Can we skip this one? Romans 13

I’ll say it up front: I would be far happier if Romans 13 were not in the Scripture. All the other parts of Romans, all of the slightly hard to understand parts, all of the deep theological parts, all of those I am fine with. I enjoy wrestling with those, debating those, pondering those.

Romans 13, on the other hand, is not hard to understand. It’s not really “deep theology” either. There’s nothing here to wrestle with. This is straightforward, no nonsense, action-oriented writing.

And it is very, very difficult to take. Start with verse 1 and realize that this applies to any aspect of government that does not demand clear disobedience to God and God’s Word. Any. That traffic control sign? That excessive tax? That annoying body cavity search before flying?

All of it. Why? Because governing authorities are established by God, even ones that photograph every piece of mail in the system. And those authorities are there to keep order. This is why we go ahead and get building permits and don’t park in front of fire hydrants.

“Wait a minute! What about when the government is wrong?” Wrong how? Wrong biblically or wrong for your convenience? Are they making you drive slowly or taking more of your paycheck than you want, or demanding you pay to kill unborn children? See, when it’s the former, we need to come back here. When it’s the latter, then Acts 5:29.

Additionally, for those of you in the United States and other constitutional republics (we are NOT a democracy—never have been, see Nerd Note 1 at the end): are the branches of government the authority? Or is it the founding documents and constitution of your nation? This is relevant: the US, UK, and many other Western-style republics work like this: the ruling authority is not a person, it’s a codified system. For the US, it is primarily the US Constitution, as amended (also in Nerd Note 1), and the body of laws built out of that. Your responsibility is to the law, not the Congress or the President. Your loyalty is always to Christ Jesus.

Keep in mind, Paul writes this to the church at Rome. Not the church at Jerusalem or at Britannia or at Hispania, the churches at the edges of the Empire. He addresses those right smack in the middle of the power. No one would have been more aware of the issues of the government than the Romans. No one would have been more inclined to be involved in conniving to replace Caesar, either.

Paul’s point is that the Christian life is focused on following Christ, and that allowing squabbling with the government to get in the way of that is foolish. Pay the taxes you owe, fulfill your responsibilities, and then focus on loving your neighbor and living as children of light, even in the midst of the darkness.

Further, Paul’s closing verses are equally challenging. Put aside carousing, sensuality, strife, jealousy—and make NO provision for the flesh to follow these. Too often, we make little provisions for the flesh in these matters. We allow the flesh to be entertained by these things, we allow the soundtrack of our lives to glorify these things.

Then we wonder why our faith barely sustains us in the hard times and transmits to others with more difficulty than passing a Frisbee in a hurricane. We give allowance to the flesh and then the flesh takes it all. This is not to call us into a dead legalism, and it certainly is not about me being the Holy Spirit for you—but it is about each believer using their freedom to glorify God.

Really and truly, while Romans 10 is challenging about being deliberate to spread the Gospel, Romans 13 is jam-packed with practical commands from God through the Scriptures. And the real life implications of those commands are pretty stout:

• Honor all laws legally instituted that do not contradict God’s Law.
• Focus on showing love to the people around you.
• Behave properly, as one who expects their behavior seen and known.

All pertinent and troubling. That’s enough to keep me busy for a few years. How about you?

Nerd Note 1: The US is not and never has been a “democracy.” We have the freedom to vote on the representatives who will make the laws that we, in turn, agree to follow. This is for practical reasons—can you imagine needing to have 200 million people vote on every law? This is for reasonability reasons—look simply at Justin Bieber. Is a majority of Americans always sensible?

The end result, though, is that we elect people not because of what we think, but because we think they will do the right thing. It is actually not that a Representative or Senator is obligated to do 51% of the constituency wants. That person was elected to vote what that person thinks is the right thing to do. The accountability comes at the next election: if 51% disagree, then a new person is elected.

