Deuteronomy 24-27; Psalm 61
Refuge. May we clothe ourselves in the worthiness and wholeness of God so that we don’t have to go out to seek it. May we hide in all the right ways and expose ourselves with faith. Refuge. May we find shelter in God’s purpose and plans. May we shout and exclaim prayers like we really believe they can be fulfilled. Refuge. May we give our best and not our leftovers. May we destroy the boundaries between garbage and non-garbage. Refuge.
When does reading the Bible become a necessity? Like you long for it? I’m not there. Yet. I can go a whole day and not think about the Bible. Am I a bad Christian? Ha. This is a pathetic post. I’m stressed. I have a show coming up in less than two weeks. I’m swamped in work for my day job. I need a hair cut. I haven’t seen my friends. I feel like a shitty friend. I just want to read plays and books. I’m sick of driving in my car. I’m tired.
Deuteronomy 15-16; Psalm 58
The laws in this book cover forgiveness, justice, hospitality to those forgotten, taking care of the least of them. Besides the slave part, I’m kind of into these laws. They’re hard to follow — generosity that forgives debts; taking care of foreigners like your own; and so forth. How is it from one book to the next the laws from the same God can seem so different? Context.
If we trust the thesis that God is for us and is good, we have to trust that he is reliable, consistent and knows better than us. In the wilderness, God created boundaries for the people so they could make it out and into the promise land. In the promise land, God creates boundaries for societal and relational healing and health. Out of context boundaries and laws would do harm. I love that about God. Depending on the season we’re in, God guides and leads so we can either get to the promise land or get to slow down.
Deuteronomy 13-14; Psalm 57
God tests us…to see whether we will be tempted by other Gods…to see if we really love him…Now if God were human I would say he was a jealous mofo, kind of sneaky and manipulative and has some trust issues. Nobody’s trying to holler at this kind of God. Alright if God is not all these negative emotion, what is he like?
I love God dwelling within us.
Deuteronomy 10-12; Psalm 56
God commands his people to circumcise themselves because they are a stubborn people. Circumcision I imagine is quite painful. It’s a physical cutting of a real intimate spot. It’s an identity marking. It’s a tradition. In the New Testament it’s expanded or reimagined as a circumcision of the heart rather than just of the body. So it’s a removal of something dear (maybe our egos, our own agendas, me, me, me!) It’s an identity marking — can people see from your heart that you’re set apart? It’s a tradition — it adds you to a big narrative, family and lineage. Circumcision is both private and individual, and communal and outward. That’s the constant tug of being a Christian — both knowing how God knows and loves and calls us specifically, while part of a much bigger story and community.
Circumcision is an act of surrender. It’s uncomfortable. It’s overt. Even saying the word makes my body shake a bit. But circumcision is the way to address our stubborn hearts. This act of surrender negates stubbornness, a refusal to change or see outside of ourselves. Friends, may we become more aware of areas we are resistant and grow a bit more open to our big callings and the bigger story we are part of. Circumcision is scary AF; but it’s a step towards faith; it is faith.
Deuteronomy 7-9; Psalm 55
How can you read this passage and not be confident that we can’t take the Bible literally? It’s so insane what God asks the Israelites to do — Kill all the people in their path? God hates the evil? What’s the heart of this? What’s the heart of this? What can be some take aways…
That we are not to overtake others to take their things and use them to get rich ourselves. That we should not get proud if we win because it’s not from anything we do but because God destroys evil. That we should not covet. That we should be humbled if we receive any blessings. Again, not our doing. It is all by grace. We are not that far from the people we oppose. Discipline from God is good… you discipline those you care about.
Reading the Bible this way is pretty taxing. It’s like a pummeling to a one day hopeful redemption on the cross. I’m exhausted. I’m tired. I’m starting to hate people and rules and commandments. Huh? A mirror for who we are? A stubborn people.
Deuteronomy 4-6; Psalm 54
How shall you answer when someone asks you why you follow certain statutes and live the way you do? How does Moses instruct the people to respond?
1. Remember where you once were: imprisoned, enslaved
2. Remember how God freed you so you no longer have to hide and toil without purpose
3. Remember the goodness of God and how he wants your good and therefore the ways he’s instructed you to act are good: to love God and love others.
We love because we know how much we are loved. We love because we have been given much. We love because we get to love. We love because it’s as if we’ve been given a second chance and nothing can be taken from us. We love because God first loved us.
This is why you share your testimony. Is your testimony of one with gratitude and awe? Does your testimony make sense why, to some, you follow ridiculous laws? They’re not laws — they’re an overflow of gratitude and trust. I hope my testimony justifies why I do what I do.
Deuteronomy 1-3; Psalm 53
What if your wilderness years took 40 years? Then it can’t be just be about the destination. What? You’re supposed to just squander 40 years for this future point. I hate platitudes. I hate those, it’s about the journey, not the destination. But what if there is actually something to this dumb cliche? That if we allow ourselves to be present and open to the journey, each moment can be the destination. If we think of the wilderness as living, every night is a finding of home, wherever we land. If we think of the obstacles and the sorrows and the WTF moments as markers in a life schedule that helps us to see all the ways we grow, can it all matter?
Usually we can only say the wilderness was worthwhile when we get to the goal. How can we find each moment in this dark shithole somewhat beautiful? We need to redefine shithole. We need to reimagine beauty. We need to expand getting there.
Numbers 35-36; Psalm 52
I got lazy and my post is this. Glad I’m through with Numbers. Still irritated by the weird ordering and structure that smells patriarchal and misogynistic in the OT. Can’t wait for Jesus. Reading the Bible seems like a burden.
Numbers 33-34; Psalm 51
Restore to me the joy of your salvation.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Restore to me how I first felt when I knew you loved me without border and boundaries. Restore to me how I felt when you said I was worthy and enough just as I am. Restore to me how I felt when nothing in the world mattered, all my failures and shortcomings and flaws did not matter. Restore to me my innocence. Restore to me my love for others in a way that risked getting hurt. Restore to me confidence in an eternal everlasting hope for everyone who believes and even for those who don’t get. Restore to me innocence. Restore to me the time before I realized I could be hurt. Restore to me love. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Restore to me you. Restore to me you. Restore to me you. Restore me. Restore me.
Are you there God? 