A Lesson in Obedience

By: Jenifer Metzger

Then they set out from Mount Hor by way of

the Red Sea to bypass the land of Edom, but the

people became impatient because of the journey.

The people spoke against God and Moses: “Why

have you led us up from Egypt to die in the

wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we

detest this wretched food!” Then the Lord sent

poisonous snakes among the people, and they

bit them so that many Israelites died. The
people then came to Moses and said, “We
have sinned by speaking against the Lord and
against you. Intercede with the Lord so that He
will take the snakes away from us.” And
Moses interceded for the people. Then the
Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake image and
mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten
looks at it, he will recover.” So Moses made a bronze
snake and mounted it on a pole. Whenever
someone was bitten, and he looked at
the bronze snake, he recovered.

Numbers 21:4-9 CSB

In Numbers chapter 21, we see that the people of Israel spoke against God, so as a punishment, He sent snakes to poison and kill many. The people then realized their sin and asked Moses to intercede for them. As Moses prayed. God told Him to make a snake of bronze and put it on a pole. If the people were bitten by a snake, they could look at the bronze snake and they would live.

Could God have just caused the snakes to disappear or slither away? Of course! Could God have closed the mouths of the snakes to not bite the people? Of course! But it wasn't about God simply saying, "Okay! It's done!"

God was teaching the Israelites. He was demonstrating His power. He was showing them how to trust in Him. And He was commanding their obedience. God doesn't work in our way, He works in His way, a way that will bring glory to Him and will teach us to live for Him.

Another lesson the Israelites learned, and we can learn too, is that our sin often still has consequences, even after we realize our sin and repent. Some of our actions can be taken care of simply by repenting. However, there are some actions that will still have repercussions. Just because we repent doesn’t always mean our consequences disappear. They may be shortened or the load more bearable, but they are still there.

I can remember countless times my children realized their disobedience and asked for forgiveness, but they still had to face the repercussions of their actions. For example, I remember a time one of my kids threw their favorite toy in anger. The toy broke. The child was sorry for their fit and actions. They child apologized. But they still lost their now broken toy. The Israelites learned this same lesson that with the snakes.

Sometimes lessons can be hard lessons, but they can also teach us to strive for complete obedience in the Lord.

Discussion:

1. Think of a time you disobeyed God and still have to face your consequences. How did you see God's hand even through your punishment?

Looking to the God Who Sees You

 By: Rebekah Hargraves

Photo Courtesy of: Marcos Paulo Prado

"Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, 'Have I also here seen Him who sees me?'” 

~Genesis 16:13

It is such a beautiful practice to study the names of God, a practice which uniquely enables us to get to know our Lord better and to develop a closer understanding of His heart.

Today we are going to focus on the name Hagar attributed to Him in Genesis 16, El Roi, or "God of Seeing".

When You Feel Unseen and Alone

May I encourage you today? God sees. He cares. And He is with you. Just as He was for Hagar.

Hagar was Sarah's maid (Sarah being Abraham's wife) and was a majorly faithful one at that! She did all of Sarah's bidding - even the bidding which seems downright crazy and repulsive to us today. Yet, her obedience to Sarah - what should have led to her finding favor in her mistress' eyes - actually led to Sarah treating her harshly and unfairly. In fact, Genesis 16:6 says, "and when Sarai (Sarah) dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence." 

In the following verses, we see that Hagar traveled into the wilderness upon leaving Sarah and was met there by the Angel of the Lord Himself, Who comforted her, "heard [her] affliction", and promised to "multiply [her] descendants exceedingly". Verse 13 goes on to say, "Then she called the name of the Lordwho spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees". 

Friend, take heart and see - the Lord is not unfeeling towards us! Far from it. He loves us deeply, views us tenderly as His daughters, and is always present - even when we are feeling hurt and alone, rejected and unseen.

The following are some other passages I find encouraging in this area:

"But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly." ~Matthew 6:3-4

" Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” ~Deuteronomy 31:6

Be Encouraged Today!

Are you going through a hard season in your life where you feel like you are all alone and nobody cares? Perhaps you are a young mama at home with your little children, working day after day to care for them and feel like no one sees or appreciates your work. Maybe you are going through a dark time with your husband having betrayed you and you are feeling ignored and rejected, alone in your pain and heartache. Or perhaps you recently lost a dear loved one, someone who always went out of their way to take time to bless and encourage you and now you feel like you have no one who cares. 

If anyone could understand how you are feeling right now, it would be Hagar. You can read Hagar's full story for yourself in Genesis 16, but suffice it to say that this poor woman felt the same feelings of rejection, loneliness, and misunderstanding that you may be experiencing.

I recently came across Hebrews 6:10 ("For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having served and by still serving the saints."), and it instantly struck me:

How well that applies to us busy ladies who are daily tending to the never-ending needs of our children or working to care for our husbands or dedicating time to the upkeep and productivity of our homes! We may feel unseen, forgotten, and unappreciated, but we simply are not. Our Lord sees our faithful work, remembers it, and values it.

Sweet reader, please know that you are not alone. Whether you are once again washing a tower of dishes at your kitchen sink or staring at yet another newly-arrived bill in the mail, wondering how you will be able to pay it, or reeling from the heartache of some recent tragedy in your life, He sees you. Right where you are, He sees you. In this very moment with exactly what you are doing in this day, He sees you. And He will never look away. May you look to Him in your time of need.

Reflection Questions:

1) Do you tend to feel unseen or do you usually remember that God does see you?

