As I read through the book of Numbers during this turbulent time in our own nation due to Covid-19, I see the severity of the burden that Moses must have felt in his last 40 years as a leader.

Having led the nation of Israel out of Egypt after the miraculous plagues, through the Red Sea, to the mountain where God gave them the Ten Commandments and Law, and then through the wilderness, he is faced with a group of people who continue to complain and rebel.

Moses’ scouts return from the Promised Land, turn the people against Moses, and try to return to Egypt. Then, condemned to the wilderness, they mount a campaign to enter the land against his guidance. Then, the Levites rebel, wishing to have the priestly privileges that Aaron and his sons alone are entrusted with, resulting in the earth opening up to swallow the rebels and their families.

Moses leads despite the criticism and difficulty of the task. He does not abandon them, and we don’t see him lash out at them. They don’t appreciate his leadership or God’s intervention, and yet he sticks his neck out and pleads for God’s mercy upon them several times. It’s no wonder he writes these accounts of the people…by all accounts, any other writer would have written Moses in as a terrible leader.

And what about these times: God was doing amazing things, the people needed only to trust God, trust Moses, and be willing to focus on the blessings they had been given, rather than the hardships their current situation included.

I wonder if our leaders feel this same disdain for their hard work? Unappreciated and untrusted, they feel like every small decision is contested and debated. We should not blindly trust our leaders, and they certainly will make mistakes, but I hope we show respect and courtesy, even in our times of confusion and differing opinions. They have a hard job, and I hope we don’t make it harder, and that they are willing to put their lives on the line for us, just as Moses did.

I wonder how much focusing on negatives has made our current struggle worse than it really is! We are surrounded by blessings, but if we are not careful, we will continue to take them for granted. How amazing is it that we have assistance all around us, offering food, making medical masks, and offering jobs to those who find themselves unemployed during this time?

I wonder how much of this situation we can change more radically if we really pull together as a nation, put our own agenda’s aside for a time, and really work to support those who need it most: truly distancing ourselves, contributing time, money, and work to supply needs, and getting businesses reoriented to prepare buildings and equipment for patients who need it most.

And I wonder, how will our nation respond, if we face a longer crisis than this immediate one ahead of us? The nation of Israel faced 40 years in the wilderness during this time. Their crisis didn’t have a light at the end of a short tunnel they could see. Hope was far off, and they had to settle into a lifestyle in hardship. They had to respond to their leader and work hard to help each other out for the long term. Right now, Americans are operating in a way that expects normal to return soon. I pray that when normal turns out to be a long way off, or another issue keeps us in turbulent times longer, they don’t abandon their goodwill and expressions of faith.

God leads us through the dark times, short and prolonged. I trust Him to do it, and I urge you to do so too!

The older I get, the more life trains me to live for the long term. When Isaiah predicts that Assyria will leave Israel alone, he gives them a game plan for the next three years: live off what grows for two years, then plant and harvest in the third year. Three years to recovery–that used to sound so shocking! Now it sounds typical.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not a patient person. I don’t want anything to take three years. I hate working on projects that I can’t get complete quickly. I need the sense of completion or I lose hope putting together a project.

However, I have learned the danger in a short-term perspective as Isaiah also illustrates it, and I am challenged to take on a perspective that far exceeds even the most conservative ideas of long term perspective today.

In Isaiah’s story, Hezekiah’s only concern is for his lifetime. His whole world stops when he gets sick, and he pleads with God not to end his life. Then, when given an extra fifteen years, Hezekiah doesn’t seem to do anything remarkable with it, doesn’t appear to pour any spiritual guidance into his successor, and isn’t upset by the news that the kingdom will be conquered by Babylon–because it won’t happen in his lifetime.

How much time to I spend working toward things that will outlast me? How far past my lifetime do I envision the world? Am I doing things like raising my kids to make an impact on the world after I am gone, or do I just want them to be responsible adults so that I don’t deal with embarrassment later on…and so I can depend on them in my old age?

This passage isn’t intended to teach that long term perspective matters, but it seemed to jump off the pages to me as I read it this week as something I need to think more about. What do you think?

I am totally convinced that the one thing every person can do to grow the fastest is to spend time with God every single day. There’s great research out there to prove it—and it has proven to be true in my personal experience and the experience of others who take the challenge too.

As a pastor my greatest goal is to see people grow in big ways spiritually—so naturally, I get really excited when a new, simple to use tool arrives that helps that happen. The latest tool has become the foundation of my new personal Bible reading plan for the year: The Every Day with Jesus Bible.

Although I am a HUGE fan of the Bible app and have used their Bible reading plans with great success, I often find it distracting to read on my phone…and it can seduce me into thinking through the rest of the day before I’ve gotten into a good conversation with God. Print materials are often a better tool for me, provided I remember to keep them with me until I get my quiet time in.

