Tues.’s Devo - God’s Perspective

Read: Leviticus 19:1-20:21; Mark 8:11-38; Psalm 42:1-11a; Proverbs 10:17
In God’s laws you see the love of a father who only wants good things for his children. Most of the laws have to do with treating one another fairly. In many of the laws, God told them what not to do then what he wanted them to do. For example, he said, “don’t take vengeance on or bear a grudge against any of your people; rather, love you neighbor as yourself.”
God also had many laws about mixture. They were not to let their livestock mate with other kinds, or their field be sown with two kinds of grain, or wear garments of two different kinds of thread. These are all pictures of how we are not to mix righteousness with evil. God doesn’t want us to be gray in any matter. He is coming back for a bride that is wearing white garments and has washed herself in the Word and is spotless. I feel convicted already!
In Mark, Jesus makes the point to his disciples that they are not using their spiritual eyes and ears to see and hear. When he asked them how many baskets they picked up he was making a spiritual point. Twelve stands for government and seven stands for heaven and perfection. He was trying to teach them that his government was in heaven so they must start thinking from that perspective. Then he asked them who they thought he was. When they said, the Messiah, he was able to tell them plainly the plan. He would go to Jerusalem, be abused by the religious leaders, be killed and raised to life on the third day. Peter took him aside to talk to him about that and Jesus rebuked him. They had in their mind just how this kingdom was going to happen. They wanted him to usurp the natural government and reign on earth. That was not the plan.
This reminds me of all the times I think I know how things are suppose to happen in my life and when they don’t, I have to recalibrate. God’s ways are always higher and his goal is the heart of everyone involved, not just my comfort.
Lord, thank you for being in charge. You can see from heaven and know what is coming in the future that I am blinded to. Help us to trust your judgment and your ways. We love you.