Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Hosea 11

Summary: Just as God is ready to drop the hammer on Israel, He has a change of heart. God doesn't promise a lack of suffering, but He does promise eventual mercy.

Response: I think a lot of people have trouble with this picture of God at His turning point and conclusion: He is ready to smite, as is His right, but then He relents. Humans that abuse sometimes follow the same pattern: "I'll forgive you this time, but watch out next time" or "I forgive you but you still need punished." And, again, I'm not saying we aren't guilty or that God can't rightfully punish.

But our consequences are usually our own doing. It breaks God's heart to watch us fail, but pushing us to do 'the right thing' against our will isn't how He operates. He gave us this free will with the chance that we'd run back, the way it says Judah has, but there's always the chance we'll just wander off like Israel.

Lord, keep calling me back. Help me to listen and turn back to You.

Monday, October 15, 2018

Hosea 10

Summary: Through Hosea, God gives His people warning after warning that their idolatry is taking them down the wrong path, and that such a path leads to destruction.

Response: In the midst of a lot of prophecy, there's a small bit of mercy; that if they'd start fresh with God, He would love and bless them. But God knows their hearts and, unfortunately, they are hardened. God, soften mine; turn me around, yoke me and point me to new fields to plow if it is Your will to do so.

Monday, October 1, 2018

Hosea 9

Summary: Through Hosea, God warns His people that their current actions (fertility cults at the top of the list) will get them infertile, defeated, enslaved, and killed.

Response: God, I'm sure you've shown similar signs to me that should be clear as day. Help me to hear and understand and change my direction.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Hosea 8

Summary: God, through Hosea, warns His people that they have gone too far. They give half measures to Him, and there will be retribution for it.

Response: The descriptions fly around wildly, and the metaphors seem to surround each other. It's hard to find what their disobedience looks like because there's so much of it. It's chaos in Israel, and it's chaos here on the page.

Monday, September 10, 2018

Hosea 7

Summary: Through Hosea, God expresses His frustration with Israel, His people. They sin and suffer, but they dig themselves deeper into both and never ask Him to help.

Response: Yeah, I know I'm guilty of that. Lord, help me to turn to You first.

Thursday, September 6, 2018

Hosea 6

Summary: God straight up mocks Israel for wanting to be restored without due penance. He makes it clear that their sins are dire and it is past time for judgement.

Response: Help me, God, not to be so arrogant as not to ask continually for Your grace.

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Hosea 5

Summary: God, through Hosea, tells the northern kingdom of their demise in many forms. No one will be spared; empty sacrifice will not help; Israel will be warned about this; and they will be oppressed, crushed, suffering, and torn apart.

Response: Super peppy, I know. But it's the last verse I can relate with, that only after all that does Israel earnestly seek God. My problem is often less that I do evil so much that I callous myself off from feeling anything, including God. I should know by now, that's not the life God has in store for me or anyone.

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Hosea 4

Summary: Through Hosea, God, accuses Israel (the northern kingdom) of many sins, from violence and idolatry to prostitution and adultery, and promises punishment for it.

Response: A big tangent here, God sees fit to specifically call out the men and not condemn women. These would be the specific women who commit adultery and prostitution, and God says He will not punish them, instead threatening the men in their lives. I like that this runs contrary to conventional thought on God and the church's views on women. Even the common "blame it on Eve" jokes must be super hurtful, and God knows that. He did not make women to be subjugated, to be pushed down or inferior. I felt like I needed to say that.

Friday, August 31, 2018

Hosea 3

Summary: Acting on God's directions, Hosea pays his wife's dowry to stop her from having to do her job (again, she's a prostitute). He explains they are acting out how God loves His people, even when they seem beyond saving.

Response: Hosea's wife probably knows no other business. I doubt she would necessarily want to stop, and I'm almost certain she didn't understand the speech her weird husband gave to her. And yet, I often feel the same way about God. I'm sure He has great plans for me, but I go on doing my own. Lord, help me to understand Your ways.

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Hosea 2

Summary: In two parts, Hosea relates God's message to His people. He must punish them for their sins, as they worship other gods as if His people were cheating on Him. But He will call them back and make the relationship whole again.

