Idiot that I am... I left my Bible in my car and it is at the shop until this evening...
Exodus 23 - 24, Matthew 20:1-16
There is a branch of Judaism that deals with numbers and their relationship to religion. In the old testament there are many significant number... 70, 40, 6, 7 HIKE!
But the most important number is 1. There is one God. Worship him as He has instructed. Follow those appointed over you , oh Israel and you will be delivered into a land of Milk & Honey.
Obviously, He didn't have Cleveland in mind!
Historically, some of the laws are significant for health reasons... pork was dangerous 5,000 years ago... it had some nasty parasites that passed thought the intestines and into you system.. so, don't eat pork. later we learned that if you cook pork thoroughly, the parasites die and pork is safe... but I digress...
Follow the rules God said... and the people all said they would...
if it were only THAT esy...
Mathew 20: 1-16
Jesus was a master of the set-up... Especially when dealing with those who felt they were Righteous (priest and doctors of the laws).
Speaking of men working in a vineyard He describes how workers are paid for their labor at the end of the day... Those who work from sundown to sunset are paid the agreed wage... those who only work an hour are paid the agreed wage...
There is one wage that we are all agreed to... the work isn't easy, the reward is great. Some may labor all their days... have heard and accepted the Good News and done all that was asked of them. Others may not accept the News until later in life... but they are still paid the same... This isn't apples to apples... the pay will always be the same.. the work will always be different and the reward always the same...
That is the way it is... accept it as you have accepted the Good News....
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
January 29th
Exodus 21-22, Matthew 19
Every society HAS to have rules to live by. In some cultures, such as the pre-literate cultures, the rules were spoke to each generation. The Celts were such a culture and many of their stories and traditions are alive today.
In this section of Exodus, God is giving His people His rules. Remember, this is the God who delivers on His promises... So, they listen and (generally) heed. They are aware that He is listening and watching all the time... he may not be paying particular attention to YOU at this moment (so put down the ice cream), but He Knows... Think 1984, Big Brother and Santa all rolled into one... HE KNOWS
He still does... So... you'd better watch out ;+)
********
Matthew 19
I will not address Matthew 19:1-13... Divorce can be an ugly thing. It hurts adults, it hurts children. Sometimes the greatest good, for all, is through divorce. Jesus says that a man shall not divorce except for sexual immorality...
So much said, so little time...
"Let the little children come to me..."
Story of the rich young man...
Jesus tells the rich young man that to gain heaven he must give up his earthly possessions.
Ouch! No iPod? No internet?! Gad zooks! Zounds~
Too often life is more about stuff than people and relationships. Not a great thing, but that is the way it is sometimes. Every choice we make, every action we take involves gain and loss. We make a choice, we live with the consequences; be they good or bad.
Jesus lay out the simple rules for getting to heaven. We have to decide what choice to make.
Remember, he never said it would be easy.
Every society HAS to have rules to live by. In some cultures, such as the pre-literate cultures, the rules were spoke to each generation. The Celts were such a culture and many of their stories and traditions are alive today.
In this section of Exodus, God is giving His people His rules. Remember, this is the God who delivers on His promises... So, they listen and (generally) heed. They are aware that He is listening and watching all the time... he may not be paying particular attention to YOU at this moment (so put down the ice cream), but He Knows... Think 1984, Big Brother and Santa all rolled into one... HE KNOWS
He still does... So... you'd better watch out ;+)
********
Matthew 19
I will not address Matthew 19:1-13... Divorce can be an ugly thing. It hurts adults, it hurts children. Sometimes the greatest good, for all, is through divorce. Jesus says that a man shall not divorce except for sexual immorality...
So much said, so little time...
"Let the little children come to me..."
Story of the rich young man...
Jesus tells the rich young man that to gain heaven he must give up his earthly possessions.
Ouch! No iPod? No internet?! Gad zooks! Zounds~
Too often life is more about stuff than people and relationships. Not a great thing, but that is the way it is sometimes. Every choice we make, every action we take involves gain and loss. We make a choice, we live with the consequences; be they good or bad.
Jesus lay out the simple rules for getting to heaven. We have to decide what choice to make.
Remember, he never said it would be easy.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
January 28th, 2010
Exodus 19-20, Matthew 18:21-25
Moses goes up Mt. Sinia and receives instructions from God. The people of Israel are warned not to set foot on the mountain, lest they be killed.
