Day 259

We are 107 days until this trial year is OVER. When we go to war, we have an enemy that we can see, who we can combat. They have their territory, and we have ours. But the last 200 plus days have been a full on attack in a guerilla-like format on our senses, wallets, freedoms, dignities, and our lives. But through all of the darkness that 2020 has brought, the good shines oh so much brighter! I watched a video of strangers coming together to rescue a family. You can watch the video here. In it the family of 5 was trapped in their car in a flash flood. The children were scared as the waters rushed over and filled the car. While it looked like there was no opportunity for safety, these strangers came upon them and stated repeatedly: “We’ll get you out don’t worry.”

The clip, couldn’t be more than 2 minutes long, captures the danger that both the family and rescuers, who were ordinary people, were facing. Putting their own lives at risk, they braved the powerful waters and extended their hands and essential their hearts, so the children and the father trapped behind the waters could be saved. The fear was real almost palpable for all parties involved. The fear of losing one life, nade them work all the more harder to save a life. And if complete strangers were willing to do this for others, would not the One who made you do it for you? Could God have been going through the same type of emotions?

Here He was, the Creator God of heaven and earth. And a dangerous flood came over His children, and this flood was one of sin and imminent death. He watched as our choices left our fellow human beings tattered and broken. He saw the enemy lay traps that would engulf us, with wave after wave of pain, suffering and heartache. He came upon us and knew He had to do something, to save us. But saving us meant handing Himself over to death, in our place. He didn’t have to do it, but He did. God stepped in and gave us more than a helping hand, He gave us His hand of life. Then He told us to go and help others find their way out of the dark, out of danger, so that they would have a chance to live. And as we go through the difficulties of this life He gives us this promise:
But now thus says the Lord,
He who created you, O Jacob,
He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” Isaiah 43:1-3.

This passage is a comfort to me and I hope it becomes a comfort for you too. When life feels like it’s too overwhelming or that we won’t last another massive hit from this strange year, God tells us that we are not alone. We know that in this life we will have plenty of problems, but going through it with someone else, having another individual to shoulder the burden can make or break you. God does not want us to be broken in despair, but He does know that in this world we will face life-shattering moments. He has given us Jesus, the Holy Spirit, our guardian angels, and each other. This is why the enemy works so hard to place differences between us as negatives, and he attempts to wear down our empathy one for another, so that we do not have the strength of our fellow human beings to get through this life. Sure, there’s 107 days left of this year. That leaves us with at least 107 opportunities to reach out to others and let them know that they are not alone in this world and that you care for them. So let me be the first to say it to you “We’ll get through this together, don’t worry, you’re not alone.”

Day 180

When I was younger and attended a Christian Church school, I recall my teachers telling me of the curse of Ham in the Bible. It goes something like this: “Cursed be Canaan;
a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.” Genesis 9:25. Canaan was actually the son of Ham, who was the son of Noah, who pronounced the curse. And for years, I believed what was told to me: Black people are the descendants of Ham and so are cursed to be servants throughout generations. This was a way that my White teachers explained to me, biblically my place in society. That although slavery was a terrible thing from the past, it was destined to occur because we were cursed as a people. And you know what, I took that and swallowed it whole. Because why else would Black people be treated so poorly throughout the entire world?
So for almost 3 decades I carried this weight in my chest, and when I saw Black people being abused, the burden continued to be added, but I remained silent because Noah was a servant of God and pronounced a curse that God must have approved. Thank God, I read the Bible for myself when I was in my late 30’s, and more recently I was a part of a Bible study discussion that spoke truth to power, and dear God, the burden has been lifted! So perhaps I can enlighten not only your mind today, but also lighten the load you carry about false narratives in the scriptures and of the character of God.

So after the flood, there were 4 families: Noah + 3 sons and all their wives. God gave them the same directive He gave Adam and Eve “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” Genesis 9:1. Towards the end of chapter 9 something hanky goes on between Noah and his son Ham. Apparently, Noah enjoyed a pitcher of wine or two, and Ham must have done something that was so abhorrent that when Noah woke up from his drunken stupor he prophesied that Ham’s children, because of the wickedness their father was perfecting in his own character would perpetuate in the character of his children. You can read about it in Genesis chapter 9.

This curse, which we mentioned earlier is what Christiandom has been pedaling as the reason as to why Black people should be subjugated to other races, especially the White race. Now Genesis chapter 10 gives the “nations” of the world that came from Noah’s 3 sons. And I want to share some of it with you: The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan.” Genesis 10:6. Okay, so Ham had 4 notable sons, and ONE of them received the “curse”, which was actually the foretelling of Canaan’s nature and what his rebellion was eventually lead to.  What else can we find about Canaan? I’m glad you asked:  Canaan fathered Sidon his firstborn and Heth, and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Afterward, the clans of the Canaanites dispersed. And the territory of the Canaanites extended from Sidon in the direction of Gerar as far as Gaza, and in the direction of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.” Genesis 10:15-19. All these names and NOT one of them have to do with Africa or Black people. Interesting.

