eight days...

Eight days... till Christmas... is anticipation rising...?
Today... for me... it is...

This evening... I'm unwrapping an early Christmas present... a friend and I gifted one another with tickets... to a musical rendition of the Christmas story... Behold the Lamb of God...

Waking this morning... asking Him who He is today in these twenty-five days... I hear Him say... The Lamb...

"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"

John 1:29 ESV

Going back to Genesis... we get our first glimpse... of the Lamb...

Abraham... asked by God to sacrifice his son Isaac... 

the son of promise...

lay his life down... as an offering...

This father of the faithful... obeyed... traveling three days to Mount Moriah... three days... contemplating the death of his beloved-long-waited-for son... by his own hand...

And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac

his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went

both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham,

"My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." He said, "Behold,

the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"

Abraham said, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt

offering, my son." So they both went together.

Genesis 22:6-8 ESV

And He did provide...

a ram caught in a thicket...

a substitute to take Isaac's place...

Behold... the Lamb of God...

In Exodus... we see the Lamb in the Passover...

the final step to freedom from slavery...

for the Israelites oppressed in Egypt...

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,

"This month shall be for you the beginning of months.

It shall be the first month of the year for you.

Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day

of this month every man shall take a lamb according to

their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household. And if the

household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest

neighbor shall take according to the number of persons;

according to what each can eat you shall make your count

for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish,

a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or

from the goats, and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day

of the month, when the whole assembly of the congregation

shall kill their lambs at twilight.

"Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on

the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which

they eat it. ... In this manner you shall eat it:

with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet,

and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste.

It is the Lord's Passover. For I will pass through the land

of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the

land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods

of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. The blood

shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. 

And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague

will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. ..."

Exodus 12:1-7, 11-13 ESV

The lamb sacrificed... eaten...

its blood a covering from judgment...

Behold... the Lamb of God...

And John the Baptizer...

who made the way...

saw Him first...

"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"

John 1:29 ESV

Behold... it means to see... gaze upon...

In this season... for me... with the daily practice of Examen... Communion... and the writing of the Twenty-five Days... I feel this word... Behold...

Beholding Him each day...

in prayer... Word... bread and wine...

His Body broken...

His blood poured out...

a substitute sacrifice...

the covering of His blood...

salvation from judgment...

for me...

for you...

Behold... the Lamb of God...

Do you see Him...? have you gazed upon Him...?

Contemplate Him... in these single-digit days... til Christmas...

Lord... prepare my heart to behold...

to see You... remember You... gaze upon You...

each day...

giving thanks...

Giving thanks...
at the end of a very diverse day...

Began ahead of the game...
praising Him as God...
then angered by lies...

A lunch with loved ones...
brought laughter...

An afternoon filled with teaching...
brought joy...
and an unexpected place to hear His voice...

The evening...
frustrated by feeling behind...
wondering how I got here...

But in all...
I give thanks...
a sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise...

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and he saved them from their distress.

He sent forth his word and healed them;

he rescued them from the grave.

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deed for men.

Let them sacrifice thank offerings

and tell of his works with songs of joy.

Psalm 107:19-21

evening... vs... morning...

Today... the third evening to sacrifice an offering of time to Him...

The first evening... at the end of a working day...

I face a challenge with the evening offering...

A challenge to rest... be quiet... before Him...
putting aside the day... and all its clutter...

In the morning... it's a waking from rest...
mind clear... the whole day unwritten...

Coming in the evening... activity still rushes...

How do I put this day down...? 
How do I lay it at His feet...?

I remembered an online site a dear sister told me about...

examen.me 

A helpful way... to connect with Him... through Scripture and prayer... directed choices...

Here I found a way to disconnect from a full day...
to present an offering of praise to Him...

Maybe you will find it helpful to... in your sacrifice of time... to Him...

Be at rest once more, O my soul,

for the Lord has been good to you.

Psalm 116:7

morning... and... evening...

And you shall say to the people, This is the offering

made by fire which you shall offer to the Lord:

two male lambs a year old without spot or blemish,

two day by day, for continual burnt offering.

One lamb you shall offer in the morning

and the other in the evening...

Numbers 28:3-4 Amp

The Lord's direction for His people... given through Moses... 

Daily... you shall offer a sacrifice...

 morning... and... evening... 

When I came across this morning and evening sacrifice in the reading through of The Journey... I didn't think much about it until... I consulted a commentary...

