Contemplative Bible Reading

1 Peter 1:18 (New Living Translation)

For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value.

Peter is writing to God’s chosen people—they have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ (see verse 1 of this chapter). Why were they cleansed by Jesus Christ? One reason was to save them from the empty life they inherited from mankind.

Empty life? I have a busy life. Empty life? I don’t know how many stories I have heard of celebrities (I hear their stories instead of the stories of “us regular folks”) who had great lives but talked of an empty feeling or a void in their life. Then these folks who had full lives by all human standards came to know Jesus Christ and the void was gone. The empty life was filled with Jesus Christ.

Mankind or the world gives us many things. Just look around at the wonderful technology we have. Look at medical science. Look at tall buildings and large luxury cruise ships.

And then look at what political figures do. Wars. Invasions. Misappropriation of resources. Waste on greed. Sigh. And look at what the rest of us do? Jealousy. Hatred. Simple cutting off someone in traffic because “they” are in “my” way. Why? Empty lives looking for something that is empty to fill the emptiness. It just doesn’t work, and lots of folks are hurt badly in these attempts.

It is no longer necessary. There is a path out of the empty life. It costs me nothing. Someone else already paid the price.

2 Chronicles 30:18-19 (New Living Translation)

18 Most of those who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not purified themselves. But King Hezekiah prayed for them, and they were allowed to eat the Passover meal anyway, even though this was contrary to the requirements of the Law. For Hezekiah said, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon those 19 who decide to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors, even though they are not properly cleansed for the ceremony.”

King Hezekiah wants to celebrate the Passover properly in Jerusalem. This had not been done for generations as the people had drifted away from God and followed other gods. At Hezekiah’s invitation, people came great distances. Many of these people did not fully understand the requirements of the celebration and were not purified or “properly cleansed.”

Following the requirements was important at this time. The requirements were clearly stated for those who had a copy of them and could read. Many at this time, however, didn’t have the requirements. Such was the drifting away from God. People lost touch and lost the knowledge of what to do.

King Hezekiah prays for these who were not properly cleansed in the physical sense. These people did, however, have the proper heart and mind. They had decided to follow the Lord and had shown their decisions by traveling great distances at great cost and hardship.

“Please God,” asked Hezekiah, “allow them in even though they are quite right.”

God heard the prayer, saw the hearts, and allowed them in.

Here is where we shift to today with these verses. Of course we can abuse the forgiveness and grace of God. We can utter little white lies and cheat God a little here and there. Well, we think we can, but God knows. Let’s forget those things for a moment.

God forgives. God allows us in despite us even when we are not properly cleansed. God allows us in when we are much worse than a little dirty. Praise God for forgiveness and grace.

2 Chronicles 2:6-7 (New Living Translation)

6 But who can really build him a worthy home? Not even the highest heavens can contain him! So who am I to consider building a Temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices to him?

7 “So send me a master craftsman who can work with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, as well as with purple, scarlet, and blue cloth. He must be a skilled engraver who can work with the craftsmen of Judah and Jerusalem who were selected by my father, David.

King Solomon is praying. Solomon has been granted wisdom from God. Solomon is, as we often read today, “the smartest person in the room,” regardless of the topic.

King Solomon is about to build the Temple in Jerusalem. This is it; this is the big one. Gotta’ get this right. What does the smartest person in the room ask God, “…send me a master craftsman who can work with…”

Huh? Surely Solomon can direct the workers to do it right. Surely Solomon doesn’t need expert help. Nope. Solomon asks God to send the right person for the right job. That is part of Solomon’s God-given wisdom. Solomon knows his limitations, what is needed, and realizes that he is not what is needed. Someone else is needed. Please God, send someone else.

This is an excellent lesson in knowing my limitations and asking God for someone else to come with me. I am a smart and caring person. There is much I can do because God has given me talents. God has also given talents to other folks. Let’s trust God to send the right person. Let’s ask God to send the right person. Admitting that I need another person is probably the more difficult thing.

Psalm 23:4 (King James Version)

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

This is one of those well-known sentences from the 23rd Psalm or The Lord is My Shepherd. I go back to the King James Translation for the more familiar words. The poetry is timeless.

The valley of the shadow of death is ominous. Death casts a dark shadow that encloses me like the hills surrounding a valley. I am trapped by the shadow of death without hope of escape.

God, however, is with me. God defeats death through the sacrifice of His son on the cross. I am no longer surrounded or trapped by death. I am walking in the light with Jesus free from worry of what the future may bring.

Thank you God for your endless and timeless grace and mercy.

1 Chronicles 18:14 (New Living Translation)

So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people.

This is part of the (hi)story of King David as he began to reign over God’s people. The preceding paragraphs describe how David conquered this and that group of people and took the spoils of war, e.g., “the gold shields of Hadadezer’s officers.” Wow, enabled by God, David was something.