I can only imagine that someone said, 'Yeah, Right Sure' 'What's he gonna do?' I also imagine that it only took one... Remember, this is the God that delivers on his promises, so more than likely the people of Israel now had the Fear of God put into them and aren't going to stray from the chosen path... at least for a while.
Moses goes back up the mountain and returns with the Ten Commandments (Cecil B. DeMille, Charlton Heston etc). Simple rules to live by... A couple of things you have to do and a few that you aren't allowed... and God makes it clear that He will remember those who don't follow the rules.
Simple Rules to live by... No long cumbersome statutes. No complex laws that change with the political tide... ten simple rules.
If people would follow these simple commandments... we would all be better off...
Adam Smith (Wealth of Nations) listed his three natural laws of economics... Self-interest, Competition & Supply and Demand...
It is in our own self-interest to follow these rules.
We will always compete, but there is no competition for God's favor...it is always there.
In this instance the Supply will always meet the Demand...
***
And what is with that whole nakedness on the altar thing? (Ex 20:26)
********
Matthew 18:21-25
The Bad Servant...
Forgiveness is never easy... It may take years to work through some problems, but work through them we must. If we expect God forgiveness, we have to practice forgiveness.
Forgetting though just doesn't happen, at least until we get old-timers.
There have been a couple of people who really hurt me... and did it intentionally. I will never forget the harm they caused... I am Irish, we never forget... but that is in the past and while I will never understand fully WHY they did hurtful things, I cannot old too much of a grudge (it is the Irish thing).
Would I go out of my way today to bring revenge down on their pointy little heads? Not on your life... I figure the Big Guy upstairs will handle the whole retribution thing...
Moses goes up Mt. Sinia and receives instructions from God. The people of Israel are warned not to set foot on the mountain, lest they be killed.
I can only imagine that someone said, 'Yeah, Right Sure' 'What's he gonna do?' I also imagine that it only took one... Remember, this is the God that delivers on his promises, so more than likely the people of Israel now had the Fear of God put into them and aren't going to stray from the chosen path... at least for a while.
Moses goes back up the mountain and returns with the Ten Commandments (Cecil B. DeMille, Charlton Heston etc). Simple rules to live by... A couple of things you have to do and a few that you aren't allowed... and God makes it clear that He will remember those who don't follow the rules.
Simple Rules to live by... No long cumbersome statutes. No complex laws that change with the political tide... ten simple rules.
If people would follow these simple commandments... we would all be better off...
Adam Smith (Wealth of Nations) listed his three natural laws of economics... Self-interest, Competition & Supply and Demand...
It is in our own self-interest to follow these rules.
We will always compete, but there is no competition for God's favor...it is always there.
In this instance the Supply will always meet the Demand...
***
And what is with that whole nakedness on the altar thing? (Ex 20:26)
********
Matthew 18:21-25
The Bad Servant...
Forgiveness is never easy... It may take years to work through some problems, but work through them we must. If we expect God forgiveness, we have to practice forgiveness.
Forgetting though just doesn't happen, at least until we get old-timers.
There have been a couple of people who really hurt me... and did it intentionally. I will never forget the harm they caused... I am Irish, we never forget... but that is in the past and while I will never understand fully WHY they did hurtful things, I cannot old too much of a grudge (it is the Irish thing).
Would I go out of my way today to bring revenge down on their pointy little heads? Not on your life... I figure the Big Guy upstairs will handle the whole retribution thing...
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Exodus 16 - 18 & Matthew 18: 1-20
This is my third attempt at this post... I am only a little frustrated... ;+)
In Exodus we watch the people of Israel as they wander through the wilderness. They sort of remind me of some field trips I have taken...
We're Hungry! We're Thirsty! We gotta go potty... We would have been better off in Egypt...*Humpf* *Pout* *Stomp* *Whine*
In answer to every complaint, God provides. Food... Water... well... He wonders why they complain... He has said He will do something and then does it... repeatedly. What is wrong with these schmucks?
God, through Moses, has taken them out of what was known into a land unknown. They are definitely out of their comfort zone... and they are acting like spoiled children.
Yet, God provides. Perhaps if we are quiet long enough, we will notice how God has provided, for us?
********
This is one of my favorite passages from Matthew.
At one time or another we have all been lost sheep. Too often there is no one who even notices that someone is missing. Occasionally, there is someone there to help you find the way... I am one of these lucky ones.
For the past 4 1/2 years I have had a wonderful woman in my life. When I went to Iraq in 2006, she looked after my house and affairs for me. When I came back, she was there to help me adjust to the "real world." Trust me, here... Iraq was so different from what I normally do... Adjustment was necessary.
