Truth is I'd rather watch Jesse Litsch's first game as a major leauger than a routine start of superstar Roy Halladay. There's something about watching a rookie pitcher in thier first game. You are experiencing a moment that they have dreamt about since they first played catch. I had that opportunity the last time Julie and I went to a bluejays game, Litsch pitched 8 and 2 /3's of the game giving up just one run. Last night in his 3rd start Litsch only lasted 2/3's of an inning giving up 5 runs and was demoted back to the farm system. Tonight I'll be watching Halladay's return since he went on the DL with an emergency appendectomy (I got a sweet deal on ebay, Two 41 dollar seats for $10 including shipping)
Jesse Litsch's major leauge story and the early Israelite's stories are actually quite similar. Just like Litsch got the call up from the New Hampshire Fisher Cats to the pro's of big leauges so he could be molded into a great player, so did the Israelites. They were called up out of Epgyt into the big show, they were in the presence of greatness, the Holy God. And God was making them holy, he saw their potential, he was excited about their transformation, he was excited about handing the promise land, he was excited about defeating their enemies for them. (For Litsch the promise land would be a full time job as a starter, and defeating the enemies would be his win column over his opponents). There are a few huge differences between the two stories though. One being Litsch didn't wail and complain or say he wished he was back in New Hampshire like the Israelites did in Numbers 11 "now the people complained about their hardships.. they said "if only we had meat to eat. we remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost".. Another difference although Jesse messed up he'll most likely get another chance, those paticular Israelites weren't as fortunate as God said in Numbers 14:32 "but your bodies will fall in this desert. Your childern will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert."
Enough about baseball (you can tell I'm excited for tonight's game ehh!!). God taught me that becoming holy means sacrifice. It means manna instead of fish, leeks... (leek soup is in season). I my life what have I sacrificed, as a follower of Jesus I am to be about sacrifice. What do I complain about? Do I have any right to complian? Why didn't God drop a buffet down from heaven? I'm thinking because God knew their hearts, he knew if he gave them everything without teaching them to appreciate it, they would forget their need of him, they would become independent, and not dependent on him.
Numbers 13
This story has been used (and should be used) to support many vision casting sermons. It emphasizes two perspectives. 40 of them scope out the promise land.
Perspective One - 38 take this view vs 32""We can't attack those people'they are stronger than we are. The land we explored devours thos living in it. All the people we saw are of great size. We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them".
Perspective Two- 2 took another view 14:7 "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing of milk and honey, and will five it to us. Do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us."
As God changes me, and as I know the place God is taking me (towards holiness), and I see the obstacles inbetween, do I wish I had never begun the journey? Or do I take joy in the challenge with faith in God? Depending on the day, but most often I say "Bring on the challenge" because without the deserts of life, the hardships/sacrifice, the tough spots we remain the same, in the same mediocre spot. We settle for okay, or we stay in oppression, we reject God's purposes, His plans, we miss out on "life of abundance" on greatness. The good to great principle (the idea that good is the enemy of great). I choose perspective number 2 please.
When I refuse to sacrifice, I'm sure God says the same thing to me as in Numbers 14:10 "how long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all teh miraculous signs I have performed among them" God was going to destory all Israelite but Moses intercedes and asks God to show His strength to the nations via redemption of these subborn Israelites. Us Christian leaders need to pray this prayer Numbers 14:13... To ask God to show His power via redemption.
And that brings me to my final story. Today I went for a run and prayed at the same time. It was awesome for two reasons. 1. I encountered God, we hung out and 2. I got to look at everyone's trash. I'm a scavenger, I think God made me this way. I like to look at people's junk that they put on the road and imagine how it could be redeemed. God looked at his people then with the eyes of redemption, desiring his people to look with those same eyes for the nations around them (albeit some were beyound redemption, others were weren't however they were to represent God to the nations Exodus 19:5). God wants us to look with these eyes today.
Go Jays Go. (I still believe the 24w-28l season can be redeemed)
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