Marissa Henley

Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

Our Perfect Substitute {First 5}

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I have the privilege of sharing a First 5 teaching today on Numbers 3. Here’s a preview . . .

Back in elementary school, my classmates and I dreaded having a substitute teacher. Mrs. Lavy was the exception. When our lessons were finished, she would pull out giant notepads filled with song lyrics and sing with us. Decades later, I still remember the songs she taught us and the excitement we felt.

Most of the time, even as adults, we’d rather have the real thing instead of a substitute. However, in today’s passage, God established a good substitution that pointed to an even greater One.

Numbers 3 and 4 describe the duties of the Levites, the tribe chosen to serve alongside Aaron and his sons at the tabernacle. (Numbers 3:5-9) The Levites served as a substitution for the firstborn sons from all the other tribes. (Numbers 3:12-13)

Click here to read the rest of today’s teaching, or join us for the study in the First 5 app!

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Foundations Week for Numbers {First 5}

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We’ve just concluded our Foundations Week for our First 5 study of Numbers: How to Wrestle Well When You’re Worn Out in the Waiting. The foundation week content came from the introduction of the study guide that I co-authored with Kelley Brown, and you can view that content here. I also shared a weekend audio teaching today with a preview of our Numbers study, and you can listen to that here. I hope you’ll consider joining us for our study of Numbers in the First 5 app or purchase a copy of the study guide!

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Numbers study guide! {First 5}

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Hi friends, I had the privilege of co-authoring a study guide for First 5 on the book of Numbers. You can purchase a copy now from the Proverbs 31 Ministries bookstore, and you can also follow along with the study of Numbers in the First 5 app.

(Photo credit: Proverbs 31 Ministries bookstore)

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Our Safe Refuge

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Have you ever watched a movie and realized that a character you thought was a good guy was really the most terrible of the bad guys? It’s even worse when the other characters don’t know the truth. You feel a pit in your stomach as you see one of your favorite characters run to someone she thinks is safe, only to find out she’s turned to the wrong person for help. You hope she figures out who’s truly on her side before it’s too late! 

For the past month, we’ve walked through Psalm 34 together. We’ve seen how David praises the Lord in all circumstances and how the Lord delivers and provides. 

In the final verses of the psalm, we find the foundation of all the truth, thanksgiving, and praise of Psalm 34: None who take refuge in God will be condemned. When we run to Him for salvation, we won’t find out later that we’ve made a mistake. We’re safe in the grace and mercy of our Savior. 

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.” (Psalm 34:19-22) 

These verses point us to Christ, the One who delivers us from death by His death. Our afflictions are many, but they are nothing compared to the affliction Jesus suffered on the cross as He bore the punishment our sin deserved. 

Because He took God’s wrath for us, our Lord and Redeemer is now our safe refuge. As Romans 8:1 declares, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” When you feel weighed down by affliction and fear, take refuge in the One who died to redeem your life. He is our Deliverer, our Redeemer, and our Protector. 

No matter what you face this week, those who run to God find safe refuge in Him. 

P.S. It’s time for summer break! I’ll be taking a break from posting Monday devotionals for a few months. Lord willing, I’ll be back in the fall!

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