Resurrection Life

Reading the Bible in 96 Days: Day 58: Isaiah 52-64 (July 28)

Isaiah 52:13-53:12 is known as the Fourth Servant Song.  Christians believe it is the fourth prophecy foretelling Jesus Christ that Isaiah preached.  In these words we see the Word that would come in the form of the opposite of Israel's expectations:

"His appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind-...he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him."

Every time I read Isaiah and find myself in the middle of one of the Servant Songs they give me goosebumps.  For in taking on the sin of the world, Jesus Christ, indeed, became sin, he bore our griefs and sorrows.  Our savior became nothing, and, in doing so, became everything.

Reading the Bible in 96 Days: Day 56: Isaiah 31-41 (July 26)

The most poignent of the chapters for today is the last one, Chapter 41.  In it we hear of God's promises to his people that he is with them and to not be afraid.  The picture that God paints of his justice is a beautiful one... for the thirsty not just a cup of cool water, no, but God promises to open up rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys.  God's mercy is not doled out in little bits in pieces, just enough to get us through the day, but is extravagantly and abunduntly poured out on creation, including you and me.

 

Reading the Bible in 96 Days: Day 53: Song of Solomon 2 - 5 (July 23)

This "love poem" is a part of the Bible.  That might be answered with a, "Duh."  But let me repeat myself, the Song of Solomon, a love poem, is a part of the Bible.

You know, the Bible... God's Word?  What many say is the "inerrant" Word of God.

Well, I have always been in the God's Word is the truth but stay away from the whole inerrancy debate because it is full of slippery slopes.  I always caution my parishioners to be careful that we not worship THE BIBLE instead of worshipping the Christ we find WITHIN its pages.

That being said, here is the love poem, in the Bible.  And we're not just talking about love... we are talking about love.  This is not the agape love of Christ for his brothers and sisters, this is the love best characterizerd by the word eros.  This is passionate love, this is the love of a bride for her bridegroom, these are the words of two lovers... this is also the Word of God about the love he has for his creation.

When Revelation talks about Christ and creation being joined like bride and bridegroom... what kind of love do you think that reflects?  Yes God's love for us is much more than a philosophical head nod towards us, God loves us... alot.  May our love for him be even a tenth as strong!

 

Reading the Bible in 96 Days: Day 50: Proverbs 4-16 (July 20)

The Book of Proverbs usually ends up high on the Favorite Books of the Bible list for many people.  I think part of the appeal of a book like this is that it is made up of wise sayings and things to do, or not do, to remain in Good Favor.

The proverbs themselves, many of them at least, strike me as remarkably conservative, in a small "c" way.  Keep to yourselves, work hard, don't lie or cheat to get ahead, trust God, stay away from people of questionable character.  In short, these Proverbs reflect a great deal of what we have come to see as the American ethic (whether we live up to it or not).  It is no wonder that many people love this book and many people desire to hear from words like these in their preacher's sermons!

Proverbs 3: 5-6 was, for me, a favorite in college.  They formed the words to a great, classic camp song that even included hand motions!

But what I love about the Proverb the most is that first sentence, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding."  Subordinating our will, and our knowledge, to God is truly the trick of it.  I think if more people who claimed the Christian mantle actually did this, then the climate around Christianity these days (politically owned by one party, filled with hypocrites) might not exist.

Just a thought there.

Reading the Bible in 96 Days: Day 48: Psalm 112-132 (July 18)

Yes, you may be asking yourselves, "What just happened?  I thought we were reading the Bible in 90 days?  What's the deal with 96?" 

The deal is that I am either math or attention deficited and either or both of those things means I am off a bit!  Never to fear, we will journey on!  I know that many of you are following the challenge and am hoping you will hang in there as we enter the last half of the Bible!

For today I want to focus a moment on Psalm 121.  This is a prayer for one on a journey to Jerusalem.  The hills surrounding Jerusalem would hold particular concern for the weary traveler (think Sand People from Star Wars).  So an eye towards the hills from one on a journey begs the question, "where would my help come from if something or someone were to get after me?"

