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Sketched X Day 12 What Are You Waiting For?: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out What Are You Waiting For?

The Questions

1) Why did Jacob need to send his sons to Egypt to buy grain? (Genesis 42:1-7)

2) Why did Joseph not reveal who he was to his brothers? (Genesis 42:8-26)

3) Why did Jacob keep Benjamin home? (Genesis 42:29-38)

Genesis 42:1-43:14

42 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you keep looking at each other? 2 Listen,” he went on, “I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us so that we will live and not die.” 3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he thought, “Something might happen to him.”

5 The sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. 6 Joseph was in charge of the country; he sold grain to all its people. His brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground. 7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke harshly to them.

“Where do you come from?” he asked.

“From the land of Canaan to buy food,” they replied.

8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. 9 Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said to them, “You are spies. You have come to see the weakness of the land.”

10 “No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food,” they said. 11 “We are all sons of one man. We are honest; your servants are not spies.”

12 “No,” he said to them. “You have come to see the weakness of the land.”

13 But they replied, “We, your servants, were twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no longer living.”

14 Then Joseph said to them, “I have spoken: ‘You are spies!’ 15 This is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one from among you to get your brother. The rest of you will be imprisoned so that your words can be tested to see if they are true. If they are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” 17 So Joseph imprisoned them together for three days.

18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “I fear God—do this and you will live. 19 If you are honest, let one of you be confined to the guardhouse, while the rest of you go and take grain to relieve the hunger of your households. 20 Bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be confirmed; then you won’t die.” And they consented to this.

21 Then they said to each other, “Obviously, we are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his deep distress when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this trouble has come to us.”

22 But Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to harm the boy? But you wouldn’t listen. Now we must account for his blood!”

23 They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them. 24 He turned away from them and wept. When he turned back and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes. 25 Joseph then gave orders to fill their containers with grain, return each man’s silver to his sack, and give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out. 26 They loaded the grain on their donkeys and left there.

The Brothers Return Home

27 At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver there at the top of his bag. 28 He said to his brothers, “My silver has been returned! It’s here in my bag.” Their hearts sank. Trembling, they turned to one another and said, “What has God done to us?”

29 When they reached their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them: 30 “The man who is the lord of the country spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country. 31 But we told him, ‘We are honest and not spies. 32 We were twelve brothers, sons of the same father. One is no longer living, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.’ 33 The man who is the lord of the country said to us, ‘This is how I will know if you are honest: Leave one brother with me, take food to relieve the hunger of your households, and go. 34 Bring back your youngest brother to me, and I will know that you are not spies but honest men. I will then give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the country.’”

35 As they began emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his bag of silver! When they and their father saw their bags of silver, they were afraid.

36 Their father Jacob said to them, “It’s me that you make childless. Joseph is gone, and Simeon is gone. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything happens to me!”

37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You can kill my two sons if I don’t bring him back to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him to you.”

38 But Jacob answered, “My son will not go down with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left. If anything happens to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hairs down to Sheol in sorrow.”

Decision to Return to Egypt

43 Now the famine in the land was severe. 2 When they had used up the grain they had brought back from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little food.”

3 But Judah said to him, “The man specifically warned us, ‘You will not see me again unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go, for the man said to us, ‘You will not see me again unless your brother is with you.’”

6 “Why have you caused me so much trouble?” Israel asked. “Why did you tell the man that you had another brother?”

7 They answered, “The man kept asking about us and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?”

8 Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me. We will be on our way so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our dependents. 9 I will be responsible for him. You can hold me personally accountable! If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, I will be guilty before you forever. 10 If we had not delayed, we could have come back twice by now.”

11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balsam and a little honey, aromatic gum and resin, pistachios and almonds. 12 Take twice as much silver with you. Return the silver that was returned to you in the top of your bags. Perhaps it was a mistake. 13 Take your brother also, and go back at once to the man. 14 May God Almighty cause the man to be merciful to you so that he will release your other brother and Benjamin to you. As for me, if I am deprived of my sons, then I am deprived.”

Original Intent

1) Why did Jacob need to send his sons to Egypt to buy grain? (Genesis 42:1-7)
It’s a big section of Scripture to dive into in a short study, but it covers a lot of important details! If you haven’t yet, please go back and Read His Words Before Mine! It won’t take you long and will be invaluable as we study these two chapters together! In Genesis 41 Joseph is called before Pharaoh to interpret his dreams. This dream interpreting ability wasn’t new to Joseph (Go Read: Genesis 37:5-10; Genesis 40:8-19). God used Joseph to inform Pharaoh of an upcoming 7 years of plenty followed by 7 years of famine. This famine wasn’t confined to Egypt but would spread throughout the land. (Genesis 41:56-57) People traveled to purchase grain from Egypt due to the surplus that had been stored there under Joseph’s wise direction. Grain was absolutely essential for livelihood in those days. It was easily stored and therefore used in almost everything people ate. Without grain, life would become difficult, if not impossible. When Jacob and his family needed grain, the famine’s severity left Jacob with no choice but to send his sons to purchase it from the only location grain could be found…Egypt. Without it, their family and their entire livelihood would likely die of starvation.

2) Why did Joseph not reveal who he was to his brothers? (Genesis 42:8-26)
Joseph’s brothers appeared before him asking for grain (Genesis 42:6) along with countless other people making the same request, having traveled many miles on little sustenance. Interestingly, instead of revealing his identity to his brothers and reuniting the family, he accused them of being spies. (Genesis 42:9) He went so far as to keep one of his brothers in prison while the rest returned home with strict instructions to bring Benjamin to Egypt. (Genesis 42:19) The last time Joseph had seen his brothers they were selling him into slavery, which left many open doubts about their integrity in Joseph’s mind. What kind of men were his brothers now? Joseph was attempting to discover if their character had changed by setting up a series of tests intended to draw out their true selves. Were they still the same as when they vengefully sold him or had they truly repented of their actions and changed their lives? Joseph needed to find out. Through his series of tests Joseph discovered they had truly changed in their hearts. He would eventually reveal himself as their long-lost brother. Read tomorrow’s Journey Study for more!

3) Why did Jacob keep Benjamin home? (Genesis 42:29-38)
Jacob had many sons, however, only two were born to Rachel, Joseph’s favorite wife. Joseph and Benjamin were full brothers while Joseph’s other brothers were half-brothers born to Leah. Genesis 37:3-4 tells us that of all twelve sons born to Jacob, Joseph was his favorite. Joseph was born in Jacob’s old age to the wife he had worked 14 years to win and marry from his uncle Laban. (Genesis 29:16-28) When Jacob was deceived by his other sons into believing Joseph had been killed, it devastated Jacob. However, it appears he continued playing favorites and chose Benjamin as his new favorite. Unwilling to part with his last remaining connection to favorited Joseph and favorited Rachel, Jacob simply couldn’t bear to send Benjamin to Egypt for fear of never seeing him again. Though motivated by selfishness and sinful favoritism, Jacob was also protecting the youngest male in the family to preserve the family line.

