manage.  But 72!  How could Jesus have kept tabs on what all 72 were doing?  Jesus seemed to be quite reckless in his willingness to empower people and to send them off to do the things of the kingdom.  And, the over-riding emotion of the 72 was not fear, or conviction of sin, or even excitement but one of joy.  Joy was the defining emotion of those who are doing the things of the kingdom.  Jesus affirms this and, indeed, feels it himself.  Joy, deep and soul-awakening joy, is really and truly available to all of us who are followers of Jesus.  This is joy not at what we see happening, not at the miracles that God does through us, but joy at what God has done for us - that our names are written on his ephod.  That Jesus, as our High Priest, has our names written on his waistcoat, and that he intercedes for us day in, day out, representing us to his father and guaranteeing our entrance into the kingdom of our God.

Psalm 41:1-6

It’s interesting that in verse 4 David asks to be healed when he has sinned. 

Sunday 3 April

Numbers 35:1-36:13

So Numbers closes with a passage of bureaucracy.  But any former civil servant like myself would tell you that bureaucracy reflects values and the value being enshrined in this particular piece of paperwork is that of fairness - of justice.  Although this justice does prescribe severe punishment for an act of murder, the main thrust of it seems to be towards mercy and restraint.  Anyone has the mercy of a city of refuge to flee to if they fear their own life.  Anyone has the right to inherit some land to live in and to harvest.  These are profound and robust principles that demonstrate God’s desire to see people prosper and society operating in a loving and orderly manner.  God deeply desires to see each person respecting the value of their neighbours and giving them the opportunity to pursue their desires in life.  But this is not just communism.  The song of justice is not about freedom from oppression and prosperity in the land, no, the song of justice has a rhythm and a melody of worship.  Justice is about acknowledging that God dwells among us and respecting the awesome privilege of that.  Justice is about love of God and love of those around us. Justice is pure devotion to Yahweh and care for the people whom He has placed on this earth.

Luke 9:28-56

The Jesus journey is reaching a critical point; patterns have been set, eyes have been opened, hearts have been captured.  And so it is the time for the lightening fire of pure revelation to be injected into the mix.  It is not the lightening fire of judgement as Israel may have expected - judgement of the Romans, judgement of the corrupt members of Jewish society - but the lightening fire of the identity of a single man and the news of his departure.  Often it is entrances that are glorious, it is arrivals that stir the crowds.  But with Jesus it is his departure that excites figures no less great than Moses and Elijah.  The glorious splendour of Jesus is not that he comes with a sword but that he departs to leave his Spirit.  His desire, at this stage in proceedings, is not to establish an earthly power that draws lines around itself and calls down fire on all those who fall outside.  His desire is to depart so that he house can be opened to all, so that service and downward mobility, welcome and permission can be released in and through the work of his Holy Spirit.  This is the time in which we live and this is the glorious inheritance that we have received - a departed king and yet experience of his releasing, empowering presence.

Psalm 40:9-17

David’s enemies really need to get a better insult.  If the best they can do is “aha! aha!” then they really need to go back to evil school.

Saturday 2 April

Numbers 33:1-34:29

Oh what you wouldn’t do for a map!  That doesn’t seem to be the way with the bible though, not sure why.  The major point in this section is simple and old but still profound.  The thing the Lord is looking for from his people, the one distinctive that he seeks from them is worship.  Worship in this passage is the ritual worship of high places and carved images - things that are turned to for help with crops growing and children being born.  Worship is the things that define the community and that they commit time and resources and, perhaps most of all, hope to.  The only one worthy of such devotion is the Lord who created the world and has committed himself to care for and provide and inheritance for his people.

Luke 9:10-27

Jesus is the most important person in the whole of history. And this isn’t based on what he has done, although that is part of it, but rather it is down to who he is.  Jesus came to earth to offer welcome, compassion, miraculous food, teaching on the kingdom of God - to offer people a chance to follow in the way of life.  The joys of following this way are manifoldly displayed through the gospel of Luke.  But for those who refuse to follow or who are too ashamed to follow or who love their own life or who seek to gain this world - they will be hung out to dry when Jesus returns “in his glory”.  And the glory of the one man Jesus is captivating and arresting, it is powerful and irresistible.  No matter how things may appear, no matter that Jesus and his name have before and still now suffer many things, he is the Lord of Life, he is the Son of Man and he will bring every person before the glory of the Father and all the holy angels.  The only response to such a man is worship and obedience, worship and obedience.

Proverbs 8:22-31

This passage is fantastic!  We see wisdom delighting, yes really delighting in 3 things - the presence of God, the world and people.  I can’t think of anything I want to do more than emulate wisdom in her joy.

Friday 1 April

Numbers 31:25-32:45

I guess you could draw some theological conclusions from the fact that the Reubenites and Gadites decided not to cross the Jordan but as the narrative doesn’t say what the Lord thought of their request then I’d be loathe to speculate.  What is significant about this section though is that it heralds Israel’s settling down from her nomadic lifestyle of wilderness wandering.  From here on in we begin to see the people of Israel wedding itself to the land of Israel that David ruled over and Jesus trod upon.  This is, therefore, a useful passage for helping us begin to understand how the Jewish people came to be in their land and why it was (and still is) so important to them.

Luke 8:40-9:9

Jesus’ command to the disciples is to proclaim the gospel and to demonstrate the power and compassion of the kingdom of God by healing the sick.  To proclaim and demonstrate the Kingdom is one of the primary callings of the Vineyard and of the whole church of God.  Luke illustrates what this proclamation and demonstration looks like in the previous anecdote about the bleeding woman and the ruler’s daughter.  Jesus’ proclamation is not a 3-point exegesis of a biblical passage but is him fronting up to the lady and affirming her faith in him as God’s anointed Messiah.  Proclamation doesn’t require clever words or intricate apologetics but it does require us to point to Jesus as king of the whole world and to invite people to put their faith in him.  Jesus’ demonstration is instantaneous, miraculous recovery of serious symptoms.  It at once confirms the proclamation of the gospel (even if it happens before it) and pushes the person to press on further into faith in Jesus (go in peace is not just a kind way of saying goodbye...).  While our demonstration may not always be as dramatic as that of Jesus (although sometimes it might be more so!) I think Luke does call us to demonstrate the compassion and the power of God.  After all, God is intimately involved with our world - in Him we live and breathe and have our being - and we should not be remotely surprised if he shows himself in and through our prayers and words.

Psalm 40:1-8

I’ve regularly felt like I’ve been in a slimy pit.  The image of being lifted out of the mud  and mire and being stood on a rock just feels so liberating and so attractive.  Thank you God that this is not just a poem but something that can be experienced in life.