It always happens: when CIY comes around, it suddenly consumes your life. And not always in a good way. I have spent the day attending church and CIY meetings, doing laundry for CIY, packing for CIY, and because I went ahead and watched a few TV programs to unwind, I am still up without having been able to read my reading for the day, and in the morning I"m leaving for CIY.
I will be gone the entire week. I seriously considered reading all my readings ahead of time (because there's rarely time for your own study at CIY, unless you truly do want only three hours of sleep. Seriously). I thought then I could write up my posts and schedule them to be published like clockwork throughout the week. But that would fail the point of the exercise. The point of this exercise is to be in the Word ever day for my own nourishment. So, I've jotted down the next week's readings, including the one I'm behind with, and the one I didn't get done today (so, really, more than an entire week of reading) to take with me and work on. Maybe I can get caught up in the car.
I'm going to need some coffee.
I take with me a little notebook to jot down my thoughts as I study and read and pray and meditate on the Scriptures. From these, I intend to come back and catch up on the posts. I really want there to be a post for each day, even if I can't post every day. Since I'm not blessed with a laptop with Wi-Fi capabilities (or a laptop at all). And I'm not actually asking for one from "Santa Claus": my list for kitchen tools is far too long. A laptop can wait until a more financially viable time (long after this blog is done...).
So, for the week, I say goodnight and ta ta. Pray for our safety as we go so far from home.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Exodus 34:29-35:29
Isn't it cool to think the Tabernacle was built completely from contributions from the people? They gave of their gold, their thread, their wood, goat's hair, animal skins... And that it was all free-will: anyone whose heart stirred to serve the Lord in this way came forward. These people were attentive enough to hear God's voice when He spoke to them, and sensitive enough to His will to respond. That's what it really takes to be used by God: listening for His voice and being willing to respond. Everything that was needed for the Tabernacle, everything, was provided by those who were willing to obey God's voice. Sometimes it means giving something up. These people gave up the things they had asked for from the Egyptians, the most precious of their stores. But the entirety of the Tabernacle was provided for them: a place of worship and a symbol that God was with them every step of the way. We might be asked to give something like that up: our time, our fortune, our priorities. But, the Lord can then use you in a mighty work. The question is: are you willing?
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 35:30-36:38
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 35:30-36:38
Friday, July 23, 2010
Exodus 33:7-34:28
You know, I read this passage a little after 4:00, at a time when I didn't have the internet. It was really clicking for me, great thoughts were flowing, and I had a few "Oh!" moments where something I'd never realized or learned before came. The sad thing was, I didn't have a pen or useable piece of paper (like no bills, other people's notes, empty) near-by, so I just stared really hard at the passage on my computer screen and said to myself, "I'll write about that." By the time I had the opportunity to sit down to write about it, time had morphed to 11:00 at night, a little past, actually, seven hours later, and whatever it was... is gone. How pathetic is that? I've read and reread the passage, and there's still some great stuff in there, but I can't remember what I was so excited about. And I really was excited about it! How can you forget that kind of thing as you go on to do chores, take care of your baby, start packing for a week away... How can you?
This is exactly why I always try to impress on my small group girls, and anyone that I have the opportunity to speak to about Bible study, that you must have a pen and pencil. Or a word processing program of some kind (that's what I should have used! At least for notes, since Word won't copy/paste into Blogger for some reason). Something to get the thoughts down, because it is almost guaranteed that you will lose them. No matter how good they are, no matter how "brilliant", you'll forget.
There's some kind of outrageous statistics out there on this type of thing. According to my college Bible Foundations notes, you'll remember only 5% of what you hear, which means you'll lose 95%. You'll remember only 10% of what you read, which means you'll lose...? That's right: 90%. Even if you're reading the Word every day, if you are not getting something down on paper, not writing about, not doing something with it, you're going to lose it! Studying, honestly, isn't much better. After a week, you'll remember only 15%-20%, but that is better than losing 90% (or more!) of what you are trying to learn from the word of God. The best retention levels? Memorization and meditation. If you memorize a verse, you'll have it down; after all, the process of memorization includes constant review. Meditation is not the eastern form of meditation where you sit in a certain position and work to empty your mind. Rather, it is concentrated, focused thought over a period of time, even if it's only five minutes or ten minutes. Quiet, focused concentration. You'll remember far more than you think.
