Early morning is a good time (usually) to be alive.
I say usually, because lately here in our neck of south east Texas, the heat and humidity have been relentless. Even in the morning the heat index is somewhere around 90 degrees. And that's unpleasant, to say the least.
Ammon is getting up early for seminary. His teacher holds the class in her home, which is not far from us, so it's an easy drive to drop him off. Then I go back when it's over and pick up the kids to drop them off at school. I am then able to come in to my office and have time - like I did last year - to read scriptures on my own.
I relish this time.
I spend a lot of my day alone. I get phone calls and attend meetings, and I will frequently get up and walk around the office to see others. But mostly I'm alone up here. I like it. I'm not anti-social, but I enjoy quiet time. And I have plenty of that.
But it's these morning times when I give myself over to the Word that my soul finds replenishing.
I really like the Old Testament in general, because these people are earthy, real people who lived and struggled with the same kinds of things I struggle with. I love to hear about the victories and the failures, both of individuals and of nations, finding both inspiring and informative.
This morning I read in Exodus about the Passover. The symbolism of this great event - all pointing to the ultimate sacrifice of the Savior - is rich and subtle, and like so many things can be understood on many different levels. The obvious symbol is the practical one - by marking the lintel and posts of the doors of the Hebrews, there was a clear mark as to who was faithful and who was not. Those who are faithful survived. Those who lacked in faith did not.
But perhaps there is more to that. Blood is the great fluid of life. It is the mechanism for cleaning our bodies and providing essential nutrients to keep us alive.It is our blood that carries antibodies and white blood cells for fighting off infections. In applying the blood of the Lamb to our own (symbolic) posts and lintels, we are declaring openly that we are faithful and hopeful in the sacred nature of the healing power of this blood, that we are seeking the cleansing that comes through His atoning blood.
The second great symbol of the Passover is the bread. Christ, of course, was born in Bethlehem, which means "House of Bread". Another interesting interpretation of the name is "House of Meat". Christ is the bread of life. In the sacrament we partake of each Sunday, we remember the sacrifice of His body through the symbolic taking of bread. His body, which was nailed to the cross for us, was lain down for us, and was also taken up again for us so that we, too, could be resurrected. His glorifies, exalted body is even now before the throne of the Father, pleading and advocating for us. We could ask no better Intercessor.
While Christians do not typically participate in a Seder feast at Passover, we do participate in the sacrament remembering the sacrifice of the Lamb, applying His body and blood through the symbols of the bread and water - signifying so very much to us: life, sustaining, cleansing, purifying, testifying, remembering. We try to remember and pattern our lives after His, the great Exemplar of the way we should live.
Just a few of my thoughts rattling around my brain this morning.
I say usually, because lately here in our neck of south east Texas, the heat and humidity have been relentless. Even in the morning the heat index is somewhere around 90 degrees. And that's unpleasant, to say the least.
Ammon is getting up early for seminary. His teacher holds the class in her home, which is not far from us, so it's an easy drive to drop him off. Then I go back when it's over and pick up the kids to drop them off at school. I am then able to come in to my office and have time - like I did last year - to read scriptures on my own.
I relish this time.
I spend a lot of my day alone. I get phone calls and attend meetings, and I will frequently get up and walk around the office to see others. But mostly I'm alone up here. I like it. I'm not anti-social, but I enjoy quiet time. And I have plenty of that.
But it's these morning times when I give myself over to the Word that my soul finds replenishing.
I really like the Old Testament in general, because these people are earthy, real people who lived and struggled with the same kinds of things I struggle with. I love to hear about the victories and the failures, both of individuals and of nations, finding both inspiring and informative.
This morning I read in Exodus about the Passover. The symbolism of this great event - all pointing to the ultimate sacrifice of the Savior - is rich and subtle, and like so many things can be understood on many different levels. The obvious symbol is the practical one - by marking the lintel and posts of the doors of the Hebrews, there was a clear mark as to who was faithful and who was not. Those who are faithful survived. Those who lacked in faith did not.
But perhaps there is more to that. Blood is the great fluid of life. It is the mechanism for cleaning our bodies and providing essential nutrients to keep us alive.It is our blood that carries antibodies and white blood cells for fighting off infections. In applying the blood of the Lamb to our own (symbolic) posts and lintels, we are declaring openly that we are faithful and hopeful in the sacred nature of the healing power of this blood, that we are seeking the cleansing that comes through His atoning blood.
The second great symbol of the Passover is the bread. Christ, of course, was born in Bethlehem, which means "House of Bread". Another interesting interpretation of the name is "House of Meat". Christ is the bread of life. In the sacrament we partake of each Sunday, we remember the sacrifice of His body through the symbolic taking of bread. His body, which was nailed to the cross for us, was lain down for us, and was also taken up again for us so that we, too, could be resurrected. His glorifies, exalted body is even now before the throne of the Father, pleading and advocating for us. We could ask no better Intercessor.
While Christians do not typically participate in a Seder feast at Passover, we do participate in the sacrament remembering the sacrifice of the Lamb, applying His body and blood through the symbols of the bread and water - signifying so very much to us: life, sustaining, cleansing, purifying, testifying, remembering. We try to remember and pattern our lives after His, the great Exemplar of the way we should live.
Just a few of my thoughts rattling around my brain this morning.
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