Contemplative Bible Reading

Galatians 6:4 (New Living Translation) Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. I think God wants us to do well. Hence, we have the phrase “a job well done.” The result of a […]

[Read more →]

Proverbs 17:9 Holman Christian Standard Bible Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but whoever gossips about it separates friends. How do I react when someone offends me or offends another in front of me or simply makes a bad mistake that affects me?  (I can go on quite a while here, but this will suffice) […]

[Read more →]

Luke 10:29a (New Living Translation) The man wanted to justify his actions, so… justify: Verb, show or prove to be right or reasonable Here comes trouble. This poor fellow—he reminds me of ME—wants to justify himself to Jesus. Imagine the folly of that one. Justify himself to the Son of God sent to a sinful […]

[Read more →]

Psalm 37:1 (New Living Translation) Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. Look at those people. Look at what they are doing. Can you imagine anyone would do those things? And look at the cars they drive, the clothes they wear, the places they go, the houses the own…all the material […]

[Read more →]

Proverbs 17:8 (Holman Christian Standard Bible) A bribe seems like a magic stone to its owner; wherever he turns, he succeeds. Magic stones. I want some magic stones. When I was in graduate school, I often wished for an extra day between Monday and Tuesday. Just like magic I would be able to sleep, eat, […]

[Read more →]

Galatians 6:4-5 (New Living Translation) 4 Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. 5 For we are each responsible for our own conduct. I have always liked to be the best—the best speller […]

[Read more →]

Proverbs 7:2a (New Living Translation) Obey my commands and live! We Americans in the post-post-whatever-modern world don’t like COMMANDS. Don’t tell us what to do. We know what to do. We are our own commanders of our own fate, so stop this commands even those that come from God. Let’s step back for a moment, […]

[Read more →]

Nehemiah 6:16 (New Living Translation) When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God. God’s people had finished rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. This task—given the puny resources applied to it—was not possible. The enemies of […]

[Read more →]

James 1:5 (Holman Christian Standard Bible) Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. I live to improve. I want to be and do better everyday. I desire this to a fault. Yes, others don’t always share […]

[Read more →]

Proverbs 6a, 13 (New Living Translation) Listen to me! For I have important things to tell you. All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech. I hate negative preaching (that doesn’t make sense, but let’s go on). Nevertheless, there are times when I need to […]

[Read more →]