Everyday Application

1) Why did Jacob need to send his sons to Egypt to buy grain? (Genesis 42:1-7)
Life in the days of Genesis was nearly impossible without grain and the famine caused Jacob and his family to deplete their supply. The only reason Egypt had grain was because God used Jacob to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams allowing them to prepare ahead of time for the coming famine. The Lord is a preserving, generous, providing God! Until the moment Joseph was called before Pharaoh, his life had been anything but easy. His brothers sold him (Genesis 37:18-28), they made Father Jacob believe him to be dead (Genesis 37:31-33), he was unjustly thrown into prison for a crime he didn’t commit (Genesis 39:6-23), and he was forgotten by the cupbearer whose dreams he interpreted (Genesis 40:23). However, God never forgot Joseph. Just as God preserved Egypt and other nations with grain, He preserved His plan for Joseph’s life through every hardship. God intended to save many through Joseph’s life and his faith. As believers today, this should remind and encourage us as we face our own struggles and dark seasons. No matter what life brings our way, the Lord God is always sovereign. He will preserve us and finish His work in us. We can trust His plan, even when we cannot see it.

2) Why did Joseph not reveal who he was to his brothers? (Genesis 42:8-26)
Life events, especially suffering, either makes us better, stronger, and kinder if we lean into the Lord to shape us, or they make us bitter, angry, miserable, and even prideful. Perhaps you’ve experienced these two different outcomes in your own life or watched them play out in someone else’s. Joseph allowed the Lord to grow his faith through suffering, but without any interaction with the brothers who had sold him as a slave, he had no way to know if they had changed or remained the same. The important part of this story isn’t that Joseph tested his brothers’ character, but that Joseph’s character shone through. Joseph wasn’t out to demolish his brothers with vengeance, power, or self-righteous arrogance as proven by his later statement to them of God’s goodness. (Genesis 50:20) True repentance always results in genuine life change, which was what Joseph intended to discover of his brothers. Just like these men, we are all sinners needing true repentance. In our free will, we make decisions that go against God’s will and harm our relationship with Him and others; this is sin. Even a single lie or a single word of gossip is counted as sin; none of us are righteous. (Romans 3:10-11) However, God is graciously ready to forgive us and restore our broken relationship if we will come to Him in true repentance. (1 John 1:9) There is no sin too big for God to forgive, for all sins equally separate us from Him. When we seek His forgiveness and repent, it must include life change. If we simply go through the motions of feeling remorseful, but never going to the Lord in true confession and desire to live differently, we will continuously fall back into the cycle of sin. We must invite God to transform our broken places by His Spirit. As He works through our repentance, we begin to look less like our sinful selves and more like Jesus. (Romans 8:29)

3) Why did Jacob keep Benjamin home? (Genesis 42:29-38)
Favoritism colored much of Jacob’s life and its sinful consequences played a role in the hatred of Joseph’s brothers against him. Perhaps it started out innocently enough, as sin often does, but sin is never a plaything. Sin’s trajectory always gives birth to death. (James 1:15) Perhaps your pet sin isn’t favoritism, but we all have a sin nature that leads us to speak and act in ways contrary to God’s plan for our lives. Though we may doubt it, following His commands will always bring us the fullness of life. (Psalm 119:127-130) How much heartache could Joseph have avoided for himself and his family had he chosen to reject favoritism?! Jacob wanted to keep Benjamin safe and couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to him; his hope was fixed on preserving his favorite instead of depending on the Lord. It’s as if he did not learn from Joseph’s supposed death how favoritism would leave him feeling hollow, empty, and alone in its wake. However, Jacob’s missed lesson is one you and I can learn from. We will make choices in our life and God will use those moments to teach us something, but only if we surrender to His ways. We can either choose to continue on our current path of sin, or we can turn our ways over to God, allowing Him to make us look more like Jesus!

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Sketched X Day 6 Without A Voice

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 39:21-40:23
Exodus 2:23-25
Exodus 3:7-12
Isaiah 53:10-12
Matthew 27:45-46

Sketched X, Day 6

As I sit here in my prison room pondering the irony of life, many memories play in my mind.

I clearly recall that fateful day how I pleaded with my brothers when they were about to sell me to the Midianite traders, but they would not listen.

I also recall the day when my Egyptian master’s wife tried to force me to sleep with her, and I escaped from her grip, leaving my shirt behind. (Genesis 39:10-20) On coming home, my master’s wife turned the whole thing against me, and my master, Potiphar, refused to hear my defense..

Like my brothers, my master turned a deaf ear to my plea, and I’ve been in prison since. Innocent, yet condemned as a criminal because I do not have a voice.

But I am comforted by God’s presence. He has been with me before I even knew the depths of the suffering I would experience. I may not understand why He allowed me to pass through all these difficulties, but I am confident He has not abandoned me.

In His mercy, He has granted me favour before the captain of the prison guards. The captain has committed all prisoners to my care to oversee. He does not bother to check my work, because he has found me faithful, and God is prospering the work of my hands..

More recently, I encountered two of Pharaoh’s officers here in the prison. They were his chief cupbearer and chief baker. One day as I checked on them, they were both upset, and I asked them, “Why do you look so sad today?”

They responded, “We had dreams, but there is no one to interpret them.” So I told them interpretation belongs to God, and offered to listen to their dreams.

The cupbearer began:

“In my dream there was a vine in front of me. On the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms came out and its clusters ripened into grapes. Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”

God revealed the meaning of the dream to me, and I told him within three days Pharaoh would restore him to work.

Encouraged by my words, the chief baker also narrated his dream:

“I also had a dream. Three baskets of white bread were on my head. In the top basket were all sorts of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”

God also gave me the interpretation, and I told him within three days Pharaoh would hang him. Indeed, within three days, God’s messages came to pass as the chief cupbearer was returned to work while the chief baker was hanged.

Meanwhile, I had told the chief cupbearer my unjust ordeal and how I landed in prison. I pleaded with him to remember me, and mention me before Pharaoh when he was restored. But since then I have not heard anything from him. It appears he too, has ignored my plea, and forgotten about me.

Oh, how it feels to be without a voice!

In my despair, I cry out to the only One who has not forgotten about me, “How long, O Lord? Can You hear my cries for help? Will You rescue me?”

Israel: God remembered, heard, and rescued Joseph, making him the voice of his people in Egypt. Later, generations of Israelites found themselves in a similar situation to Joseph as they were enslaved by a new pharaoh, engaged in severe hard labour with no one to speak for them. For over 400 years they cried to God for relief and deliverance, but it seemed they had been forgotten. Yet “God heard their groaning [. . .] God saw the Israelites, and God knew.” (Exodus 2:23-25)

Moses: God heard Israel’s cry and asked Moses to be His mouthpiece to them, just as Joseph asked the cupbearer to be his voice. Moses balked, but God equipped him, and in His kindness provided Aaron to speak for Moses. He ensured His work was accomplished, just as He freed Joseph that His work might continue. (Exodus 3:7-12)

Jesus: He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. The God-man whose word could have stopped His own crucifixion chose to remain silent . . . voiceless. Like Joseph, Jesus was innocent but condemned as a criminal. He only cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:45-46) But in His kindness, God was willing to sacrifice Jesus for our sin. (Isaiah 53:10-12)

Even when God appears silent, He is working out His plans in wondrous ways. Joseph became the instrument God used to save Israel from famine, and later, He used Moses to deliver them from slavery. In a similar way, God allowed Jesus to suffer unjustly to bring salvation to humankind.

