I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day, or more. in advance. My work schedule has recently changed, meaning that I may not have time every day to complete these. As a result, I am trying to get several days ahead. I hope this does not negatively impact the quality of these posts (if that is possible). If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

     This passage is such a great metaphor for the way in which God often leads us to the ministry He has planned for us. He led the Israelites out of Egypt, but in order to keep them from facing opposition they were not yet mentally or spiritually prepared for He led them by a circuitous path. In addition, He led them in such a manner as to make it seem that they were helpless and could be easily recaptured by the Egyptians. How often do we react the way the Israelites did when the path on which God has led us has brought us to a place where we can see no way out?
     I just realized that I am often like Moses in that situation, but not because my faith is so strong. No, I call out to those around me to not be afraid, but to stand and watch what God will do because I am scared to the core of my being and doing that is the only way I can avoid curling up in a ball and crying in fear. I wonder if that was what Moses was doing, covering his fear? I will say this from my experience, loudly telling those around you to stay calm and trust in God is a wonderful way to actually feel calm and to trust in God for deliverance. This story gives a great illustration of God’s deliverance when all seems lost. No matter what situation you find yourself in, remember, it is not possible for it to be more desperate than the situation the children of Israel found themselves in here. They were a collection of untrained rabble, with their women and children and all of their possessions weighing them down facing what was one of the finest fighting forces of the day. Yet they emerged victorious with no casualties while their enemies were wiped out for all practical purposes, without ever exchanging a blow with their enemies. God did indeed fight for them, and He will fight for you.

     The leading priests and religious elders confronted Jesus and wanted Him to tell them where He got the authority to throw the merchants and money changers out of the Temple. In response, Jesus asked them to first tell Him where John the Baptist’s authority to baptize came from. Now I have often heard this as a clever move by Jesus to reveal the nature of their question as a trap and to get out of answering it (since it was a trap). And that is not wrong. However, there is more to it than that. Jesus’ question actually reveals something about the source of authority. The religious leaders refused to answer Jesus’ question because to say John’s authority came from God raised the question of why they did not follow John’s teachings, which would have thus also been from God. On the other hand if they said that John’s authority was merely human, they were afraid that the crowds would tear them apart. This demonstrated their own unwillingness to stand up for what they believed was right in the face of human opposition. Jesus on the other hand had just stood up for what He believed was right in the face of the clear opposition of the political authorities.
     Jesus then tells a story about two brothers. Their father approached each of them in turn and asked them to go work in the fields. The first brother told his father that he would not go, but later changed his mind and went to work. The other brother eagerly agreed to do as his father asked, but then did not actually do so. This is quite a direct commentary on so many of those who consider themselves Christians. They are quick to say they will act according to God’s will, but are often hesitant to actually go out to proclaim God’s forgiveness to sinners and to show God’s love to the needy. Which son am I?

     I read this psalm and realize how much I have fallen short, but this psalm inspires me to strive to do better going forward.

• I have not always acted with integrity

Forgive me, Lord

• I sometimes waver in my trust in God

Forgive me, Lord

• I sometimes forget your unfailing love

Forgive me, Lord

• I do not always live according to your truth

Forgive me, Lord

• I spend time with liars
• …and sometimes go along with hypocrites

Forgive me, Lord

• I wash my hands to declare my innocence

Forgive me, Lord

But now I stand on solid ground because I put my trust in the blood of Jesus Christ and not myself. I will publicly praise the Lord

     I never noticed how the seven things in this passage all feed into each other. All of these sins grow out of the sin of pride. Those who think they are more important than others lie, steal, and kill without compunction because they believe that others do not deserve to be treated with respect.

