Creative Space for Wanderers
Read: I’ve been using the NIVAC (NIV Application Commentary) to unpack each section of scripture, to learn from scholars who’ve invested their lives in understanding Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and complex histories about the life and time of those who walked with Jesus. Today’s passage is wonderful. I’m excited to add some thoughts on Luke’s words …
Continue reading “Luke: The Birth of John the Baptist and Zechariah’s Song”
Read A remarkable meeting of Mary and Elizabeth followed by Mary’s Song, The Magnificat. The two women play such a significant part of the male dominated history of our ancestors. It seems fitting that Luke would take time and space to honor them by recording an exciting moment when they meet during pregnancy: Mary with …
Continue reading “Luke: Mary Visits Elizabeth; The Magnificat”
Read: Luke takes some time to introduce Zechariah and Elizabeth, parents of John the Baptist, as they are blessed by a visit from the angel Gabriel. This is a story of devotion to service that is rewarded far beyond expectation. Zechariah’s immediate reaction results in losing his ability to speak while Elizabeth quickly figures out …
Continue reading “Luke: The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold”
A year ago I set out to blog through the Bible again, this time with an emphasis on deeper understanding and a desire to leave a legacy for my girls. It started when I was looking at some material I had sitting around: the Old Testament Challenge. That seemed like enough structure to get started, …
Read: It’s almost Christmas and here I am writing about the trials and tribulations surrounding Jesus’ last days walking around in skin. Sure, I know how the story ends, goodness, but it’s still a challenge thinking about the disciples and those that surely knew Jesus of Nazareth well. At this point in His earthly ministry, …
Read: We come to the point where Jesus institutes a new tradition: The Lord’s Supper. This is a significant event among many during this period we refer to as Passion Week. It’s interesting that we only have a few verses to record this huge shift during the Passover feast. For hundreds of years, the Passover …
Read: The scene comes out of nowhere, it seems. The leaders are plotting to kill Jesus, the Passover festival is swelling, and Jesus is hanging out with a leper. How can we begin to think that this is normal? The only routine that Jesus seems to have is no routine at all, except to say …
Read: There will be signs, evidence that is hard to miss, but we don’t know when — no one knows when the day will come. Keep watch, but don’t let this paralyze you! Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. If Jesus’s words will outlast the world, it seems …
Read: I’m no expert on the end times. Most of what I read about eschatology is filled with dire warnings of destruction, of bomb shelter building and preparation with rants of the end is near! Like many theological debates, I suppose I’m required to declare a position on cessation of Spiritual Gift, dispensationalism, premillennialism, postmillennialism, etc. …
Read: As I began to read this section, I simply had to stop and ponder what it must have been like to have a private discussion with Jesus: And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, Four of the disciples had …