Sunday, November 21, 2021

“Therefore you shall do my statutes and keep my rules and perform them, and then you will dwell in the land securely. The land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and dwell in it securely. And if you say, ‘What shall we eat in the seventh year, if we may not sow or gather in our crop?’ I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, so that it will produce a crop sufficient for three years.

Leviticus 25

“Therefore you shall do my statutes and keep my rules and perform them, and then you will dwell in the land securely. The land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and dwell in it securely. And if you say, ‘What shall we eat in the seventh year, if we may not sow or gather in our crop?’ I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, so that it will produce a crop sufficient for three years.["] Leviticus 25:18-21

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - starting chapter twenty-two - A Theology of Things  - covering Leviticus 25:1-55, looking specifically at the introduction and first theme for the chapter - God Wants to Provide for His People So We Trust.  Here, in the commentary's introduction to the chapter, we are encouraged to see how, in Leviticus 25, "God is the sovereign Lord over all things and He provides for His people, so we trust Him to provide, we worship Him--not possessions--and we obey His commands to care for the created order and to be generous to the poor." Under the heading for the first theme in the chapter of the commentary, it states: "[i]n verse 2, God said, 'When you enter the land I am giving you.'  That was a promise from God.  He was going to give the land of Canaan to them.  It was a promise of blessing.  Hundreds of years earlier, God had promised Abraham that He was going to bless him with many descendants, and He was going to give his descendants the land of Canaan.  When God speaks with Moses here, He is about to keep that promise.  God also told Moses that if His people followed His commands He would provide them from the produce of the land.  In verses 18 and 19 God said, You are to keep My statutes and ordinances and carefully observe them, so that you may securely in the land.  The the land will yield its fruit, so that you can eat, be satisfied, and live securely in the land."  Even when Israel may question where it may get its food, God commands Israel - and all believers - to see how it is God who provides....and to trust in Him. 

The commentary for today wraps by referring us to Matthew 6:25-33 where God commands believers not to worry. The commentary writes: "Jesus told us to seek God first, and He will take care of our needs.  God knows we have needs, but He tells us not to put them first.  He wants us to seek Him and to trust Him first, and He will take care of our needs.  God wants to provide for His people, so we trust."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for how You provide - I am not deserving of how You provide.  I often fail to trust You and fail to observe Your commands.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome my disobedience and lack of trust.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and sposues to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.