Contemplative Bible Reading

Luke 5:20 (New Living Translation)

Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven.”

This is part of the (hi)story of Jesus healing a paralyzed man. Jesus was in a home. The crowds of people wanting to hear Jesus were big and thick and … crowded. There was a paralyzed man on a mat. Friends of the paralyzed man cut a hole in the roof of the home and lowered the man down to Jesus to be healed.

Jesus saw the faith of the paralyzed man and also the faith of his friends. Let’s note the friends:

• They carried the paralyzed man all the way from where he stayed to where Jesus was talking. Quite an effort.
• They tried to push through the crowds in vain. Quite an effort.
• They carried the man up to the roof of the home. Quite an effort.
• They dug a big hole through the roof of the home. Yes, quite an effort.
• They gently lowered the main down through the hole in the roof to Jesus. Again, quite an effort.

These friends worked very hard so that their friend would be in front of Jesus. You don’t work that hard for nothing. You do it only if you believe in miracles—only if you believe in Jesus’ power to save.

There are many thoughts I can write after noting this faith. One concerns “going to church.” Many are criticized as “pew sitters,” i.e., people who come to church on Sunday but never do anything else. Hey, there are many places to be on a Sunday morning. Choosing to be in a church building is not high on the list of many people. Those who “show up” on Sunday are like the friends in the story: they believe in Jesus’ power to save. Otherwise, they would be somewhere else.

Yes, we can criticize folks for “just coming to church” and all that. Still, let’s recognize faith in Jesus when we see it. Let’s commend folks for having that faith. We can do better.

Luke 4:5-7 (New Living Translation)

5 Then the devil took him (Jesus) up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. 7 I will give it all to you if you will worship me.”

This is part of the (hi)story of Jesus being tempted by the devil in the wilderness. The devil shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world.

“I can give you all the kingdoms of the world,” says the devil. “They are mine to give to anyone.”

Truth? Lying boast? Does the devil own all the kingdoms of the world? Can the devil give the kingdoms of the world to anyone?

What are the kingdoms of the world anyways? Just lots of stuff. Well, you can do a lot of good with all that stuff. Then again, you can do lots of bad with all that stuff. How has mankind done with all that stuff over the centuries? Not so good in many cases. See for example, well, there is a long list of wars that brought suffering to mankind. Then we can discuss… well, let’s not discuss those things. They are too ugly.

What are the kingdoms of the world anyways? So what if the devil owns them and can give them to whom he wants? Perhaps this is too much philosophy and speculation for a Saturday morning while drinking coffee. There is something in the Bible about treasures that moths and rust destroy. There are plenty of “lost civilizations” being unearthed by swarms of grad students working for free.

What are the kingdoms of the world anyways? I guess the devil can have them if he wants. They aren’t much. Life with God is worth so much more.

Daniel 4:16 (New English Translation)

Let his mind be altered from that of a human being,
and let an animal’s mind be given to him,
and let seven periods of time go by for him.

This is part of the (hi)story of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Daniel is telling Nebuchadnezzar what will come of him for the next few years of his life. This is a punishment for not acknowledging God.

Nebuchadnezzar will “lose his mind.” Well, sort of. His mind will be altered from that of a person to that of an animal.

Hmmmm. There is a difference between the mind of a person and the mind of an animal. Is an animal capable of acknowledging God? Some animals are “smart” or “smarter” than other animals. Pigs are supposed to be some of the smartest animals. Some breeds of dogs are smarter than others. Really? Or is that just something we like to talk about sometimes?

Things were bad for Nebuchadnezzar for seven years. “He was driven from human society, he ate grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until his hair became long like an eagle’s feathers, and his nails like a bird’s claws.” (verse 33 of the same chapter)

No, the mind of an animal is not like the mind of a person. God made us differently to be different. That you God for giving me the mind of a person. I can sit here in a coffee shop and wonder about the greatness of God and God’s wisdom.

Galatians 1:4 (New Living Translation)

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.

Paul is writing this letter to the churches of Galatia. This is part of the first words or the introduction. In the, “Dear Folks in Galatia” that I usually skip when reading, Paul says something powerful and significant.

Jesus gave his life for our sins. Jesus’ death took away our sins. Why? To rescue us from the evil world in which we live.

Life on earth is good (for many of us). Air conditioning. Good hot coffee. HD (or is it now UHD 4K) TV. More food than I can and should eat.

Life on earth is evil. We live in an evil world. The week I wrote this fires killed many in the paradise of Hawaii. What? How? Simple—this is an evil world. Terrible things happen to people. And many of those people are fine people. Many are Christians as well.

What am I to do in this evil world? Do the best I can with the grace of God. I know that God has rescued me from this place. My rescue hasn’t happened today. When will it? I don’t know. It is promised; it will be. Thank you God.

Daniel 3:28 (New Living Translation)

Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.”

This is part of the (hi)story of the three Jewish fellows who refused to worship anyone other than the true God. As punishment, they were thrown into “the fiery furnace.” It had been heated way past its limits (they turned it to “11” as the old silly movie would say). The people who pushed the three Jewish men into the furnace were killed by the heat.

King Nebuchadnezzar looks into the furnace and sees the three Jewish men walking around (big furnace) and also sees a fourth. Nebuchadnezzar says the fourth person is an angel.

How did Nebuchadnezzar know what an angel looked like? I don’t know what an angel looks like. I mean, angels have wings or something, right? That’s what I see in all the drawings and paintings. Angels fly, float in the air, glow, and stuff like that right? I don’t know what an angel looks like.

Nevertheless, Nebuchadnezzar recognizes an angel from God. Nebuchadnezzar had not previously acknowledge the true God. Yet, here he is, he recognizes an angel.

