Monday, Ordinary 22/Proper 17-- Sept 1
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The music referred to is not available here. It can be found on my blog, www.chaplynne.wordpress.com where I post this same study in expanded form.
Meditation
Monday, Ordinary 22, Proper 17 combined the stories of the Old and New Testament about being prepared for the Lord’s work. The Old Testament lesson of Moses responding to the call after his seeing the burning bush and hearing the Angel of the Lord and the voice of God telling him what he would have to do.
At eighty years old, Moses, who still served Jethro as a shepherd (this was considered a lowly job often given to the youngest son or daughter), returned to explain to his father-in-law what had happened and then to ‘ask’ if or ‘tell’ him that he should go. From the way that Jethro responded, it seemed as if Moses had respectfully requested the taking of his family to Egypt of Jethro, the family patriarch.
Jethro’s encouragement resulted in Moses packing his wife and two sons, belongings and animals and setting out on the journey to Egypt. But soon after they left, they stopped at an inn where the Scriptures revealed a curious anecdote.
God—YHWH—tried to kill Moses.
What?
After all the preparation—80 years of Moses life: growing up in Pharaoh’s palace; killing a guard and fleeing to Midian; settling with the priest’s daughter, Zipporah; and raising his family; encountering the Angel of the Lord and hearing the Voice of God commanding him to return to Egypt because those, who wanted him killed, were no longer alive. After Moses heeded the call of God and packed his family to obey the Word of the Lord, God would seriously ‘kill’ him?
Why?
There is no reason specified. From other Scriptures we know that the wages of sin is death. When God prepared Moses, was there something Moses had omitted or committed that made him not quite ready for the leadership position?
In the brief verses, we see two things: Zipporah, his wife, steps up to protect and save Moses. She is pivotal to his salvation. Second, she circumcises their son—a sin of omission, perhaps—because God releases Moses and allows them to proceed after she gives evidence of the covenant with God. What can we deduce from these actions? Moses needed his house in order. The covenant with Abraham involved the action of circumcision of the males. For some reason, they had not fulfilled that until this moment.
Moses was about to present himself as the leader of the Jewish people and yet he had not honored the covenant. How many times have people criticized leaders for saying one thing and doing another? Perhaps this was the final piece that needed to be resolved before Moses could present himself with integrity. We can’t say for sure. We do know that Zipporah was key to Moses’ fulfilling his destiny. Her actions saved him. Once again, a woman was elevated to a higher role and given credit for her service.
Moses and family continued. In the meantime, God had spoken to Moses’ brother, Aaron, who came from Egypt to join forces to present to the Israelites and Pharaoh. Moses shared his visions with Aaron and the two started the final leg of preparation for the Exodus.
God coordinated Moses’ life in preparation; Aaron’s life in preparation; Zipporah’s life in preparation and joined them with precise timing in the desert at the Mountain of God (Sinai, perhaps or another?).
With Aaron, Moses was able to have additional corroboration and affirmation of the vision for the Israelites. Nothing happened in a vacuum. And like the premise of the book, It Takes a Village, to effectively achieve anything, many people would be involved in the success. God coordinated all the small details and making the many parts work together with perfect timing.
We learn that the process is never finished. Even when we are called, we may not be fully equipped, trained or ready, but the process moves forward at God’s pace and works at the precise time for all things to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle.
The New Testament lesson in Revelation spoke to the Church of Sardis, located inland, in present day, Manisa Province, Turkey. John’s revelation angel spoke harshly of Sardis. Like Moses, who was called to lead, the church of Sardis was called to become alive. Interestingly, the first statement was, “I know what you do. People say that you are alive, but really you are dead.” Like churches, who appear to have things going on, but when you get involved, they have no substance or spiritual center. Gordon MacDonald’s Ordering Your Private World, distinguished between being ‘called’ and being ‘driven’ to God’s service. When called, the Holy Spirit will equip for every need and there is no limit to the resources. But when driven, the leaders experience burnout and exhaustion; volunteers disappear and feel used up. Churches and religious events can appear to be doing great, if money covers the lacks with professional staff doing the work. But the inner workings are dead.
My mother was a pianist, accomplished but not classically brilliant. When she played hymns, I found the chills running up and down my arm; the Spirit of God moved through her fingers into the keys and the notes that came out were different than others I have heard play the same thing. I listened to a brilliant pianist play the same music as my mother played, but the spirit wasn’t there. It was mechanically perfect, but the shades of expression lacked the spiritual uplifting that was always present when my mother played.