But here is some information from the website entitled Bible Archeology Report: Cush extended from southern Egypt into much of Sudan on modern maps. This nation was named after Cush, one of Ham’s sons, one of Noah’s grandsons (Gn 10:6).  His descendants moved into the region of Nubia, and became the dark-skinned people known to this day as Nubians. (Windle, 2018).” Well, look what modern technology in the form of archeology tells us. But wait there’s more! The Bible told us over 3500 years ago! Yes, the Israelites had problems with the CANAANITES, in the land of Canaan. They were NOT the individuals from the land of Cush or Put. Modern-day Put () is in the continent of Africa, and low and behold, so are Cush and guess where Egypt is… You guessed it, Africa. But Canaan was not. Canaan was different. And just in case we need more information, the Jewish Virtual Library Encyclopedia Judacia states the following: Cush was the name of an ancient kingdom in N.E. Africa. The portion of the Nile Valley between the First and Sixth Cataracts was called Cush by the pharaonic Egyptians, though western nations preferred the Greek appellation Nubia. One of the earliest mentions of the name Cush is found on an inscription of the early Middle Kingdom (c. 1970 B.C.E.). During the second millennium B.C.E. Cush was absorbed into the Egyptian empire, first as far as the Second Cataract under the Middle Kingdom rulers and then as far as the Sixth by the New Kingdom pharaohs” (Jewish Virtual Library Encyclopedia, 2008).

All this proof existed that I was not a cursed individual who was a burden to society because my great ancestors were wicked. No, instead I am a child of God whom He loves with an everlasting love. He says: Now this is what the LORD says—He who created you…and He who formed you…: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine!” Isaiah 43:1. Did you hear that? God says that I am His, and He calls me by my name. And that name is beloved, not cursed. I don’t know what lie people have stated over your life. What sin of your parents they have committed to you, or what stigma the world paints over your character. What I do know, is that you are not what they say you are, but instead you are His, and He has redeemed you, He calls you by your name: and I will call her ‘My Beloved” Romans 9:25. STOP believing the lies proclaimed about you, and start listening to the One who calls you His Beloved.

Day 155

During the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, He went into the one place in the whole world where one could find peace, solace, and communicate with God, He went to the Temple. Now the Temple of Jerusalem was a marvelous edifice that had first been built by Solomon, the son of David. David had wanted to build it for the glory of God, but God told him that he could not build a place that evokes the name of the Lord: But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood.'” 1 Chronicles 28:3. That, of course, broke the heart of David, but God did not leave him there in despair and disappointment: When your days are fulfilled and you lie down [in death] with your fathers (ancestors), I will raise up your descendant after you, who shall be born to you, and I will establish his kingdom. He [is the one who] shall build a house for My Name and My Presence, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son.” 2 Samuel 7:12-14. Let’s talk about the Son of God.

There are several passages in scripture in which we see a dual application in regard to the Messiah. We know this because Jesus told a few of His disciples, during a Bible study, that the scriptures, the stories, the events were about Him (Luke 24). So this one should be no different. The temple that David wanted to build was rejected by God because of the work that David had done. God’s house on earth would be a place of peace and solace for all ethnicities to come and seek the Lord in prayer. God tells us that this is His desire in Isaiah 56:6-7:
Also the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,
To minister to Him, and to love the name of the Lord,
To be His servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it
And holds fast to My covenant [by conscientious obedience];
All these I will bring to My holy mountain
And make them joyful in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar;
For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”

And God would not allow the foundations of the temple that was to represent Him to be laid with hands that spilled blood. But as we read, God would raise up a son from David’s lineage who would build Him a temple, and God would establish their throne forever, and God would be their Father, and he would be God’s son. It took Solomon, David’s biological son, 7 years to build the house of God, and it was majestic! However, Solomon died, as his father David did, and as far as we know lies in his tomb. But God told David that the One who would sit on the throne would have an everlasting kingdom. Here we see the dualism of Solomon who built the house of God being a type or a shadow or a scale model of the real thing, which is Jesus.

