A trip to my hometown.

Spectacular

+ Kim Chi courtesy of Unami Bowl

People

Lovely

Planning

Glory

Your 7 Days?

“But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight. Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time.”

Nehemiah 9:28

Last time we saw the experiential consequences to blasphemy: the narrow squeeze of the Israelites’ enemies ruling over them. But as they assembled together, God provided deliverers, avengers who rescued God’s people from the nations’ oppression. Today we see how long it lasted.

“But after rest (nuach – to rest, abandon, calm, cast down, deposit, forsake, lay down, let alone, permit, put down, rid, cease, be quiet, settle down) they again (shub) did (asah) evil (ra – adversity, affliction, distress, displeasure, heavy, hurtful, wickedness, wretchedness) before You (paneh – your face).”

After a time of calm, the cessation of battle and enemy oppression, they turned back again to wickedness and hurtful displeasure before Your face.

It all just sounds so familiar, yes? God sends a deliverer after we collectively cry out for mercy. Things calm down, the battle slows, our enemies are subdued, and frankly, we’ve put down our guard. That’s when we pick back up our heavy evil. Heavy because wickedness is not a light yoke and heavy because it burdens our own and our Deliverer’s hearts.

“Therefore you left them (azab – loose from one’s self, refuse, relinquish, fail, leave destitute) in the hand (yad) of their enemies (oyeb – foe, adversary, hating; from ayab – to be hostile to, to hate [as one of an opposite tribe or party])…”

Therefore You loosed them from Your protective grasp into the hand of those who were hostile to them/opposite tribe or party.

Well. Speaking of familiar scenarios. That root word for enemy means to hate another like humans tend to do with those from a different tribe or party. When we feel as if someone represents the opposite of everything we stand for, our hostility is typically very near the surface.

Often we have good reasons for being against others’ stances on subjects or past decisions their party has made. Let’s not confuse this with healthy disagreement, speaking truth to power, and making sure humans are being treated like image bearers.

This is hatred, and it is of the devil. We have to actively be on guard that it does not rule over us. The good news is I see so many people handling well the nuances of faithful disagreement without hatred – in real life, of course, but also on social media world where things tend to get dicey.

Perhaps we should heed the warning of the next section:

“…so they had dominion (radah – reign, bear, tread down, subjugate, specifically to crumble off) over them…”

Those hostile to them subjugated and tread them down as if to crumble them.

Won’t our hostility do it? Does not our picking back up wickedness invite in hatred that treads ourselves and others down like a smashed cookie under a thick work boot? Crumbling our self-control, our tenderness in the Spirit, and our unity as humans – but especially those under the blood of Jesus.

“And yet when they returned (shub – turn back) and cried out (zaaq again – call out, cry out, call together, appeal, to shriek, to proclaim in assembly) to you again…”

And yet. Such precious words. Once again, our Israelites turned back, shub again. But this time they weren’t turning to accomplish evil like the first use of this word in today’s verse. But they are again turning back, as an assembled group, to appeal, shriek, proclaim to Him.

And don’t you, as a human being, just think, “Well this time it won’t go well. If it were me, I’d say too late. Forget it. This has happened too many times.”

I’m so glad the holiness of God means He is altogether Other. Not some better version of us, but perfectly divine. He is so good at being God.

“You (attah – you yourself) heard (shama again) from heaven, and according to your mercies (racham – compassion, deep mercy, tender love, pity, womb – as cherishing a fetus) you delivered them (natsal – strip, plunder, snatch away, deliver self, rescue, take away, defend, escape, pluck) many (rab – many, much, great, exceeding, full) times (eth – period, season, circumstance, appointed time).”

“You Yourself heard again with an intent to cause action.” It wasn’t too many times for Him to listen to His rebellious children. They hadn’t exceeded the limits of His mercy. He wasn’t suddenly unwilling to act on their behalf.

“And according to Your exceeding compassion (that same word for cherishing a fetus from last time), You plucked them out, snatched them away from their enemies.”

No human avengers given this time. This verse describes Him simply snatching His children away from the dominion of those hostile to them. The same dominion He loosed them into due to their rebellion.

He let go and allowed the consequences to come. But He was right there to snatch them back again. To pluck them out of hell fire when they but turned and called. And how often?

“An exceeding number of times.”

As much as it annoys us, He is the embodiment of forgiving 70 x 7. He is not codependent or spineless, allowing Himself or His mercy to be trampled upon. But in perfectly divine fatherly love, He walks with His children until we are free. Do you not love there is Someone Who will never give up on us?