Response: I know God is perfect, and that He does what He does out of love. I'm just saying, if a person did this kind of stuff to his wife (public humiliation and forced entrapment until they come back), he'd be arrested. God, help me to understand Your ways and never to put myself in Your place.

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Hosea 1

Summary: God speaks to a prophet, Hosea, who is in the northern kingdom of Israel before it and the southern kingdom, Judah, also fall. God has Hosea marry a prostitute, naming children she has through her business to send messages to the northern kingdom, things like "your military power is gone" and "I give you no pity" and even "you are not my people."

Response: To be fair, Israel had fallen, and hard. But God does promise to redeem them. No matter how bad I've been, God will redeem me when I turn back to Him.

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Daniel 12

Summary: Daniel's vision concentrates on what will happen to God's people in the midst of all this end times talk; in short, the good get rewarded, the bad keep on being bad, and the whole affair is recommended to be sealed away.

Response: I do my best to avoid eschatology, that is, the study of the future, especially those trying to find the exact time of any return of God/Jesus to earth, any rapture or judgement. For one, I keep getting warnings not to, like Jesus himself saying no one knows the day or hour, or here, where the angels say to just leave the matter alone. Then there's the part where it shouldn't really change anything for me. I should do good in the world regardless of how soon or far away the end is.

Monday, August 27, 2018

Daniel 11

Summary: The angel continues giving Daniel a prophecy, one very long and detailed, concerning world events.

Response: And I'm not sure it was worth it? I mean, that many events that far ahead of time is hard to grasp, at least for me without proper nouns. It just makes humanity at that point sound trivial and monotonous. And that might be the point? I dunno.

Friday, August 24, 2018

Daniel 10

Summary: Daniel has yet another vision. In this one, he is terrified at the presence of what is more or less an angel. The angel tries to comfort Daniel, but needs the help of another to even get him into his feet to listen. The angels are in spiritual battle with Daniel's king, and are on Israel's side.

Response: One thing I've done is help read teen-made fiction during a church-based talent competition. Some of it is in the usual YA novel vein, where a powerful being comes and says he's on the side of good, against evil, and only the protagonist is strong enough to see/care/help. That's what I feel this chapter reads like. I'm fairly sure Daniel and the angel won't go to the mall next, but if you had this writing prompt today, I feel like that's where it'd go.

Thursday, August 23, 2018

Daniel 9

Summary: Daniel prays to God, confessing the nation's sin earnestly and thoroughly. An angel appears to update him on God's plan for Jerusalem: it will be rebuilt, but soon enough, it will be demolished again.

Response: I suppose I can relate. I've sinned, like a bunch. God, even past my sarcasm, you know I have. Forgive me, that I might have an end to it.

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Daniel 8

Summary: Daniel gets another crazy vision. In this one, a ram and a goat each take turns ruling by force until their horns take over for them. An angel appears and explains to Daniel that these represent various empires that will rise and fall.

Response: I appreciate the angel's advice to seal this vision away. Sometimes, I feel better trusting God with what will happen than trying to force current events into the templates of scripture. Would that I could have that trust all the time!

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Daniel 7

Summary: Backing up a bit, we hear a vision and explanation given directly to Daniel during the second king's reign. He sees four beasts, each very odd but large and powerful, take turns ruling and causing destruction. The fourth beast is interrupted by a figure called the Ancient of Days, who instead puts another, the son of man, in charge. Daniel is shown that four empires will rise and fall before God's kingdom will begin.

Response: One, Daniel sees all this, becomes visibly shaken, but then tries to keep the matter to himself. I find it hard to believe he could walk around with a crazy pale face and nobody would call him out on it. I wonder how often I've tried to hide something troubling my spirit with similar results.

Two, yes, I get it, it's Messianic prophecy (that the son of man is the guy who will save everybody, who Christians like me believe is Jesus). But we know from other spots in scripture that this is a very different kingdom. Unlike the empires, who rule with teeth and claws (i.e. their armies and laws), Jesus can be talked to like a person, and rules by becoming a servant.

