Is there a purpose to all the stories in the Bible? Is there a purpose to this all-engaging worship? Can faith not be done in an arms length arrangement? Can one not believe that there is a God without reading a book this God is supposed to have written through people, get to know a son he is supposed to have birthed through a virgin, and be among people alleged to be of like faith called the church – who largely have human failings?
God had led them back to the desert of Sinai and to the place of Moses’ succor after he ran from Egypt. He had led them to the foot of the mountain on which He had first spoken to Moses. Talk about a God of consistency! Talk about comfort. Talk about assurance.
Everything we do and say or fail to do and say is connected to the results of our lives. This is why you should avoid mistakes and get help early for any form of venture. Do not go into marriage without counseling. Do not do business without research and counsel. Do not make assumptions where you can get directions.
What a tragedy it is when a mentor is available to you, but you fail to listen to them? And this too can happen. Samuel was available to Saul, but Saul thought himself wiser. Elisha could have passed on incredible power to Gehazi. But Gehazi preferred clothes and food over the treasures of sound counsel. How about Rehoboam? He inherited a father who is credited with being the richest king the earth has known.
As we walk and work before God, uploading His word and downloading His counsel and love, we experience the blessedness of the fruit of living under the shadow of God’s love. A people of faith and grace, building love in the work of our hands. Purpose is released from the network of love around us and the chain of love moving through us.
Prophet, it is not good for man to be or to do anything alone. Everyone must have help meet for every condition and endeavor. What you are doing will surely wear you away, both you and these people with you. Managing any enterprise is too heavy for one person. If you will listen to me, I will give you counsel and God shall be with you.
I found that to be the missing part of any goal achievement efforts after years of struggling with certain goals. No matter how smartly I wrote out the goals, loving bread more than greens have played havoc with my weight goals. Choosing novels over bible reading definitely affects my spiritual goals. So does a love of TV affect my reading goals.
But adapting to a new habit is tough. It is said that it takes a minimum of 21 days for a habit to form. That journey may be uncomfortable, disruptive and even stressful. But if you can push to incorporate that new winning way into your daily repertoire and get to the end of the period of habit formation, that habit will serve you forever.
There are certain parts of the Bible that are generally accepted as places to be skipped. The unspoken consensus is that they are too dry to be studied. These are the data driven records of the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and the genealogies in the books of Chronicles. But that temptation not to study them or to skip them is a debilitating temptation. Do not yield to it. For it will so deprive you of one of your deepest sources of wealth.
‘Manna. What is this? This was the question evoked by this magical food for weeks after it started. And that is what its name became. Manna. Food that had to be carefully measured. Diligently weighed. Consistently gathered. Meticulously guarded and doubly gathered on the day before the Sabbath. It did not allow for carelessness. It compelled attention. Food that taught discipline. Manna?