Thursday, May 14, 2009
May 14th: Deuteronomy 31, Isaiah 3-4 and Colossians 1
In Deuteronomy 31, it talks about God teaching Moses a song to pass onto the people. I wonder if God sang it to Moses. I wonder if it just came to him or he heard it. Imagine, hearing God sing. No idea how Moses received it...but I never thought about this before.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
May 13th: Deuteronomy 30, Isaiah 2 and Acts 28
"Choose life."
As I read Deuteronomy 30, I imagine Moses almost in tears. Like a father knowing he doesn't have much time, Moses cries to the people to choose not just living over dying but a quality of life. Moses is one of three people alive that saw God bring them out of Egypt. He knows the brutality and completeness of God's judgment. Moses has seen God's glorious righteous judgment. He knows the pain and hardship that can happen. He knows the plagues. The boils, the hail, the flies, the utter blackness... the death. The full scope of suffering. So Moses reminds them over and over of what it was like for Egyptians. He reminds them of who God is. Maybe with a knowing hand, he points at the cloud. And then in one final sermon, he begs and pleads for them to choose happiness, peace and plenty. To chose life.
But in the back of his mind, I think Moses knew. He knew these people he led for forty years. He knows they'll be led astray. But that doesn't stop him from pleading. From grasping to one last truth. If they fall away, if they choose death. God is gracious. When the people realize their error, their stupidity, they can repent. They can come around... and finally... after trying it their own way... they can choose life.
As I read Deuteronomy 30, I imagine Moses almost in tears. Like a father knowing he doesn't have much time, Moses cries to the people to choose not just living over dying but a quality of life. Moses is one of three people alive that saw God bring them out of Egypt. He knows the brutality and completeness of God's judgment. Moses has seen God's glorious righteous judgment. He knows the pain and hardship that can happen. He knows the plagues. The boils, the hail, the flies, the utter blackness... the death. The full scope of suffering. So Moses reminds them over and over of what it was like for Egyptians. He reminds them of who God is. Maybe with a knowing hand, he points at the cloud. And then in one final sermon, he begs and pleads for them to choose happiness, peace and plenty. To chose life.
But in the back of his mind, I think Moses knew. He knew these people he led for forty years. He knows they'll be led astray. But that doesn't stop him from pleading. From grasping to one last truth. If they fall away, if they choose death. God is gracious. When the people realize their error, their stupidity, they can repent. They can come around... and finally... after trying it their own way... they can choose life.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
May 12th: Deuteronomy 29, Isaiah 1 and Acts 27
Right now, I feel like the Israelites of Deuteronomy 29. I relate to standing on the edge of the promised land. I "get" what it was like for them. There is this new land. But at this point it was an idea. A hope for something new. Something potentially so much better than the past few years. It was their future. The stuff of dreams. There was boundless potential. There was bright shiny future.
But then there is Isaiah. The promised land is like a used rental car. The interior is stained, nothing quite works like it was designed and there are clinks and clunks as it moves along. The glitter is worn, the hope and joy are gone. The dream didn't pan out.
I think it's the potential Isaiah that makes the crossing the Jordan so difficult. Sure, getting across the river starts with a couple of steps. But every step forward is a step away from the safety of the idealistic dream.
Look at Paul. I bet appealing to Caesar sounded a lot more awesome in Caesarea than it did 14 days into a storm.
But then there is Isaiah. The promised land is like a used rental car. The interior is stained, nothing quite works like it was designed and there are clinks and clunks as it moves along. The glitter is worn, the hope and joy are gone. The dream didn't pan out.
I think it's the potential Isaiah that makes the crossing the Jordan so difficult. Sure, getting across the river starts with a couple of steps. But every step forward is a step away from the safety of the idealistic dream.
Look at Paul. I bet appealing to Caesar sounded a lot more awesome in Caesarea than it did 14 days into a storm.
May 11th: Deuteronomy 28, Song of Solomon 8 & Acts 25-26
It's amazing what the "great" sermons of the New Testament are. It's people telling their story. Nothing crazy... just their story.
Sure, Paul had the bright flashing light. But Peter didn't. Timothy didn't (although you don't see him preaching). They tell of their encounter with Christ.
That's pretty cool.
By the way, finished Song of Solomon. Reading that was like reading a code that you know is dirty but you just don't get it.
Sure, Paul had the bright flashing light. But Peter didn't. Timothy didn't (although you don't see him preaching). They tell of their encounter with Christ.
That's pretty cool.
By the way, finished Song of Solomon. Reading that was like reading a code that you know is dirty but you just don't get it.
Monday, May 11, 2009
May 10th: Deuteronomy 27, Song of Solomon 7 & Acts 23-24
So on top of taking a bunch of college credits, working a full time job, running a children's theater and being married, I started watching the TV series Lost with Alicia.
Bad idea.
If you haven't seen it, this is a big spoiler alert. You're gonna want to just skip this part. On the other hand if your part of the 12 million people (on average) that have been watching since the beginning, this is kinda old news.