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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The GT Weekend! ~ Worship X Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Be still. Patience. Wait. How good are you at these? I love Sarah’s examples of David as she told of his quest for rest, and all the reasons he couldn’t find it. I recently attended a conference where I served on staff. With all the preparation and full days, it definitely didn’t speak “rest”.  While it was an incredible conference, and I was blessed to serve, the “hurry” takes a toll. We spend ourselves on good things, even “God-focused things”, and find at its end we still need rest. “Life”, with all its deadlines and busy happenings, continue its demands with earnest! More than likely, we aren’t running for our lives as David was, but we can still run ourselves to exhaustion. Perhaps we are keeping ourselves so busy we don’t hear the Lord above the din of our own lives. Be still. Patience. Wait. What would we need to move in our daily rhythms to begin excelling at these disciplines? The never ending “to do lists”, our jobs, places of service, and our families are all very good things, but the Lord never called us to burn out on these. He did call us to be still. Suppose we decide together to model our rhythms after the example of Joshua at the Tent of Meeting.  He entered the tent with the express purpose of meeting God. As he encountered Gods’ presence, he didn’t want to leave. Even when Moses left, Joshua stayed. May it be so in our lives!

2) God is faithful! Christine kept this message before us in her Journey Study this week. How often we forget this! In the midst of trying circumstances, maybe even our current one, we fail to remember God’s faithfulness! We need to practice recalling God’s ways and His character. He is our very present help in times of trouble; Christine and Mandy reminded me of this truth as they pointed to His Word! We can toil, worry, and fret but it doesn’t help anything, and only escalates our anxiety. We can take God at His word! Recording His specific provision in our lives through journaling can help us look back and see God’s faithfulness. We can see God as provider, as our refuge, and our strength. If you’ve prayer journaled for a while, take a few minutes this weekend to read backwards and praise the Lord for His faithfulness to you! If you haven’t kept a journal before, take this as your invitation to start! He is our Hope and we can praise Him, even as we walk through struggles. When we see Him faithfully providing for us, and giving us His peace, even in unsteady waters, we can tell others of His greatness! When we worship the Lord for making a way through the pain or holding us while in the middle of it, we are glorifying Him!

3) On Day 10 of our Journey Theme, Bethany reminded us to keep on trusting the Lord because we know He is faithful. This hit as a timely reminder for me as my husband is currently unemployed, which is something we’ve never experienced in our marriage. It’s daunting indeed, and the longer we go without employment, I confess that, bit by bit, the supernatural peace I experienced before being unemployed seems to slip away. As our financial cushion is chipped away for all the usual expenses, so my faith also appears to be chipping away. I am not a new believer, Sisters. I have watched others walk through these same challenges and other hard things. It’s not easy to admit my faith waivers. I thank the Lord we have provisions for a time, but the lack of open doors pushes back against my faith. Still, this I know to be true: 1) God has never left us, even in challenging seasons. 2) His peace has not completely left; I am still comforted by Him. Since these are true, I can say, “Great is His faithfulness to provide all that we need. The physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs are all under His care. Great is His faithfulness as He holds us and walks with us in this season.”

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Psalm 71:23-24 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to You because You have redeemed me.
Therefore, my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness all day long,
for those who intend to harm me will be disgraced and confounded.

Prayer Journal
Dear Lord, in all things, may my lips praise You. In the mundane of my day, in the struggle of loss, in the fear of uncertainty, in every circumstance let me be known for praising You. For You alone are worthy of my praise. All the time. Even when the path seems rocky and clouds are pressing in, let me shout for joy. You are faithful and just to preserve me, faithful and just to sustain me, faithful and just to provide for me. Let me be so happy and peaceful in simply looking upon You and Your good heart that I truly confound the naysayers around me and the plain evidence of my circumstances. Lord God, I want You and only You. Let all who see my life and hear my words, whether they trust You personally or not, to become convinced of Your faithfulness because of my worship. You alone have redeemed me and called me by name. I am Yours.

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Worship X Day 10 The Steadfast One

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Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Peter 1:3-11
Luke 12:22-25
Job 38:41
Psalm 24:1-2
Romans 11:33-36

Worship X, Day 10

Our car broke down. Gainful employment was scarce. We’d struggled to find a new church community after moving. Loved ones faced challenges with their health and needed help but traveling to reach them was more than we could afford.

Overall, it seemed we were lacking. We were short on finances, resources, energy, community, availability, and all the things we felt we needed.

During this season, I stumbled across 2 Peter 1:3-11. The first part of verse 3 struck me deeply, “His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness[.]” (2 Peter 1:3) The verse also brings to mind a line from the chorus of Great Is Thy Faithfulness, “All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.”

I struggled to see how God provided “everything we needed” during that season, and I’ve certainly wrestled with this truth since then, too. Still, God has graciously shown me over and over that what I need for life and godliness, He does provide.

The second verse of Great Is Thy Faithfulness points to how God uses nature to demonstrate His provision.

“Summer and winter, springtime and harvest
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.”

Along with the sun, moon, and stars that testify of God’s faithfulness, there are also the birds that fly among them, like the raven. Two particular references to ravens in the Bible encourage me that God does indeed provide everything we need, outside our bodies and within our souls, for life and godliness.

Luke 12:22-25 describes Jesus instructing us not to worry about life and the physical needs of our bodies like clothes or food. He points to the raven as an example of dependence, “Consider the ravens: They don’t sow or reap; they don’t have a storeroom or a barn; yet God feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than the birds?” (Luke 12:24)

As God’s hand provides all we need for life itself, He also provides what we need for abundant, rich internal life – godliness! Job 38:41 illustrates this as God asks Job, “Who provides the raven’s food when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?“

On the surface, this is another reference to physical need. But read in context, we find this is one of many, many questions that offer Job the astounding, reassuring perspective God cares for our souls, is aware of our suffering, and is sufficient for us when we experience lack, loss, and need. 

Just as God cares for the ravens’ livelihood and uses creation to demonstrate His care for the spiritual health of His people, so He cares for us in our everyday lives. 

How can God so faithfully provide for every raven, every person, every physical and spiritual need?  As “summer and winter, springtime and harvest” sing and the psalmist declares, “The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the Lord[.]” (Psalm 24:1)

We saw this firsthand back in that season of feeling such lack. God unexpectedly provided a more reliable car for which we still thank Him today. A tax refund came in at just the right time, in just the right amount, for us to travel to help hurting loved ones. God led us to a church committed to His Word, where we were fed spiritually. Christian friends loved us sweetly and consistently.

By the time that season ended, it was hard to argue that anything we had wasn’t provided by God because it had all come about in ways that only He can work. His faithfulness spurred us to “join with all nature in manifold witness.” His faithfulness, not ours, had provided all we truly needed, in abundance.

