verseoftheday

Sunday Psalms: Psalms 35:7-8, 12, 15 CSB [7] They hid their net for me without cause;  they dug a pit for me without cause.  [8] Let ruin come on him unexpectedly,  and let the net that he hid ensnare him;  let him fall into it - to his ruin. ... [12] They repay me evil for good,  making me desolate. ... [15] But when I stumbled,  they gathered in glee; they gathered against me.  Assailants I did not know tore at me and did not stop. Psalms 35:7-8, 12, 15 CSB This is a song of David's, a sing asking, pleading, directing God to intervene, even how to do it! This is David, and the Bible, keeping it real. He is expressing his heart directly to God. David isn't doing it for commentary or for approval, but because this is what is going on for him. And that's the invitation for us - to express to God what is going on for us, unfiltered.  Perhaps you can understand exactly where David is coming from, it's OK to be unfiltered with our God. (Maybe David's ...

The tongue of the righteous is pure silver; the heart of the wicked is of little value. Proverbs 10:20 CSB Can we see Jesus in this Proverb? He jumps out as the righteous one who's words are the purest of pure silver. And he flips the script on the second part, because he sees the value in me, in us, in humanity. He values our hearts above anything it seems...when we look for Jesus in this Proverb it's the redemptive strand that emerges...Jesus words of the purest of pure silver were not some academic exercise, it is all part of the way-making that Jesus did for us, wanting (re)connection... Because we are beloved. In those moments when our words hold silver, and when our hearts seem of little value, we are in fact, beloved... #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #itsaheartthing #speaklife  #rememberweareBeloved 

Friday! Proverbs! The tongue of the righteous is pure silver; the heart of the wicked is of little value. Proverbs 10:20 CSB Here's one of those slightly mis-matched Proverbs - why does the writer compare the tongue of the righteous with the heart of the wicked? Perhaps it's just to slow us down a wee bit... To consider where our words come from (from the heart, the "leb", the centre of our being, our mind, will). If Proverbs is not a weapon to use on others but an invitation to consider my own "leb", my own heart, this Proverb seems to be asking me to consider where my heart and words don't align...i wonder how often my words are "pure silver" but my heart is not "pure silver"? "Jesus, shape my heart so that it aligns more with you, and so that more and more of my words might be silver, of greater value to me and to others, because they are coming from a heart that is being purified by You. Amen." #proverbs #wisdom #somethi...

Mark 11:12-14 NLT [12] The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. [13] He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. [14] Then Jesus said to the tree, "May no one ever eat your fruit again!" And the disciples heard him say it. Mark 11:12-14 NLT This little narrative of Mark's about the fig tree just seems strange. How come Jesus wasn't treated hospitably in Bethany and given breakfast? What had the tree done that was so bad? Why did he speak so loudly that all the disciples heard it? Strange. Until we zoom out in the story. Read where Jesus had been the day before, and what happened the next day and it starts to make sense that Jesus was using this tree as a metaphor for something else... It's a teaching tool, something he wants his team to remember going forward, everytime they see a fig tree they'll be re...

Psalms 34 MSG I bless God every chance I get;  my lungs expand with his praise.  I live and breathe God;  if things aren't going well,  hear this and be happy:  ... God met me more than halfway,  he freed me from my anxious fears.  Look at him;  give him your warmest smile.  Never hide your feelings from him.  When I was desperate,  I called out,  and God got me out of a tight spot.  God's angel sets up a circle of protection around us while we pray. Open your mouth and taste,  open your eyes and see - how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him.  Worship God if you want the best;  worship opens doors to all his goodness.  ... Come,  children,  listen closely;  I'll give you a lesson in God worship.  Who out there has a lust for life?  Can't wait each day to come upon beauty? Guard your tongue from profanity, and no more lying through your teeth. Turn your back on sin; do so...