How does God do this? How does God put things into the minds of people so that we know something when we see it? God has been doing these things that we don’t understand and struggle to believe for thousands of years. God is amazing. I cannot comprehend the ability and magnificence of God. And God still takes care of little old me.

Luke 2:52 (New Living Translation)

Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.

This verse describes a mostly unknown part of the life of Jesus. What did Jesus do from about age 13 to about age 30? We don’t know much. This sentence gives us one glimpse into that part of Jesus’ life.

Jesus grew in favor with all the people.

People liked Jesus. This is hard to describe, but something we know when we see it. Jesus’ dad was a carpenter—a person who worked with wood. Jesus was probably pretty good at working with wood. Jesus was probably good with the tools of the trade and good with customer relations.

People probably came to Jesus with their wood problems. They probably came to Jesus with other problems as well. Jesus probably talked to people, reasoned with them, was sympathetic with their situations.

God doesn’t ask us to be popular. Being elected class president in the 6th grade is okay, but not a command from God. Still, we are told that Jesus grew in favor with all the people. As we strive to be like Jesus, Christ-like, or Christian, let’s remember this from the life of Jesus.

Exodus 35:34 (New Living Translation)

And the Lord has given both him (Bezalel son of Uri) and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach their skills to others.

This is part of the (hi)story of building the Tabernacle—a tent where the people would offer sacrifices to God while they were wandering in the wilderness.

God gave Bezalel and Oholiab special abilities in arts and crafts to do the fine work required in the Tabernacle. In addition to these special abilities, God gave these two another critical ability—they could teach their skills to others.

Other people would know how to do the work required because God enabled persons to be teachers. It is one thing to be able to do something; it is another to be skilled enough to be able to teach others. That is a deeper level of understanding. That is a further gift from God.

People have been following God as Christians for several thousand years. This would not have been possible if God had not given people the ability to teach others. I have met many good teachers of Christianity (and many more who attempted to teach, but …). When we meet a good teacher of Christianity, let’s pause a moment and thank God for giving that person the ability to teach. That ability to teach isn’t widespread. It is precious and rare. Thank you God for yet another blessing.

1 Samuel 26:12 (New Living Translation)

12 So David took the spear and jug of water that were near Saul’s head. Then he and Abishai got away without anyone seeing them or even waking up, because the Lord had put Saul’s men into a deep sleep.

This is another episode in the (hi)story of David being chased by King Saul. David and a companion sneak into Saul’s camp at night. They take items next to Saul’s head without being detected. It was easy because Jehovah God put Saul’s men into a deep sleep. A thundering herd would not have awoken them.

God acts in great big ways that are obvious to everyone. See, for example, parting a sea so people could walk on dry land. See, also, prophets (and Jesus) bring dead people back to life.

God also acts in ways that are not obvious to everyone. This (hi)story is one example. God caused people to sleep deeply and restfully. My guess is that Saul’s men woke the next morning feeling full of energy after having slept deeply and peacefully.

God also acts everyday in ways that are not obvious to everyone. “Please God,” I often pray, “grant me sleep so I awake rested.” I like that prayer. I like it that God gives us rest from the toils of the day. I pray that we all are rested. Fatigue always wins in our lives.

So a simple thing like sleeping was under God’s purview. God acted; David acted, and everyone learned something about everyone else and about God.

1 Samuel 21:14-15 (New Living Translation)

14 Finally, King Achish said to his men, “Must you bring me a madman? 15 We already have enough of them around here! Why should I let someone like this be my guest?”

This is part of the (hi)story of David and his men fleeing from King Saul. David goes to the country of Gath ruled by King Achish. Fearing what might happen to him and his men, David has the idea that he will pretend to be “insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard.’ (verse 13).

King Achish takes one look at David and tells his men what we read above. The king already has enough madmen around here.

It seems that David was a good actor. It also seems that David was a good liar. His stunts convinced King Achish that he was a madman and, therefore, harmless. King Achish allowed David and his men to stay.

I have much personal experience with family members with mental illness—what some would call “madness” or being a “madman.” I didn’t and still don’t enjoy the experiences, but there are times when I can thank God for the experience and what God taught me.

I can tell God that I’ve had enough madmen around me. I can tell God that I’ve had enough fill-in-the-blank around here. God knows better. God knows what and who to send my way. My task is to accept God as God and humbly learn. Please God, help me in my unbelief.

Acts 14:16-17 (New Living Translation)

16 In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, 17 but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts.”

Paul is talking to a group of people in a place called Lystra. Paul had just healed a man who was crippled in his feet since birth. The people are amazed (who wouldn’t be?). They declared Paul to be a god and all that stuff. There were statues nearby of Hermes and Zeus and all those things.

Paul pleaded with them. Those statues were nothing but nice sculptures. There was no god in them. There was no power in them. There is a real God who created everything.

The real God let people go their own way, but always provided people everywhere and at all times with evidence of God’s goodness. Consider the simple example of rain. God brings rain so that crops grow and feed people and livestock to feed people. Food comes from God. That is evidence of God’s goodness.

And then consider happiness and joy. Do we think those things are “just natural?” No, they aren’t. Happiness and joy are gifts from God. They are evidence of God’s goodness.

I have a hot cup of coffee. I have a table in front of me. I have a chair. I have a pen and paper and computer and napkin and clothes and let’s not forget about air conditioning here in July or August and… Okay, I’m just describing the stuff right here in front of me. It’s just plain stuff and it is evidence of God’s goodness.

It is all around me. I just have to open my eyes. Thank you God for all your goodness to me.