Hearing God in Leviticus 19

READ LEVITICUS 19:9-14

This passage is rather interesting, and I have chosen just a small portion of it. As a whole, it is discussing God's call for his people to be holy, or set apart.

These specific words speak to God's command to pay the laborer on time, to not steal or defraud people, as well as the call to leave a portion of the field for the gleaning of the poor during harvest time.

God commands us to pay attention to those that are neglected, overrun, beaten down, or taken advantage of by the world, and to take up their cause and fight on their behalf. He calls us to advocate for laws that show mercy to the downtrodden, he calls us to defend the poor against predatory business practices, and much more.

To do this, we need to ask God to open our eyes to evil, injustice, the taking advantage of those who are on the outside looking in throughout our society and world, and take up their cause.

Hearing God in I Corinthians 3:10-11

Foundations are funny things. My uncle is a engineer and a construction guy, so he runs around and takes pictures of foundations being built, especially when they are unique in some way. The rest of the family just rolls their eyes as he slows down the pick-up truck, gets out the camera, and snaps a shot of a hole in ground with some rebar, or perhaps a basement poured. I suspect very few of us are like my Uncle Steve though.

For the rest of us, it can be easy to ignore foundations. I am constantly annoyed watching House Hunters and seeing young people look at a house that is a perfectly good home with a good foundation and a nice floor plan because they don't like the paint, they want granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. All of the things they are looking at, generally, are cosmetic, and add very little real value to the home they are considering buying. Folks very easily get caught up in window dressing.

What is true of people buying houses on television can also be true of how people live their faith, and the attitudes they have about churches. It becomes easy for us to forget about our foundation, which is the truth of Jesus Christ. And thus we can easily get caught up in the cosmetic things of faith and life together. Things such as worship style, musical preference, favorite programs, and the like.

Furthermore, there are sometimes where things that happen in the name of Christ do not have Christ as their firm foundation. People attempt to build their own kingdom instead of God's kingdom. As well-intentioned or pleasant as what they are doing is, if it stands in opposition to Christ and the work of the gospel, it cannot stand.

Christ is our foundation.

Hearing God in Acts 2:42-47

 

SCRIPTURE:   ACTS 2:42-47

 

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. ⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. ⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

 

 

I was preaching on this passage the other night, and I began to reflect on the term "signs and wonders". Often, instead of using the term signs and wonders, we use the term miracles to describe the supernatural acts of God in this world. When people are healed, we say that they have received a miracle. Or when we narrowly avoid an accident, we say that God provided for us in a "miraculous" way.

 

I think, however, that for theological purposes, it is instructive to listen to the language of "signs and wonders". Why? Because we tend to think of miracles as something we get for us, something that perhaps we receive because we requested it and merited God's favor. Even if this is not true, the miracle becomes about what was done for ME on my behalf.

 

The root of the language of signs and wonders comes from a different place. It speaks of the supernatural acts of God on behalf of his people, but it does so with a focus on the glory of God instead of the righteousness, blessedness, or receivership of one who received the gift. In the New Testament, it is very clear that the Jesus performed supernatural acts for one of two reasons. First, to extend his compassion. Or, better, as an extension of his loving nature or loving heart. But, even more than that, the "miraculous" was given to communities and persons in the New Testament as a sign that points to God. The purpose of the miraculous in the New Testament is so that people will see the glory of God, and recognize his grace and goodness to humanity. When the disciples ask Jesus why the blind man is unsighted in John 9, Jesus says that is not because of sin, but so that God's glory may be revealed in him.

 

Often we pray and hope for supernatural intervention of Almighty God in our life. And some theologies would even say that a lack of God's intervention belies a lack of righteousness on behalf of the person praying.

 

But, what if God's glory is made manifest in us through our ability to faithfully endure suffering? What if the power of God is demonstrated more powerfully through our death than through our continued living? I believe this is possible and probable. And I believe that this is what the language of signs and wonders points us toward.

 

Thoughts for today

Hearing God in Psalm 119:33-40

 
Read Psalm 119:33-40

Interesting passage here. We have the gift of God's Word. We have his statutes and his commands available to us in print. We can read them. We can study them. But unless the Spirit opens the Scriptures, unless the Creator reveals the truth, we will not truly "know" the Word of God.

So, the Psalmist in this passage prays for God to open the Word of God to him. He says "teach me" (v. 33), "give me understanding" (v. 34), "lead me" (v.35), "turn my heart" (v. 36), and he says much more.

There are plenty of people who read the Scripture, but instead of being a moment of encounter with the living God, the Word simply becomes a mirror for them. They use Scripture to bolster their assertions, or to build their self-image and confidence. Scripture, however, is first and foremost given to us as God's Word, the place where God's speaks to us.

Let us pray for ears to hear.