1:29-31 describes the world pretty much as we know it today -- and it appears how it was back then too. But 2 sentences caught my eye: vs 31 says "they are not to be trusted" and that reminded me of the life of Jesus when it says that He didn't put His trust in any man (not even His disciples) He instead lived a life turned to and trusting in God alone. As imperfect, fickle humans -- we simply fail in the trustworthy department.
Also in 32 it says "And worse -- they applaud others on this destructive path" OK -- here's one to ponder. Why do humans love to hear about others failures in gossip, People Magazine or soaps? Is it because it makes us feel better about our lives? Is it because we secretly applaud the "freedom" found in no accountability? God says we are worse than those doing the sin -- YIKES! maybe it's because we figure we're not guilty if we don't actually commit the sin?
The cure is in 2:29 True circumcision -- the separation from this sinful life - - comes from the Spirit, not from some written code! It's His Spirit that can change me; I gotta turn my eyes, like Pastor Jon said yesterday to Jesus. and it says in vs 29 that this involves the inside of me -- the places no one but God can see - - - Lord change up every thought I have, every sinful desire - -
I always seem to hone in on nature verses. Probably because that's where God speaks to me the most. 1:20 "From the beginning, creation in its magnificence enlightens us to His nature." So we have no excuse as it says in the verse prior.
We really have to harden & turn away. The more we try to shove God out, the deeper we get in sin & warped thinking. And yet some would call people like this intellectuals. They delight in demeaning the simple things of life and the simplicity of the Gospel. They have to put others down in order to feel good about themselves.
I like the comment in my version that says "for faith to matter, it has to get under your skin". So true!
WOW - so impressed with "the VOICE" translation -- the whole dialogue is written out like Adam, Eve and God are talking to each other -- like I'm there! And the descriptive language of creation is awesome; like this:
"and the Divine needled nigit with the stars . . . to cast warm light on the earth" or "God surveyed everything He had made, savoring its beauty and appreciating its goodness" LOVE that!
As I was reading about the beauty of creation -- I was thinking about how God creates in me -- how he changes, transforms me; like shifting waters around -- bringing in more light -- and then he works on parts of me that can give to others -- like the fruits and vegetables and He also makes parts of me that were barren filled with beauty -- but its not to bring glory to me; rather -- it's to bring glory to Him and encourage others that God can beautify their lives as well -- God's creations, then and now -- are all about bringing beauty and JOY out of barrenness - - and then using that beauty and JOY in relation to Himself and the people around us.
The Fall -- so so sad; notice how Satan caused the doubt, the mistrust; but God's creation feels the consequences. It reminds me of a scam artist - - causing so much pain to innocent victims.
the voice pointed out that the Story starts with a tree and ends with a tree -- interesting.
Joshua - I was wondering why God said in vs 2 "since My servant Moses is now dead, you and the Israelites must prepare to cross" wondering if people had started putting their trust in Moses as the leader instead of God. If that is the case, perhaps that's why Moses was not allowed to lead the people in. I've always thought it was because of Moses' mistake hitting the rock for water; but maybe it was more than that. God makes it very clear in vs 3 that HE is the won that will be responsible for giving them the land.
I love God's talk with Josh -- if Josh keeps God's words before him, then "as you make your way through this world, you will prosper and always find success" That's gotta be true for us -- BUT success doesn't always mean an easy life -- if it did, then God wouldn't have had to say 3 times "be strong and courageous!" Prospering is more than the easy life, the wealthy life, the famous life -- prospering can be making it through the tough times in His Strength -- with peace and confidence:)
Rahab was lying 2:6. I remember thinking about the ethics of hiding someone and lying about it (as in WWII) but obviously God honored Rahab for her willingness to put her life on the line for someone else's -- question answered:) And HERE is why Rahab was so honored by God (vs 11) She said "The Eternal One, your God, is truly God of the heavens above and the earth below" THAT'S awesome! THAT must have made God smile -- she put her trust totally in Him!
It was neat how God showed this new generation His power (3:7) Both Moses generation and Joshua's saw his ability to dry up the waters -- to provide the way through impossibility.
