No Scheduled Reading

On Discipleship Journal’s “Book-at-a-Time Bible Reading Plan” there are no assigned readings after the 28th of each month. Use this time to meditate more deeply on something that was significant in the past month, to catch up on any missed readings, or to revisit favorite or recently read passages.

I’m going to see if I can catch up on some of the reading and posts that I have missed and will post again on the first of next month.

Grace and peace to you!

Our Tender God

Scripture

¹ “When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.

² But the more they were called,
the more they went away from me.
They sacrificed to the Baals
and they burned incense to images.

³ It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
taking them by the arms;
but they did not realize
it was I who healed them.

⁴ I led them with cords of human kindness,
with ties of love.
To them I was like one who lifts
a little child to the cheek,
and I bent down to feed them. (Hosea 11:1-4)

Observation

In the middle of this section filled with the judgement that will be meted out on Israel, we find this precious, tender description of God’s relationship to his people. The image is God as a loving parent, teaching a child to walk, comforting, encouraging and nourishing.

Application

Related to yesterday’s post, this presentation of God is one that is easy to love, to develop a relationship with. It is more difficult, when God is seen as demanding, harsh cruel, distant, vindictive, or non-existent. The image of God I read today causes me to want to grow closer to this Father-God. So, today, I will approach God as father, one who is a loving parent, who taught me to walk, comforted, encouraged, and nourished me.

Prayer

Abba Father, thank you for your tender love. Give me the gift of your Spirit that I can relate to you as loving, caring, nurturing, and encouraging. Amen.

This is What God Wants

Scripture

⁶ For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6)

Observation

Sometimes I think we make our lives more difficult than they should be. The God of Israel wanted his people to love and obey him – in stead, they chose to serve and disobey. Mercy is easier than the ritual sacrifice, acknowledging God is easier than burnt offerings. But, in order to do things their own way, the people of Israel chose the more difficult, option – one that drew them farther away from God.

In the New Testament, the same things happen; the Pharisees expanded the laws required for people to follow making life more difficult. Jesus, on the other hand simplified it: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ ; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27) These commands are simple, and this is what God wants.

Application

Love is not that hard of an action – but the kind of love that Jesus was talking about in Luke was more than loving the lovable, it was loving enemies, and being willing to go out of my way to do so.

God wants a relationship with me – not just my religious service.

Prayer

Lord, today, I give myself to you – not out of obligation, but out of gratitude for what you have done for me. Teach me to be like you, and show me how to deepen my relationship with you. Amen.

Day of Rest

There is no assigned reading for the Book-at-a-Time Bible Reading Plan.

Each seventh day, and some days at the end of the month the plan has provided a day of reflection. Please use these days to meditate more deeply on something that was significant in the past week, to catch up on any missed readings, or to revist favorite or recently read passages.

Say What!?

Scripture

² When the LORD began to speak through Hosea, the LORD said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the LORD.” …

⁴ Then the LORD said to Hosea, “Call him Jezreel, because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel. …

⁶ Gomer conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Then the LORD said to Hosea, “Call her Lo-Ruhamah (which means “not loved”), for I will no longer show love to the house of Israel, that I should at all forgive them.

Observation

I am amazed at the obedience of God’s prophets – especially when the instructions God gives are like these! God tells Hosea to marry a promiscuous women, have children with her, name your firstborn with a name that will foretell Israel’s punishment, and then name your daughter ‘not loved’.

Hosea does all of these things and through them God shows his nature and his character as well as the reality of Israel’s state. If you haven’t read this prophetic book (ever or in a while) read it! Some of it is bizarre, but throughout its pages are clear words of God’s love and desire for his people!

Application

I will strive to put into practice the things God has been telling me to do – even when they seem odd or difficult. My prayer is that God’s true nature could be revealed to those around me – and be God’s grace, to me, too!

Prayer

Thank you for the way that you love me. You stay close to me even when I am unfaithful. Although I call myself ‘not loved’ you love me. Praise you, Lord, for what you did for all humankind in the person of Jesus Christ! Give me the strength and courage to live out your witness in my world just as Hosea did in his. Amen.

Prayer of a Father

Scripture

⁹ “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. ¹⁰Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.” (1 Chronicles 28:9-10)

Observation

Beautiful instructions from an aging king and father to his soon-to-be-king son. notice the commands:

• acknowledge the God of your father,
• serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind,
• be strong,
• do the work.

Application

A great list to apply whether we are a king, a son of a king, or just a child of the King!

Prayer

By your Holy Spirit living in me, give me your grace in order to acknowledge you as God, to serve you with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, to be strong, and to do the work you have for me to do. Amen.