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day, or more. in advance. My work schedule has recently changed, meaning that I may not have time every day to complete these. As a result, I am trying to get several days ahead. I hope this does not negatively impact the quality of these posts (if that is possible). If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

     Pharaoh repeatedly promised to do as God commanded and then changed his mind when God made things better. A time was finally reached when Pharaoh no longer had the ability to do as God asked. There is an important lesson for us here, if we reject God’s will for our lives often enough, a time will come when we will have backed ourselves in a corner and we will find it impossible to do what God asks of us. I pray that I never let my pride back me into a corner where God has to do to me to do His will what He needed to do to Pharaoh to get Pharaoh to do His will!

     Jesus compares heaven to a rich landowner who hires laborers to work in his vineyards over the course of a day. The important lesson about this story is that, whether we come to serve God early or late, He will reward us with eternity in heaven. There is another point that is not so important to the story, but of interest. The premise of the story is that a rich man has every right to do whatever he chooses with the money he had. He may do good things with it, or selfish things with it. In either case, Jesus assumes that no one else has the right to tell him what he must do with his money.
     Later, the mother of James and John approached Jesus and asked Him to give them places of special prominence in His kingdom. When the other disciples heard about this request they were angry. Jesus then taught an important lesson about leadership. Those with authority in the world use that authority to be served by others. Normal human activity is to acquire a position of leadership so that one can dump all of the unpleasant tasks on someone else. Jesus tells us that if we follow His example, we will use whatever position of leadership or authority which we acquire in order to do the unpleasant tasks that no one else wants to do. True leaders sacrifice their own wants and desires in order for the members of the group they lead to enjoy it more.

     Yes, I will give my life to God. I will trust Him with all that I have and all that I am. Teach me Lord to follow the path that you have laid out for me, show me Your road. Rest Your Spirit upon me so that I take the path to which you guide me. Give me the humility to walk in the ways You have chosen for me.

     Let me learn to work hard, even when no one is holding me accountable. Motivate me to act now rather than wait until the deadline approaches.

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day, or more. in advance. My work schedule has recently changed, meaning that I may not have time every day to complete these. As a result, I am trying to get several days ahead. I hope this does not negatively impact the quality of these posts (if that is possible). If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

     Moses went back again and again to Pharaoh warning him that terrible things would happen if he did not let the Israelites go to worship God (at this point, the request was for a trip into the wilderness to offer sacrifices and then return). Time after time, Pharaoh promised Moses that he would let them go, if only Moses would lift the plague. Each time, once the plague was lifted, Pharaoh reneged on his promise. The majority of the plagues did not effect those living in the land of Goshen (the area of Egypt where the Israelites lived). How often are we like Pharaoh, when things go wrong we promise that if things get better we will do as God wishes. Then when things get better we go back to doing that which led to the problems in the first place?

     I find the beginning of this passage interesting. When some parents brought their children to Jesus in order to be blessed by Him, His disciples berated the parents for bothering Jesus. This happened just a short time after Jesus had told them that anyone who welcomed a little child on His behalf was welcoming Him. Jesus uses this incident to reinforce His teaching about our need to be like children in our faith and dependence on God.
     This passage also contains the story of the rich young ruler. Many read this passage and see Jesus’ comment about how hard it is for the rich to enter heaven, but overlook the fact that when the disciples reacted by thinking that it would be even harder for the poor, Jesus did not contradict that impression. Rather Jesus told them that for man it was impossible. It is only possible for anyone to get into heaven because God has made it possible. Jesus goes on to tell the disciples that those who have given up worldly comfort in order to serve Him will be rewarded for their sacrifice.

     The opening of this psalm is an important reminder to us. This earth belongs to God, as does everything and everyone in it. I will treat the things of this earth as things which I hold in trust for God to use to further His will in this world. I will treat the people I meet as the servants of God, treating them as I hope that He will treat me.

     The proverb writer warns repeatedly against putting up security for someone else’s debt. He warns that if you have done so, do whatever you can to get out of it. My interpretation of these various warnings is that you should never off to secure a debt that you cannot afford to pay back. No matter how well meaning someone is, if they need you to secure the debt for them there is a risk that they will either be unable to pay it back, or just fail to do so, leaving you to pay off the debt.

