Contemplative Bible Reading

Job 33:14 (New Living Translation)

14 For God speaks again and again,
though people do not recognize it.

In this sentence, Elihu is speaking to Job while Job suffers. Much of what Job’s friends say to him is incorrect and is later corrected by God. I think this phrase from Elihu is correct.

Has God spoken to you lately? Has God spoken to me lately? Is that bird chirping in the tree the first thing in the morning a voice from God? Is that morning headache of dehydration a voice from God? Is that smile on the face of a child across the coffee shop a voice from God?

And, by the way, what is God telling that person across the room whom I despise (strong word, but let’s be honest about this)?

God speaks again and again. Am I listening?

Isaiah 43:13 (New Living Translation)

13 “From eternity to eternity I am God.
No one can snatch anyone out of my hand.
No one can undo what I have done.”

In this section of scripture, the prophet Isaiah is relaying what God told Isaiah about God. The self-description ends with, “No one can undo what I have done.”

There are different ways to understand this last phrase. One is that God created the earth. Can anyone un-create or undo that creation? I don’t think so. The earth belongs to God who created it. The fate of this planet is up to God.

In the 1980s, we were greatly concerned about mankind destroying the earth with nuclear weapons. Today we seem to be greatly concerned about mankind destroying the earth with carbon dioxide, which we all exhale continuously.

I love the beauty of the earth which God created. The heavens declare the glory of God. I don’t fear that mankind will destroy God’s creation. Thinking we have the power to undo what God has done is quite boastful on our part. We (me) want to be equal to God. There are many days when I want to be God and decide what happens to those who deserve my judgement. Those are not good days for me. Please God, help me in my unbelief.

Proverbs 18:17 (New Living Translation)

17 The first to speak in court sounds right—
until the cross-examination begins.

Ah, the cross-examination. That is when someone stands and says, “Let’s look at this again and consider some other things.”

In my career, this was called a “hostile audience.” That was a group of persons who were skeptical about the ideas being presented. They didn’t have to be hostile. I highly recommend healthy skeptics. Stay healthy towards yourself and others, but still question.

Some persons call this “the devil’s advocate.” I don’t dislike you, but I will act as if I do for the moment. Please bear with me.

And there is a question like, “Did you act in a manner pleasing to God?” or “Were you loving and considerate to your neighbor?” Yikes. I struggle with those questions on most days. Please God, forgive my unbelief.

Esther 2:3-4 (New Living Translation)

3 Let the king appoint agents in each province to bring these beautiful young women into the royal harem at the fortress of Susa. Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the harem, will see that they are all given beauty treatments. 4 After that, the young woman who most pleases the king will be made queen instead of Vashti.” This advice was very appealing to the king, so he put the plan into effect.

The above verses are the what the personal assistants of Xerxes suggested to him after his Queen had rebuffed him. Xerxes liked this idea and did it.

Wait. This is all wrong. Gather young women who look right, bring them captive to the king, put them in his harem serve his sexual desires. This is all wrong. Can we write that often enough? This is all wrong. Yet, this is what happened. This is early in the (hi)story of how God used Esther and her relatives to save God’s people from annihilation while in exile. Everything worked the way God intended.

What? How can something that is all wrong lead to a conclusion that God wanted? As the song says, “God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform.”

Current American politician does such-and-such. Christians cannot abide by that (let’s round up beautiful young women and put them in the presidential harem—YIKES). We shouldn’t abide by that. What do we do?

Okay, I don’t have a good answer. Please, someone else provide it. Pray for wisdom. Pray for survival. Trust in God and live my life as an expression of God’s love.

Daniel 3:15-17 (New Living Translation)

15 I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.

This is part of the (hi)story of Daniel’s three colleagues who were assigned the foreign names of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The ruler, Nebuchadnezzar, asks an age-old and often-repeated question, “What god will be able to rescue you from my power?”

In other words, “Do you know who I AM? I am the ruler. Who or what is more powerful than ME?”

The three react as they should. “Why ask such a silly question? Jehovah, the God who created all is all powerful.”

Everyone knew that! At least it should have been obvious to all, especially a world conqueror and highly educated person like Nebuchadnezzar. The three give the obvious and often-quoted answer. We know the rest of the story. In this situation, Jehovah chooses to demonstrate God’s power once again for yet another audience of those who need to see the obvious: God is God and we are not.

Each day, most of us are confronted with the same old obvious question. What god can do such-and-such? There is no need to answer, but sometimes we answer anyway. Please God, help me to answer kindly and in faith. If You choose to demonstrate Your ability like in this (hi)story, so be it.

Proverbs 1:11, 14 (New Living Translation)

11 They may say, “Come and join us.
Let’s hide and kill someone!
Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent!

