What does the word "Torah" conjure for you? Not for the Israelites or Jewish people. For them it means order, community, structure, guidance on how to worship and serve Yahweh. The law was a step forward for those who had just left captivity and slavery in Egypt, who needed to know how to do this new life among all the other people groups around them.

Scarcity mindset. What if we viewed the wilderness as, not a place of bareness, but a place of preparation for abundance. In the wilderness, God provides divine abundance. "Day by day and with each passion moment strength I find to meet my trials here ...."

Exodus 14 - Our Deliverer. How quickly we forget, or choose to forget, that God has delivered us time and time again. 

The great reversal. While the Israelites were in pain and oppression, God was blessing them and preparing them for liberation. Keeping vigil. Pack your stuff and go. “I will build my life upon you lord you are firm foundation. I will put my trust in you alone and I will not be shaken.”

Exodus 1 & 2 - God looked upon the Israelites and He took notice of them. He heard their groaning. Danger, Oppression, Exile - A common biblical narrative. Remember what God has done....

The Israelites have multiplied even while being in Egypt & in captivity as slaves. Egypt was afraid of them, not wanting to lose their free labor, yet the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied.

In the midst of our pain, God hears us and draws near.

John 1 - What does it mean to be a disciple? A disciple is a learner. It's not all about head knowledge, thinking the right things, knowing the right things. It's being present with Jesus so that you can then BE like Jesus so that you can Proclaim the Gospel - Live the Gospel.

Psalm 139 - Search me and know me... We can and need to be honest with God because He already knows and He loves us. When we voice our anxiety and pain to God, we have the choice to ask God to search us and help us or to become the monster we hate. Chronic anxiety is so high these days - we must give it to God. Trying to deny or hide our real selves doesn't work. Only God can heal us.

God likes you, He really likes you! Self-examination can sound scary, but it really depends on your view of God. Is He angry and full of wrath or does He love you, warts, sins and all? Well - He loves you, He really loves you. Psalm 139 can fill us with comfort as long as we see God as someone who loves us, not who is angry with us. We are sinners in the hands of a loving God. Good news!

On Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, we look to what Jesus has to say about Reconciliation. This is not only personal but corporate. We are Ambassadors of Christ, called to bring reconciliation where there is division. Christ is reconciling ALL things to him and he invites us to participate. We now look, not AT reality but FROM reality as part of the New Creation in Christ Jesus. (taken from Richard Rohr) 2 Cor. 5:16-21

We will be discipled. The question is "Who are we listening to?", "Who or What is forming us?". There are all kinds of influences that inform us/disciple us. Our job is to make sure that we are being discipled by Christ more than any other source.