Every morning and evening, a lamb had to be sacrificed. The purpose of this is most important: 'Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. They will know that I am the Lord their God...' (Ex. 29:45-46).

---The New Bible Commentary 

The time of sacrifice for the Israelites played two roles...

1. The sacrifice of blood needed to cover their sins daily... that He might continue to dwell in their presence...
2. A reminder that He is their God... and they are dependent on Him...

Today... we Believers live by faith in the once-and-for-all sacrifice of the Lamb of God... Jesus... by Whom all sins are forgiven... and through Whom we have access to God's presence 24/7...

But the reminder... that He is God... that our days are His... and we are completely dependent on Him... may require a sacrifice in our life... a reminder of His presence... grace... mercy...

And I think about sacrifice today... and what is hardest to find... to give...?

Time...

Now my way with Him... has come to a place where every morning... I give Him time... willingly... joyfully... starting may day... in His presence...

This did not always come easily... it began with discipline... effort... but it is now carved into my day...

The evening however... is a different story... my day seems to end in a blur of tasks... fading into a time of relaxing with family... and finally an unconscious state (usually in front of the television on the sofa)...

There is no evening sacrifice to the Lord in my life...

I've felt the call recently to initiate one... but it has yet to happen...

With this Word... I feel the call even more intensely... and remember the effort made for the morning sacrifice to become deeply ingrained in my life...

So this week... I choose to begin to carve out... work for... sacrifice... some time with Him... for Him... in the evening... the twilight of my day... the day He has blessed me with... and walked with me through... faithfully and full of grace...

We'll see how it goes...

May my prayer be set before you like incense;

may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

Psalm 141:2

How do you sacrifice to Him each day...?

preparing...

Preparing... whether it is the process of prudently preparing for bad news... or for a couple of days away... takes time... and intention...

Preparing... is the way we are to approach each day with Him...

He has prepared a way for us... into His presence...

...we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place

by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us

through the curtain, that is, his body...

Hebrews 10:19-20

He prepares a table for us... in the presence of the enemy...

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Psalm 23:5

Our appropriate response... prepare for the day... the journey... whatever may lie ahead...  with a sacrifice of thanks...

He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me,

and he prepares the way so that I may show him

the salvation of God...

Psalm 50:23

Through a preparation of thanksgiving... we prepare the way... so we may see the salvation of God... today...

How will you offer a sacrifice of thanks today...? how will I...?

pouring out...

Pouring out... releases the outcome to Him...

This book... The Heart of Bethlehem... and its promotion... have been a process of pouring out... an exercise in humility...

A drink offering... poured out before God... went on the ground... into the dirt...

In the Holy Place you shall pour out a drink offering 

of strong drink to the Lord.

Numbers 28:7 ESV

The product of the vineyard... seemingly wasted... unenjoyed... by the one who produced...

For me... to pour out this book before God... is to release any potential benefits... or risks... for the flesh to Him... any accolades... any criticism... any royalties... they are not mine... but His... to do with what He pleases...

I've had to crucify my flesh... throughout this process...

You see... when I first believed... He had writing in store... a book to be published... through me... I had one view of how that might happen... through people... publishers... agents... who saw something special... and wanted me to write... work... to produce a book...

But as I listened... and tried to obey Him... attending conferences... meeting with editors... showing samples... mailing a proposal to an agent... entering a book contest... all that came back were critique... rejections...

Nobody... no person... desired me to write... for them...

God... He kept pressing... and brought before me an opportunity to step out... and self-publish an eBook...

I only moved forward... because I believed... this was a working out of the Word in me...

Every putting out deep... requires the work... of pulling up the net... to see what's within...

So I did the work... published the piece... now trying to listen... and promote... as He instructs... trying to be shameless... in this call...

What I see... is Simon Peter's putting out deep... after the miraculous haul... the great number of fish... Simon Peter saw his sin... confessed... then walked away from the catch... to follow Him...

And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

Luke 5:10-11 ESV

The point of the whole exercise... was not the financial gain... the temporal benefits... the catch... it was the act of obedience... the humbling of self... and the looking to Him...

Solely looking to Him... pouring out... releases me from the anxiety of the outcome... releases me... from the fear of man...

As thoughts of self... repeatedly try to creep in... I remember the pouring out... in my mind a great clay jar... pours out its contents... an act of confession... my fear of man... and the release of the outcome to Him...