What about those guys carrying the rocks on their shoulders all day until they set up camp? I'm thinking that was symbolic of something --
Joshua is a man of courage -- when he meets the man with a sword drawn; he's ready to take him on until -- he finds out Who he is and then he falls to the ground. Joshua never doubted for a minute Who was able to make their promise come true.
When I read about Rehab lying, I thought now here is scripture justifying my little white lies to my kids. lol. Sometimes it is necessary for the greater good - God's good. Not that I really believed my thought - but it was a thought indeed.
I read both yesterday's account of creation & in Joshua this a.m.
God gave Adam a job & responsibility right off the bat. He named the animals. But it also helped him get to know the things he would have dominion over. God's jobs for us are always more than one dimensional. There is always purpose to them, even if it doesn't seem like it at the time. Usually, it isn't until I'm in the middle of them that the light starts to dawn in my brain. Even then, I don't fully understand everything & probably won't until heaven.
I think we've seen plenty of proof in our lives that the knowledge of good & evil isn't all it's cracked up to be. Hindsight is always better than foresight!
Joshua is a man who has learned a lot by watching & listening. Shows the intelligence that can be gained by keeping one's mouth shut longer than we (I) normally do.
I also noticed how God displayed His power on Joshua's behalf for the people to be confirmed that God was with Him. He is so good to those of us that are weak in our faith (like me).
I wonder if Rahab had said the truth & told the soldiers to find them if God would have hidden them. I wonder what I would do/will do when put in a similar situation.
God's Word is to be my focus all day long. Since the Word is Jesus in the flesh, to me that's saying my relationship with God is to be my focus from dusk to dawn. I should be talking & listening to Jesus all the time. And blessings do come from that. Not easy street, but blessings aren't always easily obtained.
This morning God woke me up with part of the song of It is Well that we sing "...it is well, through the storm I am held...". I had initial peace about that & then my mind started trying to figure out what storm I am being held in. Is it what I'm currently in? Is there one bigger coming? What will it be? Will it be... & then I slapped myself in the face mentally - "get a grip!". Here God gave me a blessing & I created a worry.
In this psalm though, I'm supposed to abide, to stay, to dwell in the Word, in His peaceful Presence all day long. I can't bring my overgrown worry through the door. It's just big enough for me - not my luggage. But what I gain is fruit that ripens in His time & I never fade or die out. I prosper.
Again, I equate prospering with easy street, but that's not what it says. And in my experience, growth doesn't come from ease, it comes from struggle. What I need to learn though, is to let Him be the One to fight & I just need to rest in His care. He only leads me to pastures that are good for me. I need to trust Him.
2 ends with that thought "...blessings await all who trust in Him. They will find God a gentle refuge."
I haven't read the psalm yet; but as I was reading your post I was thinking about "He makes me to lie down in green pastures" Why would he "make" us like down? Maybe it's because we are struggling so hard to see if there is a better place to bed down, we worry that this pasture is too vulnerable to wild animals, we need more shelter from the rain.
Yeah - I do the same thing Chris; He leads me along giving me every opportunity to simply follow and enjoy the beauty of the journey -- and I fill the adventure with all my worries - - I wonder if He ever sighs and thinks "will she EVER get it??" probably not -- as my Shepherd is very patient with me - - a patience many times take for granted..
Chapters 1 and 2 begin and end with God's blessings will follow you and await you at every turn if you trust Him -- there's more I could say; but I want to soak in that for today!
I think satan couldn't believe that a human could do something he wasn't able to do - honor God above his own needs/desires. So he used the tactic that we use so well, pulling others down to make yourself look justified.
The fact that Job didn't fall to satan's level is proof of the power of God to re-create us fallen humans. Through relationship, we can be restored. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, it is possible. Hallelujah - what a Savior!
man recognized it, God recognized it, Satan recognized it: Job so believed in God that he sought to honor Him in all things - - he didn't honor HIm in all things because he had to; he honored him because Job believed that God was the Almighty, the Deserving, the Eternal.
