Thursday, March 28, 2024

Luke 13



 The sadness for those who should have known and should have accepted but did not. Jesus speaks of the people who are there seeing the things he does and yet choose not to accept him. I sense a sadness in Jesus' words. He didn't want the people to reject him. He didn't want the people of Jerusalem to face destruction but their rejection of Him left them to go down a path that would lead to their destruction. 

The danger isn't just for the people of that time but also for the societies of today which have had the good news of the gospel and yet chose to reject it. If you reject long enough disaster comes. 

This being said Jesus also made it clear that the kingdom of God would grow and spread (verses 18-21). 

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Psalm 11



 Looking at verse three the psalmist's advisor seems to be asking what can you do when the foundations (moral and spiritual basis of society) have fallen? The advisor is saying again to David, get out of here while the getting is good. It's dangerous out there and you can't fix it.

This call of the advisor to run away, and keep yourself safe is probably meant in the best motive. It may be given to David by a friend who loves David. For me, it is the cry coming from in me. It's dangerous, keep safe, don't risk it. Most of the time, I don't have trouble saying, I'm going to trust God and keep going, but there are times it isn't easy. As I write this today, it is one of those days when running to the wilderness and fleeing sounds really, really appealing. It might have to do with my concerns or my lack of sleep, but it is there. 

I share this not to get sympathy (but if you want to buy me a week's vacation I'll take it), but to let others know they are not alone. Others struggle and question and I'm one of them who asks, is it time to quit. It isn't for me. I don't have the answer to the question what do we do when the foundations fall. I know this, God is faithful and he will lead us. We may not see revival, we may see chaos and death but God is greater than all of this. God will make it all right and because of that, I want to be faithful in what I have been given. Yes, I will take time off, I will do what I should to take a sabbath and rest, but I will not retreat from what God has called me to do. 

Come join me, let's keep moving forward in the mission God has given us. "Once more unto the breach...*"   



Photo by Jordy Meow on Unsplash

*Henry V Act 3 Scene 1

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Genesis 29



 Here I do want to look at the dysfunction in the relationship between Rachel and Leah. One might think if you only look at what is happening in this chapter that God isn't being fair. However, when we look further in the story it appears that the relationship between these two sisters is very adversarial. We could try and rationalize it but God knew that the situation wasn't right. God therefore chose to step in and it isn't until much later that we see He allows Rachel to have a child. What follows in the meantime is two sisters trying to one-up each other and Jacob never trying to make peace between them.  

Monday, March 25, 2024

Genesis 28



 What gets my attention here is Isaac's blessing on Jacob after being deceived by him. Most of us might be tempted to say something mean or to withhold any further blessing. Isaac takes it for granted as it were that Jacob is to be the blessed one and continues to bless him. This is a great example for us that there are times to move on and accept that things are not as we had planned. It is in these moments where we can demonstrate real character. Someone else got the promotion, your child was cut from the play to give someone else the role, and your plan for the church was voted down, in all of these we could become bitter but a mature person moves past it and becomes better. 

Saturday, March 23, 2024

Isaiah 13


In this chapter, there is a prophecy that no Arab (NIV) will pitch his tent in what was the city of Babylon. One would think that this certainly couldn't hold for long, but sure enough, the city of Babylon has been considered by people of that region as a cursed land, and thus people will not live there, even millenniums later. God's word stands true. 

Friday, March 22, 2024

Job 8

Not happening in this chapter...

 

I mentioned when talking about this chapter before that everything Bildad says is true. I have to qualify that statement. Verses two and four wouldn't fall into the category of true but not for this situation. In verse two Bildad says basically that Job is full of "hot air." He is saying that Job's words are useless. Then in verse four, Bildad says to Job that his kids deserved to die. Ouch! Even if this was true, and we don't know about their lives, it is cruel to say this to a grieving parent. In the New Testament, Paul would admonish us to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). These words are not that. 

Here are examples of what not to do in comforting the grieving.  

Thursday, March 21, 2024

Luke 12


I was reading some of the work of Cyprian, a third-century bishop and martyr, "If he crowns the faith that has conquered, he must punish the treachery that has been conquered.*" We wish sometimes this wasn't the case and that God/Jesus would reward those who are good and overlook those who aren't but justice doesn't work that way. You can't truly be just if you only deal with one side of the equation. To be truly just God has to both reward and punish. The beauty of God is that he has given us a way to accept the work of Christ so that we don't have to face His eternal justice as Christ has already taken it. 




*Ancient Christian Commentary on  Scripture, edited by A.A. Just Jr., Intervarsity Press 2003