Numbers 1-2, Mark 4:1-35

Okay so today we move onto Numbers. It is called that because they there are 2 census reports in it and contains the plan for how the land was going to be divided up. The purpose of the book does not seem to be a history though, it is more about God’s faithfulness to fulfill promises he makes. It is a story of how amazing God’s grace is and just how he poured it out over Israel.
Okay we see that God didn’t move the Israelites to go into the promised land for an entire year. It took that take to do all the things we read in Leviticus. Then God took a census to organize his people. We often don’t think about preparation, but God does. Sure, we think about food, water, shelter and all of that, but God sees the big picture. God spent that year preparing his people spiritually.
The census was done to know how many men were available to fight in the coming war. Each tribe had an organizer who did the counting and reported to Moses. Every man 20 years and older was to fight. We see that the tribe of Levi was exempt from this count because their job was to care for the Tabernacle and would not be included in the fighting men. One other point is that if anyone besides a Levite came near the Tabernacle at this time, they would be killed.
We see how the tribes were set up around the Tabernacle as well. In our way of thinking on the map it may sound strange, but they were moving to the east, so God positioned the largest group in the front. Then slightly smaller groups on the sides of the tabernacle and finally a smaller force behind to guard their rear and be ready to step in as reinforcements. The final verse of chapter two shows us Israel in obedience to God. At this point at least they were remembering that obedience to God brings blessing.
In Mark we are reading my favorite parable today. I have loved it since I was a child. The beauty of it is so simple and the lesson so plain. Jesus speaks of a gardener who goes out to plant seeds. Some of the seeds fell on different soil. Each soil type had a different effect on how the seed grew into a plant and the viability of that plant. The main lesson is that we need to be very aware of what we do with God’s word and take care to take it in and allow it to grow in us. I don’t have to explain the parable here because Jesus did it himself.
Now the second parable we see here is also a farming one. It illustrates that it is not us that does the growing in another person. Having spent my entire life struggling with codependency this is a good one for me to remember. We are not responsible for what someone does with the seeds we plant. We are only responsible to plant the seeds. The growth will be a result of what the person allows God to do in them. We must be ready to help reap when the grain is matured. We see Jesus speak over and over again through the Gospels about being ready. Instead of worrying about what you need to do outside yourself, try thinking about what you need to do inside yourself to be prepared for what God sends your way.
There are two main truths in these stories. First, that we must be careful to obey the word of God. Secondly that God’s word will accomplish its purpose regardless of what we do. We need to remember that it’s the Word that really does the work, in our successes and our failures in sharing Jesus with others.
Tomorrow’s reading is Psalms 25-27.