Over All

“But if he does make them void after he has heard them, then he shall bear her guilt.” Numbers 30:15

This chapter of Numbers covers laws about vows. It was a little more complicated for women. Their vows could be canceled or acknowledged by their fathers and/or husbands.

Oh Lord, please help us to submit to You and one another in love, returning us to our rightful places, on our faces at Your feet. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Non-Stick Guilt

There is nothing done
or not done
apart from You
and no guilt can stick
for failing to submit
to oppressive
human made
rules.

Please pray with me about this post! And add more to it as He leads. I feel too close to it and may not have represented His heart in it as well as I would’ve liked. Thank you!

Without Blemish

“You shall offer a burnt offering as a sweet aroma to the Lord; one young bull, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish.” Numbers 29:2

I remember those years of blemishes and break outs. To be “without blemish”? Only a dream.

Thank You, Lord, for providing us the perfect Lamb, without blemish, so we can stand clear and free, the stigma of our sins cleansed away. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Only One Perfect Enough

Only One Lamb
for the sacrifice
only One Offering
to set me free
Only One Son
without blemish
would die in order
to save me.

In Addition To

“. . .this is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, besides the regular burnt offering with its drink offering.” Numbers 28:10

There were daily offerings given, but also so much more.

Oh Lord, may I never seek to limit myself to a standard daily requirement where You are concerned. And here’s a simple poem . . .

A Limitless Offer

May my time with You
extend throughout the day
a holy offering, a sacrifice
to Your glory and praise.

Initial Response

“Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be like sheep which have no shepherd.” Numbers 27:16-17

This was the initial response from Moses after hearing he wouldn’t be entering the Promised Land with the children of Israel.

Oh Lord, help me think of others before giving an emotional response based solely on my feelings. And here’s a simple poem . . .

First care

Because You really know
it’s more about being “we”
than so many
“me, me, me’s”
please help us
think and act
as a congregation of One
under the Son.

Thank you for all of the beautiful comments and prayerful responses you add here.

Remaining

“These are those who were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jerico.” Numbers 26:63
“But among these there was not a man of those who were numbered. . .in the wilderness of Sinai. So there was not left a man of them except Caleb. . .and Joshua.” Numbers 26:65

I feel I can relate to the generation that never made it out of the wilderness of Sinai.

O Lord, even if all my days be spent in the wilderness, I thank You for allowing me to live each one to the fullest with You. And here’s a simple poem . . .

With You

Life is a blur
of rough terrain

each clearing entered
grows over again

but there is beauty
in the wilderness too

each time I look
and always find You.

Zealous One

“Phineas . . .has turned back My wrath, from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal.” Numbers 25:11

For some reason, the word “zeal” scares me a little. But maybe the lack of zeal is what should really scare me.

Thank You, O God, for sending us Your zealous Son to be pierced for our sins, turning back the outcome of a life apart from You. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Turning Back

Zealous for His Father
Jesus never once
compromised holiness
compassionately cleansing
the plague
of our flesh.

Kept Back From Honor

” Now therefore flee to your place. I said I would greatly honor you, but in fact, the Lord has kept you back from honor.” Numbers 24:11

Balak was so upset in the above verse, when Balaam couldn’t curse Israel. Balaam could only speak the words the Lord put in his mouth.

Oh Lord, please keep me back from honor today if it would in anyway dishonor You. And here’s a simple poem . . .

To Honor You

Oh let me fill my days
with all the ways
there are to
honor You –
to pray and praise
Your wonderful name
giving glory to
all You do.

“Oh What God Has Done”

“The Lord his God is with him,
And the shout of a King is among them
God brings them out of Egypt . . .
It now must be said of Jacob
And of Israel, ‘Oh what God has done.'” Numbers 23:21-23

That there is the tiny nation of Israel today in the place God established it thousands of years ago, surrounded by countries who do not wish it to exist at all, makes me say indeed – look what God has done!

Father, we thank You for all You have done and are doing in and for Israel. We also thank You for what You have done bringing each of us out of our own personal Egypts . . .giving us new life with You. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Out of Egypt

Twenty-four years ago I passed
from Egypt’s grasp
into a place
filled with His grace.

Hard to believe so much has changed
and rearranged
inside of me
setting me free.

I stop and look – what You have done
through Christ Your Son
amazement sings
praise to my King!

This is one of those poems I’m not thrilled with. It is done in the Minute Form that I learned over at Jessie Carty’s poetry blog, but I just didn’t get it worked out very well before it was time to post it. I welcome your poems or any improvements to this one!

New Neighbors

“Then he sent messengers to Balaam . . .to call him, saying, ‘Look, a people has come from Egypt. See, they cover the face of the earth, and are settling next to me!’ ” Numbers 22:5

Balak goes on to ask Balaam to curse his new neighbors. He wants them gone. And I wonder if I have been less than welcoming when change settles in.

Oh Lord, please change how I view change, that I might be a blessing and not a curse. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Settling With Change

Each time change comes
I can decide
whether to embrace it
or turn it aside.

Prisoners of War

“When the King of Arad, the Canaanite, who dwells in the South, heard that Israel was coming on the road to Atharim, then he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoners.” Numbers 21:1
“So Israel made a vow to the Lord, and said, ‘If You will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities’.” Numbers 21:2
“And the Lord listened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites . . .” Numbers 21:3

To this day, Israeli soldiers are targeted to be taken as prisoners. Their enemies know how valuable their sons and daughters are and so use them to barter with and make demands.

Thank You Lord, for coming to set the captives free. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Freedom Fighters

Can I be okay
while there are those imprisoned
by politics and poverty
addictions and fears?
Teach me how to
reach out with You, Lord
to let them know
freedom is here.