Apr 13th

Leviticus 17     Proverbs 31     Psalms 20-21     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Today brings us to the end of the book of Proverbs. I wonder which has been your favourite proverb? Or the one that’s had most impact on you? Is there one you’ve memorised and say to yourself?

‘The wife of noble character’ (v10-31) is a well known passage - and seemingly impossible. Even the most capable multi-tasking woman struggles to be devoted to her household and run her own business and have a ministry of giving to the poor and bring up her children well! The purpose of this description isn’t to make today’s already over-stretched working mothers feel inadequate. It’s to paint a picture of an ideal - a woman who lives out all the previous proverbs. It’s a way of saying, “Come on everyone, women and men, let’s put this all into practise now.”

I’m struck by how her husband (v11) and her children (v28-29) praise her so effusively - not for her beauty and charm, but because she fears the Lord (v30). In fact, everyone is called to honour and praise her (v30-31). As you look around your friends and family, who most characterises the woman / man of noble character? When did you last praise them for that?

I find verses 8 and 9 equally challenging: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Who do you need to speak up for today?

(member of ordained staff)

Apr 12th

Leviticus 16     Proverbs 30     Psalms 19     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Yom Kippur (the day of atonement) is still the holiest day of the year for Jews. Leviticus 16 describes its origin. Two of Aaron’s sons have died (Lev 10) because they sought unauthorised access to the Most Holy Place. Now God warns Aaron not to make the same mistake, but gives very clear guidelines on how he may approach the Most Holy Place. It is to be done but once a year. Aaron (or his successors as High Priest) is to make sacrifices first for his own sin and the sin of his household, then to make a sin offering for the whole nation. Only after this would the nation be clean from all their sins (v30).

Leviticus reminds us of the seriousness of our sin - and the need for a sacrifice to be made to pay for it. Hebrews 9 points to Jesus as fulfilment of this chapter: “When Christ came as High Priest … he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle … He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption … The blood of Christ [will] cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” (v 11-14).

Give thanks for Jesus, and pray for our mission partner, Stephen Pacht, working amongst Jewish people. And serve the living God today!

(member of ordained staff)

Apr 11th

Leviticus 15     Proverbs 29     Psalms 18     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Psalm 18 is the longest psalm we’ve read so far, with the most specific heading. It reveals David’s emotions and response at having survived repeated attack by Saul and other enemies, and having led his nation in many victorious battles. He found himself in many unenviable positions - “the cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me” (v4); “he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me” (v16).

I doubt many of us have endured such physical assault or war. But each of us have our own stories of being in a tight scrape, of feeling in deep waters, of knowing that people are out to get us. If David hadn’t been through these testing times, he wouldn’t have known God’s rescue so personally.

If you wrote your own psalm, reflecting on how God helped you through difficult times, how would you phrase it? What words would you use to describe God? What emotions would you paint?

David’s headline is “I love you, O Lord, my strength” (v1). Some of us find singing “I love you, Jesus” difficult. The word David uses here for love is unique in the OT - full of affection, even passion for the Lord. If even a ‘real man’ - a brave warrior, fearless king, bold leader - can say “I love you, Lord”, maybe we should, too? Or is our love limited, because our experience of God’s rescue is limited?

(member of ordained staff)

Apr 10th

Leviticus 14     Proverbs 28     Psalms 17     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Proverbs 28 has several verses relating to national leadership:

“When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a man of understanding and knowledge maintains order.” (v2)

“A ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.” (v3)

“When the righteous triumph, there is great elation; but when the wicked rise to power, men go into hiding.” (v12)

“Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked man ruling over a helpless people.” (V15)

“A tyrannical ruler lacks judgment, but he who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long life.” (V16)

“When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding; but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.” (V28)

It all sounds so contemporary, doesn’t it? Think of Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Zimbabwe, North Korea … the list could go on. As dictators fall, there is initial jubilation, but then a power struggle opens up (as v2). When evil men are elected, people live in fear (as v12, 28). (Witness the mass exodus of Christians from Iraq in recent years.) When evil men rule, violence is wanton (as v15).

