Cities of Refuge

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Numbers 35, 36; Psalm 47

Numbers 35:1-3 (NIV)
1 On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasturelands around the towns. 3 Then they will have towns to live in and pasturelands for their cattle, flocks and all their other livestock.”

Psalm 47:1-4 (NIV)
1 Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. 2 How awesome is the Lord Most High, the great King over all the earth! 3 He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet, 4 He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom He loved.

Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Good morning!

Have you ever been the beneficiary of an inheritance? It is commonplace to pass personal possessions and property from one generation to the next when a person dies. Today, legal documents are prepared in advance of a property owner’s death. Distributions of money, property, and personal effects are pre-arranged based upon the last wishes of the deceased. The inheritance represents a tangible blessing for the ones who receive it. Our churches can become the blessed beneficiary of financial gifts and property when a decedent leaves a portion of their estate for the continuing work of evangelism and mission in the world. We have witnessed large sums of money become seeds sown to help train and equip pastors and teachers. Monies are used to expand building programs, purchase sound systems, music equipment, and educational supplies to better equip a church to meet the needs of its growing faith community. Much-needed funds to continue essential mission work, providing necessities of life for the poor, become available through estate planning gifts. There are many people whose gifts will become a living example of faith, even after their death.

God instructed Moses to command the Israelites to care for their pastors (Levites) by providing them with a place to live and raise livestock; plant a garden, and live comfortably. Levites did not share in the inheritance of land from their relatives. They relied completely upon the tithes of the people and the Lord’s inheritance to sustain them throughout their earthly life and ministry. Jeff and I have been blessed throughout his pastoral ministry to live in parsonages provided by our church family. In Texas, the church parsonage was fully furnished. That was a huge blessing for us, while we were tuition poor. We did not have money to buy furniture; we invested our monthly income into Jeff’s continuing education. There were farmers in our church who consistently stocked our freezer with meat and fresh vegetables for our table. When I was pregnant with Rachel and Benjamin, several women from the church gave of their time and talent to make my maternity clothes. There are no words to describe how much this meant to us. The congregation took care of our family’s physical needs in ways we could not even begin to repay. If you have ever received a gift of grace, then you may understand just how meaningful your gift of blessing can bring to the life of another human being.

There is an even greater gift of grace that we can give to each other, every morning when we awake. In January, I attended a prayer conference and listened with great intent to the teaching of a pastor, author and intercessory prayer warrior, who has totally given his life to the Lord and spends his days training up people in intercessory prayer ministry. Pastor Terry Teykl desires nothing more than to teach Christians around the world the importance of linking hearts to the Lord in prayer, and supporting one another through the act of daily, concerted intercession. In his book, The Presence Based Church, Teykl reveals the power source that explodes when we daily invite the living presence of God into our hearts, homes, and churches. As we seek the Lord out in prayer, waiting for Him to come and fill our lives with unspeakable joy, we can extend His presence with our pastors, teachers, leaders, by building cities of refuge around them. As we pray for one another, we erect a spiritual hedge of protection as we depend completely upon the power and healing touch of our Lord and Savior. If you have not yet read Teykl’s book, I would invite you to pick up a copy and read it. Please consider praying for your pastor daily. Pray for his or her family. Pray for your Sunday school teachers, ministry team leaders, and missionaries. Pray for your brother and sister who sits across from you on Sunday morning. Pray for the sick, pray for the not-yet Christians who are seeking meaning and relationship and who may actually walk in off the street this weekend, looking for the Lord Jesus Christ in your church.

People will be drawn into the presence of the Lord as we pray for them daily. We can become a living conduit, (the live wire), for His healing power, grace, and forgiveness, as we seek Christ’s holy face in worship and prayer. Are you willing to create a city of refuge, a hedge of spiritual protection, for your church? It is a gift of grace, and we, as the body of Christ, can extend it to each other today.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: time to intercede in prayer for the people you love, those who help you grow in faith, and for the ones in your community who do not yet know the power and love of Jesus Christ. Will you give a gift of grace today? Will you pray with me?

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