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Numbers 17-18
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Are You Sure You Want This Job?
Occasionally there are those moments when my kids get brave and say they can’t wait until they are adults so they can do whatever they want. Why is this such a temptation? Many movies and tv shows have captured those wishful moments as well, giving the child an opportunity to see what it would be like with the responsibilities of adulthood, which often turns out much different than they expect. Oppositely, there are also songs written about wishing we had wisdom when we were younger and still had a more able body. Are we ever content?
Numbers 17 & 18 are a continuation of what we talked about last week, understanding that God defines who is in leadership of the sanctuary. This time He shows who’s in charge by having them collect 12 staffs, one from each tribe, and put them in the temple overnight. In the morning the staff of the tribe of Levi had sprouted, producing flowers and almonds, but the others didn’t, clearly showing God’s choice. The thought of the Levites having this special authority is both exciting and scary for them, especially as they contemplate what it means. God shares that the Levites are in charge of the temple, its specific duties and responsibilities. He also shares that for them there is no inheritance; they must fully rely on Him.
Perhaps at first, the other tribes looked to the tribe of Levi wondering and wishing they had that job, just like a child looks at an adult wishing he or she was already that age. All of us can fall into the temptation of looking longingly into someone’s life, but we forget that everyone deals with challenges and struggles in this world. It was clear God chose the Levites for this job, but unlike the others, there was no inheritance for them, so they had to trust God to provide for them every day. The blessing of that is that you never forget that God is the one giving the blessings, the challenge is that you may feel uncertain about when those blessings will come.
These chapters could be simply summed up as God has vocation for everyone, or more simply, everyone gets a job. People waste far too much time coveting the jobs of others. Unfortunately, in our culture it is not just that we covet, but that we also judge those who don’t have “good enough” jobs. Why do we believe that if everyone just works harder they can make more money or get a better job? Other cultures don’t hold this same value. People are gifted with the gifts they have, or better said, God has gifted everyone uniquely.
For me, my young dreams were to be singer/song writer or a basketball player. I took guitar lessons only to find out that my hand eye coordination just didn’t seem to work like that. I spent hours practicing, but in the end, I came to peace realizing that even though I loved music, I was just not cut out to play it. With basketball, I often tell myself that if I had accepted earlier that basketball was just a season for me, I might have spent less time worrying about what team I was on. But really, Jesus provides for us all by giving us all the best gift. He loved you so much that He provided for your greatest need—dying and rising again for you! This means you are gifted with eternal life!
In some ways, these chapters seem like the simplest of lessons, but the truth is, so many of us struggle with them. We look around and wonder what life would be like if we had that job, or we judge those who don’t have a job that is good enough. The “simple” lesson is to rejoice in the vocation/job God has given you and to praise and thank Him for His wonderful provision. And we pray that others would find that same reason to rejoice in the vocations/jobs Jesus provides them. The jobs I speak of are not just those that make money, but the gift of raising children, grandchildren, caring for others, and so many more.
Jesus, let us see the gifts we are given. Let us rejoice in the vocations/jobs You have given us. Let us help others who battle with their own vocations or covet other ones. Give us peace to know You are the ultimate provider. Amen.
God’s Peace,
PW
Occasionally there are those moments when my kids get brave and say they can’t wait until they are adults so they can do whatever they want. Why is this such a temptation? Many movies and tv shows have captured those wishful moments as well, giving the child an opportunity to see what it would be like with the responsibilities of adulthood, which often turns out much different than they expect. Oppositely, there are also songs written about wishing we had wisdom when we were younger and still had a more able body. Are we ever content?
Numbers 17 & 18 are a continuation of what we talked about last week, understanding that God defines who is in leadership of the sanctuary. This time He shows who’s in charge by having them collect 12 staffs, one from each tribe, and put them in the temple overnight. In the morning the staff of the tribe of Levi had sprouted, producing flowers and almonds, but the others didn’t, clearly showing God’s choice. The thought of the Levites having this special authority is both exciting and scary for them, especially as they contemplate what it means. God shares that the Levites are in charge of the temple, its specific duties and responsibilities. He also shares that for them there is no inheritance; they must fully rely on Him.
Perhaps at first, the other tribes looked to the tribe of Levi wondering and wishing they had that job, just like a child looks at an adult wishing he or she was already that age. All of us can fall into the temptation of looking longingly into someone’s life, but we forget that everyone deals with challenges and struggles in this world. It was clear God chose the Levites for this job, but unlike the others, there was no inheritance for them, so they had to trust God to provide for them every day. The blessing of that is that you never forget that God is the one giving the blessings, the challenge is that you may feel uncertain about when those blessings will come.
These chapters could be simply summed up as God has vocation for everyone, or more simply, everyone gets a job. People waste far too much time coveting the jobs of others. Unfortunately, in our culture it is not just that we covet, but that we also judge those who don’t have “good enough” jobs. Why do we believe that if everyone just works harder they can make more money or get a better job? Other cultures don’t hold this same value. People are gifted with the gifts they have, or better said, God has gifted everyone uniquely.
For me, my young dreams were to be singer/song writer or a basketball player. I took guitar lessons only to find out that my hand eye coordination just didn’t seem to work like that. I spent hours practicing, but in the end, I came to peace realizing that even though I loved music, I was just not cut out to play it. With basketball, I often tell myself that if I had accepted earlier that basketball was just a season for me, I might have spent less time worrying about what team I was on. But really, Jesus provides for us all by giving us all the best gift. He loved you so much that He provided for your greatest need—dying and rising again for you! This means you are gifted with eternal life!
In some ways, these chapters seem like the simplest of lessons, but the truth is, so many of us struggle with them. We look around and wonder what life would be like if we had that job, or we judge those who don’t have a job that is good enough. The “simple” lesson is to rejoice in the vocation/job God has given you and to praise and thank Him for His wonderful provision. And we pray that others would find that same reason to rejoice in the vocations/jobs Jesus provides them. The jobs I speak of are not just those that make money, but the gift of raising children, grandchildren, caring for others, and so many more.
Jesus, let us see the gifts we are given. Let us rejoice in the vocations/jobs You have given us. Let us help others who battle with their own vocations or covet other ones. Give us peace to know You are the ultimate provider. Amen.
God’s Peace,
PW