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day, or more. in advance. My work schedule has recently changed, meaning that I may not have time every day to complete these. As a result, I am trying to get several days ahead. I hope this does not negatively impact the quality of these posts (if that is possible). If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

     Yesterday, I said that when things “went wrong” with the ministry God had sent Moses and Aaron on they did not give up. This is not quite true. When things did not go as Moses expected He went back to God and complained that he had done everything God had told him to do and, not only didn’t it work, it made things worse. God replied to Moses’ complaint by saying, “Trust me, I’m God.” He told Moses that Pharaoh would see who He was and when he did, Pharaoh would not only allow the people of Israel to leave, he would force them to do so. Moses went back to the people of Israel, but they would not listen to him any longer. God then told him to go back to Pharaoh. Moses resisted, saying that he had made such a hash of it by saying the wrong thing that not even the people of Israel would listen to him anymore.
     How often do we feel that way? We feel like we have made a complete mess of things, we said the wrong thing and lost our opportunity. God tells us to keep trying. Except that we need to do it His way, not our way. When things don’t work out, we need to persevere and trust in God. Moses and Aaron had to go back to Pharaoh ten more times before things worked out. If God is calling us to a ministry, we may “fail” again and again, but we need to keep trying. Reading this today it seems to be speaking to me directly. I have felt called to a certain ministry. Yet every time I have started to plan to develop my involvement and become more active in it, something has happened to force me to put it on hold. This passage tells me that I should continue as long as the door to this ministry stays open.

     Jesus tells us a parable about forgiveness that sums up the most important point that we need to understand. No matter what someone has done to us, no matter what debt they owe us for the wrong they have done to us, it is insignificant in comparison to the wrong which we have done and of which God has forgiven us. If we will not forgive others for the wrongs they have done us, we will not, can not, be forgiven for the much greater wrongs which we have committed.
     Jesus is next confronted about divorce. According to the more popular rabbinical teaching of the day the law of Moses allowed a man to divorce his wife for any reason whatsoever (sort of like today’s “no-fault” divorce, except that only the husband was allowed to “file”…of course this was in a culture where women were economically dependent on men, so a woman was unlikely to file for divorce). Jesus is essentially asked which side of the ongoing debate He was on, did He agree with the interpretation that a man could divorce his wife for any reason he chose, or the side which said that there were a list of reasons which justified divorce. Jesus answered that He was not on either side. He told them that divorce was contrary to God’s will in every case. The only case in which a man could divorce his wife and remarry without committing adultery was if she was already committing adultery against him.

     This is perhaps one of the best known passages in the Bible, for good reason. It is such a comforting passage. God will look out for us and we need fear nothing, not even when we pass through the most dangerous places. Nothing can remove us from God’s plan for our life and all that He does will work together for our good if we love and fear Him. The final verse sums it up:

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.

God will not only desire to do good for us and love us all of our lives, His love and goodness will pursue us in His effort to give us good things. And if we allow it, He will bring us into His very house to live throughout eternity. What an amazing, wonderful promise.

     The wicked thing they are free, but in truth they are enslaved to the sins they commit. Lack of discipline leads to foolish decisions which in the long-run (and sometimes the not-so-long run) lead to death.

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day, or more. in advance. My work schedule has recently changed, meaning that I may not have time every day to complete these. As a result, I am trying to get several days ahead. I hope this does not negatively impact the quality of these posts (if that is possible). If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