We see Jesus identify with the temple when He told the Jewish leaders: Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. But Jesus was speaking about the temple of His body.” John 2:19,21. Here the One in which their sacred writings had spoken about was there before them in the temple: The glory of this latter house shall be greater than the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.” Haggai 2:9. This verse came as a result of the rebuilding of the temple after the destruction by Babylon. When the people began to lay the foundation they wept because it was not as beautiful as the temple that Solomon had built in peace and prosperity. But God was trying to tell them, that the building itself was no point. It was the fact that God met them there.

So when Jesus went into the temple in the beginning and it occurred again in the end of His ministry, people had abused and perverted the purpose of the temple of God. As Jesus was walking into the temple He heard the commotions of a market place, not the sounds of thanksgiving to God, or the outpouring of hearts because of their sins. Instead, merchants filled the corridor selling and haggling, where souls were being lost every single minute. The pain and injustice that Jesus felt boiled up in His spirit and He drove them all away: Jesus went into the temple [enclosure] and began driving out those who were selling, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer’; but you have made it a robbers’ den.” Luke 19:45-46.

You can see that Jesus is quoting Isaiah 56, and He would not stand for the manipulation of the those considered the cream of the crop within that society to oppress people and to limit their freedoms to freely communicate with their God, the Creator of heaven and earth. So this is how He drove them out: And Jesus entered the temple [grounds] and drove out [with force] all who were buying and selling [birds and animals for sacrifice] in the temple area, and He turned over the tables of the moneychangers [who made a profit exchanging foreign money for temple coinage] and the chairs of those who were selling doves [for sacrifice].” Matthew 21:12. Some might say that He was being violent, but in reality, He was being passionate and fighting desperately for the oppressed and marginalized.

After those who were the oppressors were driven out, it says that: the blind and the lame came to Him in [the porticoes and courts of] the temple area, and He healed them.” Mathew 21:14. Jesus made them whole. And my friends our God has not changed. When injustice rings loud in the ears of heaven, God will stand up for His people, but so often time He uses us to do so. Let us not miss the call to stand and be passionate, have compassion and mercy for all people as God had called us to do. Because it is our job and responsibility to lead others to Him so that He can make us all whole.

Day 137

What would you be willing to do for someone that you loved? How far would you go? Would you be willing to break all of society’s protocols and seek the help of one that has been branded your enemy, if it meant the restoration of health for your child? Would you abase yourself and be willing to look like a beggar in front of those who looked down their noses because of your nationality? Today I want to talk about a mother’s persistence, wit, and determination that saved her little girl from the grip of death.

She is not given a name, just simply a title of where she hailed from, she is known as the Canaanite woman. The history of Israel and Canaan are less than desirable. And the Jews of the first century had done a magnificent job in promoting nationalistic ideas, so much so that every other nation was looked down on, especially one that served multiple gods. This story is found in Matthew chapter 15. And reading it upon first glance, one might find Jesus as a rude and insolent individual. However, it couldn’t be further from the case. Let’s talk about it.

Jesus was in a non-Jewish city when this happened: And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” Matthew 15:22. A lot is happening here. I am going to do my best to condense it. A woman who was not a Jew came crying out to Jesus asking Him to have mercy, calling Him Lord, and Son of David. Now all of these were Jewish ideologies. Especially the “Son of David” part. How would she know who He was? Because the “Son of David” phrase was used exclusively for the Messiah! Yet, she knew what to call Him. She doesn’t say “Master” or “Teacher” like the Jews called Him, she called Him by the anointed name of the Messiah (Luke 1:32; 2 Samuel 7, Jeremiah 23:5; Revelation 22:16). How interesting, that this woman a foreigner would be able to recognize who the Messiah was, before who the Messiah was sent!

The Jews may have missed Jesus’ true mission of the Messiah, but Jesus knew what He was anointed to do. He knew that there were countless others that were not of the Jewish faith that belonged to Him: I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” John 10:14-21.
There was a division among the Jews because Jesus was not what they expected. He did things that made people uncomfortable, like He loved everyone, and had compassion on those that others ignored on the fringes of society. And this Canaanite woman was on the furthest edges of those fringes. Primarily for being a Gentile, next for being a woman. What they did not know, was that before anything, she was a child of God, of whom the Father had sent the Messiah to love, heal, deliver, and save. And that is exactly what Jesus did.
Let’s continue with the story: But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” Matthew 15:23. First of all, no one, absolutely NO ONE was crying out after the disciples. The woman distinctively called out to Jesus, the Son of David. I find it interesting, that the disciples were annoyed with her, and acted like she needed them. To teach them a lesson, Jesus acted as they felt like He should: He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.” Matthew 15:24-28.

