First of all. Perhaps you’re noticing that this website looks a little different. It does! That’s because Peyton Campbell (over at Peyton Campbell Studio) made it look so pretty! It’s exactly what I imagined but could never have created. She also made it actually work (bonus!). Since I’d piece-mealed a blog together for so long, it was really, really messy and hard to use.
Pretty things that also work?! Yes, it’s possible. Thank you, Peyton!
Now, back to our Counting of the Omer in these weeks leading to Pentecost.
We saw last week that the Law, given by the Lord to the people of Israel, was a gift that showed them how to live with a holy God in their midst. But the Law, while a gift, was limited in its power by mankind’s sinful tendencies. We are unable to abide in God’s ways in our own strength. Isn’t that the most frustrating thing? We want so badly to be good and faithful and independent. We want so badly to live this life well—and on our own.
But independence never was God’s way for us.
Freedom? Yes. Independence? No.
The law, limited in its power by human weakness, allowed the Presence of God to dwell among His people, but it was unable to grant unlimited access to that Presence by the people.
God always had in mind a new kind of law, one “written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” (2 Corinthians 3:3). Throughout the Old Testament times, the people came to look forward to a new time—a time when the law would be written on their hearts. We now know that law as the Law of the Spirit—the law written on our hearts by the Spirit of God that God Himself has given without measure (John 3:34).
We are going to continue exploring this topic as we continue preparing for Pentecost throughout the next several weeks. As you read through the selected Scriptures this week, consider the parallel roles of the Law and the promised Spirit:
(If you need a copy of the selected Scriptures, you can sign up to participate in the Feasts study or email me and I’ll be glad to send one your way!)