Further, this complicates both race and gender issues. There’s much nonsense about how male legislators vote on “women’s issues” and shouldn’t, since they are not women. Except that our system of government does not work that way. My wife is represented in the Arkansas Legislature and the US Congress by men. I do not know if she voted for them, nor will I ask. But insisting that a man not vote on a so-called women’s issue removes her representation in government.

Additionally, the Constitution is the “Supreme Law of the Land.” There are methods for amending the Constitution, and those amendments, while separately listed, technically become the text of the document. So, the Constitution has been corrected for bad decisions in its writing, like allowing slavery. With the exception of the 18th and 21st Amendments, every Amendment has been positive for the nation. Those two cancel each other out, so they are not anything.

But following the Constitution is following it as amended. Because that’s the document. And that is the ultimate rule of law in this nation. Which means that there are conditions and situations where one might openly rebel against Washington D.C. and not be in violation of Romans 13, even if the spark of that rebellion was not a call to disobey God. Our established authority is the Constitution and all legally authorized laws established through its means. If the Federal System or a state system exceeds those means, then they are not the authority.

Nerd Note 2: Look at the idea of paying what is owed, but then connect Romans 13:7 with Romans 13:8: pay what you owe, but owe nothing if possible. While perfectly relevant for your Dave Ramsey course, this extends even farther than that, just as the rest of the chapter is all-encompassing. Do not limit this to being just about money.

Sermon Wrap-up July 7

Note: Video boxes for morning and evening are at the end, audio links and outlines are first.

Morning Audio Link is here

Morning Outline:

July 7 AM FBC Almyra

Text: James 4:17
Date: July 7 AM
Location: FBC Almyra

To the one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to that one it is sin.

I. Know the good

A. For the spread of the Gospel

B. For the strength of the church

C. For the sake of others

II. Act

A. Not just think

B. Our behavior is what we believe

III. Act without delay

A. Not without consideration

B. But without delay

IV. Because God's people strive to avoid sin

A. Not because we lack grace

B. But because of the glory of God's grace

Evening Audio Link is here

Evening Outline:

Text: 1 Peter 2:4-10

Date: June 23 12013 PM

Location: Almyra FBC

Central Idea: Being made into a people

Theological Idea: Why the World Needs the Church

1. Stumbling on Jesus

2. Building Peculiar People

3. Made into a People

4. People who are the Light

Morning Sermon Video

Evening Sermon Video

Weekly News

Here are some tidbits that I found a little odd this week:

1. NSA-Whistleblower Snowden is apparently in Russia, stuck like Tom Hanks in The Terminal, and trying to figure out where to go. Enter Russian spy Anna Chapman, who proposes via Twitter: “Snowden, will you marry me?”  No word on whether or not this would fix his asylum requests, but it sure does spice up the movie about this mess. Why Twitter? Well, if Snowden’s right, the governments of multiple countries are listening to your phone calls anyway…

2. Egypt overthrew their government just two years ago. At the time, many people were concerned that the chaos would lead to a semi-dictatorship at the hands of a hardline Islamic group. The Morsi government, backed by the Muslim Brotherhood, sure looked like that was the case, but we sent them weapons anyway. Now, guess what? They’ve overthrown the government for being a semi-dictatorship overly controlled by a hardline Islamic group.

That’s not the odd part. The odd part is this: FoxNews spells the now-former President of Egypt’s name as Morsi. CNN spells it Morsy. I’m not sure if it’s too right-wing to have the “I” or overly Communist to have the “y.” No real explanation on why MSNBC keeps referring to him as Jeb Bush’s lost brother.

3. Apparently, cast members of the TV show Big Brother were caught making racist comments. You mean self-promoting narcissists aren’t always nice people? Wow.

4. Someone is creating a digital comic book series based on Saved by the Bell and Airwolf. Here’s hoping they don’t make that a mashup and give Zach an almost indestructible combat helicopter.