Did I ever get back to this passage and have another good study? Yes. I've learned from it. I admire Moses relationship with the Lord, because here it is after a disaster among the Israelites in their relationship with the Lord, and yet the Lord grants Moses an opportunity to spend time with him "face to face". He causes His glory to go past Moses and meets with Him in the Tent of Meeting (which by the way is so cool). Did Moses worship the Golden Calf? No. Did he have anything to do with its creation? No. But Moses did know it was a sin of the people, that as a people as a whole they had to carry the shame of those actions, and he is part of the people. More than that, he is their leader. He felt some of the responsibility of that on him. Yet the Lord shows favor to Moses. What a picture of grace! Even here in the Old Testament where we who live based off the New Testament think there's very little.
This is exactly why I always try to impress on my small group girls, and anyone that I have the opportunity to speak to about Bible study, that you must have a pen and pencil. Or a word processing program of some kind (that's what I should have used! At least for notes, since Word won't copy/paste into Blogger for some reason). Something to get the thoughts down, because it is almost guaranteed that you will lose them. No matter how good they are, no matter how "brilliant", you'll forget.
There's some kind of outrageous statistics out there on this type of thing. According to my college Bible Foundations notes, you'll remember only 5% of what you hear, which means you'll lose 95%. You'll remember only 10% of what you read, which means you'll lose...? That's right: 90%. Even if you're reading the Word every day, if you are not getting something down on paper, not writing about, not doing something with it, you're going to lose it! Studying, honestly, isn't much better. After a week, you'll remember only 15%-20%, but that is better than losing 90% (or more!) of what you are trying to learn from the word of God. The best retention levels? Memorization and meditation. If you memorize a verse, you'll have it down; after all, the process of memorization includes constant review. Meditation is not the eastern form of meditation where you sit in a certain position and work to empty your mind. Rather, it is concentrated, focused thought over a period of time, even if it's only five minutes or ten minutes. Quiet, focused concentration. You'll remember far more than you think.
Did I ever get back to this passage and have another good study? Yes. I've learned from it. I admire Moses relationship with the Lord, because here it is after a disaster among the Israelites in their relationship with the Lord, and yet the Lord grants Moses an opportunity to spend time with him "face to face". He causes His glory to go past Moses and meets with Him in the Tent of Meeting (which by the way is so cool). Did Moses worship the Golden Calf? No. Did he have anything to do with its creation? No. But Moses did know it was a sin of the people, that as a people as a whole they had to carry the shame of those actions, and he is part of the people. More than that, he is their leader. He felt some of the responsibility of that on him. Yet the Lord shows favor to Moses. What a picture of grace! Even here in the Old Testament where we who live based off the New Testament think there's very little.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Exodus 31:1-33:6
Oh my. The Golden Calf incident. You know, this is infamous for a reason. Those of us who can sometimes be a little flippant or sardonic about it (and yes, I mean me), tend to say something like, "Hello! God just rescued you from the Egyptians, the Red Sea, starvation, thirst, and the Amalekites. Could you wait a little longer before going off to prostitute yourself to an inanimate cow!?" Indeed. Truly, though, it goes to show how quickly and easily we can go off the deep-end if we allow ourselves to become to estranged from the Lord.
If you think about it, you can see a bit of a progression here. They know Moses has gone up on the mountain to speak to God; they have seen God consume the top of the mountain in fire (so cool, I would have loved to have seen it). They know that they would be put to death if they touch the mountain; they also know they are content to let Moses be the go-between for themselves to the Lord. You can almost hear the thoughts forming: What if Moses displeased the Lord? What if Moses died? Who's going to speak on our behalf? We can't go up to the Mountain. How's this going to work? Finger- and foot-tapping ensues. How long is he going to be up there? Is he going to come down? Maybe he's not coming down. He's not coming down? What now?
And so the people turn to a form of worship they know best: something more worldly like the nations around them than what God had in mind. And so, voila: they build the Golden Calf. And they say to this thing they've made: You are our god. I don't know about you, but that seems so strange. And foolish. And stupid. You know the idol didn't create itself, you did. So when did it become God? Or a god? That's all I'm saying.
But do you see how easily we fall into similar traps? It begins with an idea, which leads to a thought. Then we begin to rationalize why we should or should never do the thing we're thinking of. And eventually, we start seriously considering doing it just to get rid of the doubt and worry; we rationalize. We do it. Maybe we're not bowing down before a big golden calf the brother of our prophet just made, but isn't it the same process. With different types of sin. So then, he who is without sin, cast the first stone.
