Ending with a New Beginning

Scripture – Luke 2:1-3: 1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.

Reflection: What a great way to end the year! We come to the beginning of perhaps the best known Bible story – the story that will rock the world!

The decree of Augustus got everyone in the nation up and moving. Nearly every family was inconvenienced by this bureaucratic decision. Yet for us the hopes and dreams for new life are found as this story begins to unfold.

And so, as usually happens with the Lord, the old ends with a new beginning. May 2009 be a year of new life and new beginnings for us all.

Daily Decisions

Scripture – Luke 1:76-80: 76And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” 80And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Reflection: Zechariah goes on to proclaim some powerful things about his son, John. He will be called a prophet. He will prepare the way for the Lord.

Verse 80 then describes how John “grew and became strong in spirit.” Some of that would come from Zechariah and Elizabeth. Parents often underestimate the impact they have on the spiritual life of their children. The clearest message we communicate is through our daily living.

At the same time, the child eventually grows old enough to begin making his or her own decisions. What lessons will I take from my parents and which ones will I let go? Will I choose Christ or not? What route will I take for my life?

I wonder how old John was when he moved to the desert. How was that for his parents? I doubt they taught him to do that. At the same time, as we’ll see, that was part of the persona God would use to prepare the way for Jesus.

For now, what guides you in your decision-making? What have you learned from your parents? Are there some lessons you need to unlearn? Will choose Christ or another way this day?

The On-Going Truth of Christmas

Scripture – Luke 1:67-75: 67His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: 68“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. 69He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us—72to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, 73the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

Reflection: Sometimes the most interesting part of Biblical stories is found in what we don’t know. Where did Zechariah get all this? Was he inspired spontaneously by the Holy Spirit? Had he listened to Elizabeth’s story about Mary and her baby? Had he been studying scriptures?

He had over nine months to mull things over while he couldn’t speak. When his tongue was finally loosened, he immediately began praising God. Then he launched into this prophetic proclamation about Jesus.

Historically, God’s prophets were validated when their words were fulfilled. Zechariah is speaking in the present tense about a child yet to be born.

As Christmas just past begins to fade, I’ll remember the truth of Christmas is ever present. Salvation has come today. Rescue has arrived today. “Emmanuel” is not a seasonal word. God is with us all year long.

The Gift of Responsibility

Scripture – Luke 1:57-60: 57When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. 59On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

Reflection: Somehow Elizabeth got the message that her son was to be named John. Either Zechariah was able to communicate that to her or God somehow spoke to her.

What strikes me is she remembered this child was a gift from God. If He wanted him named John, that was fine with her. Sometimes I pray for things or long for them. Finally it comes about. I thank God for His blessing. Then, if I’m not careful, I move on as though what I received is all mine for me alone.

Children are a prime example. I still have a hard time remembering they are a gift from God – as well as a responsibility entrusted to me.

Zechariah was given some specific instructions about this child. (Luke 1:13-17) The easiest to follow would be naming him John. Elizabeth and Zechariah understood their role as parents. I will remember mine, as well.

An Invitation: A small group will be meeting tomorrow morning from 9:45 – 10:30am to share what we’ve learned and seen in this week’s readings. We’ll meet in the Pastor’s office at Bethel Baptist Church, 13330 Trenton Road in Southgate. Everyone’s welcome to join us.

Reading for Sunday, December 28
Scripture – Luke 1:61-66: 61They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” 62Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” 64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

An Attitude of Gratitude

Scripture – Luke 1:46-56: 46And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name. 50His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.” 56Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Reflection: Mary’s response to Elizabeth’s greeting has become one of the great affirmations of faith in the life of the church. There are a number of things that catch my attention.

From the very beginning, her opening line leads to a personal question. How does my soul glorify the Lord? I say the words and I do some good things. But on the inside, what does my soul reflect?

