Bible in a Year–Day 40

We are at day 40 in our journey! I think that calls for a celebration! Over and over in the Bible we will read of 40-day journeys and tests. Have we passed our test by reaching this mini-landmark together? YES! Reading the Bible, chronologically, in its entirety in a year’s time is a big deal and it is incredible that I have travelling buddies on this road with me. We are not alone on this journey. At the helm, we have our Lord, opening our eyes and building up our understanding on Him. When I am feeling weak, I have Him and each of you to lean on; when you are feeling weak, you have Him and myself to turn to. If you and a friend are on this journey together, you have one another when you’re just not feeling it. I have even received a dear note from a married couple who is on this journey with us, and I am sure that on days that one isn’t feeling encouraged or is confused, the other is there to help. All along, God is here. We are all a community, whether we share or comment or can put faces with names, and I am grateful to each of you who are travelling with me, it’s going to be an awesome ride!

Today’s scripture reading: Exodus, chapters 30-32

Again, we open our daily reading with the acacia wood, overlayed with pure gold. I think this is a particularly interesting repetition considering my Bible note from Day 37. (Just for quick recall: the wood is representative of Jesus’ humanity, and the gold represents His divinity.) I also love that the scripture (at least, the NIV) doesn’t just read that these pieces are to have a gold overlay, but a pure gold overlay. Pure gold, just as our Lord is purely divine.

I get excited when I read about a specific location where God tells Moses that this is “where I will meet you” (30:6, NIV). To meet with God, and to have direct instruction from Him for your special time with Him. I feel like we have a taste of what that feels like, though, don’t you? Sometimes, the Spirit just comes over you in such a strong way that there’s no denying His Presence. Then, other days when you’re doing all the “right” stuff, saying all the “right” things and are wondering where that feeling went? He’s still there, He’s always there, but sometimes we have a scheduled meeting time with Him (whether we know it was scheduled or not), and like Moses, have our time with our Lord. Friends, I relish those times so much, don’t you? Wouldn’t you love to bottle that sensation up like it’s even tangible? I have exciting news: we can and we do! We’re already well on our way to having that meeting time with God be more and more tangible, and more and more powerful, by building up our foundation through His Word. Sometimes I absolutely get the urge to stand directly on my Bible because I get so excited about this book holding so many of the keys to unlocking mystery after mystery of our heritage. (By the way, I would never actually stand on my Bible, but I will stand on the Word of God for the rest of my life.) We are all God’s children and our Father is loving and gracious to His children. So much of who we are leads back to this book, His inspired Word, and that is the tangible evidence that we are drawing nearer to our meetings with Him.

I want to take an informal poll here. You don’t even have to answer me, I just want you to think about this. When reading through the Bible, do you ever find yourself thinking, ‘They built altars to God 2,000 years ago, that would be kind of cool. I think I’ll build an altar to God.’ Do you? I do. Not necessarily a full-blown altar, but certainly some more sacredly cared-for spot. But I never have and I know that the reason I haven’t is that my biggest fear is that the altar would become for me the item of worship, and would become like an idol in that it would actually take away from God. Sometimes even good things and good intentions can turn out to be a bad plan. As I was reading through today’s scripture passage, all the description of the incense and fragrances to be used for worship sounded so amazing that–even though I have always hated modern-day incense–I must admit that I began to think about bringing some of those fragrances into my home. Then I read it, the verse that stopped me in my tracks:

“Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the Lord.” (30:37, NIV)

Then, like a one-two punch:

“Whoever makes any like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off from his people.” (30:38, NIV)

Times like these make me so glad I am on this journey (I know, I come up with a new reason to be glad I’m on this journey every day–but that’s a good thing, too!). This is a perfect example as to why knowing the Word is so critical to building His foundation in our lives. If we don’t know the whole story, and only bits and pieces, we may make some of these kinds of mistakes. We wouldn’t know better, but that doesn’t make it right in God’s eyes, does it?

In December, a group of my girlfriends and I went to the Deeper Still convention in Oklahoma City, OK. The speakers for this incredible weekend of women’s worship were Kay Arthur, Beth Moore, and Priscilla Shirer. Well, apparently I have lived under a rock for the entirety of my life up to that point because I had never heard of Kay Arthur, but Beth Moore described Mrs. Arthur as the “matriarch of women’s Bible study,” so I must have missed something. Anyway, as soon as Kay Arthur (or Miss Kay, as Priscilla Shirer called her) began to speak, I was absolutely blown away! She’s amazing! Every word that came from her mouth was so wise and dead-on-the-mark. She said one thing, in particular, that really struck me and I will never forget it. She said (and I’m paraphrasing):

“I don’t want to stand before God in heaven and not know what His Word said.”

Amen, Miss Kay!

Friends, I don’t want that, either. This foundation, even though some of the books we have studied so far are a bit tedious at times, are critical to our understanding of the greater picture. I don’t think God wants us to just read the really interesting and really moving parts of the Bible. I think He wants us to know what’s in there, front-to-back, so that if we make an error in judgement (like trying to replicate the incense formula God spoke of in today’s reading), we will know it’s an error.

My next informal poll involves the Sabbath and keeping it holy. In my family, Sunday’s are more relaxing days that the rest of the days of the week, but I would not go so far as to say they are restful.

The Lord said to Moses:

“Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people. For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death. The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come a a lasting covenant. It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested.” (31:14-17, NIV)

Is anyone else guilty of reading this particular biblical rule and thinking, ‘Yeah, but the Lord doesn’t know how much laundry I have to get done on the weekends or that Morgan has a baseball tournament this weekend.’ He doesn’t? HE DOES! This past weekend, I walked past my husband as he was cooking dinner and I was carrying another laundry basket full from the dryer to the dining room table where I fold, hang, and sort, and I said, “So much for our day of rest.” This was at 5 o’clock. Practically bedtime and we, literally, hadn’t stopped going going going since we woke up for church that morning. Rest just wasn’t happening. It was more relaxing than every other day of the week, but still no where near what God called us to do in our observance of the Sabbath.

All of this thought about time and rest, altars and incense, brings me to an odd occurrence in our reading today. While Moses is up on Mount Sinai, the people (and, apparently, Aaron, as well) became impatient. So much so that Aaron took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” (32:4, NIV)

Are you kidding me? Wait, let me rephrase that: ARE YOU KIDDING ME? All of these people are at the base of this mountain, waiting and waiting, BUT seeing that the Lord’s physical presence is still there at the top of the mountain with Moses, and there they all are building a golden calf to worship.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.” (32:7, NIV)

Don’t you know, even the one and only all-knowing God is saddened when we replace Him with things that seem more important to us at the time? Beginning today, I am going to amp-up my efforts to make His time all about Him. Sometimes, we catch ourselves when we are allowing stuff and schedules to take His place in our lives, and sometimes He has to step in with His mighty hand and knock us down a few notches to get us to listen. Picture the scene with me here: The Israelites are feasting and celebrating, sacrificing and worshiping to a golden calf, and in the middle of it all, Moses comes down the mountain with the two tablets in hand, ready to share the true Word of God with the people. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. (32:15-16, NIV)

And when we realize what stupid stuff we have done, and all the ways we have sinned against the Lord, replacing Him with our own ambitions and worldly stuff, doesn’t our anger rage just like Moses’ did against the Israelites? I get so angry with myself sometimes, when I’ve done something particularly idiotic. It’s always, ‘I knew better.’ Although I don’t have false hopes that I will never sin again once this year of reading and studying as passed, I do know that the more I allow the Lord to have all of me, all the time, the less inclined I will be to doing the things that I know not to do, and the more inclined I will be to give Him all. We are only human, with human sin natures, but this journey is beginning on the right foot and the road ahead leads to Him for an eternity. Here’s to a beautiful journey!

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture passage: Exodus, chapters 33-35–we only have three more days left in the book of Exodus, then we will move on and spend 10 days reading through Leviticus. This chronological study has been such a joy so far and I am excited about the next step of our journey.

Dear Lord, I know I have committed great sin. I have not obeyed your commandments and have allowed worldly things come between myself and You. But now, please forgive me of my sin and let me start fresh with You, Lord. I love you, Lord, and I want to know You more. Amen.

Bible in a Year–Day 39

Today’s scripture reading: Exodus, chapters 28-29

Today is all about Aaron’s garments and those that are to be made for his sons, so they may serve in their priestly duties and be properly adorned. I have to be honest with you, friends, today I struggled to get through the reading a bit. I may just be distracted and not focused enough. But every time I have found my mind wandering off somewhere other than Exodus, chapters 28-29, I have made a conscious effort to return to the place I left off. And here’s why that is important: Our goal in reading the Bible all the way through in a year’s time is to strengthen the foundation on which we stand. So that when we stand on the Word, we actually know what the Word says and not merely other’s interpretations of the Word. And, we are doing all of this chronologically so we can keep everything in perspective as our reading progresses and the stories and broken covenants and enslavement and betrayal and forgiveness all makes sense. So, although Aaron’s high priest adornment does sound amazing, it did not make for thought-provoking reading for me today; but I know today’s scripture passage is still an important part of the greater puzzle that I am working through…one day at a time.

Friends, as always, I am so blessed that you are along for the ride. I am in absolute awe that we are already on day 39 and deep into the book of Exodus already. We are learning so much and opening our eyes to things we hadn’t caught before. It is my honest hope and prayer that you are approaching our daily study in prayer that He open our eyes to see all that He wants to reveal to us. That simple invitation will work wonders in our study and our understanding of His Word.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture reading: Exodus, chapters 30-32

Dear God, You fill me so full of your love and your Spirit that sometimes I feel that I may burst. Your Word is so beautiful and so true, and every day that I spend in it, with You guiding my way, I feel a deeper sense of my own human history. Lord, thank you for revealing yourself to me little by little. Amen.

Protected: A Walk to Remember–2010

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

Password:

Bible in a Year–Day 38

I have never been so excited about studying rules and measurements as I am today! The book of Exodus is opening up to me in exciting and surprising ways and I am loving every moment of it.

Today’s scripture reading: Exodus, chapters 25-27

• Let me put a little caveat here and admit that I am not skilled enough to have created any of the tabernacle renderings within today’s post, but they go along so well with our study that I really wanted to share them with you.

We are studying the instructions for the tabernacle construction and it sounds awesome.

“Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.” (25:8, NIV)

Friends, this passage is all about the physical sanctuary built to honor Him, but as I have posted earlier, our bodies are also sanctuaries to Him (see: Your Whole Body is a Temple). The tabernacle was a holy structure and we, created in His image, are as well.

Now, as an odd little segue, my husband and I just watched the movie My Life in Ruins, which was a cute flick. But between the beautiful Grecian scenery and today’s descriptive passage on the tabernacle, I am in awe of God’s wonders.

It is interesting to me that just within today’s three chapters, God says four times that He gave these instructions for the construction and adornment of the tabernacle to Moses on the mountain.

“Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.” (25:9, NIV)

“See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” (25:40, NIV)

“Set up the tabernacle according to the plan shown you on the mountain.” (26:30, NIV)

“It is to be made just as you were shown on the mountain.” (27:8, NIV)

When the Lord makes a statement or a plan that He does not want us to miss, He makes sure there’s no possible way we could miss it. So often when I pray, I ask Him to make the path He has laid out for me so incredibly clear that there’s no way even I could mistake His plan for my life for anything except the ONLY WAY. But the truth is that there’s no need for my repeated prayer about that, I have given my life to Him, so I should trust that if it’s critical, He will make sure I don’t miss it….even if He has to keep repeating Himself four times before I start to catch on.

I don’t know how you study your Bibles, but when I study a passage I feel the burning need to mark it in some way. I love to take notes in my Bible, I love to underline and highlight and color-code. I love that the pages of my Bible are well-worn and that any time I return to a passage I have studied before I can read my old notes and add new ones. As such, I have notes about today’s tabernacle plans that I thought some of you may enjoy knowing. They are specifically regarding the ark of the Testimony.

“Have them make a chest of acacia wood–two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it. Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the chest to carry it. The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed. Then put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you.” (25:10-16, NIV)

Doesn’t that sound magnificent? My notes come from a Bible study lesson I heard a few months ago that struck me as intriguing. The pastor said that the acacia wood represented the humanity of Jesus Christ, while the pure gold overlay represented His divinity.

Then, the bread represented Jesus, as well, our Living Bread of Life.

“Put the bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times.” (25:30, NIV)

Another beautiful part of this project that struck me is regarding all the pure gold that is being used. Since my family is in the custom jewelry business, the price of gold is always at the forethought of my mind, and in a constant ticker at the bottom of my computer screen. So many items in the construction of the tabernacle, itself, as well as the majority of the pieces within the tabernacle were either overlayed with gold or made of solid gold. When I read this, I absolutely start to have dollar signs flash in circles above my head like in some cartoon where a character gets an anvil dropped on her head.

“A talent of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories.” (25:39, NIV)

My Bible has an end note that tells me that a talent equals about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms. As if the weight alone of the gold used for the lampstand and accessories isn’t enough to put things into perspective, let me just tell you that as of the last closing day, the price of gold is currently selling at $34,288.77 per kilogram. So, in current terms these pieces alone would cost $1,165,818.18. Just the lampstand and accessories!

God expected a lot of His people. He still expects a lot of us. Now, I don’t have a million dollar lamp in my house (heck, my house isn’t anywhere near that price tag), but I do trust that if He orders it built, He is also fully capable of providing the means to see it through to completion.

He is working great things in our lives. I can feel my foundation strengthening through this Bible in a Year journey we are taking together. I have noticed that I am reacting to things in my life and to obstacles better. And, I have noticed that I don’t sweat the small stuff as much as I used to. As I get in the Word more and more, and spend more time with Him, I feel Him doing great things in me and working through me. I hope you are feeling some of the same positive changes in your own lives. Anyone who invests the time it takes to read through the Bible in a Year, contemplate it, and even think through and type out a comment to me now and then, will surely feel Him working in your life. He loves us whether we acknowledge Him or not, but it brings us all great joy when we love Him back.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture reading: Exodus, chapters 28-29

Dear Lord, I feel your presence in this temple You have built of me. Thank You for today’s scripture passage, and thank You for the fresh look You have given to me today as I read. Thank you for opening Your Word up to me in ways I have never known and for working constantly in my life to make Your Spirit felt. You reign in my life. Amen.

Bible in a Year–Day 37

Today’s scripture reading: Exodus, chapters 22-24

Friends, even in reading through the laws and rules that kick-off today’s scripture reading, I am continually reminding myself to see this time in the Bible through fresh eyes. That one thought alone helped me soak in every word of the Word, but my heart didn’t jump until I was about mid-way through today’s scripture reading.

“See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.” (23:20, NIV)

God sent guardian angels ahead of the Israelites, to guide and protect them as they continue along the path He had set for them. I believe the same is true for each of us. The Spirit dwells in me at all times, and I believe it is that indwelling that helps me to follow along and recognize the path He sets for my life; then, as an added bonus, my guardian angels lead the way, clearing my path, and protecting me from obstacles that are not in line with His plan for me.

This raises a much-debated question of free-will in our lives. If God lives in us and guardian angels walk ahead of us for protection and guidance, what choices to we have in our own human right to do and act and be? The answer: all the choice in the world.  From Adam on, “The man has now become like one us of, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:22, NIV).

We have the choice to walk with the Lord and follow His path, or we can choose our own way and essentially go against His will for our lives. But I, for one, do not want that. I have no qualms about being subservient to His will for my life because, quite honestly, I want my life and my impact to be as great as it can be! I could choose to live life my own way and still be super-productive and successful by man’s standards, but I want to be super-productive and successful by the standards God has set for my life. That’s where it counts.

Friends, you are such an incredible part of my day. I wish I could put a face to every name, and a name to every click that comes across this series of postings. I am excited by our progress through the Bible in a Year journey; let’s keep up the good work!

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture reading: Exodus, chapters 25-27

Dear Lord, Please keep everything I do in perspective. Please continually remind me that Your will is best for my life and for the lives of those around me. Thank you for your love, your guidance, and your protection. Amen.

Bible in a Year–Day 36

image by Scarlett Sky Photography

Today: The Rules!

But even better than that, today we get to imagine all people, not just the chosen few, seeing the presence of God! What an exciting day!!!

Today’s scripture passage: Exodus, chapters 19-21

Moses had a unique, personal relationship with our Lord. So close was their relationship that Moses went up to God (19:3, NIV). Can you even imagine this? I mean, God comes to us, we’ve read of previous scriptures where He has appeared to this person or that person in this form for that form, but this is the first time that I can recall so far that some person has gone up to Him!

Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain.

When I approach God in prayer or with a need or a concern, I know He is there, I feel His presence. But I also know that His Spirit is within me, so that even if I say that I approach Him, the truth is that He’s been there all along. But Moses, he approached the Lord. I love this!

Then, what comes next is even more riveting.

The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” (19:9, NIV)

Not only was their relationship so intimate that Moses could approach God, but God wanted His chosen descendants of Abraham to know Him so well that they could hear the sound of His voice. God’s voice! Friends, I don’t know about you, but this is hitting me hard! (I suppose that explains all the “!!!”)

Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. (19:17, NIV)

To stand at the base of a mountain, looking up, and seeing God’s presence in a mighty cloud, and hear His voice booming across the skies. Glorious! And, of course, I love the line that says that Moses led the people out…to meet with God.

Oh, how I wonder how those Israelites felt. Scared? Probably. Excited? Absolutely! Do you think they hurried out to the meeting spot or do you think they stumbled along, like when kids have to go to the principle’s office? Were they joyous and excited to see their Lord and to hear His voice or do you suppose they were too nervous to concentrate, thinking through all the sins they couldn’t deny?

Then, He speaks:

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

You shall have no other gods before me.

You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a Jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God has given you.

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (20:2-17, NIV)

Part of me (the really wordy part) wants to develop and comment more on each of the Ten Commandments, but truly, they are about as clear cut as a set of rules can be. God’s Word is perfect, it needs no human explanation to those who listen.

Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” (20:20, NIV)

This is an interesting concept to me. I wasn’t raised in fear of God, but more in adoration of Him, so to see that these rules are meant to keep us from sinning because of our fear of our Lord is a new way for me to look at the laws.  And, in some way it makes sense. I can see how we want to live an upright life to keep from the bad, but really I prefer to live an upright life because I look so forward to all of the joy of heaven!

Now, the last point I want to approach is the difficulty I am having with slavery in today’s reading. I generally read these daily scripture passages about a day before I write my daily post, so I have some time in prayer and contemplation about them before I write. But, let me tell you, friends, that the Israelites begin “allowed” slaves, or slavery being a way of life at those times is a difficult pill for me to swallow. I have had conversations with a few people about this today, one being my father who has such a strong grasp on the Bible, the history, and the relationships. But I am still coming up empty. I’ve gotten answers to my questions, but I am still baffled. God rescued His chosen people from slavery, but there are others who are still viewed as possessions and not people. I would really like to know your thoughts on this subject, and for you to share any other thoughts you have on today’s passage.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture reading: Exodus, chapters 22-24

Dear God, Thank you for writing the book to live by. Thank you for giving your Word and for the glorious eternity we have to look forward to. You are mighty and powerful and so worthy of our fear and our praise! Amen.

Bible in a Year–Day 35

“Is the Lord among us or not?” (17:7, NIV)

Today’s scripture reading: Exodus, chapters 16-18

In yesterday’s scripture reading, the Lord saved the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, parted the waters, provided them with food from the heavens for 40 years, yet they still grumble and groan and push the boundaries. Today is all about tests. The Lord tests His people as to their faithfulness and obedience, and quite honestly at this point and after all He had done in their lives, I hope I would pass every test.

The Lord said to Moses, “I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.” (16:4, NIV)

The Israelites were completely provided for and blessings were, literally, raining down on them day after day, yet they did not follow the simple instructions about collecting the manna each day.

As an aside, I never knew before today’s reading that the word “manna” means What is it? but I got a kick out of that. So, next time my husband fixes some extraordinary meal that fills me, is delicious (the manna was like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey–YUM), but I still can’t put my finger on the ingredients, I think I’ll call it manna and see if I get a reaction.

Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”

However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them. (16:19-20, NIV)

“Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.”

So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded and it did not stink or get maggots in it.

Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you (in the Hebrew “you” is plural) refuse to keep my commands and my instructions?” (16:27-28, NIV)

The entire Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.”

Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?” (17:1-2, NIV)

Do we all act that way? Is this just human nature? I know I test God and test His patience with me! I don’t ever test Him in ways that I am knowingly testing Him, but I do grumble and quarrel. He provides me and my family with  shelter and warmth, but I sometimes grumble that our house (that is 80+ years old) has some maintenance issues.  He provides me and my family with food and we have never known hunger, but I grumble at the cost of the food or if it’s prepared in a way that I don’t think is tasty. I grumble that I have nothing to wear, even though the Lord has blessed me with a closet full of clothes to cover every season and every need.

The Israelites tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” (17:7, NIV)

Friends, He answers: I AM!

He is with us and He is leading us away from the slavery and sins of our past on to a better life with Him. Like yesterday, all we must do is be still. Be still in time of prayer. Be still in Bible study time. Be still and know and believe and trust and build faith that He is our Lord, Creator, Provider, and Savior. Let’s band together and work within ourselves to quit testing Him with our direct grumbling and quarrels, and especially with our direct challenges. He is with us, let’s be still and listen to what the Word of God has to say to each of us.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture passage: Exodus, chapters 19-21

Dear God, Please correct me when I am testing You and grumbling against You. Please hold my tongue when I am on my way to not being completely and whole-heartedly thankful to You for all You have done and are continually doing in my life. Lord, You are our Provider and to You we owe all thanks. Thank you for giving me life. Amen.

Bible in a Year–Day 34

Dear Friends, Let me first apologize to those of you who are reading daily in real time along with me. Today I have a head cold and have hardly been able to keep thoughts straight, names straight, or my eyes open. So, I apologize for posting so late in the day. I’m still not terribly clear headed, but I have missed this time in the Word and with you, so here I am…snorting, sneezing, and all!

Today’s scripture reading: Exodus, chapters 13-15

During my day of being curled into a ball in my favorite living room chair, I have watched too many DVR’d episodes of What Not To Wear to count, and it’s got me thinking. Our reading through Exodus is very similar to Stacy and Clinton swooping in and saving the day of fashion. I type this a little tongue-in-cheek as I don’t want to downplay the awesomeness of God, or His work through Moses, but when you’re foggy brained and have watched hours and hours of one thing, you get a little brainwashed.

God rescued His chosen people, not because they were all living rightly before Him, but in spite of that. He rescued them from slavery because of the covenant He made with Abraham so many generations before. He saved the Israelites from their Egyptian masters, but also from themselves.

In keeping with the What Not to Wear theme, the participants are both surprised and disappointed to see Stacy and Clinton coming their way; on one hand, they get $5,000 and a whole new wardrobe, hair, makeup tips, etc.; on the other hand, they have to completely abandon the old clothes, and the old ways of doing things. We run into this same roadblock so often on our Christian walk, we want all the new, good things, without having to put any of the negative, ugly, or outdated pieces of ourselves behind.

After the Israelites followed the Lord’s direction through Moses, the Lord gave more direction:

“On that day tell your son, ‘I do this because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’

This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the law of the Lord is to be on your lips. For the Lord brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand. You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year.” (13:8-10, NIV)

Friends, as God’s children, we must do things year after year, month after month, and day after day, to continually keep our personal relationship with God alive and in power.

Don’t you love the idea of having a sign on your hand or a symbol on your forehead that you see every waking moment as an ever-present visual reminder of God’s love and care for each of us? I’m not a tattoo person, but that’s what I picture when I read through this scripture. What symbol would you choose to represent God for you?

Our names are written on His palm, my friends! Even if only in our minds, let’s each of us carve our Maker’s name into our hand, as a reminder of all the slavery (of all shapes and forms) that He has saved us from. Even when we haven’t deserved being saved, He has been there and He will continue to be here.

image by Scarlett Sky Photography

By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. (13:21-22, NIV)

He is our beacon! He is our ever-present light, showing the way all the time. The key is for us to open ourselves up to Him and His ways enough to trust and take the path that He is making way for us.

And just as the Israelites, again surrounded by the Egyptians when they caught up with them near Pi Hahiroth, God always has a plan. Sometimes that plan may scare us half to death, other times we may just be confused, but at all times, let’s be prayerfully trusting in Him to do His will through all situations.

As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. (14:10, NIV)

But Moses calmed and comforted the Israelites with the same words you and I can use when we are scared and so uncertain of the what’s, why’s, and how’s of God’s pathway through our lives.

Moses said,

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (14:13-14, NIV)

My friends:

DO NOT BE AFRAID.

STAND FIRM AND YOU WILL SEE THE DELIVERANCE THE LORD WILL BRING YOU TODAY.

THE LORD WILL FIGHT FOR YOU; YOU NEED ONLY TO BE STILL.

I can think of no greater way to close this post but with that reassurance. I’m not facing any huge hurdles in my life at this very second, but only He knows what tomorrow brings. I want those words etched into my brain, so that when I am facing down giants of fears, of insecurity, of worldly pains, I will have those words ready as a constant reminder that the Lord will fight for me, and for you. All any of us need is to be still and follow His direction.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture reading: Exodus, chapters 16-18

Dear Lord, Thank you for fighting for my soul and for my protection. I cannot stand alone but only persevere through Your grace in my life. Thank You for the work You are doing in me and in the lives of my friends reading Your Word along with me. Thank You for revealing yourself to each of us in an individual way. Amen.

Bible in a Year–Day 33

Today we continue with God’s wrath on the Egyptians for not releasing His people from captivity.

Today’s scripture reading: Exodus, chapters 10-12

The the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these miraculous signs of mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord.” (10:1-2, NIV)

The Lord cares about ancestry, blood lines, family, and heritage. I don’t know about you, but I get stressed just over the doctor asking about my family medical history back through my grandparents. There are genealogist-types in my family that keep track of all the records and documentation of who crossed what ocean on what boat and when, but I am not one of them. However, reading just this small passage makes me want to learn more and hear more of the stories my parents and grandparents have shared over the years. In the times we are reading through now, people also lived longer than they do today. We get excited to get a picture with four, maybe even five, generations together, but imagine how many generations you could live to see and tell stories to if you lived to be 137 years old like Levi (Exodus 6:16), 110 years like Joseph (Genesis 50: 26), or 140 years like Job (Job 42:16).

Yesterday, I shared with you about The History Channel program my husband and I had watched, The Exodus Decoded. Today, as the plagues continue, I can’t help but think it interesting that the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart over and over again so that everything in the land of the Egyptians would be destroyed, even the people themselves, before the Israelites would be allowed to leave Egypt. Through bloody water, frogs, gnats, flies, disease, and hail in yesterday’s scripture passage, then today’s locusts, darkness, and even the deaths of every Egyptian first-born son (human and animals), Pharaoh and the Egyptian peoples lost everything.

Now, I know I made a Beth Moore reference in yesterday’s post, but I am making another today. I think the world of her as a Bible teacher, author, and speaker; her dynamic personality so draws me to her that I absolutely hang on every word she says when I’m going through on of her Bible studies. She has the kind of burning passion for God that I am working on kindling; starting with this foundation you and I are building together.

So, here’s the reference: In Beth Moore’s Bible study, entitled Stepping Up: A Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent, she demonstrated how the Israelites would have painted their door posts with lamb’s blood for the Passover that we are studying today. It was interesting for me to see her take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs (12:7, NIV), as she brushed the blood onto the wood with hyssop.

Another time I have encountered delving into the Passover was when I read A.J. Jacob’s Year of Living Biblically, where he devoted a year to living as closely as he could to the laws as outlined in the Bible. Sometimes he passed, sometimes he failed, but his adventures (and mis-adventures) always made for entertaining reading. And, I must say, that although A. J. Jacobs considers himself a Jewish-born agnostic, his book proved enlightening into some of the history and facts behind hundreds of Biblical laws, like the Passover that we are reading about in today’s passage.

Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the Lord’s divisions left Egypt. Because the Lord kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the Lord for generations to come. (12:40-42, NIV)

Family. Generations. Blood lines. Divisions. We are important to our Lord, the one and only God. He keeps His promises to us and is ever faithful to us, His children. Just as He brought His chosen people out of Egyptian slavery, He will also bring you and I out of the slavery and sin we have gotten ourselves tangled up in. The Lord said, “Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants.” (12:24, NIV)

Where do we learn our habits, customs, history from these days? How are we ensuring that these same stories are continuing down the line to our children and our children’s children? He performs miraculous signs in our lives every day, so that we may tell our children and grandchildren how He dealt harshly with those who keep us captive, and how He performs His signs among us, so that we may know that He is the Lord (10:1-2). Amen!

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture passage: Exodus, chapters 13-15

Bible in a Year–Day 32

I’m really not clear why the Israelite years of slavery and captivity and their escape from their Egyptian masters is so thrilling to me, but every passage of scripture I read these days is just exciting to me.

Today’s scripture reading: Exodus, chapters 7-9

This reading just happens (coincidence? I think NOT) to coincide with a History Channel show that I DVR’d a few days ago, The Exodus Decoded.

My husband, Steve, and I have sat together watching this in bits and pieces as we can (remember: there are 3 small children in our house, one big child, and one big child by phone–so watching anything uninterrupted from start to finish is virtually impossible).

Here’s what The History Channel has to say about the show:

At the very heart of Judaism, Christianity and Islam lies the story of the Exodus, an epic tale of plagues, miracles and revelations. But the truth behind these events has been obscured by faith and time–until now.

After six years of unprecedented research, host Simcha Jacobovici and a team of renowned archeologists, Egyptologists, geologists, and theologians shed revelatory new light on the Exodus and the era’s ruling Egyptian Dynasty. Their new theory pushes events hundreds of years earlier than previously thought, allowing age-old stories to sparkle with new perspectives and startling historical import.

Using elaborate, state-of-the-art CGI, THE EXODUS DECODED offers a stunning virtual account of stories like the birth of Moses, the ten plagues, and the parting of the Red Sea, revealing once and for all the difference between acts of Nature and the hand of God. Executive Produced by James Cameron (who appears on camera) and Simcha Jacobovici (who also hosts), the viewer follows Jacobovici to Egypt, Greece and Israel, on an investigative archaeological journey that pieces together a puzzle of tantalizing clues.

Even for a non-science, non-history buff like myself, it was tremendously interesting and I especially enjoyed having all the studies we’ve gone through already being so fresh on my brain as I watched it. I could pinpoint each Biblical story as they mentioned, researched, and interlaced scientific evidence with the Biblical history.