     After God told Moses who to tell the people of Israel that He was, Moses was afraid that they would not believe that he had spoken to God(I believe there was an element of fear that people would ask him why they should worship this God that no one else worships). God gives Moses some examples of things he can do in order to demonstrate God’s power. Moses then complains that he is not a very good speaker and suggests that God send someone else. God tells Moses that He gave people their mouths and thus the ability to speak. God will be with him and will give him the words to say. Finally, Moses has run out of objections and just flat-out begs God to send someone else. God is angry and tells Moses to go, but He will send his brother Aaron to be his spokesman just as Moses will be God’s spokesman. Reading this is a good reminder that even Moses had trouble accepting God’s call to ministry.
     Moses was finally convinced by God to answer the call which God had given him and began the journey back to Egypt with his wife and son. Meanwhile Aaron left Egypt to look for Moses and met him on his way. Moses told Aaron what God had said to him and the signs which God had given him to demonstrate God’s power. Together they went to the elders of the people of Israel, where Aaron told them the message God had given Moses and Moses showed them the signs God had given him. Moses and Aaron then went to Pharaoh and asked him to allow the people of Israel to make a short trip into the wilderness in order to offer sacrifices to God. Pharaoh responds by asking who God is and that he will not let the people go to worship Him. Pharaoh then orders life made even more difficult for the people of Israel and the people of Israel blamed Moses and Aaron.
     This is an important lesson for us when God calls us to some ministry. When Moses and Aaron started following God’s call to deliver the people of Israel from Egypt, things did not get better right away. In fact, things got worse, and the people they were trying to help turned against them. But Moses and Aaron did not give up. They continued to follow God’s call and performed the ministry to which they were called. Let us do likewise.

     Jesus told His disciples that to get into the Kingdom of Heaven they needed to change and become like little children. I have heard various things about what He meant when He said that. However, something just hit me that I have never heard said. Jesus told the disciples this in the context of them asking who was the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven (I think from the way it reads they were asking which of them was the greatest). One does not think of a child as an authority. Rather others tell a child what to do. Jesus is telling His disciples that they need to stop seeking to be the greatest and to be the one in charge. They need to accept that others are in charge and do what they can to help. Those who are the greatest are those who do not seek greatness. It is not the great leaders, whether spiritual or otherwise, who are the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Rather it is those who quietly serve others while receiving little or no recognition.

     Today we finish the psalm which Jesus referenced while He was on the cross and about to die. Yesterday I discussed the absolute despair which the psalmist expressed in the beginning of this psalm and which Jesus must have felt as He hung upon the cross. Today, we discover that when Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have you abandoned me,” He was not expressing that He was abandoned by God. He was merely expressing that He was feeling abandoned. However, when we read the rest of the passage which He was referencing, we discover that He was also expressing His absolute faith that God would rescue Him.
     When Jesus made that cry He was also referencing today’s portion of the psalm. In this section, the psalmist declares that he will proclaim God’s name among the assembled people. He calls on those who fear the Lord to praise Him. The psalmist tells us that God does not ignore the suffering of the needy. God does listen to their cries for help. Because of God’s action, the poor will eat and be satisfied. All who seek the Lord will praise Him because of His great and mighty power. Even in the midst of His despair on the cross, Jesus was telling us that this was true. I pray that God give me the ability to have such faith if I am ever in a position of such despair.

     The proverb writer warns us not to spread our sexual love around. He tells us that doing so is like drawing our drinking water from a source close to where dirt, trash and excrement are dumped. The writer reminds us of how much greater the joy of keeping one’s sexual love for only one partner. I will rejoice in the wife of my youth (well, in my case, not so much youth, but the only wife I have). She is indeed a loving deer and a graceful doe. I am still captivated by her love and her body.

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day, or more. in advance. My work schedule has recently changed, meaning that I may not have time every day to complete these. As a result, I am trying to get several days ahead. I hope this does not negatively impact the quality of these posts (if that is possible). If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