God has been very good to me. I often take what He’s provided for granted. The other day a friend was reminding me to be very specific when I thank God. It’s easy to thank Him for all the blessings in my life. But when I thank Him for the warm boots I have to wear on a snowy day or the coffee I drink every morning, my gratitude becomes personal. It’s kind of like the difference between sending out generic “Thank You” cards after Christmas instead of personal notes.

So I will live with thanksgiving my heart today. I will let that attitude be reflected in my soul. Perhaps that’s one way the Lord will be glorified – whether anyone else sees it or not. Also, this week I’ll send some personal notes of thanks to people.

An Invitation: A small group will be meeting this coming Sunday morning from 9:45 – 10:30am to share what we’ve learned and seen in this week’s readings. We meet in the Pastor’s office at Bethel Baptist Church, 13330 Trenton Road in Southgate. Everyone’s welcome to join us.

No Need to Be Alone

Scripture – Luke 1:39-45: 39At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”

Reflection: After Mary received the news, she hurried off to see her relative, Elizabeth. Elizabeth was in the midst of a ‘God-given miracle herself. Perhaps Mary thought she was the only person who would truly understand what she had experienced.

Whatever the reason, Elizabeth knew right off the bat that Mary was carrying the Lord’s child. The Spirit revealed that to her. And so she greeted Mary with great joy.

In a time of great person challenge, Mary turned to someone she knew – someone she trusted – a woman of great faith. I often forget to do that. I’ll tend to carry things and face things on my own. Yet God has given me numerous people with whom I can share. I’ll look for them today. I’ll remember whatever I face – good or bad – I’m not left on my own.

Tomorrow, of course, is Christmas Day! Have a great day! In the midst of everything remember from time to time, Christ has come! Because of God’s gift of love and grace, everything has changed!

Everlasting Light

Scripture – Luke 1:34-38 34“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible with God.” 38“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Reflection: Mary raises a reasonable question. Gabriel gives her the definitive answer: “Nothing is impossible with God.”

I say that a lot. And I’ve grown to actually believe it. At the same time, there are some days I still catch myself shaking my head and thinking there’s no way. I guess that’s part of life in the flesh. Doubts creep in from time to time and try to undermine faith.

Yet the Christmas story stands clearly against doubt. For generations people had lived with God’s promise of a Messiah – a Savior. On that night in Bethlehem, He sort of snuck into the world and kept His promise.

Christmas reminds me God keeps His promises. Jesus is born! And no matter how dark the day, His light still shines. Indeed, nothing is impossible with God! I’ll remember that this day.

The Great Mystery of Christmas

Scripture – Luke 1:30-33: 30But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

Reflection: It’s beyond my ability to imagine what this news meant to Mary. No wonder the angel began with, “Do not be afraid, Mary.” What an awesome responsibility was being given to her. She’s going to be the mother of God’s Son.

In spite of all the carols we sing and how many times we’ve heard the Christmas story, this is still one of the hardest Biblical truths to comprehend. Mary will be the mother of Jesus. God will be His Father. If there’s such a thing as divine DNA, Jesus will have it. This is one of the great mysteries of our faith: Jesus is both divine and human. It’s something we cannot explain. I can only accept it.

That’s what makes Him the perfect connecting link between us and God. That’s why He is the Savior for all people. That’s why we worship Him this Christmas season.

The Wonderful Ways God Works

Scripture – Luke 1:23-25: 23When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25“The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

Reflection: What was it like when Zechariah came home? Elizabeth would have greeted him as she had done many times before. Only this time he would be different. He couldn’t talk!

I wonder how, or if, he was able to communicate to her what had happened. It’s a fairly safe assumption that Zechariah knew how to read and write. It’s quite possible Elizabeth did not have those abilities.

How would you communicate to someone without speaking and without written words? Life would become an on-going game of charades. Zechariah had quite a story to tell. I wonder how life was for them.

What we do know is Elizabeth became pregnant, and she was very happy about that. Their life was changing in ways they never imagined. Such is the risk of being a faithful follower. We never know where we might be led.

