Psalm 61:1-4

“Here my cry, o God listen to my prayer! From the ends of the earth I cray to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety for you are my safe refuge a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Let me live forever in your sanctuary safe beneath the shelver of your wings!” – Psalm 61:1-4

Bible in a Year: Day 10

The Readings

  • Luke 10:1-20
  • Genesis 17:1-26
  • Psalms 10:1-18

Interesting Passages

You will listen, O Lord, to the prayers of the lowly; you will give them courage.
You will hear the cries of the oppressed and the orphans; you will judge in their favor, so that mortal men may cause terror no more. Psalms 10:17-18

But don’t be glad because the evil spirits obey you; rather be glad because your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:20

Reflections

In Genesis we have Abram because Abraham, and agree that circumcision is close to godliness. I’m not sure I can get on board with that, thankfully the old testament is pretty out. The psalms had a touch of vengeance, but some nice bits that encourage those who need it and focus on support.

In Luke we continue exploring the good works of Jesus, which always makes me happy. It’s part of why I like to read the Gospel last. They leave me in a better mood and less confused than the old testament does. I’m not entirely sure what that says about me…

Bible in a Year: Day 9

Yes. This should have been yesterday… I’m pulling a double today.

The Readings

  • Luke 9:28-62
  • Genesis 16:1-15
  • Psalms 9:1-20

Interesting Passages

Then Sarai said to Abram, “It’s your fault that Hagar despises me. I myself gave her to you, and ever since she found out that she is pregnant, she has despised me. May the Lord judge which of us is right, you or me!” Genesis 16:5

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed. A place of safety in times of trouble. Psalms 9:9

[Jesus] said to them, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, also welcomes the one who sent me. For the one who is least among you all is the greatest.” Luke 9:48

Reading Reflections

I honestly cannot say I understand today’s reading from Genesis, how to apply it to life, or how to figure out something to say about it. It’s harsh. Just harsh. The psalm doesn’t bring me anymore understanding. In verse 9 I can’t help but thing “except when she send you back to continue being a mistreated slave”. Sometimes I have issues with the old testament… It’s so colored by the time in which it was written.

Well… There is at least a tone of kindness to Luke right now… I still don’t understand Genesis  for today, but at least Jesus was a nice guy…

Bible in a Year: Day 8

The Reading

  • Luke 9:1-27
  • Genesis 15:1-18
  • Psalms 8:1-9

Standout Passages

Abram put his trust in the Lord, and because of this the Lord was pleased with him and accepted him. Genesis 15:6

what are human beings, that you think of them; mere mortals, that you care for them? Psalms 8:4

O Lord, our Lord, your greatness is seen in all the world! Psalms 8:9

Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up to heaven, thanks God for them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to distribute to the [5,000] people. They all ate and had enough, and the disciples took up twelve baskets of what was left over. Luke 9:16-17

 

Reading Reflections…

The Psalm today, while it had a slight bit of vengeance in it, is decidedly sweeter than the past ones, which I appreciated. and Abram’s story is getting more interesting as we progress through Genesis. I’m seeing the first hints of the coming Passover and the plight of the Jews in Egypt. It’s interesting to get this new perspective on a story I have known so well for so long.

The gospel of Luke, however, is starting to worry me. I’ve just done easter and I can feel the death of Jesus on the cross drawing nearer in the text. So I’m going to focus on the storiesI did and didn’t know as this progresses, of his miracles and good works and find joy in them rather than dwelling on the dark days I spent so long in through Lent.

There is always light in the dark.

Bible in a Year: Day 7

The Reading

  • Luke 8:26-56
  • Genesis 14:1-24
  • Psalms 7:1-17

Standout Passages

I will take nothing for myself. I will accept only what my men have used. But let my allies, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, take their shame. Genesis 14:24

I thank the Lord for his justice; I sing praises to the Lord, the most high. Psalms 7:17

“Go back home and tell what God has done for you.”
The man went through the town, telling what Jesus had done for him. Luke 8:39

 

Reading Reflections…

It’s nice to have had the stories from Luke in this reading. Jesus’ healing of Jarius’ daughter is one of the greater miracles, and it’s accompanied by so many other miracles in the same section of the text! And still both Genesis and Psalms are those of revenge and holy fire. I hope that at least the Psalms will change their tone to one of love, soon.