(Aside: do you ever think of that scene in The Ten Commandments with Charleton Heston where they're having the big party, shall we say, around the calf? Did you ever think they were really having a great time filming that scene? I highly doubt it. I've learned a few things about movie-making since seeing it. First, party-scenes are almost completely quiet while filmed. All you hear is the shuffling of feet as people pretend to dance to non-existent music. They have to be quiet so whatever dialogue is taking place between whatever actors are on scene. So these are people silently laughing, screaming, singing, partying with hardly a sound in the room except people delivering their lines and feet scuffing the floor. And filming a scene can get incredibly repetitive if a line or a movement isn't done just right. More takes, anyone? Those are real actors.)
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 33:7-34:28
If you think about it, you can see a bit of a progression here. They know Moses has gone up on the mountain to speak to God; they have seen God consume the top of the mountain in fire (so cool, I would have loved to have seen it). They know that they would be put to death if they touch the mountain; they also know they are content to let Moses be the go-between for themselves to the Lord. You can almost hear the thoughts forming: What if Moses displeased the Lord? What if Moses died? Who's going to speak on our behalf? We can't go up to the Mountain. How's this going to work? Finger- and foot-tapping ensues. How long is he going to be up there? Is he going to come down? Maybe he's not coming down. He's not coming down? What now?
And so the people turn to a form of worship they know best: something more worldly like the nations around them than what God had in mind. And so, voila: they build the Golden Calf. And they say to this thing they've made: You are our god. I don't know about you, but that seems so strange. And foolish. And stupid. You know the idol didn't create itself, you did. So when did it become God? Or a god? That's all I'm saying.
But do you see how easily we fall into similar traps? It begins with an idea, which leads to a thought. Then we begin to rationalize why we should or should never do the thing we're thinking of. And eventually, we start seriously considering doing it just to get rid of the doubt and worry; we rationalize. We do it. Maybe we're not bowing down before a big golden calf the brother of our prophet just made, but isn't it the same process. With different types of sin. So then, he who is without sin, cast the first stone.
(Aside: do you ever think of that scene in The Ten Commandments with Charleton Heston where they're having the big party, shall we say, around the calf? Did you ever think they were really having a great time filming that scene? I highly doubt it. I've learned a few things about movie-making since seeing it. First, party-scenes are almost completely quiet while filmed. All you hear is the shuffling of feet as people pretend to dance to non-existent music. They have to be quiet so whatever dialogue is taking place between whatever actors are on scene. So these are people silently laughing, screaming, singing, partying with hardly a sound in the room except people delivering their lines and feet scuffing the floor. And filming a scene can get incredibly repetitive if a line or a movement isn't done just right. More takes, anyone? Those are real actors.)
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 33:7-34:28
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Exodus 30:1-38
Note: I doubt anyone who reads my blog here doesn't know what CIY is, but just in case there's someone out there I don't know, let me explain. CIY, or Christ In Youth, is a massive youth conference held all over the country in various locations all summer every year. It can be an intense experience of worship, teaching, challenging, but also good times. Technically, their high school summer conference is called MOVE now as they have branched out to much more than a summer conference. I think it's kind of silly. The inertia of habit and doubt on the wisdom of changing the name (and the fact that every conference seems to become moored in the same habits due to its name change) has led me to continue calling it what it was since I started attending: CIY.
Last year at CIY, the theme was routed in the Exodus story (as in the 10 Plagues, the Passover, the Crossing of the Red Sea, Sinai...). It was a good week. Reading through Exodus now makes me wish that we would still find ourselves in the Old Testament at CIY this year. We could truly learn a great deal from the Old Testament. Not only is it the foundation for our faith today, but the statues and principles God taught to the Israelites are still applicable today as well.
This one struck me in particular: Exodus 30:11, "When you take a census of the people, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the Lord..." Seriously? We call it the census tax, but the words of the text suggest it is so much more than that! This "tax" is a ransom for our lives before the Lord. We all know our lives belong to the Lord as the Creator God. Have you ever considered that you should pay a ransom to God for your own life? That's intense! You don't find stuff like that in the New Testament. Or maybe we've watered the New Testament down? Paul does say we will either be a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness.
