gift from God – Be Still…

Acts 2:1-4 – Pentecost

“On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.” (Acts 2:1-4)

I love imagining this Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came powerfully upon the believers. The Christian church was born that day. Along with the commotion, there would have been awe and wonder. It’s a day to remember and celebrate. Growing up Lutheran, we always made it a big deal by wearing red to commemorate the fire of the Spirit.

Context (Acts 2:1-41): This particular day of Pentecost would have been the first one without Jesus for his followers. Jesus had promised he’d send the Holy Spirit and had told his friends to wait expectantly. Did they imagine anything like the actual events of this day? Multitudes of people heard them speaking in other languages. Peter was filled to overflowing and preached like never before. Thousands of those hearing the message about Jesus dedicated themselves as followers. Continue reading “Acts 2:1-4 – Pentecost”

Numbers 36:1-13 – The Sequel

Read Numbers 36:1-13

What we have here is a sequel of sorts to the laws put in place back in Chapter 27. This is a good example of how one law can necessitate a second law to compensate or complete the first. Here, we see the family members, of the five girls given the inheritance of land their sonless father would have received, come forward. They have a very strong argument for their concern, and Moses takes them seriously.

The LORD said, “The claim of the men of the tribe of Joseph is legitimate.” The LORD agreed with the family members and wanted to keep the land “in the family,” too. The LORD’s command kept any potential issue of land possession at bay. God was promoting the success of his people by this decree. Continue reading “Numbers 36:1-13 – The Sequel”

Leviticus 27:1-34 – Giving Back to God

Read Leviticus 27:1-34

Knowing what is meant by “making a vow” will help us understand this passage a little more. As I understand it, in those days when you prayed to God you could make a vow and add on to your prayer by giving something of value to God as a special gift dedicated to him. This “vow” could be a person, animal, house, or land, in place of any monetary gift to be given. The priests were in charge of keeping track of the values.

The idea of a vow that comes to me is what a bride and groom exchange during a wedding ceremony. Much different, and yet still the same. The marriage vow is more of a pledge to be true and honor God and the other spouse in the union. Different in that it doesn’t involve a monetary value, but the same in that it is a dedication to God. The marriage union is then deemed to be bound by God. I wonder how many couples today understand the history of vows in God’s eyes. Continue reading “Leviticus 27:1-34 – Giving Back to God”

Daniel 8:15-27 – Hey Gabriel!

Read Daniel 8:15-27

I think I would have fainted, too, in the presence of the angel, Gabriel. It’s probably the appropriate human response to a visible appearance of God or his messenger. I understand this may be Gabriel’s first appearance in the Old Testament. You may recall Gabriel announced the births of John the Baptist and the Messiah in Luke’s gospel account.

Gabriel tells Daniel, “you must understand that the events you have seen in your vision relate to the time of the end.” It’s helpful to remember this reference to “time of the end” encompasses the years between the end of the exile and Jesus’ second coming. That’s a lot of years! Gabriel makes it sound like these events won’t be happening any time soon. Daniel doesn’t need to fear for he will not likely be alive. Continue reading “Daniel 8:15-27 – Hey Gabriel!”

Ecclesiastes 11:7-10 – Great Advice!

Read Ecclesiastes 11:7-10

Other than the reference to everything being “meaningless,” Solomon’s advice here has a lot of merit. God does give us lives to enjoy. Whether we are young, old, or somewhere in between, we should be focusing on positive things, looking for the good in all situations.

I love the apostle Paul’s counsel in Philippians 4:8 which reads: “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” While Solomon is talking about rejoicing in each day, it’s so much easier to do that when we approach each day with a positive attitude.