Following The Instructions

Did you know that we are only two months and one week away from Christmas? This means Lori will ask me if I can put together a few things for the kids. You know - Some Assembly Required! All you need is a screw driver, pliers, and a degree in Mechanical Engineering from MIT. (It also helps if you can read Japanese.) Every year I attempt to put the gift together and every year it is a very difficult experience. Then Lori will ask me the question. I hate this question. You probably know the one I am talking about. "Did you read the instructions?" Of course the answer is no. I am a man. Men just instinctively know how to put stuff together using tools. Help!

In Joshua chapter 3 the people of Israel are about to cross the Jordon and enter the Promised Land. God's message was follow the ark. "Then you will know which way to go." The ark represented the presence of God and it also housed the 10 commands. Remember the 2 tablets of stone? You could call this the instructions, "Torah." When you take the land this is how you build community. This is how you treat people. This is how you can handle freedom. If you do not follow the instructions then you will become captive to sin. You will experience a bondage that is worse than Egypt. So follow the instructions.

On the top of the ark was the mercy seat. Every year on the Day of Atonement the High Priest would sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat. It is important that the blood covered the ark. It covered the law. The times we went ahead of God the times we fell too far behind, the blood covers us. When things don't fit together and we realize it is us in need of assembly - we see the blood.

Do yourself a favor. Follow the instructions. It will save you time and allow you to avoid some pain. Remember it is a gift!

October 18, 2006