Creative Space for Wanderers
Systems are the inner workings of strategies, the wires that make them work individually and connect them together. Effective systems only happen with well thought out and very intentional design that is kept up-to-date. Yes, you have to keep thinking about your strategies and systems after the church is launched and throughout its life-cycles. This isn’t …
Read: and O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble. They have left the dead bodies of your servants as food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of your own people for the animals of the wild. They have poured out …
Chapter 13 provides the narrative of David’s desire and attempt to return the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. Ezra (assuming he’s the author of Chronicles), places this narrative out of sequence, up front, perhaps to emphasize David’s heart and desire to please God and the people. The first few verses show that everyone agreed this …
and Cruising through the first 10 chapters of 1 Chronicles we read the long list of names from Adam to Abraham. Quite remarkable when you think about it, especially when you remember God’s restart with Noah. Then we read the two branches of Abraham’s family: Isaac and Ishmael, Esau and Jacob (aka Israel). The kings …
Zophar picks up his line of reasoning by expressing his personal disdain for Job’s words: “My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer because I am greatly disturbed. I hear a rebuke that dishonors me, and my understanding inspires me to reply.” How could someone like Job possibly rebuke Zophar? Zophar is doing fine, checking his …
Zophar picks up where Bildad left off with another cold slap in the face: “Is this talker to be vindicated? Will your idle talk reduce others to silence? Will no one rebuke you when you mock? To add insult to injury, Zophar then mocks Job by reducing his arguments to the phrase: “My beliefs are …
Josiah Finishes Well Josiah receives the message from Huldah well. Her words from the Lord give him inspiration. (Note: Interesting that a male dominated culture has no problem seeking the advice of a female prophet.) Josiah invited everyone in Jerusalem, from the least to the greatest, to hear the Word of the Lord. He read …
Continue reading “Josiah’s Reforms; Fall of Jerusalem; Captivity”
and Hezekiah contract some deadly disease and is about to die when Isaiah comes to pay him a visit. Not one to beat around the bush, Isaiah tells him to “Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover” (). Hezekiah accepts the word of the prophet, turns aside …
Continue reading “Hezekiah’s Life Extended; Manasseh’s Evil”
Chapter 19 continues the story with Hezekiah’s response to the verbal abuse and physical threats from the Assyrians. All wearing sackcloth, they know they are doomed without God’s help. Hezekiah sends a team to Isaiah, heads down, they are completely humbled and ask merely that he would “pray for the remnant that still survives” (). …
Continue reading “Hezekiah’s Prayer and Jerusalem’s Deliverance”
Since we celebrate Valentine’s Day today, I took some time to look through photos curated as “love” from my favorite photo source at unsplash.com. The photo above shows children walking together with their parents leading in the distance. The powerful legacy that I hope Zoë and I can leave our children: follow the narrow path dear …
Continue reading “Love is from God — Let Us Learn to Love One Another”