Read
Numbers 34-35; Psalm 94
Verses chosen for meditation: Numbers 34:1-2 ESV
1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the people of Israel, and say to them, When you enter the land of Canaan (this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, the land of Canaan as defined by its borders)
Reflect
I must say that my heart skipped a beat when I read the two verses. The phrase that really got me was "When you enter the land". I could sense the excitement in the air as the announcement was made. It had seemed a long time coming.
What impressed me too as I read from the previous earlier chapters were the many talents of God and hats he wore though it should come as no surprise for a God of his stature to possess such talents and assume all those responsibilities.
God is certainly more than able to think everything out including a refuge city (Numbers 35:6), plan everything right to the last detail including the day the Israelites would enter Canaan, and give everything up including the sacrifice of his only beloved son.
Relate
I vividly remember the time our church was given the green light to come back to our own building for Sunday worship services. We had been away for 4 years wondering what to do with our building and hoping at the same time the authorities would say 'yes' to our request, which had by then turned to an appeal.
There was a palpable excitement. We were coming home at last. The day had finally come. Images flashed across our minds of what church life would look like from then on. How different it would be from the cinema hall days. For we'd been worshipping on Sundays in a nearby cinema.
Reading the first two verses gave me almost the same feeling. The feeling of a wait finally coming to an end, and of a new chapter opening up. A promising one, no less.
But the real star of the passage should be none other than God himself. He had been seen as a liberator, law giver, provider, strategist, designer, an architect and now in these two chapters, a master planner as well as a living testator, someone who apportions his inheritance. You name it, he has done it, and with a flourish.
In today's mad craze world for attention and publicity, he'd have appeared on the covers of Times, Newsweek, Forbes, The Peak, Tatler etc. But all this would have been overshadowed by the events leading up to Good Friday this week.
There's absolutely no gloss about the Cross, only the grossness of humankind depicted. However, we see the 'man of the hour' at his best here. The God of the passage would give up his only son for the sins of the world. As is true of his character, he'd have thought it out and planned it to the last detail. And then, at the precise moment, in true fashion, he would give everything up by sacrificing his only beloved son, becoming thus the ultimate Lover and Saviour of the world. A responsibility that only he and he alone can fulfil.
Finally, it's interesting that God would also think of creating 'refuge cities' as we read in Numbers 35. Obviously, he's not forgotten those who were affected. In this day and age, we can be affected in so many other different ways, not necessarily in the manner mentioned.
Just a few weeks back, I was having a chat with a fellow church member. We were talking about the church being a place of refuge since we believe it must be on God's mind as well. Ergo, this text serves as a testament to it. For the church, besides all its other visions and missions, needs to be a place of refuge, just as God is a refuge for the oppressed (Psalm 9:9). How quickly we may have forgotten this.
Recently, I attended a fundraising luncheon for Safe Place, a refuge for single unwed mothers. The whole concept and ministry simply bowled me over. It all started from one woman's compassion for women in such predicaments. And when passion is put into compassion, a wonderful ministry is birthed, replete with heart and soul.
The church could easily become an organisational machine without a soul if we're not careful. We could run it in very elegant corporate style without any difference from the corporate world.
Perhaps, this week, it will pay us to look into the heart and soul of the church as we look at the painful and selfless offering on the Cross.
Rest
Lord, you are the life of the church, and the spirit of its people. Let not your church lose its heart and soul.
Naville Chia
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