The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 23:2,
"Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'These are my appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.'"
The Lord gave Israel seven festivals for their calendar in this chapter. He begins his direction to Moses of these by repeating his instructions regarding the seventh day of each week: keep the sabbath, "a day of sacred assembly", verse 3.
While these festivals find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ and point to him, I am convinced an additional purpose for them was to facilitate their mindfulness of the Lord, their focus on the Lord. These feasts and the weekly sabbath remembrance of the Lord ("it is a sabbath to the Lord", verse 3) should have provided them opportunity to focus on the Lord, to set aside time for their mindfulness of him, to set their hearts and minds on him.
Since mankind's fall in the garden of Eden, man has lived without the visual presence of God before him. We don't see God's immediate presence and we often do not live our lives as though we were existing in his presence. As astonishing as it may seem, we need reminders. Even us believers today!
We see this underscored in Paul's teaching about the Lord's supper. He quotes Jesus saying, "Do this in remembrance of me", 1 Corinthians 11:24 and 25.
Paul tells us to set our hearts and minds on Jesus, "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:1-2. He encouraged the Corinthian believers by his example, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18.
The writer of Hebrews reminds us as well, "Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest." Hebrews 3:1. He also encourages us, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith." Hebrews 12:1-2.
Peter also encourages us to focus our attention on the Lord and the great hope we have in him, "Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming." 1 Peter 1:13.
I know I need all the help I can get to fix my heart and mind on Jesus Christ at times. As bewildering as it is, given all he has done for me, I can zoom along through periods of the day apart from acknowledging his presence in my life and the wonderful hope I have in him: all the wonderful riches of the lavish inheritance he has so graciously and generously bestowed upon us!
"Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'These are my appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.'"
The Lord gave Israel seven festivals for their calendar in this chapter. He begins his direction to Moses of these by repeating his instructions regarding the seventh day of each week: keep the sabbath, "a day of sacred assembly", verse 3.
While these festivals find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ and point to him, I am convinced an additional purpose for them was to facilitate their mindfulness of the Lord, their focus on the Lord. These feasts and the weekly sabbath remembrance of the Lord ("it is a sabbath to the Lord", verse 3) should have provided them opportunity to focus on the Lord, to set aside time for their mindfulness of him, to set their hearts and minds on him.
Since mankind's fall in the garden of Eden, man has lived without the visual presence of God before him. We don't see God's immediate presence and we often do not live our lives as though we were existing in his presence. As astonishing as it may seem, we need reminders. Even us believers today!
We see this underscored in Paul's teaching about the Lord's supper. He quotes Jesus saying, "Do this in remembrance of me", 1 Corinthians 11:24 and 25.
Paul tells us to set our hearts and minds on Jesus, "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:1-2. He encouraged the Corinthian believers by his example, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18.
The writer of Hebrews reminds us as well, "Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest." Hebrews 3:1. He also encourages us, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith." Hebrews 12:1-2.
Peter also encourages us to focus our attention on the Lord and the great hope we have in him, "Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming." 1 Peter 1:13.
I know I need all the help I can get to fix my heart and mind on Jesus Christ at times. As bewildering as it is, given all he has done for me, I can zoom along through periods of the day apart from acknowledging his presence in my life and the wonderful hope I have in him: all the wonderful riches of the lavish inheritance he has so graciously and generously bestowed upon us!
I do believe the calendar of festivals the Lord provided Israel was, in part, to help in this regard.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
No comments:
Post a Comment