Author: Dave Dishman (Page 292 of 459)

Moses edged his way up a mountain quaking under his feet, smoke billowing above him while thunder jarred his senses. The Lord met with Moses in front of the entire nation of Israel on Mount Sinai. Moses hiked back down the mountain with a set of commandments, which start like this:

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.

These commandments, the basis for worship and life and laws, have guided our behavior for thousands of years. Whether you keep them—or struggle with them—they provide a sound strategy for investing your life.

I notice when I read articles on my phone (I’m sort of a news junky), that the stories are often followed by flashy ads for investment opportunities. Most feel sketchy, and I don’t want them bombarding me in my feed, so I resist the click. Still, fresh offers appear daily.

When considering my investment strategy, I hope for solid results. I save money for retirement, and invest in what I hope will serve me and my wife for the long-term. Most all of us invest in this way.

So as I read about the giving of the 10 Commandments, I’m reminded of the long, long, long term success of investing in God and his word. Not always flashy, but guaranteed for long-term success.

Exodus 19 & 20 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya

Moses found himself slammed day after day. From morning until evening, Moses served as a judge for all the disputes, major and minor, among the people of Israel. At this point, roughly one million people trekked from Egypt to the promised land. A lot of people makes for a lot of squabbles.

Fortunately for Moses, his father-in-law Jethro, arrived for a visit. Looking on the chaotic scene, and the weariness of Moses, Jethro proposed a solution. Create a series of other judges to hear the people, and bring only the most difficult cases to you. Simple and elegant.

What happened next? Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.

Moses, in his wisdom, jumped at this solution to lighten his load. Along with helping him, Jethro’s idea developed a cohort of wise judges to bless the nation. Most disputes could now be settle quickly, with less time to fester and grow worse.

Good advice is only good if you act upon it. Where might you need a Jethro to speak into some challenging aspect of your life? Pray for wise friends with elegant solutions, and pray for the wisdom to listen and act.

Exodus 18 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Levi Jones

I enjoyed a meal with friends in Mexico on a beautiful evening, outdoors under the trees and stars, our large table surrounded by charcoal braziers warming each diner. As the servers plated each dish before us, peacocks roamed the grounds. I never dreamed of such a place.

On our honeymoon my wife and I visited the Grand Canyon. Standing on the rim, I attempted to gain perspective on the depth and the width of the canyon. The view was more than I dreamed.

I walked into the Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona, Spain, excited to visit the unique cathedral. But nothing prepared me for the culmination of Antoni Gaudi’s vision of worship. Light and colors and curves lifted my spirit toward the heavens. It was like I was in a dream.

These experiences, and others just a wonderful, come to mind when I read Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians:

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

I’ve seen a lot, and I can imagine a lot, but apparently not near enough to keep up with the Spirit of the Lord working deeply and gently within me.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (The Message Version); reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

A theme emerges as the children of Israel move en masse out of Egypt on their trek to the promised land. God shows up time and again to pull their fat out of the fire, and the people complain.

Not about the miracles of course, but about the circumstances leading to the miracles. Only a few days after walking through the Red Sea on dry ground, then dancing in joy over their salvation from the Egyptian army, these folks got thirsty and grumbled against Moses—What are we to drink?

I get it. I like to grumble. Literally as I typed this the sun came up, shone through the window into my eyes and forced me to get up—grumbling—to pull my shade down. This while the temperature outside is -8°. I need and want the sun, but not in my eyes at this moment. Complaining is part of our nature—miracles are not.

Which is perhaps why we experience plenty of complaints and never any miracles. Sure, we call a brilliant victory by an underdog team a miracle, or money arrives just before the bills are due and we rejoice, but I’m wondering—when did you last see a pillar of fire?

Perhaps they exist, but grumbling clouds my vision. I hope to be a person who walks between walls of water and marvels, rather than miss it all because I’m complaining about sand in my shoes.

I believe I’ll go raise my shade.

Exodus 15 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Silas Baisch