Yesterday was Easter. A day on which Christians gathered together to celebrate the resurrection of our perfect, loving, and living king - Jesus. Today's reading in the Daily Walk Bible deals with another king - Saul. A king who, unlike Jesus, was flawed and egocentric.
Yesterday, we celebrated Jesus life. Today, we read about Saul's death.
The Daily Walk Bible's notes summarize Saul's life and death as follows:
"In contemporary English, the word tragedy is used to describe any severe adversity, regardless of its cause. But more specifically, a tragedy is a calamity that results from a wrong decision arising from a flawed character. Using this definition, Saul's life was a true tragedy. It held much promise of success for himself and the nation, yet it ended in defeat and disgrace - all because pride and self-will led him to rebel against God's commands."
Saul is not the first, nor will he be the last, to have a life of great potential marred and destroyed by his own pride, sin and rebellion.
Jesus' life. Saul's life. Whose life does ours more closely align with?
Monday, March 24, 2008
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Promises
Is there something that you are waiting for God to do?
What are you hoping for?
Have you been praying for something yet feel like God has been pretty unresponsive?
The final words of today's reading (Joshua 18-21) show us a great thing about God's character - He keeps His promises. Listen to these words:
So the Lord God gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give to their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers . . . not one of all the Lord's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled (Joshua 21:43-45).
Not one of God's good promises failed.
One thing we know about God is that His character cannot change. So, the same God who kept His promises to the Israelites will keep His promises to us. However, as we know from Israel's story and our own stories, God does not always keep those promises as quickly as we might like or according to the script we write out.
God has not promised us a bigger house. God has not promised good health to us and our families. God has not promised to shield us from all the painful shockwaves of life in a fallen world. God has not guaranteed wealth. (Quite honestly, I deeply wish He had promised all those things).
However, He has promised that He will never leave us. He has promised that He has not forgotten us. He has promised that one day there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain (Rev 21:4).
I can't wait till those promises are fulfilled.
What promises are you longing to have fulfilled? Are you waiting well for the fulfillment of those promises?
What are you hoping for?
Have you been praying for something yet feel like God has been pretty unresponsive?
The final words of today's reading (Joshua 18-21) show us a great thing about God's character - He keeps His promises. Listen to these words:
So the Lord God gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give to their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers . . . not one of all the Lord's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled (Joshua 21:43-45).
Not one of God's good promises failed.
One thing we know about God is that His character cannot change. So, the same God who kept His promises to the Israelites will keep His promises to us. However, as we know from Israel's story and our own stories, God does not always keep those promises as quickly as we might like or according to the script we write out.
God has not promised us a bigger house. God has not promised good health to us and our families. God has not promised to shield us from all the painful shockwaves of life in a fallen world. God has not guaranteed wealth. (Quite honestly, I deeply wish He had promised all those things).
However, He has promised that He will never leave us. He has promised that He has not forgotten us. He has promised that one day there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain (Rev 21:4).
I can't wait till those promises are fulfilled.
What promises are you longing to have fulfilled? Are you waiting well for the fulfillment of those promises?
Friday, February 29, 2008
A Good Reminder
When we started this "read THE BOOK" campaign, in Sunday morning announcements about the readings, and in different posts on this blog we have emphasized one major point - we are not doing this simply to learn more bible trivia.
We endeavor to read the book to, first, learn more about God and the biblical story. However, it does not stop there. The second major goal is to apply what we have learned from our readings.
The Bible was not given to merely inform us. It was also given to transform us.
Today's Daily Walk notes pick up on this idea. Those notes read:
Perhaps the prophet Micah said it best. Read his words out loud twice, looking for answers to the question, What is God expecting me to do? 'O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: to do right, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God' (Micah 6:8).
Now close your eyes, and tell God what you read and what you intend to do about it.
We have read a lot so far. We have read some laws that clearly show God's demand for holiness in His people. We have read about God's expectation for purity in his people. We have seen stories that demonstrate God refuses to tolerate ongoing disobedience and God is unwilling to compromise.
It might be a good time to take a few minutes and reconsider the Daily Walk's challenge: close your eyes, and tell God what you have read and what you intend to do about it.
Thoughts?
