1
Sing joyfully to God our strength; shout in triumph to the God of Jacob!
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Take up a melody, sound the timbrel, the sweet-sounding harp and lyre.
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Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our solemn feast.
4
For this is a law in Israel, an edict of the God of Jacob,
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Who made it a decree for Joseph when he came out of the land of Egypt. I hear a new oracle:
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"I relieved their shoulders of the burden; their hands put down the basket.
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In distress you called and I rescued you; unseen, I spoke to you in thunder; At the waters of Meribah I tested you and said: Selah
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'Listen, my people, I give you warning! If only you will obey me, Israel!
9
There must be no foreign god among you; you must not worship an alien god.
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I, the LORD, am your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. Open wide your mouth that I may fill it.'
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But my people did not listen to my words; Israel did not obey me.
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So I gave them over to hardness of heart; they followed their own designs.
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But even now if my people would listen, if Israel would walk in my paths,
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In a moment I would subdue their foes, against their enemies unleash my hand.
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Those who hate the LORD would tremble, their doom sealed forever.
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But Israel I would feed with the finest wheat, satisfy them with honey from the rock."
~ 9 There must be no foreign god among you; you must not worship an alien god.
Most of us, when we think of idols, think about some of the idolatry listed in the bible. The gods and goddesses worshiped long ago, required sacrifice and worship very different than our worship today. And then we think of materialism, maybe, in the 2nd category. In my area of the world, being industrious and self-sufficient is very important. I’d say to the point of being busy becoming a god.
Our church, Hopepointe Anglican, has focused this Lent on being still to know the Lord.
Psalm 46:10
"Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
In a conversation recently, I heard someone say to feel peaceful they must be away from all other people, in the country. This amount of separation is not needed, but to be still and be quiet in prayer.
When God began to tell the children of Israel how to become the people He chose to bless and to love, in Exodus, He told them to honor the Sabbath and keep it holy. He asked them to set a time each week to allow for rest, a time set aside to honor the Lord (as well as to honor Him in our words and actions). Not only are we to keep Sabbath, we are to give Sabbath. We are to give the land rest. We are to give all of our laborers rest. Give every living creature the opportunity to rest and refresh. Sabbath is to be for every level of society.
I remember receiving information from my children's schools reminding us not to over schedule children. Lessons, play dates and learning are important, but each person needs time to just be.
Jesus told us doing good on the Sabbath is in His Spirit. He told us He fulfills the Law, not to be legalistic. Jesus' Father, our Abba, rested.
Be Still and Know I am the Lord - Video
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