THE LORD SPOKE (February 18)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Leviticus 20-21

It’s not an all-inclusive list. There are others that are more complete even in this same book of Leviticus. But the categories of punishments for sin listed in Leviticus 20 are very revealing:

• vs. 9 - “put to death”
• vs. 14 - “burned in the fire”
• vs. 17 - “cut off before the eyes of their people”
• vs. 19 - “be held responsible”
• vs. 20 - “die childless”

The categories of sin under each of these punishments is also very interesting. Go back and read it again - you wouldn’t expect some of them. Keep in mind that for a Jewish person to be “cut off from his people” was as bad as, or worse than, being put to death.

The section begins with a strong statement to “consecrate yourselves and be holy” (Lev. 20:7) and repeatedly throughout the chapter the reason given is “because I am the LORD (Yahweh), your God”. It is God’s holiness that establishes both the standard and the reason for holiness. He says it again later in the chapter: “You are to be holy to me because I the LORD am holy...” (Lev. 20:26).

The continuation of the statement in vs. 7 is very significant: “Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD who makes you holy.” In the final analysis, we can’t be holy. Not as He requires. The standard is too high and even our “righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6, KJV). But He becomes our righteousness (Jer. 23:6; 33:16). He make us holy. That truth is even more pronounced on the pages of the New Testament for Jesus Christ died to purchase our pardon and credit righteousness to our account (Rom. 4:24; 5:21). When that pardon has been applied, God sees us as holy.

Purify my heart,
Let me be as gold and precious silver.
Purify my heart,
Let me be as gold, pure gold.

Refiner's fire, my heart's one desire is to be holy;
Set apart for You, Lord.
I want to be holy.
Set apart for You, my Master;
Ready to do Your will.

Purify my heart,
Cleanse me from within and make me holy.
Purify my heart,
Cleanse me from my sin deep within.

Refiner's fire, my heart's one desire is to be holy;
Set apart for You, Lord.
I want to be holy.
Set apart for You, my Master;
Ready to do Your will.


New Testament: Luke 5

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. (Luke 5:16)

You probably wouldn’t think of Jesus as needing prayer. On one occasion when speaking with the Father, He indicated that the communication between them “was for your benefit, not mine” (Jn. 12:30) but that would not explain the many references to Him seeking out a solitary place (c.f. Lk. 4:42; 6:12; Mk. 1:35). He taught His disciples to “come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mk. 6:31). Taking off on the King James English of that passage, Howard Hendricks used to say, “Come apart lest you come apart.”

Jesus practiced what He preached. You wouldn’t expect it to be any other way. So He must have meant it when He told us that we need our solitary times and places. He himself needed that time alone with the heavenly Father. Most of us lead pretty busy lives and find it hard to get alone with Him on a regular basis. If you have small children, you rarely have a spare moment - never mind a solitary spot. But you too must come apart occasionally or you’ll just end up coming apart.

So get serious about this! If may be that your only solution will be to get up a little earlier in the morning so you can find solitude. By the way, have you noticed how Jesus had to do just that, sometimes getting up “a great while before day” (Mk. 1:35). Yes, those few extra minutes of sleep may be hard to give up but you won’t regret the cost when once you’ve done it. “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps. 34:8).

Commune with the Lord. Speak to Him and let Him speak to you. Cast your cares upon Him. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God and the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7).

When our request is wrong, He says, “No.”
When our timing is wrong, He says, “Slow.”
When our motivation is wrong, He says, “Grow.”
But when we ask for the right thing at the right time in the right way, He says, “Go.”