This was a breath of fresh air for someone like me. I believe I have said before that evolution, the Big Bang Theory, creationism, whatever else you want to refer to the beginning of all does not bother me. I have no problem believing that God could create the world in six days and rest on the seventh; and I have no problem believing that He can do all that and make it come out looking to scientists like it all occurred in a big bang…this is God we’re talking about, people! If He says He is going to strike down every first born son in the land, He can do it however He wants to.

He doesn’t have to just strike the sons down, He can do it with style. He can do it in a way that can also be justified by scientific means. This is interesting to me because scientific types tend to use science against God, when really for me there is no greater proof than that God can do all things and still have them make sense.

What I enjoyed most about The Exodus Decoded (here in “TEC”) was that rather than trying to find scientific proof to disprove the existence of God in historical accounts, this show and group of scientists, archeologists, and the like, were working to prove that it all matches up.

Take our passage of scripture for today as an example. TEC explained that the Nile River turning to blood could have been caused by gases being emitted from underground, after the tectonic plates have rubbed together, also causing a volcanic eruption and multiple earthquakes. This one seemingly simple thing, according to TEC would have caused the snow-ball effect of the river turning blood/rust red, the fish in the Nile dying, and the frogs coming up into the land (because they would have been the only creatures living in that water that could have survived the gases). Then, when the Pharaoh begged Moses to pray to the Lord and have the frogs go away, The frogs died in the houses, in the courtyard and in the fields. They were piled into heaps, and the land reeked of them (8:13-14, NIV).

Those piles of frogs, then, would explain the gnats that came next, then the swarms of flies. Then, as TEC tells it, because of all the disease that was being passed around by the gnats and flies from the heaps of dead frogs everywhere and all the dead fish floating on the water, All the livestock of the Egyptians died (9:6, NIV).

And, again, because of all of the disease that swarmed through Egypt, the skin diseases and festering boils broke out on men and animals (9:10, NIV).

TEC also describes the reasoning behind the hail storm that came next, which was caused from the volcanic ash forming clouds in the skies and crystallizing into hail-like bits that then plummeted back to the ground.

I am no scientist, but as a believer in God I have absolutely no issue with TEC and other groups of thinkers trying to make it all fit. Our God is an awesome God!

There are a couple of aspects of the program that glossed over some things from our reading today, however, and I would like to touch on those for a moment. The first of these is that when God turned the Nile River to blood, He told Moses that “Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, even in the wooden buckets and stone jars.” (7:19, NIV) This isn’t a possibility if gases caused the river to turn.

Next, not one animal belonging to the Israelites died (9:6, NIV) while all the Egyptian livestock died. This cannot be scientifically brushed under the rug, can it?

And most of all, throughout each of these occurrences that plagued the Egyptians, but the Israelites remained unaffected by the swarms and diseases and hailstones that rained down over the Egyptians. God had told Moses, “I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live” (8:22, NIV).

The Lord our God is ever-faithful to His promises. Friends, the key is remembering that His timing does not always coincide with our schedules; but on His schedule, He will bring and fulfill all things in us and through us that He has promised you and I. He is I Am!

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture reading: Exodus, chapters 10-12

Dear Lord, Like Moses and Aaron, I want to do just as You command (7:6, NIV) in all things. Lord, please teach me to live by Your timing and be ever-satisfied in You. I know that my understanding of You and Your will is on a need-to-know basis and You will show these things to me as You feel I am ready to receive them. Thank you, Lord, for your blessings. Amen.

Bible in a Year–Day 31

Today’s scripture reading: Exodus, chapters 4-6

I’m just going to jump right into today’s scripture passage because I am excited and really feeling this. A recurring theme today is Moses’ own insecurity about speaking the words of God.

Moses said to the Lord, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant, I am slow of speech and tongue.”

The Lord said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him his sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” (4:10-12, NIV)

I am there! Friends, let me admit now that I am not eloquent in my speech, either. When I write, the words absolutely flow out of me. My fingers dance across the keyboard in a lovely little rhythm. Everything flows and all is well in the world.

However, when I try to speak, even simple every-day conversation, even with my own family and friends, I feel like I am tripping and falling on my face at every turn. Can anyone relate?

There was a time in my life when the words didn’t flow as easily onto the page or computer, but I was much more self-assured in my speech. It’s as if I have traded one for the other; like I can’t have them both at the same time. Very interesting dynamic, I think.

But here’s the cool part: when it’s truly crunch time, when what I am saying aloud is serious and sound and uplifting to Him, the words flow exactly as they should. When everything is clicking, I couldn’t write the words better and they take no thought, no obsessing, no processing, the words just flow from my mouth. The difference is that when the Lord is guiding my words and those words are falling on ears prepared by Him to truly hear, it’s not me speaking, but Him speaking through me.

The Lord said to him, “Who gave man his mouth?”

Amen, my Father, amen! Message received!

Yet even Moses, who had been directly called by the Lord, who had spoken to the Lord on several occasions, was still not sure of his abilities to speak and pass along the Word of God.

Moses said to the Lord, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent…I am slow of speech and tongue.” (4:10)

But Moses said to the Lord, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?” (6:12, NIV)

But Moses said to the Lord, “Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me?” (6:30, NIV)

But Moses said, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.” (4:13, NIV)

Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on  his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him.” (4:14-16, NIV)

Again and again so far in our journey, and in our current days, God makes amendments in the plan to account for our very human shortfalls. It doesn’t effect the end result, but sometimes the twists and turns our humanness put into His mighty plan for our lives have to be frustrating to Him.

How many times in my own doubts and fears have I put a wrench in God’s plans for my own life? Countless, I’m sure! Most recently, I think, would be the discussion of my husband and I beginning a Sunday morning small group at our church (it’s our version of Sunday school). I love to write, study, and share, but when we were approached from all angles about leading a class, I shook in my boots. I immediately began backpedaling with “I’m not qualified,” and “I’m not ready”…”Lord, I’m not eloquent in my speech!” But finally, I realized that if it was in God’s plan for us to lead a small group, when God would also provide the tools and the words. And at that moment I stopped worrying.

Suddenly, as I was writing, it just hit me that today’s scripture passage also coincides with a new book coming out on February 2. It’s the latest book by Beth Moore, beloved author and speaker, So Long, Insecurity. I have my advanced copy ordered and am really looking forward to diving right in as soon as it’s shipped. And, I think it couldn’t come at a better time in my journey. As we are working on building this foundation on the Word of God, isn’t insecurity a HUGE stumbling block for some of us? I am prepared to accept His Words by faith…unless, it seems, it means that I have to do something I don’t feel good enough to do. Anyone else feel what I’m talking about here? Throughout her books and Bible studies, Beth Moore admits that she has battled with insecurity for years, particularly when it’s about time to begin a new lesson or go in front of a new crowd. Something in her just starts eating at her and suddenly makes her doubt herself and her calling. We all have that fear at some point or another, to some degree or another, but when we step back for a moment and realize that if God is for us than nothing can stand against us, we’re taken care of.

My friends, I am so glad to be covered by His blessings.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture passage: Exodus, chapters 7-9

Dear Lord, Thank you for your mighty hand that lifts me up so see way beyond my own human insecurities. I want all that You are willing to give to me, so please do not allow my doubts and fears get in the way of Your plan for my life on earth. Amen.

Bible in a Year–Day 30

We are 30 days in and on into the Book of Exodus; this is a very exciting day!

Today’s scripture reading: Exodus, chapters 1-3

OK, so today we have baby Moses in his basket and Pharaoh’s daughter, and the Lord speaking to Moses out of the burning bush. We’ve heard these pieces preached, we’ve discussed them in Sunday School classes. But one particular verse caught my attention and I would like to focus on that for my Bible in a Year posting for the day.

But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly. (1:12, NIV)

Doesn’t this hold true still today? When we stand firm on our beliefs, no matter how the oppression comes at us and no matter what form it comes in, we will remain empowered.

The more they were oppressed. On journeys like the one we are on together, we are bound to find oppression coming on us because the evil one does not want our foundation to be strong. He wants us to be weak and easy to push around, so he’s going to bring his oppressive forces out against us more and more, the stronger we are and the more focused on the Lord that we become.

The more they were multiplied and spread. In all that we do, it is our primary duty as God’s children to spread His good news. This is one reason I have chosen a public forum to move through my Bible in a Year journey (but mainly it’s so that I am held accountable every day to read and journal), and I am so appreciative for all the positive feedback I have received from those of you who are journeying with me. When the good news of the Lord our God spreads, as those who know and believe His Word are multiplied, He is glorified. That is our duty.

[The oppressors] came to dread [the oppressed] and worked them ruthlessly. Evil dreads being around those who walk with the Lord.  I imagine it’s like in the movies when Holy Water is splashed on a demon-possessed character. We can defeat evil with Good, and this foundation that we are building together is such a critical step.

I’m glad we’re on this road together.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture passage: Exodus, chapters 4-6

Dear God, Thank you for protecting me from the evil one and all the oppressive forces that are constantly at work for me, hoping I will turn my eyes away from You. Lord, please continue to walk this road with me and continue to build up that wall around my heart so that no one can penetrate it. You are my rock and my salvation. You are my one and only Lord. You are my reason for being. I am Yours. Amen.

Bible in a Year–Day 29

Today is our last day in the book of Genesis. It’s been a great “beginning,” hasn’t it?! My friends, this journey through the Bible in a Year is only going to get better, more moving, more powerful, and more empowering as the year continues! I am so proud of us for having the stick-to-it to get this far and continue on our journey together. Yay us!

Today’s scripture reading: Genesis, chapters 48-50

Wow, today’s scripture passage makes pretty quick work of two main characters we’ve been studying for a couple of days, Israel and Joseph. It’s interesting to me how some details in the Bible are so thorough and they’ll be followed by a few paragraphs that span decades.

The first piece of scripture that really grabbed me in today’s reading was from Joseph’s visit with his father, on Israel’s death bed,

Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.” (48:11, NIV)

This one sentence makes a lump form in my throat so large I can hardly swallow. I lost my dear maternal grandparents before they were able to see our youngest daughter, and oh how I know they would be so tickled by her. But I console myself with the knowledge that they do see her, and all the children, every single day. I know they guard my children, my mother, and myself all the time and I know they see and care for everything we do. I miss them terribly, but I know they are smiling down on us and giggling every time one of the kids do something silly, are proud of their every accomplishment, and watch eagerly for us to right our wrongs.

