Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Therefore Go...Therefore Work


Numbers 4:46-49 -  So Moses, Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted all the Levites by their clans and families.  All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to do the work of serving and carrying the Tent of Meeting numbered 8,580.  At the LORD's command through Moses, each was assigned his work and told what to carry. Thus they were counted, as the LORD commanded Moses.

 

Between three the three clans of Levites…there were 8,580 priests of age to serve God in some capacity. Each clan had a specific job to carry out….from the simple care and everyday maintenance of the tabernacle…to breaking down and packing its pieces… or carrying the ark to its new location as God showed them where to travel.  At 30 years of age...they were deemed ready for service...they were counted...and given a job to do for the Lord…and were expected to fulfill this job of service until the age of 50.

 

I bet it took every single one to move that enormous tent. The physical labor required great indeed…as they packed each utensil carefully by the instructions of the Lord….taking care not to touch any of the holy things directly…lest they die for their disobedience. What a sense of reverence must have taken over these men as they watched …or maybe cast their eyes to the sky…while Aaron and his sons walked backward to lay the veil on the ark…and prepare the table of presences for the carrying poles. What physical strength it must have taken to carry these heavy gold objects great distances to the next camp.

 

Today is no different…we have all been given a job to do…we have all been assigned a task to spread his holy word throughout the world. And it will take every one of us to complete just a great task. Some of us are called to care for his church…to clean it and repair it for worship.  Some of us have been called to be witnesses and bring the lost to hear his word.  Some of us have been called to teach…or preach…or lead the church into worship with song. It will take every one that believes in God to complete the task given to us as Jesus ascended into Heaven that last day he spent on the Earth with us.

 

John the Baptist began his ministry at 30…just like these priests.  He ushered in our Messiah…Jesus Christ…who began his ministry at 30 as well. But as he left to be reunited with his father...he left the great words of commission that gave us all our orders to begin our own ministries as soon as we believe in him.   He said in Matthew 28:19-20, “ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

 

There are no age limits anymore on who can be a worker for God.  The youngest Christian and the oldest are all equipped with his holy spirit to complete the task God gave us all to do. My 54 years of life gives me no more right to God’s love than the newest child who has just been born….and once we believe in him….he expects us to work for him until he blesses us with that trip home to Heaven. He expects us all to find the task we were placed here to do…and pray for his strength to complete it…so that his love can be known to all before he returns to claim his children.

 

Father…even though I wonder this morning what my specific job for you really is…I will continue to love and search for what you have placed me here on this Earth to do. Maybe in the search to know your perfect will…I have even completed some other smaller tasks by accident. Help me father to stay focused on you…and continue to study your word and let it soak deep into my soul…so it can help me to battle the everyday darts of sin that Satan throws at me to get me off task. Walk with me today…and help me to find you in everything that I do.  Help me to see Satan lurking up ahead of me…and reveal your path that moves around Satan’s plan to sidetrack the job you need me to do. Amen.

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