An Invitation: A small group will be meeting tomorrow morning from 9:45 – 10:30am to share what we’ve learned and seen in this week’s readings. We’ll meet in the Pastor’s office at Bethel Baptist Church, 13330 Trenton Road in Southgate. Everyone’s welcome to join us.

Reading for Sunday, December 21
Scripture – Luke 1:26-29: 26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

Losing My Voice

Scripture – Luke 1:18-22: 18Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” 19The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.” 21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

Reflection: Now, it seems to me Zechariah asks a reasonable question. But as a result Gabriel gives him a sign that will affect him for the next several months.

I wonder what it would be like to be unable to speak. I certainly take this ability for granted. I’ve heard of people going on silent retreats. They’ll spend up to several days without using their own voice. Though I’ve never tried it, it has always sounded intriguing to me – even to go a few hours without talking.

Well, Zechariah wasn’t given a choice. For him this was how could be sure of what Gabriel said. It’s really the answer to his question.

While I won’t be silent today, I can talk less. Perhaps the less I hear my own voice, the more I can here that of Christ.

An Invitation: A small group will be meeting this coming Sunday morning from 9:45 – 10:30am to share what we’ve learned and seen in this week’s readings. We meet in the Pastor’s office at Bethel Baptist Church, 13330 Trenton Road in Southgate. Everyone’s welcome to join us.

Be Careful What You Pray For

Scripture – Luke 1:11-17: 11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. 16Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Reflection: I cannot imagine what it would be like to have an angel appear like this. The scene I picture in my mind shows Zechariah alone in the temple. Then he turns around and another person is suddenly there. That would be quite disconcerting.

But the angel was quick to say, “Do not be afraid.” I’ve become very aware this is a common greeting when divinity meets humanity – and for good reason. Often when Christ calls me to a task, it’s a message I need to hear.

In this case, the angel has message for Zechariah. He and Elizabeth will have a son. God will use this son in some powerful, transformational ways. How life can change in a moment. When I say “Yes” to God’s call, I don’t know where it’s going to lead. That’s why it’s usually far easier and safer to say “No.”

“Be careful what you pray for,” is an old saying that still applies. Sometimes God will grant my request in a surprising way. And I realize I’m not quite ready for that. What are you praying for these days? What might happen if God gives you what you’re asking for?

Keeping the Faith

Scripture – Luke 1:5-10: 5In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. 7But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years. 8Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

Reflection: Luke’s story begins with the introduction of two people – Zechariah and Elizabeth. They were both “upright in the sight of God.” What a great way to be remembered! He also tells us they had no children. In those days that would have been not just a disappointment to them, but it would also have carried some sort of stigma – as though they’d done something wrong.

In the face of that, they stayed faithful – “observing all the Lord’s commandments.” Even as life did not turn out the way they envisioned and hoped for, they did not turn away from God. They kept themselves actively engaged with Him. That’s a pretty powerful lesson in itself.

Without going into a lot of details regarding the priesthood, Luke tells us on this particular day Zechariah was in the temple by himself doing his priestly duty. His life was about to change in a way he never dreamed. Indeed, that can happen to any of us at any time – perhaps even today.

A New Adventure Begins

Scripture – Luke 1:1-4: 1Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Reflection: Today we begin a journey through the gospel of Luke. As he describes right from the beginning, Luke is a bit of an historian. He’s gathered information about the life and ministry of Jesus from eyewitnesses – those who were with Jesus “from the first,” and he’s tried to put things together in an orderly way.

He tells us “many” have undertaken this task. Some of those attempts have been preserved and are still around. However, I’ve never read much in them. It does leave me wondering again who actually decided which books would be in our Bible and how those decisions were made. I wonder what those meetings were like. It reminds me, as well, that the idea of the Spirit’s inspiration in the writing of the Biblical books stretches also to the people deciding which ones to include.

Given all that, Luke is clear about why he wrote this gospel. It’s so that we might “know the certainly of the things (we) have been taught.” The Bible is a wondrous record and experience of God’s living word. As my mind wanders into different thoughts and ideas – as I’m surrounded by all kinds of teaching regarding religious viewpoints, the Bible keeps me from getting off track.

