Author: Dave Dishman (Page 144 of 480)

This past month my wife and I spent several days in Florence, Italy. The city is fabulous, filled with art (you can visit Michelangelo’s statue of David), a magnificent cathedral, and wonderful restaurants. The only problem with Florence being so great is that it’s packed with tourists—like us.

We joined throngs in the city center. High end stores line the shopping district, and hundreds of kiosks sell leather goods made locally. Spring break brought loads of young people, and we all dodged each other with our cones of gelato and bags of souvenirs.

However, thanks to the long, rich history of the Christian faith in Florence, a number of churches dot the city center. Many remain open for the curious, or the devout, to wander in for a visit. One afternoon in the midst of the crush, we noticed a small door and escaped inside.

The quiet of the church enveloped us. We strolled and looked at the art, then sat for a few minutes in the stillness. I couldn’t help but pray, thanking the Lord for his goodness. A verse from a psalm describes the moment: The Lord makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.

We exited back to busy streets and fevered shopping. I realized that regardless of the crazy around me, the Lord refreshes my soul. No matter how our world changes, God never shifts. He waits in quiet places, steps away from our frenzy.

Notice the doorway and duck in. The Lord waits to refresh your soul.

Psalms 23 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Annie Spratt

I loved a certain professor’s lectures in college. The topic was Histology (microscopic anatomy), and although it may not sound sexy, he made the inner workings of a cell dance in my head. Enthralled, I arrived early and found a good seat. I asked questions and even met with him after class. A great teacher brings life to their students.

Jesus was such a teacher magnified. Notice how people swarmed to his lectures:

In the meantime, when so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples…

It’s easy from a distance to overlook the drawing power of Jesus. No social media announced his arrival, no media consultants chimed in, no PR firm represented Jesus, nor did newspapers send reporters. Even the government initially ignored Jesus. His reputation spread simply by word of mouth.

And how it spread. People rioted trying to get close to Jesus. I’ve attended a lot of lectures, and listened to countless sermons (even given several myself), but no one stomped on anyone else to get a seat. Maybe only to get out!

Jesus conveyed a powerful vision when he taught about the kingdom of God. Listeners couldn’t get enough. Even today nothing matches the message of Jesus. But the cacophony of our world buries its power. It does me well to pause and review his wisdom.

If tomorrow Jesus started touring, then after a few lectures people would run over each other to get in. I might squash a little old lady if that’s what it took. It sounds chaotic, but a lecture from Jesus is one we wouldn’t want to miss.

Luke 12:1 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Keren Fedida

I tend to imagine Jesus working his way around the countryside trailed by his band of twelve. But a lot more people joined his entourage, including many women. Luke shares this insight:

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

Joanna followed Jesus throughout his ministry years. She was one of several women (along with Mary Magdalene) who took spices to anoint the dead body of Jesus and found an empty tomb instead. Mary Magdalene may have been the most devout disciple of Jesus, men and women included. She followed wholeheartedly, and after suffering through the crucifixion Jesus appeared to her immediately upon his resurrection.

These women not only joined Jesus and the twelve, but supported the work out of their personal resources. Joanna, Mary, Susanna and others formed a financial network for the ongoing ministry of Jesus. They freely gave of their time, money, influence and expertise.

It takes a wide group of people to run a successful enterprise. Let’s not overlook the women who made Jesus’s work possible, and let’s not take for granted the many diverse followers who quietly make the work of Jesus possible today.

Luke 8 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Jehyun Sung

While traveling up the Rhine Gorge in Germany this week, I spotted a peculiar building set on a low rock in the middle of the river. Pfalzgrafenstein Castle was constructed in 1327 as a defensive stronghold and toll-collecting station.

Despite numerous wars over the centuries, no enemy ever conquered the fortress. More astounding, the annual onslaughts of ice and floods from the Rhine never washed it away. It seems impossible when viewing the position of the castle to believe it’s stood there for 700 years.

Which reminds me of these words from Jesus:

As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.

The words of Jesus embody solid ground. As we struggle to live by them, we slowly anchor our foundation onto bedrock. We eventually become castles in the river, not succumbing to ice sheets or raging waters or blistering attacks.

Open the Good Book and build your house on solidity and permanence.

Luke 6 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Jörg Braukmann