That’s what happens when we behold and experience His provision firsthand, finding Him faithful to provide everything we need for life and godliness through Jesus. We end up wanting to praise Him, to declare the truth about Him, even to sing about Him!

Everything comes from Him and through Him,
and we discover as we receive from His merciful, generous hand
everything is for Him, too.
For His praise and glory.
“For from him and through him
And to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36)

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Wilderness Day 13 Bitter Places

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ruth 1:1-22
Exodus 15:22-16:8
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Revelation 21:1-5

Wilderness, Day 13

As Naomi entered Bethlehem, her heart was breaking. The sight of the familiar streets cast her mind back to happier times when she had walked them with her husband, her sons playing alongside.

How joyful and carefree they had been! But then, everything had changed . . .

First, a severe famine had forced them to leave Bethlehem. (Ruth 1) It hadn’t been easy to leave their homeland, but they had settled in Moab and been happy. At least they had one another.

But then Naomi’s husband, Elimilech, had died, followed around ten years later by not just one, but both of her sons. They had left as a family of four. Now as Naomi returned, alone, the sense of loss was overwhelming.

Sadly, loss is something we all encounter at some point. It may be the tragic death of loved ones, as with Naomi, but there are other losses – divorce, life-changing illness, redundancy, loss of a friendship . . .

The last couple of years have brought so much loss for us all due to the pandemic. We’ve grieved the loss of celebrations with family and friends, cancellations of long-anticipated plans, the loss of “normal” in gathering and traveling, all of which we once took for granted.

Sometimes, even “smaller” losses hit us hard.

In Naomi’s case, the devastating losses were so overwhelming they affected her whole sense of identity. As her old friends greeted her on her return to Bethlehem, her bitterness poured out.

“‘Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara,’ she answered, ‘for the Almighty has made me very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has opposed me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?’” (Ruth 1:20-21)

Several years earlier, as the Israelites travelled through the wilderness, they found themselves in a similar place of bitterness. (Exodus 15:22-27) After three days of searching for water, they finally found some, only to discover it was too bitter to drink. Just as Naomi identified herself by her bitterness, the Israelites identified the place by its bitterness, naming it Marah.

While God miraculously removed the bitterness from the water, the bitterness in the Israelites’ hearts remained. They continued their journey, complaining about the lack of food, even looking back fondly to their days of slavery in Egypt. (Exodus 16:1-8)

Their bitterness blinded them to the reality of God’s provision. They had recently witnessed the Red Sea parting before them, enabling them to escape the Egyptians, and they had personally known God’s presence leading them every step of the way!

Similarly, Naomi’s bitterness blinds her to the truth that she is not alone. God has not brought her back empty. Her faithful daughter-in-law, Ruth, is beside her, and although Naomi has unquestionably suffered devastating losses, it is not the end of her story. God still has a good plan for her.

In Naomi’s return to Bethlehem, we see a glimmer of hope. On hearing God has blessed His people in Israel by providing food once again for “the Lord had paid attention to His people’s need,” (Ruth 1:6) she chooses to go home. It is a physical return, but perhaps it is also the beginning of a spiritual return, of turning back to God, of turning toward hope in His promises and His goodness, even in the midst of loss.

What about our response in our times of loss? Do we become stuck in the wilderness of bitterness and isolation, or do we turn back to God? Do we choose to return to “Bethlehem” and remember that, in Jesus, God entered our pain and suffering to deal with sin and brokenness and offer us hope?

A few weeks ago, I attended the funeral of a friend’s husband. It was a tragic loss; he was a wonderful, godly man who seemed to have been taken far too soon, leaving behind a wife, four children, one grandchild and another on the way. There was great sorrow, of course, and a huge sense of loss, but not a trace of bitterness.

Instead, the whole service was a beautiful testimony to God’s faithfulness and presence even in the midst of loss, and it expressed a determination to hold onto Him and His hope.

One of the readings was from 1 Thessalonians 4, which encourages followers of Jesus that we do not “grieve like the rest, who have no hope.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13)

We will grieve, and we will experience loss of various kinds, but, in Jesus, we always have hope. Ours is an unshakable hope that comes from knowing Him as He walks with us through loss and reminds us that, no matter what losses we face, they are not the end of our story.

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Wilderness Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Advent Day 14 The Carol of Abraham & Isaac: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out The Carol of Abraham & Isaac!

The Questions

1) How could Abraham agree to obey God’s request? (verse 3)

2) What is the nuanced meaning behind “only son”? (verse 2)

3) Why is this particular narrative important?

Genesis 22:1-8

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he answered.

2 “Take your son,” he said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”

3 So Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac. In his hand he took the fire and the knife, and the two of them walked on together.

7 Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, “My father.”

And he replied, “Here I am, my son.”

Isaac said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then the two of them walked on together.

Original Intent

1) How could Abraham agree to obey God’s request? (verse 3)
Abraham had a long-standing relationship with Jehovah God. He was familiar with hearing from God directly. He’d also gone back and forth with God as he interceded for the welfare of the cities Sodom and Gomorrah. (Genesis 18:16-33) He asked God for confirmation regarding God’s promise that his future descendants would dwell in the land of Promise. (Genesis 15:8) God told Abraham his descendants would be  as numerous as grains of sand (Genesis 22:17) or stars in the sky (Genesis 15:5). This story detailing God’s command to sacrifice Abraham’s heir appears as if God is revoking His covenant promise. Why didn’t Abraham argue with Jehovah about this as he had previously pleaded for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah? Didn’t Abraham place more value on his son’s life than on a few residents dwelling in wicked cities? Careful, holistic reading of Scripture reveals this particular scene in Abraham’s life is again mentioned in Hebrews’ listing of “Heroes of Faith”. (Hebrews 11:8-12). He had such faith in God he confidently knew God would somehow make it right, even if it meant raising Isaac from the dead. A burnt offering meant that the entire object of sacrifice was to be wholly consumed. This was also a pagan land; child sacrifices were not unheard of, but this went totally against Jehovah. (Jeremiah 7:31) Abraham knew this, even as he saddled his donkey, even as he chopped the wood and placed it on Isaac’s back for the offering. He knew somehow God would provide. As evidenced by his comment to his servants, “We will return.” (verse 5) Unlike New Testament times, no one had been raised from the dead. Abraham’s faith was anchored on what he confidently knew to be true about God. Nothing else mattered.