Do you see that interaction? Jesus acts like He’s not interested in helping this woman, as if her burden is not His problem. The disciples agree with His attitude, for it was the same one that they had against all foreign people. When Jesus compared her to a dog, she still called Him her Master. Did you see it? ““Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” He’s then is astonished at her faith. Most people would have given up and walked away, but her love for her daughter encircled her in humility and tenacity. This woman’s reaction to save her child trapped in the claws of the devil, was God’s reaction to save us. God humiliated Himself, and debased Himself, in order to descend on this planet and clothe Himself with sinful human flesh and blood, and live in limitations, all in order to save His children, trapped in the claws of the devil.

In Matthew chapter 12 Jesus quotes from the prophet Isaiah (41) what the Messiah, the Servant of God was to do: Behold My servant, whom I have chosen, My beloved, in whom My soul has found delight. I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.” Matthew 12:18. While no one thought that this woman and her problem was their concern, Jesus knew, that was what He was anointed to do. They wanted to send her away, even when they heard her desperate plea, her daughter was dying, unable to be loosed from demons. And the response of the church? Asking Jesus to tell her to go away, she’s bothering us. How many people have been begging for freedom from the enemy, trapped in his claws, and they are calling on Jesus for help, but we are in their way? We need to ask God every day to help us get out of the way and empty us of self and fill us with the Holy Spirit, so we can lead people to Jesus, and His love, not block them from His salvific power to lose them from the claws of the enemy, to heal them from their broken wounded spirits. Let’s be a catalyst for love and not a barrier to it.

Day 38

Did you know that we are 10% done with the new year? That means you still have 90% of this year to try new things, meet new people, form new relationships, admit you hurt someone. I’m sure you were not expecting that. But if we have gone through 10% of the new year and it feels like nothing has really changed, then maybe you’re what needs to change, or least stop doing things like they’ve been done. On Day 37 we discussed how dangerous gossip can be, and how the misrepresentation of the character of God led to a world filled with sorrow, pain, disease, and death. But what if you had the power to heal yourself physically, mentally and spiritually from sorrow, pain, and disease? And all you had to do was to say I’m sorry. Even when it’s not your fault…

In Matthew Jesus says an almost incredulous statement: If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.” (Mattew 18:15). Jesus was explaining that if you come to the altar to pray and you know that someone has done something to you and this has cause a rift between the two of you, even if you were the party wronged, that you have the obligation to reach out to them. In fact, He says, leave your offering at the altar and go take care of this situation before you come back to pray.

What does it matter? Honestly, think about it? If someone did you wrong, why should you have to be the person to address them? Shouldn’t they know what they did was wrong, and come and “man-up” about it and say sorry? I agree wholeheartedly. But here’s the reality, a lot of times they don’t even know they wronged you. So you hold a grudge for years sometimes decades, and the other party doesn’t even know what you have against them! And do you know what holding grudges do to you? It literally destroys your immune system. It’s a scientific fact. By destroying your immune system, you open yourself to more diseases like cancer and heart disease! Don’t believe me? Check out these articles from reputable medical sources: Piedmont Healthcare, The Journal for the Association for Psychological Science, The Mayo Clinic. What these experts in their field are telling us, is what Jesus had said over 2000 years ago: Let it go. Of course, that’s easier said than done.

A few years ago (about 7 years ago) while I was at the DC airport waiting on a friend of mine who was picking me up, I got a “ding” from Facebook. It was a private message from someone that I had not really spoken to in about a decade. And that in itself was not the surprising factor, it was that we had not spoken in about 11 years on purpose. Even though I was the godmother of his child, we only had conversations out of necessity through text or polite hellos if we ran into each other. But we had not had a genuine conversation since we were teenagers.

He and I, let’s call him Abraham (Abe for short) were inseparable in high school. He was dating one of my best friends and the three of us were a wonderful camaraderie of love and acceptance. I never felt like the third wheel, and they purposefully made sure I was not left out of the friendship. Sadly in this world, all good things come to an end. And what a terrible end it happened to be. When they broke up, I was in the middle of it. Like a child in a divorce. I loved them both (and still do, to this day) and at 18 years old, I was forced to choose, whose side would I take? I took hers. But attempted to stay as neutral as possible. I never told the other party what their ex-significant other was doing. I didn’t want to feed that machine. I was hurt that my two best friends could not fix what had become irrevocably broken.

Believe it or not, Abe and I went to the same college, ended up working at the same hospital, and had the same friends. We couldn’t get out of each other’s lives. And I don’t think I ever wanted to. Fast forward 11 years from our last honest conversation to this “ding” from Facebook. It read something like this: Hey I’ve decided to forgive you and let everything go. The reason why is because while I was at church, the pastor made an appeal and explained that if we had grudges and anger in our hearts that we would not make to heaven. Because Jesus forgave us while we were sinners, and even while He was dying His final breaths were asking forgiveness for those who wronged Him. And at first, I didn’t want to answer the altar call, but I realized that I won’t go to hell for you.”

