Contemplative Bible Reading

Psalm 97:1 (New Living Translation) The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice! Let the farthest coastlands be glad. I am logical, scientific, rational, and all those boring things. A coastland being glad? Are you kidding? That is just a place where land meets water. How can it be glad? Yet, here it is, right […]

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1 Samuel 12:25a (New Living Translation) As for me, I will certainly not sin against the Lord by ending my prayers for you. There are many ways to sin against God. How about this one: Not praying for someone. “I’ll fix you, I won’t pray for you anymore!” How silly. How arrogant. How sinful. How […]

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Psalm 103:15-17 (New Living Translation) 15 Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. 16 The wind blows, and we are gone— as though we had never been here. 17 But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. Simple verses that compare us and God. […]

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1 Samuel 10:25 (New Living Translation) Then Samuel told the people what the rights and duties of a king were. He wrote them down on a scroll and placed it before the Lord. Then Samuel sent the people home again. At long last, God’s people had an earthly king. This didn’t work out that well, […]

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2 John verse 4 (New Living Translation) How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded. John addresses his letter to “the chosen lady and her children.” I don’t know who “the chosen lady” is. Did this lady have a big […]

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2 John verses 1-2 (New Living Translation) I am writing to the chosen lady and to her children, whom I love in the truth—as does everyone else who knows the truth— 2 because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever. I struggle with the concept at the heart of these verses. […]

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Numbers 1:50-51 (New Living Translation) 50 Put the Levites in charge of the Tabernacle of the Covenant, along with all its furnishings and equipment. They must carry the Tabernacle and all its furnishings as you travel, and they must take care of it and camp around it. 51 Whenever it is time for the Tabernacle […]

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Deuteronomy 12:6-7 (New Living Translation) 6 There you will bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your sacred offerings, your offerings to fulfill a vow, your voluntary offerings, and your offerings of the firstborn animals of your herds and flocks. 7 There you and your families will feast in the presence of the Lord […]

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Colossians 3:5 (English Standard Version) Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Watch out for the last phrase of this verse: covetousness which is idolatry. I sure like that fellas’ car. I sure like that fellas’ vacation plans. Innocent enough, right? Perhaps. […]

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