Monday, June 21, 2021
Today’s Scripture
Today’s Author
Chris Holmes
Much of this morning’s reading may not seem immediately relevant to us today. Words about reaping and gleaning, breeding animals and sowing fields, not eating certain fruit or anything with its blood. Then, there are words forbidding augury and witchcraft just in case you were thinking about taking them up for a hobby. Don’t forget the various instructions about sexual relations and child sacrifice, too.
So, how do they remind us that God goes with us?
First, they remind us that God is God, and we are not. That may seem obvious. But look again at these chapters. The phrase “I am the Lord” occurs nearly twenty times in about fifty total verses. That’s a lot! The impact of this repetition is clear: God cares about the details of our lives. God cares about small things and large things. God cares how we treat our family members and how we treat aliens and strangers.
The second reminder follows from the first: we are God’s holy, set-apart people. Leviticus 20 makes clear that we are holy because God has made us this way (see 20:8, 26). We live out that holiness in how we worship God, but holiness calls us to treat one another with justice and fairness. It demands that we protect the least among us and work to undo systems of oppression.
May we reflect God’s holiness in this world by becoming a community of compassion, justice, and mutuality.
Summer Devotional
God Goes With Us
This summer’s devotional is a walk through the Bible. Join our pastors and staff for daily reflections on scripture passages from Genesis to Revelation. In the beginning, God said, “I will be your God and you will be my people.” Come and see how this covenant promise changes through time yet remains steadfast from generation to generation.
Each Sunday, Chris Holmes will share a short message on the texts for the week, and written reflections will go out every Monday through Thursday morning.
We wish you blessings and deeper faith this summer!
