6:30 p.m. Wednesday March 15, 2023. 49F/9C.
Chilled. The temperature is dropping below what seemed possible earlier. It is not an evening for lingering outside. A finch visited the bird feeder today in the daylight hours. It was the first of such to visit since the feeder went up. The golden feral cat has gone to the forest to visit with friends. Many large black birds soar over the cabin, checking every spot where a morsel of food may have been left. The sun sinks slowly behind clouds in the west. It is a perfect night to go back into the cabin and chill.
The Gospel of Matthew, chapter ten
Abba Father, I humbly ask for your guidance as we read your word. In Yeshua’s name, I pray. Amen.
I am sending you like sheep among the wolves. You must be wise like the serpents and blameless like doves. Guard yourselves from the peoples, for they will lead you away with their words, and will beat you in the houses of their assemblies, and you will be led away as captured ones into the presence of the king and the leaders, in order that you may be a witness of me before the peoples. When they lead you away as seized ones, do not sigh about what you will answer or what you will say, for YHWH will teach you in that hour what you need to speak. You yourselves must not speak, but Ruach Ha-Qodesh a will speak through you.
Hebrewgospels.com, Matityahu chapter 10, translation by the Van Rensburg family
Blameless = perfect, whole, complete, like a dove presented for sacrifice
houses of their assemblies = government places
sigh = become anxious
YHWH = the name of God, Yahweh
in that hour = at that moment
Ruach Ha-Qodesh = Holy Spirit
Yeshua was sending out twelve disciples in pairs, to preach the gospel ahead of him. But here, he switched gears without any indication of what motivated him to do so.
He became a prophet.
It was as though he was looking at the current situation, through heaven’s eyes. The sending out of twelve while he still preached on earth was the same to him as the sending out of all the disciples to fulfill the great commission. He seemed concerned that they should know their fates, as if in knowing, they could face the future with hope, loyalty, and brotherhood.
They were not to fall victim to worldly attitudes and beliefs. They were to view every confrontation as an opportunity to preach the heavenly kingdom. To be brought before a king for judgment was a sign that the king was ready to hear about Yeshua.
And finally, Yeshua promised them that when it came time to be judged by kings and rulers, that just like him, they would become vessels of God’s Holy Spirit. They would also become a son of man, who simply needed to open his mouth and let God speak.
Life in the hollow, Wednesday
If I could bless every one I know with one spiritual gift, it would be that they all know how to listen for the voice of God’s Spirit. His bits and pieces of information will keep us calm and on task.
A new spiritual era is on the way. An era in which a new covenant will be drawn up. There is nothing like standing in the chaos of our times, and hearing the voice of God say, “Longed, I have, to dwell with man.”
It just makes the whole mess worth it.
Enter My Peace 