We endeavor to read the book to, first, learn more about God and the biblical story. However, it does not stop there. The second major goal is to apply what we have learned from our readings.
The Bible was not given to merely inform us. It was also given to transform us.
Today's Daily Walk notes pick up on this idea. Those notes read:
Perhaps the prophet Micah said it best. Read his words out loud twice, looking for answers to the question, What is God expecting me to do? 'O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: to do right, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God' (Micah 6:8).
Now close your eyes, and tell God what you read and what you intend to do about it.
We have read a lot so far. We have read some laws that clearly show God's demand for holiness in His people. We have read about God's expectation for purity in his people. We have seen stories that demonstrate God refuses to tolerate ongoing disobedience and God is unwilling to compromise.
It might be a good time to take a few minutes and reconsider the Daily Walk's challenge: close your eyes, and tell God what you have read and what you intend to do about it.
Thoughts?
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
God is for Us
Today we start the book of Deuteronomy - a book the Daily Walk Bible describes as a collection of sermons that Moses gave to the Israelites. In Chapter 1, Moses retells the story. A big part of that story is what happened in a little area known as Kadesh Barnea (see Numbers 13-14; Deuteronomy 1:2-36). At Kadesh Barnea, the people refused to continue trusting God. They stopped moving forward in faith. They got anxious, dug in their heels, and became unwilling to obey God further.
What is interesting is not simply what they did (refused to trust God) but why they did it. Moses, in this first sermon, links the Israelites' refusal to obey and trust with their perception of God. Moses describes the Israelites' actions and thoughts as follows: "But you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God and refused to go [into the land God had promised]. You complained in your tents and said, 'The Lord must hate us....'" (Deut 1:27)
Do you see what happened? The circumstances in which the Israelites found themselves (up against some obstacles associated with entering the land) impacted their view of God which impacted their behavior. Things were tough so they thought God hated them. And because they thought He hated them, they saw no point in trusting him.
Too often, I am tempted to do the same thing. Too often, you may be also. When God provides for us and does exactly what we want, we think that He really must love us.
When we face circumstances we do not like, encounter things we cannot control, or God doesn't give us the life to which we think we are entitled, we begin questioning. We question whether He loves us. We question whether He has forgotten us. We, like the Israelites, might even question whether He hates us. Then...we can begin questioning whether it is worth even obeying or trusting him further.
Does this sound familiar? How do we avoid it? How do we get a proper view of God that can sustain us through all of life's circumstances?
What is interesting is not simply what they did (refused to trust God) but why they did it. Moses, in this first sermon, links the Israelites' refusal to obey and trust with their perception of God. Moses describes the Israelites' actions and thoughts as follows: "But you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God and refused to go [into the land God had promised]. You complained in your tents and said, 'The Lord must hate us....'" (Deut 1:27)
Do you see what happened? The circumstances in which the Israelites found themselves (up against some obstacles associated with entering the land) impacted their view of God which impacted their behavior. Things were tough so they thought God hated them. And because they thought He hated them, they saw no point in trusting him.
Too often, I am tempted to do the same thing. Too often, you may be also. When God provides for us and does exactly what we want, we think that He really must love us.
When we face circumstances we do not like, encounter things we cannot control, or God doesn't give us the life to which we think we are entitled, we begin questioning. We question whether He loves us. We question whether He has forgotten us. We, like the Israelites, might even question whether He hates us. Then...we can begin questioning whether it is worth even obeying or trusting him further.
Does this sound familiar? How do we avoid it? How do we get a proper view of God that can sustain us through all of life's circumstances?
Friday, February 8, 2008
His Glory
"I am the Lord your God."
"I am the Lord your God."
"I am the Lord your God."
That phrase is the repeated refrain echoing from the past few days readings in Leviticus. Beginning in Leviticus 18:1 and stretching well through Leviticus 25:17 we hear that refrain. That phrase accompanies the instructions and commands God is giving. Why?
See, the link between who God is and what He commands His people to do is so important. Understanding that link makes the book of Leviticus a whole lot more understandable.
So...why do you think the phrase "I am the Lord your God" accompanies so many of the commands and instructions God is giving?
"I am the Lord your God."
"I am the Lord your God."