Bible in a Year: Day 6

The Reading

  • Luke 8:1-25
  • Genesis 12:1-20
  • Psalms 6:1-10

Standout Passages

“No one lights a lamp and covers it with a bowl or puts it under a bed. Instead, it is put on the lamp stand, so that people will see the light as they come in.” Luke 8:16

I will bless those who bless you,
But I will curse those who curse you.
And through you I will bless all the nations. Genesis 12:3

I am worn out with grief;
every night my bed is damp from my weaping;
My pillow is soaked with tears. Psalms 6:6

 Reading Reflections

I think I ended up oddly focused in on grief, blessing and light today based on the way Holy Week has left me wrung out and needing rest. Holy week has been long this year, and trying as I devoted myself more throughly than ever in the past, while still working to keep up with my Graphic Designer work.

At least I’m no longer in school and free to do such as I please (unlike the slaves that Abraham took amongst his wealth away from him homeland). Is it just me, or are some of the stories of the old testament a bit… Abrupt?

And the early psalms… A bit, violence and vengeance filled?

Bible in a Year: Day 5

The Reading

  • Luke 7:18-50
  • Genesis 11:1-32
  • Psalms 5:1-12

Standout Passages

“God’s wisdom is shown to be true by all who accept it” Luke 7:35

“But Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”” Luke 7:50

 

Reflections…

It was an interesting set of readings today. Genesis was pretty-much a throwaway, being a genealogy and containing little more that I could discuss at this time. The Psalm was one that’s colored by a wish for revenge. As a pacifist it really rubs me a bit of the wrong way. Revenge is for those who do not forgive, and are we not meant to forgive?

I did find the readings from Luke to be inspiring, though. The journey through Holy Week as it descends into darkness is a difficult one (though one that makes Easter all the more meaningful). Verses about faith and wisdom are helpful right now.

Bible in a Year: Day 3

The Reading

  • Luke 6:27-49
  • Genesis 6:1-22
  • Genesis 7:1-24
  • Psalms 3:1-8

Standout Passages

“I am sorry that I made any of them. But the Lord was pleased with Noah.” – Genesis 6:7-8

“Noah was 600 years old when the flood came.” Genesis 7:6

“They will live no longer than 120 years.” Genesis 6:3

“For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Luke 6:45

 

A Chat with the Husband Later…

I have issues attempting to read the bible literally. Mainly because it doesn’t work to over literalize things. Specifically, you run into issues with things like God deciding that he is sorry that he made “any of them” but still being pleased with Noah (who, in a literal interpretation, would have to be placed amongst the “them” that so displeased God). Instead, you have to read without the deeply literal sense and separate Noah from being a part of “them”.

I know I’m failing at elegant writing here, but it’s late and I’m tired, and I’ve already done this once today, so what you get is what you get. I’m jumping strait into the section of Luke that we read. I’ve never been a fighter on my own behalf. I’m willing to protect others, but I’ve got a long history of not fighting back when it comes to myself being the one at threat. My Mother does not appreciate my tendencies here (neither does my husband…). This came up in a conversation with my Mom recently, and reading this was a good reminder for myself about why I’m not completely crackpot in my nature (just a little bit, but so’s everyone else. Just in other ways).

Another abrupt jump, so just that I can recode this thought. I’ve always found it funny that people give God credit in victory, but rarely treat defeat in the same way (blaming themselves instead of crediting God). Is Psalms 3 the source of this practice?

Bible in a Year: Day 2

The Reading

  • Luke 6:1-26
  • Genesis 3:1-5:32
  • Psalms 2:1-12

Standout Passages

“Cain and his wife” – Genesis 3:22

“Happy are those who go to him for protection.” – Psalms 2:12

 

A Chat with the Husband Later…

On the whole this was a dry section of the Bible, but how much entertainment value can you find in a section that devotes a huge amount of its words to genealogy? But I suspect things will get more interesting. An overlying theme in the readings seemed to be establishing a deeper understanding of sin and evil, so it makes a nice followup to the previous reading.

