DAY 152 - BIG PICTURE IN A YEAR - THE LAW
SAY TO THE ISRAELITES, “YOU MUST OBSERVE MY SABBATHS. THIS WILL BE A SIGN BETWEEN ME AND YOU FOR THE GENERATIONS TO COME, SO YOU MAY KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD, WHO MAKES YOU HOLY.”
Exodus 31:13
“Oooh, I noticed a white bird in my tree this morning. I’m sure it’s a sign.”
“My ice-cream fell out my cone as I was walking on the beach. I’m sure it’s a sign.”
We often scoff and mock those ‘superspiritual’ brothers and sisters in the Lord who see everything as a ‘sign’. But the fact is, God does give us signs because He knows that we need both guidance and memory aids. Consider the rainbow. This was a sign that God gave Noah and all of mankind, to remind us that He will never again destroy the whole earth with water.
Think about the sign given to Abraham, and all the physical descendants of Abraham - circumcision. Every time they needed “to go”, or husbands and wives enjoyed intimacy, they were reminded that this distinguished them from other people. They were a people in covenant with God.
God provided His rescued, redeemed people with another sign that would set them apart and act as a reminder. He instructed them to rest on the seventh day of the week. Just as God had rested after spending six days creating all of Heaven and Earth, He required the Israelites to rest one day a week. Can you imagine how counter cultural this was for them having just come out of slavery!?
God has given us reminders, too, of His covenant with us. Baptism. Communion. Tongues. If you think it’s important to remind yourself that you are in covenant with God, do not neglect these powerful prophetic actions. They will steady your faith and keep you spiritually alive and fresh.
Prayer
Father, I am going to spend a few minutes now praying in tongues, so that I can remind myself that I am in covenant with You. (spend some time praying in tongues)
For the family
Explain
Explain the different signs of the covenant that God gave mankind and His people.
Engage
Ask your children if they know what speaking in tongues is, whether they have witnessed you and the people in the church speaking in tongues. If not, show them how you pray and ask them if they want to receive this sign of the covenant. If so, then lay hands and pray for them to receive it.