Contemplative Bible Reading

Genesis 37:19-32 19 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. 20 “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.” 21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. […]

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Genesis 24:62-63 (New English Translation) 62 Now Isaac came from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. 63 He went out to relax in the field in the early evening. Then he looked up and saw that there were camels approaching. Ah. This is something I should do more often. Relax in […]

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Genesis 39:2-4 (New International Version) 2 The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became […]

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Genesis 24:12 (New International Version) Then he prayed, “O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Such a simple prayer, such a simple request: give me success today. This is easy to abuse. I’ll play the lottery and ask God for success. I’ll try all […]

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Job 30:1 (New International Version) But now they mock me, men younger than I, whose fathers I would have disdained to put with my sheep dogs. The book of Job is filled with eloquent speeches, and those speeches contain countless wonderful phrases on which to contemplate. I could comment on nothing but such phrases for […]

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Exodus 4:13 (New English Translation) But Moses said, “O my Lord, please send anyone else whom you wish to send!” This is from the history of when Moses was speaking with God at the burning bush. God had chosen Moses to return to Egypt and bring His people out of slavery and to the Promised […]

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Isaiah 9:2 (New International Version) The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. Note the next to last phrase of this verse, living in the land of the shadow of death. The last three words in particular caught […]

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1 Timothy 2:1-2 (Holman Christian Standard Bible) 1 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. I am concentrating on the last […]

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This is not a usual entry in this blog. Instead of commenting on scripture, I write a little about health care and what churches could be doing. One of the missions of Christianity is to care for the poor. Churches in America have succeeded, but it is a success that ultimately may lead to failure. […]

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Jude verse 12 (Holman Christian Standard Bible) These are the ones who are like dangerous reefs at your love feasts. They feast with you, nurturing only themselves without fear. They are waterless clouds carried along by winds; trees in late autumn – fruitless, twice dead, pulled out by the roots, Jude is writing to Christians […]

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