Monday, August 20, 2018

Daniel 6

Summary: Hey, you probably know this one, too. Daniel is now one of several seconds-in-command to Nebuchadnezzar's grandson, Darius. He is so popular and effective in that role that Darius wants to make him ruler of all but himself. The other leaders are less than happy with this, and trick Darius into signing an unchanging decree calling for a full month of praying only to him.

Daniel can't do that; he prays to God, as expected, and is captured and brought before Darius. The other leaders remind the king that he can't change the law, so Daniel must go to the lions' den. Darius tries to think of loopholes and is visibly shaken, unable to eat, distract himself, or sleep.

Darius wakes as early as he can, calling out to Daniel. He's okay! But the king is rather put out. He orders the conspirators thrown in the lions' den and their families. Chomp. Then we move into Darius's successor, Cyrus.

Response: A bit more wrinkles than the Veggietales version, which is to be expected. What I didn't expect is how badly this weighed on Darius. And the retribution felt a little over the top, but this is a few thousand years old, so I might let it slide for now.

Friday, August 17, 2018

Daniel 5

Summary: We get all of one story from the king's son, Belshazzar. He gets so drunk at a party one night that he starts bringing out the fancy cups--in this case, the holy relics from the Jerusalem Temple. God, being none too pleased, sends the new king a message that Daniel is able to interpret. Daniel gets a small reward right away which is good, because the king is killed that night.

Response: First, I thought it hilarious that the queen mother more or less yells down the basement steps at the king to pipe down before telling him how to fix his problem. But, though he's in no position to do otherwise, Daniel doesn't make a judgement call on the king's blasphemy; he lets God's message do that for him. I kind of like this prophet.

Thursday, August 16, 2018

Daniel 4

Summary: Largely from the king's point of view, he has another dream and, again, only Daniel is able to solve it. A tree so big you can see it from anywhere is him, the king, but it gets extremely cut back as a warning that, should the king get full of himself, he'll lose his mind for a few years. Even with the warning, it happens anyway, but for right this second, he seems to have learned his lesson.

Response: "[....God] does as he wishes with the army of heaven and with those who inhabit the earth. No one slaps his hand and says to him, ‘What have you done?’"
Daniel 4:35 NET

I have had pause this week to wonder if I'm in the right place, doing the right thing. But God has seen fit to give me encouragement after encouragement that, even though it's hard, it's not insurmountable.

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Daniel 3

Summary: Okay, you've probably heard this one. The king builds himself a huge statue and decrees that, when music plays, that everyone bows to it and worships him. He receives word that Daniel's three friends are not doing so. After confronting them and confirming their nonconformity, he has them tossed into a big furnace. But they don't die; they don't even smell smoky when the king tells them to come out. So the king instead proclaims that no one is to defile God's name.

Response: I almost see this as mostly in Nebuchadnezzar's point of view, as the little cogs of his bureaucracy tick away until someone tells him 'no' and isn't even polite enough to die from the punishment. But he sees firsthand what God can do for those He loves, and has a change of heart, which is great.

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Daniel 2

Summary: Babylon's king, Nebuchadnezzar, is beyond sleepless due to a dream/vision/nightmare. He puts out an unusual if not impossible request: his wise men, magicians, and astrologers can tell him his own dream (as well as what it means) or be put to death en masse. The group is, of course, unable to do that and are so desperate, they call on their hated enemy, Daniel.

Daniel asks his three friends to pray for him as he asks for an audience with the king. In the night between, God reveals both the dream and its interpretation to Daniel, who praises God as he awakes.

In the king's chamber, Daniel relays what God has revealed to him: a vision of a giant statue, with a gold head and lesser materials below crumbling to dust at the feet of a rock that grows into a mountain. The head, Daniel explains, is the king, and the body is all who will rule after him, until the rock comes, a symbol of a nation that is eternal. The king thanks Daniel and his God, showering him with gifts and making him more or less second in command.

Response: First off, I wonder how much of these decisions the king made due to lack of sleep. Nothing further there, just curious.

Also, I admire that Daniel went to bat for his enemies (who would betray him and his friends, and he probably knows that). It's tough enough to be benign and to serve one's own interests or to protect himself and his friends, but he puts that all on the line for people that normally want him gone.