So, friends, let’s apply this to ourselves. Those of us who believe in Jesus are called to display this sort of love. The kind which refuses to pick back up our wickedness or hostility. And because we are not God, often our love and relationships with unsafe people include boundaries and limits. But the forgiveness in our hearts – the hurt and resentment and legitimate anger – can be handed to Him over and over. An exceeding number of times until we are free.

And as a corporate Body, we can choose to assemble together and proclaim the ways we have not represented Him accurately to a watching world. We can have healthy disagreement with discernment and honest sharing without hostility.

And as we come together in agreement on areas we know require communal repentance, we can trust our wise and compassionate God to snatch us away from the dominion of the enemy.

Tonight is all about Final Friday! So much goodness is on display throughout our city.

At Mud Haus, see Unceasing: An Exhibition by Ernest Vincent Wood, and at Midwest Center for Photography, catch Flora – International Photography Exhibition.

Also don’t miss Art for Suicide Awareness: Breaking the Silence at Frèdös. See all shows for tonight at FinalFridayICT.com. Support local artists, their causes, and local businesses that host!

And, of course, today was the kick-off of our city’s Riverfest! You won’t want to miss the Funnel Cake Eating Contest, Kayak and Paddleboat races, and decorated bicycle parade. Plus, carnival rides and food! See all events for the week here.

Interested in amphibians and helping our local wetlands? Head to Frog Watch Training tomorrow, June 1st, at the Sedgwick County Zoo. From 1-5 come learn how to identify local frog calls and record their data as a volunteer for Frog Watch. This science program teaches people about wetland ecosystems and how to report information on frog populations. Free and no registration required!

Tomorrow, enjoy Yoga on the Lawn at the Wichita Art Museum beginning at 9 a.m. Enjoy an all-levels stretch and tone workout on the Art Garden.

Ooo – and Bradley Fair Fit is back for the summer! Tomorrow morning at 9:00 enjoy a free HIIT style Bootcamp by the lake. Such a refreshing way to start the weekend.

And are you a vintage collector? You won’t want to miss the 5th Annual Kechi Vintage Market tomorrow, June 1st, from 10-4. You’re sure to find some treasures!

And if summer presents a need to get out of the house, perhaps with the kiddos, don’t forget all the quality, free events coming up at the Library. Everything from toddler story times to adult book clubs, the Library has you covered.

Have a wonderful weekend!

“So you delivered them into the hands of their enemies, who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.”

Nehemiah 9:27

Last time we saw our Israelites revel in God’s goodness, then quickly turn to bitterness and blasphemy. Today we see the consequences.

“You delivered (nathan – gave) into the hand (yad) of their enemies (tsar – adversary, narrow, tight, anguish, foe, distress, affliction, crowding opponent; from tsor – hard pebble, flint, and tsuwr – confine, cramp, bind – stone as if pressed hard or to a point) who oppressed them (yatsar – narrow, vexed, distressed).”

Because You are a faithful God, You gave them into the power of their enemies (narrow, anguish, afflicted, crowded, cramped, bound, hard pebbled pressed to a point) who vexed and distressed them.

Yep. Nothing like a time of being hard pressed and feeling afflicted for God to get our attention. But how much worse when this cramped, crowded, vexed feeling is coming from those we perceive as enemies?

When was the last time the narrow squeeze of constriction was put upon your soul? When did you feel as though the people in your life were there simply to exasperate you? Have you ever wondered if in fact it was God’s mercy toward you?

Hear me out. How often do we seem to sail through life with only minor inconveniences here and there? I often think it is on the regular. (And if you are in a particular season of anguish, this could seem callous, but please know I feel you and do not apply what does not fit.)

When things seem to be going well, the sun shining, birds singing, moving in a predictable routine, we are notorious for losing gratitude and focus toward the Gift Giver, aren’t we? But even worse, we can begin to take for granted the good stuff and start to turn away from Him. Focus on what we don’t have and commit those blasphemies, acts of contempt, we looked at last time.

Is there anything in such a state that would wake us up to our sins like being handed over to our enemies? For ancient Israel, it was actual enemy nations taking them captive. For us it could be anything from being under power from a particular person or group to suddenly feeling our wings clipped with no way out.

It is in these times we cannot rely on our old methods or simply will or work ourselves out of a mess. And when such things fail, we will finally look up.

“But when (in the time – eth – season, appointed time) they were oppressed (of their trouble – tsarah – tightness, trouble, a female rival) they cried out (tsaaq – call out, cry out, call together, appeal, to shriek, to proclaim in assembly) to you.”

But during the appointed time of their trouble they appealed, shrieked, assembled to proclaim to You.

Call me crazy, but I’m so grateful for the assembled together portion of this definition. Sometimes we just need to know we’re not the only one going through something. Not the only one feeling the pressure of a God-ordained tight path, squeezing out our sin for all to see.

