theology of space
Sometimes when we are reading the Old Testament we forget the scale of things. Let’s put things into perspective.
Ready?
The size of Jerusalem when David was king was about 12 acres. That’s roughly the size of 3 super targets!
check your soil
I soon realized that even though I thought I was getting to the root of those stinkers, I was leaving enough of a remnant for the thistle to gain ground and pop up again. My friend who grew up on a farm in Iowa finally gave me the answer.
Salt.
welcome immigrants
Growing up I noticed that different houses had different rules, and those rules expressed a value. At Amanda’s house we couldn’t jump on the couch (value: respect for furniture). At Bess’ house we had to clean up the games once we finished (value: the person forced to clean up if we didn’t). Jamie’s house didn’t have any rules at all (value: perhaps freedom, but the lack of any rules left us wondering if anything was important). If it seems like Leviticus reads like a contract full of rules, you’re reading it right. But don’t miss the value in them. Biblical laws reveal the character of God.
Often Biblical laws express a general principle and then offer follow-up specifics to flesh out the principle.
book club saved me
Well, maybe that’s a tad dramatic, but it feels true enough. When the world was overflowing with divisiveness and the church wasn’t being … the church, a few good women gathered on a porch with me and dove into the tough issues. We laughed and processed and remembered why we need community. God bless friends who aren’t afraid to dive deep into uncomfortable topics.
Read on for the books we’ve read and a short review of each!
downright delightful
Am I finding the instructions of the Lord delightful? If not, I’m probably reading it wrong.
Am I thinking about and puzzling over the instructions of the Lord as I go about my day? If not, I probably don’t find them very delightful. Which means I’m probably reading it wrong.
Do I feel blessed? Happy? If not, … well, you know.