Saturday, Ordinary 30, Proper 25, Oct 25
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Meditation
Saturday, Ordinary 30, Proper 25 was all about Moses—his words, his song, his declarations. The Psalm was the Song of Moses that he wrote at the end of his life, his final legacy to his people. Moses acknowledged God’s infinite greatness—
“Lord, you have been our home
since the beginning.
2 Before the mountains were born
and before you created the earth and the world,
you are God.
You have always been, and you will always be.”
From before time began, God was and planned for humanity, whose life was like a dream at waking. Time to God—thousands of years to us—was a glimmer. Unfathomable would be an apt description, since humans have never been able to comprehend the larger-than-life aspects of God.
But Moses asked for God’s protection and that everything would be successful after such a time of hardship.
The Old Testament lesson in Deuteronomy was Moses’ last directions to his people—to sing his song as written in Psalm 90 and to further insist that they obey the laws of God as Moses had taught them so that it would go well with the Children of Israel in the land that God had promised them and was about to give them.
The sorrowful irony of the New Testament lesson was that the people Jesus was talking to, knew the book of Deuteronomy. They were scholars of the law and could quote from it and declared themselves authorities on it. But they could not recognize Jesus—the creator Word that Moses’ song had been about, the one, about whom the law was written. Jesus point blank told them that they had no love for God (as the first commandment said to do) or they would have recognized Jesus, for who he was.
Love heightens awareness. When my ship was in port in San Diego, there was an all officers gathering at a huge hotel banquet hall, where the captain outlined the upcoming duties. It was informal and I was sitting with my friends way at the back. The door behind the captain opened and my husband walked into the room and realized he was behind the captain with the whole room looking at him. I hadn’t seen him for months and shrieked my joy at realizing he’d surprised me by driving the long distance to San Diego. Though he was far away and it was out of context to see him, I recognized him immediately, although my friends wondered who ‘that guy’ was. They didn’t ‘know’ him or ‘love’ him and didn’t recognize him. I did.
Love begets knowledge and recognition. Those Jewish leaders, who should have been the guiding force for recognizing Jesus, had failed to follow Moses’ instructions and obey the law. Thus, they missed out on being “with” the Messiah—the one they claimed to be looking for. Had they loved God, like the Pharisees Nicodemus and Paul did, they would have recognized him.
Furthermore, Jesus said that Moses would also accuse them of their failure to recognize Jesus and to follow his words—both in song and in declaration.
As believers, we must first love God, so that we will have the heart and mind to recognize Jesus when he shows up, be it in dreams, visions, or the niggling conscience. A woman, who became a friend of mine, visited the church where I worked after she had awakened one night and seen a figure at the foot of the bed that she believed was Jesus. He told her to contact our church and someone would be there to guide her. She called the church the next day and I answered the phone. We became fast friends. Had she seen Jesus? I can’t say either way, but her obedience to what the figure said resulted in her salvation. Jesus called to Saul on the Road to Damascus, so I suspect Christ could use many means to reach people.
But Jesus did say that the false leaders didn’t love God and they couldn’t recognize Jesus, so the converse could be true. If we love God, we should be able to recognize Jesus.
Thanks be to God.
Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen
Bible Readings
http://legacy.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17;Deuteronomy 32:44-47;John 5:39-47&version=KJV;ERV;GNT;NCV;NIV (multiple versions)
Saturday, Ordinary 30, Proper 25
Psalm 90:1-6 Psalm 90:13-17
Deuteronomy 32:44-47
John 5:39-47
Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating
Psalm 90:1-2
King James Version (KJV)
90 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
Single Bible Study chapter to study
Psalm 90:1-6
King James Version (KJV)
90 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
3 Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
5 Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
6 In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
Psalm 90:13-17
King James Version (KJV)
13 Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.
16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
OBSERVE:
Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.
2.
3.
INTERPRETATION:
What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?
APPLY:
Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement
Almighty God, you are the creator of the universe and you loved us enough to be intimately involved in our lives. Thank you for your protection and empowerment. All success we have is because of you. Help us to see our place in life and receive the blessings you have in store for us. In Jesus name, Amen
Conclusion
Saturday, Ordinary 30, Proper 25’s lesson glimpsed the story of Moses from three perspectives: 1--the poetry of Moses singing the songs of praise to the Creator God, whose power and greatness began long before time and was the protector and giver of success to Israel. 2—the last words of Moses commanding that his people obey the law and follow the commandments so that they would have success in the land God was about to give them. 3—Jesus’ encounter with Jewish leaders who had learned the Torah, but had not loved God and were unable to recognize the truth about Jesus. They had not truly obeyed the words of Moses, although they claimed to do so. But if they had obeyed the law, they would have loved God and recognized Jesus.
The whole path of faith begins with loving God. If we can get that relationship with God on the right status, then everything would fall into place. Moses had that relationship with God and he desperately wanted his people to enjoy that, too. He showed them, and us, the way. All they (we) had to do was love and obey.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life—for the glory of God.*
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins will also do.