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;  he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. Psalms 34:18 NLT Writing psalms, songs, poetry is a personal journey, a download of where the writer is at in their internal world, their heart, spirit, emotions, thoughts.  This one is written by David, and here, right in the middle of our Bible is someone who uses some of the same word pictures that we do to explain what is going on; being brokenhearted,  having a spirit that is crushed. David also experienced God's nearness, and somehow, in some way, rescue. Being brokenhearted, feeling crushed, are part of being human, expressed here by David 3000 years ago, and by Jesus, 2000 years ago, and in some way experienced by all of us...perhaps the invitation of this song is to invite our God into our brokenheartedness, into our crushedness, because He knows what it is to be human... #psalms  #songs  #redemptivestrands #hopeishere 

Psalms 34:4-5 NLT I prayed to the Lord,  and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;  no shadow of shame will darken their faces. Psalms 34:4-5 NLT David was on the run from Saul, afraid. Ended up in the city of the Philistines, afraid. What was the shame he was carrying?  Perhpas that's something familiar, that shame that "darkens your face".  David's invitation here is to follow his story and to "look to him for help", to the Lord, to YHWH, to Yahweh. This implies an acknowledgement of who Yahweh is, that we're in His Big Story of Love and Redemption, that we can hold on to the redemptive strand and let His Light shine on our story, our shame, into our heart...is that what we need today? #psalms #songs  #redemptivestrands #hopeishere #weareBeloved 

Sunday Psalms; Psalms 34:1-3 NLT I will praise the Lord at all times.  I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the Lord;  let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the Lord's greatness;  let us exalt his name together. Psalms 34:1-3 NLT The context of this song, this poem, this psalm, is that David was on the run from Saul, running for his life, and had pretended to be crazy, out of his mind, so that Abimilech, the Philistine king, would not see him as a threat and let him go (1 Samuel 21-22). (David had killed Goliath and had his sword). I'm not sure if this poem is David thanking God for giving him the idea and using that to save him, or saving him anyway despite what he chose to do in that situation. But what stood out for me today was this phrase: "let all who are helpless take heart." In the midst of his opening part of this song praising God: "let all who are helpless take heart." He had felt helpless.  If we have ever...

With lots of words comes wrongdoing,  but the wise restrain their lips.   Proverbs 10:19 CEB Can we locate Jesus in this Proverb? Jesus was prone to "pesha", to revolt, to rebellion, but it was against injustice and against unjust systems. His revolt was not in the way people expected... When it came to the will of the Father he was completely aligned, no turning away, even in the Garden of Gethsemane when everything in Him wanted to... And when Jesus was before Pilate he was silent. When tempted by the Enemy he just quoted Scripture. And often Jesus would just ask a question... Asking a question, sharing Scripture, staying silent, perhaps that's the restraint of the wise that this Proverb invites us towards... #proverbs  #wisdom #somethingtochewon #itsaheartthing 

Friday! Proverbs! Proverbs 10:19 CEB [19] With lots of words comes wrongdoing, but the wise restrain their lips.   Mmm the word here "wrongdoing" is "pesha", which means revolt, a rebellion.  So if proverbs is an invitation into my own heart motivation then is this proverb asking me to consider where my words (thoughts, internal dialogue) has convinced me that wrong is right, that what is not OK is OK? If that's correct then the wise by restraining their own words look somewhere else for wisdom, for direction, to stay the course with God rather than go my own way? Too many words.  Mmm. Where am I prone to revolt - especially against God, rebelling against his call, instruction, values? If I am speaking less, this opens up room for listening, for the other... As we sit with this Proverb today, what is the Spirit prompting? #somethingtochewon #itsaheartthing  #proverbs  #wisdom #invitation 

Mark 11:9-11 CEB [9] Those in front of him and those following were shouting,  "Hosanna!  Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!   Blessings on the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!  Hosanna in the highest!" Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple.  After he looked around at everything, because it was already late in the evening, he returned to Bethany with the Twelve.   Mark 11:9-11 CEB I wouldn't make any kind of spiritual principle out of this, but after all the preparation of sending his team out to find the colt to ride on, the crowds, the chanting, Jesus got to the temple, had a look around, and went back to Bethany.  Couldn't he have started earlier in the day? Or is he perhaps, maybe, inviting us to just take things a bit quieter sometimes - letting us know that it all doesn't have to get done today... Where are we being invited to slow down? In a world that seems to value speeding up, perhaps being a lit...

Mark 11:7-9 CEB They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes upon it, and he sat on it.  Many people spread out their clothes on the road while others spread branches cut from the fields.  Those in front of him and those following were shouting,  "Hosanna!  Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!" Mark 11:7-9 CEB Hosanna literally means "save now". There's a procession thru the city with Jesus riding on this young donkey that's never been ridden, with crowds and chanting and waving palm fronds. Redemption is here. Jesus is going to save them now.  Everything will be different as they'll be set free - free from the Empire. Free from repression. Poverty  Being less than. This is the redemptive strand that they're expecting to follow... But they didn't see the signs Jesus gave them. Not a big horse symbolising power, but a small young donkey who'd never been ridden. No warriors. No weapons. No symbols if power. "Sa...