Monday, August 13, 2018

Daniel 1

Summary: God's chosen people, Judah, are allowed by God to be besieged and eventually captured and assimilated by Babylon (or the Sumerians, whichever you'd prefer). Daniel and the friends are among those who were captured; they are considered pretty and smart enough to be trained for service physically in front of the king.

Part of this training includes getting accustomed to the king's feast, but Daniel leads a protest against it, saying it goes against God's law. His supervisors put him to the test, giving him only veggies and water; and after only ten days, he already looks so much better than the others. He and the three friends turn out to be smarter than the others, too, and not only join the king's court, but become more accurate and useful than the usual star-watchers and magicians. [I'm sure nothing bad could ever befall these guys. Nope.]

Response: Eat your veggies? But seriously. I'm not one of those who will say that Christianity is "under attack" because people are deciding to not go to church. We are not in exile; we are not under siege: we have been in power for quite some time and have possibly been corrupted by it. I worry that the American church (and by extension, my church and me) is represented in the story by the 'other' contestants, happy to just eat whatever is given (media comes to mind). Just ten days could change someone that much. I believe it.

Hey, I'm back. Not that anyone reads, but I'm here. Trying for M-F again, this time apparently through the prophets that have stories. Might get to a gospel by Christmas, who knows.

Friday, May 18, 2018

Psalm 150

Summary: Praise the Lord!

Response: No, seriously, that's it. No smiting, no persecution, no history. We put it all aside because, whether because of or in spite of all of that, God is worthy of our praise.

Friday, May 11, 2018

Psalm 149

Summary: The psalmist praises God for delivering His people (as they exact revenge on their enemies).

Response: One more... just one more psalm and I'm done...

Monday, May 7, 2018

Psalm 148

Summary: The psalmist describes the cosmos, telling each part large and small to praise God for creating and sustaining it.

Response: God is great and worthy of praise. I find little to argue over here.

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Psalm 147

Summary: The psalmist focuses on the Israelites and their relationship with God. He saves them and provides for them, so they should give Him praise.

Response: Again, my mind pushes me towards a "pay it forward" mentality. God's done amazing things for me, too, and my actions should reflect that by giving to those around me.

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Psalm 146

Summary: The psalmist [David] is determined to praise God as long as he lives. God is worthy of that praise, helping the least among us.

Response: Caution: I may be extrapolating a bit here.

A lot of times, I wonder how we can stray so far from "help people" as a main tenet of faith. I wonder if the logic goes that God says, "be holy for I am holy" and takes that to mean we should exclude ourselves from "undesirable" people. When, in this psalm, we see God helping especially those people, as if to say (to me anyway), this is what holy looks like lived out. And that's quite the challenge for me!

[EDIT: that ain't David yo]

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Psalm 145

Summary: David goes all in on praising God, promising to do so continually. From what He is to what He does for those He loves, for His mercy and authority, He is worthy of praise.

Response: God, You are all this and more. Help me to keep finding new ways to praise You!

Monday, April 30, 2018

Psalm 144

Summary: David wants God's protection so that he and his people can thrive in God's blessing. (Oh, and he wants God to kill and destroy everything and everyone else.)

Response: Just... trying to leave it alone. Six more after this. And I mean yes, the bad guys have it coming. They've known nothing other than hatred of God. But if we hate them back, it doesn't show the love of God. I believe God loves everyone. Even those who haven't heard of Him. Even those who profess a different faith. Even those who question or shun or hate those who have faith. He loves them, so we need to love them, too.

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Psalm 143

Summary: David, persecuted, calls for God's protection, deliverance, and guidance.

Response: I guess one side effect of all the being hunted mentality is how urgent David sounds. We in America are certainly not persecuted, but I should know full well that my church should look just as urgent.

Monday, April 23, 2018

Psalm 142

Summary: David is being persecuted and wants God to save him.

Response: No smiting, so that's nice. I have a hard time relating to this one at the moment. I have a good group of people that hold me up. Perhaps I'm too comfortable?

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Psalm 141

[I did Ps. 140 a while back on mistake. --Ed.]

Summary: David wants God to hear him and, through the advice of the godly, keep him from straying out of God's path. The wicked, though, he's just fine with the smiting.

Response: Nine more Psalms. How many of those will feature David wanting his enemies to die die die?

