Contemplative Bible Reading

Genesis 6:9 (New Living Translation)

9 This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.

So begins the (hi)story of Noah, the ark, the flood, the rainbow, and all that goes with it. God was disappointed with what his ultimate creation (mankind) had done to itself. It was time for a reset.

God noticed Noah. Noah was “the only blameless person living on earth at the time.” Wow. Noah was a great guy! Was Noah happy?

Noah was alone. He alone was blameless. He alone walked in close friendship with God. If you are to pick a companion, God is an excellent one. Still, God is not … well, not physical and doesn’t bring some of the companionship that other folks bring. There had to be something lacking in Noah’s life.

What was it like to be the only blameless person? How did Noah see everyone else? Did Noah wonder about them? Did Noah try to convince them otherwise? I have lots of questions about Noah, but few answers.

I read of many of the main characters in the Bible. Adam, Noah, Moses, Mary, Peter, and so on. They are the heroes of thousands of years. What, however, was it like to be them? Often, not so good. Often, lonely. Still, God used them to help me. How is God using me to help someone I don’t know, will never know, and will live generations after I am gone?

Lamentations 1:3 (New Living Translation)

She (Judah) lives among foreign nations
and has no place of rest.

The writer is lamenting or mourning the fate of Judah. Hauled away from home, the Judeans live in other countries. They never rest. They mourn continuously.

In what country do Christians live today? Oh, well, uh, just about every country. And we have rest in the grace of God regardless of geography.

Well, of course we do. How could it be any other way and why make note of the obvious. It is obvious, so we don’t notice it often enough and we almost never thank God for it. Really folks.

Let’s thank God that regardless of where we are on earth, we are with God and we are covered by the love and grace of God. That is a miracle whose blessing we enjoy every moment of every day with every breath. Thank you God. Let me never forget the obvious and the miracles all around me.

Ezekiel 33:11 (New Living Translation)

11 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?

God is speaking to the people through the prophet Ezekiel. God encourages Ezekiel to warn the people before it is too late. Seems like an easy job? No, it isn’t.

Living in sin dooms the people to death. That is a plain statement, but it is hard to hear. The prophet expands on God’s warning in great detail. It didn’t get the message across. The people continued to ignore God and suffered from the result.

Pleasure? No. God had no pleasure in this. Death was a consequence. Much of that consequence was natural—a natural result of the lifestyle of sin. It grieved God. It grieved those who shunned evil and had to witness death.

A sinful life, a life full of sin, may have its pleasures here and there, now and then. It ultimately leads to death. It ultimately leads to pain, suffering, and anguish. Let us all please listen to these ancient words that are still true and urgent.

Galatians 1:4 (New Living Translation)

4 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.

I hate to mention it, but we live in an evil world. Evil is everywhere. You don’t have to look far or long to see it. Woe is us. Nope. We have been rescued from this evil world. God the Father planned and executed the plan for the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins.

Let’s consider two points from this (there are many, many more we could consider, but those will have to wait for another day or year).

Point one: Let’s not skip over the words, “for our sins.” Our sins contribute to the evil in this evil world. Let’s be honest about that one. Uh, no wait, must be a problem in translation. Nope. I am a big contributor to this evil world. My sins—not just the sins of that other fella sitting across the coffee shop.

Point two: We are rescued from all this. Jesus’ death on the cross was not just for dramatic affect. It was a sacrifice of rescue. It worked. We are lifted out of the evil mire of this place.

God, never let me forget my part in the evil of this place. Never let me forget the rescue. Thank you, God.

Hosea 13:6 (New Living Translation)

6 But when you had eaten and were satisfied,
you became proud and forgot me.

God is talking to the people through the prophet Hosea. God delivered the people through the desert—a dry and thirsty land. The people depended on God for daily sustenance. Once settled in a land with good agriculture and good food…

Food is good. Necessary for life. We eat to live. Sometimes we live to eat (not so good). The people described above turned away from God once they had good food to eat. They traded away God for a good meal.

How in the world could these people have been so bad? How could anyone trade away God for something so temporary as a good, tasty meal?

That silly little question is one of the bigger ones we can consider in our relationship with God. God gave us senses to enjoy the creation. And we let these senses pull us away from God. The “desires of the flesh” are described in several places in the Bible. Powerful stuff. Temporary stuff. Enticing stuff. The kind of stuff that has ruined countless lives.

God, thank you for the ability to enjoy all you have created. Let me not trade away You for the pleasures You have provided.

