Contemplative Bible Reading

Luke 8:1-3 (New Living Translation)

1 Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, 2 along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; 3 Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples.

This is one of those paragraphs that I gloss over while reading. Okay, here are the supporters who traveled with Jesus. I always wondered what they 12 apostles were doing to require so much help, but anyways, yeah yeah yeah, this person and that person, yeah yeah yeah.

Then there is Joanna. Okay, another name. Yeah yeah yeah.

Wait, Joanna was married to Chuza (odd name, but keep going) who was the business manager of Herod (Antipas). Whoa, wait, stop here. Herod wasn’t a king, but he was appointed by the Romans to rule an area of occupied Palestine. His business manager was married to a woman who traveled with the followers of Jesus of Nazareth (the Son of God).

Jesus would later appear before this Herod. That makes this all the more strange. There are several ways to discuss this. One is that Joanna was connected to an occupying army. She had it made. She had comfort with the enemy. A safe life. A hated life. She aided a foreign army. Jews didn’t like her.

She gave up a comfortable life and crossed over. The Jews hated her kind, yet accepted her.

Note,

1. Anyone can turn to God
2. The godly can accept anyone

Jesus accepted someone from Herod’s home; that shows His grace. I have more trouble with number 2; that is my problem. I don’t trust or something. I want to … well, I want to be God and decide the big things. Silly me.

Hosea 6:6 (New Living Translation)

6 I want you to show love,
not offer sacrifices.
I want you to know me
more than I want burnt offerings.

What does God want me to do? There are a few things; here are two:

1. Show love
2. Know God

Once again, these two cover the two big areas in a Christian’s life: relationship with God and relationship with one another. That just about covers it all. This is pretty simple stuff. How did we make it so complicated?

My fault, not God’s. I tend to make things more complicated and nuanced than they are. Please God, help me in my unbelief.

Jeremiah 33:15-16 (New Living Translation)

15 “In those days and at that time
I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line.
He will do what is just and right throughout the land.
16 In that day Judah will be saved,
and Jerusalem will live in safety.
And this will be its name:
‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’

The prophet Jeremiah is passing along a message from God to the people. In the future, there will be a new ruler. The people will be saved. Great news. Economic prosperity. Peace. Well peace is promised. Economic prosperity isn’t (so much for “It’s the economy, stupid.”)

And what will the new ruler do? The new ruler will do what is just and right. The new ruler will bring justice and righteousness according to the words of God. We are big on “justice” in today’s America, but not so much on “righteousness,” but that is another book to write on another day.

This is a theme in the Bible. What matters is justice and righteousness. God tells me what is right and wrong. Follow the “right” that God tells me. Apply the “right” to others. Expect others to apply the “right” to me.

Salvation and safety will be the result. Simple? Yes. Easy? No. Common practice? Uh, definitely NO.

Still, this is how God describes life here on earth. Let us all strive towards that description. As we stumble and fall, let’s stand again and keep striving. God forgives and helps me along the way. And for that, I am grateful.

Matthew 10:18 (New Living Translation)

18 You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me.

Jesus is talking here. Jesus is telling followers what to expect. The followers will stand before rulers and other unbelievers. What an opportunity!

But wait, many of those opportunities will be in trials where the rulers can punish the followers of Jesus.

Why does there always seem to be a “But wait” in these things? Why can’t Jesus arrange it so that I can talk to rulers and unbelievers without the chance of punishment? Why make it so difficult? Why do I have to fear punishment?

Uh, well, I don’t have to fear punishment. Fear is my response that I choose. I also choose to see the appointment with rulers as a trial or as an opportunity. Jesus is reminding me of the choices that Jesus gives me.

Why do I have to choose? Because God created me and gave me choice. And yes, I can ask, “Why did God give me choice? Why did God give me such difficult choices?” And the answer is, “Because God loves and created me with love.”

Sometimes it is hard to accept God’s love and wisdom. Please God, help me with my unbelief.

Lamentations 1:22 (New Living Translation)

22 “Look at all their evil deeds, Lord.
Punish them,
as you have punished me
for all my sins.
My groans are many,
and I am sick at heart.”

The writer here is crying in sorrow. The people sinned for generations and are suffering for their choices. “Once a queen…now a slave.” “All her friends have become her enemies.” “Tossed away like a filthy rag.” The description goes on and on.

The writer suffered along with all the people. The writer’s enemies heard about his troubles and they were happy to see what God had done.

Now the writer cries for some sense of justice or fairness or something. Pain to his enemies will ease his pain. Right? Huh? Misery loves company? Something like that.

Pain and suffering clouds logic and thought and all sense of sensibility.

Me? I live the good life. I am rich beyond measure. I don’t suffer. Surely my blessings are the result of my upright living and moral superiority and … How stupid I am.

I guess prosperity also clouds logic and thought and all sense of sensibility.