That aside, I know I've been saved a lot of extra heartache when I do actually listen to the advice of those God has placed in my life.

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Psalm 139

[really disappointed it took me 140 tries to think of the pun "Psummary" for the Psalms --Ed.]

Summary: David is in awe of the limitlessness of God. He knows all about us, follows us everywhere, sees all we do, was there from the very very beginning of our existence... and loves us anyway. (Also some of the usual 'smite the haterz' stuf.)

Response: Wasn't aware of that last bit. Still, this is like number two on the list of 'you know this, right' Psalms. And yet, letting that sink in can get me nearly every time.

Monday, April 16, 2018

Psalm 138

Summary: David gives God praise for His love and protection, in public as he urges others of all classes to do.

Response: It's probably such a small detail as not to be noticed, but David here changes from sounding an attack ("God, smite those guys") to claiming defense ("God will take care of those guys"). I feel like that requires a change in heart. Yay David. And I know God protects me, which is good, because this week is a busy one. Here we go!

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Psalm 137

Summary: Stuck in captivity, the psalmist is doing his best to remember Jerusalem, how it was, and how it was taken from Israel.

Response: I easily get the sorrow and thirst for revenge, but it just feels like it isn't my fight. Lord, help me to see through others' eyes, that I might lessen pain and not add to it.

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Psalm 136

Summary: For a great many acts (including making the world, providing for each need, and the entire Exodus and Israelite settlement stories), the psalmist proclaims that God's love endures forever.

Response: I can see how Chris Tomlin could easily write a song from this. And yet, there's something in the structure here. The psalm seems to last forever, as if to illustrate the point. Like, God's been here through all of that. He didn't get too old or hurt or even bored to quit, and He won't quit on you.

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Psalm 135

Summary: The psalmist calls on God's people to praise Him: God, who chose them, has history with them, and is actually alive and powerful. The psalmist warns those who worship idols that they could wind up as dead as their statues before returning to his call: praise God!

Response: God really is alive. I know it's hard to prove or explain. It's something you experience. There are events in my life, happening right now and having happened for years, that I know could not have happened on their own or only under my strength.

Monday, April 9, 2018

Psalm 134

Summary: The psalmist orders those who serve God to praise Him, after which he promises God's blessings.

Response: Super short, but gets right to the point. We praise God; He takes care of us. Not much more to be said.

Friday, April 6, 2018

Psalm 133

Summary: The psalmist makes a case for brothers in God to live in harmony together. Such living replenishes the people like oil in one's hair (a ritual cleansing) or dew on the land (providing growth).

Response: I'd love to see unity in God's people. I know it starts with me clearing up my schedule to listen to God and to others.

Thursday, April 5, 2018

Psalm 132

Summary: The psalmist cites David as a prime example of someone out to do God's will. They ask for God's protection over His people and their leaders.

Response: God, I feel lukewarm. Hello me to get back some of the fire for bringing in Your kingdom. Help me to be open and vulnerable and maybe even a bit out there to be able to do what You would have me do.

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Psalm 131

Summary: David draws near to God humbly, like a baby to his mother.

Response: Before the actual take, just that it's odd that David gets away with priding himself on being humble. Anyway.

I have two small kids. The older one is starting to squirm when picked up, but most of the time, if one of us has them, they are super content to just stay put. God, help me to draw near to You like that.

Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Psalm 130

Summary: The psalmist feels like they're far underwater when trying to reach God, but they still patiently await His help.

Response: While I've been that way, I know a lot of what I need to get my heart set right is to get more prayer time in. So here goes.

Monday, April 2, 2018

Psalm 129

Summary: The psalmist recalls those who oppress God's people. They, like so much thin grass, don't last long.

Response: Again, like, I know there are those who attack the faith. I know there are still martyrs, those who die for their faith. And yet that is not the case where I am. I wonder if that is a sign that we, as God's followers, are not doing near all we could be. 

Monday, March 19, 2018

Psalm 128

Summary: The psalmist claims that God's followers will be happy, blessed, and prosperous.

Response: I can see where Jesus had to clarify some things. Life for a believer isn't always rainbows and butterflies, but that doesn't mean that God doesn't bless in different ways.