His humility in chapter 1 and 2 are amazing; as the song says: You give and take away - You give and take away, my heart will CHOOSE to say - Lord blessed be Your name. and later, Are we to accept the good that comes from God, but not accept the bad? Job chose to lay down in the pasture, green or barren - - and wait for the Shepherd to lead; Job was wounded, he was panting, he was exhausted from the journey -- but he waited.
Job is my favorite book in the Bible. I found it interesting that Satan also has to present himself to God, just like the Angels (2:1). This tells me that even Satan knows he is not as powerful and all knowing. Also, in 1:11, that Satan asks God to strike down everything Job has,then in 12 God tells Satan it is in his power to do what he can. So I was confused on who actually did the striking. Then in 2:3 "And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without reason". So...God's power ontrolled what the Sabeans did, the Chaldeans, the might wind - the big stuff. Satan still not very powerful. Again in 2:6 God puts Satan's power to the test and says "he is in your hands". This time Satan did the afflicting - which to me was symbolic of diseases we have today that could only come from sin (like lung cancer from smoking). So, what I took from this is God is all powerful and even though in this instance Job did not sin, Satan only has the power we give him. If we put all of our faith and trust in God, satan has no real power. In the end he had absolutely no power over Job. God is in control always.
(Satan talking) "So now extend Your hand! Destroy all of these possessions of his, and he will certainly curse You, right to Your face" (God talking) "I delegate this task to you. His possessions are now in your hand."
I agree with you Sheri, satan only has the power we give him. It did help to see in The Voice version that God handed over the task of affliction to satan. God allowed it to happen, but He didn't do it. Same with me, God allows stuff, but He doesn't do it. Why He allows some stuff, I will never fully understand until heaven. But I do experience more trust in Him as I spend more time in actual relationship with Him than just the 1 day show up at church & then do my own thing the rest of the day & week.
I see that in Isaiah as well this morning. 1:18 & 2:5 both are invites to a relationship. In my version it says "come now, let's walk & talk..." & "...people of the promise, come, come walk with Me..."
That's an invitation to intimacy, to deepen & broaden the relationship. It's a conversation, not just me talking, but Him talking & me actually listening, not just talking over the top of Him.
It's my hearts desire to accept this invitation in this moment, right now. Thank you Lord, for asking me.
God is just like a parent; when he sees his kids rebelling going down a not-so-good path; He tries everything He can to get their attention. Sometimes that means letting them make the mistakes - hitting bottom - so they can turn to what is good, what is right and make wise choices with a heart of gratitude instead of make wise choices with gritted teeth.
His goal for us in 1:10 "Wash yourselves, clean up your lives; remove every speck of evil in what you do before Me" I contrasted that with God's evaulation of Job's life that we read about yesterday.
I like to think of the description of all nations running to the throne of God is of the time when He comes again! (2:2) "All nations will run there, wanting to see it, feel it, fully experience it." and howdy doody vs 4 "One nation will not attack another. They will not practice war anymore" and the invitation to THAT in vs 5 "Come, come walk with my by the light of the Eternal" Thinking of the many "comes" we read at the end of Revelation last week.
In 2:8 "They bow down to what they have made, bought, and sold." It reminded me of a sermon I once heard that EVERYBODY worships something.
And the end of 2 "Stop believing in human beings as so amazing, so capable" and we do it all the time -- looking to our leaders for the answers instead of spending time with THE Leader.
I love the passion of God in 3:15 "How dare you! How dare you crush My people, and grind the faces of the poor into the ground" Thank you God for your fatherly passion for your kids.
In our barren worldly lives 4:2 "Then, oh then, a tiny shoot cultivated and nurtured by the Eternal will emerge new and green, promising beauty and glory" That's what I'm talkin' about -- His ability to make me new! Like the little shoots that poked through the Mt St Helen's disaster -- my "stuff" is just ash, dead, unusable -- but YOU God, You are able to bring out life in my wasteland.
When Isaiah saw the vision of God on His throne -- He cried out about His lips -- maybe something he had said (that's me all over the place) but God took care of the situation with the live coal on his lips -- "your guilt is turned away; all your faults and wrongdoings are forgiven" PRAISE GOD! That is emotional peace -- no wonder Isaiah jumped up and down shouting "send me! send me! He wanted to thank God for His incredible ember-gift! Am I that grateful for that gift of forgiveness? or do I take it for granted?