Whether or not we like politics or our coalition government, we are blessed to live under relative peace and stability. The Apostle Paul “urges” us “to intercede for kings and all those in authority”. Pray for our own national leaders, but pray too for tyrannical and wicked rulers - and for those who suffer under them.

(member of ordained staff)

Apr 9th

Leviticus 13     Proverbs 27     Psalms 15-16     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

I can’t resist pointing out Lev 13:40 - a relief for bald men everywhere. But more seriously …

The Old Testament has only a few obvious glimpses of people trusting God for a life beyond the grave with him - Psalm 16:9-11 being one of them. Hardly surprising, then, that the Apostle Peter quotes these verses in his Pentecost sermon in Acts 2:25-28, calling David a ‘prophet’ for speaking about the resurrection of the Messiah, who wasn’t abandoned to the realm of the dead; nor did his body see decay. Similarly, the Apostle Paul quotes these verses in Acts 13:35.

How do we respond to Jesus’ resurrection? David says our hearts can be glad. If our hearts aren’t gladdened by the Easter news, it’s a sign we’ve lost perspective. David also says our tongues can rejoice - so let’s keep singing our songs of praise: “Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son / Endless is the victory thou o’er death has won.” And he says our bodies can rest secure. We, too, have confidence in the face of death. Death has lost its sting. “You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

Pray that Jesus’ resurrection would overflow in your life with increasing joy and gladness. And pray for people you know who are approaching death - that those who are believers would have confidence and security; and that you’d be able to share the Easter hope with those who aren’t yet believers.

(member of ordained staff)

Apr 8th

Leviticus 11-12     Proverbs 26     Psalms 13-14     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

In Leviticus 11-15, attention is turned to a whole series of regulations regarding what made an Israelite ‘unclean’, and how they could become ‘clean’ again. A lot of it sounds wildly irrelevant to us, but 12:8 actually gives us an insight into Jesus’ home situation. Luke 2:22 says, “When the time of their purification according to the law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took [Jesus] to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord … and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with the law: ‘a pair of doves or two young pigeons.’” But actually, this was the provision made for those who were poor - richer people were to sacrifice a lamb.

How often in our mostly comfortable, largely middle-class world, do we remember that Jesus was poor? That he had no-where to lay his head (Mt 8:20) - was he even homeless? How often do we ponder on “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9)?

Even as we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection today, praise God that he became poor … so that we might become rich. And pray that we would have God’s compassion for the poor in our society.

(member of ordained staff)

Apr 7th

Leviticus 10     Proverbs 25     Psalms 11-12     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

For me it is not easy to read Leviticus and to fully engage with the elaborate sacrificial system.  Although complex, however, God’s instructions are clear and there is a defined purpose for it: the sacrifices are put in place to enable a relationship with him. The sacrificial system is therefore part of God’s gracious provision for his people, rather than a complicated nuisance.

In Leviticus 10, immediately after the glory of the Lord appeared, we read about the shocking deaths of Aaron’s two oldest sons, when they offered unauthorised fire contrary to God’s command. The notes in the NIV study Bible remind us that although their deaths may seem harsh, like in the case of Ananias and Saphira (Ac 5:1-11) a new era was being inaugurated and the new community had to be made aware that it existed for God, not vice versa. Psalm 11 reminds us that God’s rule is righteous. God’s anger too is always an expression of his righteousness (unlike our anger…). Also, we read in Proverbs 25 that it is to God’s glory that man cannot understand his ways.

The quietly nagging question “Were their actions really that bad?” is therefore another sign of our rebellion and ultimately confirmation that God’s judgement is just and righteous. God cannot be measured in human terms.

Thank you God, that you are just and righteous and that through Jesus’ atoning sacrifice we can have a perfect relationship with you.  Amen.

(member of a mums’ group)