Saturday, Ordinary 30, Proper 25 was all about Moses—his words, his song, his declarations. The Psalm was the Song of Moses that he wrote at the end of his life, his final legacy to his people. Moses acknowledged God’s infinite greatness—
“Lord, you have been our home
since the beginning.
2 Before the mountains were born
and before you created the earth and the world,
you are God.
You have always been, and you will always be.”
From before time began, God was and planned for humanity, whose life was like a dream at waking. Time to God—thousands of years to us—was a glimmer. Unfathomable would be an apt description, since humans have never been able to comprehend the larger-than-life aspects of God.
But Moses asked for God’s protection and that everything would be successful after such a time of hardship.
The Old Testament lesson in Deuteronomy was Moses’ last directions to his people—to sing his song as written in Psalm 90 and to further insist that they obey the laws of God as Moses had taught them so that it would go well with the Children of Israel in the land that God had promised them and was about to give them.
The sorrowful irony of the New Testament lesson was that the people Jesus was talking to, knew the book of Deuteronomy. They were scholars of the law and could quote from it and declared themselves authorities on it. But they could not recognize Jesus—the creator Word that Moses’ song had been about, the one, about whom the law was written. Jesus point blank told them that they had no love for God (as the first commandment said to do) or they would have recognized Jesus, for who he was.
Love heightens awareness. When my ship was in port in San Diego, there was an all officers gathering at a huge hotel banquet hall, where the captain outlined the upcoming duties. It was informal and I was sitting with my friends way at the back. The door behind the captain opened and my husband walked into the room and realized he was behind the captain with the whole room looking at him. I hadn’t seen him for months and shrieked my joy at realizing he’d surprised me by driving the long distance to San Diego. Though he was far away and it was out of context to see him, I recognized him immediately, although my friends wondered who ‘that guy’ was. They didn’t ‘know’ him or ‘love’ him and didn’t recognize him. I did.
Love begets knowledge and recognition. Those Jewish leaders, who should have been the guiding force for recognizing Jesus, had failed to follow Moses’ instructions and obey the law. Thus, they missed out on being “with” the Messiah—the one they claimed to be looking for. Had they loved God, like the Pharisees Nicodemus and Paul did, they would have recognized him.
Furthermore, Jesus said that Moses would also accuse them of their failure to recognize Jesus and to follow his words—both in song and in declaration.
As believers, we must first love God, so that we will have the heart and mind to recognize Jesus when he shows up, be it in dreams, visions, or the niggling conscience. A woman, who became a friend of mine, visited the church where I worked after she had awakened one night and seen a figure at the foot of the bed that she believed was Jesus. He told her to contact our church and someone would be there to guide her. She called the church the next day and I answered the phone. We became fast friends. Had she seen Jesus? I can’t say either way, but her obedience to what the figure said resulted in her salvation. Jesus called to Saul on the Road to Damascus, so I suspect Christ could use many means to reach people.
But Jesus did say that the false leaders didn’t love God and they couldn’t recognize Jesus, so the converse could be true. If we love God, we should be able to recognize Jesus.
Thanks be to God.
Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen
Bible Readings
http://legacy.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17;Deuteronomy 32:44-47;John 5:39-47&version=KJV;ERV;GNT;NCV;NIV (multiple versions)
Saturday, Ordinary 30, Proper 25
Psalm 90:1-6 Psalm 90:13-17
Deuteronomy 32:44-47
John 5:39-47
Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating
Psalm 90:1-2
King James Version (KJV)
90 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
Single Bible Study chapter to study
Psalm 90:1-6
King James Version (KJV)
90 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
3 Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
5 Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
6 In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
Psalm 90:13-17
King James Version (KJV)
13 Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.
16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
OBSERVE:
Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.
2.
3.
INTERPRETATION:
What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?
APPLY:
Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement
Almighty God, you are the creator of the universe and you loved us enough to be intimately involved in our lives. Thank you for your protection and empowerment. All success we have is because of you. Help us to see our place in life and receive the blessings you have in store for us. In Jesus name, Amen
Conclusion
Saturday, Ordinary 30, Proper 25’s lesson glimpsed the story of Moses from three perspectives: 1--the poetry of Moses singing the songs of praise to the Creator God, whose power and greatness began long before time and was the protector and giver of success to Israel. 2—the last words of Moses commanding that his people obey the law and follow the commandments so that they would have success in the land God was about to give them. 3—Jesus’ encounter with Jewish leaders who had learned the Torah, but had not loved God and were unable to recognize the truth about Jesus. They had not truly obeyed the words of Moses, although they claimed to do so. But if they had obeyed the law, they would have loved God and recognized Jesus.
The whole path of faith begins with loving God. If we can get that relationship with God on the right status, then everything would fall into place. Moses had that relationship with God and he desperately wanted his people to enjoy that, too. He showed them, and us, the way. All they (we) had to do was love and obey.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life—for the glory of God.*
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins will also do.
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