relationship

God invades life.

God invades life.

Jeremiah 16

I was somewhat bemused as I started reading this chapter of Jeremiah. It seems God had some very interesting instructions for His prophet: “Then the word of the Lord came to me: ‘You must not marry and have sons or daughters in this place’… For this is what the Lord says: ‘Do not enter a house where there is a funeral meal; do not go to mourn or show sympathy, because I have withdrawn my blessing, my love and my pity from this people,’ declares the Lord… ‘And do not enter a house where there is feasting and sit down to eat and drink.’” ( vs 1-2, 5, 8 )

God never stops speaking.

God never stops speaking.

Jeremiah 11

There is a church in town that operates under the slogan, God is still speaking. I like that. A lot. I think it’s so easy for church organizations (denominations) to become set in their ways, stagnant, and no longer open to the progressive understanding of truth. It’s easier for us to believe that we “know all the truth” than it is to believe that God is still speaking.

God loves braggers.

God loves braggers.

Jeremiah 9

We all know them: people who brag, boast, and show-off. Often, this isn’t an appealing quality in a person, but I suppose we all do it from time to time. Sometimes, the bragging is “legitimate” (meaning that even though it might not be an attractive character trait, a person like Michael Jordan could brag about being a basketball superstar). Sometimes, it’s just a lot of hot air.

God wants your heart.

God wants your heart.

Isaiah 29

In this chapter, God reveals what the object of His desire is when it comes to worship: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.” (vs 13-14)

God is a rock.

God is a rock.

Isaiah 8

In this chapter, Isaiah compares God to a rock: “‘Don’t think there is a plan against you just because the people say there is. Don’t be afraid of what they fear. Don’t let them frighten you!’ The LORD All-Powerful is the one you should fear. He is the one you should respect. He is the one who should frighten you. If you people would respect him, he would be a safe place for you. But you don’t respect him, so he is like a stone that you stumble over. He is a rock that makes both families of Israel fall.” (vs 12-14)

God loves women.

God loves women.

Isaiah 4

It bothers me when people who say they have read the Bible claim that the God revealed there encourages slavery or polygamy or racism or abuse against women. Whenever I hear that, I think that the person either hasn’t really read the Bible, has only read selected passages, or has not read with an eye toward putting the whole picture together.

God hates hypocrisy.

God hates hypocrisy.

Isaiah 1

In this first chapter of Isaiah, God reveals Himself as someone who has little interest in religious traditions: “‘The multitude of your sacrifices—what are they to me?’ says the Lord. ‘I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.’” (vs 11-14)

God designed love to be free and forever.

God designed love to be free and forever.

Song of Solomon 8

For me, this chapter holds one of the most beautiful passages ever written about love: “Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like the very flame of the Lord. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, he would be utterly scorned.” (vs 6-7)

God made us to belong.

God made us to belong.

Song of Solomon 6

Love is a mysterious and powerful thing. We have a hard time truly defining it, yet we all know it can be exhilarating or devastating. It can bruise and it can heal. It can affirm us in the deepest part of our heart, or it can confront us about the need to change. This last part is, to me, one of the great mysteries of love—how it has the ability to “mature” us into better people.

God is a safe and comfortable place.

God is a safe and comfortable place.

Song of Solomon 4

When I lived in England, one of my favorite places to visit was Sylvia’s Garden—an out-of-the-way place with old stone benches, blooming flowers and bushes, a man-made pool, and lots of serenity. There was not a more peaceful, calming place in all the world. I went there a lot to think and pray.

God wants to be held.

God wants to be held.

Song of Solomon 3

In this chapter, the maiden is having a dream that she can’t find her beloved. She jumps out of bed in the middle of the night and scours the city, looking everywhere for him. Finally, she finds him: “Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go.” (vs 4)

God, love, and other drugs.

God, love, and other drugs.

Song of Solomon 2

I can totally identify with the woman’s words in chapter 2: “As an apricot tree stands out in the forest, my lover stands above the young men in town. All I want is to sit in his shade, to taste and savor his delicious love. He took me home with him for a festive meal, but his eyes feasted on me! Oh! Give me something refreshing to eat—and quickly! Apricots, raisins—anything. I’m about to faint with love! His left hand cradles my head, and his right arm encircles my waist!” (vs 3-6)

God is love.

God is love.

Song of Solomon 1

If you were going to write the “song of all songs” to be published in the Bible, what would you write about? What subject would you choose for the song that would be greater than any other song? I don’t know about you, but I suspect most Christians would choose to write a song of praise and worship to God. Don’t you think that’s what God would want? A song that exalted Him?

God is all about relationships.

God is all about relationships.

Ecclesiastes 4

We were made for community, to have relationships with each other. This is why God said in the beginning, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” (Gen 2:18) Of course, God was specifically talking about marriage in that context (which is very important!), but I believe God also made us for community and fellowship with one another.

God is the only pleasure.

God is the only pleasure.

Ecclesiastes 2

I think Solomon must never have heard his father’s psalm that included this line: “You [God] make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Ps 16:11) Or maybe he did, and he decided to test-drive his father’s theory. We may have everlasting pleasures at God’s right hand, but can we find them without Him? That’s what Solomon attempted to do, and he wrote about it in this chapter.

God makes us rich.

God makes us rich.

Proverbs 10

Right off the bat, there will be some who are uncomfortable with the title of this blog. On the other hand, there will be some who wholeheartedly agree—and even believe (as Jews in the first century did) that monetary wealth is a direct sign of God’s favor. But wherever you fall on the spectrum, verse 22 from today’s chapter must have caught your eye: “The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it.”

God likes new music.

God likes new music.

Psalm 149

I find it interesting that in the Bible’s hymnal, the next to the last song would begin, “Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.” (vs 1) The book holds 150 of the greatest praise songs of all time, yet the psalmist says we should always be looking to sing “a new song.”

God is near.

God is near.

Psalm 148

As I read this psalm, I was struck by the movement from “far” to “near.” The psalmist begins in his admonition of praise by describing things that are “far” from us: the heavens, angels, heavenly hosts, sun, moon, and stars. (vs 1-4) Then, he continues to ask for praise from things a little “closer” to home: the animals, the weather, nature, and people. (vs 7-12)