When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew up his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people. (49:33, NIV)

So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them: They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre, which Abraham had bought as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, along with the field. (50:12-13, NIV)

Then, after all that had been done for them, and all that Joseph had provided, and all the years together in Egypt, the brothers start to worry once again. Once their father had passed, they figured Joseph’s true feelings of hatred would come spilling out, so once again they tricked him, or attempted to.

But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of  God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. (50:19-21, NIV)

And before we know it, Joseph is speaking his dying words to his brothers.

“God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.” (50:25, NIV)

Even in death Joseph remained true to the path of the Lord. His concern was for his brothers, to reassure them that they would be provided for. Joseph’s life mirrored so well the life that a Christian should lead: one of grace and forgiveness even when human nature would return hate with hate. Joseph loved as we are each called to love, unconditionally.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Tomorrow, we delve into the book of Exodus, chapters 1-3

Dear God, Thank you for your unconditional love. We wrong you over and over again, sometimes without even realized we have done wrong, but you continue to forgive. I feel so blessed by your constant presence in my life. Lord, only you know all of the places in my life that need your gentle hand, and all of the holes in my soul that need your Spirit to come in and work in me. Lord, I pray that you work a miracle in my life and in the lives of each of the friends you have sent here to read through your Word with me. Only you know what we need for healing and support. I pray with an expectant heart that you will continue to bless each of us and continue to give us each jobs to do in your house. Thank you, God, for your mercy. Amen.

Bible in a Year–Day 28

click image to visit myoneword.org

I have heard a lot about choosing one single word as an all-encompassing New Year’s Resolution goal word. Like narrowing all the hopes for the new year down to just one word. So, I have given this one word a lot of thought. The only real resolution I made this year (and this is the first time in several years that I have even made a NYR) is right here, this reading; my New Year’s Resolution for 2010 was to read the Bible all the way through in chronological order so that I could strengthen the foundation of my faith in God. I was raised in church, I know all the cutsie Bible stories, I’ve heard the antidotes, but I didn’t feel that I truly knew what the Word of God said, only what was interpreted for me. So, my one word is: FOUNDATION

Today’s scripture reading: Genesis, chapters 46-47

Have you ever had a dear friend that you haven’t seen in ages, and when you finally see them the joy is just uncontrollable? You run together, like something out of a romantic comedy, and hug and cry and are just so filled with excitement and happiness? That’s such fun and such a special reunion. Now, imagine if that person were your own father, with whom you had a close bond.

As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time.” (46:29, NIV)

Isn’t it a beautiful scene? Doesn’t it just make you smile to just read of Israel and Joseph’s heartfelt reunion?

I wonder how Joseph’s brothers were able to swallow his high position in Egypt? They were jealous of him before for being their father’s favorite son. But now they were also dealing with Joseph being a national hero and savior for the Egyptians through seven years of hard drought. I’m sure everywhere they turned, they heard, “Joseph this…” and “Joseph that…” Hopefully their hearts were changed by this point in history and they found their way around the jealousy to see that God had worked through them all the entire time and that this was their end result.

Friends, I want to be better at seeing the end result, big picture, before I make costly mistakes. I want to be able to see the good in people before I have the opportunity to first see the bad and stick my foot in my mouth. I want to do the will of the Lord in my life, no matter the cost, and I want to have the forgiveness and foresight of Joseph to see that even the pain is all in God’s plan for the big picture. I have a good feeling about our first four weeks of our Bible journey. Every day I can feel my footing getting stronger and more supportive. I can feel God smiling down on us as we read His Word, sometimes scratching our heads, but nose in the book, working through and working for that FOUNDATION in Him!

Make it a great day,

Tomorrow’s scripture reading is our final day in Genesis: Genesis, chapters 48-50–what a great beginning we’ve had!

Dear God, You are the God of new beginnings, fresh starts, and the God of our foundation. We thank you for working through us and around us every day in ways that we don’t even come close to understanding, but that are all for Your will. Work with us and open our eyes to your incredible glory in the world around us every day. Lord, thank you for this day. Amen.

Bible in a Year–chronological game plan–Exodus

Also, as promised in my earlier post, Bible in a Year–chronological game plan–Genesis, I will lay out several weeks worth of readings ahead of time so that even those who cannot get to a computer daily can still continue our daily journey together through the Word of God. We are going to go straight into the book of Exodus after Genesis, so you won’t have far to go.

So, here’s the next few week’s worth of scripture:

• Day 30: Exodus, chapters 1-3
• Day 31: 4-6
• Day 32: 7-9
• Day 33: 10-12
• Day 34: 13-15
• Day 35: 16-18
• Day 36: 19-21
• Day 37: 22-24
• Day 38: 25-27
• Day 39: 28-29
• Day 40: 30-32
• Day 41: 33-35
• Day 42: 36-38
• Day 43: 39-40

And that’s it. We’ll be finished with Exodus and a month and a half into our journey through the Bible in a Year before we know it. This has already been an awesome journey for me and I hope it has been for you, as well.

Remember, too, it’s not too late to begin at the beginning! I am numbering our daily reading by day rather than date so that any one who wants to go through the Bible in a Year in chronological order can do so and start whenever you’re ready (but there’s no time like the present). You don’t just have to resign yourself to starting wherever I already am; start from the beginning and make my journey your journey, too!

Make it a great day,

Bible in a Year–Day 27

Have you, like me, ever messed something up so many times that you knew no one would ever put that duty in your hands again or ever trust you with another important task ever again, just to end up HAVING to do that task–or one similar–again and really have to beg and plead to be allowed to do what you KNOW you HAVE to do? That was one long, rambling sentence, but sufficed to say, I can relate to Joseph’s brother, Judah, when he is begging his father to allow Benjamin to go along to Egypt so that they will be allowed to buy food and not starve.

Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die. I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice.” (43:8-10, NIV)

This is a day of relating to the Word!

Today’s scripture reading: Genesis, chapters 43-45

Then Israel (earlier known as Jacob) said to them, “may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your brother and Benjamin come back with you” (43:14, NIV).

Don’t I know the feeling. In these times when I’ve had to absolutely beg for one more chance to do something the right way, and am granted that opportunity, don’t I know that those who grant it are just praying that this time, please God, let it work!

Remember, Simeon was still back in Egypt, imprisoned, as ransom. No one knew what ever came of Joseph (boy, are they about to find out!). And Israels next favorite son is the meal ticket necessary to keep the entire family from starvation.

Israel did send them on their way, but before they left him, he felt such pain that all he could say was, “As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.” (43:14, NIV) Sometimes don’t you want to throw your hands up, when you’re in such pain that you really don’t know how you’re going to get through it. Sometimes, even if just for a moment, don’t you just want to say, ‘It is what it is.’ or, as Israel, “if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

Oh, but friends, who needs the movies when you have stories like these! This is the exciting climax I was so eager to continue reading from yesterday. After Joseph had fed his brothers and manipulated some things, still unknown to them, he finally couldn’t contain his secret any longer. I love this! The entire 45th chapter of Genesis is just so beautiful and touching; can’t you just feel the joy they felt?!

Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!”

So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?”

But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence. (45:1-3, NIV)

Joseph: “And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you…God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not your who sent me here, but God.” (45:5 & 7-8, NIV)

Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him. (45:14-15, NIV)

So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt.”

Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them. But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.

And Israel said, “I’m convinced! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.” (45:25-28, NIV)

Isn’t that such a touching piece of our history? My daughter told me recently that she thinks it’s sad that girls don’t generally like the subject of history (before you female history buffs out there–and I know some of you by name–start on your comments, remember, she is only nine years old). Her solution is that she wants to write a history book that would teach the girls the history in a way that would interest them. She was specifically talking about various wars. Her class is studying the Civil War now, and the Korean War also came up in discussion, so the subject of war is fresh on her brain. I thought it was a genius plan! I have never been very interested in the study of history and it is only now that I really see how much I missed out on by only memorizing enough for the test and letting so much interesting stuff fall by the way side. This journey through the Bible in a Year is also our history, it is our Christian history, and the part that is no longer taught in public schools. I remember when I was my daughter’s age, we prayed every day (in public school) and said the Pledge of Allegiance every day (“under God” and all!). Now, God is taboo in public, but that means that we have to be even stronger in our foundation and our convictions!

Make it a great day,
Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture reading: Genesis, 46-47

Dear God, Today’s scripture reading is absolute proof that a life lived for You, and through You, always has meaning. Even the pain that we go through, and even the human horror will bring glory to You in the end. And, in the end, that is all that truly matters. You are a good God and I stand here with my friends praising You! Amen.

Bible in a Year–Day 26

Some days I wish our reading was more theme-grouped. For instance we ended yesterday’s reading and begin today’s reading with dream interpretation. I know there are several places throughout the Bible where the Lord speaks to people through dreams, or dreams have to be interpreted, and I would love to study those as a whole for comparison. Maybe next year! Until then, we will continue our reading, chronologically. I am no history buff, but I can already tell that I am putting some pieces together in Biblical history, just from our 26 days together. I’m looking forward to all the further knowledge we’ll gain from continuing our study.

Today’s scripture reading: Genesis, chapters 41-42

God used Joseph to interpret the cup holder and baker’s dreams in yesterday’s reading, and the Pharaoh’s dreams in today’s. Joseph gives all the glory to God, and, in turn, God spoke through Joseph.

Every day that I wake up from a night full of dreams, I wonder ‘why did I just dream that?’ I analyze, I think through, I go over and over through the details of the dream, and I wonder at it’s cosmic meaning. Like I said yesterday (also in our dream-theme), I am resigned now to believe that if the dream is of great importance, God will be sure I 1)remember it in the morning, 2) understand it’s deep meaning, and 3)that the details and instructions are laid out for me Barney-style (so simplified that even I can get what He’s trying to tell me). I think anymore that God has resorted to speaking to me in my deepest prayers, and in our quiet time together; I think He knows that at least then I’m the most open to whatever He has to share with me, and under those circumstances, I will better accept any message He has for me.

Does anyone else feel this way? Like it better be REALLY obvious if God wants to speak to you through your dreams because, let’s face it, we have some really strange dreams sometimes. Scary at times, day to day stuff at other times, romantic, even sometimes dirty; and every time don’t you just wake up and wonder, ‘why???’ I do!