What's received... in the pouring out... is the joy found... in following Him...


[Related fare...
in the Word
embracing... hard...
a new release...]

conflicting worldviews...

A conversation... revolved around... conflicting worldviews...

One focused on rights... and the irresponsible who infringe...

The other... focused on redeeming grace... laying down one's life for another... by choice...

The one with rights... feeling misunderstood... volume increasing... hand banging...

The one thankful for grace... shouted down... when trying to share a vision... of giving in love... laying down... by choice... no rights infringed because none demanded... those who don't want to give... don't...

A worldview wall... the one with rights... could not see past... all is his...

The one gratefully dependent on grace... looking past... that particular wall... already crumbled... in her view... nothing is hers...

I wonder... at the intensity... the emotion... until I realize... each look at the world... from a completely different view...

One sees infringement... the other... opportunities... for grace...

Enforcing responsibility through the law... vs... allowing the exercise of the freedom of grace... to fill the gap...

The single, overwhelming fact of history is the crucifixion of  Jesus Christ.

---Eugene H. Peterson, Traveling Light

It is how you handle... the crucifixion of Jesus... in your heart... this overwhelming fact of history... that determines your view of the world...

The One who came... responsible for creation... rejected by His creatures... had the right... to demand payment... from the rebellious... but by His grace... He chose to empty Himself... pay the highest price... to bring healing to others... asking nothing in return...

Here's the view... that moves a heart... from rights... to grace... from law... to freedom...

Making demands on others grows bitterness and entitlement...

Sacrificial service... in love... leads to dumbfounded thanks... and hearts softened to help another... out... of... love...

...all life... God-given, and ... worth preserving...

---Eugene H. Peterson, Traveling Light

The cost of caring for others... is not an infringement on rights or resources... but a privilege granted by God... because all we have... for life... is from Him...

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

1John 4:10-12

(emphasis mine)

Love... it hung on a tree... cursed... buried... resurrected... for the ungrateful... rebellious... irresponsible... but He made a Way... to redeem... restore... revive... the sick... blind... lame... mute... imprisoned... rejected... by His free choice...

The world... where do you see it from...?

If you see the world... from the foot of the cross... from the mouth of the empty tomb... speak grace... speak love... to those who don't... they are banging their heads... and hearts... on a worldview wall... and that... can be... painful...

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect...

1Peter 3:15

thursday...

The Thursday... before... Good Friday...

a call to watch... The Passion...

the night of Jesus's arrest...

the time... when darkness reigned...

Then Jesus said to the chief priests,

the officers of the temple guard,

and the elders, who had come for him,

"... this is your hour --- when darkness reigns."

Luke 22:52-53

An emotional experience... the watching... a spiritual discipline...

Emotions... seen... journaled...

Anger... the chief priests and temple guard...

Anguish... Jesus at Gethsemane...

Assuredness... Jesus facing arrest...

Confusion... Peter... if he was not to fight... what was he to do?

Innocent... Jesus... He broke no temple law... He was the fulfillment of the Law...

Scorn... Jesus... He scorned the shame... 

Sadness... heartache... Jesus... for the priests...

Arrogance... the chief priests...

Liars... the chief priests...

Power struggle... Pilate... vs... the priests...

Fear... Pilate... facing civil unrest...

Brutal... the guards who scourged Jesus...

Love... Mary... His mother... who stood by...

Perseverance... Jesus...

Devotion... the women... John...

Obedient... a Son...

"...The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life --- only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

John 10:17-18

This... the Son... we are to follow...

A hard lesson... in... obedience...

sacrifice...

Jesus's sacrifice... made the Way... for God to enter our lives...

He tells His followers...

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me..."

Luke 9:23

Sacrifice... doesn't feel good... in the here and now... it didn't feel good to Jesus...

"Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."

Mark 14:36

As followers... He calls us to lay down our lives to serve Him... and others... out of love... by faith... through obedience... not because it feels good... but because He has a purpose... a plan...

Where there is sacrifice... there is pain...

Jesus's sacrifice... made no sense to the world... and sometimes... the things He calls us to sacrifice... make no sense to us... or to those looking on...

But remember... sacrifice... makes the way... for God... to work... to heal... to redeem... maybe somewhere we can't even see...

Father God... give me the faith to trust You enough to sacrifice... that I might be a way for others... as Jesus was... is... for me...