5. In parts of NASCAR that I do not understand, why do they penalize teams for catching an illegal part in pre-race, pre-qualifying inspection? Isn’t taking the parts off the car and making you redo it enough? I understand zapping someone for cheating during the race, but before they do it? Imagine this in the NFL: “Alright, you will kickoff from your own end zone. We noticed that a few of your guys were across the line during warm-ups, so that’s an offside penalty.

6. I have a book to read next week called Good Ideas from Questionable Christians and Outright Pagans: An Introduction to Key Thinkers and Philosophies. Why? Because I think the truth of God is part of reality, and so is visible even in those who reject Him, so I want to learn.

7. I loved the story of the man who hogtied a burglar and left him in the yard for the police. How much you want to bet he’s going to get in trouble, though?

8. The State Department spent $630K on Facebook likes, and still people don’t like them. Facebook advertising may not be that great, folks.

9. First No-hitter of baseball this season was pitched by the guy who pitched the last one of last year. What’s he doing, monopolizing the stat?

10. Google Reader was retired this week, ending one of the ways in which I waste time. I will fill this void with more Twitter follows.

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776.

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, —That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.—Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

  He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

  He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

  He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

  He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

  He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

  He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

  He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

  He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

  He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

  He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

  He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

  He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

  He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

  For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

  For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

  For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

  For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

  For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

  For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences

  For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

  For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

  For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

  He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

  He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

  He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

  He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

  He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Delegates

John Hancock
Button Gwinnett
George Wythe
William Floyd
Lyman Hall
Richard Henry Lee
Philip Livingston
George Walton
Thomas Jefferson
Francis Lewis
Benjamin Harrison
Lewis Morris
Thomas Nelson, Jr.
William Hooper
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Joseph Hewes
Carter Braxton
Richard Stockton
John Penn
John Witherspoon
Francis Hopkinson
Robert Morris
John Hart
Edward Rutledge
Benjamin Rush
Abraham Clark
Thomas Heyward, Jr.
Benjamin Franklin
Thomas Lynch, Jr.
John Morton
Arthur Middleton
George Clymer
Stephen Hopkins
James Smith
William Ellery
George Taylor
James Wilson
Samuel Adams
George Ross
Roger Sherman
John Adams
Samuel Huntington
Robert Treat Paine
William Williams
Elbridge Gerry
Caesar Rodney
Oliver Wolcott
George Read
Thomas McKean
Samuel Chase
Josiah Bartlett
William Paca
William Whipple
Thomas Stone
Matthew Thornton
Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Knowing Who You Are

I had the honor this past week of seeing another pastor research part of his family history. I will leave most of the personal parts of his story out, because it’s not my story to tell. I’ll summarize, though, so that you know what happened. His father was also a pastor, and pastored several churches in the late 40s and 50s, before my pastor friend was born.

A few years back, he set a goal of visiting all the places his father had pastored before my friend was born. Sure enough, many years back, his father pastored in Immanuel, Arkansas. Immanuel is near Almyra, and is actually in Almyra’s ZIP code with the USPS. Poor decisions in history are why Almyra was granted the Post Office and Immanuel was not, but that’s a matter for another time.

It was remarkable to see how my friend took in every detail out at his father’s former ministry. Even though the building was gone, the church remains, because true churches are not about buildings. He was able to connect with a current church leader who had the history of the congregation, and who graciously allowed us into the facility to see where they are now.

This leads me to my question, both for me and for you:

Do you know who you are?

Most of us find the answer specifically in the present, with a few nods toward our future. For example, I am a husband, a pastor, a father, a son, an American, a hopeful writer, a hopeless student, and so on. All of these things are specifically related to where I am. Other parts of my identity: Christian, Baptist, White Guy; are all part of what I am made of, whether genetic or spiritual.

I think, though, that part of who I am is missing in all of these descriptions. I know who I think I am today, and who I think I will be tomorrow. I know my own history, but what of my heritage? I know snippets and stories, but I treat those so often as if they are no different than the historical lessons of Ancient Rome or Lexington and Concord. Stories worth the knowing, but detached from a passionate embrace in my heart. Head power without an emotional connection.