And we’re not. So many of us have been in times of trouble – even ones brought on by our own pride or contempt or rebellion. That was the case for our Israelites. So, what to do? Assemble together! Cry out to the One Who allowed the circumstance in the first place and ask for mercy. Because there’s such good news when we do:

“You (attah – You Yourself) heard (shama – hear with intent to obey; to cause to) from heaven (shamayim)…”

And You Yourself heard.

Do you not love how it was not an angel who heard, but Him? You. You Yourself. He not only sees our rebellion, He hears our cries for relief from the consequences. And with an ability to do something about it.

That word shama implies an intent to obey when applied to humans. But when applied to Yahweh? More likely the sections of “to pay heed, hear with attention; to cause to” apply better. We may have the intention to obey, but He has the intention to cause an action. And not begrudgingly:

“…according to Your abundant (rab – many, much, great, exceeding, full) mercies (racham – compassion, deep mercy, tender love, pity, womb – as cherishing fetus)…”

Please tell me you saw the “tender love as cherishing a fetus” portion. What more helplessly compassionate love can you imagine than that of parents anxiously awaiting a new life? Nothing to fix, unable to make them grow on their own power, they simply wait in love.* Mind you, this fetus has done nothing to earn this love; he or she cannot do anything but rely on the mother’s body to supply what they need to grow.

Now, take this portion of the definition and allow it to inform your understanding of “according to your abundant mercies.” What tender love He feels for us. Even in our own self-inflicted rebellion. Nothing we could do to earn such love and compassion, nothing we can do to lose it. It is simply bestowed from Creator to creation. From a merciful Father to His treasured children. Even after such contempt toward Him.

And into what did this intent to action, moved by exceeding compassion, manifest?

“You gave (nathan) them deliverers (yasha – deliver, avengers, bring salvation, help, save, victorious, defend, preserve, rescue; to be open, wide and free, safe) who saved them (yasha again) from the hand (yad) of their enemies (tsar).”

You gave them avengers/helpers/defenders to be wide open and free/safe, who made them victorious from the hand of their adversaries.

God’s Word is simply stunning. Look at these synonyms for pasha, deliverers: to be open, wide, free, safe. Contrast that with tsar and tsuwr from before, enemies who oppressed: to confine, cramp, narrow, bind.

Yes, He reverses what our rebellion invites. With the compassion of a humiliated father who never stops looking for his son to come home. His son who callously demands his inheritance and spends it on liquor and lust. This father runs when he sees his son and throws a party. Won’t even let him finish his “I’m sorry and worthless” speech.

I know. Our skeptical hearts wonder if He could really be like that. But when He walked around with skin on, He said and showed it is True. It just is. He will not cease to become this effusively, compassionately loving simply because we have a hard time believing it. Rather, we should probably join the party.

In Israel’s history, God did send deliverers. Avengers who led His people out of their cycles of rebellion. It is not lost on me that we’re studying this text during a time when one of the best-selling movies is entitled Avengers.

It does make you think of our innate desire to see justice and trust someone will rescue us. Bring us into a wide open and safe space. One we don’t deserve but eagerly seek.

And not just for ourselves, in our own walks with God. We want to see it for humanity as a whole. We desire to see things put right, for justice to be served, communities and nations healed, reparations made. For mass shootings to end, wars to cease, peace to prevail, and love to triumph over hate and greed.

Thank this God He provided such a Deliverer, and such a Kingdom is advancing.

————————————————————————————

*Because of poverty, abusive relationships, and sexual assault, I must address this: I can easily understand not feeling this sort of excitement or love toward an unborn child. Please know this same God Who sees and hears knows your pain as well. And cares about those systems, abuses, and criminal attacks. He is a just God. And He is calling His people to join Him in justice in these areas, driven by His tender, cherishing compassion.*

It’s been…awhile. Let’s jump in.

It’s almost Summer Reading time with the Wichita Library! This year’s theme is A Universe of Stories. Registration begins May 28th, and prizes are awarded for every 10 days students 18 and younger read 20 minutes. Such a great way to stay sharp all summer.

This is great: Angelou Branch offers After Hours Computer Lab every Monday and Thursday evening from 6-9 when the library is closed. And see all upcoming Library events here.

The Old Town Farmers’ Market is in full swing. Head downtown to find fresh produce, juices and jams, and local talent.

And so is Kansas Grown Farmers’ Market at 21st and Ridge. See so much goodness in one location every Saturday morning til noon.

Friends told me about a new coffee shop in Delano, Leslie Coffee Co. Looks great to me!

Some Garden Tours are coming up with the Sedgwick County Extension Office. Get your dates and tickets here.