I guess my simple thought process is that we spend little time in the Old Testament and we miss jewels like these types of details. The relationship Israel had with God was supposed to be all or nothing: much like the church at Laodicea, where God says He would like to spit them out! The blessings and cursings in Deuteronomy 28ff make it pretty clear: follow God, things will go well; don't follow God, things are going to be very, very bad. Live fully for God, or don't.
I know we'll get that last basic message at CIY, whatever the theme (and this year it is Timothy, and I know it will be fairly good). One thing that should be noted about this all-or-nothing way of living for God: it doesn't mean you have to sell all your possesions, say good-bye to friend and family, and haul yourself off to a misty jungle in some far away corner to fight massive mosquitoes, hazard snake bites, and the Shanghai Runs from local water in order to live for God. Though, hey, if that's what He wants you to do, by all means do it! But you can live all-or-nothing for Him, ransom your life to Him, living here at home by never straying. Stay home, hold a normal job, have a family, raise your children, and live for God. That's pretty radical today.
This post has ended up so far from where it started as a comment on my youth pastor's wall on Facebook. I think perhaps it has suffered for the past 14 hours of being away from internet and computer. But what have you? It's now nearly midnight and one by one my brain cells are choosing to go to sleep rather than stay up. I think I'll follow suit.
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 31:1-33:6
Last year at CIY, the theme was routed in the Exodus story (as in the 10 Plagues, the Passover, the Crossing of the Red Sea, Sinai...). It was a good week. Reading through Exodus now makes me wish that we would still find ourselves in the Old Testament at CIY this year. We could truly learn a great deal from the Old Testament. Not only is it the foundation for our faith today, but the statues and principles God taught to the Israelites are still applicable today as well.
This one struck me in particular: Exodus 30:11, "When you take a census of the people, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the Lord..." Seriously? We call it the census tax, but the words of the text suggest it is so much more than that! This "tax" is a ransom for our lives before the Lord. We all know our lives belong to the Lord as the Creator God. Have you ever considered that you should pay a ransom to God for your own life? That's intense! You don't find stuff like that in the New Testament. Or maybe we've watered the New Testament down? Paul does say we will either be a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness.
I guess my simple thought process is that we spend little time in the Old Testament and we miss jewels like these types of details. The relationship Israel had with God was supposed to be all or nothing: much like the church at Laodicea, where God says He would like to spit them out! The blessings and cursings in Deuteronomy 28ff make it pretty clear: follow God, things will go well; don't follow God, things are going to be very, very bad. Live fully for God, or don't.
I know we'll get that last basic message at CIY, whatever the theme (and this year it is Timothy, and I know it will be fairly good). One thing that should be noted about this all-or-nothing way of living for God: it doesn't mean you have to sell all your possesions, say good-bye to friend and family, and haul yourself off to a misty jungle in some far away corner to fight massive mosquitoes, hazard snake bites, and the Shanghai Runs from local water in order to live for God. Though, hey, if that's what He wants you to do, by all means do it! But you can live all-or-nothing for Him, ransom your life to Him, living here at home by never straying. Stay home, hold a normal job, have a family, raise your children, and live for God. That's pretty radical today.
This post has ended up so far from where it started as a comment on my youth pastor's wall on Facebook. I think perhaps it has suffered for the past 14 hours of being away from internet and computer. But what have you? It's now nearly midnight and one by one my brain cells are choosing to go to sleep rather than stay up. I think I'll follow suit.
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 31:1-33:6
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Exodus 28:31-29:46
I have to be honest: my thoughts are not on my Bible reading tonight. It's not just a lack of concentration. I'm angry over something I have learned, and I find it does me no credit, nor does my thoughts on this passage any good. I have debated over and over within myself if I should just leave off on this post, or if I should really school myself and not let my emotion hinder my study. Thankfully, I can take this situation in prayer, and though it might high-jack my prayer life for a little bit, it won't hinder it. Just my study of God's Word and what He might teach me. So, friends, though I am already a day behind, I might have to return to this passage at a later time and give it the full attention it deserves.
But for this post, I think I'll include this thought (the only one that pounded in my head the entire time I read it):
It took a great deal to consecrate a priest, sacrifices, ceremonies; it was no small thing. The entire act was to dedicate that person to the Lord, that they would belong to Him and that their purpose would be to do His work; as well, they were set apart, set apart to the Lord and set apart from the people. They did not belong to the people the same way that a Benjaminite would have. They belonged to the people because of their public office, their duty of service, and their example to others.