What I don’t know so badly eclipses what I do know about where I have come from. There have been good and bad people in my heritage, but I am reluctant to consider how these have shaped me, even though I have not known them.

We are not chained to our history, but neither are we independent of it. None of us sprung unaided from the foam of the sea. How does it affect who we are now?

I am not saying that we are bound to those moments in our heritage, but what do we know? How does our story fit in the flow? One example from the weekend was being reminded, by way of seeing an old receipt of the days of the poll taxes that were used to suppress votes in many areas of the country. (Not just the South, by the way, New York, so leave us alone.)

Did you know that in many areas, the poll taxes were not just about suppressing minority votes but about poor folks in general? The goal, overall, was to find a way to keep power consolidated in the hands of wealthy and powerful. I found in a book on the coal mining towns of the late 19th and early 20th centuries that the miners were often given the opportunity to pay the tax, but the mine company held on to the receipts “for safekeeping.”

Guess what happened when it came Election Day and the miners wanted to vote? If they weren’t suddenly needed to work overtime, past the polling hours, they had to find and obtain the receipt for taxes paid. If a man was known to not vote like the company wanted, his receipt might have been hard to find…

And guess what a few generations back of Hibbards did for a living?

They were coal miners. (Well, one was a horse thief, and many were preachers on the side. Including the horse thief, I think.)

Which means that our family benefited, and benefits, as much from the efforts to abolish poll taxes and other suppression efforts as anyone else did. It also shows that we are not heirs to fame and fortune, but rather heirs to something greater. Our heritage is of men and women who struggled at times to survive, and eventually overcame.

This should inform the efforts of myself and future generations, to stand for those who have no voice. To fight for the inalienable rights endowed by our Creator. Because one other thing I have learned about miners: they hate to leave anyone behind. Many of the safety rules about mine rescues originated because too many miners would die trying to rescue their fellow miners. Not by orders of management but out of loyalty to leave no one under that ground.

We do not leave anyone under that ground. We do not leave anyone oppressed and voiceless. We do not sit idly by and let others do the heavy lifting.

Even if the titles have changed, who we are, or at least who we ought to be, does not change.

Who are you? Why?

Book: Anselm of Canterbury

Anselm of Canterbury by Simonetta Carr (hear from her here at this link) is the latest entry in the Christian Biographies for Young Readers series. Prior entries have profiled John Calvin, Augustine of Hippo, Lady Jane Grey, and Athanasius, and more are planned. These are published by Reformation Heritage Books

I will open with this general observation: we fail to read enough biographies in our growth as Christians. I think there is a heartfelt desire to avoid the hagiographical style where our “heroes” did no wrong, and so we tend to avoid biographies in general. Alongside that, we fear elevating individuals too highly, but we would do well to remember that Anselm’s ego will not be overinflated, nor will Lady Jane Grey, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, or many others. There is no real risk here, and we are the poorer for allowing modern denominational lines to block our view of history.

Now, let us move on to Anselm of Canterbury. Anselm falls into church history as a theologian of the eleventh century and is considered one of the founders of scholasticism, the effort originally geared toward defending the Christian faith on an intellectual basis. More than this, Anselm was heavily involved in the conflicts of his age between the English King and the Pope over the power within the church.

These conflicts are part of the heritage of the separation of church and state to this day: the King wanted to have the power over the church in his lands, and the Pope wanted the church independent. Anselm also fought to reform the church and even wrote against slavery.

Anselm of Canterbury, though, is a biography for younger readers, and so does not quite dig into all of these issues. There is an examination of Anselm’s childhood, including an interesting story about white bread. Carr also draws out some of Anselm’s experiences s a younger monk, establishing who he was before he became Doctor Magnificus of the Roman Catholic Church. Even then, though, he was groundbreaking. Page 21 shows how he used a tablet to record his ideas—he did have some printer-compatibility issues, though.

Carr’s storytelling style is excellent throughout. Even though I am aware that I am reading a children’s book, it is still engaging and challenging for an adult reader. My kids have enjoyed reading it, even not understanding all of the undercurrents of history about lay investiture or homage.

