Contemplative Bible Reading

1 Samuel 15:22-23 (New Living Translation)

22 But Samuel replied,

“What is more pleasing to the Lord:
your burnt offerings and sacrifices
or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,
and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.
23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft,
and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.
So because you have rejected the command of the Lord,
he has rejected you as king.”

The prophet Samuel is delivering a message from God to King Saul. Saul’s actions weren’t pleasing to God. Saul was sacrificing animals—giving to God in a way that made sense to Saul. This, however, wasn’t what God wanted.

Samuel then lists the types of sins Saul was committing. He was rebelling against God’s instructions and was stubbornly ignoring what God told him through the prophet. These actions were worse than witchcraft and idolatry.

This last sentence is where I lean to the side and wince. Witchcraft and idolatry are serious sins. Being stubborn worse than these? It is when being stubborn leads us to choose our own way of worship instead of God’s prescribed way. It is when we choose to be god instead of accepting that God is God and we are not.

Matthew 28:1-2 (Holman Standard Christian Bible)

1 After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb. 2 Suddenly there was a violent earthquake, because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached the tomb. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it.

This translation of these verses reads (to me at least) that the angel descending from heaven caused a violent earthquake. In today’s super-hero-filled movies, I can see that angel doing one of those Iron Man landings on one knee and all that. Perhaps that is a stretch.

Nevertheless, the arrival of an angel corresponded to an earthquake. Are all earthquakes caused by the arrival, presence, or departure of angels? I have no evidence for or against such an idea. Here, however, we see that one earthquake accompanied the arrival of one angel on one instance.

Are other “natural” occurrences linked to other “super natural” beings coming and going? Again, I have no evidence of such, but we do have instances mentioned in the Bible.

Next time the wind blows or the earth shakes or the temperature abruptly changes, think of God. Now that I mention it, next time the sun rises or sets beautifully, think of God. Next time a bird sings or you see a beautiful valley or natural flowers bloom or … think of God. Thank God. Without ceasing.

1 Samuel 15:20-21 (New Living Translation)

20 “But I did obey the Lord,” Saul insisted. “I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else. 21 Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”

Saul the King just returned from yet another victorious battle. The prophet Samuel meets and chastises him for disobeying God’s instructions.

“But, but, but…” replies King Saul. “I killed everyone, except for one person. And look at all the livestock I brought back to give God.”

Poor Saul. He was just the way most of us are most of the time today. We know what God wants of us, except we think we can do a little more of this, a little less of that, make up for something here, bend something there, equal it all out, mix it up a bit…

And we go on and on thinking like the child that we can fool our grandparents with our slight of hand. Except we aren’t cute grandkids and God isn’t a doting grandparent hiding a grin while we masquerade about in folly.

God is gracious. God is forgiving. Let’s not try to sneak around. Simple, yet seemingly impossible.

Zechariah 8:19 (New Living Translation)

“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The traditional fasts and times of mourning you have kept in early summer, midsummer, autumn, and winter are now ended. They will become festivals of joy and celebration for the people of Judah. So love truth and peace.

God is speaking to the people through the prophet. The future will be different for them. At this time, though, God tells them what to love:

Truth.

Peace.

Sort of abstract concepts, huh? Couldn’t we have some specifics? Something concrete or precise?

God always goes back to basics. God leaves it up to us to fill in much of the detail as long as the detail agrees with His basics. Too often, we (I) drift away from His basics as we (I) extrapolate the specifics. “If you love the truth, you’ll agree with me because I speak the truth!” I claim from time to time when I am speaking my opinion that is convenient at the time.

Please God, guide us (me) in loving Truth and Peace.

1 Samuel 8:10,14 (New Living Translation)

10 So Samuel passed on the Lord’s warning to the people who were asking him for a king…14 He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials.

The people wanted a King. A man to stand in front of them, someone they could touch. God, through the prophet Samuel, warned them about what could possibly go wrong with a King.

Notice verse 14 because evidently the people of the didn’t notice it.

The King would take away the best. The people should have stood in revulsion at this statement. The best was for God. The law spoke of that in many places. The King was going to take the place of God in the lives of the people.

Where does my “best” go? Hmmm, have to consider that a while. I may not like the answer.

Zechariah 8:23 (New Living Translation)

“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: In those days ten men from different nations and languages of the world will clutch at the sleeve of one Jew. And they will say, ‘Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”

This is Old Testament Minor Prophets, ho hum, but let us read and take to heart the last sentence. Yes, this mentions the Jews—God’s people. It doesn’t mention me.

But can I apply this to me?

Does anyone come to me and say, ‘Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’

Why not? Or perhaps it has happened on occasion. When? Why?

Where do people see God with me? Where don’t people see God with me?

And where am I spending my life?

Deuteronomy 4:7 (New Living Translation)

For what great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on him?

The nations who lived around God’s people had gods. Go to the capitol city, go to the high point in the city, and there you would find the gods of that people. The gods were carved in wood and stone and adorned with jewels. Travel anywhere, and you had to go back to that place to consult those gods.

Jehovah the God of Israel? Jehovah was near—as near as the heart.

I have traveled the world. I never felt that I was away from Jehovah the Creator and Savior. God is always right here right now. Let me never forget that blessing.

Hebrews 12:2 (New Living Translation)

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

The writer is mentioning Christ on the cross while discussing how to move forward and live. Note how the writer mentions Christ on the cross.

Shame.

Not pain. Emotion. Not physical. On the cross, Christ held the SHAME of my sin. That shame was far worse than the immense physical pain he was enduring. Jesus was beaten to death—slowly. Nevertheless, it was my shameful actions that the writer mentions.

These words attempt to give perspective to what actually happened and how thankful I should be.

Deuteronomy 4:8 (New Living Translation)

And what great nation has decrees and regulations as righteous and fair as this body of instructions that I am giving you today?

God gave His people decrees and regulations that were amazing. How are they described? Progressive? Fundamental? Prosperous? What?

Righteous.

Fair.

Hmmm. Are we missing something today? Probably.

Romans 12:15-16 (New Living Translation)

15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

A little different view of “harmony.” In music, to be in harmony is to be in tune with the other music maker.

Be happy when with another person who is happy.

Be sad when with another person who is sad.

Harmony. Be in tune. Be in the same place and same emotion as the other person.

Don’t be happy when the other person is sad. Don’t be sad when the other person is happy. That shows indifference, not love. Love is the point.