Mark 11:1-6 NIV As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them,  "Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'" They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway.  As they untied it, some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.  Mark 11:1-6 NIV This seems like a strange thing that Jesus is asking 2 of his team to do that day.  From our perspective of knowing what part this animal plays in the bigger story this little story makes sense in the Bigger Story of God's Redemptive Story. Sometimes though, we're prompted to do things that can...

Psalms 33:16-18 NIV No king is saved by the size of his army;  no warrior escapes by his great strength.  A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;  despite all its great strength it cannot save.  But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love... Psalms 33:16-18 NIV Whether we are relying on our own strength, our own resources, the power of things our culture has created, it's not enough. The redemptive strand is here though, throughout all generations, it runs through all cultures...Unfailing Love is where our hope lies. That takes the pressure off us.  Because our hope lies in Unfailing Love. We don't have to be perfect.  Because our hope lies in Unfailing Love. We can damp down that inner critic - because our hope lies in Unfailing Love. We get to start afresh, move into new things, try things, because our hope lies in Unfailing Love. What are we being invited to put down? Because our hope lies in Unfailing...

Sunday Psalms; Sing a new song of praise to him;  play skillfully on the harp,  and sing with joy. For the word of the Lord holds true,  and we can trust everything he does.  He loves whatever is just and good;  the unfailing love of the Lord fills the earth.  The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created.  He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.  He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs. Psalms 33:3-7 NLT Sing a new song - the invitation here is to write your own! There's plenty of room for our thoughts and words and songs about our God. Perhaps following the pattern of this song might help: The psalmist writes about something of God's character: He is True and trustworthy, loves justice and goodness, and is Unfailing Love. Then the writer looks out at the created world and sees God's hand and writes about it. What is one aspect of God's character that we could write a about today? Just one phra...

[18] Whoever hides hatred has lying lips, And whoever spreads slander is a fool. Proverbs 10:18 NKJV When we look for Jesus in this Proverb he is the antithesis, the exact opposite of this. He didn't spread slander. He would stay silent or quote scripture, or ask a question. He didn't hide his hatred of death. He didn't hide that he stood against those who promoted their own righteousness and rule keeping and rule making as the way to be right with God. He didn't hide that he stood against those who treated others unjustly, and stood against the systems that led to poverty, to groups of people who were seen as less than. His integrity was total, he was the same all the way through, and his motivation was Love. And the crazy part? We are the object of His love! We are Beloved! #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #itsaheartthing #rememberweareBeloved 

Friday! Proverbs! [18] Whoever hides hatred has lying lips, And whoever spreads slander is a fool. Proverbs 10:18 NKJV Interesting take on integrity- pretending to be OK with something, hiding our true thoughts or feelings makes us, makes me a liar! Ouch. The second part of this Proverb seems mich easier to agree with - however, when I look back over conversations that I've had I wonder how often I have been that fool who has repeated something without knowing it's true, without knowing the whole story... Getting back to Part 1 - I don't think this is a call to enter every argument that comes our way, but it's an invitation to keep checking in on our motivation- whats going on in my heart? Is there something in my heart that needs the Light and Grace of Jesus to speak Life to? What is lurking in my heart that needs bringing to the Light? What do you think? #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #itsaheartthing #rememberweareBeloved 

Mark 10:51-52 NLT "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked.  "My Rabbi," the blind man said,  "I want to see!" And Jesus said to him, "Go, for your faith has healed you." Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road. Mark 10:51-52 NLT No mud packs, or washing, or seeing people walking like trees, simply instant change.  And Bartimaeus changed.  He simply followed Jesus. Even after Jesus told him to go. He followed. Jesus recognised something that the crowd missed completely-  the faith of Bartimaeus. Mark doesn't tell us how long  Bartimaeus had been blind, or how long he had heard about, believed in, had faith in, Jesus. For some period of time these two things overlapped: Blindness, poverty, exclusion. And Faith in Jesus. Bartimaeus was able to spark, develop, grow his faith in the dark. Where does Bartimaeus story encourage my faith where it's still dark? Where things are tough? (I wonder if this is what hea...

Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.   "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked.  "My Rabbi," the blind man said,  "I want to see!" Mark 10:50-51 NLT Bartimaeus headed in the direction of Jesus voice.  He was blind. And he was listening. (Perhaps there's times when those of us with good eyesight could  close our eyes to all the things that we see that can distract and pull us towards, and just listen for Jesus) "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked.  Jesus is direct.  Straight forward. And open to Bartimaeus. "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked.  (What would my reply to Jesus be today?) Bartimaeus responds first with a postional response: "My Rabbi" = great teacher, honoured master. Bartimaeus knew who Jesus is. (Our invitation is to approach Jesus in the same way.) And then Bartimaeus just puts his request in the same simple, open, straight up way as Jesus question...

Mark 10:48-50 NLT "Be quiet!" many of the people yelled at him.  But he only shouted louder,  "Son of David, have mercy on me!"   When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, "Tell him to come here." So they called the blind man.  "Cheer up," they said. "Come on, he's calling you!" Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus. Mark 10:48-50 NLT Bartimaeus moved from ignored to included because Jesus heard him. The crowd seemed to think that all this blind man living on the edge of society wanted was some attention.  Cheer up. Jesus has noticed you.  The crowd had missed him. Still didn't see him as worthy, worth including. "Come on, your getting the attention we're guessing is what you want". Bartimaeus who needed the permission of the crowd and the invitation of Jesus had the barriers to Jesus removed. And he jumped at the opportunity. I wonder how often I'm part of that crowd who keep Jesus to ...

Psalms 32:3, 10-11 CSB [3] When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. ... [10]...but the one who trusts in the Lord will have faithful love surrounding him.  Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones;  shout for joy,  all you upright in heart. Psalms 32:3, 10-11 CSB David had no way of testing the brittleness or otherwise of his bones any more than I do, but what his metaphor recognises is that our behaviour, emotions,  thoughts and physical well-being are connected.  This is not some modern idea but one that was clear to David 3000 years ago...we are an embodied soul and completely connected. And his pathway forward is found in v10 - trust in our God, and then our story, our circumstances, our thoughts, emotions, bodies, our well-being is "surrounded by Unfailing Love". The redemptive strand is right here for us to cling to no matter what is in front of us today. #psalms #songs  #unfailinglove  #redemptivestra...

Sunday Psalms; Psalms 32:1, 3, 5 NLT [1] Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven,  whose sin is put out of sight! ... [3] When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. .... [5] Finally,  I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt.  I said to myself,  "I will confess my rebellion to the Lord." And you forgave me!  All my guilt is gone. Interlude Psalms 32:1, 3, 5 NLT In this song of David's the redemptive strand is found in forgiveness. Forgiveness that comes from confession. Confession that comes from the internal realisation of David's that his choices or thoughts, words, were doing not in line with how God has called him to live.  There was an internal battle going on.  And change came on the back of confession. David doesn't tell us how long it took him to get here, but to write a song about it indicates it took some time... If he's anything like me, I'm not that keen on ackn...

The one who follows instruction is on the path to life,  but the one who rejects correction goes astray. Proverbs 10:17 CSB When we look for Jesus in this Proverb he is the one who followed instruction, lived out the plan, listened to, sought out the conversations with His Heavenly Father. And that path led him to places of joy, community, miracles, healing...and disappointment, loss, grief, rejection, abuse, Court, and the Cross...and to resurrection and the fully aliveness of life with the Father... When we follow Jesus that too is our pathway. Along the way glimpses of fully aliveness, holding hope for all that we were meant to be will one day be fully revealed... #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #itsaheartthing #takethenextstep  #speaklife #fullyaliveness

Friday! Proverbs! The one who follows instruction is on the path to life,  but the one who rejects correction goes astray. Proverbs 10:17 CSB Mmm so easy this morning to see how this applies to others! But if these types of Proverbs are not weapons, but tools to inspect my own heart, I'm invited to ask where do I reject correction, direction, advice, reasoning, or reproof? Maybe it's just me who doesn't like being told what to do, where I might be missing the mark? My guess is that we all want to be on the "path to life". The word for "life" here is "chay" or "chayah", to be alive, so to be on the path to aliveness, to being fully alive! Our culture every day is pushing it's ideas about what fully aliveness is and where it's found, so I'm wondering on this chilly morning what instruction, what wisdom, what truth, our God is inviting me to step towards, to follow today, that will lead to a little more fully aliveness? What ...

