Contemplative Bible Reading

1 Kings 6:35 (New Living Translation) These doors were decorated with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers—all overlaid evenly with gold. People understand symbols. See the outline of an apple with a bite taken out of it? What does that symbolize? We all know. The verse above is describing part of the interior […]

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Exodus 6:9 (English Standard Version) Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery. Moses is speaking to his relatives, the Israelites who are slaves in Egypt. They have been in Egypt 400 years. For the most recent few generations, they […]

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2 Samuel 12:10 (New Living Translation) From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own. The prophet Nathan is delivering a message from God to King David. David’s despicable act with Uriah and Bathsheba was over. Now comes the punishment. […]

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Genesis 39:6 (New Living Translation) So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat! This is the early part of the (hi)story of Joseph, his owner Potiphar, and Potiphar’s wife. Potiphar had put Joseph, a slave, in charge […]

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Genesis 3:7 (New Living Translation) At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. Adam and Eve had just eaten the forbidden fruit. They now knew both good and evil. They knew they were naked. They were embarrassed and felt […]

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Genesis 26:28 (New Living Translation) They replied, “We can plainly see that the Lord is with you. So we want to enter into a sworn treaty with you. Let’s make a covenant. A King named Abimelech came to visit Isaac, one of Israel’s patriarchs. His statement above tells us that Abimilech knew that: God the […]

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Genesis 31:14-15 (New Living Translation) 14 Rachel and Leah responded, “That’s fine with us! We won’t inherit any of our father’s wealth anyway. 15 He has reduced our rights to those of foreign women. And after he sold us, he wasted the money you paid him for us. Two sisters, Rachel and Leah, are speaking […]

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Genesis 39:3 (New Living Translation) Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. This is a simple sentence that sets the stage in the (hi)story of Joseph in Egypt. Joseph is a slave. No rights; no anything. Potiphar owns Joseph. Take that in: he OWNS […]

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Ecclesiastes 2:18-19 (New Living Translation) 18 I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave to others everything I have earned. 19 And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? Yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work under […]

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Ecclesiastes 2:11 (New Living Translation) But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. Several translations use the phrase “under the sun” where the above states “anywhere.” The idea can be stated “without God.” Hence, there is […]

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