She had all the cares that infest the day... kids, job, house, pets, the works. Still, she spent what little time she had with me... her gentle love and patience brought me home. She shepherded me.
God will do that also, if we let him...
In Exodus we watch the people of Israel as they wander through the wilderness. They sort of remind me of some field trips I have taken...
We're Hungry! We're Thirsty! We gotta go potty... We would have been better off in Egypt...*Humpf* *Pout* *Stomp* *Whine*
In answer to every complaint, God provides. Food... Water... well... He wonders why they complain... He has said He will do something and then does it... repeatedly. What is wrong with these schmucks?
God, through Moses, has taken them out of what was known into a land unknown. They are definitely out of their comfort zone... and they are acting like spoiled children.
Yet, God provides. Perhaps if we are quiet long enough, we will notice how God has provided, for us?
********
This is one of my favorite passages from Matthew.
At one time or another we have all been lost sheep. Too often there is no one who even notices that someone is missing. Occasionally, there is someone there to help you find the way... I am one of these lucky ones.
For the past 4 1/2 years I have had a wonderful woman in my life. When I went to Iraq in 2006, she looked after my house and affairs for me. When I came back, she was there to help me adjust to the "real world." Trust me, here... Iraq was so different from what I normally do... Adjustment was necessary.
She had all the cares that infest the day... kids, job, house, pets, the works. Still, she spent what little time she had with me... her gentle love and patience brought me home. She shepherded me.
God will do that also, if we let him...
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
January 26th
Exodus 14-15, Matthew 17
I am a history teacher, period. I make no claim to any scholarship other than that. And, though I did take a class in the 70's on the Bible as Literature, I only got a C... and that was mostly because I was a counter to the "Born Agains" who dominated the class.
In Exodus we read of the flight from Egypt and how God works through not only Moses (and who can hear that name without thinking of Charlton Heston and the 10 Commandments) but also through the people of Egypt, the Pharaoh in particular. God delcares to Moses that thus and so will be, and that He will ensure it happens... for He Is God.
The people of Israel are anxious about the whole desert thing, but as God promises, so he provides.
It would be nice to say " and they lived happily ever after..." but that is not the case...
Matthew speaks of Jesus' final days... how prophecy begins to come together and the end is in sight, at least in Jesus' sight...
Our God is not for the Faint of Heart... ever notice that? He expects that we will follow his lead, but doesn't make it easy... How much courage do we display in our daily lives?
Tough question... but then that is what History Teachers do, ask tough questions...
Trouble is... there isn't a teacher's edition handy with all the answers.
I am a history teacher, period. I make no claim to any scholarship other than that. And, though I did take a class in the 70's on the Bible as Literature, I only got a C... and that was mostly because I was a counter to the "Born Agains" who dominated the class.
In Exodus we read of the flight from Egypt and how God works through not only Moses (and who can hear that name without thinking of Charlton Heston and the 10 Commandments) but also through the people of Egypt, the Pharaoh in particular. God delcares to Moses that thus and so will be, and that He will ensure it happens... for He Is God.
The people of Israel are anxious about the whole desert thing, but as God promises, so he provides.
It would be nice to say " and they lived happily ever after..." but that is not the case...
Matthew speaks of Jesus' final days... how prophecy begins to come together and the end is in sight, at least in Jesus' sight...
Our God is not for the Faint of Heart... ever notice that? He expects that we will follow his lead, but doesn't make it easy... How much courage do we display in our daily lives?
Tough question... but then that is what History Teachers do, ask tough questions...
Trouble is... there isn't a teacher's edition handy with all the answers.
Year in a Day... one at a time
OK... So it took a really long time for me to figure out how to work this thing and what to write about...
Since Christmas I have been trying, none to successfully, to follow the Daily Bread: Bible in a Year devotional... Right now I am about 20 days behind...
So... Starting now, I will begin posting the Daily Reading here and maybe even commenting on it.
This gives me a goal and a time frame to work in... also it will remind me that this is something I should be doing...
Yes, I got the idea from the movie "Julie and Julia."
Since Christmas I have been trying, none to successfully, to follow the Daily Bread: Bible in a Year devotional... Right now I am about 20 days behind...
So... Starting now, I will begin posting the Daily Reading here and maybe even commenting on it.
This gives me a goal and a time frame to work in... also it will remind me that this is something I should be doing...
Yes, I got the idea from the movie "Julie and Julia."
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