2) What is the nuanced meaning behind “only son”? (verse 2)
We read this passage and wonder why God specifically instructed Abraham to bring “your only son” in verse 2 when God clearly knew Abraham had two sons, Isaac and Ishmael. (Genesis 17:18-19) God also knew that Ishmael was the result of Abraham’s lack of faith when he listened to his wife, Sarah, and slept with Sarah’s slave, Hagar. While this wasn’t God’s plan for marriage, it was culturally acceptable to have children through a slave woman; any offspring would then belong to the patriarch. God emphasized that Abraham and Sarah’s plan wasn’t His by using the language of “your only son” because Isaac was the only son of promise. He was the one God had promised would be born to Abraham and Sarah; he would be the heir through whom God would fulfill His covenant. (Genesis 17:19) Through Isaac, the “only son”, God would bless all peoples and his descendants would outnumber the stars and sands. Ishmael represented the “work of man” as Hagar and Abraham took God’s promise and decided to accomplish it by their own power. Isaac is the “work of God” for his birth was outlandishly far beyond human ability. No woman is physically able to conceive a child long past child-bearing years, but God allowed it to showcase that His work would faithfully come to pass by His own hand. At the beginning of Abraham’s story, God promises “…all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:3) This was begun with Isaac’s birth and fulfilled when, through Isaac’s lineage, Christ Jesus, the “only Son” of God, was born to save all people from their sin if they turn to Him in faith. (John 3:16) Jehovah God was not going to disregard His promise to Abraham; He is eternally faithful! (Hebrews 10:23)

3) Why is this particular narrative important?
Everything contained in Scripture is beneficial for training us how to follow Christ; through His Words, the Holy Spirit equips us to live out what it looks like in everyday life to love God and love others. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) No story should be overlooked, for these are all the words of God, given to us that we might know Him better and understand ourselves and the world around us more clearly. Abraham’s journey in following God was pot-holed and twisting, yet the Lord never left him or decided not to fulfill His purposes in Abraham’s life. Abraham had connived with his wife to jumpstart God’s plan to birth a son and he lied on multiple occasions to save his own life, even putting his wife in jeopardy. Abraham followed, albeit unfaithfully at several points, but God used his faith and led Abraham to know and trust Him more fully over time. This wasn’t to Abraham’s credit, but to God’s! This scene from Abraham’s life comes decades after he had first trusted God to lead him. The faith we see in this narrative has been built up over significant time. This faith wasn’t new, it wasn’t testing the waters, it was no longer arrogant and self-trusting, it was refined to a humble love and quick obedience. God placed this particular narrative in Scripture to remind us that faith is foundational, but God’s faithfulness will do the work that we cannot. Ultimately, He proved this by dying in our place as the perfect sacrifice for all sin for all time. All we must do is turn to Him with faith that, while it may begin small, God will ensure it grows rich and full over time spent following Him.

Everyday Application

1) How could Abraham agree to obey God’s request? (verse 3)
Have you ever been asked by God to do the impossible? Maybe it’s giving beyond your comfort zone, going overseas or across the street to tell someone about Jesus, or forgiving the one who harmed you. Following God actually is impossible without faith and the work of the Holy Spirit giving us power to follow Him. (Hebrews 11:6, 2 Peter 1:3) Unlike the popular catchphrase, “God won’t give you more than you can handle”, Scripture teaches God will indeed give us more than we can handle. That’s His intent, for when we realize we cannot, we realize HE can! Paul wrote, “But He (God) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, (…) for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10) When we are faced with a test causing us to rely solely on what we know to be true of God, we are in Abraham’s shoes. New Testament disciple, James, writes, “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance…”. (James 1:2) Sometimes, we confuse tests from God with trials and temptations from the enemy. Tests from God will always bring Him glory as He builds maturity in us. Even if we face a difficult temptation to sin, the Lord is faithful to provide a way of escaping sin’s allure. (1 Corinthians 10:13) With surrender to Christ, trusting His ways, we can say with Paul, “I am able to do all things through Him (Christ) who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

2) What is the nuanced meaning behind “only son”? (verse 2)
Do you feel alone? Unseen? Abandoned? The only one who sins or struggles with doubt? The only one unreachable by God? You are not alone. God created you and God sees you. Just as deeply as Abraham was known and his future was seen by the Almighty God, despite how it may have felt, so is yours. He also sees your sin, your heart (even if it’s dark), and He desires to redeem you and show you Himself, giving you Hope! God the Father’s only son, Jesus Christ, who is Himself God, came to the world incarnate (wrapped in flesh) for the purpose of paying the penalty of our sin, forgiving us, and making us new. We all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. (Romans 3:23) But God is faithful. Oh, so very faithful! His faithfulness is sure, certain, and able to withstand the whole weight of our lives today and our eternity stretching forward. Abraham heard God’s command to sacrifice his only son, and God provided a ram for the sacrifice instead. (Genesis 22:13-14) Centuries later, on another hill not far from Abraham’s altar, God sacrificed Himself in our place. He became “Isaac’s ram”, providing perfectly for him, and us. God holds out this providential forgiveness to all of us. To accept this lavish, undeserved gift, we can come to God in faith, trusting Him at His promise to forgive, and repenting (turning away) from the heavy weight of our sin, surrendering our all to the God who Faithfully Provides. When we do this, God gives us Himself both now and for eternity.

3) Why is this particular narrative important?
When we need help in strengthening our faith, we can look to the heroes of the faith who have walked before us. The author of Hebrews tells many stories of people who began as ordinary, but whose faith was cultivated by God’s hand as they surrendered to God one step at a time. (Hebrews 11:1-12:2) Adding to these biographies, who do you know in your own life that truly follows God in full surrender, even if their lives aren’t perfect? Who encourages you to know God more deeply? Reach out, thank that person for their example of faith! At Gracefully Truthful, we’ve studied many whose lives have been set on trusting God. Visit “Previous Journeys” and look for “Sketched” themes! We could read Abraham’s story and leave it categorized as another good biography of a man of faith who lived in total surrender to God, believing unswervingly that God would faithfully fulfill His plan. But this story tells more than simply the faith of one man. We also glimpse Isaac carrying the burden of wood and humbly submitting to being bound to the altar in full trust of his father. Fast forward centuries later to God in the form of man, Himself in total surrender to His Father praying in a Garden, carrying His burden of a cross on His back, and willingly becoming the ultimate sacrifice of the World. One man’s humble obedience pointed forward to the divine Christ, humbly becoming “obedient to the point of death, even to death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8) that we might be rescued forever and covered by His forgiveness! He chose you, will you choose Him?

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with The Carol of Abraham & Isaac!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Advent Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

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Advent Day 12 A Shepherd’s Heart: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out A Shepherd’s Heart!

The Questions

1) Who is the shepherd?

2) Who is the recipient of the shepherd’s care?

3) What does the shepherd provide?

Psalm 23:1

“The LORD is my shepherd. I have what I need.”

