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Every Detail
Andrea Lende • April 21, 2020
Numbers 2:32 and 34
Every Detail
Daily Word:
Numbers 2:32 and 34
“These are the Israelites as numbered by their fathers’ houses. All in the camps who were numbered by their companies were 603,550.”
“Thus the Israelites did according to all the Lord commanded Moses; so they encamped by their standards, and so they set forward, everyone with his [tribal] families, according to his father’s house.”
As I read this chapter this morning I was struck with God’s precision.
He gave specific instructions as to where over a half a million people were to be settled.
There were twelve tribes that were to camp around the Tent of Meeting which was the place God dwelled among them.
And God gave a place for each tribe – north facing, south facing, east facing, and west facing.
The Lord was so specific as to which tribe was to camp where.
He had a reason for every tribe to be where He required them to be.
And Moses and Aaron obeyed God.
God led them every step of the way.
As I read the Old Testament scriptures, I am amazed at how involved God was in their day to day lives.
I am amazed that God Himself was taking such great care of the people and their needs.
He is still caring for us today.
I know that He wants to give us direction in our lives.
I don’t know about you, but there were just so many years I wasn’t listening.
Not really listening.
I was going my own way and I regret those years.
However, I am thankful that I am listening to Him now.
And I pray that He will continue to keep me at His feet listening to His commands.
Moses led over half a million people out of bondage and slavery to safety.
God was with them every step of the journey.
Yes, the people strayed.
Yes, God got angry and dealt with His people just as a father and/or mother does with their children.
But He never stopped loving them and caring for them.
He cared for their every need.
Their true needs.
He went before them and led them supernaturally.
And when they camped, He wanted them to all be facing His place of residence – the portable Tent of Meeting.
He desires our attention as well.
He desires communion with us.
He wants to lead and direct every step of our existence.
All of it.
Every part of it.
Today I choose to look to God for direction and want Him to be a part of every detail of my life.
May you find that as you look to the Lord for direction and guidance that you will find Him tending to every detail of your life.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for showing me that You desire to be involved in every detail of my life. Thank You for changing the course of my life so that I would come closer to You. Thank You for calling me to You, Father, and showing me more of You each day. Help me be obedient to You, Lord, and look to You for guidance in all that I do. Help me know that You want to be intimately involved in my life. Thank You for taking care of me in every way. Don’t let me miss You, Lord. Help me hear every whisper and heed every direction You give to me. I desire to be completely inside of Your will. Bend my will to Yours, Lord. Thank You for taking care of me so perfectly. Thank You for caring about every detail in my life. May You continue to lead and guide me in every way. Help me serve You, Father, and serve Your people. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I love you, My child, and want to be involved in every part of your life.
Response: Undeserving of Your love, thank You most gracious and mighty God.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.