This position should have been two pronged: one, that they be respected by the people because they are their spiritual leaders and authorities, respect them because they work hard for you and have been put in authority over you; two, that above all, the priests should understand that they were given this office not for their own importance but to serve others, to serve others, not his own ends or views. If both of these things happened, it would, I should think, produce a fairly good situation. The priest would serve God and serve the people wholeheartedly, and the people would show respect and follow their priest's lead, which then would have come from God because he is serving God... You see the circle? Like marriage. But, it's not a perfect world. I know this was not always the paradigm in Biblical Israel, and I know it's not always the paradigm now.
I don't dare say anymore at this point, because I have no intentions of coming out and saying what has me preoccupied tonight, and I don't want to give anyone enough rope to hang themselves on assumptions. (My husband would here remind you of "you know what happens when you assume..." Of course, he cleans that saying up quite a bit.) Let's just say that if you're reading this and you think it might be you, it's safer to think it's not. (And then if your sense of humor is as sardonic and self-deprecating as mine is, you might start singing "You're so vain"... Insert "comical" smiley face here, though in this case a conspiratorial wink would carry the same message, though likely just as cheesy.)
So, for now, I am leaving off. After a post much longer than planned and far, far less about my passage than I intended. I am going to go pray for a bit. And then I am going to read Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, a book I loved as a child and just got from the library and which never fails to make me smile. If you like kids' lit and haven't read it, you should.
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 30:1-38
But for this post, I think I'll include this thought (the only one that pounded in my head the entire time I read it):
It took a great deal to consecrate a priest, sacrifices, ceremonies; it was no small thing. The entire act was to dedicate that person to the Lord, that they would belong to Him and that their purpose would be to do His work; as well, they were set apart, set apart to the Lord and set apart from the people. They did not belong to the people the same way that a Benjaminite would have. They belonged to the people because of their public office, their duty of service, and their example to others.
This position should have been two pronged: one, that they be respected by the people because they are their spiritual leaders and authorities, respect them because they work hard for you and have been put in authority over you; two, that above all, the priests should understand that they were given this office not for their own importance but to serve others, to serve others, not his own ends or views. If both of these things happened, it would, I should think, produce a fairly good situation. The priest would serve God and serve the people wholeheartedly, and the people would show respect and follow their priest's lead, which then would have come from God because he is serving God... You see the circle? Like marriage. But, it's not a perfect world. I know this was not always the paradigm in Biblical Israel, and I know it's not always the paradigm now.
I don't dare say anymore at this point, because I have no intentions of coming out and saying what has me preoccupied tonight, and I don't want to give anyone enough rope to hang themselves on assumptions. (My husband would here remind you of "you know what happens when you assume..." Of course, he cleans that saying up quite a bit.) Let's just say that if you're reading this and you think it might be you, it's safer to think it's not. (And then if your sense of humor is as sardonic and self-deprecating as mine is, you might start singing "You're so vain"... Insert "comical" smiley face here, though in this case a conspiratorial wink would carry the same message, though likely just as cheesy.)
So, for now, I am leaving off. After a post much longer than planned and far, far less about my passage than I intended. I am going to go pray for a bit. And then I am going to read Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, a book I loved as a child and just got from the library and which never fails to make me smile. If you like kids' lit and haven't read it, you should.
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 30:1-38
Monday, July 19, 2010
Exodus 27:9-28:30
The priestly garments are wrought with symbolism and remembrance. Two onyx stones inscribed with the names of Israel's sons sit upon the shoulders of the priest when he goes in before the Lord. The breastpiece is decorated with twelve stones inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel; note the tribes, not the names of the sons, and they are in fact different. Technically, there is not a tribe of Joseph at this time, as his descendants are split among the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. It is hard to tell what tribe might be left out among the technically thirteen tribes: Simeon is counted in the census in numbers, but they are not given land in the inheritance. The tribe of Levi is not counted in that census, but is set apart, but as they are the tribe that has the priestly duties to go before the Lord, it would seem strange if their name is missing on the breastpiece, unless of course we can count the priest within the Tabernacle as a rememberance before the Lord on his tribe's behalf. Unless, they do, in fact, count Ephraim and Manasseh under Joseph? We may never know.