In the 3rd season, a character is given a prophecy that he is going to die. But his death will save people; people he loves. So openly walks into his death with boldness. In a lot of ways, that's what the last few chapters of Acts feels like. It seems as if Paul is knowingly walking into his death. A number of people plead with him not to go to Jerusalem. A prophet even tells him that he's going to be bound...and yet he still goes.
I question this model. Is it smart? I'm not sure, it definitely doesn't make sense. But it seems to be the will of God. I just wonder if instead of Paul spending all those years in jail, he could have planted more churches. I know, this was God's plan not mine. I just wonder.
Bad idea.
If you haven't seen it, this is a big spoiler alert. You're gonna want to just skip this part. On the other hand if your part of the 12 million people (on average) that have been watching since the beginning, this is kinda old news.
In the 3rd season, a character is given a prophecy that he is going to die. But his death will save people; people he loves. So openly walks into his death with boldness. In a lot of ways, that's what the last few chapters of Acts feels like. It seems as if Paul is knowingly walking into his death. A number of people plead with him not to go to Jerusalem. A prophet even tells him that he's going to be bound...and yet he still goes.
I question this model. Is it smart? I'm not sure, it definitely doesn't make sense. But it seems to be the will of God. I just wonder if instead of Paul spending all those years in jail, he could have planted more churches. I know, this was God's plan not mine. I just wonder.
May 9th: Deuteronomy 26, Song of Solomon 6 & Acts 21-22
I'm constantly blown away by God's concern for the sojourner, the fatherless and the widows. Throughout the Bible, that has to be one of the major themes. As far as things that have stood out to me, I would rank them in this order:
-Remember the past. Remember the things God has done.
-God is extremely jealous for your love.
-We need to take care of the orphans, the widows, and the foreigners.
I wonder how much we've failed in these things. Sure, we thank God for what he's done. And I suppose as Christians, we're OK not making idols out of wood and stone... but that whole taking care of others... we're not so good at that. I wonder if the American dream has taken the place of that here in America?
-Remember the past. Remember the things God has done.
-God is extremely jealous for your love.
-We need to take care of the orphans, the widows, and the foreigners.
I wonder how much we've failed in these things. Sure, we thank God for what he's done. And I suppose as Christians, we're OK not making idols out of wood and stone... but that whole taking care of others... we're not so good at that. I wonder if the American dream has taken the place of that here in America?
Sunday, May 10, 2009
May 8th: Deuteronomy 25, Song of Solomon 5 & Acts 20
Now for another edition of "Seriously, This Is in Your Bible."
I think Monte Python slipped a couple lines into Deuteronomy. Take a look. In chapter 25, it says that if a man dies, his brother should take his widow. She needed someone to provide for her, someone to give her children to take care of her. It was basically the welfare system of the day. It was meant to protect the widow. It was revolutionary. No other nation looked out for widows like this. It was an act of mercy.
You may be asking, "So, what if the brother-in-law said no?" Well, the widow drags the jerkface down to the elders, takes off his sandal (yep,singular) and then spits in his face. This is where it get's AWESOME. The jerkface brother get's a new Monte-Python-esque name: "The house of him who has had his sandal pulled off." So beautifully literal. That's a business card title right there.
AND by the way. Deuteronomy 25 just get's better. Verses 11-12 are seriously in your Bible. Did this really need to be addressed? Did it ever come up as a court case? I'm not going to write what it says cause I think my blog will get you firewalled at work. But seriously. Look that up. WHY IS THIS IN THE BIBLE!?!
Can you imagine being the judge? Inner monologue: "What am I going to do with this situat...oh wait... Ok, yeah, it's in here. Wow, that Moses was thorough."
And pastors, a little note from Acts 20: Unless you can raise the dead, keep those sermons short. Guns don't kill people. Marathon sermons do. That there is some good advice.
I think Monte Python slipped a couple lines into Deuteronomy. Take a look. In chapter 25, it says that if a man dies, his brother should take his widow. She needed someone to provide for her, someone to give her children to take care of her. It was basically the welfare system of the day. It was meant to protect the widow. It was revolutionary. No other nation looked out for widows like this. It was an act of mercy.
You may be asking, "So, what if the brother-in-law said no?" Well, the widow drags the jerkface down to the elders, takes off his sandal (yep,singular) and then spits in his face. This is where it get's AWESOME. The jerkface brother get's a new Monte-Python-esque name: "The house of him who has had his sandal pulled off." So beautifully literal. That's a business card title right there.
AND by the way. Deuteronomy 25 just get's better. Verses 11-12 are seriously in your Bible. Did this really need to be addressed? Did it ever come up as a court case? I'm not going to write what it says cause I think my blog will get you firewalled at work. But seriously. Look that up. WHY IS THIS IN THE BIBLE!?!
Can you imagine being the judge? Inner monologue: "What am I going to do with this situat...oh wait... Ok, yeah, it's in here. Wow, that Moses was thorough."
And pastors, a little note from Acts 20: Unless you can raise the dead, keep those sermons short. Guns don't kill people. Marathon sermons do. That there is some good advice.
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