So I encourage you to open yourself anew to this gospel we call Luke. Take this as a new adventure. As we move through Luke over these next months, test what you been taught against the living word revealed in and through God’s word. Remember, the trickiest part of any Bible study is to let the scripture shape me rather than the other way around. So let’s see what happens as this new adventure begins.

Aaron, Where Are You?

Scripture – Exodus 4:13-17: 13But Moses said, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.” 14Then the LORD’S anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. 15You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 16He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. 17But take this staff in your hand so you can perform miraculous signs with it.”

Reflection: Finally, after going through a number of excuses, Moses got down to the essence of his hesitation. He just wanted God to send someone else. I fully understand that. We can’t tell for sure what’s been going on in Moses through all of this. It looks like he may have been unsure of his ability and afraid to get in over his head (two concerns I face most days). Whatever, it finally led to his most honest cry: “Please send someone else.”

I don’t know why God chooses the people He chooses. I don’t know why He’s chosen me to be the pastor of a church. In most ways I can see, I’m an unlikely candidate for this responsibility.

What I do know is He’s calling me to continue in pastoral ministry, even in light of the technology of our age. He’s calling me to embrace that technology and use it. Like Moses, I resist that call, afraid I’ll get in over my head. Yet the same promise from God comes to me as it did to Moses: “I will be with you.”

I wonder who my “Aaron” will be. As I move forward, I trust God will send him or her soon!

Confident Honesty

Scripture – Exodus 4:1-5: 1Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?” 2Then the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. 3The LORD said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. 4Then the LORD said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. 5“This,” said the LORD, “is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

Reflection: This is interesting. The Lord has just said, “The elders of Israel will listen to you.” (yesterday’s reading) Moses’ immediate reply is, “What if they do not…..listen to me?”

So God did His thing with the staff and the snake. Then He pointed out that this is so “they” may believe. At the same time, I’m thinking it’s also so Moses may believe. It makes all the difference in the world if I can move and act with confidence – if I trust God to really know what He’s doing.

I’ve heard from many people over the years who avoid getting into spiritual conversations with other people. They avoid those opportunities because they’re not confident in what they know. They focus on what they don’t know, and they’re afraid they’ll be asked questions they can’t answer.

I know my own experience with Jesus Christ. I know how He affects my life – including my perspective on all of life. I’m not able to answer all the questions people raise. I can only bring a confident honesty to the conversation and trust Christ to do the rest. I’ll keep that in mind today. Besides, most of the time people aren’t so much looking for answers as they are looking for a safe opportunity to talk.

An Invitation: A small group will be meeting this coming Sunday morning from 9:45 – 10:30am to share what we’ve learned and seen in this week’s readings. We meet in the Pastor’s office at Bethel Baptist Church, 13330 Trenton Road in Southgate. Everyone’s welcome to join us.

A Clear Plan

Scripture – Exodus 3:18-22: 18“The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God.’ 19But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. 20So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go. 21“And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. 22Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians.”

Reflection: The Lord lays out the plan pretty clearly here. Moses is to go to the elders of Israel. They will listen to him. The group of them are to go to Pharaoh with a request. He will not let them go. God will then perform wonders among them. The king will relent and let them go. And they will not leave empty-handed. All Moses has to do is obey God.

All I have to do is obey God. Yet, for reasons that are sometimes hard to see, I refuse. This week, for example, Christ has been pointing me in a clear direction. For the past two days I’ve known exactly what He wants me to do. Yet I’ve managed to get too busy or become distracted or…….any number of things.

Today, instead of fussing over why I haven’t done what He wants, I will carry out His plan.

Lord, please forgive me for my rebellious nature. It shows itself most often in ways that don’t even feel rebellious. Yet when the day comes to an end, I’ve not done what you’ve asked. Lift me above that. Use me as you want this day. I offer myself anew to you.

