Monday, March 4, 2013

Just Do It

Our church is currently reading a daily devotion together. Which is definitely something I got excited about. I wondered what it would be. Would it be a 'theme' thing where we learned how to control our anger? Would it be carefully pulling apart the book of John, one verse at a time?
It was 'Read the Bible in a Year'.
Now...
I've done that. Twice. No, I didn't enjoy it very much. Actually, that's not true. I did enjoy 'parts' of it. But let's be honest here, folks. How much fun is Exodus once we get into the specifics of God explaining exactly how garments were to be made, exact description of the tabernacle, the other priestly garments...?  It isn't. This is the part where most people stop reading. Unless you're one of those super cool people who find extensive detail fascinating.  Not me.
So, I sighed, like the impatient girl I am, and I'm reading it anyway.
Yesterday, our lovely pastor pointed out a few things in Exodus. Mostly the ending. He said, 'have you noticed how detailed everything was? And did you notice how many times, it said the words "as the LORD commanded Moses"?'
Moses did it all.
Exactly as God commanded. Every single seemingly tedious detail, Moses did it.
Without questions, without complaint, he did it.

My son told me about his dream this morning. He's 8, so I listen to every single detail. He told me he dreamt he was in heaven, and God told him to pull the cart out of its spot. And he said that he grumbled because he couldn't believe he had to work in heaven. But when he looked around, he noticed that heaven was filled with rollercoaster track and he was pulling out his own cart so he could travel around.  I laughed of course because he said he grumbled about 'doing God's work'.

Huh.
When I think about the times I haven't wanted to greet at church (I'm pretty sure that person doesn't like me), about having to make schedules (why does this take so long!), about having to read Exodus, Leviticus...

I really need to stop complaining. It IS God after all. And He DID just die for me and set me free and change my life upside down for the better.
Oh you grumbling Israelite...

Jenn Kelly is an author and this is a picture of her son who looks unhappy to be leaf-blowing but he's actually enjoying it. This is his tough face...

8 comments:

  1. Good post, Jenn. I've managed to get through Exodus, Leviticus, etc. without too much complaint, but when we get to Judges and Kings I really struggle. All that slaughter! And marching into other people's lands and killing everything in sight. This is God? No wonder the Israelites looked for a warrior Messiah

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  2. Jenn, you're reading my mind! I just read (or listened to) the description and details of the garments and I found my mid wandering, but I also am awed about how beautiful those garments must have looked and that God is interested in every detail.

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  3. It starts getting amazing when you begin seeing bits tie in with the message of the whole Bible, but I admit some of it seems like it needs to be censored! It makes us all the more grateful to Jesus.

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  4. Thanks, Jenn. Love the honesty of your writing--and I love your son's dream! I hope you're writing them down so they're not forgotten.

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  5. Wow, I agree, Jenn. I'm much happier that I live in under Grace and not the Law!

    Love the pic of your son.

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  6. Hey, that leaf blower looks like great fun, because we've never tried anything like that. Kids being kids, I'm sure it'd get old. And I agree with you on Bible reading, when we take the time to examine those more obscure passages, we're sometimes rewarded in unexpected ways. Here's to just doing it.

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  7. Love the daily Bible thing. In 2009 I did a daily devotional from The Chronological Bible, reading the whole thing from cover to cover in its own timeline. Had great fun doing it. Including the Leviticus/Numbers area. Posted the devotions on my Garment of Praise blog.

    Would love to adopt the small leaf blower as a spare grandchild -- if you'd share... :-)


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