Power to the People

Right from the get go, God wanted Israel to be different. He wanted a "kingdom of priests and a Holy nation." As soon as he delivered them from Egypt (as soon as they found freedom) he gave the proclamation that this was what they would be. After this invitation, he challenged them with a frightening show of lightning and clouds.

We see the people of Israel move away from this position. The priesthood rises and becomes more powerful, until Jesus arrives. And Jesus once again tells the people that they can be the priests, they can be holy. Yet, the priesthood rose again.

What is keeping you from connecting to God on your own? What is keeping you from reading the Bible for yourself? Why don't we learn to feed ourselves? Why don't we become what God has repeatedly call us to be?

You don't get to know that

I hate not knowing. I hate feeling like I've been left in the dark or that I've been excluded from some piece of information. Maybe its because I'm a know-it-all or maybe because I've got control issues (If I don't know something, how can I control it?). In a way, I feel like I deserve to know things, either about work or friends' lives. Maybe I feel that because I'm such a good friend or employee I've earned it. Ir maybe it is because I feel like information should be more freely available. Maybe I don't value information enough.

In Acts, after Jesus' resurrection, the disciples ask Jesus if he was (finally) going to restore the kingdom to Israel. His response? "That's not for you to know." Or as the Message puts it, "You don't get to know that."

This is privileged information, it is of great value. They didn't get to know this, and they didn't need to know this. How privileged are we to know what we know? I have access to so much more information than my parents' generation, all at the tips of my fingers. I can instantly find out the best place to park for a Pacer's game in Indianapolis or the weather in Ireland, without putting in much work at all. I also have direct access to almighty God and insight into his plan for my life.

How privileged is that? How could I ask for more than that?