The Great Plains Nature Center is beginning their Wildflower Walks the fourth Saturday of each month. That’s this Saturday! From 9 – 10:30 come hear about wildflowers and witness the beauty of the prairie bloom.

How about the food trucks at ICT Pop Up Park for lunches this summer? They update their schedule weekly. (Plus Free Movie Nights all summer!)

Ooo, Opera on the Lake is this Thursday, May 30th at Bradley Fair. Beginning at 7 p.m., enjoy Wichita Grand Opera’s Rock Opera. Free to the public, with VIP dinner and seating tickets available.

And Wichita on the Cheap has a fantastic list of events for this Memorial Day Weekend.

Enjoy your people and our city!

Posting this helps me anchor our days. In the hopes it encourages someone else…our last week (or so):

Superhero Field Day

Advanced Learning Library trip

Baked Honey and Goat Cheese Pears (fancy) (and good)

Peony Season

And Berry Season

Dan whipped this up for me with baling wire

Teacher gifts (Thank you, Teachers!)

I’m a graduate!

Your 7 Days?

“They ate to the full and were well-nourished; they reveled in your great goodness.

But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they turned their backs on your law. They killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies.”

Nehemiah 9:25b-26

Last time we peeked in on the descendants of our exodused Israelites inheriting the fertile land, overflowing homes, already-dug wells, and blessings they had not earned. Today we see how this bounty turned to bitterness.

“They ate (akal – consume, devour, share, eat freely, enjoy, feast) and were filled (saba – sated, satisfied, enough, full, plenty, saturate) and grew fat (shamen – fat, insensitive, render, shine, oily)…”

They freely feasted and enjoyed, were satisfied and grew fat and shiny…

Of course to our modern sensibilities, this verse ending in “they grew fat” does not seem like a good thing. However, for a formerly enslaved people, whose descendants previously ate manna from heaven with quail mixed in, it was a bountiful, uncharacteristic situation. One in which they reveled.

“…and delighted (adan – to luxuriate, revel, delight self, soft or pleasant, live voluptuously; from eden – delicate, luxury, dainty, delight, pleasure) themselves in your great (gadol – great, deep, extreme, high, marvelous, mighty, spacious, vast) goodness (tub – best things, bounty, goodness, prosperity).”

…and reveled voluptuously in the luxury and pleasure of your mighty, spacious goodness/best things.

I feel it is important to point out this was the proper reaction. We are not reading about our ancient Israelites reveling in God’s bounty as a warning to us. This inhaling with all their senses the wonderful things Yahweh provided was right and good. It is the delight of lovers, the feasters at a party after a long harvest, the celebration after hard work, a refreshing dip in a pool after a sun-scorched afternoon. Basically, it’s the good stuff of life. And the Good Giver was also reveled in.

He is the bounty, the Best Thing. He is Goodness and our spiritual prosperity. And when we do not worship the gifts over the Giver, we can feel the smile of our Good Father.

Unfortunately, that was not our ancient Israelites’ response.

“But they were disobedient (marah – bitter, contentious, rebellious) and rebelled (marad – to rebel) against You and cast (shalak – to fling, throw, cast off, throw away, hurl) Your law (torah) behind (achar – hind part, following) their backs.”

But they became bitter and contentious and rebelled against You, hurling Your law behind their backs.

Something I appreciate is how when I’m studying a topic, God often allows me to personally experience it. I have had a week in which my bitterness has been challenged. In areas I did not even know I hadn’t forgiven or let go or needed to. I wish I could say I passed with flying colors each opportunity given, but that is not true.

And, of course, these moments have been in the midst of His lavish provision. We are so well taken care of, having all we could ever need, and yet my heart still often whispers, “Did God really say?”

I have thought before about how, when you’re young in your faith, you tend to look at older saints and assume their longer walk with Jesus means they rarely have any sin to confess. Well, as someone no longer considered young, it seems His mercy comes by showing me more often my brokenness and need. But the awareness is tempered by His sublime grace and an unconditional love casting out fear.

So in that spirit, how about you? Anything been popping up in your heart showing you bitterness, contention, or rebellion? Has it perhaps been on the heels of reveling in His spacious goodness or bounty? It is easy to point fingers at our main characters in today’s passage until we realize we are they.

And the scariest part of this section is how the Israelites flung, cast off, threw away Torah behind their backs. The picture is one of making Torah follow them rather than the other way around. This should give us shivers.

When we come to understand the trustworthy Law-Giver, it is so much easier to submit to a love-driven law. But no matter our individual or corporate steps in this process of knowing His heart, to rebel against Divine Truth is never the way to peace.