I’m a sinner. I am not better than the people who disobeyed God and were the subject of the lamentations and sorrow recorded for us. I am saved by grace, a gift from an all-giving and all-blessing God. Thank you God, and please, help me in my unbelief and my all-too-often thought that I am blessed because I am so good.

Habakkuk 2:12-13 (New Living Translation)

12 “What sorrow awaits you who build cities
with money gained through murder and corruption!
13 Has not the Lord of Heaven’s Armies promised
that the wealth of nations will turn to ashes?
They work so hard,
but all in vain!

The prophet relays the proclamation of God to the people. Ashes. Not a pretty picture, but that will be the end of the wealth of nations. Those who trust in money, especially that money gained immorally, will see all that come to nothing but ashes.

In one respect it is a shame to see the result of so much effort blow away in the wind. In another respect, why not? God blesses us with ambition and the ability to strive for something. We work. Sometimes we see gain from our work. Those too are blessings from God.

Our short life here ends. Gravity and the erosion of wind and water wins. Man’s buildings fall and decay.

And then? An eternity of bliss with God for those who choose it. Thank you God.

Jeremiah 13:12 (New Living Translation)

12 “So tell them, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: May all your jars be filled with wine.’

The prophet Jeremiah is passing along words from God to the people. God is displeased with how the people are living. They disobey daily. As a punishment, God will give them jars filled with wine.

In the next sentence, the people are happy. Jars full of wine is a sign of good crops, plenty, and good times. No. Jars filled with wine means lots of wine in stomachs and lots of clouded thinking.

Loving, caring, Godly people disagree about the alcohol content of the “wine” mentioned in the Bible and used 2,000 to 3,000 years ago. Was that “wine” what we have today? I doubt it. Was the alcohol content similar? I don’t know. What’s the harm in a glass of wine a day? What’s the harm in a beer with dinner? Let the disagreements begin.

I know the words in this passage indicate that jars filled with wine brings drunkenness. What alcohol blood level content equals “drunk.” I don’t know. Alcohol is a depressant. It slows the mental and physical reactions. It can bring fog to the thoughts and lead to poor decisions.

At some times, in some places, on some ocassions, alcohol was used as a punishment from God.

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.

I have always liked the concept of following God and the picture of following God by walking the same path that God walks. I think that comes from a teacher reading us the book “The Pilgrim’s Progress” by John Bunyan when I was 8 or 9 years old.

This verse tells us that the paths walked by God are true and right. Who wants to walk in a path that is false and wrong? Who wants to walk along a path that causes tripping, stumbling, and falling face down in the mud? Why would anyone want that? Still, many do. Still, I do on some days. Why?

Following God is how righteous people live. Am I righteous? On some days using some definitions of “righteous,” I am. Still, let’s be honest folks. I flop and fall and all sorts of bad on occasions and days and … gosh, how does God tolerate me? Still, God does tolerate me. I am on God’s path. Sometimes I follow closer than other times, but I am on God’s path.

Thank you God for the path.

Jeremiah 33:15 (New Living Translation)

15 “In those days and at that time
I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line.
He will do what is just and right throughout the land.

The prophet Jeremiah is passing along a few predictions of the future from God. A new King is coming one day. The new king will be straight from the family line of David. The new king will…

do what is just and right.

Well, that is underwhelming, huh? I mean new infrastructure, better agriculture, treaties with foreign powers, something we can grab and hold and use? What use is this “just and right” business?

And why does God mention “just and right?” Simple. The recent kings and people lived unjust and unrighteous lives. God promises something different, something godly.

I should be a US Senator. Then I could write laws that would ensure just and right living. Perhaps President of the US. That would do it. That would fix things.

Perhaps I should hold a door open for someone and let them go first. Perhaps when a young couple walks by I should pray for them. Perhaps when I see a homeless person I should smile and talk to them. Perhaps I should do what is just and right moment by moment, day by day. I don’t know if any of that will change the world, but perhaps I will be a little more pleasing to God. Perhaps just and right from God through me will do some good.

Leviticus 25:23 (New Living Translation)

23 “The land must never be sold on a permanent basis, for the land belongs to me. You are only foreigners and tenant farmers working for me.

This is The Law being passed from God to God’s people. Let’s talk about personal property and such. Oh wait, there doesn’t seem to be personal property as it relates to the land.

Uh, maybe there is a mistake in translation or something. Maybe not. Land is not bought and sold and passed on to heirs and held by a family. Everyone is a traveling foreigner and a tenant or renter working the land owned by someone else.

God owns all the land: permanently.

But I thought God gave the land to His people? We must have a different definition of “gave,” huh? No, we don’t. This is God’s creation. God “owns” what God created. God owns “my land” and “my house.” God owns “my wife” and “my children.” God even owns “my job.”

Well, that certainly is a different perspective. How do I change how I live based on that? I sure have a lot less to worry about. I sure have a lot less, period. Life changes when I replace “my” with “God’s.” There are days when I don’t like that. Please God, help me in my unbelief.