Day 19: Wake up and recover your life!
Scripture focus: That first plan contained directions for worship, and a specially designed place of worship. A large outer tent was set up. The lampstand, the table, and "the bread of presence" were placed in it. This was called "the Holy Place." Then a curtain was stretched, and behind it a smaller, inside tent set up. This was called "the Holy of Holies." In it were placed the gold incense altar and the gold-covered ark of the covenant containing the gold urn of manna, Aaron's rod that budded, the covenant tablets, and the angel-wing-shadowed mercy seat. But we don't have time to comment on these now. After this was set up, the priests went about their duties in the large tent. Only the high priest entered the smaller, inside tent, and then only once a year, offering a blood sacrifice for his own sins and the people's accumulated sins. This was the Holy Spirit's way of showing with a visible parable that as long as the large tent stands, people can't just walk in on God. Under this system, the gifts and sacrifices can't really get to the heart of the matter, can't assuage the conscience of the people, but are limited to matters of ritual and behavior. It's essentially a temporary arrangement until a complete overhaul could be made. Hebrews 9:1-10 (The Message)
In yesterday's devotional, we were reminded that God's complete overhaul has been accomplished through Jesus. Some have concluded that with all that carving on our hearts and direct access to God – who needs community worship? Evidently we all do. If we can approach God directly, why do we need to go to church? I don't think you'll buy the "because God said so" answer, will you? It's a fine answer, and true too. But we humans have shown our natural propensity to ignore God's instructions. So even though the "God says so" statement ought to be enough for all of us to crawl out of bed and head to a house of worship on a regular basis, can I add to the discussion?
My spiritual mentor once told me that she was pretty sure that at her advanced age she had heard every sermon any preacher will ever preach. I believe her. Yet she never misses a worship service. She's lost her eyesight, but not her vision. I asked her how she kept her passion for attending a worship service she couldn't see, with music designed for a younger generation, parking that is often inconvenient, and frankly, a lot of her friends didn't hang out there anymore. She told me that her secret was to pray. To show up for someone else. To expect God to do something in and through and with her – that might be epic and grand. She assumes that some of that work is done in the midst of a worshiping community – because God says so. Recently she came to visit one of our NorthStar Communities. She had never been there before. She knew a handful of people. She was the last one to leave. She hugged people she didn't know, and they left feeling like they were her best friends – and they are right. Mama John loves lavishly. She is like a high priest who has entered the smaller, inside tent, every morning, afternoon and evening. She has tasted and seen that the Lord is good. She spreads this love around like a shepherd feeds his sheep. She enters the tent in privacy and approaches the throne of grace with confidence. She leaves out the back door and re-enters the world - filled to the brim with conviction, courage, and good gifts from God. Then she hands them out to the rest of us. We need more Mama John's in this world. Be a Mama John.
Recommended reading: Numbers 34-36
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