October 7

Problem of Intermarriage - Ezra 9:1-15, 10:1-44

"Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God." [Shecaniah to Ezra in response to the captive Israel's marrying of foreign women.] Ezra 10:3

What an awful situation. To love someone and to have children with them and then to walk away because you had violated God's will in beginning the relationship. How awful. But, less awful, than disobeying the Creator of the Universe to begin with. The command, of course, was for our own good. God knew the power of relationship and family and that marrying into a family that worshiped foreign gods might/would draw the people away.

But what did God want in this situation? Did He really want the men to put away their wives and children and in effect create widows and orphans when He continually asks us to honor Him by taking care of the widows, orphans and foreign in the land. Of course, He didn't want us to get into this situation to begin with. And, of course, we always tend to do what we want and then look to God to fix it. But since we find ourselves in a situation where there doesn't seem to be an answer, what now?

I wonder. Could they not have mourned and prayed for the Lord's forgiveness, throw themselves on his grace and mercy and remained free from foreign gods and honored God but still remained true to their commitment to the women and children? There were those who opposed this move: "Ony Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supportec by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this." Ezra 10:15 And what happened to those who opposed? Am I just to soft to be a good follower of God?

And if they'd prayed to God for mercy and forgiveness and honored Him in their wives and children. What would have God's answer have been to their prayer?

Lord knows.

October 6

Ezra and the Second Return - Ezra 7:1-7, 7:11-28, 8:15-32, 7:8-10, 8:1-14, 8:33-36

"...and I weighed out to them the offering of silver and gold and the articles that the king, his advisers, his officials and all Israel present there had donated for the house of our God." Ezra 8:25

From the beginning, God was for everyone. Yes, He had His Chosen in order to demonstrate who He was. They were a model the whole world seemed free to adopt and, from time to time, they do. The Pharoah in Joseph's time, the city of Ninevah in Jonah's day, the Babylonian's in Daniel's day and Xerxes and Artaxerxes here. But how deeply did these nods to the God of the Jews go? Perhaps its like current times: Our government officials acknowledge God in many of their public speeches but minimize belief in their laws and the court's interpretations of those laws. Is their hearts found in their words or their actions?

Lord knows.

October 5

Prophecies of Malachi - Malachi 1:1-14, 2:1-17, 3:1-13, 4:1-6

"I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel, "and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with his garment," says the LORD Almighty.

So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.

Malachi 2:16

It's always interesting to read on, to see the verses beyond the verses that everyone knows. Here, we've always heard the verse quoted : "I [God] hate divorce." But we rarely hear that in the same breath and sentence and sense God says He hates the violence we cloth ourselves in our everyday lives. From that I take God is not a big fan of violent sports, video games and movies and that He may just hate them with the same hate He hates divorce.

Lord knows.

October 4

Esther and the Feast of Purim (Continued) - Esther 5:1-14, 6:1-14, 7:1-10, 8:1-17, 9:1-32, 10:1-3

"So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai." Esther 7:10

Ahhhhh another one of God's little jokes. Haman thinking the that would go to Mordecai were meant for him. Gallows humor. Life's ironies, may be (as Keb Mo would say), God trying to get our attention.

God Trying to Get Your Attention

Well you might be saved

You might be reborn

You might own a car

With a big loud horn

Maybe its just news

On your television

Or it might be God trying to get our attention

Are you an engineer

Working on a farm

Or a casanova

With a whole lot of charm

It might be a mouse

Living in your kitchen

Or it might be God trying to get your attention

Well it might sound bad

Or it might sound good

It might be made of steel

Or it might be made of wood

Maybe its just news

On your television

Or it might be God trying to get your attention

Well it might be in the church house

Or it might be on the street

Somehow or another

Every soul has got to meet

Well it might be in the city

Or it might be in the town

One way or another

You're gonna find the higher ground

Well you might be deaf

Or you might be blind

Should put the message

Right in your mind

Might look like a plan

Or a coalition

Or it might be God trying to get your attention

Ohhh

Well you might be deaf

Or you might be dumb

You'll get the answer

When the answer comes

It might be news

On your television

Or it might be God trying to get your attention

It might be God trying to get your attention

Oh yeah

Listen to the birds

Listen to the trees

Listen to the river

Listen to the sea

Listen to the mountain

Listen to the land

Listen to the woman

Listen to the man

Listen to the rain

Listen to the wind

Listen to your mind

Then listen all over again

Listen to the birds

Listen to the trees

Listen to the river

Listen to the sea

Listen to the mountain

Listen to the land

Listen to the woman

Listen to the man

Listen to the rain

Listen to the wind

Listen to your mind

Then listen all over again

October 3

Esther and the Feast of Purim - Esther 1:1-22, 2:1-23, 3:1-15, 4:1-17

So here is a book in the Bible that never mentions the name of God. And yet it's book where God is so evident. To those that can see Him. Others will see the choosing of Esther by the King, Haman's honor bestowed on Mordecai, the hanging of Haman on his own 75-foot gallows as coincidence, irony, anything but what it is. God.

And maybe that's precisely why its in the Bible. To let us know that God is there...though the word God is not.

Lord knows.

October 2

Zechariah's Futuristic Prophecies - Zechariah 9:1-17, 10:1-12, 11:1-17, 12:1-14, 13:1-9, 14:1-21

There's not much difference from a tent peg and a cross nail. Do you think that's by accident? Either did I.

From Judah will come the cornerstone,

from him the tent peg,

from him the battle bow,

from him every ruler.

Zechariah 10:4

Last reading Christ was called Branch and here He is the tent peg. These are names for the Messiah you don't really hear in praise songs or pulpit musings, but I like them. He is the way, the light...the tent peg? Tent peg is good. It is that small humble thing that keeps the entire tent standing. From inside the tent, you might harbor the illusion that the structure protecting you from the elements is standing on its own. But take a way that tent peg and it all collapses or falls in the mildest of storms.

Jesus is our tent peg.

October 1

Psalms of a Nation Restored (Continued) - Psalms 126, 128, 129, 132, 147, 149

When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion,

we were like men who dreamed.

Our mouths were filled with laughter,

our tongues with songs of joy.

Psalms 126:1-2

Sing to the LORD a new song....

Psalms 149:1

Who am I that I think my daily brush with the word of God is worthy of publishing to the world? No one, a sinner, a follower, a husband and father. Most days I'm just stating the obvious because I'm not deep or trying to be subtle. But I don't think the truth is deep or subtle really. It shows itself to the seeker. Or God does. He says He does. And He says there are those He hides it from.

I believe the scriptures speak now. Not from the past but they speak today. This isn't a story about then. It's a story about now.

But there are many, many days, I open the Bible and I'm just reading. There is no gem of truth, no matter how obvious, or insight or clever commentary. And I want my children to know (because they are my true audience here) about those days just as much as the days where I soar in scripture. Because there are days where you just read and wait on the LORD.

Lord knows.