I was taken aback. WHAT?! This happened 7 years ago and we have never spoken about that remark. So much has happened in the last several years in his life that I missed because of brokeness of our relationship. He got married to an amazing woman, had 2 more kids, which I adore from a distance (I’m not a stalker but we do run into each other every once and a while, and it’s pleasant.) I tried to reach out to him when he first sent me that message, but he said there was no reason to bring it up again. He had forgiven me so let bygones be bygones. But I did not know that I had hurt him so much, and that in turn caused me sorrow. Truth be told, I still don’t know what I did to him, and every once in awhile sadness lingers in my heart when I think of it.

Even though years had gone by, and our lives had changed, I had wronged Abe and violated him in a way that meant I had sinned against him. The question is what is sin? “Every one who is guilty of sin is also guilty of violating Law; for sin is the violation of Law.” (1st John 3:4). Okay, so what is the Law?
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:36-40). The Law that governs the Universe according to Jesus, is Love.

James 5:16 states: If you have sinned, you should tell each other what you have done. Then you can pray for one another and be healed. The prayer of an innocent person is powerful, and it can help a lot.” What James’ is saying here, is that if you’ve violated love towards someone you need to talk about it. Because talking about it brings healing. Interestingly enough what type of healing? The Greek word for healing here is iathēte, and this word is only used 2x in all of the New Testament. Once in James, which we just mentioned, another time in one of Peter’s letters: and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. (1st Peter 2:24).

The “healed” portion here is discussing the healing we need from broken hearts and crushed spirits. Luke chapter 4 Jesus quotes from the book of Isaiah to tell everyone what His initial purpose was to come here on this dingy little planet: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed” (4:18).

Jesus’ mission was to show us the heart of the Father, who loves us more than His own existence, and desires that His children get along and love each other. And sometimes we can get on that path by taking the first step and reach out… We have 90% of the year left to get this right. I’ll start: I’m sorry...

 

 

Day 29

What’s in a name? What if people were introduced by the meaning of their name instead of their actual name? For example what if your name was Amelia? Did you know that Amelia’s origin means ‘work’? So when someone was introducing you they said, “Hi, this is Work.” I mean who wants to get to know that person? Or get in a relationship with them? “Oh Hey, I’m Work.” No thank you. Most people are trying to keep a low profile when it comes to drama in relationships. When the Bible first introduces Leah, Jacob’s first wife, it reads like this: Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.” Genesis 29:17. According to some commentaries on the Bible, it is believed that Leah may have suffered from ophthalmia, which is inflammation of the eye, especially conjunctivitis (Google). I’m going to say it, that’s terribly unattractive for a first impression. On top of that, the name Leah means weary. So when Laban, Jacob’s uncle/father-in-law 2x over, was introducing Jacob to his daughters he says “This is Conjunctive-eye Weary, but this is shapely, beautiful Rachel (which means female sheep).”

Now, who is going to blame Jacob (which means heel grabber) for going for beautiful and shapely over contagious tired one? Certainly, not eye (see what I did there? Okay, but I’m not sorry). Read the entire story of these two sisters in Genesis 29, 30, and 31. Just those 3 chapters would put any reality TV programming to shame. To give you a brief recap of these chapters SPOILERS AHEAD: Jacob makes a deal with his future father-in-law to work for 7 years for the beautiful one that he kisses when they first meet (something about love at first sight). It says that the 7 years are like 7 days as he works for his love. Night of his wedding his father-in-law gets him CRAZY drunk. So drunk that Jacob makes love to the wrong sister! In the morning he flips out. Laban makes some comment up to cover his deception and tells Jacob (who God has blessed tremendously, so Laban is making a killing off of Jacob working for him) to work 7 more years and he’ll throw Rachel in. But Jacob must promise to fulfill Leah’s bridal week (which means she gets her honeymoon after all). These ladies fight for the affection of their husband as now they share one. They compete in everything.

Between the 2 of them and their handmaids (they pulled a chapter from Sarah’s book) bore Jacob 12 sons and 1 daughter. As I read their story my heart breaks for both of them, but more for Leah than anyone else. It was clear that Jacob favored one wife over the other (it said that Jacob loved Rachel) because when Leah gave birth to her sons here is what she names them and what they mean:
Prologue: And when the LORD saw that Lea was hated, He opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. (Genesis 29:31)
Reuben – Surely the Lord has seen my affliction; now my husband will love me.
Simeon – The Lord heard that I was hated so He gave me this son also.
Levi – Now this time my husband will want me because I’ve given him 3 sons.