The prayer is truly a parable of one's entire life.  The Hebrew word for "keep" is "shamar", the word appears 5 times in 8 verses.  The amazing thing about how the word is used is how it moves from being used corporately (The Lord keeps Israel) to being used individually (He will keep you from all evil).  This is a function that our liturgical worship service attempts to reflect.  From the corporateness of a congregation at worship to the individual "This is my body given for you" God who keeps watch over us all as his children is also watching out over you, his child.

Reading the Bible in 90 Days: Day 37: Nehemiah 4 - Esther 1

Ahh Nehemiah, such a wonderful story of the reality of sin and the faithfulness of God!

God watches out for his people.

And even when the people act wickedly (chpt. 9) God remembers his covenant.  

One of my favorite authors, Brennan Manning, wrote a book a few years ago entitled, "The Furious Longing of God".  The Furious Longing of God.  I loved the title and I loved the book even more.  Even in our ideas about "seeking" God we put our sinful selves in the middle over and over again.  We are the main actors, we are in control, it is OUR Choose-Your-Own-Adventure story.  We are reminded in Nehemiah, as Manning picked up thousands of years later, God is the subject of this story, we are the object.  God's longing is for you and me.  When we forget our promises to God, how we will never ever do anything bad ever ever again, God does not forget the promise he made to us because it was sealed by the blood of his Son.

Another aspect of the life of God's children is the giving of our resources to fund the worship of God.  I find this to be the side of stewardship that is often lacking, we can think of all sorts of hooks and slogans to "get people to open their wallets" but the reality is that it is part of the obligation of a believer to give back to God a portion of what God has already given us!  I can't think of any simpler way to talk about it.

A word on Esther: this is a compelling story of a Jewish girl who becomes the Queen of Persia and saves the Jews... read on!

Reading the Bible in 90 Days: Day 35: 2 Chronicles 26-36

Catch up Catch up!  We are about to get into the prophets and things really start to get interesting then.  I know that folks get put off by the death and destruction that is present in the Hebrew Scriptures but how would you write the history of the United States?  No war?  No struggle?  No injustice?

If the Word of God is to be taken as truth, then let us be thankful for the brutal truth... human history after the Fall is one of war, strife, dishonest, jealousy and straying from our love of God and each other.  The Laws of God were set up to mitigate these realities, to little or no avail.  

The prophets are another voice crying in the wilderness, let us turn our eyes and ears to their words in the days ahead. 

Reading the Bible in 90 Days: Day 26: 2 Sam 24 - 1 Kings 8

In these chapters we experience the death of King David, the rise of Solomon, and building of the Temple and the era of Good Rule.  After all of the intrigue and the wars and the battles it truly feels refreshing to read of the rule of King Solomon.  It's too good to last, of course, as we shall soon find out, but nevertheless the respite is appreciated!

Reading the Bible in 90 Days: Day 23: 1 Samuel 20 - 2 Samuel 1

A funny thing happened to Saul while he was in the bathroom.  He relieved himself right in front of David and his warriors who were hiding in the dark.  David cut off a part of Saul's cloak to prove that he could have killed him but chose to spare him.  Saul declares that David would be king and begs for his life.

David grants him pardon, but Saul would continue to scheme and war against David.  In the first chapter of 2 Samuel we find David in morning over the death of Saul and Jonathan (his friend).  "how the mighty of fallen" David declares.

Would this be an example of praying for one's enemy?  If so this is the kind of honor and respect we don't often see on the battlefield's of our lives.  Saul pursured David and tried to kill him but David insists on remembering him for the good he brought to Israel.  

Reading the Bible in 90 Days: Day 22: 1 Samuel 10-19

Samuel judged Israel for many years but Israel decided it didn't want a judge anymore, it wanted a king.  So a king they got.

Samuel pulled Saul aside and basically dumped a jar of oil on his head and declared, "you're king".  Now there was more involved in that, but still, what a call process hm?

And now that Israel had a king, and their king was a human, he got down to making the kind of mistakes humans make.  Saul made an unlawful sacrifice out of, basically, fear.  He made a rash oath.  And the Lord decides he made a mistake(!) and sends Samuel to anoint David, son of Jesse, as king over Israel.

Does God make mistakes?  We have already seen God change his mind way back with Moses, so is this how God operates or, rather, would you have it that God knows even when God is going to change his mind?  I got flustered just typing that queston!