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.” (41:39-40, NIV)

God does some strange things, sometimes, at least by human standards. But, just like he allowed Joseph to be sold into slavery by his brothers, then spend years in prison just to be freed and made second only to the Pharaoh; when we remain true to Him and His calling for our lives, He is able to work through us as He did through Joseph. There’s no account where Joseph doubted that God was working in Him. Joseph knew God was with him. And, no matter the worldly circumstances, Joseph took comfort in that knowledge.

Then, after seven years of feasting and in the midst of seven years of famine, Joseph’s father sent all but one of Joseph’s brothers to Egypt for food; he sent them to their long-lost brother, Joseph. Can you imagine how Joseph’s face flushed when he first saw his brothers?

I know too well the feeling of running into someone that I haven’t seen in a long time but didn’t get along with when I did see them. Or, some quarrel or disagreement came between you which has never really been resolved, just swept under the rug. That issue is all but forgotten when suddenly, without warning, there’s that person who caused you so much pain or anger or guilt. In that first moment of seeing them, isn’t it like going through a thousand different emotions in a split second? When you’ve lived life like I have, you’ve made some enemies, you’ve wronged some people, you’ve left things undone, and you’ve tried to forget the pain in the past. But the flush that goes through you when you see that person again or when something reminds you of that memory hits hard.

As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. ”Where do you come from?” he asked.

“From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.”

Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. (42: 7-8, NIV)

I gather from that passage that Joseph’s initial reaction was perfectly human anger and distrust.

Just like I wish we were studying these few day’s worth of passages by theme, I also found that I wanted to keep reading even when I reached the end of today’s study passage. We reach an exciting climax in the story of Joseph and his brothers, just as we reach the end.

As they were emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his pouch of silver! When they and their father saw the money pouches, they were frightened.

Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!”

Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him back.”

But Jacob said, “My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him on the journey you are taking, you will bring my gray head down to the grave in sorrow.” (42: 35-38, NIV)

My heart caught in my chest. I can’t wait for Joseph to see Benjamin and for all to be right, again, in their family. I want Jacob to see his dear son, alive! I want to see the brother’s faces when they realize who they’ve been bowing down to, that brother whom they envied so that they thought of killing him. This is such an interesting part of the Bible and I am so enjoying reading it all, chronologically, with completely fresh eyes and a heart only for God.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture passage: Genesis, chapters 43-45

Dear Lord, Thank You for another day in Your Word. I feel so blessed to own a Bible. I feel so blessed to have daily access to Your Word. And, I know just how blessed I am to be on this amazing journey through Your Word, and can actually feel Your Word strengthening my foundation and walking me even closer to You every day. You are my ultimate Provider. Amen.

THE SHIELD–News from Houston Badge Co.

JANUARY 2010

CUSTOM BADGE RING JEWELRY

#1428 TT 14k

Just when I think our website looks totally awesome, and better than it’s ever looked before, my father, Gary, goes and makes it even better! 

Dad has redesigned the Custom Badge Ring Jewelry page of our Houston Badge Co. website and it looks AWESOME! Check it out when you get a chance.

Austin PD 887 TT 14k

Any agency badge design can be made into a custom badge ring. We offer custom rings in sterling silver, 10k, 14k, or 18k yellow or white gold. And any ring design can be customized with your badge number, rank, name, or whatever you would like. 

At Houston Badge Co., it’s all about YOU!

*****

CONGRATULATIONS, HOUSTON POLICE ACADEMY, CLASS #207!

Click on the above image or this link to view the final roll-call of the Houston Police Academy Class #207.

I love their class motto: Duty to Serve. Honor to Protect.

*****

THE LATEST DESIGNS FROM THE ROWE FAMILY

Our family has been making custom mini-badge jewelry for you and yours since 2000, and every year we have more fun doing so. 

Over the 2009 Holiday Season, we were so blessed to make several unique pieces for your and your families. 

There were badge designs we had never seen before. There were birthstones and gorgeous diamonds making these already handsome works of art in jewelry even more spectacular. 

Most of all, there were a lot of hugs and kisses handed out because someone thought enough of them to have a piece of custom jewelry made just for them! 

2009 was also a year of additions in our family. We added fully customized badge rings to our offerings, so now we can create a badge ring for you out of any badge design, customized however you like. Check out our Custom Badge Ring Jewelry page for more details and examples of our work. 

Another new launch that we are excited about as we kick-off the new year (and a new decade) is our semi-customizable mini-badge jewelry. These new designs take less time to produce than most of the fully-customizable mini-badge jewelry, so they are a great option for last minute gift ideas. And, as an added bonus, our semi-custom pieces are also less expensive than the fully customizable options, so they’re great for the family on a budget. 

These new, semi-custom designs: 

• Are available in sterling silver or yellow or white 14k gold.
• Choose from any combination of available ranks and titles.
• Eagle-top design is available with a two-letter state designation.
• Choose a diamond, CZ, or birthstone (genuine or synthetic) center.

Our family knows just how incredibly blesse dwe are to serve you and your families in all of your badge, badge jewelry, and signature line jewelry needs. It is an honor to serve you. 

Be safe,

 

 

 

 

 

Marilyn Rowe-Horton

Designer & Daughter

G. W. Rowe Corporation

 

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”

-Ronald Reagan

 

“People of character do the right thing, not because they think it will change the world but because they refuse to be changed by the world.”

-Michael Josephson

Bible in a Year–Day 25

Today’s scripture passage: Genesis, chapters 38-40

Today we begin with one of Jacob’s 12 sons, Judah. Many times I feel a lot like Judah, as I go about life, not seeking God’s guidance and direction, but making my own human judgments. Judah did not seek His wisdom in any areas of his life and paid dearly, and all of this while his own father was mourning the loss of his son, Joseph.

Meanwhile, The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master (39:2, NIV). And, as a result of the Lord being with Joseph, The Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian (39:5, NIV).

But the portion of today’s reading that is particularly interesting to me is the part about the dream interpretations the Lord works through Joseph, while Joseph, the cup bearer and the baker were imprisoned. I have been a student of dream interpretation for decades. My earliest memory of journaling about my dreams was in the fifth grade or so, and I only remember that because I remember the computer I was using at the time.

(The Tandy 1000, my first “real” computer–it was huge and I thought it was awesome!!! By the way, this is the exact computer I had, complete with the stand you see in this old ad. It was HUGE. It took up my entire desk…plus there’s the printer and the joysticks and the diskettes….ahhh, those were the days.)

I have filled pages and diaries and journals with my own dreams and the interpretations that these books have taught me, but no matter what these dreams that flow so freely while I sleep have never made sense in their interpretations. The explanations of what driving or eating or a grandparent sighting or a child’s birth meant never seem to coincide with the explanations of any other aspect of the dream. Finally, I gave up trying to interpret my dreams, I tossed out all of the books that teetered on the side of non-Christian, and I stopped scribbling notes in the darkness of night with keywords or catch phrases to keep handy for the next morning when I could attempt to make sense of it all.

Joseph said to [the cup bearer and baker], “Do not interpretations belong to God?” (40:8, NIV)

In all of those years of documenting and researching the meaning of my countless dreams, I cannot remember one time consulting with God. I have always felt dreams were such powerful things, and even through my Christian walk, I have still left interpretation to human minds.

Now, though I am still curious when I have a particularly off-beat dream what it’s supposed to be telling me, I obsess about it much less. I figure that if God is trying to tell me something or give me a special task, He will make it clear enough that I won’t misunderstand. Friends, I know there are areas of my own life where I need to let go and let God (I don’t remember where that phrase originated, but I think it’s about as old as the Tandy 1000). Seeking Him and trusting Him in all of life’s moments will bring us prosperity, no matter where our worldly circumstances take us.

Make it a great day,
Marilyn

Dear God, Thank you for opening my eyes to see that it is not up to me to do your job. My tasks are only mine and You will make clear to me every step You want me to take. Please, Lord, be with me and give me direction in all matters so that I can bring you the most glory. Use me, please. Take me wherever You want me to be. Here I am, Lord, send me! Amen.

Bible in a Year–Day 24

As I began todays reading, I had just finished my Bible study lesson on the pride of King Uzziah, and how pride can be our ultimate downfall when we allow it to take hold. Pride says that we are in charge, and puts us in the place of God. It’s a slippery slope.

For instance, this Bible in a Year project has actually got some of you subscribing to this blog. That excites me to no end but not because that makes me anything special, it means that there are people out there who are also interested in strengthening their foundation through the Word and that this blog was at the right place at the right time. I’m not pretending here that my words are Spirit led or inspired but I promise you, friends, that I pray constantly that the words I write herein and the understanding I gain from each days scripture reading bring glory to God. Subscribing means you’re along for the ride and that is very exciting!

So, all that to say that I’ve got pride on the brain and it still seems fitting with our Bible in a Year scripture passage, too.

Todays scripture reading: Genesis, chapters 35-37

Right off the bat let me reference the verse that points to foreign gods still being a part of Jacob’s family’s life. With all that God, the Lord of all, has done and spoken to Jacob I am absolutely blown away by this.

So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone.” (35:2-3, NIV)

I guess that answers the question of what happened to Laban’s gods that Rachel hidden in chapter 31 (day 22), but how tragic that even after all of God’s provisions for Jacob and his family, that they were still holding on to those household gods.

Don’t we do that, too? I know that I have a tendency to take hold of Him and His Word but still want to cling to some (or even most) of my old ways. Is there more comfort in the old ways that have landed us where we are today, or more comfort in the God that is with us always, knowing all and being all? My heart says the latter but my human nature still clings to the things of this world. How to overcome? I would love to know anyone’s thoughts on this that feel compelled to share.

The second portion of todays reading is the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors; a story we have heard since we were young ones in Sunday School and VBS, then as we age and were introduced to the musical rendition. We’ve heard this story from every angle, and today I am looking at it with pride in mind.

Josephs brothers were so proud and so jealous of him that they sold him into slavery. I do think it is a sad telling of the nature of man that even with all that Jacob went through to overcome his own parents favoritism, Jacob played favorites with his own.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons. (37:3, NIV)

Maybe it is natural for parents to favor some children over others. In a house like ours, the immediate needs are the ones that consume our time, as parents, so sometimes my husband and I find that we need to reset. We realize that the better behaved children have not gotten the attention they deserve because we have been so busy dealing with the issues. Jacob played favourites with Joseph and made a clear difference between he and his other sons. And in their anger and pride, the lesser sons took Josephs life in their own hands.

