Devotion 10.22.26
Today's (and yesterday's) readings are alternates given for this Sunday. Yesterday's, Psalm 147, is an alternate for Reformation Sunday, during which traditionally Psalm. 46 is used, and today's keeps this Sunday, Oct 25, as the 22nd Sunday after Pentecost as we near the end of the church year (Nov 22). In all, there are twelve readings as options for this Sunday.
Leviticus 19
The Lord Is Holy
"1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.
15 “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. 16 You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the LORD.
17 “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD."
The LORD, the God of the covenant, gives commands for our interaction with our fellow man while on earth, reminding us that He alone is God.
"Not bear a grudge against your neighbor." Powerful words above from God. One of the groups during our retreat put down as one of their methods to lead a life like Joseph's (as we learned) was to let go of grudges. Grudges require energy was the rationale, and Joseph had plenty of "grudge-worthy" events. His brothers, Potiphar's wife, the Ishmaelites (Arabs) who bought, traded, and sold him into slavery in Egypt... maybe even God himself for allowing it all to happen.
The progression in the passage is one of interest: not be partial, judge in righteousness (using Christ as our lens), not slander, reason frankly, not take vengeance, nor bear a grudge, but love our neighbor as ourselves. Do no injustice, limit judgement, slander, vengeance, bear a grudge.
"The slippery slope of the progression of sin" is what God is warning us about. Starting in verse one of the passages, "Keep in mind who is God and his role in our lives daily as we deal with our neighbors."
Joseph had a moment in his life where he could have gone either way, but we only learn by what is said, he followed God, ultimately into the pit, into slavery, and into a life in a foreign land. In the end, Joseph loved God and him alone and followed him through it all. "What you meant for evil, God meant for good." This passage after Joseph confronts his brothers for their role in who he has become, the highest-ranking official outside of pharaoh himself, is telling.
Joseph's life, and today's passage, of the proactive nature of God through his Word and through the examples set by his servants, Joseph among them, to overcome evil in this world and end its consequences and the power it can hold over us. Jesus Christ overcome that evil once and for all. Sin, Satan and death hold no dominion over us.
Pray with me: Gracious God, heavenly Father, I ask that you help me surrender any sin, any evil that lurks within me, and to share your redemptive message of Christ that saved a wretch like me. Help me to be the kind of man you would have me to be through your Son Jesus Christ. In His name, Amen.