I focused on the women in the lineage today; probably because it was highlighted in the Voice -- and sure enough -- they commented on some of the very things I was thinking! The women are Tamar (1:2) who dressed up like a prostitute and seduced her father-in-law; Rahab 1:5) who was a Canaanite prostitute, Ruth (1:5) a foreigner, Bathsheba (1:6) who got pregnant with David during an adulterous liaison, and Mary -- who was totally innocent of all wrong doing -- but accused by her fiance and all the neighbors of having an affair.
I'm just going to put down the Voice's comments (I know -- that's cheating, but they said it SO well!) "Some of the women in Jesus' line are given to show how God is gracious to everyone, even to prostitutes and adulterers. (and I pause to think -- am I that gracious?) Because some of the women listed weren't Israelites, but were strangers and foreigners, they foreshadow all the foreigners God will adopt into HIs church through Jesus. Some of the children in God' family are conceived under strange circumstances"
I wonder if Mary and Joseph thought back to those circumstances - - trying to make sense of this virgin birth? I wonder if they every went back and with wonder and astonishment read from Isaiah "A virgin will conceive and bear a Son, and His name will be Immanuel" I wonder if they looked at each other and Joseph said, "Mary -- YOU are that virgin! Isaiah was talking about YOU!" Gives me goose bumps!
I did like the comments it had about outsiders being welcomed into salvation & how Ruth & Rahab were forerunners or symbolic of that, of me being grafted in & totally accepted by God.
I'm still amazed at Joseph's selfless response & the risk he obediently & trustingly took in marrying Mary. Very redemptive in my eyes for the male population.
1:29-31 describes the world pretty much as we know it today -- and it appears how it was back then too. But 2 sentences caught my eye: vs 31 says "they are not to be trusted" and that reminded me of the life of Jesus when it says that He didn't put His trust in any man (not even His disciples) He instead lived a life turned to and trusting in God alone. As imperfect, fickle humans -- we simply fail in the trustworthy department.
ReplyDeleteAlso in 32 it says "And worse -- they applaud others on this destructive path" OK -- here's one to ponder. Why do humans love to hear about others failures in gossip, People Magazine or soaps? Is it because it makes us feel better about our lives? Is it because we secretly applaud the "freedom" found in no accountability? God says we are worse than those doing the sin -- YIKES! maybe it's because we figure we're not guilty if we don't actually commit the sin?
The cure is in 2:29 True circumcision -- the separation from this sinful life - - comes from the Spirit, not from some written code! It's His Spirit that can change me; I gotta turn my eyes, like Pastor Jon said yesterday to Jesus. and it says in vs 29 that this involves the inside of me -- the places no one but God can see - - - Lord change up every thought I have, every sinful desire - -
I always seem to hone in on nature verses. Probably because that's where God speaks to me the most. 1:20 "From the beginning, creation in its magnificence enlightens us to His nature." So we have no excuse as it says in the verse prior.
ReplyDeleteWe really have to harden & turn away. The more we try to shove God out, the deeper we get in sin & warped thinking. And yet some would call people like this intellectuals. They delight in demeaning the simple things of life and the simplicity of the Gospel. They have to put others down in order to feel good about themselves.
I like the comment in my version that says "for faith to matter, it has to get under your skin". So true!
WOW - so impressed with "the VOICE" translation -- the whole dialogue is written out like Adam, Eve and God are talking to each other -- like I'm there! And the descriptive language of creation is awesome; like this:
ReplyDelete"and the Divine needled nigit with the stars . . . to cast warm light on the earth" or "God surveyed everything He had made, savoring its beauty and appreciating its goodness" LOVE that!
As I was reading about the beauty of creation -- I was thinking about how God creates in me -- how he changes, transforms me; like shifting waters around -- bringing in more light -- and then he works on parts of me that can give to others -- like the fruits and vegetables and He also makes parts of me that were barren filled with beauty -- but its not to bring glory to me; rather -- it's to bring glory to Him and encourage others that God can beautify their lives as well -- God's creations, then and now -- are all about bringing beauty and JOY out of barrenness - - and then using that beauty and JOY in relation to Himself and the people around us.
