Contemplative Bible Reading

John 3:18 (New Living Translation)

There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.

Some translations use the word “condemnation” instead of “judgement.” That is because if God judges me alone, well, I’m condemned because me alone, well, enough said.

There is, however, me with Jesus Christ (the “him” in the above verse). That is a completely different me. Believing that this Jesus from Nazareth is the Son of God, the one anointed to take away the sins of the world—take away my sins—makes all the difference.

Pretty simple stuff. Amazing grace.

Romans 7:24 (New Living Translation)

…Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?

The above words are preceded by “Oh, what a miserable person I am!” Such is life as a human being in this world. What did I do? How did I get here? And…

Who will free me from this life?

The answer comes next. The answer is pretty simple. Almost all of us know the answer whether we want to admit it or not. We struggle to accept the answer.

The answer is Jesus Christ.

Oh God, please help me in my unbelief.

Psalm 100:4-5 (New Living Translation)

… Give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

Thank you God.

Perhaps I haven’t prayed that yet today. Perhaps I haven’t realized that yet today. I am, after all, human with all my human failings.

God’s love is unfailing and continues forever. My ancestors enjoyed it. My progeny will, too.

It doesn’t get any better than that.

Romans 6:18 (New Living Translation)

Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.

I don’t like the use of “slavery” in Romans. In America, we often hear “slavery” and immediately stop thinking about what God is telling us and start thinking of American history, the Civil War, and all sorts of other things.

The Message paraphrase states this about like so…

All your lives you’ve let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you’ve started listening to a new master, one whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom!

Let’s take this apart. Slave to sin means that sin is my master. There is, however, more. I CHOSE sin to be my master. Sin didn’t sneak up on me in the woods, konk me in the head, and take me captive. Hence, “slavery” doesn’t work in our culture.

I like The Message, “I’ve let sin tell me what to do.” I CHOSE to listen to sin. I CHOSE it as my master.

I have CHOSEN to follow God and have God be my master. That CHOICE lets me live openly (not sneaking about) and freely (I am not suffering horrible for my choices).

Psalms 19:14 (Revised Standard Version)

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
    be acceptable in thy sight,
    O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

As a person who speaks and writes words (probably too much and too many) and thinks often and deeply (again, probably too much), this verse pokes my heart.

I should begin each day (or is it each moment?) with this part of David’s song and prayer.

My words should be God’s words. My thoughts should be God’s thoughts.

How’m’I doin’? Not so good most of the time.

Please God, help me in my unbelief.

Romans 2:18 (New Living Translation)

You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law.

Pardon the sermon. I don’t write those often, but here is one.

In the letter to the church in Rome, Paul provides many words concerning THE LAW. In the last few hundred years alone, the rest of us have written an Amazon warehouse full of words discussing Paul’s discussion of THE LAW. Allow me to add a few more.

Let me paraphrase and summarize.

I want a ticket to heaven. I want entrance into eternity worshiping and praising God.

I’ll work for God. God will pay me and keep track of my hours and pay. God has a good accounting firm under contract. I’ll eventually work off the cost of the ticket to heaven.

WRONG. Won’t happen. I’ll NEVER earn enough to buy my ticket to heaven.

So, how do I get a ticket to heaven? Simple. God gives it to me. What? Gives it it me? What’s the deal? No deal. God gives me the ticket. That’s it.

What do I have to do? I don’t “have to do” anything.

But this doesn’t make sense. Of course it doesn’t.

So, WHAT DO I DO?

As a show of gratitude (merely a show, because I can’t do enough), I will LIVE FOR GOD.

Note the difference: WORK for God versus LIVE for God.

All the mentions of “the LAW” in Romans carry the connotation of working for God to earn that ticket to heaven. All the mentions of GRACE in Romans carry the connotation of accepting a gift and living for God.

“I work for God,” some say with all the best intentions. WARNING: I know. This is just a “figure of speech,” but let’s watch our words. We live for God under His gift of grace. Let’s use those words.

Romans 1:17 (New Living Translation)

This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight..

I try to notice sentences like this in the Bible. There is a big flashing blue light (remember K-Mart?) on the page. Pay attention here!

The good news, the gospel, the (hi)story of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, God on earth…this tells us something. W H A T ?

It tells us how God makes me right in His sight. Whoa. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me this good news. I can’t be “right” in this sight of the Creator. There is no way I can be. But here is something that can make me right. What is it? What is it? What is it? Please tell me!

Okay. Sit a moment. Listen. God will reveal what and who makes me right in his sight. And it isn’t that complicated. Oh, thank you God.

Acts 9:15-16 (New Living Translation)

15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

God is conversing with Ananias of Damascus (that is something to discuss all by itself, but not today). God tells Ananias about (P)Saul’s future. Saul will take God’s message to kings! Wow!

Then there is an “And” in verse 16. This “And” doesn’t make much sense, but God said it. Saul will suffer much for the name of God. The rest of the text in Acts shows that Saul did suffer much. Not much “Wow!” in this.

Such is life. We have the immeasurable blessings of God. We have the misery of life on earth. One day to the next; one minute to the next. What sense is there in all this? Not much as far as I can see.

Thank God that God can see much farther than I can. Please God, help me in my unbelief.

2 Corinthians 5:20 (New Living Translation)

So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us.

An Ambassador for the U.S. Department of State has an official title. That title is “Chief of Mission.” An ambassador is a person sent on a mission by someone else. There is a task to accomplish and the sending person wants someone to accomplish it.

God is making his appeal through US. God has sent US on a mission.

Hmm. I have let this one sink in a bit. I am here to appeal to those around be on God’s behalf. How am I doing? Please God, help me in my unbelief.

Acts 1:17 (New Living Translation)

Judas was one of us and shared in the ministry with us.

Much is written about Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus. There is much speculation about his eventual state in the greater scheme of things.

Let’s consider this one sentence. Peter is talking. He admits that Judas was on of US. Judas wasn’t one of THEM; Judas was one of US. Judas walked the long, dusty, hot roads with Jesus. Judas was tired and hungry just like the rest of US. Judas heard the words of Jesus, most of which were never recorded for the ages.

And note the last words—Judas was part of their ministry, their service, their servant-hood. Judas tended to the sick. Judas consoled the grieving. Judas gave away his food to those who were more hungry than himself. Judas sacrificed for others.

Yes, but…

Sure, we can lay it on Judas about how rotten and bad and everything evil he was. Let me consider my life a little (actually let me spend much time considering my life). How do I compare with the life, ministry, and service of Judas? God, please help me in my unbelief.