Here's a contribution from my ole cousin, Marcia:

Have you ever noticed that in our society, when we meet someone for the first time, one of the questions we ask is, "What do you do?" The answer we receive usually affects how we treat that person.

Think about it and be honest. There's quite a difference in how we react when someone says they are a nuclear physicist and when someone says they are a trash collector. In reality, what people do as their life's work has little to do with who they are and their personal gifts and worth. Lent is a good time to remember that God calls us to look beyond occupation, differences, and the color of one's skin to the mystery dwelling within the person. Those who really understand tip their hats to junk dealers as well as judges. This is a good time to work on removing biases based on the amount of money a person possesses or the education they received or the titles behind their names. It's a time to treat each person we encounter in life with great respect.

After all, it's what our Lord calls us to do.

I agree with that statement, with a little disclaimer. We shouldn't have to set aside a specific time to accept others. God has called upon us all to love each other, no matter their situation or the decisions in life that they have made. If someone is living in sin, that's doesn't make it our place to judge their worth as a person, for God is the ultimate judge. He doesn't care how we spend this period of time before Easter any more or less than other days. If we are called upon to be holy, that direction doesn't have any expiration dates.

We are called to love the sinner, but hate the sin. 365 days a year. I am getting good at hating sin. In fact, I desperately hate the sins I still commit. The Lord is working in me toward a goal of loving to do His will. This love will be stronger than my hatred of my own sinful selfishness. One part of His command that I need to stop resisting is the matter of loving the sinner. Until I learn to have a Christlike love for sinners, how can I accept myself for who I am?

In Christ Alone,

---

Did you notice those curses? Sex and murder are predominant here, but civilities are important also. Then God promises to make these people the most powerful nation of the world, if only they would obey His commands. They are reminded of what will happen, also, if they do not do what God commands. This set of curses is rather harsh, and deservedly so. These people had seen what happens to them when they disobey God enough times, so none of this should be a surprise to them. But talk about harsh! Being driven to cannibalism due to the starvation imposed on them is about as harsh as it gets.

You don't suppose that God knew that the added emphasis would be necessary do you? He created us all. He chose these people and took an active interest in them. He knew from before the creation of the earth that they would turn their backs on Him. Once again, the people were incapable of saying they didn't remember some specific commandment that was given them. There was never any room for misunderstanding. There still isn't. People who have a true desire to seek the will of God can see through the mock-morality that is bandied about today.

Day 2

This reading also sounds harsh at first, but note chapter 30. God is promising mercy if they return to Him, even after all the calamities they would bring upon themselves if they turn from God's covenant. Just like the parable of the prodigal son, He is anxiously waiting our return so he can drape His love over us and bless us more than He had before. This is a God who understands human nature and our will to sin against His teachings. He knows our hearts will turn to wickedness before we are tempted. He has taken this into account from day one, and has had a plan for each one of us, no matter what our past is. Our God is an awesome God!

It's been said that the Old Testament and New Testament versions of God are as different as night and day, but this is not so. You can find examples of mercy and love from Him in both Testaments, despite our weaknesses. You also see examples of judgment for those who reject His commandments. The main difference will be found in the gospels later in the year, when we read about the perfect lamb that was sacrificed for us all.

Day 3

Moses ends his speech with a song for the Israelites to learn that will remind them that when times were tough, it was the works of their own hands that brought about their difficulties. We also have one of the Psalms of the Bible written by Moses with this interesting ending.

If God is the one establishing the work of our hands, no evil will result of it, but if we turn from His plan, only ruin can follow.

Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.
Psalm 127:1 (NIV)

Day 4

All good things must come to an end and the life of Moses was no exception. He blessed the tribes of Israel, much as a father would bless his sons in that day and then saw the Promised Land from a mountaintop before he died.

The Bible doesn't mention anyone but Moses and God there when he passed, so that must mean that God himself buried Moses. I doubt this was done with a rockslide. I envision God taking more care with the body of one who had been as a friend to Him. But how did the Israelites know that he was finally gone? He must have told them before leaving that this would be his final mountain climb. Joshua became the new leader of the Israelites.

So why did he bother to send spies? Didn't spies cause the people to put their fears ahead of their faith? Hadn't God already promised all of this land to them? Anyway, the spies found out that the kingdoms there were quivering with fear of the advancing tribes of Israel from a prostitute. For saving them, they agreed to spare the prostitute and her family from the coming doom, which sounds nothing like the instructions of God in this matter. But Joshua didn't correct them, so I can only assume that it was OK with him. We'll see later if this was OK with God.

Day 5

Here is another crossing of a body of water by the Israelites upon dry ground. All but a couple of them had never experienced this kind of miracle while the oldest of them had been told the story of crossing the Red Sea when they were children. What a wonder! Shortly after, all of the men were circumcised, because that hadn't been done during the journeys, and the people began to enjoy the produce of their new land, which signaled the ending of the manna from Heaven.

Joshua fought the battle of Jericho. This is a good showing of faith. As a soldier, could you imagine being told to circle a city once for six days in a row, then seven times on the seventh day? A faithless soldier may begin to build a catapult or battering ram, but their faith held firm and the walls of Jericho came tumbling down! Reminds me of a good song from my youth...

Day 6

That song I mentioned yesterday says nothing about this! In his greed, a lone man decided to keep some of the things that were to belong to the priests and this stirred the Lord's wrath against them all. I'm beginning to see the reason they had sinners publicly executed by the populous. The sins of a few often brought hardships to them all.

In this case, it resulted in the deaths of at least 36 of them before the Israelites were routed by an army of fewer numbers and this fate would have continued had this man not been found and destroyed. As it was, the next battle was much more decisively won by the Israelites. God actually used the earlier defeat of His people toward the utter destruction of their foes. Did you catch that? No matter how badly you have failed God, no matter how embarrassing your defeat, He can use that to your advantage and to His. It happens every day!

One hardship removed, another one added. Jacob didn't ask God about the travelers who made a treaty with the Israelites and was deceived into allowing some of the current inhabitants of the promised land to live as servants to the Israelites. As we read on, I get the sense that God's instructions were being diluted by His chosen people.

Day 7

Here we have a recounting of the first time a nation was attacked for their treaty with Israel. True to their promise, Israel marched on to protect their "friends" and God fought for them, even though they had disobeyed Him in forming the treaty. During the battle, Joshua cried out for the sun to remain in the sky so the fight could continue and God listened to him, causing this request to be so! In addition, God rained huge hailstones on the enemies of Israel, killing more fighters than the army of Israel could. He promised to fight for them, and He was true to His word. The carnage in the remainder of chapters 10 and 11 was perhaps the most one-sided string of military victories ever mentioned in history! 31 kings had been taken and killed, and that means 31 cities of people slain!

God is faithful to keep his end of His promises even when we are not. If he wasn't faithful, there would be no reason to worship Him.

I hope you enjoyed this e-zine. If you know anyone else who would enjoy this newsletter, please forward this e-mail to them or direct them to http://www.coffeeswirls.com/weeklybible/ Thanks for sharing my goal of reading the Bible in its entirety this year!