Galatians 1:9 (New Living Translation)

9 I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed.

Paul writes to Christians in Galatia a long time ago. If anyone preaches something other than the Good News of Jesus, don’t listen to them. Uh, not quite what he wrote. Let those preachers be cursed. Whoa. A bit harsh? What happened to gently correcting someone with love? Pretty rough.

Perhaps there has been something lost or added in translation. Perhaps not. (The New English Translation uses the phrase, “let him be condemned to hell!”) Pretty rough.

What is the harm in preaching something else? Much. I hear a lot of folks these days saying a lot of things other than the Good News of Jesus. Maybe they aren’t officially “preachers,” but they talk a lot and broadcast to the world and all that stuff. Let them be cursed or condemned to hell? Pretty rough.

Hosea 14:9 (New Living Translation)

9 Let those who are wise understand these things.
Let those with discernment listen carefully.
The paths of the Lord are true and right,
and righteous people live by walking in them.
But in those paths sinners stumble and fall.

When I was a child, someone read to me The Pilgrim’s Progress. This book was written in 1678. Folks understood the Bible even way back when. We aren’t the first to read the Bible and gain some understanding. The life of a Christian was described as walking from here to there. I have always liked that concept.

The above verse from the prophet Hosea amplifies that concept of walking along a path with and towards God. There is a path that the LORD walks. The righteous walk along that path, and it seems good to them. Some try that path, but stumble and fall. Those who stumble are carrying heavy and awkward loads that make walking almost impossible. If they would only drop those loads, they could walk the path.

I have days when I carry too much and carry an unbalanced load. All I have to do (yikes, never as easy as it sounds) is drop that load on the side of the path and walk towards God. Easier said that done? No, not really. I just like to think it is, sometimes. How does God put up with me? Thank God for grace.

Luke 1:8-9 (New Living Translation)

8 One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. 9 As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.

This was a big event. Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel spoke to him. He and his wife were to have a son by a miracle. We would call that son John the Baptist.

Why was Zechariah in the sanctuary? He was chosen by lot. We aren’t told what type of “lot” was used here. Pull the short straw? Cut the cards? Think of a number between 1 and 10? It was, however, a decision by lot. (Gambling? No. It is unfortunate that mankind took the custom of choosing by lot and turned it into a crime-ridden vice that ruins many lives.)

When appropriate, God intervenes in choosing by lot. God manipulated the lot on this day in this place so that Zechariah would be in the sanctuary and meet Gabriel the angel.

God was involved in a simple little thing like pulling straws.

Let us remember that. The simplest little things may be moved by the hand of God. The problems of our world and our nation are big and complicated. Does the hand of God move them? I know it can. I don’t know if God sees my problems as being big or important or whatever it is God uses to choose. I don’t understand all there is to understand about how God acts. I’m just not smart enough (a big understatement).

Still, God can cause a cup of milk to spill so that a parent can help the child with loving, gentle kindness so that the child knows that the parent loves them and will always care for them. So that the child will learn to love and how to show love. Just a little spilled milk. Pretty amazing. Thank you, God.

Hebrews 12:1 (New Living Translation)

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

Before cutting the grass I take the gas can to the gas station and fill it. I buy oil for the lawn mower engine. I put the fluids in the lawn mower. I change clothes and make sure to wear the old shoes that are already stained green by freshly cut grass. I…

Simple. Prepare first. Take off the “dress clothes” (does anyone use that phrase any more?) that will slow me down and put on old work clothes. Remove the things that will hinder my efforts.

Living for God everyday. Prepare first and always be prepared. Toss off those things that slow me down. Stop hating. Stop envying. Put on love and patience. Now I am ready to run for God.

Caution: I can spend years and years and years stripping off every weight that slows me down. And I won’t run a step for God during those years. Nope. Strip off what I can today and run as much as I can today. Keep those weights off. Strip off more tomorrow. Strip off more right now and more in five minutes and more this afternoon and…

Please God, help me. I am running as fast as I can right now. Help me to keep stripping off weight every step of the way.

Psalm 19: 12-13 (New Living Translation)

12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins!
Don’t let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt
and innocent of great sin.

The writer is praying. I am only human and not all knowing. I don’t know what I am doing most of the time. Please God, help me with my faults.

I cannot be God. I cannot be completely free from sin. Thank you for your grace that cleanses me. Help me to live righteously.

Okay, maybe I can contemplate these few lines for another day or year. Then, perhaps, I will understand more. For now, please God, help me in my unbelief.