Ki Tavo/When you come in
Deuteronomy 26:1-29:9
Isaiah 60:1-22
When I was a kid I would have called this week’s portions “a smorgasbord ”, but now a lot of people would say, “What?”. Today it’s probably called “a buffet”…so much more sophisticated sounding, I guess. If you give me some ‘poetic license’, I would say a buffet is more organized and nicely presented; whereas a smorgasbord is messy; overflowing with gastral delights, without care if they go together or even ‘bleed’ into each other. Today’s portions are a smorgasbord of biblical delights!
We could make many trips to the word and gorge ourselves on the thoughts and intentions of our Living God. Today I’m only bringing a small plate because of the time and space; but don’t let that keep you from going back many times and heaping your plates full. Deuteronomy helps lay the foundation and the floor beneath the Jewish people to be able to believe and receive the promises of Isaiah 60:1-22. One of my favorite verses is 60:13 “…To beautify the place of My sanctuary; And I will make the place of My feet glorious.” That’s ‘God speak’ for a people and a place! (I know it is relating to the land of Israel; but the land is incomplete without the people) Can you even imagine how He is preparing the nations and His people “To beautify the place of My sanctuary”; that He, the Holy One of Israel would want to include the nations (Gentiles), and not just rely on His own magnificent abilities to cause this to happen? A sanctuary that isn’t just for good meetings and powerful preaching, but a “place of His feet (becoming) glorious”!
Let’s take a moment, and maybe even close our eyes and imagine a place that it feels so safe and pure to be in; a place where the secrets of your heart can be washed away without any condemnation; a place where you could realize your innermost hopes and dreams; a place where you can be totally open and vulnerable; a place where whatever ails you is completely done away with; a place where…(go ahead and spend some time there). For this is what we are made for and yes even made of; the ‘soil’ of the kingdom of God infused by the very Holy Spirit of God! You are not just here to wait for heaven; you are here to experience heaven and bring heaven to the earth! Open wide and take another ‘bite’ from this week’s smorgasbord, let it consume you, and vow never to just go to the buffet again; but let God into our lives today and be ‘messy’, and satisfy us beyond anything we could have imagined; take time with His word today and be renewed in your understanding of Who He is and who you are! No napkins needed…by john eisner
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