No Excuses Today

Scripture – Exodus 3:13-15: 13Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” 14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.

Reflection: One of the disciplines I’ve struggled with in the past is to make an honest list of my strengths and my weaknesses. A lot of people have no problem filling in the weakness side of the sheet. In fact, it’s real easy to focus on what I can’t do – or more accurately, on what I think I can’t do.

In yesterday’s reading God called Moses to a task and promised to be with him as he carried it out. Today the excuses begin. And as they often work with me, Moses begins with theoretical scenarios. “Suppose I go….” Nothing stops me faster than fabricating “what if” situations. It’s like I want to be ready for every possibility and have an answer for every question. And since that kind of preparation is not possible, I can just avoid doing what I’m called to do.

The promise of Christ is that He will walk with me into all situations and He will give me what I need when I need it. So today I won’t make any excuses. God knows what I can and cannot do. I’ll trust Him and move forward, no matter what He asks.

Emmanuel

Scripture – Exodus 3:11-12: 11But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

Reflection: Moses raises a question here that I suspect resonates with all of us. “Who am I, that I should go….” and (fill in the blank for yourself)? As I stop and think, there are lots of opportunities for service that I automatically reject because I don’t think I’m capable or qualified. I mean, I don’t even pray about them. I just assume God wouldn’t call me to do whatever it is.

Well, Moses was minding his own business. He had built a life far away from Egypt. And now God was calling him to go back and confront Pharaoh – perhaps the most powerful and fearsome person he knew. “Who am I?” is a pretty normal question to ask.

But……as always, God has the answer. “I will be with you,” He said. Who am I? I’m a person called and accompanied by God. If I’m doing what He wants me to do, I can be sure He is with me and in me. And the fact is, I really don’t need more than that.

So I’ll open myself to some possibilities I’d rather avoid today. I’ll seek God’s direction. In this season of Advent I’ll trust His promise to be Emmanuel – God with us.

A Surprising Call

Scripture – Exodus 3:7-10: 7The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

Reflection: What a powerful scene this is – the voice of God speaking directly to Moses. For many years in Egypt – at least for the previous generation – the Israelites cried out to God in their suffering and slavery. That demonstrates great faithfulness. How often did people think God had given up on them?

Yet all the time God heard. And in His time (a time-frame beyond our understanding) He acted. So here He tells Moses He has heard, and He has come down to rescue His people. Then He begins describing His plan to Moses. It begins like this: “So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh…”

What a surprise that must have been to Moses. What a great disruption it would mean for him. Yet that’s how God gets His work done. Most often He chooses people and calls them to go. What might He have in store for me or you today? How open will I be to His surprising call?

Burning Bushes in Our Midst

Scripture – Exodus 3:1-3: 1Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

Reflection: Once again there seems to be a fairly large time gap in between the end of chapter 2 and the beginning of chapter 3. Here Moses is comfortably settled in his new life. I imagine his memories of Egypt had drifted far to the back of his mind.

Yet God’s work is not done. God’s plans for Moses have not yet been accomplished. Here, as He so often does, God inserts Himself into the midst of daily routine.

Moses’ attention was drawn to the burning bush. Only this was not a normal fire or bush. I picture it as something like today’s artificial fireplaces where logs appear to burn while, in fact, they do not. Only this was not gas-fueled, but Spirit-fueled.

The writer tells us the angel of the Lord appeared here. I’ll keep my eyes open today. I have a lot of routine things I plan to do. I wonder how many burning bushes I’ve overlooked just because I wasn’t paying attention. What might we see today if we do?

An Invitation: A small group will be meeting tomorrow morning from 9:45 – 10:30am to share what we’ve learned and seen in this week’s readings. We’ll meet in the Pastor’s office at Bethel Baptist Church, 13330 Trenton Road in Southgate. Everyone’s welcome to join us.

