Contemplative Bible Reading

1 Chronicles 29:19 (New Living Translation) 19 Give my son Solomon the wholehearted desire to obey all your commands, laws, and decrees, and to do everything necessary to build this Temple, for which I have made these preparations. David is praying. David asks God to give things to his son Solomon. I love this phrase […]

[Read more →]

2 Corinthians 10:7 (New Living Translation) 7 Look at the obvious facts. Those who say they belong to Christ must recognize that we belong to Christ as much as they do. Paul is writing to a church in Corinth. There is a lot of fussing going on. Some say Paul is a phony. Paul is […]

[Read more →]

Ephesians 4:34 (New Living Translation) 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. The writer is explaining what Jesus Christ has done for them. Jesus made their lives different. They are better. NO! WRONG! My life isn’t different. My life isn’t better. My life isn’t improved. My life is […]

[Read more →]

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (New Living Translation) 9 There was a man named Jabez who was more honorable than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez because his birth had been so painful. 10 He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and expand my […]

[Read more →]

Mark 10:45 (New Living Translation) 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. Let’s think a moment about ransom. If someone kidnapped my wife and told me, “We want a dollar in ransom money.” I use “a […]

[Read more →]

Romans 10:3 (American Standard Version) 3 For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. Righteousness is a state of being right. I got it right. ‘Nough said (wrong). Paul is writing about those people who want to establish their own definition […]

[Read more →]

Colossians 3:11 (New Living Translation) 11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. The writer is writing about life and how to live. Prior to this sentence, […]

[Read more →]

1 Kings 8:41-43 (New Living Translation) 41 “In the future, foreigners who do not belong to your people Israel will hear of you. They will come from distant lands because of your name, 42 for they will hear of your great name and your strong hand and your powerful arm. And when they pray toward […]

[Read more →]

Romans 10:4 (New Living Translation) 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God. We read here about how Christ accomplished the purpose of the law. And what was that purpose? All who believe are made right […]

[Read more →]

2 Samuel 14:14 (New Living Translation) 14 All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him. In this (hi)story, […]

[Read more →]