The Fall -- so so sad; notice how Satan caused the doubt, the mistrust; but God's creation feels the consequences. It reminds me of a scam artist - - causing so much pain to innocent victims.
the voice pointed out that the Story starts with a tree and ends with a tree -- interesting.
Joshua - I was wondering why God said in vs 2 "since My servant Moses is now dead, you and the Israelites must prepare to cross" wondering if people had started putting their trust in Moses as the leader instead of God. If that is the case, perhaps that's why Moses was not allowed to lead the people in. I've always thought it was because of Moses' mistake hitting the rock for water; but maybe it was more than that. God makes it very clear in vs 3 that HE is the won that will be responsible for giving them the land.
ReplyDeleteI love God's talk with Josh -- if Josh keeps God's words before him, then "as you make your way through this world, you will prosper and always find success" That's gotta be true for us -- BUT success doesn't always mean an easy life -- if it did, then God wouldn't have had to say 3 times "be strong and courageous!" Prospering is more than the easy life, the wealthy life, the famous life -- prospering can be making it through the tough times in His Strength -- with peace and confidence:)
Rahab was lying 2:6. I remember thinking about the ethics of hiding someone and lying about it (as in WWII) but obviously God honored Rahab for her willingness to put her life on the line for someone else's -- question answered:) And HERE is why Rahab was so honored by God (vs 11) She said "The Eternal One, your God, is truly God of the heavens above and the earth below" THAT'S awesome! THAT must have made God smile -- she put her trust totally in Him!
It was neat how God showed this new generation His power (3:7) Both Moses generation and Joshua's saw his ability to dry up the waters -- to provide the way through impossibility.
What about those guys carrying the rocks on their shoulders all day until they set up camp? I'm thinking that was symbolic of something --
Joshua is a man of courage -- when he meets the man with a sword drawn; he's ready to take him on until -- he finds out Who he is and then he falls to the ground. Joshua never doubted for a minute Who was able to make their promise come true.
When I read about Rehab lying, I thought now here is scripture justifying my little white lies to my kids. lol. Sometimes it is necessary for the greater good - God's good. Not that I really believed my thought - but it was a thought indeed.
DeleteI read both yesterday's account of creation & in Joshua this a.m.
ReplyDeleteGod gave Adam a job & responsibility right off the bat. He named the animals. But it also helped him get to know the things he would have dominion over. God's jobs for us are always more than one dimensional. There is always purpose to them, even if it doesn't seem like it at the time. Usually, it isn't until I'm in the middle of them that the light starts to dawn in my brain. Even then, I don't fully understand everything & probably won't until heaven.
I think we've seen plenty of proof in our lives that the knowledge of good & evil isn't all it's cracked up to be. Hindsight is always better than foresight!
Joshua is a man who has learned a lot by watching & listening. Shows the intelligence that can be gained by keeping one's mouth shut longer than we (I) normally do.
I also noticed how God displayed His power on Joshua's behalf for the people to be confirmed that God was with Him. He is so good to those of us that are weak in our faith (like me).
I wonder if Rahab had said the truth & told the soldiers to find them if God would have hidden them. I wonder what I would do/will do when put in a similar situation.
God's Word is to be my focus all day long. Since the Word is Jesus in the flesh, to me that's saying my relationship with God is to be my focus from dusk to dawn. I should be talking & listening to Jesus all the time. And blessings do come from that. Not easy street, but blessings aren't always easily obtained.
ReplyDeleteThis morning God woke me up with part of the song of It is Well that we sing "...it is well, through the storm I am held...". I had initial peace about that & then my mind started trying to figure out what storm I am being held in. Is it what I'm currently in? Is there one bigger coming? What will it be? Will it be... & then I slapped myself in the face mentally - "get a grip!". Here God gave me a blessing & I created a worry.
In this psalm though, I'm supposed to abide, to stay, to dwell in the Word, in His peaceful Presence all day long. I can't bring my overgrown worry through the door. It's just big enough for me - not my luggage. But what I gain is fruit that ripens in His time & I never fade or die out. I prosper.
