For a full description of the (Y4) reading plan, see the “About” page.
Ex. 26
Skilled labor and fine materials went into this tabernacle. It was no ramshackle wilderness structure, but, rather, the best of the best. And still it was woefully inadequate for reconciling man to God. Even the best of our efforts can never be enough.
John 5
When Jesus healed the man at the pool, He told him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” (Jn. 5:8). That man had no idea who Jesus was, yet he obeyed. When the self-righteous Jews confronted him because he unlawfully carried his pallet on the Sabbath, He gave them a simple answer. He said, “He who made me well was the one who said to me, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk.’” (Jn. 5:11). I love that because, though he didn’t know Jesus, the man recognized Him as the true authority He was. More than human leaders or laws, Jesus, the One who heals us and forgives our sins, is the One we obey because He is the One with the true power.
As a side note, don’t think I’m advocating for disobedience to human authorities. Jesus clearly taught otherwise. But the Sabbath belongs to God. So, too, as we learn from Peter and John, does our testimony. Which is why, when the Jewish leaders told them to stop speaking about Jesus, they replied, “Whether it is right in the sight of God of give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19b-20). As Jesus said, noted in three of the four gospels, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (From Mk. 12:17).
Prov. 2
If you truly seek wisdom, you will find God, because God is the giver of wisdom. It originates in Him, and you cannot have true wisdom without Him. When wisdom then enters your heart, “Discretion will guard you, understanding will watch over you, to deliver you from the way of evil” (Pr. 2:11-12a). Take notice of what that says. Wisdom does not keep bad things from happening to you. It keeps you from doing bad things. It protects you from going the way that leads to destruction because wisdom leads us straight to God.