The story is compelling, and I think Carr handles the theological questions well enough for younger children to grasp. She does an excellent job being even-handed with her treatment of the structure of the Roman Catholic Church, neither fully endorsing it nor introducing unnecessary questions about the medieval church systems.

A separate word is necessary regarding Matt Abraxas’ illustrations. That word is excellent. Abraxas’ helps bring the story to life so well that I regret the space used for actual photographs in Anselm of Canterbury. Couldn’t they have had him just draw the object in the photo? (I do understand the reasoning, but his work is excellent here.)

Overall, Anselm of Canterbury hits the midline between simplifying the story enough for children and not dumbing the story down too much to have value. The “Did You Know?” section in the back is very helpful, filling out the details needed for the life of Anselm. Further, a few definite quotes from Anselm round the work out nicely.

I highly recommend this book for upper elementary and above.

Please Note: Cross-Focused Reviews tracked down a free copy of this book and gave it to me, on condition that I review it. No demand was made that I like it.

Grace and Presence: Numbers 9

Picking up through the whole Bible, Numbers continues to belie its reputation as a dull book of just a census and presents more of the narrative during the Exodus. There is a two-part story in Numbers 9, the first regarding the Passover observance, the second demonstrating God’s approval of the Tabernacle.

Let’s break it down into those two parts.

First, the Passover. I think it is impossible to overstate the importance of the Passover in the Jewish Faith, and that goes all the way back to the Exodus and the night of their deliverance from slavery. You think Canada matters up north, eh? You think Fourth of July is a big deal in the USA? These days are set us up to understand how important the Passover was. Except you have to combine not only the national aspects but the religious ones. Imagine if Independence Day fell on Easter. You’re closer—but we’re not all Christians in the US.

However, because it was a religious holiday, there were specific ceremonial requirements for its observance. One of those was ceremonial cleanliness, which one could lose from being in the presence of someone who died. And people do not die on schedule or hold off past inconvenient times.This meant there were various people who found themselves unable to participate in the Passover—even though they had done nothing but go through normal life. Or, perhaps, they had deliberately been showing compassion to ailing individuals and had become ceremonially unclean.

Anyway that it happened, these were going to be excluded from the Passover. It was troubling to them that they could not take part, and so they asked why they should be left out?

Moses does the right thing here and seeks the Word of the YHWH (that’s what you have here, the Covenant Name of God) for these people. I particularly like his answer in Numbers 9:8:

“Wait, and I will listen to what YHWH will command concerning you.”

God’s response is gracious. Rather than rebuking the people for ending up unclean or give a list of extra sacrifices to perform, God gives them an alternate date for the Passover. It is set for a month later, and they are to observe the Passover in its fullness. This also applies to an individual who is on a distant journey, allowing for the possibility of worship among the people rather than alone on the road.

There is a big “however,” though. It is this: the one who simply skips the Passover? He is to be cast out from the community. End of story for him, for he has willfully rejected what God has granted in grace. The epitaph is frightening: “He will bear his sin.”

Practically speaking, the grace of God is marvelous, glorious, excessive, and not to be treated casually. The grace of God is enough for all and the heart that has known grace will strive to follow as best possible. It is the selfish heart that is incompatible, but there is grace even for that.

Moving to the second half of the chapter, we see God’s acceptance of the Tabernacle. How do we know it is accepted?

The Glory of God descends on the Tabernacle to the point that no one could miss His presence. When the cloud of fire would rise up, the people would pack and follow, and when the cloud stopped, there they stopped.

This picture shows us the beauty of the grace of God. He remains with His people and they follow Him. His presence, in itself, is enough to stay in one place or to chase off across the wilderness.

Do we see His grace and presence the same way?

Nerd Note: Take a look back at the calendar allowance on the Passover. What do you think this says about “individual worship” or “solo Communion” if we assume that God is the same God now that He was then?