That phrase is the repeated refrain echoing from the past few days readings in Leviticus. Beginning in Leviticus 18:1 and stretching well through Leviticus 25:17 we hear that refrain. That phrase accompanies the instructions and commands God is giving. Why?
See, the link between who God is and what He commands His people to do is so important. Understanding that link makes the book of Leviticus a whole lot more understandable.
So...why do you think the phrase "I am the Lord your God" accompanies so many of the commands and instructions God is giving?
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Observing the Cow
In yesterday's blog entry, we decided to -together- practice some Bible study methods. Specifically, we are going create a list of observations from Exodus 32. When observing a particular Biblical passage all you need to do is try to answer the question "what do I see?"
To help get us dialoguing about our observations from that chapter, here are some of the things I observed:
-the people got impatient and were tired of waiting on God and on Moses
-the people's impatience led them to make the idol
-Aaron was involved in making the idol (remember that for a lot of the story, Aaron has been Moses' most trusted leader, confidant, and friend)
-Aaron pointed to the idol as being the entity/god that had helped rescue and provide for the people
-God saw what the people were doing and how they were sinning
What did you observe? What was Moses' response to the people's sins? How did God want to punish the people? What kind of leadership did Aaron exhibit? What kind of leadership did Moses exhibit?
Post some of your observations, as they can help deepen our understanding of this chapter. Once we have a good list of observations, we can then think about what these observations mean and what we ought to do.
To help get us dialoguing about our observations from that chapter, here are some of the things I observed:
-the people got impatient and were tired of waiting on God and on Moses
-the people's impatience led them to make the idol
-Aaron was involved in making the idol (remember that for a lot of the story, Aaron has been Moses' most trusted leader, confidant, and friend)
-Aaron pointed to the idol as being the entity/god that had helped rescue and provide for the people
-God saw what the people were doing and how they were sinning
What did you observe? What was Moses' response to the people's sins? How did God want to punish the people? What kind of leadership did Aaron exhibit? What kind of leadership did Moses exhibit?
Post some of your observations, as they can help deepen our understanding of this chapter. Once we have a good list of observations, we can then think about what these observations mean and what we ought to do.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Sharing thoughts together
This past Sunday a great group gathered for DiscipleShape 2. During our time, we thought about why we should even bother reading the Bible. We discussed motives, both good and bad, that can surround Bible reading. Most of our conversation, however, was about how to study the Bible and some methods/approaches we can use.
One widely used Bible study method involves three steps and questions:
1. Observation - where you simply examine a particular passage and answer the question "what do I see?"
2. Interpretation - where you look back over your observations from the text and think about "what does it mean?"
3. Application - where, in light of what you have seen and what it means, you answer the question "what do I do?"
Let's, together, try step one - observation. It would be great to see what, from a particular passage, jumped out to you that I might have overlooked. Also, I think you might benefit from seeing what others noticed. For those who attended DiscipleShape 2, let's use this as a chance to further practice what we learned.
So, the Daily Walk reading for tomorrow, January 30th, is Exodus 32 - 34. For those interested, let's focus on Exodus 32 and post some observations on this blog. Think about what you see in this chapter - what is emphasized? is anything repeated? are there any cause and effect relationships? who is involved? what is motivating the characters' actions? what is the order of events? does the passage contain any item or phrase that appears random?
To help us get started, I will post a few observations tomorrow.
One widely used Bible study method involves three steps and questions:
1. Observation - where you simply examine a particular passage and answer the question "what do I see?"
2. Interpretation - where you look back over your observations from the text and think about "what does it mean?"
3. Application - where, in light of what you have seen and what it means, you answer the question "what do I do?"
Let's, together, try step one - observation. It would be great to see what, from a particular passage, jumped out to you that I might have overlooked. Also, I think you might benefit from seeing what others noticed. For those who attended DiscipleShape 2, let's use this as a chance to further practice what we learned.
So, the Daily Walk reading for tomorrow, January 30th, is Exodus 32 - 34. For those interested, let's focus on Exodus 32 and post some observations on this blog. Think about what you see in this chapter - what is emphasized? is anything repeated? are there any cause and effect relationships? who is involved? what is motivating the characters' actions? what is the order of events? does the passage contain any item or phrase that appears random?
To help us get started, I will post a few observations tomorrow.
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