In the hymns I have picked for this study, not only did I match the themes with the Scriptures, but I listened for the Spiritual in the music. I’ve heard practiced, skilled singers soar through the music, but it was stale to me. But, sometimes a group, whose recording isn’t as perfect, will produce chills, because the sound that comes out was more than just music it was a gift.
Lessons learned? God calls. God prepares. The time and the numbers of people involved in the preparation and execution of the work of God may be quite different than what we might expect. But we must trust God and allow the Holy Spirit to work in us—like in Moses, the Apostle John, Zipporah and the Psalmist, else we become like the church at Sardis—looking alive, but in truth, dead on the inside. Let us never be the ones for whom the angel of God declares dead on the inside.
Thanks be to God.¬¬
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
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
Ordinary 22, Proper 17
Bible Readings
http://legacy.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus 3:1-15;Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45b;Romans 12:9-21;Matthew 16:21-28&version=KJV;ERV;GNT;NCV;CEV
http://legacy.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+Matthew+16:21-28&version=KJV;ERV;GNT;NCV;CEV (multiple versions)
Monday, Ordinary 22, Proper 17
Psalm 83:1-4 Psalm 83:13-18
Exodus 4:10-31
Revelation 3:1-6
Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating
Psalm 124:8
King James Version (KJV)
8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
Single Bible Study chapter to study
Exodus 4:10-31
King James Version (KJV)
10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
13 And he said, O my LORD, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.
15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.
17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.
18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
19 And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.
20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an *kitten*, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.
24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.
25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.
26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.
27 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.
28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.
29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:
30 And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.
31 And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
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, we cannot begin to fathom your greatness. You worked in Moses’ life for eighty years. You still had more lessons for him to learn. Empower us to learn the lessons we need to incorporate in our lives and give us the skills to be alive in Christ. In Jesus name, Amen
Conclusion
Monday, Ordinary 22, Proper 17 taught the lessons that we must be called and equipped for the work of God. We might be called before we are ready but time and other people will be the teachers along the ways.
Our responsibility is to be prepared; removing any sin from our lives. Sometimes it may take a spouse to see it, to change it, like Zipporah did for Moses. But our integrity is on the line. Are we going to be ‘looking like we are doing something wonderful’ on the outside, but dead on the inside? Perish the thought! Instead, we pray that we will be surrounded by Jethros, Zipporahs and Aarons to help us become the Christians God wants us to be that we might accomplish spreading the Good News by our words and actions.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life—for the glory of God.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. God bless you.
*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.
Meditation
Monday, Ordinary 22, Proper 17 combined the stories of the Old and New Testament about being prepared for the Lord’s work. The Old Testament lesson of Moses responding to the call after his seeing the burning bush and hearing the Angel of the Lord and the voice of God telling him what he would have to do.
At eighty years old, Moses, who still served Jethro as a shepherd (this was considered a lowly job often given to the youngest son or daughter), returned to explain to his father-in-law what had happened and then to ‘ask’ if or ‘tell’ him that he should go. From the way that Jethro responded, it seemed as if Moses had respectfully requested the taking of his family to Egypt of Jethro, the family patriarch.
Jethro’s encouragement resulted in Moses packing his wife and two sons, belongings and animals and setting out on the journey to Egypt. But soon after they left, they stopped at an inn where the Scriptures revealed a curious anecdote.
God—YHWH—tried to kill Moses.
What?
After all the preparation—80 years of Moses life: growing up in Pharaoh’s palace; killing a guard and fleeing to Midian; settling with the priest’s daughter, Zipporah; and raising his family; encountering the Angel of the Lord and hearing the Voice of God commanding him to return to Egypt because those, who wanted him killed, were no longer alive. After Moses heeded the call of God and packed his family to obey the Word of the Lord, God would seriously ‘kill’ him?
Why?
There is no reason specified. From other Scriptures we know that the wages of sin is death. When God prepared Moses, was there something Moses had omitted or committed that made him not quite ready for the leadership position?
In the brief verses, we see two things: Zipporah, his wife, steps up to protect and save Moses. She is pivotal to his salvation. Second, she circumcises their son—a sin of omission, perhaps—because God releases Moses and allows them to proceed after she gives evidence of the covenant with God. What can we deduce from these actions? Moses needed his house in order. The covenant with Abraham involved the action of circumcision of the males. For some reason, they had not fulfilled that until this moment.
Moses was about to present himself as the leader of the Jewish people and yet he had not honored the covenant. How many times have people criticized leaders for saying one thing and doing another? Perhaps this was the final piece that needed to be resolved before Moses could present himself with integrity. We can’t say for sure. We do know that Zipporah was key to Moses’ fulfilling his destiny. Her actions saved him. Once again, a woman was elevated to a higher role and given credit for her service.
