Nehemiah 1 I woke up this morning with a sense of happiness and contentment. Usually, I wake up with a heavy feeling, thinking about my list of to-do's for the day or re-hashing past conversations and feeling shame. I'm told this is due to undiagnosed ADHD. I'm not sure about that. Whatever the reason, I … Continue reading Coming Home
God's Sovereignty
Who Can Say?
Job 40, 41, 42: 1-6, and Proverbs 30: 1-9 Agur, son of Jakeh recorded his oracle (Proverbs 30), his prayer, his request of simple things for a simple man. I ask the same. Lord, if You could work these things into my head and my heart, press them into the threads of my being, make … Continue reading Who Can Say?
You Don’t Even Know What You Don’t Know
Job 39 and Psalm 73 "Do you know...?" "Do you observe...?" "Can you number...?" Questions can soften a hard heart. Sometimes. If the heart has a crack, even just a little one, big enough for the truth to seep in, sometimes the question reaches in through that crack, pulls the stony pieces of the heart … Continue reading You Don’t Even Know What You Don’t Know
The King Speaks
Job 38 The rain is falling outside. It's hitting the metal porch roof on this old farmhouse. I have the window open so I can hear its music, lovely and comforting. God promises His people in Hosea and in Joel (see Hosea 6:1-3 and Joel 2:23) that He will come to them like the early, … Continue reading The King Speaks
Behold, the Lamb of God!
Job 37 These are the words of Elihu about his God. These are the words of a man who believes that God is King, that He made all things, knows all things, deserves all the praise. These are the words of a herald, a messenger who broadcasts the coming of the King. Over a thousand … Continue reading Behold, the Lamb of God!
Elihu as a Herald
Job 36 "Hark, the Herald angels sing!" It's the very last day of February in a Leap year. The Christmas season is long past. Carolers, churchgoers, and choirs have been harking and heralding all winter. But now, the bright excitement is quiet, and we have landed squarely at the end of the coldest month. March … Continue reading Elihu as a Herald
Hello, Darkness…
Job 34 and Psalm 88 Fall is a season of change and transition, a time for cozying up the house and pulling out the flannel and wool. Winter is gathering and so are we. And the dark is creeping in on our sunlight hours. The days grow shorter as the nights lengthen. We turn the … Continue reading Hello, Darkness…
The Taste of Bread
Job 33 I use my mother's hand thrown stoneware bowl; she gave it to me when Gram's pink Pyrex bowl broke. Mom's bowl is taller than Gram's old Pyrex, so kneading the dough is a bit tricky. But I don't knead the dough anymore - I have gained bread wisdom since the first rough loaves … Continue reading The Taste of Bread
That Was Then, This is Now
Job 30 Job was the guy, the guy you called when your plans didn't work out the way you thought they should, the guy who listened to your problems and gave you fresh confidence. He was the one people listened to and followed his counsel, hanging on every encouraging word. That was then...but now? Now … Continue reading That Was Then, This is Now
A Bitter Promise and a Better Way
Job 27 "As God lives, who has taken away my right, and the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter, as long as my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils, my lips will not speak falsehood, and my tongue will not utter deceit." Job 27:2-4 Bold words, Job. … Continue reading A Bitter Promise and a Better Way