Selected pieces

 

The head and not the tail?

Deut 28:13, And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them…

This passage is frequently quoted: Christians like the idea that they will always be the head. Yet, this promise or blessing is conditional: God will do… IF you do... The truth is; since Christ Jesus is preeminent in everything, the HEAD (Col 1.15-18), we, that is: the body/ envelope that carries Him, will inevitably be the head if we allow Him to manifest Himself in us and through us freely and fully. This implies that we submit to the will of God as much as He submitted to it whilst He lived on Earth. We have to obey God’s commandments and carefully do them. This is the only way that the dimension, measure, expression and stature of CHRIST can grow in us and that we can move from the tail to the head; and move upward from the bottom to the top.

Having said this, we also need to understand that what the LORD means by head, tail, up or down is not necessarily what we think. For instance, when He made this promise to the children of Israel through Moses, it was obvious that even if they had all obeyed His commandments in the same manner, they could not have all become Moses or Joshua etc. So, there was ‘a head and a up’ that the rest of the people could not attain, notwithstanding a perfect observation of God’s Word. Therefore, being the head; always being up; what exactly can it mean?

 

Forgetting Jesus

Luk 2:42-46, And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions..

I saw this portion of the Scripture in a new light on Tuesday. Jesus’ parents were a day's journey before realising that their eldest son was not with them: a 12 year old child! Likewise, some people set off thinking that Jesus is coming along with them, whereas they have left Him, forgotten Him somewhere. They get married, have children, start a business, embark on projects, take on jobs and refuse others, without ensuring that the LORD is indeed with them in that adventure. Fortunately, the parents of the young teen ‘quickly’ noticed that the boy was not with them and turned back to look for him. However, many people, Christians, continue their route nonetheless. Joseph and Mary’s U-turn is an image of repentance. We need to know how to return to God and Christ when we realise that we are alone on the way that we are treading on. The Bible states that unless the LORD builds the house/watches over the city, those who build or watch labor in vain (Ps 127:1). In other words, if God is not with you, if Jesus does not go with you, you are walking in vain; but, more importantly, you are heading (rushing) towards your destruction. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. (Jn 12.26).

Have a ‘wonderblessed’ week with and in CHRIST JESUS.