How beautiful?

Scripture

¹ How beautiful you are, my darling!
Oh, how beautiful!
Your eyes behind your veil are doves.
Your hair is like a flock of goats
descending from the hills of Gilead.

² Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn,
coming up from the washing.
Each has its twin;
not one of them is alone.

³ Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon;
your mouth is lovely.
Your temples behind your veil
are like the halves of a pomegranate.

⁴ Your neck is like the tower of David,
built with courses of stone ;
on it hang a thousand shields,
all of them shields of warriors.

⁵ Your breasts are like two fawns,
like twin fawns of a gazelle
that browse among the lilies. (Song of Solomon 4)

Observation

This bride that Solomon describes must have been a very handsome woman, indeed!

http://www.acts17-11.com/snip_song.html

Application

Today I remember that the Bible was written by various individuals throughout history – most of whom lived in a culture vastly different than the one I live in today. I don’t understand all of the language that is used or the comparisons made. But, I do affirm again, that the Bible is the word of God and is our only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct. This passage, however, I don’t see much in the way of rules to follow. It’s just a beautiful (albeit odd) lover’s poem.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for your word – in whatever form it comes! Amen.

Too much information?

Scripture

⁷ David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God. ⁸ But this word of the LORD came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. ⁹ But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign.¹⁰ He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ (1 Chronicles 22:7-10)

Observation

What words for Solomon to hear from the mouth of his father. Here, even before he is anointed king over Israel,  Solomon knows that he will be a man of peace and rest, he will have rest from enemies, he will build a temple for the LORD, and will have his throne established as part of a never-ending kingdom. I can’t decide if this information is good or bad.

These words from God through King David to Solomon the heir give encouragement and direction for the young man’s reign. However, it seems to plant the silver spoon deeply into Solomon’s mouth. It is clear that God will bless, and that many things will be easy for him. In the end we see that his life of luxury and excess proves to be part of his undoing. I wonder what soon-to-be-king Solomon thinks of these words.

Application

In this period of my life when I desire clarity, and wish that I could see into the future that God is laying before me I am glad to come across this passage. This passage gives a hint to the danger of having too much certainty. I would choose my current situation of faith, trust, and uncertainty about the future over Solomon’s ease, confidence and certainty of his life. I like the adventure that is a tacit part of my relationship with Jesus Christ. I want to know only enough to follow him well today. I don’t need to see years into the future, that wisdom could be my undoing.

Prayer

Today, Lord, I thank you for what you have shown me and what I know about my future and my life with you. I trust that you have shown me all that I need to proceed in faith. So, in faith, I go forward… trusting that you will continue to lead. I look forward to this adventure with you! Amen.

Don’t Stay at Home

Scripture

¹ In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, Joab led out the armed forces. He laid waste the land of the Ammonites and went to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. (1 Chronicles 20:1)

Observation

When I read the first words of this verse, I thought I knew what was coming – but I was mistaken. This habit of staying in Jerusalem when kings normally go to war will one day get him into trouble. In the time when kings go off to war, kings should go off to war. His lack of action didn’t cause problems this time – but it will.

Application

I will work to act appropriately. When it is time for me to be working – I want to be found at work. When it is time for me to be doing other things – I want to be there. David got into trouble partly because he was not doing the things that he should be doing. Even though calamity does not strike each time, a dangerous precedent is set I don’t like dangerous precedents.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to walk the straight and narrow. I want to be a man after your own heart. Give me discernment to see the areas of my life, or the behaviors that could lead to trouble before they do. Keep me from sinning and do not lead me into temptation. Amen.

Not So Fast, Prophet

Scripture

² Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you.”

³ But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:

⁴ “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the LORD says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in. (1 Chronicles 17:2-4)

Observation

I see here an important distinction between Nathan speaking for himself, and Nathan speaking for God as prophet. Nathan originally told David to do whatever he had in mind – because God was with him. Later that night, God spoke to Nathan telling him that wasn’t true. God didn’t want it done that way.

As prophet, Nathan brought some amazing insight and profound words of conviction and hope. But here, we also see the more human side of this man of God. He loved David, and saw God’s favor on him… so he assumed that God would grant anything David had desired. Not so.

Application

This passage is a good reminder that although I have been called to bring God’s word to people, not everything that comes out of my mouth is a word from God. I don’t think that I usually think that way – about myself or other pastors – but it is a good reminder that God is God, and I am not.

Prayer

What a privilege, God, that you have called me to bring your good news to the people around me. By the conviction and power of your Holy Spirit, remind me of my place and role – that you are God, not me. Use my words, and also, give me ears that hear clearly when you speak. Amen.