Category Archives: Jesus

Bible, Jesus

God reveals himself in a thorn bush

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God introduces to Moses himself as the I AM. Not as the Creator. God is defined by being, not by action. This is exciting. We in the West are touched by action. In the East one defines oneself in being. It is important whose son or daughter I am and not what awards I have received. Maybe we should fix our identity more in being. If we have given ourselves to Jesus, then we are children of God and that is enough. We love God because he is and not because he does something for us.

The second thing to notice is that God does not reveal himself in a way that can be disposed of by calling his name. He doesn’t fit into our thinking box. He defines himself as a God who is related to us humans. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He spoke to all these forefathers. He promised everyone that through Israel he would bless all peoples. God keeps his promises. God keeps his word.

It is also noticeable that God reveals himself in a thorn bush. In fact, one would expect something else. Kind of like the shepherds in Bethlehem. Heaven opens and the glory of God becomes visible. Throughout the Bible it becomes clear again and again: God reveals his love in suffering. We see that by Job. Then when everything fails, then God is there. Not as a consuming fire, but as a light in the darkness. Just as he also appeared at Pentecost over the first church in tongues of fire and thus pointed out: In the midst of all your troubles I reveal myself by being with each and every one of you and enlightening you. Jesus endures our suffering and supports us in our suffering.

Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’

Bible, Jesus

Moses in the land of divine revelation

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Moses finds refuge by the priest of Midian in Exodus 2:15-22. Without his knowledge, he fled to the place of divine revelations. Here at Jetro or Reguël, Abraham’s belief in God is lived. Therefore, Moses comes to a place where he learns more about God by waiting to him, as indicated by the two names of his father-in-law.

Perhaps it is also a challenge for us to wait for God to learn more about him, to understand him even better and to be even more fascinated about him?

After Moses fails as a saviour in Egypt, he becomes the saviour for the daughters of Jetro. A son from a royal house becomes the servant of disenfranchised women. It’s like a reference to Jesus. After Jesus is rejected, he focuses on the servant side of the Saviour. Continue reading Moses in the land of divine revelation →

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Prepared for Life (Ephesians 6:10-24)

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Those who walk with Jesus can expect resistance. But children of God do not walk in their own strength (Ephesians 6:10). Her master equips them. Not to fight people, but to protect themselves and ward off cunning attacks. Evil must be overcome with good (Romans 12:21). Christians should not hide in fear but stand boldly for the truth (Ephesians 6:20).

Paul uses the image of a Roman soldier, which was well known to everyone at the time, as a reminder. Today we would perhaps speak of an antivirus program. Continue reading Prepared for Life (Ephesians 6:10-24) →

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Moses and his destiny

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Moses was convinced in Exodus 2:11-15 that the hour had come for the Savior to intervene. But the pointer on God’s clock was not that far advanced.

We see Moses acting as a human redeemer. Moses experiences a blatant case of injustice. Shouldn’t justice be helped to triumph immediately?

Moses reacts emotionally. Seeing a need is one thing, but the big challenge is reacting calmly. Today people react before they really start to think about it.

Perhaps we too should learn to wait for the right time? If we want to make a difference, it is important to think before we act. But that’s not always easy for us.

Jesus waited over 30 years before appearing publicly. It is important that we see the need and care it, take it before God and than wait until God’s time has come.

Sometimes we try to react faster than God. But patience is a divine attribute. Psalm 86:15 says: “But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.”

The second mistake Moses made was that he wanted to save his people on his own. Years passed before God stripped Moses of his own strength, his zeal, even his desire to be a deliverer, so that he could carry out God’s will. God is the doer. He even makes us weak so that his power can be seen in and through us.

Wherever we offer solutions for people who don’t want any, we won’t see any success.

Moses was wrong thinking that by doing this the people would recognize him as their Saviour. They did not yet see Moses as the divine saviour. They saw a zealous man. Moses had not yet become unselfish.

Moses experienced complete bankruptcy. He fails because of his cleverness, his own power and his supposed trust in God.

But whoever wants to become a tool in God’s hands must first reach their limits with their own strength and power.

Moses was not to appear as royal highness, but had to become a Midianite shepherd before God could use him. Not a title is decisive, but the inner maturity.

Moses had not yet learned three things in our story: to wait for the divine time, to let God’s power work in oneself and to become unselfish.

 

Jesus

A life of love

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Sin has made us unable to love anything or anyone without seeking our benefit. But God does not give up.

His love is a love that suffers because it endures the selfishness, the wretchedness, and all that is absurd in us until we repent, and God’s presence can be restored in our hearts.

Selfless love that suffers to save is the essence of God.

We are to be changed in his image (2 Corinthians 3:18) so that whoever meets us will see, know and love Jesus in us. When Jesus is revealed in us, that honours God the Father!

more https://www.obrist-impulse.net/ein-leben-in-der-liebe

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Faith prove itself in family

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The core of human coexistence is family and work. This is where faith has to prove itself.  Ephesians 5,21 to 6,9

Paul is often only quoted in part, which leads to a wrong perception.

Man and woman are created to complement each other. Paul writes in Ephesians 5,21 “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ”

Ephesians 5,31 says husband and wife become one. This is only possible in mutual appreciation.
 Continue reading Faith prove itself in family →

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The Messiah – a king-priest like Melchizedek

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David writes in Psalm 110 about the Messiah: “1 The Lord says to my Lord: Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool. … 4 You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”

Melchizedek means “My king of righteousness of peace”. He is a picture of the reconciling ministry of Jesus who is at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19 / Luke 22:69).  Continue reading The Messiah – a king-priest like Melchizedek →

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Women let their fear of God shine

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Mankind can be wicked or have a good heart. The midwives of Exodus 1:15-22 are faced with the question of which is more important to them: a good relationship with the government or a good relationship with God. They feared God more than the king. Instead of eliminating the boys, they chose life. They disobeyed the pharaoh’s inhuman command to kill all male children. They stood on the side of life and did not want to become the servants of death. Verse 20 says, “God made the midwives prosper.” God blesses those who stands to Him.

The resistance of the women thwarts the pharaoh’s plan. He had thought the midwives would kill the newborn boys immediately and then fool the family into believing it was a stillbirth so the plan could go ahead without fanfare. But now he has to realize that his idea that the midwives should lie to the Hebrews will come back with a boomerang lie and show him how powerless he is. Continue reading Women let their fear of God shine →

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Survey in the diocese of Basel

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A survey in the Diocese of Basel Switzerland has shown that a majority of Catholics seek advice in God’s Word (54%). Also the Word of God, but in the form of the liturgy or reading the Bible, increased 44 percent. When asked in which moments they experience a good dialogue in the church in their environment, 17 percent give a self-written answer. Individual and concrete examples were often mentioned (e.g. in the monastery shop or the common Bible group).

https://www.obrist-impulse.net/wir-sind-ohr

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Symbolism of the numbers in the Bible

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Numbers play a special role in the Bible. They often serve as a link and reminder of certain events or symbols. But they are not absolute statements in the sense of an oracle or a hidden prophecy.

The one (Hebrew: echad) is associated with the concept of the unity of God (Deuteronomy 6: 4). Man and woman are also to become “one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). The unity of God stands against man’s distrust of God and his benevolence, a “no longer wanting to be one with God”. But we are to become one with God’s way of thinking (John 17:21). But always in the awareness of the differences. The absolute one is jachid. Each personality only exists once and is part of a larger unit in which we complement each other. Everything is designed to be complement. Continue reading Symbolism of the numbers in the Bible →