Original Intent

1) Who is the shepherd?
The psalmist begins by acknowledging that it is the Lord who continually provides all he needs. “The LORD … is my shepherd.” The image of a shepherd suggests the writer is considering himself to be a sheep under the care of the Lord, the genuinely good shepherd. The psalmist expands the metaphor in the following verses of the chapter and describes how the Lord is like a shepherd to him. Each verse is packed with images about the shepherd’s character and care. Bible translation notes offer us insight into the Hebrew language used in the verse. “The imperfect verbal form is best understood as generalizing; the psalmist highlights his typical or ongoing experience as a result of having the Lord as his shepherd (habitual present use).” (netbible.org) The Lord provided constant care to His servant, David. In verse 6, David says to his Lord and shepherd, “Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.” (Psalm 23:6) This shepherd of David is the same God who passed in front of Moses displaying His glory, “The LORD came down in a cloud, stood with him there, and proclaimed His name, ‘the LORD.’ The LORD passed in front of him and proclaimed: The LORD—the LORD is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin.” (Exodus 34:6-7) This is the One to whom the people of Israel sang when the ark of God was returned. David himself was leaping and dancing before the Lord in celebration of Who He is, “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:7-18 34-36)

2) Who is the recipient of the shepherd’s care?
Psalm 23 is a “psalm of David.” This same David was the people’s unlikely choice for king of God’s people. (1 Samuel 16:10-13) Theologian, Charles Spurgeon, said of the psalmist and songwriter, “I like to recall the fact that this psalm was written by David, probably when he was a king. He had been a shepherd, and he was not ashamed of his former occupation. When he had to wear a crown, he remembered the time when he had handled the shepherd’s crook, and as a lad, with his sling and stone, had kept watch over his father’s sheep in the wilderness.” (www.spurgeongems.org) Being a shepherd was a familiar role for David. He had cared for his father’s sheep as a youth. As a shepherd, he knew the constant watchfulness it took to be a faithful and protective shield for the sheep in his care. (1 Samuel 17:12-15, 34-35) As David’s shepherd, the Lord provided him with peace, even when he was pursued by enemies. (Psalm 23:4-5) As Rebekah stated yesterday, “When the going got tough and trial upon trial came up, David repeatedly relied upon the One whom He referred to as ‘The Lord, my Shepherd’. King David understood that his position, a God-given one, was a position of being under God’s protection even as he lived in anticipation of the ultimate Shepherd, King Jesus.” Shepherding was considered a noble occupation for the Israelites before the social shift began with Egyptian prejudice toward them. (Genesis 46:33-34) Still, most shepherds never became kings, and most kings had never been shepherds. God gave David a unique perspective as the shepherd-king.

3) What does the shepherd provide?
Sheep are vulnerable animals for several reasons. Most of us understand they are susceptible to predators because they are defenseless creatures. They have many natural predators in the wild, but those who care for them tell us sheep are their own worst enemy. They have a natural tendency to wander off and get lost. When they stray, they put themselves in danger of being lost, attacked, and even becoming disoriented to the point of tragically killing themselves by drowning or falling off cliffs. The shepherd’s job is an offensive and defensive one. He guides the sheep to places that will provide for their needs, while being constantly on guard to protect them from prowling enemies. (Psalm 23:2-4) As a king with enemies, David faced many days of fear and worry. Several of his psalms reflect his human emotional turmoil and suffering. It was a natural response for him to have dread and anxiety when his life was in danger. Yet, time and again, David took his fears to his God, the Good Shepherd. He resolved in his heart to trust the God he had come to personally know and trust, the One Who was faithful and generous in love. (Psalm 13)

Everyday Application

1) Who is the shepherd?
As our Shepherd, the Lord provides us all with His personal care, direction, protection and presence. When David declared the Lord as His shepherd, he was acknowledging the connection he had with God. As we read through the Old Testament books, we find that the relationship God had with His people dynamically shifted when Jesus came to earth as a man to bring us nearer to Him. Yet, even the patriarch Jacob had a comprehension of the shepherding heart of God. When he blessed his grandsons, he spoke of the “God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day.” (Genesis 48:13-16) The prophet Isaiah also referred to the coming Messiah as a shepherd. (Isaiah 40:9-11) As our gracious and gentle shepherd, God revealed His good news at night to a group of men in a field caring for their flock. How beautiful it is that the angel announcing the birth of the Christ appeared to shepherds! Years ago, I sang a chorus with these words: “Gentle Shepherd, come and lead us, for we need You to help us find our way. Gentle Shepherd, come and feed us for we need your strength from day to day. There’s no other we can turn to who can help us face another day. Gentle Shepherd, come and lead us, for we need to you to help us find our way.” Friend, during the season of Advent (when we prepare for the celebration of Christ’s coming), we can worship our Good Shepherd with joy and thanksgiving. The One who chased after David also pursues us with His goodness and mercy, which He will continue to do all the days of our lives. (Psalm 23:6)

2) Who is the recipient of the shepherd’s care?
Like others in the ancestry of the Christ child, David was an unlikely pick to be king of Israel. When Samuel anointed him, David had yet to defeat Goliath and establish war strategies. But, sister, who doesn’t love a good underdog story? As usual, God chose to lead His people in unexpected ways by calling on a young shepherd boy. As a shepherd himself, David was able to savor the sweetness of having a personal shepherd. He understood the implications of the imagery in the verses in Psalm 23. He said of God, “the Lord is MY shepherd.” Although the prophet Nathan shared a vision with David about his future (2 Samuel 7), I am doubtful that David fully comprehended his part in the fulfillment of the Messiah’s coming. His name would be forever inscribed in the greatest story of all time. “Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. Then she gave birth to her firstborn son …” (Luke 2:4-7, emphasis mine) To all who call on the name of Jesus, we too become recipients of the Good Shepherd’s goodness and mercy. Oh come, friend. Let us adore Him. “Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep—through the blood of the everlasting covenant, equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.” (Hebrews 13:20-21, emphasis mine)

3) What does the shepherd provide?
David was acutely aware of his own need for a shepherd as evidenced in his gut-honest psalms. Only God could fully supply everything he needed. Jesus said we are all in the same condition of need, both spiritually and emotionally. What comfort during this Advent season to know that it is precisely our need that leads us to find the source of our lasting joy. (Matthew 5:3-5) Charles Spurgeon said that to know the Lord as our shepherd, we must first understand our own wandering nature, “for he cannot know that God is his Shepherd unless he feels in himself that he has the nature of a sheep.” (Spurgeon.org) I recognize how I am prone to wander away. Thank You, Father, for sending Jesus to us. Sweet sister, He is our only hope!
“In the process, in the waiting, You’re making melodies over me. / And Your presence is the promise, for I am a pilgrim on a journey / You will lift my head above the mighty waves; / You are able to keep me from stumbling. / And in my weakness, / You are the strength that comes from within. / Good Shepherd of my soul, take my hand and lead me on. / You make my footsteps and my path secure, so walking on water is just the beginning. / Cause my faith to arise, stand at attention, for You are / calling me to greater things. / Oh how I love You, how I love You! / You have not forsaken me. / Oh how I love You, how I love You! / With You is where I want to be.”
(Shepherd by Amanda Falk)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with A Shepherd’s Heart!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Advent Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Fruitful Day 13 The Gentleness Of Jesus

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Mark 5:25-43
Matthew 11:28-30
John 13:12-17
Galatians 5:22-23

Fruitful, Day 13

The crowds were gathering, pressing relentlessly on all sides.
With His power to heal illness and drive away demons, word was spreading quickly. People from all walks of life, with all manner of brokenness, flocked in masses in pursuit of Jesus, the Christ.

In the midst of this particular crowd was a well-respected Jewish man, high-ranking with authority and political clout as a synagogue official, for he too was desperate. Jairus was familiar with Jesus’ growing fame and His divine ability, as he had likely witnessed Jesus healing a man’s hand in the synagogue in the weeks prior. (Luke 6:6-11) None could do what Jesus did. While Jairus was surely intrigued, he entered the crushing crowd that day out of pure desperation.