Mark 10:46-48 NLT Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him.  A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" "Be quiet!" many of the people yelled at him.  But he only shouted louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Mark 10:46-48 NLT I wonder how often in my life I have been one of the crowd who may not have said it out loud, but certainly said it inside "just be quiet". Bartimaeus was on the margins of society. He wasn't included in the group - he was on the roadside. Begging to survive. Living with disabilty. Alone. Not like the group.  And somehow he knew about Jesus. He had enough connection with others to know Jesus royal line, and that somehow Jesus might be able to help him.  Perhaps he had a perspective about Jesus that others didn...

Romans 9:2-3 NLT My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed - cut off from Christ! - if that would save them.  Romans 9:2-3 NLT We've just seen in Ch8 of Paul's letter that nothing can separate him from God's love, so what he is offering here can't really happen - it's like a saying, a metaphor, for wanting something so desperately, so intensively for his people, that he'd give his most treasured thing. This is love. And this is the love that Jesus did live out for us - gave up what was most precious for us. And this is the love that saves us. And it's the love we're invited to live out too...however sporadically and incomplete it might be, but to love others and want to see them follow Jesus too. To know Him And to be known (Whether we feel it or not, know it or not, even believe it or not, we are, Beloved) #letters #redemptivestrands #hopeishere #weareB...

Psalms 31:5 NLT I entrust my spirit into your hand.  Rescue me,  Lord,  for you are a faithful God. Psalms 31:5 NLT Even though David's circumstances are trying to tell him that God isn't faithful, isn't trustworthy, David chooses his stance. He cries out for rescue. But no matter what happens, he puts his trust in our God. Where do I need to entrust my spirit into God's hand? Maybe today it's the reminder that God is faithful. Faithful in our story. #psalms  #songs  #redemptivestrands #hopeishere #weareBeloved 

Psalms 31:7, 9-14 NLT I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love,  for you have seen my troubles,  and you care about the anguish of my soul. .... Have mercy on me,  Lord,  for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes.  My body and soul are withering away. I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness.  Sin has drained my strength;  I am wasting away from within. I am scorned by all my enemies and despised by my neighbors - even my friends are afraid to come near me.  When they see me on the street,  they run the other way.  I am ignored as if I were dead,  as if I were a broken pot. I have heard the many rumors about me,  and I am surrounded by terror.  My enemies conspire against me,  plotting to take my life.  But I am trusting you,  O Lord,  saying,  'You are my God!" Psalms 31:7, 9-14 NLT Ever been somewhere and someone you know sees you and avoids you? It's here in the Bible. Ev...

Sunday Psalms; Psalms 31:1-2, 5, 9, 14, 16, 21, 24 NLT [1]  O Lord,  I have come to you for protection;  don't let me be disgraced.  Save me,  for you do what is right. [2] Turn your ear to listen to me;  rescue me quickly.  Be my rock of protection,  a fortress where I will be safe. ... [5] I entrust my spirit into your hand.  Rescue me,  Lord,  for you are a faithful God. ... [9] Have mercy on me, Lord,  for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes.  My body and soul are withering away. ... [14] But I am trusting you,  O Lord,  saying,  "You are my God!" [16] Let your favor shine on your servant.  In your unfailing love, rescue me. ... [21] Praise the Lord,  for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love.  He kept me safe when my city was under attack. ... [24] So be strong and courageous,  all you who put your hope in the Lord! Psalms 31:1-2, 5, 9, 14, 16, 21, 24 NLT Maybe some of D...

The labor of the righteous leads to life, The wages of the wicked to sin. Proverbs 10:16 NKJV Can we see Jesus in this Proverb? When we look back on this Proverb from our place in time, Jesus is The Righteous One, and it's his labour, his life, his work, that leads to Life. Jesus labour led to Life In the Beginning.  And it is Jesus labour that makes the way to Life for us.  As followers of Jesus our lives are held in His, so while this Proverb has 2 categories, our lives and our labour is redeemed by Jesus labour - so our life to can lead to Life. How we live here matters. How you and I stand here, wherever that is today, whatever we face today, matters.  #proverbs  #wisdom  #somethingtochewon #itsaheartthing #speaklife