Creative Space for Wanderers
Read: How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? This isn’t the verse you would pick for engraving on a plaque for the kitchen wall, but I’ll go out on a limb and say it’s one that you read …
Read: Jonah’s preaching was only a temporary fix for the city of Nineveh, soon they returned to their evil ways. Nahum primarily speaks against them in words that depict the final fall of the once great city, perhaps the jewel of the Assyrian empire. They will not continue to abuse people. The Lord speaks through …
Read: May we read the words of the prophets of old and hear God’s voice for us, to us, this day. There is a reason we have ancient writings to study. What does this say to you? Should we dismiss this as something from the past that is no longer relevant or important? Holy Spirit, …
Read: Jonah is a short story that has captured the imaginations of countless people of all ages, but especially children in Sunday Schools and Vacation Bible Schools around the globe. It’s ironic that children enjoy the story while adults, if they would answer honestly, will most likely say it’s a fictional or allegorical work based …
Read: Just 21 verses long, the prophecy of Obadiah is short and sweet. The descendants of Esau, the Edomites, are singled out by Obadiah for their pride. In a recent video, Francis Chan, talking with a group of staff at Facebook, concluded that of all the sins we see, perhaps pride is the worst because …
Read: The words of Amos continue to convict Israel, even among threats from Jeroboam’s priest. It’s only the last few verses where we find hope for some distant future. Sometimes I think we fit the description of Israel when we read about the people mislead by Jeroboam and his successors. When our corporate gatherings bear …
Read: The prophet Amos was not a member of any court or special status; rather, a simple man, a shepherd. His days of prophecy came just before Isaiah, during the reign of Uzziah, perhaps at the height of idolatry, extravagant living, immorality, corruption of judicial procedures and oppression of the poor. As a man in the …
Continue reading “Amos: For Three Even Four – I Will Not Relent”
Read: The prophet Joel, son of Pethuel, delivers his short and succinct message to Judah. Some say the locusts are allegorical while others point to the invasion of the devouring bugs as a real event that Joel uses to get people’s attention. Peter, the fisherman turned apostle, was certainly familiar with the words of Joel …
Read: The narrative of Hosea is complete, the love of God prevails. I cannot escape the love of God intertwined in every word I read these days. For today’s reading, if you use the Bible Gateway link above, turn off titles and verse numbers and read the text like Hosea narrated it, let the poetry speak …
Read: This is a rather sad subject to read about this morning. Spoiler alert: this doesn’t end well, the happy ending is not in today’s reading! The sins of northern kingdom of Israel are summarized in these few chapters: I long to redeem them but they speak about me falsely. They do not cry out …