verseoftheday

When the very bottom of things falls out, what can a righteous person possibly accomplish?   Psalms 11:3 CEB I keep this quote in the front of my journal and return to it regularly when it all seems too much: "Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world's grief; Do justly now. Love mercy now. Walk humbly now. You are not obliged to complete the work. But neither are you free to abandon it." Perkei Avot 2:16 Rabbi Tarfon The ethics of our fathers. And this one from Jesus: "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.  Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart,  because  I  have  overcome the world." John 16:33 NLT When we lose heart, look up, look out, remember that we don't have to fix it all, but work with God in it, and we are held in a Bigger Story, where it might not seem like it, but Jesus has already overcome. #redemptivestrands #hopeishere #weareBeloved  #allwillbeandisbeingmadenew

Sunday Psalms; When the very bottom of things falls out, what can a righteous person possibly accomplish?   Psalms 11:3 CEB  This song asks one of those Big Questions - in v1-2 it paints the picture of a world where evil is winning, and then asks "what can I do in the face of all this?" We have variations on this around our powerlessness to change anything in what we think are meaningful ways... And what does David have to say? But the LORD is in his holy temple.  The LORD!  His throne is in heaven. His eyes see - his vision examines all of humanity.   Psalms 11:4 CEB David asks us to look up. To open again our eyes of faith and remind ourselves of the Big Story that we are in. And our God does see. And He does care.  And His Justice will prevail.  [6] God will rain fiery coals and sulfur on the wicked; their cups will be filled with nothing but a scorching hot wind  because the LORD is righteous!  He loves righteous deeds.  Th...

Mark 8:1-3 CEB In those days there was another large crowd with nothing to eat. Jesus called his disciples and told them, "I feel sorry for the crowd because they have been with me for three days and have nothing to eat.  If I send them away hungry to their homes, they won't have enough strength to travel, for some have come a long distance." Mark 8:1-3 CEB This story places us as an insider, in the small group, hearing Jesus heart for the crowd, turning our mind to the problem Jesus saw, the people Jesus saw. But if I'd been there that day, I'd most likely be in the crowd.  One of many who had been listening to Jesus teaching for 3 days. One of many who had run out of food. One of many facing a long walk home on an empty stomach. One of many with no idea that Jesus saw me, saw my situation, and was doing something about it. In the Big Story Jesus has seen us, seen our situation, and done something about it. And the Cross is central to that.  The Empty Tomb is cen...

Friday! Proverbs! [27] I was there when he established the heavens, when he drew the horizon on the oceans. [28] I was there when he set the clouds above, when he established springs deep in the earth.  [29] I was there when he set the limits of the seas, so they would not spread beyond their boundaries.  And when he marked off the earth's foundations, [30] I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence.  [31] And how happy I was with the world he created;  how I rejoiced with the human family! ... [33] Listen to my instruction and be wise. ... [35] For whoever finds me finds life... Proverbs 8:27-31, 33, 35 NLT This is a looong passage, this whole chapter is about the importance of Wisdom...and then theres this piece in the middle that kind of makes Wisdom "alive". Alive before Creation. Alive at Creation. Part of it. Its almost like this ancient book wants us to see Wisdom not as just an idea, more than a collection of...

Jesus gave the people strict orders not to tell anyone.  But the more he tried to silence them, the more eagerly they shared the news.  People were overcome with wonder, saying,  "He does everything well!  He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who can't speak." Mark 7:36-37 CEB If it was your friend who for their whole life couldn't hear or couldn't speak, and suddenly, miraculously, they could, you'd tell someone. If it was your daughter who was healed, wouldn't you want to let others know? It's not clear why Jesus wanted to damp things down, do things on the down low. Perhaps his message about the Kingdom was getting lost in the noise around healings, maybe even with his own team? Maybe he just needed space sometimes. But whatever Jesus' reasons were, people couldn't stop telling others about Jesus.  About what he had done in their lives. Their experience. Perhaps this is Mark's invitation to us too...to simply share ou...

Mark 7:34-35 CEB Looking into heaven, Jesus sighed deeply and said, "Ephphatha," which means, "Open up." At once, his ears opened, his twisted tongue was released, and he began to speak clearly. Mark 7:34-35 CEB Why did Jesus need a direct line with heaven to heal this man? Just a few verses earlier and Jesus was having a conversation with a woman and almost as an aside Jesus said to her that her daughter was healed. No calling on heaven needed. Did Jesus need more help because this man's problems were particularly difficult? Mark is no help. I'm left wondering 2 things; if his cry to heaven was modelling something for his disciples for when he is no longer with them. And/or that Jesus in his humanity has a need. He can't do this healing in his own human limitation. What do you think? And what does this story mean for us? Jesus was wanting to shift something in another person's life and asked Heaven to "open up" to make away - who am I pray...

Mark 7:32-33 CEB [32] Some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly speak, and they begged him to place his hand on the man for healing. [33] Jesus took him away from the crowd by himself and put his fingers in the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue. Mark 7:32-33 CEB Do you notice the pattern in the way Jesus meets with people, the pattern in the way these healings unfold? No I didn't notice it either - they all seem different.  Crowds, no crowds, touch, no touch, distance, and this one so up close Jesus poked his fingers in the man's ears, and it seems put his spit on his tongue! Very strange! Jesus meets people in different ways. And there is no reason why given. Perhaps this is what we're meant to see, that Jesus meets with people in different ways, that comparing isn't helpful, and if we try to figure it out we probably won't get an explanation... Perhaps this is about Faith. Faith in a person who is at least as comple...