So we just started memorizing scripture verses as a group and as a family. As with every great story, there is a pitfall. We hit the pitfall. The plan has been that every week on the 3rd cycle, Tuesday, we pick the verse we will memorize. Then, by Shabbat, the 7th cycle is our target day to have it memorized.
So from Tuesday through Shabbat, 3rd to 7th cycle we work on memorizing. Well, we missed the mark! We had been going strong for about 4 weeks in a row, hitting our target week after week. The momentum was brewing you could feel it in the room. We were excited to be hitting the mark week after week! We have a decent size group doing this together and we spend quite a bit of time together, with that in mind, we spend quite a bit of time reciting and reciting the verse(s) to each other, as the week progresses.
But this week...This week. We hit a funk. Our weekly routine got off, and some of us worked late causing us not to "get out of the gate" on time with this set of verses. With that, it threw some of us off on reciting at our routine times. So it was a blow to us.
The harder part for me...was that I did not have the verses memorized. Among a few others, I was one. The few of us who did not have it memorized were the older ones in the group as well. So it goes to remind us that age does not matter. We are all accountable to the same standard, in this case, the same set of verses. Reminds me of a few scripture moments, for example:
#1 "For seven times a righteous man falls and rises, But the wrong one stumbles into evil." Proverbs (Mishlĕ) 24:16 (I shared this verse in a previous post Let the Drama Begin )
#2 "Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap according to loving-commitment, break up your tillable ground, it is time to seek יהוה, till He comes and rains righteousness on you." Hosea (Hoshĕa) 10:12
#3 Aaron & Miriam, stumble before the congregation - Numbers 12
#1 - As I stated in the previous post on Memorizing Scripture, It is not easy. This is a new pattern, a new way of walking out your life. It takes time to create a path that works, no matter what. Even more so as you get older because you are changing old habits and creating new ones.
I realize this is a good habit to have but either way, it still takes time to dig up the old path and lay a new one. It is simple but not necessarily easy.
1 John 3:7 states, "Little children (believers, dear ones), do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who practices righteousness [the one who strives to live a consistently honorable life—in private as well as in public—and to conform to God’s precepts] is righteous, just as He is righteous."
I like how the Amplified version shares this verse... for the most part, 'the one strives to live a consistently honorable life - in private and in public, to conform to Yah's Percepts'
Consistency takes time, so we move forward and try or rise again. I recently read Hosea and was greatly encouraged by 10:12, which leads me to #2 from above. Hosea is sharing how terrible Yah's people have been, not practicing righteousness, forgetting His right, and, similar to what the Kings say, 'Everyone was doing what was right in their own eyes.'
Then Hosea tells them, (the MPV - My Paraphrase Version but please go read the entire book, it is not long and a very easy read, well except for Hosea pointing out Yisrael's sin), y'all have sinned and you keep sinning, seriously y'all need to repent and come back to Abba! He is ready to take you back but you gotta take some steps in the right direction. Seriously, things look really bad for all your tribes, descrution is coming, you can be sure of that. However, regardless of what was in the past, what was yesterday, Today, sow righteousness, find spots in your heart that you know you can "till up" and put good soil in and make ready for seed...His seed, His seeds of righteousness, put it in your ground and then seek Him and wait on Yah for His rain, His rain of righteousness to fall on your tilled ground.
Disclaimer: Please do not ever take my or anyone's word as THE Truth! Please go and read it for yourself. Yisrael walked away, and most walk away from Him today because folks do not take responsibility for their faith. I encourage you to be the remnant and go read your Scriptures daily!
So you see, even though Yisrael failed, royally. Yah gave them yet another chance to repent, turn back, and walk in His ways. Because His word is not worthless but it is your life, as Deuteronomy 32:47 states. So now, choose to sow righteousness, till up the ground sow seeds, seek Yah, and wait for His rain. Cause you know what? His rain of righteousness will come!
Let’s be honest—we didn’t mess up as badly as it might feel. We are our worst critic, right? We’re pursuing His righteousness, practicing it as He calls us to, and that’s what truly matters. Yes, we stumbled, and for some of us, that can be a tough hurdle to overcome. But what’s done is done. Now, it’s time to let go, stand firm, and boldly move forward into His righteousness and His Truth, again.
My final thoughts on the manner of missing the mark. #3 - Aaron & Miriam in Numbers 12. Again, please read but I will share the MPV. Aaron & Miriam have a proud moment being 'two' of the 'three'. They decided that Yah can speak to them, just as He does to Mosheh. Well, like a good father, our Abba, Yah is, He calls the three of them into a private meeting to talk about the strife they're stirring up. He sets the record straight on how things will be and because they tried to cause strife among the brothers, they get punished. Miriam gets leprosy and Aaron freaks out, and pleads with Mosheh to not let this be because of their sin! Mosheh quickly turns to Yah and pleads with Him for Miriam's healing. Yah has mercy, I believe because they turned their hearts back and realized the gravity of their sin in the form of leprosy. Yah states that she would have leprosy for 7 days and be outside the camp for that time.
While this is happening, all of Yisrael needs to sit tight and wait for Miriam to be healed and then they pack up and move to the next campsite. So they sit and wait. Wonder what that week looked like for Miriam and Aaron and all of Yisrael. A leader chastised by Yah with leprosy! Yikes, that will put some fear in someone as they look on her for the week. Not to mention Aaron and Miriam dealing with it firsthand.
The beauty IS the chastisement, the memory of, "Oh no, I do not want to do that again." Proverbs 6:23 states, "...a reproof of discipline is a way of life"
Hebrews 12: 5 & 6 states,
"And you have forgotten the appeal which speaks to you as to sons, “My son, do not despise the discipline of יהוה, nor faint when you are reproved by Him, for whom יהוה loves, He disciplines, and flogs every son whom He receives.”
Did we make it?
Did we get those verses memorized?
"Through Him then, let us continually offer up a slaughter offering of praise to Elohim, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name. And do not forget to do good and to share, for with such slaughter offerings Elohim is well pleased."