Author: Dave Dishman (Page 224 of 458)

I’ve met people over the years who hate God. I’ve read philosophers who claim the idea of God leads people astray. We’ve all evidenced world leaders who crushed religious worship for the good of mankind—think of Stalin in the past along with many current rulers.

There’s nothing new in this impulse. The psalmist writes, Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.”

Shaking one’s fist at God remains popular. Some harbor anger from past disappointments, real or imagined. Some simply wrap the universe around themselves, with no room for a competing god. Many attempt to manipulate God to their own ends, and the Lord fails to comply.

I’m prone to these same thoughts.

The Lord laughs at all this, scoffs actually, and rebukes such ragers. The psalmist reminds us that we owe ultimate loyalty to the Messiah—Kiss the son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

In the son—Jesus—we find mercy in place of wrath. He appeases the Lord’s anger. Grace waits as our advantage. But it takes humility to turn from fist-shaking anger to bowing before the Lord.

The Lord makes room for you and I, and all the ragers and haters, when each of us chooses to serve the Lord and celebrate his rule.

Psalm 2 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Anna Popović

There’s absolutely no way I can see myself responding the way Job did upon hearing news of unbelievable tragedy. Job tore his robe and shaved his head, traditional signs of mourning, then he said:

Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.

Astounding. The book of Job is thought to be the oldest in the Bible. Humankind has wrestled with questions of pain and loss from the beginning.

As I ponder, I’m most unnerved by this line of Job’s—the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.

It’s the taking away that bothers me. I want the Lord to give and give and give, all good things, piling them up. In reality, the Lord does pile up good in my life. But he also takes away, for reasons I may never understand. Like Job, I need to eventually turn toward faith and trust in the Lord.

Because in the end, the Lord is all we have. We leave this world with nothing and then meet him face-to face, dependent solely on his grace and mercy to receive us.

May the name of the Lord be praised.

Job 1 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Andres Haro

Certain people ought to be truth-tellers and preachers are one of them. Tragically, this sometimes fails to be the case. When we neglect to promote truth we harm ourselves and others.

Malachi faithfully recorded words from the Lord for the preachers of his day: For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth. But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble…So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law.

Surveys today reveal a declining trust the general population holds in members of the clergy. Sexual abuse and financial gouging by so called shepherds of souls led to this result. I don’t hold an implicit trust in members of the clergy and I’m one of them.

Along with scandalous acts comes insipid teaching of the Word of God. Handling the scriptures with partiality, inventive theology and shading truth might be popular with the masses, but it’s not what should roll off the lips of a priest.

If we claim to follow Jesus, then we’re all priests and it’s not our calling to be popular.

Study the Bible, wrestle with its teachings and tell the truth. Some may kick and scream, call you names on social media and cancel your brand. But others, even those who disagree, will respect you for your principled stand.

Most importantly, as messengers of the Lord Almighty, we’d d*mn well better know what we’re saying. Take the calling seriously—don’t veer off script. Let us preserve the knowledge found in the scriptures as we serve the Lord.

It’s up to us to teach with clarity and accuracy. Only then might we lead people clear-eyed into the presence of the Lord who shows grace and grants forgiveness.

Malachi 2 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Ben White

Nehemiah fumed at the indifference of his fellow Jews toward the law of the Lord. After working for weeks to help the city keep the Sabbath day holy, Nehemiah came across a number of men who married foreign (non-Jewish) women, despite the specific prohibition in the Law.

When these men flaunted their disregard for the ways of the Lord, Nehemiah snapped. He wrote of the encounter, I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God’s name.

Must have been quite a show! Their behavior displeased the Lord and these men just didn’t get it. Reminds me of the phrase, “it took a 2×4 to the side of the head to get his attention.” Sometimes we’re clueless.

In the communal society of ancient Jerusalem such a sinful lifestyle affected everyone around them. But these men didn’t care. They settled into smug self-centeredness, until Nehemiah happened along.

Lord, keep my eyes clear and my heart soft to my actions and attitudes that harm others and displease you. Keep me honest, and pull out my hair if that’s what it takes.

Nehemiah 13 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by The Ian