His daughter’s life hung in the balance.

It’s easy to step back and critically analyze. One can afford to be curious at a distance, but when it’s your desperation, nothing matters but the pursuit of wholeness.

Jesus immediately responded to Jairus’ urgent pleas to come to his house and slowly they moved in that direction.

Again, the crowds followed.

Can you imagine being Jairus? Desperation met reality as faces swam in front of both men. The mob was filled with shoving and jostling, loud noises, body odor, and incessant pressing of desperate bodies running rickshaw over one another as one little girl’s life hovered between life and death.

I’m not really comfortable with crowds like that, but if I wanted to be near Jesus, I am certain I would have set aside my discomfort to join the throng in pursuit of Christ that day.

Which is exactly what one woman did. Like Jairus, her desperation drove her into the tangled mass of people. She’d endured twelve long years of uterine bleeding, living as a shamed outcast from her community (Leviticus 15:25-27), taken advantage of by doctors who promised cures but worsened her condition. (Mark 5:26) Ironically, she, who had lived over a decade in isolation, was now driven by desperation into a crowd of hundreds with one goal in mind. Wholeness.

Twenty-nine years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Like this suffering woman, I’ve experienced isolation from friends and even family because of disease. People are uncomfortable with such ravaging illness and don’t know what to say, so they stay away. They fear “catching” cancer themselves, and in their attempt to self-protect, they left me alone. I imagine this woman and I had many common experiences. Fear. Shame. Abandonment. Loss. Grief. Add to those woes the fact that her condition was neither diagnosable nor curable, despite the costly search for answers, and her desperation becomes nearly palpable.

Unrelated to cancer, five years ago I experienced intestinal disorders that no test or exam could identify. I too was neither diagnosable nor curable, and after six months of constant appointments, pokes, and prods, I was exhausted. I can only imagine twelve years of such! I can hear her heart’s cry, “What could it hurt to find Jesus? I’ve tried everything else. I have nothing more to lose.”

Jairus, desperate for his little daughter’s life.
This woman, desperate for her own.

Both were met with a radical gift surpassing their expectations.
Gentleness.

I’m sure the woman planned to press through the crowds, likely on her knees, to touch just the hem of His garment and then slip away unnoticed. But at her touch, despite many hands pressed against Him, Jesus’ voice of authority pierced the cacophony, “Who touched my clothes?” (Mark 5:30)

My reaction would have been the same as the disciples’. “You see this crowd pressing in on you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” (Mark 5:31) Jesus knew the difference between the touch of physical nearness and the hope of desperate faith.

In His divinity, Jesus knew who had touched Him.
In His gentleness, He asked His question of invitation.

Tightness grips my chest as I think of her “being caught,” and then I relax, remembering Jesus’ gentleness has invited this woman to step out. I can envision His calm eyes searching the crowd for the woman’s face, fixing His gaze of compassionate love upon her. Scripture records the woman coming with “fear and trembling.” Aware of her healing, she came to Jesus, fell down before Him, and told the whole truth. (Mark 5:33)

Christ’s gentleness drew her to Himself, invited her to unpack the entirety of her brokenness, then responded by publicly calling her His own, “Daughter.” He made her whole.

Not just her body, but her soul.
“Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” (Mark 5:34)

Amid a stunned crowd, a messenger for Jairus arrives with the tragic news his daughter has died. In the span of time it took Jesus to call one woman out of brokenness and into wholeness, another’s life passed away.

Yet, the gentle Jesus turns unhurried, peace-filled eyes to meet Jairus’ red-rimmed ones, “Don’t be afraid, only believe.”  (Mark 5:36)

The nameless woman fades away into the crowd, no longer hiding nor walking with head bowed low. She dances in grace, for the gentleness of Jesus has called her His own, healing her body, heart, and soul.

As for Jairus’ daughter, the Gentle Christ takes her slim, cold hand in His as His divine voice awakens her from death to life. (Mark 5:41-42)

Our desperation, no matter how dire, is no match for the Gentle Christ.
So bring your exhaustion, your desperation, and your faith, and find wholeness in the gentle touch of our Savior.

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Fruitful Day 12 Cultivating Faithfulness: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

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The Questions

1) Why would the Israelites prefer to die or return to the land of their captivity rather than venture into the Promised Land? (verse 4)

2) Why were Joshua and Caleb so eager to go into the Promised Land when everyone else was so fearful? (verses 6-9)

3) Why did the glory of the Lord appear at the tent of meeting when the Israelites threatened to stone Joshua and Caleb? (verse 10)

Numbers 14:1-10

Then the whole community broke into loud cries, and the people wept that night. 2 All the Israelites complained about Moses and Aaron, and the whole community told them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to die by the sword? Our wives and children will become plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, “Let’s appoint a leader and go back to Egypt.” 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell face down in front of the whole assembly of the Israelite community. 6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who scouted out the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to the entire Israelite community, “The land we passed through and explored is an extremely good land. 8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us into this land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and give it to us. 9 Only don’t rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land, for we will devour them. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us. Don’t be afraid of them!” 10 While the whole community threatened to stone them, the glory of the Lord appeared to all the Israelites at the tent of meeting.

Original Intent

1) Why would the Israelites prefer to die or return to the land of their captivity rather than venture into the Promised Land? (verse 4)
The Israelites’ journey from slavery in Egypt into the freedom of the Promised Land highlights God‘s faithfulness at every turn. The Lord empowered Moses to demand Pharaoh’s release of Israel (Exodus 5:1), God parted the Red Sea so they could cross over safely when the Egyptians pursued them (Exodus 14:21), He sent food from heaven in the desert (Exodus 16), and ensured their shoes didn’t wear out (Deuteronomy 29:5). God provided in many miraculous ways; He faithfully kept His covenant with Israel to protect and treasure them if they obeyed Him. (Exodus 19:5) Even with such a rich history of provision and protection by God, the Israelites despaired when they heard the intimidating report of Canaan. They preferred to return to a life of bondage rather than trust God to defeat their enemies in the Promised Land. According to author David Guzik, “This was pure rebellion. They said they didn’t want God’s plan, God’s leaders, or God’s land. They believed they knew better than God.” The pride and rebellion of the Israelites caused them to see God’s blessing as a curse and despise the gift God promised them. To modern readers, their lack of faith and gratitude seem outrageous, but may we also be guilty of the same? Any time we refuse to embrace what God has for us because it seems too difficult or too painful, we are committing the same sin of rebellion as the Israelites when they refused the Promised Land. We can be thankful God is merciful and forgiving, and we can ask Him for grace to follow His plans, trusting in His steadfast love and unwavering faithfulness to help us obey Him.

