Contemplative Bible Reading

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.

Hebrews 5:14 (New Living Translation)

Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

The writer is instructing the Hebrews about the nature of Jesus in God’s greater plan for mankind. This is a complicated matter. The writer chides some of the readers for their immaturity in these teachings.

There are those, however, who are mature in God. The writer likens this to how babies can only digest liquid; the mature can digest solid food.

And what is this “solid food?” It is the title of this post: the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. I think life on earth is just that. Here I am sitting in the coffee shop banging out words on the blog and sipping coffee. Do I have the skill to recognize right and wrong? There must be more to maturity than that, huh? I mean, let’s move to the complex discussions of complex issues that complex people can discuss, huh?

Nope. Right and wrong. That’s it. Someone cuts in front of me on the road. I need to get back at ’em. Nope. That’s not right. But…no buts. Mature people see beyond the immediate revenge and “justice.” Mature people swallow the short-term situation and do the greater right, not the immediate wrong.

Hmmm, maybe there is something to this right and wrong and maturity. Please God, help me to be with the mature.

Genesis 6:9 (New Living Translation)

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.

This begins the (hi)story of Noah, the flood, and the ark full of animals. The earth is full of human wickedness. This is not what God intended with creation. An earlier verse tells us that this broke God’s heart. The sinful rebellion was so bad that it broke God’s heart.

And then there was Noah. Noah found favor with God. Noah lived each day (“walked”) close to God. Noah was blameless—the only such person on the earth.

Noah wanted to be close to God. Therefore, God kept Noah close. While the earth was to be covered with water that would wipe out people, Noah would rise above it all with God. God would provide a big boat to carry Noah safely out of the flood. And God would provide for Noah’s family as well, so Noah would not be alone.

If we want to be close to God, God provides a boat to let us ride above the evil of the world and be close to God. God also provides others of similar hearts to be with us. Just like Noah and the ark and his family and the animals. God, family, creation, and all these things are available to those who wish to be close to God. Please God, help me along.

Hebrews 1:14 (New Living Translation)

Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.

The writer is telling the Hebrews about the Son of God. Jesus Christ is far above the angels in position, power, and everything else. Whoa. Impressive. The angels? Those angelic beings that appear obviously to people here and there, now and then?

The angels are only servants. Only servants? The angels are sent to care for the followers of Jesus. Yeah, but don’t the angels have supernatural powers that I can’t imagine? They appear and do amazing things and … they have to be more than my servant, right? Nope. Angels are my servants. They tend to my needs.

Well, they could do a better job for me, huh? They could do a better job for a lot of folks I see who need more care than me. Right?

I don’t see the angels. At least I don’t think I see them. There is much that I don’t see. There is much that I don’t understand. Please God, help me to see more, at least a little more. And thank you God for angelic servants.

1 Peter 2:16 (New Living Translation)

For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.

I am free. I am God’s slave.

Okay, must be something wrong with the translation here. How can I be both free and a slave at the same time?

I believe that we sometimes confuse words written a few thousand years ago with the same words that we use quite differently today. Maybe.

I am a slave to God in that God is my owner and master. God is the highest being there is in my life. There is none other who can compare. If God is my master, I am in a position like a slave or complete servant of God.

Since God is my owner and master, I am free from sin and death. Those things no longer rule or own me. Their power over my life has been removed. Consider that statement for a lifetime.

Please God, help me to be your slave. Thank you that I am no longer a slave to sin and death. Help me to understand and live the difference.