May 18th

Numbers 27     Isaiah 17-18     Psalms 70-71     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Psalm 71

If you think about a reflection, it shows some, not all, of you. If you are uncomfortable with a part of yourself, you rarely allow it to be reflected, whether that’s the unsightly mole on one side of your face, or a part of your character you are not happy about. So what are my reflections on this passage? Instead I thought I’d hold up this passage as if it were mirror and see which parts of myself are actually reflected in it.

It was actually quite encouraging, but equally I found a lot of things which I really wished were true of me, but I knew they weren’t, at least not all the time.  How wonderful is it that this psalmist has had confidence in God since his youth!?  What a witness, the psalmist says he’s relied on God, he’s been taught by God since his youth, he will always hope in God.  The psalmist declares God’s faithfulness and, though given his past it seems unnecessary, he asks that God would continue to be faithful even when he is old and grey. His motive (v18) is not to live long but to tell people about God.

What I was most challenged by was the amount of proclamations the psalmist makes (v8).  I wrote out all the things the psalmist will say or declare or speak out about God.  That’s a challenge to me, do I do that?  We can do it, even if we don’t fully know how (v15).

(member of the youth ministry team)

May 17th

Numbers 26     Isaiah 16     Psalms 69     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

At first glance it is quite easy to dismiss Numbers 26 as just a list of names and tribes. But on further reflection this chapter speaks quite strongly of the steadfast nature of God's character.

This is a record of the second census taken of men of fighting age as Israel prepares for entering into Canaan, the Promised Land. The first census was taken 38 years earlier when Israel was poised to conquer this land but had no faith in God's promise of victory and once again rebelled against him.

God forgave them but declared that none of that generation would enter the promised land except for Joshua and Caleb, whose faith in God's word did not waver (Numbers 14 v. 20 - 24).

So here they are, nearly forty years on and this census shows us that the total number of fighting men is very nearly the same as that of the first census. God is going to carry out his plan to lead his people into the Promised Land - just as he promised he would. Because of the people's grumbling, rebellion, lack of faith and disregard for all that God had done in rescuing them from a life of slavery in Egypt, they have missed out on the blessing of playing a part in God's plan of restoration and of entering into the Promised Land.

In Numbers 23 v.19 God uses Balaam to declare, "God is not a man that he should lie, nor a son a of man that he should change his mind. Does he speak and not act? Does he promise and not fulfil?"

God doesn't change. His word can be trusted. He will fulfil his promises. Let's not miss out on the blessings of walking closely with our God, of being used by him in the building of his kingdom. He doesn't need us to do this work, he chooses to use us - what a privilege! Look around you today - how is he choosing to use you? Let's not grumble or moan if things seem unclear or uncertain, but let's partner willingly with our Father, remembering all that he has done and trusting in his promises.

(member of the youth ministry team)

May 16th

Numbers 25     Isaiah 15     Psalms 68     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Psalm 68

Beautiful Day
For as long as I can remember I've always loved music and good lyrics.  Psalm 68 is a roller-coaster of a praise song which as I've meditated on has pointed me to two other songs - one a pop song and the other an old welsh hymn.

"Touch me, take me to that other place; Teach me love, I know I'm not a hopeless case; See the world in green and blue; See China right in front of you; See the canyons broken by cloud; See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out; See the Bedouin fires at night; See the oil fields at first light; See the bird with a leaf in her mouth; After the flood all the colours came out; It was a beautiful day; Don't let it get away; A beautiful day"

The song reminds me that there is beauty in our brokenness, there is hope in our hopelessness, something or someone to be grasped and clung onto, the promise of the rainbow. And then I turn to Psalm 68, and I'm moved from a pop song's sense of 'otherness' to the psalmist's certainty of God.  David worshipped a big God, a God who transforms, and he shouted about it!

Then lastly, an old hymn that it seems to me takes some of the power and majesty accorded to our Father God in Psalm 68 and projects it onto Jesus our Saviour: "Jesus, Jesus, all sufficient, Beyond telling is thy worth; In thy name lie greater treasure ; Than the richest found on earth. Such abundance is my portion with my God.  In Thy gracious face there's  beauty; Far surpassing every thing Found in all the earth's great wonders Mortal eye hath never seen. Rose of Sharon [splendid, beautiful, fragrant flower], Thou thyself art heaven's delight.

Today is a beautiful day because his grace is all sufficient. Beginning and end. All sufficient.  He is judge and he's just. He is ruling. All power and honour belong to him.  His kingdom come, his will be done. This is our God.

So wherever you are today, whatever you're doing may you spend a moment reflecting on who your God is.  Enjoy God.  He is worthy of all our praise and blessing.

