Psalm: 57 Meditation Jonah: Why Jonah? Wasn’t he that rather depressing OT prophet who hated the Ninevites (Assyrians) generally regarded as the vilest of all people? As you know Jonah was thrown overboard (to save the rest on the ship – one life for the many) and was then swallowed by a “great” fish (let’s …
Tag: Heart
Sunday, February 27
Psalm: 10 Meditation Deuteronomy: Perhaps the Commandments are not presented in a positive light! I doubt that will ever change. It is a pity we view the Commandments as restrictive as opposed to expansive. As it says here “that it may go well with you.” (v. 3) Verses 4-9 are quoted by Jesus as the …
Saturday, January 22
Psalm: 59 Meditation Isaiah: Isaiah, in delivering this prophecy, is again harping about idolatry. This is a constant theme throughout all of Scripture. I am persuaded we, today, do not do any better – we just don’t see it at all. We treat idolatry as though it were limited to silver and gold and carved …
Saturday, December 25
Psalm: 119:25-48 Christmas Day Meditation 1 John: In the NRSV the word “love” appears in this passage at least 15 times. Verse 16 sums up this frequency in “God is love…” Since we are made in God’s image, we also are called “to be love”. Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with …
Tuesday, November 9
Psalm: 119:73-96 Meditation Luke: I trust you’ve never heard: “God is going to punish you…” – most especially as a deterrent against undesirable behavior. That is pretty much the sense and substance of the book of Job; the thing is, even at its outset we are told that God found no unrighteousness in Job. So …
Saturday, November 6
Psalms: 108, 111 Meditation Luke: There are two very memorable verses here: 1) “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (v. 34) Suppose a huge disaster were to strike the area, for instance, an earthquake which also spawned an all-consuming fire. From all of your “stuff”, what would you try to …
Tuesday, June 8
Psalm: 60 Meditation Matthew: Almost as if to continue yesterday’s look at earthly wealth, “Sell your possessions, and give alms…For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (v. 33, 34) Jesus is reorienting our attention from this world toward His kingdom. His next discourse regards vigilance. How many times had Jesus mandated …
Friday, February 19
Psalm 31 Meditation: Ezekiel – Human justice is not the same as God’s justice. The word ‘justice’ is defined as: the assignment of merited rewards or punishments. God’s justice is focused on the heart of the person in question, whether or not they have truly repented their offences and seek after God. Repentance and love …
Wednesday, July 1
Psalm: 130 Meditation Acts: The sin spoken of in this passage is called “simony” in “honor” of the scoundrel who thought the gift of God could be had for a price. This is a subtle and insidious sin. (Isn’t all sin insidious?) Simon wanted a sense of power for he witnessed the power of the …
Praying Through the Psalms
“You’ve never prayed the psalms?” said my professor incredulously. A quick look at the blank faces of a room full of seminary students confirmed that we weren’t joking. It had never occurred to us. “The psalms are a collection of 150 of the greatest Holy Spirit prayers ever recorded. They were placed in the Bible …
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