2) Why were Joshua and Caleb so eager to go into the Promised Land when everyone else was so fearful? (verses 6-9)
In Numbers 14:1-10, the Israelites are bemoaning their fate because the long-awaited Promised Land of Canaan is filled with formidable foes they are afraid to face. Only Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb want to enter and claim the land as God commanded. Joshua and Caleb had spied out the land and were eager to lay claim to God’s promise. They had faith in God, believing that He would give the Israelites the land He had promised them. If God promised it, then it would happen, regardless of the circumstances surrounding the promise. Author G. Campbell Morgan notes that Joshua and Caleb “had clear apprehension of the goodness of the land; they were by no means blind to the formidable nature of the difficulties that stood between them and possession. But they saw God. They started with that vision, and saw everything else in its light.” Where the other spies saw the strength and number of the land’s inhabitants, Joshua and Caleb saw the land flowing with milk and honey, just as God promised. If the promise of an excellent land had proved true, so would His promise to give them the land also be true and trustworthy. Joshua and Caleb’s belief in God’s faithfulness was stronger than any fear caused by the strength and number of their adversaries. May we also see God first and view everything else through that lens, just as Joshua and Caleb did.

3) Why did the glory of the Lord appear at the tent of meeting when the Israelites threatened to stone Joshua and Caleb? (verse 10)
When the Israelites reached the Promised Land they were dismayed to find its inhabitants were numerous and strong. They began blaming God for their miserable circumstances, even declaring that returning to slavery would be better than dying in battle. After hearing their incessant complaints, God had heard enough from the rebellious Israelites and decided to act. Numbers 14:10 tells us, “The glory of the Lord appeared to all the Israelites at the tent of meeting.” The glory of the Lord had appeared to the congregation before as a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire to guide them through the wilderness. (Exodus 13:21) It was a visible reminder of God’s presence and activity. At this particular display of glory, God intended to dispel their whining and rebellion and reward those who believed in His Word and in His power. He stepped in just as the Israelites prepared to kill Joshua and Caleb. Author Joseph Benson points out, “When they reflected upon God, His glory appeared, not to silence their blasphemies: but when they threatened Caleb and Joshua, they touched the apple of His eye, and His glory appeared immediately. Those who faithfully expose themselves for God are sure of His special protection.” Israel’s rebellion ran so deep, God knew they wouldn’t choose faith over their fears. (Numbers 14:11) Moses interceded for Israel, God honored his prayers and decreed that from the nation, only Caleb and Joshua would be permitted to enter the Promised Land one day. (Numbers 14:30) God’s glory came down so His faithful servants would be spared and rewarded for their trust in Him, while also bringing consequence on Israel’s rebellion.

Everyday Application

1) Why would the Israelites prefer to die or return to the land of their captivity rather than venture into the Promised Land? (verse 4)
Have you ever seen a little kid so excited to go swimming but also too frightened to jump in the water? She knows Dad is right there to catch her. She knows all the other kids are splashing around in the water with no problems. Everything indicates it’s safe and enjoyable, but she just can’t overcome her fears and take the plunge. The Israelites in the Bible were a bit like this. They had longed to enter the Promised Land of Canaan for many years, but when they finally got there, after years of captivity in a foreign land, they were too scared of the inhabitants to lay claim to the land God promised them. When it came to choosing between fearing what they saw with their eyes or trusting the Unseen God, they chose their fears. The Lord promised to be with them and give them the land, but they chose to believe the fearful tales and not the covenant of their faithful God. Sometimes staying inside the pain we know is more comfortable than the unknown pain we are sure to endure on the way to our own Promised Land. This debilitating fear is why we stay in jobs and situations we don’t like, or sometimes even in relationships that are damaging. We fear the enormity of changes we would need to make, the unknowns of potential outcomes, and the pain we may encounter along the way. But God wants us to focus on His faithfulness and not our fears in every situation. (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18) He wants us to trust Him, even when our circumstances inspire fear. (Philippians 4:4-7) Isaiah 12:2 tells us, “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord Himself, is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation.” God promises to be our salvation and our strength in our tough times. The path will sometimes be frightening and difficult, but He will never leave us or forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:8) When we choose to surrender our lives to God, trusting Him for our rescue from sin, He promises to never leave or forsake us; we will never be alone!

2) Why were Joshua and Caleb so eager to go into the Promised Land when everyone else was so fearful? (verses 6-9)
In elementary school, my class learned a dance routine to a rock song for P.E. class, but my parents disapproved of the lyrics. So, I sat in the nurse’s office during P.E. for a month while my classmates rocked out in the gym. Missing my favorite class was bad enough, but dealing with my classmates’ teasing was awful. I didn’t make things worse by trying to explain my parents’ position. Instead, I played the martyr and became the poor kid with the kooky parents who hated rock n’ roll. I couldn’t imagine trying to defend my family’s moral objections to the song lyrics. Knowing how hard it is to go against the crowd helps my perspective on Joshua and Caleb’s plight. In verses 6-9, the two men stand firmly against the entire nation of Israel who didn’t want to enter Canaan. Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes, indicating their intense distress at the peoples’ distrust in God and disbelief in His promises. This wasn’t about their feelings of being “outcasts”, but about Israel’s heart-rejection of the God who had proven Himself faithful. They pleadingly reminded the people of God’s constant presence and ability to protect them and defeat their enemies if they trusted Him. Joshua and Caleb were full of faith in God’s faithfulness. The people, however, were not inspired by the exhortation from Joshua and Caleb. In fact, they were so angry with their unpopular message they picked up rocks to stone them! Only God’s intervention kept the two men safe. Forty years later, after most of the crowd got their wish and died before entering the Promised Land, Joshua and Caleb were found faithful and allowed to enter Canaan (Numbers 14:30) and enjoy God’s gift. May the Lord help us all to be as faithful and trusting as Joshua and Caleb!

3) Why did the glory of the Lord appear at the tent of meeting when the Israelites threatened to stone Joshua and Caleb? (verse 10)
There are many references to glory in church literature and Scripture. Sometimes glory means God’s presence (Exodus 24:16), a reference to Heaven (Psalm 73:24), or any place where God resides (1 Peter 5:10). It can also be used to mean radiant, divine beauty (Isaiah 6:3), or sometimes praise and adoration to God (Revelation 14:7). When God’s glory appeared to the Israelites in verse 10, glory references God’s presence. Here the glory of the Lord “refers to the reality of the LORD’s presence in a manifestation of his power and splendor. It showed to all that God was a living God. The appearance of the glory indicated blessing for the obedient, but disaster for the disobedient” (Preceptaustin.org) When God’s glory came to the Israelites, not only did God save Joshua and Caleb, but He allowed Moses to act on behalf of the shameful Israelites by interceding for them through prayer. Because of Moses’ prayer, God saved Israel from sudden destruction. They still received the punishment of never entering the Promised Land, but they experienced the power and mercy of being visited by God’s glory. It is awe-inspiring to think the Holy Perfect God would visit His people with His glory, yet the Scriptures are filled with such visits from the Lord. When God revealed Himself just in time to save Joshua and Caleb from being stoned to death by the angry mob of Israelites, He showed Himself to be Omnipotent (all-powerful) and Merciful. When God’s glory arrives, nothing remains the same. Nahum 1:5 tells us, “The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt; the earth trembles at His presence—the world and all who live in it.” We want to invite God’s presence to shake and shape our lives as we glorify His Name and seek to obey His commands through whole-life surrender.

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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