2) How does it make you feel to know that He sees you?

3) Do you need to spend more time looking to and seeing Him?

A Cord of Three

 By: Joanne Viola

 

My husband and I have always said, if there is an easy way to do something, it always ends up being the hard way for us. No matter how we may think it through and plan it out, it usually ends up being harder than we originally had thought.

Sure my husband and I became a couple, were married, the day we exchanged our vows in the church in which I grew up.

Yet the strength of our love, the security in it, grew as we navigated challenges and hardships together.

It wasn’t our marriage certificate which solidified our relationship. It was each time we thought we couldn’t make it through; each time we stood shoulder to shoulder. It was then that we found strength from one another.

“Many waters cannot quench love, Nor will rivers overflow it;
If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love, It would be utterly despised.”
(Song of Solomon 8:7, NASB)

Perhaps the Beatles had it right when they sand, “Can’t Buy Me Love,” Money cannot secure or strengthen love.

It is truly a wonder the way love grows.

Hard days can, in fact, cause relationships to develop, strengthen, and grow deep in ways the easy days cannot.

Marriages and friendships can blossom through difficulties forging a bond which cannot be broken. Qualities and strengths are discovered and develop over the course of time.

Scripture tells us:

“A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.”
(Ecclesiastes 4:12, NASB)

There is a strength which comes from unity. It is important to have strong bonds with God and with other people.

“Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.
For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion.
But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.
Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?
And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him.
A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.”
(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, NASB) 

 

We need God and others as we go through life
for encouragement, protection, and companionship.
We need a cord of three.

 

 

Reflection:
Take time to think about those with whom you have shared experiences. What were the qualities you came to appreciate? Take time to thank God for placing them in your life. And take time to thank them for sticking in your life.

 

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

 

 

The God who Guides You and Hides You

 By: Lauren Thomas

“Just one bad thing after another.” That’s what it feels like sometimes. Thank God, our feelings aren’t always the ultimate reality. Sometimes a greater truth transcends our circumstances. One example of this is found in Exodus 14, which describes the Hebrews leaving Egypt while being pursued by Pharaoh’s army. Verses 19-20 explain that the Angel of God, who was leading the Israelites, moved to stand behind them, so that the Egyptians could not come near.

 

¹⁹ Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, ²⁰ coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night.

Exodus 14:19-20 ESV

Just a few verses before, we read about the emotional reaction from the Israelite people when they saw the Egyptian army: they “feared greatly” and began to lament their plight. The reality of their circumstance was that they were being pursued by an enemy army. But the greater truth was that the God who guided them out of slavery, was also the God who was hiding them from the enemy. The enemy was close behind. But God went before and behind his people, to guide them and to hide them.

 

You hem me in, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.

Psalm 139:5 ESV

 

The God who guides us is the God who hides us. He goes before and behind.

 

He leads us through good times and bad times. But He also hides us, meaning, He protects us. Psalms is sprinkled with references to being hidden in the shelter of His wings. In His wings is protection; there we are shielded from evil. Jesus also used this imagery in Matthew 23:37. God is bigger, God is greater than anything we might face. He is wiser, knowing the perfect path through our challenges.

 

There is an enemy who attacks me. This is reality. But the transcendent truth is that God is able to both guide me and hide me. So, when I feel overwhelmed by the onslaught of attacks, I pray like David did:

⁶ I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
    incline your ear to me; hear my words.
⁷ Wondrously show your steadfast love,
    O Savior of those who seek refuge
    from their adversaries at your right hand.

⁸ Keep me as the apple of your eye;
    hide me in the shadow of your wings,

Psalm 17:6-8 ESV

 

Reflection:

Where do you need God to guide you today? How do you need Him to hide you?
Take some time to visualize God guiding you and hiding you. Visualize how much greater God is than your circumstances.

Go Into All The World

By: Grace Metzger

And He said to them, “Go into all the

world and preach the gospel to every creature."

‭‭Mark‬ ‭16‬:‭15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I believe this is one of the more difficult commandments for Christians to follow. The world does not make it a safe place to talk about your faith. Whether it be that you’re afraid of offending someone, getting told that you’re pushing your beliefs on others, getting into debates about religion, etc, I think we can all find excuses to stay quiet and not preach the gospel.

So if there is an excuse to not do it, then it’s fine right? Well it doesn’t take a genius to know what the Bible tells us about this. There are so many verses and stories in the Bible that show us the importance of telling others about the Gospel despite the repercussions. 

But rise and stand on your feet; for I

have appeared to you for this purpose,

to make you a minister and a witness

both of the things which you have seen

and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.

‭‭Acts‬ ‭26‬:‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I think back to people from the Bible. For a lot of them they were risking their lives in order to spread God’s love. Paul who was placed in prison for following God, Moses who risk death to protect God’s people from Egypt, and Jesus who was crucified by the people because He continued to preach God’s love with everyone. There are so many stories of others risking so much to spread God’s word. What are we risking? We risk making a few people mad, we risk offending people, or maybe we risk losing friends? None of this compares in the slightest to what these incredible people have done for God. 

It might not be the easiest thing in the world to do at times, but think about what there is to gain from telling people about the greatness of God’s love! Think about the joy it’ll bring them, the peace that will come onto their heart and minds, and most importantly the love they’ll find from God. We share God’s word for those reasons and many more. We share the gospel because we are called to. 

Discussion:
1. Do you struggle with sharing the Gospel with others?
2. Think of someone you can share the Good News with this week