Friday, March 16, 2018

Psalm 127

Summary: Solomon (hey there buddy) posits that only that which God starts really turns out as well as it should, especially one's family.

Response: I've definitely seen when I try to start something versus when God opens doors for me. The phrase used here, "in vain," certainly comes to mind.

Thursday, March 15, 2018

Psalm 126

Summary: The psalmist recounts God's outpouring of blessing, overwhelming with joy and apparent to all. He wants it to happen again, to flood in, to comfort those who weep.

Response: I've seen many times the kind of action that only God can do. I know He is already working and I just need to follow Him and keep my eyes peeled.

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Psalm 125

Summary: The psalmist compares godly people with the mountain on which Jerusalem sits, being immovable and surrounded by similar mountains to protect it. Then the usual do good to good, do bad to bad.

Response: I suppose I can see fairly easily how people get this idea that God is just looking for them to slip up so he can smite them. The word here may be God-inspired, but I have doubts it's God's will and not the writer's.

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Psalm 124

Summary: The psalmist confesses God's protection, noting that he and fellow believers would never have made it on their own.

Response: Lord, help me to see Your hand in my life, that I can praise You all the more.

Monday, February 26, 2018

Psalm 123

Summary: The psalmist looks too God like He is his master, expecting God to care for him in the face of those who pride themselves in being self-reliant.

Response: I notice the writer, David or not, isn't condemning those who would hurt him physically this time. Instead, it's those who don't put trust in God. Even though they do nothing direct to him, the psalmist wants God to save him from them.

I wonder if I treat self-reliance like that, like something to be avoided. After all, God gives the power to do anything, and without that, we aren't capable of much. I wonder how often I can start to ask for this assistance in doing what He has called me to do.

Thursday, February 22, 2018

Psalm 122

Summary: David is excited to go to Jerusalem, where the nation gathers at God's Temple. He prays that there be peace there.

Response: I honestly hear joy in this voice and a lack of David wanting other people dead. I wonder what it is about that place that changes him so. Maybe it is that the temple is there; maybe that the assembly (including defenseless women and children) is there; honestly, I'm not sure I have a good answer as to "why."

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Psalm 121

Summary: The psalmist is confident God is with us for our protection and will not fail.

Response: Now this confidence I can get behind. Lord, be my Protector, and help me to trust in Your protection.

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Psalm 120

Summary: The psalmist gets an answer from God. At present, he has been living among foreigners, those who love lying and war.

Response: So compassion fatigue is a thing; I've experienced it myself, where there's little empathy left for those who fail me time and again. But that's not how God operates. If mercy is new for the writer, it's new even for those who have turned away. Which is good, because sometimes I'm one of those people.

Monday, February 19, 2018

Psalm 140

(oops, I went too far. I'll jump back next time)

Summary: David needs God's protection from people who would destroy him with words or actions. He feels like that kind of person has it in for him. He asks God for protection against such attacks. David finishes as usual, that the wicked suffer and die.

Response: Working past that last section, I hear David asking for protection from bad things, but I don't hear him asking God to make the bad things stop. I often overthink things, but I don't think this is one of those times. I wonder what I have been trying to avoid in my life instead of going with God's protection.

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Something Different: I Am In My Right Place

[From The Art of Musicianship, hornist and educator Philip Farkas:]

For many years now, just before going out to perform, I have read a little page taken from a booklet [...] that I have found to be inspiring and confidence building. [....] It will reaffirm why you are here, what your abilities are, and why yours is an exalted work.

 I Am In My Right Place
"The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me..."
                                                           - Psalm 138:8.

         I am now the person God intended me to be. I am now
fulfilling my divine destiny in perfect ways under grace. I am
here where the One has placed me, doing what He has given
me to do, in the way He has shown me to do it. When it
needs to be done in new ways, He will prompt me to do it
His way. All results are in His hand, therefore, I will rejoice
in what I do and bless the way it is done.                               