What kind of suffering did this woman go through? Clearly, Jacob was still having sex with her, but it was more out of obligation than love and compassion. I don’t even think she was getting pitty sex, where at least he would whispers sweet nothings into her ear. Instead she was probably hearing nothing from him when he was on her. How sad, no one wanted you, your father sold you for some labor, and the only way you got married was to trick your husband with alcohol. Something changes for Leah when she gives birth to her 4th son. I don’t think her situation changes, as you continue to read the names of her other children (she gave birth to 7 of his 13 children, and only girl). But her outlook becomes clearer. Her first 3 children she was searching for fulfillment from her husband, from a relationship with a man. On her fourth child, she names him Judah.
Judah – Now will I praise the LORD… and she stopped having children.

If you keep reading, Leah does have additional children, but it is through a convoluted mess. I suppose her name did fit her right after all, ‘weary‘. What name do you carry? What has life placed upon your shoulders and has forced you to bear? Are you in a relationship in which your significant other tolerates you? Are you single and think no one will ever love you? Has your reputation been shot, are you wearing a scarlet letter? Were you born with a deformity that has limited your autonomy in life? Have you been thrown out like yesterday’s newspaper, by your job, family or friends? What stigma do you carry in this life that defines you? Has someone called you out of your name, because of the color of your skin or ethnicity? What does your name say about you?

During Leah’s wearied life, her struggles, her insecurities, God never left her side. It shows that God pitied her situation. And I think God knew what she was feeling. When Adam and Eve choose to believe a serpent that misrepresented the character or name of God, He lost His beautiful loved ones to fear and then to death. God experienced what it felt like not to be loved, and I know His heart broke for Leah. Especially because all she wanted to do was be in the image of God, who is love. And love needs to be given away and received to have a full cycle, in order to grow. God did not leave Leah hanging, and when Leah had her fourth son she was able to give God the glory for giving her the fulfillment she could not find in her husband.

The truth is, God wants to do the same for you. In fact, it says in Isaiah 62:2 “and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will give.” Revelation 2:17 repeats the idea of God giving those who have been beaten down by life a new name. Leah’s name may have meant “weary” however God says:
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.”

Whatever your name or predicament in life may currently be, God asks that you will wait on Him and let Him turn your sadness into joy, your losses into victory; or in Leah’s case, your weariness into His strength.
P.S. By the way, the Redeemer of the world, the Savior came through the lineage of Leah, the hated one that no body wanted (Matthew 1:1-2). It’s okay, others may not, but God always loves and wants you.

 

 

 

 

 

Day 20

Why did God choose Abraham, for what purpose did He call him out from his family? In chapter 12 of Genesis, God gives Abraham a list of blessings He would contribute to him for obeying God and following where God would lead. At the end of verse 3, we get the reason as to why God called on him: And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” God wanted to bless mankind, especially since we were cursed. When sin entered the world, death accompanied it. But there are things worse than death, and those came along too. But God desired to turn things around, and He was going to do that through a man named Abraham.

What did that “blessing” God discussed actually look like? Well, it was the life, death, and resurrection of The covenantal Son, Jesus. Jesus came to save us, and in the process, He broke down some information: The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” John 10:10. The enemy does not want you to have a full and abundant life, but Jesus. What does a “full and abundant” life look like? Well according to Jesus who offers us peace that passes understanding, and joy that will full our lives, but what does having a full life look like in the eyes of God: that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us” (John 17:21). Jesus desires that we will be one with Him and His Father. Remember that “God is love” 1st John 4:8 and anyone who does not love, does not know God. So in order to be one with God (who is essentially a family unit), we have to love each other.

That seems simple enough, except when Jesus gives this command, He says that He expects us to love each other the way that He loves us (John 13:34). What does loving like Christ look like? How about washing the feet of someone who you know is going to betray you into the hands of your murderers. Or how about asking forgiveness for the ones who are killing you? Jesus was not impressed with us loving our family and friends, He says as much: But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you…For if you love them which love you, what reward have you?” (Matthew 5:44, 46). Who could actually live this idea in this contemporary society?