Again, I equate prospering with easy street, but that's not what it says. And in my experience, growth doesn't come from ease, it comes from struggle. What I need to learn though, is to let Him be the One to fight & I just need to rest in His care. He only leads me to pastures that are good for me. I need to trust Him.
2 ends with that thought "...blessings await all who trust in Him. They will find God a gentle refuge."
You need to write a devotional book. Your thoughts are amazing to read.
DeleteI agree Sheri -- I always get SO much out of Chris's blogs; she challenges me to think and then think again!
DeleteI haven't read the psalm yet; but as I was reading your post I was thinking about "He makes me to lie down in green pastures" Why would he "make" us like down? Maybe it's because we are struggling so hard to see if there is a better place to bed down, we worry that this pasture is too vulnerable to wild animals, we need more shelter from the rain.
ReplyDeleteYeah - I do the same thing Chris; He leads me along giving me every opportunity to simply follow and enjoy the beauty of the journey -- and I fill the adventure with all my worries - - I wonder if He ever sighs and thinks "will she EVER get it??" probably not -- as my Shepherd is very patient with me - - a patience many times take for granted..
Chapters 1 and 2 begin and end with God's blessings will follow you and await you at every turn if you trust Him -- there's more I could say; but I want to soak in that for today!
ReplyDeleteI think satan couldn't believe that a human could do something he wasn't able to do - honor God above his own needs/desires. So he used the tactic that we use so well, pulling others down to make yourself look justified.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Job didn't fall to satan's level is proof of the power of God to re-create us fallen humans. Through relationship, we can be restored. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, it is possible. Hallelujah - what a Savior!
man recognized it, God recognized it, Satan recognized it: Job so believed in God that he sought to honor Him in all things - - he didn't honor HIm in all things because he had to; he honored him because Job believed that God was the Almighty, the Deserving, the Eternal.
ReplyDeleteHis humility in chapter 1 and 2 are amazing; as the song says: You give and take away - You give and take away, my heart will CHOOSE to say - Lord blessed be Your name. and later, Are we to accept the good that comes from God, but not accept the bad? Job chose to lay down in the pasture, green or barren - - and wait for the Shepherd to lead; Job was wounded, he was panting, he was exhausted from the journey -- but he waited.
The amazing power of choice. I love it!
DeleteJob is my favorite book in the Bible. I found it interesting that Satan also has to present himself to God, just like the Angels (2:1). This tells me that even Satan knows he is not as powerful and all knowing. Also, in 1:11, that Satan asks God to strike down everything Job has,then in 12 God tells Satan it is in his power to do what he can. So I was confused on who actually did the striking. Then in 2:3 "And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without reason". So...God's power ontrolled what the Sabeans did, the Chaldeans, the might wind - the big stuff. Satan still not very powerful. Again in 2:6 God puts Satan's power to the test and says "he is in your hands". This time Satan did the afflicting - which to me was symbolic of diseases we have today that could only come from sin (like lung cancer from smoking). So, what I took from this is God is all powerful and even though in this instance Job did not sin, Satan only has the power we give him. If we put all of our faith and trust in God, satan has no real power. In the end he had absolutely no power over Job. God is in control always.
ReplyDeleteHere's what my version says, Sheri 11 and 12
ReplyDelete(Satan talking) "So now extend Your hand! Destroy all of these possessions of his, and he will certainly curse You, right to Your face"
(God talking) "I delegate this task to you. His possessions are now in your hand."
does that shed any new light??
I agree with you Sheri, satan only has the power we give him. It did help to see in The Voice version that God handed over the task of affliction to satan. God allowed it to happen, but He didn't do it. Same with me, God allows stuff, but He doesn't do it. Why He allows some stuff, I will never fully understand until heaven. But I do experience more trust in Him as I spend more time in actual relationship with Him than just the 1 day show up at church & then do my own thing the rest of the day & week.
ReplyDeleteI see that in Isaiah as well this morning. 1:18 & 2:5 both are invites to a relationship. In my version it says "come now, let's walk & talk..." & "...people of the promise, come, come walk with Me..."