14 Come, throw in your lot with us;
we’ll all share the loot.”

These words are so foolish they are almost comical. “Just for fun.” Whoa. “Let’s do something terrible, just for fun.” If it is all “just for fun” that does not make it okay. “We don’t mean to hurt anyone, this is just a joke, you know, for fun!”

Sorry. Throwing rocks off an overpass onto the windshields of cars is not just for fun. Playing a prank on someone to scare them is not just for fun. Kidding someone about their weight, race, ethnicity, parents, family, etc. is not just for fun. “Kidding” is not just for fun.

But what about a sense of humor? Careful. That can be just for fun and that can chase people away from God just as much.

Just for fun takes a lot of care and love and thought. Show all that care and love and thought first, often, and for a long time before attempting the “just for fun” part.

Jeremiah 42:19-20 (New Living Translation)

19 Listen, you remnant of Judah. The Lord has told you: “Do not go to Egypt!” Don’t forget this warning I have given you today. 20 For you were not being honest when you sent me to pray to the Lord your God for you. You said, “Just tell us what the Lord our God says, and we will do it!”

The prophet Jeremiah is talking to some people. These folks were the remnant, i.e., what was left of the people who were taken away to Babylon. Those people who had skills and education and good qualities were taken away. Those who lacked all these good qualities were left behind.

The left-behind people went to Jeremiah the prophet and said, “Tell us what God wants us to do. Whatever it is, we will do it.”

Through Jeremiah, God told the people to stay put. Don’t go to Egypt. Well, the people wanted to go to Egypt. Things were better there. That is where they should go. God said, “No.” Back to what the people said. They were lying. They wanted to sound obedient. They knew what they were going to do. They were not being honest.

And they thought they could fool God.

This is the most amazing part. They really thought that they could fool God. God wouldn’t know their plot. God wouldn’t know what they had discussed “in secret” where God couldn’t hear them. They had secrets they could hide from God.

Gosh. How foolish we can all be? We can keep things secret from God. God will never know. Sorry. Not true. And what is worse for us, sometimes, like in these verses, God tells other people our little secrets.

Psalm 90:12 (New Living Translation)

12 Teach us to realize the brevity of life,
so that we may grow in wisdom.

This Psalm is attributed to Moses. Moses is praying and has a list of requests to God. In this request, Moses asks God to teach us about our lives on earth. They are short. Once we realize the brevity of our lives, we may be able to gain more wisdom.

I become impatient and angry now and then (probably more than once a day). I waste a lot of time settling myself. Those actions are unwise. I don’t have much time to waste.

Please God, teach me to realize the brevity of life. Help me to use the time wisely.

Proverbs 1:10 (New Living Translation)

10 My child, if sinners entice you,
turn your back on them!

Simple advice. Oh I wish we would follow this.

“Hey, come on, get behind this latest social cause. It is right!” I hear this too often. Then someone in the ruling elite chimes in. “Yes, let’s do that.”

But wait a minute. That latest social cause is ungodly. Inclusion is not always righteous. Empathy by a Christian is righteous. I understand your feelings about something. I may not share those feelings or ideas. I want you to come to Christ. I may not be all that Christ wants me to be, but being with Christ is better than not.

Sinners entice. And sometimes they are really enticing. Sometimes the sin is described in such a way that it has to be good. It is so good that it is godly. Sorry. No it isn’t. Joining in sin with sinners just isn’t right.

There is an old saying, “Love the sinner; hate the sin.” That old saying has been misused and abused. That is our failing. Still, it is true and right. Please God, help me to live closer to you today.

Psalm 81:5 (New Living Translation)

5 He (God) made it a law for Israel
when he attacked Egypt to set us free.

This sentence is part of a few sentences where the writer urges the people to praise God. The writer concludes with the “why” of praising: because God attacked Egypt to set the people free from slavery.

And how did God attack Egypt? God sent Moses. Trumpets blast, orchestra comes to a crescendo, and Charlton Heston enters with muscles and a flowing beard. Right? (youngsters don’t know Charlton Heston by name, but if you see enough old movies you will get the picture)

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Yes, God sent Moses to Egypt as an attack to free the people. Moses was a “has been.” He used to be important, but was booted out of the palace to wander the wastelands. Whatever happened to Moses? Forty years later he was tending sheep in the mountains by himself. He wasn’t even good enough to manage his father-in-law’s farming business. Just watch the sheep and try not to mess it up.

And Moses had a stick. Just an old stick picked up off the ground.

This is how God attacked mighty Egypt. One has been old man with a stick. And of course it worked.

There is a song about how God moves in mysterious ways to perform His wonders. True song. Unbelievable, but I better believe it.