Moses and family continued. In the meantime, God had spoken to Moses’ brother, Aaron, who came from Egypt to join forces to present to the Israelites and Pharaoh. Moses shared his visions with Aaron and the two started the final leg of preparation for the Exodus.
God coordinated Moses’ life in preparation; Aaron’s life in preparation; Zipporah’s life in preparation and joined them with precise timing in the desert at the Mountain of God (Sinai, perhaps or another?).
With Aaron, Moses was able to have additional corroboration and affirmation of the vision for the Israelites. Nothing happened in a vacuum. And like the premise of the book, It Takes a Village, to effectively achieve anything, many people would be involved in the success. God coordinated all the small details and making the many parts work together with perfect timing.
We learn that the process is never finished. Even when we are called, we may not be fully equipped, trained or ready, but the process moves forward at God’s pace and works at the precise time for all things to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle.
The New Testament lesson in Revelation spoke to the Church of Sardis, located inland, in present day, Manisa Province, Turkey. John’s revelation angel spoke harshly of Sardis. Like Moses, who was called to lead, the church of Sardis was called to become alive. Interestingly, the first statement was, “I know what you do. People say that you are alive, but really you are dead.” Like churches, who appear to have things going on, but when you get involved, they have no substance or spiritual center. Gordon MacDonald’s Ordering Your Private World, distinguished between being ‘called’ and being ‘driven’ to God’s service. When called, the Holy Spirit will equip for every need and there is no limit to the resources. But when driven, the leaders experience burnout and exhaustion; volunteers disappear and feel used up. Churches and religious events can appear to be doing great, if money covers the lacks with professional staff doing the work. But the inner workings are dead.
My mother was a pianist, accomplished but not classically brilliant. When she played hymns, I found the chills running up and down my arm; the Spirit of God moved through her fingers into the keys and the notes that came out were different than others I have heard play the same thing. I listened to a brilliant pianist play the same music as my mother played, but the spirit wasn’t there. It was mechanically perfect, but the shades of expression lacked the spiritual uplifting that was always present when my mother played.
In the hymns I have picked for this study, not only did I match the themes with the Scriptures, but I listened for the Spiritual in the music. I’ve heard practiced, skilled singers soar through the music, but it was stale to me. But, sometimes a group, whose recording isn’t as perfect, will produce chills, because the sound that comes out was more than just music it was a gift.
Lessons learned? God calls. God prepares. The time and the numbers of people involved in the preparation and execution of the work of God may be quite different than what we might expect. But we must trust God and allow the Holy Spirit to work in us—like in Moses, the Apostle John, Zipporah and the Psalmist, else we become like the church at Sardis—looking alive, but in truth, dead on the inside. Let us never be the ones for whom the angel of God declares dead on the inside.
Thanks be to God.¬¬
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
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
Ordinary 22, Proper 17
Bible Readings
http://legacy.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus 3:1-15;Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45b;Romans 12:9-21;Matthew 16:21-28&version=KJV;ERV;GNT;NCV;CEV
http://legacy.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+Matthew+16:21-28&version=KJV;ERV;GNT;NCV;CEV (multiple versions)
Monday, Ordinary 22, Proper 17
Psalm 83:1-4 Psalm 83:13-18
Exodus 4:10-31
Revelation 3:1-6
Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating
Psalm 124:8
King James Version (KJV)
8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
Single Bible Study chapter to study
Exodus 4:10-31
King James Version (KJV)
10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
13 And he said, O my LORD, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.
15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.
17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.
18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
19 And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.
20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an *kitten*, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.
24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.
25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.
26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.
27 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.
28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.
29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:
30 And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.
31 And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
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, we cannot begin to fathom your greatness. You worked in Moses’ life for eighty years. You still had more lessons for him to learn. Empower us to learn the lessons we need to incorporate in our lives and give us the skills to be alive in Christ. In Jesus name, Amen
Conclusion
Monday, Ordinary 22, Proper 17 taught the lessons that we must be called and equipped for the work of God. We might be called before we are ready but time and other people will be the teachers along the ways.
Our responsibility is to be prepared; removing any sin from our lives. Sometimes it may take a spouse to see it, to change it, like Zipporah did for Moses. But our integrity is on the line. Are we going to be ‘looking like we are doing something wonderful’ on the outside, but dead on the inside? Perish the thought! Instead, we pray that we will be surrounded by Jethros, Zipporahs and Aarons to help us become the Christians God wants us to be that we might accomplish spreading the Good News by our words and actions.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life—for the glory of God.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. God bless you.
*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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