“They killed (harag – slay, murder, slaughter) your prophets (nabi – spokesman, speaker, inspired man) who had testified (uwd – admonish, return, repeat, bear witness, charge, lift up, protest, testify, restore, lift up, relieve, give warning, stand upright) against them…”

They slayed your spokesmen who had admonished/bore witness/protested/warned them…

Ah yes, the natural reaction when confronted with Truth we do not wish to hear: to slaughter the truth-giver. Once again, it is simply an interesting plot line until we realize how often we do it ourselves.

When I am faced with an inconvenient truth about myself or my actions, the last thing my pride wants is to welcome it in and allow it to teach me. The defending, denying, explaining and side-stepping is a long process before I will receive. If I will receive.

How about you? If someone bears witness to truth in your life, or gives you a warning in love, what is your reaction? Why? Is there perhaps not enough saturation of our identities in His love and acceptance? We have to start there, friends, or the difficult truths feel far too scary to confront. We have to know that we know He is for us, even when His love has parental discipline involved.

But how about us corporately? How are we as His Body handling Truth shared by His spokesmen? When it becomes clear His Spirit is moving in a certain direction, and that direction forces us to face hard things individually and collectively, what is our reaction?

Obviously, it will sting. Antiseptic on a wound always does. And the definition is clear those listening to God and informing the people are bringing charges against us. Admonish, bear witness, protest, and give warning are not palatable.

But what about some of those other synonyms? “To return, restore, lift up, relieve, stand upright?” What if we focused on those, keeping in mind that anyone warning us must care enough to make sure we are aware. And God indeed cares. Mostly because of the ultimate outcome of the warning:

“…to turn them (shub – turn back, return, bring back ) to Yourself (el – into, towards, within…first love)…”

…To turn them back towards You/First Love.

To return to Him was to be relieved and restored, redeemed and stood upright. The way to be a light to all nations, yes, but also the only way to live in satisfaction themselves. We can only fight against the way God has made us to live for so long before we realize Someone needs to stand us upright again.

“…they committed (asah – worked, accomplished) great (gadol – bitter, deep, high, prominent) blasphemies (n’atsah – provocations, blasphemy, contempt, scorn; from naats – to spurn, reject, treat with contempt).”

They committed high blasphemies/treated You with scorn and contempt.

The use of that word great two times in today’s verses is significant. Compare “great goodness” (gadol tub) with “great blasphemies” (gadol natsah). High, prominent, mighty best things versus high, prominent, deep contempt.

This is the way of walking with Yahweh. To experience Him as our Ultimate Best and His provision as best things for us versus slaughtering (with words or actions) those seeking to warn us, and showing contempt for His kindness.

Some days the Good News is everything, isn’t it? We are so prone to wander, prone to leave the God we love. Fortunately, we have a Perfectly Obedient Substitute, a Prophet, Priest, and King Who walked the way of Yahweh on our behalf.

He will guide us in that way still.

“Their children went in and took possession of the land. You subdued before them the Canaanites, who lived in the land; you gave the Canaanites into their hands, along with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with them as they pleased. They captured fortified cities and fertile land; they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance…”

Nehemiah 9:24-25a

Last time we saw how Yahweh lavished generous boundaries in the Promised Land to the Israelites and multiplied their descendants. Today we see how those descendants lived in the promised blessing.

“So their children went in (bo – come in, carried, certainly come to pass, bring forth, abide) and took possession (yarash – inherit, utterly dispossess, give to possess, heir, new owners, occupy, enjoy  take possession of, come to poverty, make poor, expel, drive out, expel, occupy by drive out previous tenants) of the land.

So their children came forth and inherited the land.

Just as promised, it came to pass. Those allowed to enter the Promised Land came forth and took possession of it.

You subdued (kana – to be humble, done, bring down low, bend the knee, humiliate) before them (paneh – before the face of) the inhabitants (yashab – to sit, remain, dwell) of the land;

You brought low the inhabitants of the land before their face.

Because of the way white supremacy operates, I cannot stomach any sort of interpretation which would bring low inhabitants of a land before others seeking to conquer. But because we serve a Faithful God, I cannot ignore this section of Scripture. God did what He said He would do. He subdued the inhabitants before the eyes of His people, fresh out of slavery, weary from wandering, and with no military experience.

So let’s chat about the spiritual implications of this. What has God said? Then He will do it. Has He said, “I oppose the proud but give grace to the humble”? You better believe He will actively oppose those with a mind for only their own interests. Not because He’s mean, but because He’s good.

Did He say, “Blessed are those who mourn, are meek, poor in spirit, pure in heart, hunger and thirst for right-living, the peacemakers (not peacekeepers)”? Then may we see with our spiritual eyes what He promises is True.

How about, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” Did He say that? Then why are we not living as if dying to ourselves is the ultimate honor of our spiritual lives?