Pride makes us to terrible things, think terrible thoughts, and take the focus off of God, our Creator, our Source, and our Provider of all. Pride makes me talk when I really should listen. It makes me act when I know I should be still. It makes me think thoughts that are unhealthy and knock me off of His path.

In this journey through the Bible in a Year, I know we will study example after example of ones pride coming before their fall. I hope having a stronger foundation in the Word will help each of us battle pride with scripture and win our sin natures for our Lord.

Make it a great day,
Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture reading: Genesis, chapters 38-40

Dear God, Thank you for leading me down your path. Please help me always remember that you are my God, my Creator. Amen.

Bible in a Year–Day 23

Dear Friends, My apologies for not getting this post out earlier today; we began our day with some technical difficulties…ahhh, the joys of modern technology.

Today’s scripture passage: Genesis, chapters 32-34

We have two important stories in today’s reading. First, Jacob seemingly making amends with his brother, Esau, whom he once tricked out of his birthright then out of his blessing.  The passage begins with mention of Jacob being met by an unknown number of angels of God; we don’t know what the circumstances were or what was told to Jacob in that meeting, but we know that next Jacob begins to pursue a renewed relationship with his brother, so I am of a mind to think that Jacob was instructed in that meeting to make amends with Esau.

Jacob went above and beyond in this pursuing of Esau; taking part defensive and protective measures (by breaking up his flock of livestock as well as people) and proactive (by sending gifts ahead for Esau). All of these measures either worked beautifully or they weren’t necessary in the first place, as when Jacob met up with Esau, he asked,

“What do you mean by all these droves I met?”

“To find favor in your eyes, my lord,” Jacob said.

But Esau said, “I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.” (33:8-9, NIV)

Esau met Jacob with love and welcomed him with open arms. Yet, at the first opportunity, Jacob took his clan away, again, from Esau.

So that day Esau started on his wy back to Seir. Jacob, however, went to Succoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. (33:16, NIV).

The second well-known story from today’s reading is the story of Dinah, Jacob’s daughter by Leah, and her defilement by Shechem.

I begin to question Jacob’s thought processes here. He has wrestled with God. He has prayed. And, yet, he seems to be doing something that was not in God’s plan for his human life. Instead of reuniting with his twin brother, Esau, Jacob went elsewhere and, there, his family was discraced by sexual impurity, and the reaction of his sons against that impurity. They departed from God, tricking the people of Hamor and Shechem.

Is it just me or does Jacob’s human sin nature make you feel a little bit better about our own faults? Jacob “saw God face to face, and yet [his] life was spared” (32:30, NIV). Jacob, grandson of Abraham, who walked with God, received direct instruction from God and was often in direct contact with God and His angels, and yet he still goes his own way so often. This is half relief and half additional stressor. Jacob saw God and still disobeys. This makes me in all of my humanness feel a little better about the constant battles I have between what is right by God and that I know will not bring Him faovr. It makes me a little stressed, because I figure if even someone who hears directly from God can do wrong…what about me?

Obviously, this is one of those days when this awesome trip through the Bible is doing more tripping me up than making my path clearer.

Make it a great day,

Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture reading: Genesis, chapters 35-37

Dear God, I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. (32:10, NIV) Please continue to guide and direct my path. Amen.

Bible in a Year–Day 22

Today’s scripture reading: Genesis, chapters 30-31

Again, the cultural differences between the time period we’re reading through and the time period we are living in are so vastly different, yet the lessons are universal. Although many men joke about having more than one wife, and mistresses, concubines, etc…all my logical mind can think is, “How did they afford all of those kids?” Steve and I have five kids, two of which are essentially on their own (his, mine, and ours, in case you’re doing the math), and it’s still a stretch to pay for them all! Jacob had at least six sons with Leah alone, not to mention all of the other children. Good grief. That would just stress my husband out!

Today, though, what really interests me is how God sometimes takes us in a completely different direction than we initially planned. Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” (31:3, NIV)

And I return, also, to a question I posed yesterday about the IF’s and the THEN’s and the Lord God of Jacob’s father, Isaac, rather than claiming Him as his own. Jacob responds here to God’s calling back to his homeland, “the God of my father has been with me” (31:5, NIV), and my reaction is completely different. Today–and maybe it’s a difference in the way it is used–I see the God of my father reference more as a reverence for all that his father, Isaac, and his father before him, Abraham, had done and promised, and that Jacob was being protected because of those promises. The way I read today’s scripture, Jacob believes that God is protecting him and his family because of his forefather’s obedient lives.

Then, God speaks to Jacob in a dream, and reminds him of the vow Jacob made to God (or the “test,” whichever way you want to look at it): “I am the god of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.” (31:13, NIV)

As Jacob is sharing this dream with his wives, I love that for the first time recorded, the sisters actually agree. “Do whatever God has told you” (31:16, NIV). So many women take issue with submission to a husband, male-figure, or even any other authority figure in their lives. I know, I used to be one of them. But then I realized that if you are following the direction of someone who is faithful to God and is putting godly direction above all else, then submitting to that is nothing negative and can only have positive outcomes.

I find the stealing of Laban’s gods (statues, I suppose?) an interesting twist of events. Yet, even once God came to Laban in a dream, telling him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either god or bad,” Laban still obsesses and hunts for his gods among Jacob’s things (31:24, NIV). I have said this before and I will most likely say it a hundred times more, but if God spoke directly to me, in a dream or otherwise…I WOULD LISTEN. (I hope) But certainly, if God spoke directly to me, I would no longer doubt (if I doubted before) the existence and omnipresence of the Lord our God. And, I would absolutely, without a doubt, STOP looking for the other gods. I truly don’t understand this part of the history.

Today, as I was going about my daily thinks, I recalled a memory of a babysitter I once had. Penny was a kind, Christian woman with bright red hair and a love for God. Penny loved to watch soap operas, but once she became a Christian, she traded in her Guiding Light and As The World Turns for a Christian soap opera (which, I still think is a complete contradiction). I always thought it absurd that a Christian soap (“stories”) even existed, and especially since I was never around soap operas (thank you, Mom) I really didn’t see the thrill of any of them, Christian or not. But now I see. Soap operas began in the beginning! We have read Job and much of Genesis and we’ve already got enough material for some pretty juicy stories. Drama has always been around; it didn’t begin with the Valley Girls of the 80’s; it began with a piece of fruit in a garden that was too tempting to resist. Friends, we can’t always escape the drama, but we can control the ways we allow the drama to effect our lives, and how we respond. Hopefully, by rebuilding our foundation on the Lord, we will approach the stories of life in the healthiest way possible, and always trust in the Lord, our Provider, to bring us home to safety.

Make it a great day,
Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture reading: Genesis, chapters 32-34

Dear God, Thank You for this day, this life, and every breath you breathe into us with Your Spirit. Remain in us always so we may always celebrate and honor only You. Amen.

Bible in a Year–Day 21

Congratulations to us for reaching the three-week mark. We have officially made God a habit! Making God a priority in our lives begins with having a strong foundation in the Word. After all, if we don’t know what God said, how are we going to truly know how to behave or what to believe when the world seems to be attacking from all angels? Stick with this, friends, and we will all learn that lesson together!
Today’s scripture reading: Genesis, chapters 27-29

In today’s passage, we get into the stories of Isaac and his sons Esau the skillful hunter and man of the open country, and Jacob who was a quiet man, staying among the tents (25:27, NIV).

First of all, let me just say that in my very shallow understanding of the culture in which we read, I think today’s reading is a bit odd. It confuses me. I mean, Isaac and Rebekah obviously played favorites with their children, and so Rebekah made sure that Jacob, her favorite, was blessed instead of Esau, Isaac’s favorite? And, Isaac only had one true blessing to give out? And, the remaining blessing wasn’t really much of a blessing at all, but more of a curse, it seems. I’m so lost. It’s days like these when I wish I were reading some studied commentator to help me through these rough spots. But, like I have said again and again, I am not because I want to know what the Word says…then I will build on that.

As I slip on my new reading/computer/night driving glasses, I am struck by the way old Isaac ended his days; so blind that he couldn’t even decipher one son from the other. When you can’t tell goatskins from hairy man, you’re pretty far gone.

And Rebekah, Isaac’s scheming wife, when she butts in, she really butts in! I’m curious what the future readings will reveal about the remainder of Rebekah’s life, as she spoke to Jacob (her favorite), “My son, let the curse fall on me. Just do what I say; go and get [the elements of trickery] for me.” Whether she paid for the way she handled things in this situation while still on earth or whether she began her stay in heaven with a pretty hefty stay in time-out would be interesting to know.

I have a very distinct picture of Rebekah and Jacob in my minds-eye, and it’s not a terribly flattering picture. When Isaac asked Jacob (though he thought he was speaking to Esau) how we got everything together so quickly, Jacob’s response bothers me: “The Lord your God gave me success.” (27:20, NIV) Not anything about the Lord being Jacob’s God, Jacob’s belief, but his father’s God.

Then, later, once Jacob journeyed to the land that he called Bethel (or house of God), he says something that strikes me as a #1 no-no in dealings with God: testing Him.

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s house, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.” (28:20-22, NIV)

IF God will do all of these things. THEN Jacob will consider the Lord his God. And after all of that, THEN Jacob will give back a tenth. Let me just say that IF I told God in prayer that IF He did this thing and that thing for me THEN I would praise Him forevermore, I would NOT expect my instructions to be fulfilled. Rather, I would be running for my life and expecting lightning to strike my self-consumed world! IF-THEN…

But you know what, I think Jacob gets his lesson pretty quickly in the Leah/Rachel saga. I believe the Lord worked through Laban to make sure Jacob paid dearly, in years of labor, payment, wives, and children, for testing God with all of his IF’s and THEN’s. We walk on shaky ground when we start telling our Creator how He needs to do things.

Although I have been really trying to avoid referencing any scripture passages outside of our daily passages, today the following passage was lifted up to me and it was too beautiful not to share with you.

The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

“Ah, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.”

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
(Jeremiah 1:4-8, NIV)

This passage struck a chord with me as I read and write on this journey. I am still very young; I am only 31 with many years and experiences yet to come. But I know one thing is certain: I feel a calling on my heart to do what I’m doing, and to share with you as I go along. My spiritual maturity may still be in its youth, but when the Lord leads me to His Book and urges me to read and share, that’s what I am going to do. I am not intending to tell you, the readers, anything new and profound, but I am uncovering a new understanding as I read and share, and I hope you are looking at our Christian history in a fresh light, as well.

