Contemplative Bible Reading

2 Kings 6:8-9 (New Living Translation)

⁸ When the king of Aram was at war with Israel, he would confer with his officers and say, “We will mobilize our forces at such and such a place.”

⁹ But immediately Elisha, the man of God, would warn the king of Israel, “Do not go near that place, for the Arameans are planning to mobilize their troops there.” ¹⁰ So the king of Israel would send word to the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he would be on the alert there.

¹¹ The king of Aram became very upset over this. He called his officers together and demanded, “Which of you is the traitor? Who has been informing the king of Israel of my plans?”

Miracles. The spirit of God working through prophets. Amazing stuff.

This is what I believe happened. God knew the thoughts of the King of Aram (God knows all our thoughts.). God told the prophet Elisha these thoughts. Elisha passed this military intelligence to the King of Israel. Elisha was the perfect spy through the spirit of God.

This all sounds far fetched, silly, just impossible. Yet, God is the God of the impossible. He works in the works of men to His end.

Sometimes we sit back and wonder how someone knew that something would happen. Was it God telling them? In our post (post(post)) modern world, we don’t think this way. Yet, God seems to work this way regardless of our human thoughts.

1 Samuel 6:10-12 (New Living Translation)

10 So these instructions were carried out. Two cows were hitched to the cart, and their newborn calves were shut up in a pen. 11 Then the Ark of the Lord and the chest containing the gold rats and gold tumors were placed on the cart. 12 And sure enough, without veering off in other directions, the cows went straight along the road toward Beth-shemesh, lowing as they went. The Philistine rulers followed them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh.

Other English translations of these verses note that the cows pulling the cart had never been hitched to a cart before. Note verse 12: And sure enough…the cows went right down the road as if someone were guiding them.

Cows don’t do that sort of thing. Cows don’t go just the direction you want them to go. They tend to wander about to the best grass and idle in the grass while eating.

Back up a paragraph or two about someone guiding the cows. I believe God guided them. I believe God had an angel walk the cows down the road to where God intended them to go. I can’t prove my beliefs, but my beliefs come from other scriptures about God working through animals and angels.

Ever seen an animal go just where you wanted them to do without explanation?

1 Samuel 4:6-8 (New Living Translation)

6 “What’s going on?” the Philistines asked. “What’s all the shouting about in the Hebrew camp?” When they were told it was because the Ark of the Lord had arrived, 7 they panicked. “The gods have come into their camp!” they cried. “This is a disaster! We have never had to face anything like this before! 8 Help! Who can save us from these mighty gods of Israel? They are the same gods who destroyed the Egyptians with plagues when Israel was in the wilderness.

The Philistines are preparing for battle against the Israelites. The Philistines hear that the Ark of the Covenant has arrived in the Hebrew camp.

This is a disaster!

The Philistines recalled the time in the desert, the Ark, the plagues in Egypt, and other events. Those events occurred hundreds of years earlier. The Philistines knew the details of events that occurred centuries earlier. What do I know of events in the 1700s? Little. Yet, the fame of the Lord Jehovah and how He worked with His people was well known.

The mighty gods of Israel were coming. The enemies of God’s people were panicked and full of fear.

Does anyone fear a Christian today? Does anyone have respect for a Christian today? Is this a reflection on Christians or on the Lord Jehovah? How far have we gone?

Psalms 90:17 (New Living Translation)

And may the Lord our God show us his approval
and make our efforts successful.
Yes, make our efforts successful!

This is part of a prayer of Moses. He asks the Lord God for success in his efforts. It is okay to ask God for success. Perhaps it is okay to ask God for success in all endeavors. If I am praying to God, it is likely that my efforts are Godly. That is not assured, but I feel it is likely.

God, make my efforts successful.

Deuteronomy 32:47 (New Living Translation)

These instructions are not empty words—they are your life! By obeying them you will enjoy a long life in the land you will occupy when you cross the Jordan River.

Moses has just completed giving God’s laws to His people. Moses concludes with a final exhortation, a final plea for the people to obey. God’s instructions to His people are not just a bunch of words, they are the key to their lives.

God’s words to us—especially those words that are not words but are His creation—are our lives. Do we heed them?

Do I treat them as empty words or the key to my life? Why does God allow me to ask these questions of myself? Why is it all so simple at times? Simple questions remove all excuses.

Rats. Sometimes I love excuses. Yet, God’s grace removes the need for excuses.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (New Living Translation)

19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 20 You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

This is one of those things that is pretty simple, yet … well we don’t seem to be able to do it everyday.

The key to life:

• love God
• obey God
• commit to God

Yes, pretty simple. Yes, we seem to mess it up too often. God, help me in my unbelief.

John 15:14-15 (New Living Translation)

14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.

An acquaintance of mine grew up on a farm, the only son of the farmer. He worked the farm everyday and was taught everything about the farm by his father the farmer. Everything, in endless detail. Imparting all the knowledge of the farm to the son was important to the farmer.

The farmer and son had a close relationship.

When I was in high school, I would “haul hay” for some of the local dairy farmers. They paid me $2/hour. They told me one thing, “When the hay wagon comes by, pick up the bales of hay and throw them on the wagon. That was all they ever told me.

The farmer and I had a servant relationship—nothing more.

Jesus describes a close relationship with those who do as He says. He cares about His followers. He cares so much that He calls His followers “friends.”

Do I want to be a friend of the King of Kings are just another hired servant who mindlessly tosses bales of hay on the wagon?

John 15:7 (New Living Translation)

But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!

I remain in God and His words remain in me. I pray that my mother will be healed, but she isn’t. So, what’s the deal with this?

There are several ways to go with this.

One, God and I don’t have a contract. I like contracts. You do this; I do that. No problems. Well, God didn’t sign a contract with me. He did much better than that, but sometimes I want a contract so I can use God’s power for my own wishes. Some of my wishes are altruistic and good in all ways, but my vision is quite limited.

Two, some people are sick and are healed so that God’s power is revealed. See, for example, Jesus healing the man born blind. The “problem” as I see it here, meaning something that I wish were otherwise, is that God chooses these people He uses to reveal His power. I don’t choose them. Drats.

Three, I could go on and on as others have done through the centuries.

Same conclusion as often, God, please help me in my unbelief.

Philippians 1:9-11 (American Standard Version)

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment; 10 so that ye may approve the things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ; 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

I delve into the American Standard Version translation today as I like the wording here.

Let’s deconstruct the long sentence into a few words I wish to emphasize:

I pray that your love may abound…so that ye may…be…void of offense…

What an apt prayer. Oh that I may pray this every hour of every day. Please God, help me to abound in love and live so that I am void of offense. Help me that I may always show love towards my neighbor and never offend him. As such, help me model Christ in my world in my day. Amen.

Philippians 1:9 (American Standard Version)

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment;

I delve back into the American Standard Version translation as I find its wording fascinating here.

It seems that love is part of discernment. I believe that “discernment” here means the ability to tell what is right and what is wrong. I believe that is a good thing to have.

How is love a part of discernment? How does love abound in all discernment?

Here is a short at an answer. When I love, I am in a better position as a follower of Christ. Everything in my life is better because I choose to love as Christ loves. Everything includes discernment.

God, help me to choose love instead of everything else. Grant me the blessings of love.