Either way, the garments the priests wore held a few purposes. One, it set them apart from the rest of the people. It denoted their office as well as gave a physical separation in that these garments were like no one else's. As well, their pieces had ceremonial significance. A priest had to be consecrated with a sacrifice, a burnt offering, a wave offering, and an anointing. It was a big deal to be ordained into the Levitical priesthood, and the awarding of these garments kind of sealed the deal. Before a priest could don these garments, he had to go through a ceremonial washing, and then another when he removed them to put on his "street clothes" again. Also, wearing them brought before the Lord all of Israel in remembrance: the sons of Israel and the tribes of Israel. I don't know that this was intended so much to remind the Lord, as He never forgets. I think it's possible that it was more for the priest to remember, so that he may remember on whose behalf he is acting and what his role is: as an intermediary between God and the people.
We don't have anything like that today. My pastor preaches in a button-down shirt and khakis. I think the last time I saw him in a tie was when he performed my wedding ceremony. I'm not saying that the ladies of the church should go out and weave together a coat of blue and purple and scarlet yarns for my pastor to put on, or that we should have a jeweler inscribe stones with the names of the... elders? Who would we put on the onyx stones for him to wear in remembrance before the Lord? But sometimes I do think it would be nice if there was something that we did or wore, something tangible, that served as a reminder of our Lord and our responsibility before Him. God instituted a number of symbolic rituals and things like garments; pillars were often erected for remembrance. We often remember only that they became ritualized and marginalized to the act, rather than their purpose. But if God saw fit to institute them, then do they not do good? We have our own: communion. But there are times where I think that something ceremonial might be good outside communion, something that every time I picked it up it would help me to focus on my purpose. One example: prayer. Our church has begun a prayer shawl ministry for those who are sick or hurting. I think it's wonderful, and I plan to get involved (though I'm sad to say it likely won't be this month). But I think I might like to have a prayer shawl (preferably without the illness or tragedy to get one!). Something as simple as picking it up and setting in on my head or shoulders when I go to pray can be very focusing: remember, you are here to come before the LORD GOD, and to lift up to him concerns on others' as well as your own behalf, to thank Him, to praise Him, and to worship Him. Perhaps just that simple practice will help me to remember my purpose and the One that I serve in a practice that I often struggle with.
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 28:31-29:46
Either way, the garments the priests wore held a few purposes. One, it set them apart from the rest of the people. It denoted their office as well as gave a physical separation in that these garments were like no one else's. As well, their pieces had ceremonial significance. A priest had to be consecrated with a sacrifice, a burnt offering, a wave offering, and an anointing. It was a big deal to be ordained into the Levitical priesthood, and the awarding of these garments kind of sealed the deal. Before a priest could don these garments, he had to go through a ceremonial washing, and then another when he removed them to put on his "street clothes" again. Also, wearing them brought before the Lord all of Israel in remembrance: the sons of Israel and the tribes of Israel. I don't know that this was intended so much to remind the Lord, as He never forgets. I think it's possible that it was more for the priest to remember, so that he may remember on whose behalf he is acting and what his role is: as an intermediary between God and the people.
We don't have anything like that today. My pastor preaches in a button-down shirt and khakis. I think the last time I saw him in a tie was when he performed my wedding ceremony. I'm not saying that the ladies of the church should go out and weave together a coat of blue and purple and scarlet yarns for my pastor to put on, or that we should have a jeweler inscribe stones with the names of the... elders? Who would we put on the onyx stones for him to wear in remembrance before the Lord? But sometimes I do think it would be nice if there was something that we did or wore, something tangible, that served as a reminder of our Lord and our responsibility before Him. God instituted a number of symbolic rituals and things like garments; pillars were often erected for remembrance. We often remember only that they became ritualized and marginalized to the act, rather than their purpose. But if God saw fit to institute them, then do they not do good? We have our own: communion. But there are times where I think that something ceremonial might be good outside communion, something that every time I picked it up it would help me to focus on my purpose. One example: prayer. Our church has begun a prayer shawl ministry for those who are sick or hurting. I think it's wonderful, and I plan to get involved (though I'm sad to say it likely won't be this month). But I think I might like to have a prayer shawl (preferably without the illness or tragedy to get one!). Something as simple as picking it up and setting in on my head or shoulders when I go to pray can be very focusing: remember, you are here to come before the LORD GOD, and to lift up to him concerns on others' as well as your own behalf, to thank Him, to praise Him, and to worship Him. Perhaps just that simple practice will help me to remember my purpose and the One that I serve in a practice that I often struggle with.
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 28:31-29:46
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