And did He not say, “You must love your neighbor as yourselves”? Then we probably have some loving to do. Too much, in fact, to be more busy with gossip, revenge, justifying evil systems, and distracting each other from our mission.

Friends, do you know how low the enemy is humbled when we absorb these truths into our depths? How evil is forced to bend the knee to the One all hell knows holds ultimate authority? Before our faces He will subdue Him and the Kingdom advances. Glory.

You gave (nathan – give, set, allow, appoint, allowed, assigned, certainly gave, apportioned, provided, bestow) the Canaanites into their hands (yad – hand, authority, care, custody, entrust, pledged), along with their kings and the peoples (am – folk) of the land, to deal (asah – accomplish) with them as they pleased (ratson – goodwill, favor, acceptance).”

You gave the Canaanites into their authority/custody, along with their kings and regular folk, to deal with them as they pleased/goodwill.

I feel like as a nation we should be sat down with our mamas and reminded what it means to have financial resources, military might, fertile land, and industrial opportunities. It means we have more than others and if others are brought into our custody, within the realm of our authority, we have an obligation to deal with them generously. With goodwill. In a favoring way. To those whom much is given much will be required. We will answer for the ways we either hoard in fear or share in trust with fellow image bearers.

“They captured (lakad – seize, take, clasp) fortified (batsar – to cut off, make inaccessible, enclose, gathered, impenetrable) cities (iyr – excitement) and fertile (shamen – fat, robust, plenteous) land (adamah – ground, field)…”

They captured impenetrable cities/excitement and fertile/robust land…

Something about the mention of fortified cities makes me smile. Scripture makes sure to point out these cities were well-protected. Forces gathered, they should have been impenetrable for the Israelites. And yet, when obeying Yahweh, they took hold of them. God gave the victory.

Anything looming before you as inaccessible? An area you cannot imagine God could penetrate with His Spirit, His power and conquering love? Any system lacking justice or community brutalized? Let’s together believe in our Covenant Yahweh to give the victory. To join Him in moving in prayer + action in areas fertile for a Gospel movement.

“…they took possession (yarash again) of houses filled (male – completely, abundance, strong, old) with all (kol) kinds of good (tub – best things, bounty, goodness, prosperity) things…”

…they took possession of houses completely filled with all kinds of good/bountiful/prosperous things…

This one is harder for me. I picture the families living in these homes filled with good things being displaced by the Israelites. But I know that I know our God is always just and loving. He knows what I do not. And what we do know of the Canaanites who were driven out is a practice of evil and cruelty. So I will choose to believe in the long-suffering love and perfectly just motives of El Shaddai.

“…[they took possession of] wells (bowr – cistern, fountain, pit) already dug (chatsab – chop, cut, engrave, cleave, quarry)…”

… they took wells/cisterns already dug…

This one reminds me of something Jesus said to His disciples about the plentiful harvest. About reaping a spiritual harvest from land in which others have done the hard work to sow.

I think sometimes we forget that not everything in our spiritual lives conforms to our modern idea of fairness. Just the other week our family was doing yard work together and it reminded me of an incredibly unfair parable Jesus told. Well, unfair if our aim is earning.

I asked the boys how they would feel if, 5 minutes before we packed up and headed in for the night, their (imaginary) younger brother came out, did a tiny bit of work, then everyone got paid the same. They were not thrilled.

But, grace. Grace.

Sometimes He walks with us through a Hebrews 11 experience, never seeing with our own eyes what we toiled for, only from a distance. Other times, by no merit of our own, we stumble upon a person or situation in which His Spirit and the cooperation of His people has plowed, planted, fertilized, weeded, tended, and pruned. We simply get to harvest.

As for our Israelites who walked into homes chocked full of bounty and wells already dug, no work was required, only obedience. No, it wasn’t fair. It was faith.

“…vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees (maakal – food, fruit, something to eat) in abundance (rob – multitude, greatness, extensive, immense, multiplied)…”

…vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in immense abundance.

I know many of us could look around at our well-stocked pantries, overflowing refrigerators, and handsomely decorated homes and see the literal reality of these verses. And, indeed, He sometimes blesses with material things. So we might open our lives and give to others.

But, as His Church may we see how Jesus promised blessing under the New Covenant will be our lives bearing much fruit. Zero guarantee of material prosperity; absolute guarantee of suffering. And simple grace for our need.

May we live like what He said is True.

“You gave them kingdoms and nations, allotting to them even the remotest frontiers. They took over the country of Sihon king of Heshbon and the country of Og king of Bashan. You made their children as numerous as the stars in the sky, and you brought them into the land that you told their parents to enter and possess.”

Nehemiah 9:22-23

Last time we saw the deliberate details Yahweh tended to for His people in the wilderness. Today we see the extravagant blessings He lavished.

