Tag Archives: Bible Study

A Time to Read

Christmastide

December 26, 2022

Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 3:1-13

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace. –Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

I cannot read this scripture without my brain switching it to the song Turn! Turn! Turn! sung by the Birds. Because I learned it first from hearing that song, I did not realize until I read it just now that the line a time to tear, and a time to sew is referring to sewing cloth, not sowing seeds which are covered in the third line that starts with a time to plant. This realization made me think of my mother because those two activities, gardening, and sewing, all sorts of other things, were probably my mother’s favorite activities.

The list could go on. I do not see a time to write or record history anywhere on this list. Solomon is credited as the author. It seems odd that he would leave out the very thing he was doing. I wonder if he had included writing what the opposite action would have been, a time to read, perhaps. Spending time reading scripture every day grounds us in the Word of God. Reading selections that we can quote by heart and suddenly be struck by words that have always been there and seeing them from a different perspective is important.

As we begin a new year, let us dedicate daily time to read the Bible. I like following a lectionary because it forces me to read parts unfamiliar to me and some that make me uncomfortable. That reaction often makes me dive deeper into what is being said. I pull out my Interpreter Bible to see what others think or check out Strong’s Concordance to see insights from the original language.

Prayer: Lord, help us all be students of the Word both written and through our communion with you. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Higher Ground

Eastertide

April 28, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Revelation 5:11-14

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice,
‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!’

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,
‘To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might
forever and ever!’
And the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the elders fell down and worshipped.

I confess when I read scriptures sometimes the most irrelevant things pop into my head. Today, as I read Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered, I lost and missed the melody of Handel’s Messiah which started playing in my head the minute I read Worthy is the Lamb. Why did the NRSV translators choose slaughter instead of the more archaic slain, the word that is musically welded into many of our brains?  

Two lessons came to me from this experience. One, reading different translations of the Bible is helpful in preventing our becoming complacent in our understanding of the scriptures. The whole thought that the bible says it I believe it that settles it (original source unknown) fades as we delve deeper into the understanding of scripture that was written in ancient languages that, too, have changed over time. The other lesson is that music remains a wonderful, spiritual way to take in the Word of God whether in scripture or as we attempt to model our lives after the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) Music lifts us to higher ground and greater depths of spiritual communion.

Prayer:

I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground*. Amen.

*Chorus of I’m pressing on the upward way by Johnson Oatman Jr. see at https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/396

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Go-To Scripture

Ordinary Time

February 3, 2022

Scripture Reading:
1 Corinthians 15:1-11

For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to someone untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace towards me has not been in vain.–1 Corinthians 15:3-11

Do you have a go-to scripture that you turn to when you need to be reminded who you are or whose you are? Mine is Psalm 63:1-7. I memorized it years ago from The New English Bible, published in 1961. I now stumble over it when I read it in any other translations. Memorizing allows me to access it immediately, particularly helpful in the middle of the night when I do not want to reach for my phone. I think the first few sentences of the above scripture were Paul’s go-to scripture. It concisely states the story and the purpose of Jesus, the Christ that drew Paul to share Christ’s story and message. The change in Paul’s life was recognizing Jesus as the Messiah. Two thousand plus years later, we still profit from Paul’s mission. Indeed, God calls us to send it forth for generations to come.

If you do not have a go-to scripture, I encourage you to identify one. We can even have more than one. Hebrews 4:12 says, Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Prayer: Lord, be ever near us through our study of scripture. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Remembering Eugene Peterson

Living in the Spirit
October 26, 2018

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 7:23-28

So now we have a high priest who perfectly fits our needs: completely holy, uncompromised by sin, with authority extending as high as God’s presence in heaven itself. Unlike the other high priests, he doesn’t have to offer sacrifices for his own sins every day before he can get around to us and our sins. He’s done it, once and for all: offered up himself as the sacrifice. The law appoints as high priests men who are never able to get the job done right. But this intervening command of God, which came later, appoints the Son, who is absolutely, eternally perfect*. –Hebrews 7:26-28

I use the lectionary to write these devotions because it forces me to deal with scriptures that span the breadth of the Bible including some that I find uncomfortable and some that may not be inspiring when I read them when I must search for meaning. The above scripture met the latter criteria earlier this week resulting in me writing two devotions on the Psalm for the week and now returning to Hebrews to visit this one again.

Inspiration comes from unlikely places at times. This morning I read in the paper that Eugene Peterson the theologian most known by his translation of the Bible called The Message quoted here today died 10-22-2018. I appreciated the works of Eugene Peterson and was sorry to read of his passing. Seeing his name, however, sent me to read how he translated this scripture from Hebrews. His more casual, common sense wording is exactly what I need at times. While his translation: The law appoints as high priests men who are never able to get the job done right applies to all who attempt theology, Eugene Peterson provided a wealth of understanding that has stood the test of time and for that, I am most thankful.

So, I dedicate this devotion to Eugene Peterson who clearly accepted Christ as the high priest who perfectly fits our needs. Peterson dedicated his life to spreading that message in The Message.

Prayer: We thank you, Lord, for all those who open understanding of your ways to us. Amen.

*The Message Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson