Contemplative Bible Reading

1 Timothy 6:10 (American Standard Version)

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

The first part of this version, “for the love of money,” is familiar. I only recently noticed the last part.

Take a sewing needle. Coat it with lemon juice and salt. Poke it into a sensitive part of your body, let’s say the inside of your nose. Okay, don’t really do this. Just consider doing this. That is the closest thought of what it would be to pierce myself with sorrow.

Here is another: consider the saddest day of your life. Put that in your gut. Keep it there forever. Never “get over it.” How is that one?

I like what money can bring me. Most folks I know like what money can bring them. Do we have “the love of money?” I don’t like that question. Please God, help me in my unbelief.

Mark 1:13 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

He was in the wilderness 40 days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels began to serve Him.

Jesus took on human-ness. He was weakened by fasting in the desert. This was not the Las Vegas desert; this was a real desert, called a “wilderness” by first-century standards. Note the companions of Jesus: the wild animals.

We aren’t given much detail here as to the nature of the wild animals. Did they recognize Jesus as the Son of God? Did the wild animals recognize the angels with Jesus? How did the wild animals treat Jesus?

Seen any of those “alone in the wilderness” reality shows lately. People who are hungry and tired frighten easily at the smallest sound of a “wild animal.” I believe this verse tells us that Jesus endured the almost unendurable conditions.

He endured this for me. That is yet another sobering thought in a large text full of sobering thoughts. How much would I endure for folks who lived contrary to everything I held and said? Not much, I am afraid. It is with verses as this that I have to admit that I am happy that I am not God. Now, if I could just remember that thought the rest of the time.

2 Chronicles 20:17 (New Living Translation)

But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!

The Christian life is an active. Let’s go do …

Sometimes let’s stand still and watch the Lord’s victory.

Easily written. Not always easily done.

Matthew 15:32 (New Living Translation)

Then Jesus called his disciples and told them, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry, or they will faint along the way.”

Jesus understood human frailty. He understood that the hungry would faint or fail.

Sometimes, given my advanced age and all, persons will ask me for advice about marriage, career, the Christian walk, and such.

My number one advice: sleep, eat, live…in that order.

Physical fatigue conquers just about everything. We know what to do. We try to do what we know what to do. Sometimes, well, maybe many times, physical fatigue clouds our judgement and we just plain do it wrong.

Want to be a better spouse? Sleep more at night.

Want to be better on the job? Same.

Want to walk closer with Jesus? Same.

Don’t go away hungry or we may faint along the way.

2 Chronicles 30:27 (New Living Translation)

Then the priests and Levites stood and blessed the people, and God heard their prayer from his holy dwelling in heaven.

Frustrated because no one listens to you (me)? Can’t find someone who will listen? Can’t find someone who will simply acknowledge your (my) existence?

Pray to God the Creator. He listens. He hears prayer. Pretty simple stuff; pretty difficult to comprehend, accept, and practice.

Matthew 14:34-36 (New Living Translation)

³⁴ After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. ³⁵ When the people recognized Jesus, the news of his arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed. ³⁶ They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.

Just let me touch the fringe or tassel of His clothes. Then I will be healed. Perhaps the translation provides more detail than is available. Those who touched Him were healed. Those who touched the fringe of His clothes? Not sure.

Still, there is the belief in the power of a thing that has touched the power of God. Such belief exists today. I grew up in a culture where such belief was labeled as superstitious. Today, such is labeled spirituality. I am not the judge in this one.

What shows the power of God? I’ve seen it in a cartoon-ish crayon picture drawn by a three year old child. I’ve heard it in the prayer of an 80-year-old man pleading for suffering to end. Superstitious? Spirituality?

The power of God is in the power of God. I believe that part of that power of God is God’s ability to infuse the ordinary, the unnoticed, the everyday with the power of God. Feel the power of God in the smile of a child who has no reason to smile. Feel it in the relief of a person whose companion of 50 years has died. Know that God is with us, daily.

Judges 3:5-6 (New Living Translation)

5 So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, 6 and they intermarried with them. Israelite sons married their daughters, and Israelite daughters were given in marriage to their sons. And the Israelites served their gods.

The people of Israel moved into the land promised to them by the Creator. The land was still inhabited by those who were hostile to them. How to make peace?

On quick and practical way in the times was to marry them; make them part of your family, and they will no longer hate you. Was that what God wanted them to do? I think not. One result of the quick and practical way to peace is what is shown in the conclusion above:

And the Israelites served their gods.

ooops. Instead of marrying and bring the new family to God the Creator, they married and went the way of the other gods. Perhaps good intentions—definitely bad result.

Let us keep our eyes and hearts on the good intentions and watch when our results drift away. Let us pray that God helps us in our unbelief.

Matthew 11:4 (Holman Standard Christian Bible)

Jesus replied to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see:

Much of the life of a Christian is spiritual, i.e., it is not subject to the physical sciences. We simply cannot explain what is happening with physical evidence.

Much, however, is subject to the human senses and physical experience. Jesus, here, tells people to go and report what they have seen and heard.

While we marvel at the spiritual, let us not forget the simple physical evidence that we see and hear.

Matthew 10:16-17 (Holman Standard Christian Bible)

16 “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as harmless as doves. 17 Because people will hand you over to sanhedrins and flog you in their synagogues, beware of them.

I have always loved the imagery in verse 16. I can see a snake slithering in the bushes (those snakes are sneaky). I can see a fluffy white dove sitting in a shade tree (can you be more peaceful than that?).

Enough of the stereotypical images.

shrewd: having or showing sharp powers of judgment

harmless: not able or likely to cause harm

Now read on through verse 17. Why show sharp powers of judgment? Because there are people out there who will grab you and flog you. Forget the movies. Flogging usually meant death from infection, not to mention the pain.

Why be unable to harm? Because the things they were to say would not be enjoyable to every listener. There actions would have to cover how some persons would hear their words.

A great verse with great imagery.

1 Timothy 6:17 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy.

Good news: God provides us with all things to enjoy. Ice cream? From God to enjoy. Worship ice cream? Not what God intended.

Okay, ice cream is a silly example. Instead of “ice cream,” try…well, you get the idea. There are all sorts of things we could put in there. It is too easy for us to slip from enjoying a thing to putting it practically first in our lives. It must be too easy because I often do it.

I can tell myself, and anyone who will listen, that the things I enjoy just a little or a lot too much are more enriching than the things that the other fella’ enjoys. I mean reading a good book is more enriching than snorting cocaine, right? Yeah, but let’s not exaggerate the point. Wait, if it makes me look good in my own mind, I’ll exaggerate. After all…

No, there is no “after all,” and putting a good book in front of just about everything else in life is wrong. The rich, who are damned in the above verse, put their hope in their wealth. Putting my hope in a good book is the same.

Enjoy? Yes. Enjoy too much? No. How much is too much? If I ask, I am probably doing too much.