Today millions of people took the day off to celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. But how many people actually stopped and recognized the power of his words and the movement his actions perpetuated? One of my best friends is Filipino-American. Her son calls me ‘Ate’ [pronounced at-ay], which means ‘big sis’. When we are around each other, we never see color, just unfiltered love. I am convinced if this man did not stand up for his convictions, that this beautiful friendship may have never come to pass. Because this woman is not just my “friend” she’s my sister. We both bleed red and cry rivers full of tears (her 100x more than I…). This woman has taught me to love until I am vulnerable. And let me tell you that vulnerability is so difficult for me to attain in a relationship, because of past violations done to my soul. But her love helped me love myself for who I am, and even more, who I could be. Our interracial friendship would never have been seen as normal if someone did not stand up and say such things as: Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Where did he get his principles that changed the world? Here are some things he wrote down while preparing for a sermon: Christianity has no meaning devoid of Christ. The noble principles of Christianity remain abstract until they are personified in a person called Christ. Christ becomes the center or the pivotal point around which everything revolves in the Christian faith revolves.” (Standford University). In another speech, he explains the peace that passes understanding as: In the midst of outer dangers I have felt an inner calm and known resources of strength that only God could give. In many instances I have felt the power of God transforming the fatigue of despair into the buoyancy of hope.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

When God called Abraham out of his comfort zone into an unknown zone for the specific purpose to bless the world through him, God saw and knew the impact that Christ’s life, death, and resurrection would have on the life of an individual; who would put Christ’s principles into practice, which would help change the world. Was Dr. King perfect? No, but did he understand that love could make you perfect in Christ? I believe so. And as Jesus’ life impacted just one man, who changed the American landscape in the ’50s and ’60s of the twentieth century, what can the love of Christ do in your life, and mine today? What Dr. King could not accomplish in this lifetime, the King of kings will complete what He started. And in His kingdom: Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:7. And this is what the Bible says of God’s kingdom of Love, that in it: oppression will not rise up a second time”. (Nahum 1:9)

Until we are in His kingdom, let us live on this earth as citizens of another world. Let us harbor no hate in our hearts, because “hate is too great a burden to bear.”

Happy MLK, Jr. Day.

Day 18

Yesterday we discussed that there is freedom and dignity within boundaries. That God rescued a nation of slaves and called them His own precious treasure. God was the originator of turning “trash into treasure.” The children of Isreal were considered throwaways. In fact, God tells them that when they measured up to the other nations they were the smallest, and had the least to offer (in man’s eyes): The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples” (Deut. 7:7). But God saw something in them that no one else did. I get that. I love rehabbing furniture that people have no use for or end up tossing to be picked up by the garbage collectors.

You see when I drove past that beat-up chest of draws, it’s as if it was calling my name. I drove past it 3 or 4 times. Finally, I pulled over on the side of the road and with a little help from a kind handsome stranger (who I couldn’t be more than 5 or 7 years older than, said I reminded him of his mom, which is why he stopped by to help me <_<) got it loaded up in the jeep. I mean this piece was ugly, and so banged up. They’re parts of it that were just rotted away. I put in hours in this project. It became a labor of love. What others had used and clearly abused, what they were tired of and disregarded as garbage; I saw the most beautiful cabinet chest of draws just waiting to be set free.

When I got home my mother, who was visiting me, looked aghast. She asked me why was I bringing that in my house? I told her with the largest grin “Can’t you see how beautiful it is?” My mom shook her head and said: You’ve been collecting garbage since you were a little girl. When everyone was playing with dolls, you were going around pushing your father’s wheelbarrow filled with odd things that you’ve found. I don’t understand you.”

I am sure no one understood why God choose the children of Isreal either. They were small, considered insignificant; and were slaves in bondage for multiple generations. Understanding that no one in their family knew what it meant to be free, make autocratic decisions. When He invested His resources into them, they had no land to call their own, and regardless of how many times He told them what to do, they would do the complete opposite and get trapped or taken. But there was something, that made Him see past their mistakes, past their current impoverished, beat-up condition. And that “thing” was His love towards them. Jeremiah 31:3 God tells His people: Long ago the LORD said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.” Do you see covenantal language being spoken here?! How beautifully intimate and territorial. When they were considered useless and unwanted, He placed a stake in their hearts. He was claiming them as His own. It was His love towards them that allowed Him to see something in them that no one else could see. And because He is faithful, He continued to work with them, on them, to bring them into the beautiful treasure He always knew they could be.

What was once seen as an item for the dump, is now sitting very lovely in my guest bedroom. I’ve received offers for it, but I just can’t let it go (right now…). The work that I put in it, was intense, but never unpleasurable. Because I saw something that no one else did. And no matter what it looked like before, I only saw what it could be like after I completed my work in it. That’s how God sees us. In Isaiah God says that He desires to: To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” (Is. 61:2b-3)

He wants to give us beauty and take our weary dry ashen souls. When our spirits are heavy, He wants to give us a garment of praise. When mankind had sinned, and had forsaken the covenant, and stepped over the boundaries of love, God could have reacted in-kind. Instead, He dove right in, promising to send Himself to recover all that we had lost (Genesis 3:15).