     When Moses had become a grown man he went to visit his people, the Hebrews. While he was there, he saw an Egyptian beating one of the Hebrews. He looked around, and when he saw no one looking, he killed the Egyptian. The next day, Moses went out to visit the Hebrews again. This time he saw one Hebrew beating up another one. Moses confronted the aggressor. The man replied by asking Moses who had made him ruler and judge over them and if he was going to kill him as he had the Egyptian. Moses was feeling convicted to do something about the oppression of the Hebrews. However, God had not yet called him to act. So, he acted out of his own initiative and things did not work out well.
     Moses gave up his idea of helping his people and fled to Midian. There he once more demonstrated his opposition to oppression by defending seven shepherdesses from bullying by other shepherds(it also suggests that Moses was a fighting man to be reckoned with). There in Midian, Moses became a shepherd, got married and raised a family. After many years, God was finally ready to take action on the oppression which the Israelites were suffering, or perhaps, Moses was finally ready to do it God’s way. In either case, God called Moses to return to Egypt and lead his people out.
     When God first calls to Moses, Moses’ initial reaction is positive, “Here I am!” However, once God explained to Moses what He wanted him to do, Moses was not so sure. At that point Moses asked God, who he (Moses) was to appear before Pharaoh or to lead the people of Israel? Is that not how we tend to react when God calls us to a new task? “Who am I to do xxx?” God answered Moses the same way He answers us, “You are the person I have chosen and I will be with you.”
     Moses then asks what name he should use for God. God tells Moses to tell those who ask the He is, “I Am Who I Am.” I am having trouble figuring out how to express the thoughts this raises for me. Moses was asking God to tell him what “box” God went into. Which sort of God was He? Was He Ra? Or Osiris? Or perhaps Baal? If we are God’s people, which culture do we belong to? Are we Egyptians? Or Canaanites? Or some other group? God’s answer was that they are not, we are not, part of some other culture. We are God’s people and we are not to model ourselves over anyone except God.

     When Jesus got back down the mountain after the transfiguration, a father came to Him and begged healing for his son. The father told Jesus that His disciples had been unable to heal the boy. Jesus’ response troubles me. Who was He talking to? At a first reading, He seems to be calling the father faithless and corrupt. However, maybe He is talking about His disciples, but even that seems harsh. Jesus then heals the boy. Later His disciples ask Him why they were unable to heal the boy and Jesus tells them that they did not have enough faith.
     When we talk about people receiving healing, from time to time, someone says that if you are sick and God does not heal you, it is because you do not have enough faith. However, Jesus did not tell the disciples that the boy was not healed because he, or his father, did not have enough faith. Jesus told them that they were unable to heal the boy because THEY did not have enough faith. Jesus explains further by telling them that if they have even a bit of faith, just a mustard seed’s worth, they can tell a mountain to move, and it will move. I fully believe that is true. Of course, if you have faith that in order to fulfill God’s will (and faith that God’s will is the path to true joy) a mountain must be moved, you will grab a shovel and start moving it. Understand, I am not claiming that you working with a shovel will be sufficient to accomplish what must be done to fulfill God’s will, but nevertheless you will start working with that shovel. No matter how pointless it may seem. No matter how overwhelming the task may seem. You will do this because you will have confidence that no matter how big the task, if it is one God wants done, it will get done. If that means that the mountain miraculously moves without human intervention, or if it means thousands of people with shovels show up and start shoveling dirt, or if it means someone shows up with earth-moving equipment and moves it, one way or another, God’s will will be carried out.

     When Jesus was on the cross, moments before He died, He cried out the first line of this psalm: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” I have often heard Christians develop theological explanations about how Jesus cried that because God had turned away from Him at that moment (including explanations about why God did that). However, I do not think there is any reason to believe that God did turn away from Jesus at that moment. The explanation can rather be found in rabbinical practice of first century Judaism. They would often reference a passage by quoting the first line of that passage. When Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” on the cross, He was calling attention to the whole of Psalm 22.
     Today’s portion of the psalm expresses the utter despair which Jesus must have felt as He hung upon the cross about to die. Yet even in the middle of expressing despair, the psalmist acknowledged God’s love and righteousness while expressing faith and trust in God. Even in the middle of his despair the psalmist did not turn away from God. Rather he clung to his faith in God. I pray to God that I will do the same in whatever trials and tribulations come my way.

     The writer warns us of the importance of accepting discipline and listening to the words of those God sends into our lives as teachers/instructors. If we do not accept discipline and follow the teachings/instructions which God sends to us, we will face ruin and public disgrace.