Devotions
from The Woods @Wanamaker
Need Prayer From Our Pastors? Click Here
What Do You Call That?
The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy. “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God." Many of our devotionals this week have focused on the subject of holiness. Leviticus is the Old Testament training manual for the people of God concerning holiness. Many a brave believer has set their sights on reading through the whole Bible and have been stopped dead in their tracks while getting lost in the holy details of Leviticus. Somehow we just can’t see the forest for all the trees. If you’ve gotten lost on a trail before, I encourage to try again. The basic gist is this. God’s own holiness should affect every part of our lives. I am different because I belong to him. Many people have a certain image that comes to their minds when they ponder holiness. They picture some dude with a long beard, dressed in a white robe, speaking in a deep, slow voice. The life of holiness appears to walk ten feet off the ground. Somehow it seems to be out of touch with the everyday rhythms of life. I’m struck by the way in this Leviticus 19 passage that God so clearly connects holiness with the practical actions of daily life. He directly equates the way I may worship on the Sabbath with the way I do the business of life on Monday-Saturday. I leave space on the edges of my fields for the other. I intentionally construct margin in my resources so that I might have some to share with those in need. I create soft places in the areas of my time, talent, and treasure so that my week is not totally filled to brim with just my own stuff. I make holy room. You might be amazed at the ripple effects of these little acts of holy generosity. It was in response to this Leviticus passage that a landowner named Boaz made space for Ruth to glean at the edges of his fields. They got married, and one of their great-grandchildren was King David. The legacy of King David would one day bring to birth the legacy of another king named Jesus. The rest-my friends- is history. It all got started from a simple act of making room. My youngest son struggles with a difficult case of ADHD. His brain likes to fire in a hundred different directions all at once at the pace of the energizer bunny. There is a wonderful gentleman in our church who has made room for my son by taking time out of his schedule every week to mentor him on how to make models. It is a tremendous, creative exercise that is teaching Josiah the value of concentration. You say, Pastor Donny, what do you call that? I’m sure there are many different ways to describe it. Leviticus 19, however, calls it…….holiness! Pastor Donny
1 Comment
Patty
8/14/2020 11:55:49 am
Walking the walk !!!
Reply
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorNotes from the Staff @The Woods Archives
March 2023
Categories |