That's an invitation to intimacy, to deepen & broaden the relationship. It's a conversation, not just me talking, but Him talking & me actually listening, not just talking over the top of Him.
It's my hearts desire to accept this invitation in this moment, right now. Thank you Lord, for asking me.
God is just like a parent; when he sees his kids rebelling going down a not-so-good path; He tries everything He can to get their attention. Sometimes that means letting them make the mistakes - hitting bottom - so they can turn to what is good, what is right and make wise choices with a heart of gratitude instead of make wise choices with gritted teeth.
ReplyDeleteHis goal for us in 1:10 "Wash yourselves, clean up your lives; remove every speck of evil in what you do before Me" I contrasted that with God's evaulation of Job's life that we read about yesterday.
I like to think of the description of all nations running to the throne of God is of the time when He comes again! (2:2) "All nations will run there, wanting to see it, feel it, fully experience it." and howdy doody vs 4 "One nation will not attack another. They will not practice war anymore" and the invitation to THAT in vs 5 "Come, come walk with my by the light of the Eternal" Thinking of the many "comes" we read at the end of Revelation last week.
In 2:8 "They bow down to what they have made, bought, and sold." It reminded me of a sermon I once heard that EVERYBODY worships something.
And the end of 2 "Stop believing in human beings as so amazing, so capable" and we do it all the time -- looking to our leaders for the answers instead of spending time with THE Leader.
I love the passion of God in 3:15 "How dare you! How dare you crush My people, and grind the faces of the poor into the ground" Thank you God for your fatherly passion for your kids.
In our barren worldly lives 4:2 "Then, oh then, a tiny shoot cultivated and nurtured by the Eternal will emerge new and green, promising beauty and glory" That's what I'm talkin' about -- His ability to make me new! Like the little shoots that poked through the Mt St Helen's disaster -- my "stuff" is just ash, dead, unusable -- but YOU God, You are able to bring out life in my wasteland.
When Isaiah saw the vision of God on His throne -- He cried out about His lips -- maybe something he had said (that's me all over the place) but God took care of the situation with the live coal on his lips -- "your guilt is turned away; all your faults and wrongdoings are forgiven" PRAISE GOD! That is emotional peace -- no wonder Isaiah jumped up and down shouting "send me! send me! He wanted to thank God for His incredible ember-gift! Am I that grateful for that gift of forgiveness? or do I take it for granted?
I focused on the women in the lineage today; probably because it was highlighted in the Voice -- and sure enough -- they commented on some of the very things I was thinking! The women are Tamar (1:2) who dressed up like a prostitute and seduced her father-in-law; Rahab 1:5) who was a Canaanite prostitute, Ruth (1:5) a foreigner, Bathsheba (1:6) who got pregnant with David during an adulterous liaison, and Mary -- who was totally innocent of all wrong doing -- but accused by her fiance and all the neighbors of having an affair.
ReplyDeleteI'm just going to put down the Voice's comments (I know -- that's cheating, but they said it SO well!) "Some of the women in Jesus' line are given to show how God is gracious to everyone, even to prostitutes and adulterers. (and I pause to think -- am I that gracious?) Because some of the women listed weren't Israelites, but were strangers and foreigners, they foreshadow all the foreigners God will adopt into HIs church through Jesus. Some of the children in God' family are conceived under strange circumstances"
I wonder if Mary and Joseph thought back to those circumstances - - trying to make sense of this virgin birth? I wonder if they every went back and with wonder and astonishment read from Isaiah "A virgin will conceive and bear a Son, and His name will be Immanuel" I wonder if they looked at each other and Joseph said, "Mary -- YOU are that virgin! Isaiah was talking about YOU!" Gives me goose bumps!
I did like the comments it had about outsiders being welcomed into salvation & how Ruth & Rahab were forerunners or symbolic of that, of me being grafted in & totally accepted by God.
ReplyDeleteI'm still amazed at Joseph's selfless response & the risk he obediently & trustingly took in marrying Mary. Very redemptive in my eyes for the male population.