Then we come to the first description of David in his reign. More conquering? More spoils of war? Building great public works?

Nope. David did what was just and right for all his people.

There has to be something else, right? Nope. Just and right for all his people. And what else would we like a leader or ruler to do? I guess that sums it up. Sometimes I long for the ancient days.

1 Kings 21:25-26 (New Living Translation)

25 (No one else so completely sold himself to what was evil in the Lord’s sight as Ahab did under the influence of his wife Jezebel. 26 His worst outrage was worshiping idols just as the Amorites had done—the people whom the Lord had driven out from the land ahead of the Israelites.)

This is part of the (hi)story of King Ahab of Samaria. Ahab was number one on a list—a list we don’t want to be in the top 20 let alone number 1. Ahab “sold himself to what was evil in the Lord’s sight” more than anyone else. Number 1 on a bad list.

And what was the cause of this evil life? The influence of Ahab’s wife Jezebel. Wait a moment. Ahab was an adult and did what he chose to do. Still, it says here that the influence of his wife Jezebel was a major cause of his evil.

Be careful who you marry folks. When I am deciding to do or not do something, I think of my wife. What would she think? Which way would she push me? Is the way she pushes my towards or from God?

Be careful who you marry folks. Will that spouse push you towards God or the other way?

2 Chronicles 30:27 (New Living Translation)

Then the priests and Levites stood and blessed the people, and God heard their prayer from his holy dwelling in heaven.

God dwells in heaven in a holy place. Perhaps there is something lost in translation in the above sentence. Perhaps this is some poetic structure for which a literal reading is childish. Still, there it is in black and white. God heard their prayer from a holy dwelling in heaven.

Then there is the subtle text. When we pray, God hears our prayers. Even though God is in a special dwelling in heaven, God hears our prayers. I don’t understand all there is to understand about heaven. I don’t understand how God, who is everywhere at all times, can be in heaven or just one place. How is God in one place that is in all places? That is too much for me.

Still, God hears us. What a blessing. God hears us. God doesn’t tire of us and say, “Let’s talk tomorrow, okay, I’m kinda busy now.” No, God hears us. Thank you God. Let me never assume otherwise and just bide my time until it is my turn.

1 Peter 1:8 (New Living Translation)
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Here is a call to be productive and useful. Well, sort of. Peter writes about a growth from faith to love through steps that enrich a person’s life in Christ. Growing as Peter describes helps make me productive and useful. I cannot, however, drop the last phrase from that sentence:

I won’t necessarily be more productive at work. I won’t necessarily be more useful in the community. I will be more productive and useful in my knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I will know Jesus Christ better. This will lead to a better life for me and for those around me. I like that idea. I want that in my life. Please God, help me as I grow in the way Peter describes.

Hebrews 11:40 (New Living Translation)

For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.

This sentence concludes what has been called the “Faith Hall of Fame.” This section of the letter to the Hebrews mentions people from the Hebrew history who showed great belief in things they could not see. Nevertheless, they believed these unseen things would come to pass.

One of the attributes of these people from history is that they did not see or reach everything that was promised. They did not reach completion or perfection. Instead, there was more to come; there was something better still to attain.

God had something better in mind for these people. God had something better in mind for us.

My life is good. I sit here on Saturday mornings typing a contemplation while sipping good coffee in an air conditioned coffee shop with comfortable chairs and tables and soft music and conversations in the background and all that. Then I return to my comfortable home and loving wife.

Yet, there is something better awaiting me. My goodness; how good will that “better” be? Thank you God. Help me to live each moment in a manner that is somewhat worthy of these promises.

Exodus 5:22-23 (New Living Translation)

22 Then Moses went back to the Lord and protested, “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me? 23 Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!”

This is early in the (hi)story of God sending Moses into Egypt to bring God’s people out of slavery and to the promised land. Moses had recently had his first meeting with Pharaoh asking that the people be allowed to leave and worship God.

Pharaoh replied by giving the people more work—gather your own straw to make the same number of bricks. They people had to work harder. They complained to Moses. Moses, ever the middle manager, passed the complaint on to God.

Moses told God, “Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people.”

For this period of time, things were worse—not better. Where was the good that was promised? Where was the freedom from slavery? Yuck.

“For this period of time” is a phrase us folks like to use. “Ever since” you showed up… “Ever since” we moved here… “Ever since” you bought that thing… “Ever since, ever since, and ever since.”

Time is a funny thing. When times are bad, time seems to slow. When times are great, time flies by. When we are young, time is forever. When we are old, time is short and shorter.

Why can’t God operate on the time schedule that I set? Why does God have a different since of time? I mean, I try hard to do right. Why can’t God operate on my schedule? Ever since… Times don’t change much over time. We still complain to God with “ever since.” Please God, help me to see time differently.