(member of the youth ministry team)

May 15th

Numbers 24     Isaiah 14     Psalms 66-67     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Psalm 66 & 67

These Psalms are a call for all the nations of the Earth to come and give praise to God, to appreciate his goodness and faithfulness. This is the God who raised his people up out of Egypt, who parted the Red Sea and who rules with power. This is something that all the nations should be glad of. Yet within that is the recognition that things aren’t always rosy and light. Sometimes we are imprisoned with heavy burdens on our backs.  Yet the Lord uses these experiences to refine us and ultimately brings us to a place of abundance. Our salvation is in him and so we praise his name.

Like the psalmist our desire should be to tell the nations of what the Lord has done for us (and will do for us). The Lord who is gracious and just and longs to bless us. But for that to happen the psalmist knows that his heart has to be in the right place:

“If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” (Psalm 66:18; NIV)

We can’t simply come before God without dealing with the sin in our hearts. The very things we praise him for are because he is a holy God.  But having realised this and dealt with our sin before him, our lives are free to sing for joy.

“I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue.” (Psalm 66:17; NIV)

(member of the youth ministry team)

May 14th

Numbers 23     Isaiah 13     Psalms 64-65     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Psalm 65

Our God is the powerful and almighty creator of the universe. He established the mountains with his strength, he stills the roaring sea and calms the tumult of people.

He sustains the earth, it would not exist without his presence.  Our world is balanced on a knife edge and he holds us in a state where we can live.  It spins (to allow the coolness of night and the warmth of day) at just the right angle (for the provision of the diverse and beautiful seasons) at exactly the right distance from the sun (so we neither freeze nor shrivel up) with just the right amount of oxygen in the atmosphere (so we can breathe) and just enough gravity (so we neither float nor are crushed).  We take it all for granted, wake up in the morning and grumble about our aches and pains as our body is constantly regenerating itself. Where is our gratitude to all that we receive from God?

But despite our lack of appreciation for all that God has done he is above all a good God.  He is intimately interested in each of us, he is our God of salvation and hope. Not just our hope but "the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas" (v5b ESV).  He satisfies where nothing else can.

(member of the youth ministry team)

May 13th

Numbers 22     Isaiah 11-12     Psalms 62-63     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Numbers 22

When I’m reading the bible, I like to look at a passage and say, ‘isn’t God brilliant!’  So what brilliant stuff does God do in this chapter?

Just for starters there is Israel itself — she’s made it this far and she’s a fearsome enemy (v3)!  The next brilliant thing for me is that when Balak seeks out a renowned and powerful diviner in order to curse Israel, he picks a gentile who gains his wisdom and power from the Lord, the God of Israel — Balaam.  (In Jewish legend, Balaam is sometimes seen like a gentile version of Moses).  Israel cannot be cursed, brilliant!

This chapter also contains a particularly cool event:  a talking donkey, and through this narrative we can learn an important lesson.

Even though God is pretty clear (v12), when Balak sends a more alluring contingent to persuade Balaam, (v15) Balaam feels the need to ask God again.  What’s changed?  Well, simply the promise of greater reward, Balaam is not operating out of a desire for God’s glory, but out of his own desire for reward.  God allows Balaam to leave but only to do what He says.  My suspicion is that God is aware of Balaam’s true motive and seeks to reinforce the ‘only what I tell you’ (v20, v35) with a bit of donkey discipline.

There are many interpretations of what each part of the donkey episode relates to, but for me, the key in this passage is God.  If you find yourself second guessing God, you’re probably wrong. He deserves the glory in all things!

(member of the youth ministry team)

May 12th

Numbers 21     Isaiah 10     Psalms 60-61     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

The psalmist is nothing if not realistic.  He recognises that everyday life is not all about mountain top experiences. His despair in these two Psalms is almost palpable, and he does not pull his punches in his conversation with God ( 60:1 “you have rejected us, O God..…you have been angry”). 

Even in the depths of despair, however, he knows he can trust God.  He recognises God’s power, even though that may only be an exercise of will at the time.  ((60:1) “Now restore us”; (61:3)” From the ends of the earth I call to you”

But he does more than just acknowledge God’s power.  He also calls to mind, and draws strength from, those times when he has been blessed by God ((61:3) “For you have been my refuge”.

Here is a real relationship.  It is sometimes simply an effort of will, sometimes a delight, but always played out in daily reality of life.  It is mindful of God’s power and loving nature (61:4 David talks of taking refuge in the shelter of God’s wings).  It draws on remembrance of past blessings (and not just of David himself but of God’s people generally – note 61:5 “you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name”).

Through that daily walk is forged a bond which is strong enough to bear the strain of bad times as well as good, of anger and not just praise.  It is built in love on a foundation of respect. 

Now that really is a model for us to follow……..

(member of a homegroup)