In the Presence of Serpents

In the garden, Satan took the form of a serpent and led Eve down a path of deceit and disobedience.  In the desert, God sent fiery serpents to chastise His people's disbelief and ingratitude. 

My first impression on reading Numbers 21:6-9 this morning was that God did not remove the serpents.   He did provide a means of healing.  He instructed Moses to create a bronze serpent and lift it up on a pole.  Those who looked to the serpent were healed.  The serpents continued their destructive path, and those afflicted had a choice:  they could believe and receive healing or disbelieve and die.  We have that same choice today.  Sin works havoc, death and destruction in our personal lives and relationships.  But God has provided a way of escape for those who come in faith.  In the fullness of time, Jesus, the Son of Man, was lifted up to bring healing and forgiveness to those who believe (John 3:14-15).

The problem is, the serpent of sin--of unbelief and ingratitude--lives in my heart.  The great hope and comfort is, the Savior is there as well.  The life of faith must continue with the same sincerity and dependence with which it started. 

"As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,  rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving." Colossians 2:6-7

Spiritual Greed

One of the greatest dangers of ministry is spiritual greed.  We see a need, a hole, and want to fill it.  In our sinful selves, there is a part of us that 1) isn't content to trust God to meet the need His way, 2) wants to be the savior.  Oh, what a dangerous, dreadful decision to step in the gap that God has left open!

We know what it is to struggle with an unmet need, to want something--something good--and to live without it.  We often step into God's place, trying to meet our own need, creating anxiety, worry and fear, before we step back willingly to wait on Him (see Psalm 131).  Learning to wait is long, painful process that can be practiced successfully, but never perfectly.  Ah, the life of a sinner!  (Romans 7-8)

Even more dangerous is our desire to step into the lives of others and meet their needs apart from God's provision.  This morning as I read about Korah's rebellion, I was struck by the difference between Moses' focus and the focus of the wayward priests who were eaten by spiritual greed.  Moses' focus was God:  "The LORD will... He will... the man whom the LORD chooses...."  The priests' view was on themselves and Moses, "You have gone far enough...you exalt yourselves... you have brought us up out of a land...." (Numbers 16:1-14)

When I fall into believing that people are sovereign over their choices and the choices of others, I live in a sea of doubt, uncertainty, and unbelief.  But when God is my focus, the Author of circumstances, privilege, and trials, I can live with assurance, peace, and contentment.  When I find myself discontent with the ministry opportunities of others, or  unmet needs that glare to distraction, the question is, where is my focus?  Do I truly believe God is control?  Or am I attributing God's qualities to broken, sinful man who cannot control his own life, let alone mine.  To quote Moses, "...the LORD has sent me to do all these deeds; for this is not my doing."  (Numbers 16:28)

May you be blessed today as you see the ministry opportunities and individuals God has brought into your life and may you rest in His provision, finding peace and contentment not in the task, but in God Himself who enables and empowers you to serve Him, and Him only.

You Can't Trust Dorothy!

I admit it, when I got a new phone with GPS, I was thrilled.  So were our children!  We've seen many things we'll never see again on "field-trips-with-Mom" because I don't have a clue how we got there.  Copying my friend, Mary, I named my GPS Dorothy.  This week we discovered that the yellow brick road doesn't alway lead to the Emerald City.

Our daughters and I were on our way home from the Amish grocery store and turned to Dorothy for help.  She led us to a low-maintenance road.  In the river bottom.  With a Prius.  The road looked good.  There were no ruts (yet).  Or dark mud (yet).  It appeared dry and passable (even after 3" of rain and snow the day before).  Praise God for strong girls, Wyoming driving experience, and His intervention!  After slip-sliding, taking to the ditch and getting high-centered we made our way to a real road.  I trusted Dorothy to direct us to the best, most direct route home and foolishly went where I wouldn't have otherwise.

It was a real-life reminder to follow the Word of God completely, carefully and diligently!

"Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And the years of your life will be many.
¹¹ I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths.
¹² When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, And when you run, you will not stumble.
¹³ Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life.

¹⁴ Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil.
¹⁵ Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on.
¹⁶ For they do not sleep unless they have done evil; And their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall.
¹⁷ For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.

¹⁸ But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.
¹⁹ The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble.

My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.
²¹ Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;
²² For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
²³ Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
²⁴ Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you.
²⁵ Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you.
²⁶ Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established.
²⁷ Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil."

(Proverbs 4, NKJV)