“You gave them kingdoms (mamlakah – kingdom, sovereignty, dominion, reign, royal, rule; from melek – king) and nations (am – folk) and divided them (chalaq – deal, distribute, share, smooth like smooth stones were used for lots, to apportion, flatter) into districts (peah – corner, side, boundary, sector, forehead, temples; from poh – here, hither, each side).”

You gave them kingdoms (rule and reign) and nations (ordinary folk) and distributed them with generous boundaries, “allotted to them every corner” (ESV).

Often we are okay with how God will supply what we need, but we get uncomfortable when He begins to pile on blessings. When we first moved overseas, we flew directly into a large conference on the sea, filled to the brim with churches serving those who had been living away from their home country for multiple months.

I wish I could describe how wrong it felt for me to allow these servants to bless me. Me, fresh from America, poured into for weeks in training, ready to “earn” my keep. And yet, the more I resisted His grace through this conference, the more I said, “Well, we are just now getting to our intended city,” the sadder I felt in my spirit. There was no earning this. Refusing offers of blessing would not serve Him or those offering.

Same was true of our Israelites. They had not earned the Promised Land. In fact, in their disobedience, many were not allowed to enter. And yet, those obedient did not deserve such generous boundaries. To rule with benevolence in the midst of those watching nations. It was God’s good pleasure to increase their boundaries, allot them every corner of a rich land, and show off the kind of Father He is.

“So they took possession (yarash – inherit, utterly dispossess, give to possess, heir, new owners, occupy, enjoy  take possession of, come to poverty, make poor, expel, drive out, expel, occupy by drive out previous tenants) of the land of the king of Heshbon (Cheshbon – place east of Jordan) and the land of Og king of Bashan (region east of Jordan; smooth).”

So they inherited [by implication, expel/bring to poverty previous tenants] the land of the king of Heshbon and the land of Og king of Bashan.

Ah, and here’s the rub. The intense discomfort I feel reading “drive out, come to poverty” in the midst of our current world climate. The way such language has been used to justify white supremacy and colonizing.

And yet. Knowing the heart of God is not evil, cannot do evil, let’s remember together His perfect, loving justice. And His ultimate purpose in drawing all nations to Himself.

Just like us, His people were never blessed just to hoard it. They were blessed to bless others. To show how much better is our God than any idol. To point to His sufficiency, yes, but also His lavish generosity. So that as freely as we have received, we can freely give.

“You multiplied (rabah – to be much, many, great, bring in abundance) their children (ben – son, descendants) as the stars (kokab – star; likely from kavah – to burn, shine) of the heavens and brought them (bo – come in, carried, certainly come to pass, bring forth, abide)…”

You brought in abundance their descendants as numerous (and burn, shine) as the stars in the heavens and brought them forth…

I think the beauty of such abundance and blessing for those who will receive is in the way it is carried forward. A legacy of faith is brought in abundance, whether married with children or not. What God can do in the spiritual realm with a surrendered life has nothing to do with bearing physical children.

Stop and think about that last sentence. Do you genuinely believe it? If you’re struggling, and you have become a disciple of Jesus, it could help to think through those people who have invested in your life. Anyone who has modeled in the flesh what agape love looks like, sacrificing their comforts or desires to honor our Crucified Savior and love you. Anyone who met with you in a dark time, asked purposeful questions, shared a meal or a family or a holiday with you. Someone who let you into their life, not because of what they could get from it, but because they had been blessed and wanted to pour out to others.

Does that help? Now, could you be that person to someone else? We are a lonely, divided, love-starved world. Close your eyes and imagine if those of us serious about walking with Jesus through it would invest in others who invest in others. More than the stars in the heavens, burning bright as the light of the world. Can you see it?

“…into the land which you had told (amar – assign, declare, give order, appoint, plainly say, call, charge, command) their fathers to go in (bo again) and possess (yarash again).”

…carried them into the land which you had plainly commanded them to inherit and abide, enjoy as new owners.

Can we just let God make us happy, friends? Maybe if we did we’d stop demanding counterfeit happiness from each other. Can we enjoy without hoarding, love without possessing, and share without fear? Can we take Him at His Word and advance where His Spirit is playfully leading? Joyfully compelling? Sincerely refining?

It’s the only place we want to be.

“You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst. For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.”

Nehemiah 9:20-21

Last time we saw the Israelites show deep rejection toward Yahweh, creating a golden calf, boldly declaring it was what carried them out of Egypt. But we also saw His exceeding compassion in not refusing to guide them. Today we see in more detail the ways He took care of His people.