Reading for Sunday, December 7
Scripture – Exodus 3:4-6: 4When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” 5“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

God's Continuing Story

Scripture – Exodus 2:21-25: 21Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. 22Zipporah gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, “I have become an alien in a foreign land.” 23During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. 24God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. 25So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.

Reflection: This is a continuation of yesterday’s story (Exodus 2:15-20). The king of Egypt found out about Moses’ crime. He tried to kill Moses. Moses ran away into the desert where he met this family.
Moses hit it off so well with this family that he became part of it. He and Zipporah married and started a family. It looks like he was starting over – in a new place with a new life.

I tried that once many years ago. I ran off to San Francisco with the intention of starting fresh. I left all my old life and its troubles behind. I thought I would never look back.

But God had a different plan for me. Though I wandered far away, I never left His sight. Through a wide variety of events, He led me back home – home with Him.
This passage ends with God’s concern for the Israelites. I don’t think He’s quite done with Moses, just as I’m quite sure He’s not done with you or me. I wonder what comes next.

An Invitation: A small group will be meeting this coming Sunday morning from 9:45 – 10:30am to share what we’ve learned and seen in this week’s readings. We meet in the Pastor’s office at Bethel Baptist Church, 13330 Trenton Road in Southgate. Everyone’s welcome to join us.

Being Disturbed

Scripture – Exodus 2:11-14: 11One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?” 14The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”

Reflection: First of all, there’s quite a jump form verse 10 to verse 11. We have no idea what Moses’ upbringing was like. What I do see is that he had knowledge of and appreciation for his Hebrew heritage. Somehow that was kept alive for him. He also enjoyed some sort of privileged status. That is, he wasn’t required to do the work the other Hebrews were doing.

I find this murder scene a bit troubling. I guess what bothers me is that I’m not bothered by it. It’s so easy to slide over it and chalk it up to a different time and culture. Yet the fact is, this Egyptian didn’t come home that day. What was that like for his family and friends? Like so many today, I’ve been de-sensitized to violence. I read about all kinds of crimes and murders and deaths. Yet it rarely sinks in with any impact.

For the rest of this week, I’ll be intentional. When I come across these stories I’ll say a prayer for those involved. More than that, I’ll let myself be disturbed. I’ll let myself care. I’m not sure what good that will do. I just know I’ve got to stop skimming over those stories as though they don’t involve real people. So I will.

Ready to Act

Scripture – Exodus 2:5-10: 5Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the river bank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her slave girl to get it. 6She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said. 7Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?” 8“Yes, go,” she answered. And the girl went and got the baby’s mother. 9Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 10When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.”

Reflection: This is a wonderful story of how God can work out His plan – often in surprising ways and sometimes with a little bit of humor. The mother who gave up her child to the Nile ends up being paid to nurse her own baby. And she’s paid by Pharaoh’s daughter!

The sister is a big part of this story, too. She kept watch over her baby brother – almost as if she expected something to happen. And when it did, she sprang into action.

That’s a neat way to come at every day. What’s going to happen today? How will I see God’s hand at work? I don’t know. What I do know is He will be working today. My job is to be attentive and ready to act when I see it.

I think I’ll do that today. I’ll be on the lookout for signs of the King at work. It should be fun. Why don’t you try it, as well?

Trusting God to Be in Control

Scripture – Exodus 2:1-4: 1Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, 2and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. 3But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. 4His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

Reflection: In yesterday’s passage, we saw the new order issued by Pharaoh. I suppose technically this mother obeyed. Although she didn’t “throw” her son into the Nile, she did set him in it.

I can’t imagine what that must have been like for those parents. To keep the child any longer would most likely have meant his death at the hands of the Egyptians. In light of that, though far from ideal, this was a better choice.

There are situations I face from time to time that are completely beyond my control. So I make the best decisions I can and trust God to work things out. On my good days I’m at peace with that. On my weaker days I get antsy and anxious.

This child was blessed with a sister who was watching out for him. Perhaps you know where this story is heading. Suffice it to say, God is in control Whatever happens today, I’ll remember that, and I’ll trust Him to work things out.