Day 61: Numbers 28-29; Mark 9:2-29
"Rabbi, it’s good for us to be here. Let’s set up three shelters..." (Mark 9:5, CSB)
It seems ironic that we are reading about the celebration of the Festival of Shelters (Numbers 29:12-40) on the day we read Peter's spontaneous outburst. Shelters was a reminder to Israel through their history that God provided shelter, food and clothing for His children through 40 years of wandering in the wilderness...indeed, their sandals didn't even wear out (Deuteronomy 29:5). God not only saved them out of their wilderness wandering, He took care of them completely, head to sole. They needed reminders of these moments of their history of God's deliverance and provision.
If there was ever a wilderness season in Israel's history and spiritual journey, the time of Jesus' physical presence on earth was just that. It was a season of spiritual drought. There is no adequate terminology to describe what happened on that 'mount of transfiguration' when the glory of God's presence shrouded that small band, and eternity entered a finite moment in unspeakable splendor. You just had to be there. Presence! God's presence! God's tangible presence! I'm with Peter. Let's just stay right here forever!
Recently, I listened to a podcast about the experience of people I know who visited Asbury in the (hopefully ongoing) outpouring of God's Spirit. Presence. The comment was made: I just wanted to pitch a tent and stay there. But, God would not let me. I get that!
What did the disciples come down from the mountain to face along with Jesus? Hell itself. Absolutely no fun, no glory, no delight. Wait just a moment! There was glory! The demonstration of this truth: Jesus is Lord! There is no power, not even hell itself, that can touch His power. He is mighty and mighty to save! And, while I am glad for the moments of His glorious presence, and while we have festivals and seasons to remind us, I am so grateful for His everyday presence, for victory and empowerment and salvation and healing in the midst of the mess and turmoil and pain.
Indeed, the God of the mountain is the God of the valley! Thanks be to God for the indescribable gift of His Presence...always!
It seems ironic that we are reading about the celebration of the Festival of Shelters (Numbers 29:12-40) on the day we read Peter's spontaneous outburst. Shelters was a reminder to Israel through their history that God provided shelter, food and clothing for His children through 40 years of wandering in the wilderness...indeed, their sandals didn't even wear out (Deuteronomy 29:5). God not only saved them out of their wilderness wandering, He took care of them completely, head to sole. They needed reminders of these moments of their history of God's deliverance and provision.
If there was ever a wilderness season in Israel's history and spiritual journey, the time of Jesus' physical presence on earth was just that. It was a season of spiritual drought. There is no adequate terminology to describe what happened on that 'mount of transfiguration' when the glory of God's presence shrouded that small band, and eternity entered a finite moment in unspeakable splendor. You just had to be there. Presence! God's presence! God's tangible presence! I'm with Peter. Let's just stay right here forever!
Recently, I listened to a podcast about the experience of people I know who visited Asbury in the (hopefully ongoing) outpouring of God's Spirit. Presence. The comment was made: I just wanted to pitch a tent and stay there. But, God would not let me. I get that!
What did the disciples come down from the mountain to face along with Jesus? Hell itself. Absolutely no fun, no glory, no delight. Wait just a moment! There was glory! The demonstration of this truth: Jesus is Lord! There is no power, not even hell itself, that can touch His power. He is mighty and mighty to save! And, while I am glad for the moments of His glorious presence, and while we have festivals and seasons to remind us, I am so grateful for His everyday presence, for victory and empowerment and salvation and healing in the midst of the mess and turmoil and pain.
Indeed, the God of the mountain is the God of the valley! Thanks be to God for the indescribable gift of His Presence...always!
