The Gathering - Part 19

     If you are like me, you started a One Year Bible Reading Program (again) and breezed through Genesis, slowed down in Exodus and came to a complete stop in Leviticus. I'm making progress this year - I made it to Numbers! Not sharing this to boast, but to help explain what was different this year. I began to understand the context for the laws and regulations of Leviticus. What was God doing by handing down 247 laws in this book alone? He wanted to let the Israelites know how it was possible to live in God's presence. All throughout the scriptures we see God desiring to dwell among a people that belong to Him - the Garden, the Tabernacle, the Temple, Jesus, the Church, Heaven! The problem is God's holy presence cannot be approached by those who are defiled and impure - expulsion from the Garden, death of Nadab and Abihu, and on and on it goes. Sinful creatures separated from their creator.
     As we jump deeper into the last section of our purpose statement, "to live in light of this covenantal relationship with God and with each other" we must keep Leviticus in mind. We can't come flippantly into God's presence and we certainly can't live in a relationship with Him in an impure state. Next time we will take a look at how the Gathering should motivate us to live in light of this New Covenant with God the Father through the blood of Jesus the Son empowered by the Holy Spirit.

"Father, as we gather this week, may we not come casually or without thought. Help us to comprehend Your holiness and Your desire for us to approach. Allow us to recognize that we are completely unable to produce any purity in our lives that makes us acceptable to You. Show us Christ! Amen!"

Songs for Our Gathering this Week:

I Sing the Mighty Power of God

     by Isaac Watts

This Is Amazing Grace

     by Jeremy Riddle | Josh Farro | Phil Wickham

Good Good Father

     by Anthony Brown | Pat Barrett

I Love You (FSat, F1, F3)
     by Yancy

My Jesus I Love Thee
     by William Featherston, additional verse Mike Lukens

This Word (FSat, F1, F3)
     by Amy Sandstrom-Shroyer      

'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus (F2)
     by Louise Stead

The Rock Won't Move
     by Jacob Sooter | Kyle Fredricks | Landon MacDonald | Tyler Miller