        God, who loves and appreciates me as His own expres-
sion, is everywhere evenly present, approving the work He is
doing by means of me, for He has placed Himself at the
center of every man's being. He is over all His works and
whatsoever He doeth is perfect. Nothing can be added to it
and nothing can be taken from it, for God doeth it. He will
instruct me and teach me in the way I shall go; He will guide
me with His eye.                                                              

                                                                          Anita Scofield


[So it's not perfect, but that's okay. I have openly admitted recently that I operate from a place of doubt. And it's true in some ways; I'm not often confident in my work, and I'm much more likely to be mad at myself for failures than someone else for theirs. But I'm trying to believe God when He says I'm worth it, and I think I'm getting better at that day by day.]

Psalm 119 (tav)

THE LAST ONE

Summary: Psalmist loves and follows commands, needs God to help him out.

Response: I wonder if there's a purposeful disconnect here: that doing what God says is the right thing to do, but it doesn't save us; that that job goes to God Himself.

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Psalm 119 (shin)

Summary: The psalmist works hard at having a healthy respect for the Law. He sees how following it is a life of great reward.

Response: I want to have this love of God's Word, that all else is, without it, lacking in meaning or context.

Monday, February 12, 2018

Psalm 119 (resh)

Summary: Because the psalmist follows God's commands, he wants God to rescue him. He notes and despises those who do not follow commands.

Response: I hear, again, a lot of hate. It almost drowns out any mention of God's power and love for me. I wonder how this is supposed to gel with verses like in 1Cor 13, "Love keeps no record of wrongs." Lord, help me to let things go and love with Your love wholeheartedly.

Friday, February 2, 2018

Psalm 119 (resh)

Summary: The psalmist wants God to rescue him because he follows His Law. He wants nothing to do with those who do not.

Response: Lord, help me to push hard against sin in the world. Lord, help me also to push hard against the hate in the world. May I be used for truth and love.

Monday, January 29, 2018

Psalm 119 (qof)

Summary: The psalmist pleads for God's help in following His teachings. He knows they are good for him, but that he can't do it alone.

Response: Had a bit of paradigm shift today. I don't just follow God's will by reading the Bible. I also read the Bible to find God's will. It might be a "duh" to you, but I needed that this morning.

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Psalm 119 (tsade)

Summary: The psalmist regards the Law as just and fair. He feels insignificant without following its teachings and is only saved by doing so.

Response: I hear a lot that I agree with. I know that following God is the right thing to do. I wonder if I always put God and myself in the proper context (me way down and not in charge, Him the opposite) and do so joyfully.

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Psalm 119 (pe)

Summary: The psalmist claims he follows the Law because it is so great. Be believes he would gain God's favor by learning from Him His teachings.

Response:
I hear that last verse very clearly, where the psalmist worries about those who don't follow God's Law.

I wonder why. Is it that we lose life that God finds valuable? Is it the action itself that is wept over? Is it a hindrance to his own obedience? I wonder how often I ask God to give me His insight into loving those around me that are hard to love.

Monday, January 22, 2018

Psalm 119 (ayin)

Summary: The psalmist claims his innocence and demands salvation; likewise, he claims his enemies' guilt and demands punishment.

Response: I hear quite a bit about what people have done. I wonder if the demands wouldn't strike me so harshly if there wasn't a bit of adoration-type language included as well.

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Psalm 119 (samek)

Summary: The psalmist follows God's laws, but wishes he didn't have to try to follow them without persecution. Furthermore, he acknowledges that fear of God's judgement is a big factor in the psalmist's decision to follow God.

Response:
I hear both of those reasons about the decision to follow God (I do it so I don't get punished; I'd do it better if others would back off).
I wonder if either are legitimate. Like yeah, you can feel however, but we say over and over that God [John 3:17 here], and that we go through suffering to get us closer to God.

Lord, help me to follow You in my situation, not around, outside of, or in spite of it.

Monday, January 8, 2018

Psalm 119 (nun)

Summary: The psalmist praises God's word like a guiding light or one's greatest treasure. They need that word to guide them through great troubles.

Response:
I hear that we're keeping a student-oriented tone, confirming that learning is super important and continually happening; that there is reliance on God's instructions to keep them safe; and that, in the last verse, the notes say they chose to "turn their hearts" to be able to follow those instructions.

I wonder if I'm taking all of that to heart; if it will ever get easier to push into the word.