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January
Day 1: Genesis1-2; Matthew 1Day 2: Genesis 3-5; Matthew 2Day 3: Genesis 6-8; Matthew 3Day 4: Genesis 9-11; Matthew 4Day 5: Genesis 12-14; Matthew 5-6Day 6: Genesis 15-17; Matthew 7Day 7: Genesis 18-22Day 8: Matthew 8Day 9: Genesis 23-24; Matthew 9Day 10: Genesis 25-26; Matthew 10:1-25Day 11: Genesis 27-28; Matthew 10:26-42Day 12: Genesis 29-30; Matthew 11Day 13: Genesis 31-32; Matthew 12:1-21Day 14: Genesis 33-37Day 15: Matthew 12:22-13:23Day 16: Genesis 38-40; Matthew 13:24-58Day 17: Genesis 41; Matthew 14:1-21Day 18: Genesis 42-43; Matthew 14:22-36Day 19: Genesis 44-45; Matthew 15:1-20Day 20: Genesis 46-48; Matthew 15:21-39Day 21: Genesis 49-Exodus 4; Matthew 16Day 22: Genesis 49-Exodus 4; Matthew 16Day 23: Exodus 5-6; Matthew 17Day 24: Exodus 7-10; Matthew 18:1-20Day 25: Exodus 11-12; Matthew 18:21-35Day 26: Exodus 13-15; Matthew 19:1-15Day 27: Exodus 16-18; Matthew 19:16-30Day 28: Exodus 19-22; Matthew 20:1-16Day 29: Exodus 19-22; Matthew 20:1-16Day 30: Exodus 23-25; Matthew 20:17-34Day 31: Exodus 26-28; Matthew 21
February
Day 32: Exodus 29-30; Matthew 22:1-22Day 33: Exodus 31-33; Matthew 22:23-46-Day 34: Exodus 34-36; Matthew 23:1-22Day 35: Exodus 37 - Leviticus 1; Matthew 23:23-39Day 36: Exodus 37 - Leviticus 1; Matthew 23:23-39Day 37: Leviticus 2-3; Matthew 24Day 38: Leviticus 4-6; Matthew 25:1-30Day 39: Leviticus 7-9; Matthew 25:31-46Day 40: Leviticus 10-12; Matthew 26:1-16Day 41: Leviticus 13; Matthew 26:17-56Day 42: Leviticus 14-16; Matthew 26:57-75Day 43: Leviticus 14-16; Matthew 26:57-75Day 44: Leviticus 17, Matthew 27Day 45: Leviticus 18-20; Matthew 28Day 46: Leviticus 21-23; Mark 1:1-28Day 48: Leviticus 26-27; Mark 2Day 47: Leviticus 24-25; Mark 1:29-45Days 49-50: Numbers 1-3; Mark 3Day 51: Numbers 4-5; Mark 4Day 52: Numbers 6-7; Mark 5:1-20Day 53: Numbers 8-10; Mark 5:21-43Day 54: Numbers 11-13; Mark 6:1-29Day 55: Numbers 14-15; Mark 6:30-56Day 56: Numbers 16-20; Mark 7:1-13Day 57: Numbers 16-20; Mark 7:1-23*Day 58: Numbers 21-22; Mark 7:24-37Day 59: Numbers 23-25; Mark 8:1-21
March
Day 60: Numbers 26-27; Mark 8:22-9:1Day 61: Numbers 28-29; Mark 9:2-29Day 62: Numbers 30-31; Mark 9:30-50Day 63: Numbers 32-35; Mark 10Day 64: Numbers 32-35; Mark 10Day 65: Numbers 36 - Deuteronomy 1; Mark 11:1-14Day 66: Deuteronomy 2-4; Mark 11:15-33Day 67: Deuteronomy 5-7; Mark 12:1-28Day 68: Deuteronomy 8-10; Mark 12:29-44Day 69: Deuteronomy 11-13; Mark 13:1-13Day 70: Deuteronomy 14-19; Mark 13:14-14:31Day 71: Deuteronomy 14-19; Mark 13:14-14:31Day 72: Deuteronomy 20-22; Mark 13:32-52Day 73: Deuteronomy 23-25; Mark 14:53-72Day 74: Deuteronomy 26-27; Mark 15:1-20Day 75: Deuteronomy 28; Mark 15:21-47Day 76: Deuteronomy 29-30; Mark 16Day 77: Deuteronomy 31-34; Luke 1:1-56Day 78: Joshua 1-2; Luke 1:1-56Day 79: Joshua 3-4; Luke 1:57-80Day 80: Joshua 5-6; Luke 2:1-21Day 81: Joshua 7-8; Luke 2:21-52Day 82: Joshua 9-10; Luke 3Day 83: Joshua 11-13; Luke 4:1-30Day 84: Joshua 14-17; Luke 4:31-5:26Day 85: Joshua 14-17; Luke 4:31-5:26Day 86: Joshua 18-19; Luke 5:27-39
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