I did, in Genesis, get a little fixated on the snake, who previously didn’t “go around on his belly”. This sort of suggests that the snake wasn’t a snake to begin with, and may have been more of a lizard! And this is actually backed up by genetic leftovers like the free-floating legbone remnants in the skeleton of a snake!

This section of Genesis isn’t very kind to Women’s rights, either. We see women glossed over and mostly written out of the scripture here, aside from to punish all of us for the evils of one woman. But it seems in line with the time in which it was originally recorded, when such far-reaching consequences were the norm and people sought deep justice (See the bit about Lamech killing a guy for striking him).

Then, moving on, I don’t really have much to say about the reading from Luke. All in all it just established the Pharisees as closed mind and caught up deeply in the process rather than the faith as they grow to despise Jesus.

And finally, the Psalm, which feels like a continuation of one, and another discussion in which “Happy” and “Religious” share the same meaning.

Discipleship for 3 September 2012

The Readings

Word of Life

  1. Being honest, I don’t know a great deal about the pharisees and scribes beyond what little I remember form previous days at church, and what I’ve read in this recent post. This is part of why I’m spending as much time as I am. I need to know this stuff before I attempt to bring up a child to know this stuff.
  2. Strained is a word that well describes the relationship of Jesus to the Pharisees and the Scribes. He was shaking the boat. Boat-shakers are not generally appreciated until they’re done shaking and the boat is steady again.
  3. Jesus threatened the authority of past tradition, and of the Pharisees themselves in his choice not to honor the old ways, or to demand those same ways of his students.
  4. Probably not. They seemed to be looking to discredit Jesus and I believe they wanted to find a way to cling to the old ways.
  5. Jesus wanted them to see beyond the letter of the law, and into the spirit of the law. He wanted them to be more than followers, but to be doers (Oh! How unintentionally clever of me to accidentally link this back to yesterdays’ themes!)
  6. It clearly is. We see it every day in people who pick and choose the parts of the bible they put forward to defend their views. Today people will put forward a religious faith and do all in accordance with Gods will in attending church and putting on the proper face, but in the way they live their lives they are selfish, self-centered, and unwilling to provide help for those who need it.
  7. The “Sunday Christian”. They put on sunday clothes and go to church, but if they dive past someone on their way there they won’t even stop to check that they’re all right. They’d simply drive on to avoid being late.
  8. Listening is easy. You only need to stop talking. Understanding is harder. You have to be willing to set aside your preconceptions and take in that which you hear, blend it into your own existing knowledge, and let it grow from there.
  9. Kindness seems to be at the heart of much of what Jesus teaches. Living well not just for yourself, but for others and towards others.

Word Among Us

  1. I can totally relate to him. I remember thinking similar things as a child.
  2. My mother would let me play with my food. I was notoriously unwilling to slow down and eat. She used tons of ways to make sure I got enough.
  3. If I drink caffeine at the wrong points in the day I can actually end up unable to sleep. And I suspect I have some sort of food allergy (I haven’t kept my food diary long enough to be sure, but it’s looking like at least some sensitivity to dairy) that disrupts my stomach terribly.
  4. Not particularly. Aside from digestive issues related to classes of foods and things like allergies.
  5. Definitely not. Good is a matter of how you treat yourself and others and has nothing to do with church. Though church can teach a child to be a good person, and can encourage people to stay on the right path, it cannot make anyone take the proper path in life.
  6. Treating others well, treating yourself well, and acting with kindness and compassion towards the world around you.
  7. Negative. People shouldn’t put forward faces so false.
  8. Through practice. It can be hard sometimes, but simply working every day to be the best person you can be can help you to actually become that person you’re striving to be.
  9. It’s seen time and time again. The biggest way I see it is those who believe in the “sanctity of marriage” and want to shut out part of the population from the legal benefits of marriage in the eyes of the government.
  10. See previous answer.
  11. By simply striving to live within Jesus will, and walk in his ways.
  12. To put others first more. To worry less about myself and what I want, and worry more about what others need.