Contemplative Bible Reading

1 Samuel 3:19 (New Living Translation)

As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him, and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable.

Samuel was a prophet. He is the definition of a prophet in that what he predicted came true or, as in this verse, “proved to be reliable.”

This is pretty simple, yet when we look at Samuel’s life, there were plenty of people who did not believe Samuel. Such is the human condition.

Judges 7:10-11 (New Living Translation)

10 But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah. 11 Listen to what the Midianites are saying, and you will be greatly encouraged. Then you will be eager to attack.”

This is one of the little-known verses in the (hi)story of Gideon. He is the one who had three hundred men who broke their pitchers of clay to reveal torches. The Midianites went into a panic and killed one another.

Note these verses before the great battle. The LORD is speaking to Gideon. The LORD says, “if you are afraid…do such and such.”

Gideon did such and such. Hence, Gideon was afraid and showed the LORD that he was afraid. The LORD’s reaction was to use Gideon in the battle regardless. Perhaps the LORD used Gideon because he was afraid and demonstrated his fear.

Gideon is a great example of how the LORD God Creator used and still used fault-filled persons—like me.

1 Corinthians 3:16 (New Living Translation)

Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?

Jesus is speaking to a crowd of people. I believe that what He says here applies to all of us in all ages. He is saying,

Hey, wake up! Don’t you get it? Don’t you realize what you are and what that means?

We are like the Temple. The LORD God the Creator came into the Temple to be close to His people. The LORD God the Creator comes into me.

In some ways I can never understand what that means. So, let’s try to grasp the simpler parts of this message. God is in me. He provides all I need to do the simple yet impossible-without-Him tasks like loving those who hate me and caring for the least of society.

Oh, well, that is not difficult to understand. It seems to be far more difficult to live. Perhaps if I just pushed my own prideful self out of the way.

God help me to do the simplest of things.

Luke 6:46 (New Living Translation)

So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?

In the New Testament, the term “Lord” means about what we think it means these days. My “lord” is someone that I recognize as my master, my teacher, the person above me whom I obey. That is the key: I obey my Lord.

Here Jesus is talking to a crowd. He tells them,

You call me the one whom you obey, but you don’t obey me.

Well, duh! I guess that is sort of a definition or illustration of a hypocrite. Not a good thing. Still, that is what those people were doing and, sadly to say, that is what too many of us do too much of the time.

Joshua 24:9-10 (New Living Translation)

9 Then Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, started a war against Israel. He summoned Balaam son of Beor to curse you, 10 but I would not listen to him. Instead, I made Balaam bless you, and so I rescued you from Balak.

Note how God rescued his people from Balak. What was Balak doing? How was he going to harm the people? Balak called Balaam to curse the people. Who cares about being cursed? Remember the sticks and stones rhyme?

It appears that being cursed by this Balaam was a serious matter. It was serious enough that God rescued His people from it.

Deuteronomy 28:10 (New Living Translation)

9 “If you obey the commands of the Lord your God and walk in his ways, the Lord will establish you as his holy people as he swore he would do. 10 Then all the nations of the world will see that you are a people claimed by the Lord, and they will stand in awe of you.

The laws and standards given by Jehovah the LORD to His people were different. The rest of the world could see the difference.

If the people would follow the commands, the world would know the people were different—claimed by the Creator.

I live in what has been called a Christian nation. Although life is not as I would wish in every aspect, there are a high percentage of citizens who are Christian. It is sometimes easy to forget about the norm.

A few trips outside the U.S., however, show the difference. Conditions are different, but that is just economics. The real differences are seen in how people consider one another and consider the basics and value of life.

We are a claimed people, and the world can see that.

Deuteronomy 7:5 (New Living Translation)

This is what you must do. You must break down their pagan altars and shatter their sacred pillars. Cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols.

The “God of the Old Testament” is often criticized as inventing the concept of pillage and burn and such (sort of silly that we can sit here and criticize God, hmmm?). The verse above is one of those pillage and burn verses.

Note what is to be destroyed:

idols and places of idol worship.

God does not tell His people to destroy houses, businesses, public roads, infrastructure, etc. The facilities of civilization are to be maintained. They are gifts from God to His people.

Hmm, let me consider that a little more:

The facilities of civilization are to be maintained. They are gifts from God to His people.

I will have to consider that one for a few years.

Deuteronomy 4:15-16 (New Living Translation)

15 “But be very careful! You did not see the Lord’s form on the day he spoke to you from the heart of the fire at Mount Sinai. 16 So do not corrupt yourselves by making an idol in any form…

Jehovah God gives a strict warning to His people. They did not see any physical form of Him. Therefore, they are not to make any form of Him and worship that form.

Today in Christianity, some Christians use various forms, e.g., a cross, the represent God. Such forms can be good as a constant reminder of God. Such forms can be bad as they fall into idol worship.

The point is the motivation, the heart. I am not able to see inside a person’s heart. Hence, I should not attempt to do so, no matter the temptation.

Deuteronomy 1:42 (New Living Translation)

“But the Lord told me to tell you, ‘Do not attack, for I am not with you. If you go ahead on your own, you will be crushed by your enemies.’

This was a warning from Jehovah to His people. This is a warning to all of us today.

If God is not with us in an endeavor, don’t do it. We will be crushed.

Don’t allow me to make this trivial. I don’t believe God cares if I go to Burger King or McDonald’s. I don’t believe my meal will be lousy if I go to the one where God is not with me.

In the important parts of my life, however, I must seek God. I must go where He is with me. Crushing is the painful, inevitable outcome if I do otherwise.

Numbers 35:34 (New Living Translation)

You must not defile the land where you live, for I live there myself. I am the Lord, who lives among the people of Israel.

The LORD God Jehovah had a strict warning to the people He had chosen. He was to live in the land with them. Therefore, they were to take care of that land as it was His home.

We can discuss all sorts of things about similes and analogies and other methods of communicating a thought. Still, Jehovah emphasized that He was with His people and they were to live accordingly.

Me, today? How is my land? How is my home? How is my heart? Are those places suitable for Jehovah? If not, why not?