I love the format of this Bible too. Instead of a straight read through the Bible, which can be a bit monotonous when you get into less applicable portions of the Bible, this Bible mixes together relevant passages from the Old Testament, New Testament and Psalms. It even includes a devotional thought to challenge me to apply what I have read each day in a very specific way.

Aside from a good study Bible, which I’ll be sure to keep close by while I do my reading, this Bible’s format really appears to be a great setup for my time with God this year. I even secured a few copies for $5 each during Lifeway’s holiday sale.

If you don’t already have a plan for your time with God this year, then I urge you to make one. Your time with God is far too important to miss, and far too important not to approach with some intentionality. Make sure you set a regular time, place, and format. No one…no one is too busy to neglect this crucial appointment in their day.

If you need a one year Bible, then let me know. I’ll get you one.
If you are new to this and need something simplier, then make sure you start each day with the Daily Bread devotional, online at www.odb.org or free in print.

But as we end 2015 and look forward to an exciting 2016, my biggest wish for you, is that your time with God each day leads to some amazing outcomes!

Oh, and remember: if you are a parent, make sure you do this with your kids too! Try out the Bible App for Kids or this printed version.

I am totally convinced that the one thing every person can do to grow the fastest is to spend time with God every single day. There’s great research out there to prove it—and it has proven to be true in my personal experience and the experience of others who take the challenge too.

As a pastor my greatest goal is to see people grow in big ways spiritually—so naturally, I get really excited when a new, simple to use tool arrives that helps that happen. The latest tool has become the foundation of my new personal Bible reading plan for the year: The Every Day with Jesus Bible.

Although I am a HUGE fan of the Bible app and have used their Bible reading plans with great success, I often find it distracting to read on my phone…and it can seduce me into thinking through the rest of the day before I’ve gotten into a good conversation with God. Print materials are often a better tool for me, provided I remember to keep them with me until I get my quiet time in.

I love the format of this Bible too. Instead of a straight read through the Bible, which can be a bit monotonous when you get into less applicable portions of the Bible, this Bible mixes together relevant passages from the Old Testament, New Testament and Psalms. It even includes a devotional thought to challenge me to apply what I have read each day in a very specific way.

Aside from a good study Bible, which I’ll be sure to keep close by while I do my reading, this Bible’s format really appears to be a great setup for my time with God this year. I even secured a few copies for $5 each during Lifeway’s holiday sale.

If you don’t already have a plan for your time with God this year, then I urge you to make one. Your time with God is far too important to miss, and far too important not to approach with some intentionality. Make sure you set a regular time, place, and format. No one…no one is too busy to neglect this crucial appointment in their day.

If you need a one year Bible, then let me know. I’ll get you one.
If you are new to this and need something simplier, then make sure you start each day with the Daily Bread devotional, online at www.odb.org or free in print.

But as we end 2015 and look forward to an exciting 2016, my biggest wish for you, is that your time with God each day leads to some amazing outcomes!

Oh, and remember: if you are a parent, make sure you do this with your kids too! Try out the Bible App for Kids or this printed version.

I am totally convinced that the one thing every person can do to grow the fastest is to spend time with God every single day. There’s great research out there to prove it—and it has proven to be true in my personal experience and the experience of others who take the challenge too.

As a pastor my greatest goal is to see people grow in big ways spiritually—so naturally, I get really excited when a new, simple to use tool arrives that helps that happen. The latest tool has become the foundation of my new personal Bible reading plan for the year: The Every Day with Jesus Bible.

Although I am a HUGE fan of the Bible app and have used their Bible reading plans with great success, I often find it distracting to read on my phone…and it can seduce me into thinking through the rest of the day before I’ve gotten into a good conversation with God. Print materials are often a better tool for me, provided I remember to keep them with me until I get my quiet time in.

I love the format of this Bible too. Instead of a straight read through the Bible, which can be a bit monotonous when you get into less applicable portions of the Bible, this Bible mixes together relevant passages from the Old Testament, New Testament and Psalms. It even includes a devotional thought to challenge me to apply what I have read each day in a very specific way.

Aside from a good study Bible, which I’ll be sure to keep close by while I do my reading, this Bible’s format really appears to be a great setup for my time with God this year. I even secured a few copies for $5 each during Lifeway’s holiday sale.

If you don’t already have a plan for your time with God this year, then I urge you to make one. Your time with God is far too important to miss, and far too important not to approach with some intentionality. Make sure you set a regular time, place, and format. No one…no one is too busy to neglect this crucial appointment in their day.

If you need a one year Bible, then let me know. I’ll get you one.
If you are new to this and need something simplier, then make sure you start each day with the Daily Bread devotional, online at www.odb.org or free in print.

But as we end 2015 and look forward to an exciting 2016, my biggest wish for you, is that your time with God each day leads to some amazing outcomes!

Oh, and remember: if you are a parent, make sure you do this with your kids too! Try out the Bible App for Kids or this printed version.