“You gave them your good (towb – beautiful, pleasant, agreeable) Spirit (ruach – breath, wind, spirit, air, cool, courage, grief, temper, trustworthy, windy, wrath) to instruct (sakal – to be prudent, to consider, expert, make wise, skillful, good success, teach, wisdom, guide wittingly) them…”

You gave them your beautiful, pleasant, agreeable Spirt – wind, trustworthy breath, air, courage – to teach, make them wise, skillful, expert, cause them to be prudent and have success.

Sometimes the Book of John feels like a counseling session to me. I read the Last Supper in three gospels yesterday, Maundy Thursday, and the detail John includes was pure comfort. It is to your benefit I go, so the Counselor can come. I am the Vine, you are the branches; remain in me. I pray for those You have given Me; don’t take them out of this world, set them apart by Truth.

Where would we be without this Spirit of Truth? The Holy Advocate, the Beautiful Breath and Courageous Counselor? He has always been the Godhead, Three in One. He hovered over the great deep before creation and was one-third of “Let Us Make…“

And while He manifested Himself differently under the Old Covenant, He is now fully united with us when we receive Jesus as Master. Believers, may we surrender to Him in us to make us pleasant, wise, prudent lights in this world.

“You did not withhold (mana – withhold, hold back, hinder, keep back, refuse, deny, refrain, restrain) your manna (man – whatness, type of bread; from meh – what? how? why? whatever, good end, purpose, which? when?) from their mouths (peh – mouth, accordance, boast, face, hunger, spokesman, words, commandment, eat; from pa’ah – mouth, to cleave in pieces, blow away, scatter into corners)…”

“You did not mana Your manna.” Interesting turn of phrase, don’t you think?

You did not hold back, refuse, deny your miracle bread from their mouths in hunger…

I began reading through Matthew this week, and was struck by the humanness of Jesus when He was tempted in the wilderness. Forty days with no food, all alone, the infinite limited to the finite – God was hungry.

I am so happy He knows how hard it can be to be fully human. He does not take our pain lightly in a distant, above-it-all superiority. He knows. And He does not withhold, refuse, or deny us what He knows we need. He is simply not cruel.

And in the Israelites’ desert time, He provided manna from heaven. The Hebrew for manna means “whatness.” What is this mysterious bread daily sustaining us? How does He know exactly what we need? But other questions are implied by that root word for manna, meh: what? which? when? how? why? whatever, good end, purpose?

While God clearly had issue with the Israelites unbelief and grumbling, throughout His Word He seems to invite the genuine questioning. And when we take our bloodied hearts and confused minds to Him, where do we end up? In genuine relationship, answers or no answers, with experiential knowledge He is God.

“…and gave them water (mayim – water, juice, spring) for their thirst (tsama – thirst, parched ground; from tsame – to suffer thirst)…”

And gave them springs of water for their suffering thirst…

During library time at school, I’ve been thumbing through this gem of a science-art book. With stunning photography, the artist author details the intricacy of this element. And because of condensation, evaporation, and rainfall, the water on our earth today is the same water our ancient Israelites had.

And since this two-hydrogen, one-oxygen organic chemical substance is necessary for life, Covenant Yahweh made it flow from a rock to meet His people’s needs. He will meet our needs today, too, Church.

“And for forty years you sustained (kul – comprehend, contain, calculate, endure, maintain, provide, abide, bear, forebear, guide, nourish, receive, sustain, provision, sustenance, sustainer) them in the wilderness (midbar – desert, mouth, south, speech, wilderness, from dabar – to speak, boast, declare, utter, tell)…”

For forty years you provided, guided, nourished and sustained them in the wilderness desert…

“…they lacked nothing (chaser – empty, needing, decrease, deprive, scarce, want)…

“…their clothes did not wear out (balah – old, consume, decay, waste away, worn) nor did their feet (regel – feet, to be able to endure, follow, haunt, journey; from ragal – to go about on foot, slander, spy, backbite, taught to walk) become swollen (batseq – swell, blister)…”

They lacked, were in need, deprived of nothing, experienced no scarcity. Their clothes were not worn away, decayed, nor did their feet, their ability to follow on the journey, swell and blister.

Isn’t He good? On this Good Friday, can we celebrate that He did not simply create and walk away? That He created, provided, forgave, prophesied, and became God with Us? Then He hungered, felt thirst, required clothing, knew the wear of a hot, dusty ground. A weary planet and broken hearts.

That word chaser, “they lacked nothing,” is again in our Shepherd Psalm 23:

“The LORD is my Shepherd,

I shall not want…”

We won’t have lack, be in need, and He withholds nothing from us that is required. Scarcity mentality is a lie. He is our Guide.

And because of that, and His Good Spirit in us, we can bow at His nail-scared feet and together celebrate, “It is Finished.”