God will never throw you away. You are so precious to Him that He gave everything in order to have you in His life: Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45.46). The scriptures say that He emptied Himself or gave up all He had (read about here) in order to win us back. And there is no price that anyone could offer Him to give you up. You were/are literally a labor of Love. You cost God everything, and He wouldn’t trade you for the world. Next time you see a piece of furniture being tossed out on the road, remember that God’s in the business of turning broken, abused, sadden people into His most priceless treasure. Because to Him, you’re worth it.

Day 17

Boundaries are so important yet we treat them with such disdain. Everything in nature has boundaries. That’s how life works. We use boundaries in society in the form of laws. A red light at a traffic intersection in North America means “stop.” If you take something without paying, it constitutes stealing. When we choose to break these boundaries there are repercussions or consequences for stepping outside of these “laws” that are set to protect us. So if we as an imperfect society of selfish human beings can come up with boundaries that are meant to protect our individual freedoms, should we be surprised that God has boundaries or laws as well? Even among the divinity of God, there are boundaries. There are things that God cannot do! Have you ever thought that the all-powerful, all-knowing, always existent God has limitations? Well, He does.

The Bible lays it out for us in Hebrews 6:17-19: So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.  We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope…” We lie all the time. For the convenience of it. The problem with lying (okay, not the problem, but a major one) is that it decimates trust. Those verses in Hebrews chapter 6 explains that God wants us to have trust in Him, so He gives an oath, and then reveals something about His character: I can’t lie.

So God because of His very nature, must be careful with every word that comes out of His mouth, because it is the truth and will come to pass. In Isaiah, He says: I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’ (46:10). Remember what we said about even nature having boundaries? God uses this example in another passage from Isaiah: For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.” (55:11-12).

We must recall that this is the same God who came unto nothing, said something, and created everything (Genesis chapter 1). So His words are more than powerful, they produce life. When He says something He means it. What about when He writes His words? How many places in the Bible does it record God’s writing? There are passages where it says He will write His law in our hearts. But where do we actually see the hand of God writing something down? The two main definite times are located in Exodus and in the book of John (there’s a 3rd possibility in the book of Daniel 5).

In Exodus 31 God has wrapped up His 40-day conversation with Moses. Did you catch that? 40 days!! Now I know that God is outside of time, so 40 days may have been equated to a few minutes for Him. But 40 days!? The longest conversation that I’ve ever had has been with one of my students. We happened to have been discussing the Word of God and His love for us. I felt so bad for him because it was about 5 hours later, I realized that he had been in my office that whole time listening to me talk! When I apologized, he smiled and said: Dean, I was interested in what you were saying. I could have left at any time, but I’d never heard the word like that before.” I still felt terrible that he had been there that entire time and I hadn’t even fed him! (I bought some pizza after our conversation and had it delivered to my office. The kid deserved at least to be fed). But 40 days? That’s what it says. After the 40 days were up this is what happens: When the LORD had finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.” (vs.18).

What an amazing treasure! To have something autographed by God!! If that was the case, and we know that He cannot lie, what was contained in these “two tablets of the Testimony”? What truth did God reveal to Moses that was so important He had to write it down. The Testimony that was written on those tables of stone is also known as the law or “The Ten Commandments.” This is what Paul had to say about these 10: So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good.” (Romans 7:12). You know what else is characterized as holy, righteous and good? God (1st Peter, Ezra, Psalm).

God wrote out His character in 2 stone tablets. Why? Because the ones that He had rescued from slavery had been so inundated with the lies of the enemy, that they forgot who they were. For over 400 years they had been in a foreign land, they had gotten their freedoms stripped, their children were murdered before their eyes, their men unable to speak up and protect their families, all the boundaries that had been afforded to those who were free, were not applicable to them. They had dealt with systematic slavery and the deconstruction of them as a people (Black persons in the Americas and the Carribean suffered a similar fate). They needed to be reminded of Whose they were.

So God, who cannot lie, first spoke it and then wrote down a list of boundaries that actually created freedoms within their hearts, homes, lives, and communities. They had been deprived of being recognized as valued members within society. And God rectified that by A) setting them free: I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt. (Ex. 6:7), B) giving them boundaries through the gift of His Testimony: Whoever keeps His commandments remains in God, and God in him”. (1st John 3:24). God brought dignity where there was shame, light in the darkness, life where death reigned supreme, and freedom to the captives (Luke 4). And since it says that He is unchangeable and that He is the forever the same, I know He desires to do the same for you. The question still remains: will you let Him?