9.28.24 ~ You Have It All

 Good morning!

We are in the time of the Fall Feasts of the Lord (Lev. 23:23-42). This week's Torah portion is Nitzavim/to stand. In our study yesterday, 'I want it all', we learned that God is a God of abundance and He wants us to enjoy all that He's given to us. However, the things He hasn't given to us (Tree of knowledge of good and evil), He wants us to leave alone. As a result of wanting it all, a curse came upon the land and the serpent, as well as difficulties for the man and woman. In last week's Torah portion, Ki Tavo/when you come in, we learned that the curses came as a result of not keeping the commandments of the Lord with a joyful heart (Deut. 28:45-47).

These verses aren't talking about positive Pollyanna, they are speaking to those who have everything/kol at our disposal, through God's generosity; we have goodness. But if we don't recognize it, if we aren't happy, then we are doomed to a cursed existence. Ugh!

Take a look at what I mean. The man who builds a home but someone else dwells in it. He chooses a woman to marry but someone else will lie with her. He grows a vineyard but the fruits will be enjoyed by others. These curses are bitterly painful, but, in a sense, they describe a person who has "kol," they have "tov": they built the home, the vineyard, they found the love of their lives, but they won't be able to enjoy it. Instead, someone else will (Deut. 28:30). Truly, a life of having and not appreciating what you have is a miserable existence. And if that's not bad enough, consider the most horrific curse, of eating your children (Deut. 28:53-57).

Why would this happen? Because he has nothing left. Because he was not able to enjoy abundance, he will be left with its opposite, complete and TOTAL lack. This time, that lack won't be an illusion. It will be real. Double ugh!

When you had everything, you didn't feel like you had quite enough to share with the Levite and with the stranger? Now, you will lack so completely that you will consume your own child in selfishness and refuse to share with your wife, your brother, and your other children.

Many might think God is a God of anger by allowing these curses to come upon the people, however, these curses seem designed, not by a vindictive and sadistic God, but by our own selfishness and lack of gratitude (Deut. 28:47). They expose reality for what it really is. If you have everything, and you are not happy, then don't you really have nothing?

Instead, God's commandments help us recognize the happiness and tov/good in our lives. When we recognize that tov, we merit the blessings that Moses is talking about (Deut. 28:1-14). And, strangely, the more we are able to cling to God's ways and demonstrate our happiness with our "everything," the more blessings, the more "everything" we get. The more we can share that everything with others (Jn. 14:15-23).

That is what Moses is saying at the conclusion of the Torah: See that I have placed before you life, and good, as well as evil and death. We have come full circle, O Children of Israel – from back in the Garden at the beginning of the Torah, to entering Israel at the end of the Torah.

God wants to have a relationship with us, to have us experience great joy together with Him. He gave us a Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and a Tree of Life. Those trees exist today in the form of the commandments that God has given us. If we keep those commands, if we love God, follow Him, God will bless us in the land that we are coming to inherit.

Can we see the abundance of good in our lives? Can we be thankful for all we have? Will we share with others? What will we choose? Choose life and good!

Shabbat shalom!

Commercial: Last night's zoom call: The Bridal Garments Pt. 4: What do the garments look like in real life (Isa. 3:18-24; Matt. 25)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

11.22.24 ~ The Lack of Emotional Intelligence

Good morning! Happy Preparation Day! When I was a child, I was taught to say thank you. And if I did something wrong, I was told to say, 'I'm sorry'.  Which begs to ask the question: "why are there so many poorly trained adults? Why do so many adults find it hard to say I’m sorry? or even thank you enough? Enquiring minds want to know! Recently, a research project was released from Carnegie Mellon University that answers the question. Let me summarize the findings. The paper introduces a framework to explain what is called the responsibility exchange theory. It is used to explain why giving thanks and apologizing, as well as bragging and blaming others matters so much, and why we have such a hard time exchanging the right words at the right time. Here’s the conundrum, while thank you and I’m sorry, makes the speaker appear caring or generous, and I’d add not raised in a barn by barbarians, they fear it is at the cost of seeming incompetent or weak.  Then there is the o...
Read more

4.10.25

Good morning! The offerings/korbanot were indeed a source of joy and favor every time they were brought to the Temple or Tabernacle. For instance, when the Temple was being dedicated under Solomon's kingship, they had this incredible feast. The nation feasted on these thanksgiving and peace offerings; 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep and goats (2 Chron. 7:5; 1 King. 8:63) and the glory of the Lord, as with the Tabernacle in Exodus 40, filled the Temple (2 Chron. 7:2). There was great joy in the presence of the Lord! And we have this covenantal intimacy because the offerings/korbanot expressed love, joy, loyalty and gratitude.  Let me speak very briefly to one common objection, particularly in a modern sense. Yeah, OK, fine, but still weird! OK, Solomon's dedication doesn't seem consistent with blood and guts, splashing blood, limbs cut off and burning on an altar to appease an angry god for the sinful disobedience of mankind; it is so barbaric. It's disgusting. How could G...
Read more

12.4.24 ~ She's worth it!

Good morning! Part of our dust bunny dysfunction comes from our growing up days and the coping mechanisms we learned to survive. In this week's Torah portion, Vayetze/and he left, we see the results of a divided house where there was favoritism and the 'dust bunny' coping mechanisms that develop as a result. We'll make a comparison between the two 'ladders that reach to heaven (tower of babel and the Ladder in Jacob's dream) and the reason why Jacob wept when he saw the woman of his dreams; in search of his own bosom and tent, a wife (Deut. 13:6); A wife is a man's bosom.  Sarah is Abraham's bosom.   Sarah's Tent comforts those who dwell in Abraham's bosom with bread, light, and the Presence of the Lord (Gen. 24:67). For those, after death, who have the privilege of waiting for the resurrection in Abraham's bosom, there is the comfort of Sarah's tent (Lk. 16:19-31).  Yeshua, through His own life, demonstrated all three signs of Sarah'...
Read more