dismemberment {ooook, not really}

Today was my first "long" run in our half marathon training.  4 miles.  The training schedule operates on a run/walk rotation....so I didn't have to run the WHOLE 4 miles...good thing because at about 3.25 miles my legs literally felt like there were going to kick themselves off my body and just lay down on the sidewalk in exhaustion.  So I walked more than I ran the last .75 miles, but I ran as much as my long legs would cooperate.  I didn't finish in the time I wanted, but I was still pretty close for having to walk at least half of the last .75 miles.

Then I came home and stretched for a good long time because I'm pretty sure if I hadn't, my legs would have started a revolution against me.

And now I'm going to blog about Jesus.

So...then I read today's portion of the 90 day Bible reading plan.   Seriously, y'all...seeeeriously-- sometimes I read stuff and I wonder why some stuff had to be written out twice.  I finished Exodus today, and yesterday I read all about all the requirements for the building of the Ark of the Covenant, the Tabernacle, the priest's clothing, etc....some serious details, people.  So today I get to the part where the Tabernacle, etc are actually being built.  And instead of just saying, "and the people built the tabernacle exactly as God had commanded"...it goes ALL through the details. again.  I mean, I'm thinking, "did I read this already?  did i? I think I did??? What? OH. They are building it now, so we must need to reiterate exactly what they did."  That's fine, no big deal, now I get to start Leviticus!!! :)  But anyway, back to Exodus.  So of course the first part of Exodus is cool with Moses telling God about 10 times that he can't speak to the people and seeming kind of winey and then God says "ok. aaron can talk for you"-- props to God on that one, because I think I'd have lost it with the "I can't. send someone else" stuff.  Then there's some more coolness with all the plague, redemption from slavery, the sea swallowing Pharaoh's army, the Ten Commandments, the Israelites having the golden calf made (and Moses grinding it into dust and making them DRINK it.  rock on, Moses)...plus when God is going over all the laws...and this probably isn't supposed to be funny, but I was grateful it was in there because it gave me a good chuckle...God says, "do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts may be exposed."  well, I'd for sure not go up to the altar on steps then, because, really...who wants their private parts exposed???? aaaaa!  but then all the details about the tabernacle...gollllllly it's tough to read.  Some serious directions, there, God.  And totally understandable--- God is holy, his house of worship is to be holy, so there were specifications...and it's pretty legit that He himself spoke the details as to what was to be constructed.  But the whole time I read that, I'm thinking, "HOW the heck are they gonna accomplish this? How are they even going to remember?  Is it okay if it's just "sorta" right?  What if they mess up?  It's just too much to remember!!!"  I mean, I'm just thankful God wrote the 10 commandments on the tablets for Moses, because those alone would've been tough to remember after only hearing once!  So...then God makes it clear that he has already appointed those who are to help with the construction of the tabernacle, and he has already prepared them to build it to his specifications, as well as to teach others how to help do so.  WHEW~!  I mean, what was I thinking? Of COURSE He's gonna take care of that.  I'm way to OCD to have been Moses.

Anyway, I think it's cool that through all of those....rules....God knew what he was doing, and made preparations for it.  And his people didn't just depend on someone else to get the job done-- when it came time to build the tabernacle, those he'd appointed, helped to build it, and all of the people who were able gave offerings of supplies-- all the things the tabernacle was to be made of, the people donated if they had it, and the women even wove some of the linen and yarn.  They banded together, so much so that Moses had to tell the people to stop offering supplies because they had MORE than enough to build the temple. And when it was all said and done, it was all exactly as God had commanded.  They worked together, according to the Lord's calling on their lives, they gave of themselves, and it was hard work, and there were specifications...but they did it....and I'm betting it wasn't always fun (and the Israelites did their fair share of grumbling after being saved from slavery, so I'm guessing that probably some of them were tired and grouchy from working, but maybe not).  But anyway, it was a community affair- they didn't depend on someone else to do their work for them, God readied them to do it, so they did it.

So. along those lines, or totally not, I have felt, and have felt from others, a sense of unrest in the hearts of many believers.  Not that Christ isn't enough,but that we aren't.  Meaning, what's different about us?  Did you know that if your income is $35K, you are in the top 4% for wealth in the world...$50K, you're in the top 1%?  Seriously!   Over half of the world survives on $2 a day.  (thank you to Jen Hatmaker's book "7" for those stats....it's totally worth the read, and I'm not even halfway finished with it yet.  you can find it on amazon.com-- paperback or e-reader version).  We have houses and cars and oodles of clothes and food and whatevers, and we all want more.  Or maybe we don't want more, but we feel like we don't have enough...or we buy more anyway...or we "need" this...or this is 'old' or out of style or whatever.  I'm not pointing a finger at you-- dude, I've seen my closet. And my pantry.  So you can point a finger at me, if you want-- it'd be justified.  But even living in what we see as middle class, we are wealthy in the world's eyes. Maybe not in gluttonous American eyes, but in the world's, we are!   But what are we doing about it!?!?!  Can we live on less?  Yes. Will we?  I hope so.  What are some small things we can do to change the world? Big things?  What can we do?  Because most assuredly, we should do something.  There are people dying every day due to starvation. Children going to bed hungry, with no parents to love them.  Dirty water that is spreading disease amongst communities in many many other countries.  LITERALLY dying.  Of course, it is our job to also bring Jesus to these people--  but along with living water, how about actual water?  I just don't think it would be okay with Jesus for us to say, "Hey. Jesus saves.  I'm praying for you." and then walk away and hope those people get some clean water, or vaccines, or PARENTS.  WE HAVE THE POWER TO DO SOMETHING.  It is time for us-- ME-- to step up and make a difference.  Because living the "American Dream" has to be so overrated.  Because you can feed someone for a whole day for less than the cost of a drink at Starbucks.  Because for what some people spend on car payments and mortgages in one month could provide clean water to a community FOREVER.  Because Jesus loved the orphans, the widows, the diseased, the poor-- not in word, but in DEED.  And I want to be like Jesus.  BE like him, not just "do stuff" that makes me look like I love him- going to church, saying the right things, avoiding certain things, etc etc...because I think anyone who grew up in church and has felt this unrest can shout with me that THAT is not IT.  It isn't.  praying a prayer or saying a phrase or whatever isn't IT.  Jesus came to CHANGE us, and if we are only changed in what we say and in legalistic ways, what the heck is that?  Jesus changed us, Jesus redeemed us, and he loved the unlovable.  He WENT.  He DID. He LOVED. He DIED for the least of these (and that's US, too, people! We aren't good enough!  His GRACE is.)  It is time to start sacrificing what we might not see as luxuries, but what really are...and using that time or money or whatever to put legs on the faith we say we have.  Because I want to be like Jesus.  And the WORLD needs to see that in us-- the lost, the dying, the starving, they need to see Jesus with skin on, and it's time we step up and become that.  

I love it.  love love love it.  I'm so excited I'd run another 4 miles if I had any legs other than these jello ones to stand on for the rest of the day.

Peace to you on this beautiful, beautiful day!!!