Friends, I am thankful for all of you on this journey with me. I think of you often and you are in my prayers. Although I am here and you are there, and I know nothing of the journey you are on personally, or the place you are in your own life, and you know only as much as I choose to write herein, we are connected. God has drawn us together and I am excited for the day that we are united in heaven and can realize we knew each other now but in our human lack, couldn’t even comprehend the connection. Glory to God in all of His Majesty!

Make it a great day,
Marilyn

Tomorrow’s scripture passage: Genesis, chapters 30-31

Creator God, Thank You for Your loving correction when I do wrong and Your loving spirit when positive things are done in Your holy name. Lord, thank You for the friends You have connected just through this one small blog. We are excited every day in learning what Your Word reveals to us, even if we have studied this before, every day bring us a new understanding and a fresh view of Your World. Thank You for Your love, peace, and protection. Amen.

Bible in a Year–Day 20

First and foremost, let’s take a moment to celebrate 20 days together in God’s Word! Woohoo! I’ve heard that if you do one thing every day for three weeks, it becomes a habit. Well, friends, tomorrow is our three week mark together. And, whether you were already spending daily time with God, or if this is just an addition to your routine, I’m excited that we are going through this journey together. Let’s jump in to today’s Word.

Today’s scripture reading: Genesis, chapters 25-27

God told Abraham back in chapter 21 that “it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned” (21:12, NIV), so even though he had other children from his concubines, Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac (25:5, NIV). I wonder if familial hierarchy was such then that Abraham’s other children didn’t feel slighted, or if it was much like now where being cut out of the inheritance would really hurt. There’s no further mention of it, and what it does mention is pretty matter-of-fact, so I guess it’s more of the latter???

Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years (25:8, NIV). I imagine that Abraham had a real peace about him, particularly in his final years on earth. He and God had a true relationship, and I would even venture to say that I imagine Abraham knew when he was going. I bet he was among the “lucky ones” with no pain, he just faded into a peaceful sleep, never to wake. Wouldn’t that be the way to go? To die at a good old age…full of years, and memories, and love, and contentment, and secure knowledge of exactly what heavenly place he was going to next.

Now, Abraham and Isaac interest me in one particular way. Both had beautiful wives; apparently the kind of Miss America wives that every man drools over. The father and son, when travelling, told their wives to say that they were siblings so as to spare the lives of the husbands. And, both said these things to a ruler named Abimelech. Now, I would love for someone to clarify this point for me. In Abraham’s case, in chapter 20, Abimelech is king of Gerar (20:2). Later, in Isaac’s life, in our current day’s reading, Abimelech is king of the Phillistines (26:8). I have never had a mind of geography or history, so this matter is a double-edged sword for me. Is this the same Abimelech? Gerar is mentioned later in chapter 26, so I questionably assume this is the same king, just another generation older.

This is one of those times when I may just be obsessing over something that really makes no real difference, but these similarities strike me as so odd. There is no mention of God instructing either Abraham or Isaac to lie in order to save their lives. So, why would these protected, God-fearing, God-abiding men feel the need to do anything manipulative? Don’t they know by now that God is going to protect them no matter what? I suppose this is proof that even Abraham and Isaac were only human. That’s kind of a comforting thought for me, as I tend to think I have to do this and that in my own human way, when it’s something God can easily handle and He really doesn’t need my help. In fact, like with Abraham and Isaac, our human ways usually end up throwing added wrenches into the gears of God’s plan.

Further, if Abimelech, king of Gerar is the same as Abimelech, king of the Phillistines, is the same man…just how dumb was this guy? At what point would he learn his lesson? And, as much as oral history was critical in the times before computers, styluses, and notebooks, wouldn’t Isaac have heard the story of the time he lied to a king and said he was his wife’s brother? Don’t our parents tell us of the stupidity of their youth so we won’t repeat the same mistakes? In both cases, God had to keep the king from consummating things between Abimelech and each of the wives. Like I said before, so often He has to fix the messes that our human errors make.

My pastor often says how much easier it is for us, as Christians, to forgive a “sinner” for doing something wrong than for us to forgive the “saved.” It’s the “he didn’t know any better’s” vs. the “he should have known better’s.” But the truth is that we are all sinners, we all make human errors. At some time in our lives, we all make errors that make the Lord sad, but no matter what His mighty grace saves us. Just as Isaac returned to the land of Abraham and began working to re-dig the wells that his father had dug, you and I must return to the safety and direction of our heavenly Father’s care. Maybe you were raised in the church like I was, maybe you’ve never really had a time when you didn’t know of God, and didn’t know the stories; but that doesn’t mean that, just like me, you didn’t stray. Friends, I fell off the path of righteousness with God, but I am here to tell you that I crawled back onto the path and I don’t ever want to fall away from Him again. Maybe you have never known God until recently, maybe you were raised under a different set of guidelines or maybe you were never raised with training in any religion at all; if this is the case in your life, this is where your path begins. As the munchkins said to Dorothy, “Just follow the yellow brick road.” No matter what your past experiences are, today is a new day in God’s house and today can be the day that you make Him priority over even your earth-bound world. We are building our foundation, and this is a great opportunity for us all to start fresh and leave all of the mistakes of our sinful past behind us. Are you with me?

Tomorrow’s scripture passage: Genesis, chapters 27-29

Make it a great day,
Marilyn

Dear God, I praise You! I think back on the countless, awful, sinful, cruel things I have done, thought, and believed in my past and I wonder how You can even still call me Yours. But You do! You forgive and truly forget, and now, please, help me to do the same. Help me to brush off the dust of the old road and start fresh on the road leading straight to You. Lord, I thank you for having mercy on me. I praise You forever. Amen.

Bible in a Year–Day 19

Today’s theme (rather, the theme of our life): The Lord Will Provide.

Today’s scripture passage: Genesis, chapters 22-24

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”

Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
(22:1-8, NIV)

The Lord DID provide for that burnt offering. The Lord DOES provide all we truly need now. And, the Lord will CONTINUE to provide for us in the future. By testing us, God is able to prove again and again that He will forever provide for our needs. After we pass these tests, large and small, God blesses us with greater responsibility.

I love the quote from Mother Teresa, “I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish He didn’t trust me so much.”

God blessed Abraham for his faith, and He blesses you and I, as well.

The Lord rewarded Abraham for passing the ultimate test:
I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” (22:17-18, NIV)

God blesses us all the more because you have obeyed me.

I want to pose an open-ended question. Don’t panic, it won’t be too deep…it’s more a Sunday school question, but hopefully over time we can add some depth to our answers. The question is two-fold:

1) How do we, in our daily lives, obey God? How do we, REALLY, obey Him daily? Not, what should we doing, but what do we do?
2) What proof have we experienced in the past that when we obey God, we truly are blessed in cause and effect kind of responsiveness?

My answers, #1) In my daily life, I have to have my “God time.” And most of the time that need to have quiet time alone with Him is because I feel so lonely without it. Whether I spend the time on this Bible in a Year journey, reading and writing, or it’s time spent in prayer or some other form of time with Him, I know I must have it in order to remain full and focused.

Through this year’s reading journey, I am purposely avoiding commentaries and teachings that pertain to the passages we are reading together. This is not to suggest that I don’t love to hear my pastor preach, or get so deeply involved with my latest ladies Bible study, but I have not gone out of my way to research the daily scripture reading passages more in-depth. If it’s not in the Book, itself, it can wait. This year for me is about knowing what the Bible actually says, without spin or interpretation. There are so many great thinkers and students of the Bible that have incredible insight, but I first want to strengthen my own biblical foundation in the Word so that I can make out right from wrong, skewed from biblical, in the teachings and readings I come across in the future. In fact, I am already thinking about next year’s self-assignment (I know, I know…we’re not even out of the teens and I’m already planning for the next 365 day stretch), and I think it will involve commentary. Right now, I am just enjoying the living, breathing, Word of God. Aren’t you?

My answers, #2) Even as I posed the second question my mind went blank. Isn’t it frustrating when you know there’s so much to say, so many exciting stories, and you just lose it? I would say that 90% of my prayers also include pleas to God to make the pathways He wants me to follow as obvious as possible; I’m always afraid I may miss a turn and completely miss the awesome life God has in store for me. That being said, I have had countless wonderful experiences with God, when I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was being greatly blessed because I was faithful and trusting in Him. Cause & effect.

The summer of 2009 was a difficult one in my family. Anyone who is or ever has been married knows there are hills and there are valleys. Let’s just say, the summer of 2009 was a rocky valley; it was a test that my husband and I barely made it through. It was a summer that I knew would make me stronger if I persevered or weaken me to a shell of the person I once was if I didn’t hold strong. I say with unwavering certainty that that rocky valley, that test of strength, was the best thing that could have ever happened in my family.

Sometimes, we have to hit rock bottom, to completely lose sight of the light, so that we can crave it so much that we finally seek after it. And, friends, when we regain our sight, it is a beautiful thing! I don’t ever want to return to that dark hole. I don’t want my feet to ever touch that rocky place again. Steve and I are blessed today because we passed a very difficult test. We are closer to one another; we are happier parents; and, best of all, we are closer to God and feel more secure in our relationship with Him, than we ever were before the rocky valley. Glory to God!

I look forward to hearing each of your insights into the cause and effects of God’s blessings. I want to live out His daily Word through my life in this world. It’s a tricky balancing act, as you all know, but together and with His Word and His Spirit, we will pull through the tests and our foundation of sand will be strengthened into the Rock!

Make it a great day,
Marilyn

PS–In case you didn’t catch it, I have fulfilled a request to begin listing our Bible in a Year daily reading schedule, so that we can all keep up together. So, I have posted here the schedule which will lead us through the remainder of the book of Genesis. Once we are a few days from beginning Exodus, I will post the next leg of the reading. Print it out, stick it in your Bibles or somewhere obvious, so that we can continue our journey together and have our “God time” each and every day. Also, remember that we are reading chronologically, so there will be times when we are skipping around a little, but I will make the schedule as cohesive as possible.

Dearest God, I know that You have provided so much in my life already and continue to provide for me continuously. Thank You for Your glory, Your blessings, Your love, Your mercy, and Your never-ending grace. You are The Lord Who Provides. Amen.