Author: Dave Dishman (Page 313 of 475)

Two separate verses shared their encouragement with me as I read this morning. I’m always impressed when I read and find unlinked passages meeting like old friends. Here’s the first, from the Psalms:

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love (Psalm 145:8).

I find it encouraging to remember, in a world where accusations trample graciousness, and anger rarely comes slow, that the Lord brings compassion and love.

Jesus spoke the second line my eyes lingered on today:

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away (Mark 13:31).

Only three things last forever—God, his words, and the souls of men and women. Jesus reinforces this point. Of all I do today, it’s nice to think I at least spent a few minutes with something that lasts forever.

Then perhaps, if the Holy Spirit reminds me and I pay attention, I might just reflect some of the Lord’s graciousness and compassion towards those other eternal beings around me today.

Psalm 145 & Mark 13 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Isaac Wendland

The Lord, of course.

When signing a treaty with his uncle Laban, whom Jacob fled with his wives and children and flocks, the men built a large alter of stones, then pledged to maintain the peace and respect the new border between them.

Laban swore by the God of Abraham, the god of Nahor, and the god of their fathers, covering all his bases. When his turn came, Jacob took an oath in the name of the Fear of his father Issac.

This particular name of the Lord is found only in this one place in the Bible. Fear of God—reverent awe—formed the basis of Jacob’s relationship with the Lord.

Later, the Lord instructed the children of Israel regarding this type of fear:

And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good? (Deuteronomy 10:12-13)

Perhaps a good question to ask myself is, do I fear the Lord, or do I fear the gods of this world? What do I look upon in wonder and amazement and humility? Jacob, despite his history of deception, grew into a reverent awe of the Lord.

Perhaps I might grow in this direction as well.

Genesis 31 in reading through the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Andreas Wagner

My elementary school-aged nephew poorly masked his glee when he dealt the Uno cards between the two of us. Since he’d left the room to prepare in private, I knew I faced a stacked deck, and I enjoyed the fun of the deception. After allowing him to celebrate his crushing victory, I insisted on a re-shuffle for round two. Now he faced a merciless, sharp-eyed Uno veteran.

Jacob, fresh off stealing his brother’s birthright by deceiving their father, fled to the lair of a master deceiver. Uncle Laban hooked Jacob with a promise to marry his daughter Rachel. On the wedding night, with Jacob three sheets to the wind, Laban switched Rachel for her sister Leah. Jacob, incredulous, exclaimed to Laban, Why have you deceived me?

Call it karma, or reaping what you sow, but Jacob the deceiver got taken to school. Laban played the game perfectly. Jacob experienced a master at work, now realizing how his brother and father must have felt.

Jacob might have known better, but love is blind, and his mother was back home. Rachel (his mother and Laban’s sister), concocted the plan to steal the birthright, and Laban fixed the marriages. Both excellent schemers.

What kind of family upbringing did Laban and Rachel experience? I wouldn’t want to play cards for money in their house.

There’s a saying I’ve heard about certain people—you can only trust them as far as you can throw them.

Seems appropriate for this family.

Genesis 29 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Adam Mills

The woman rushed home through crowded streets, ran through her doorway to the bedside, bent over to check her child, then sank to her knees, sobbing with gratitude. Her beautiful daughter slept calmly, at peace for the first time in years. Healed by a few simple words of Jesus.

Much is made of this interaction between a Greek woman and Jesus. She’s the one to whom Jesus spoke the line, it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs, referring to his mission to the lost sheep of Israel. Her response brought joy to the master—even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.

All she needed for her daughter were crumbs—if they dropped from the right table. She know that only Jesus possessed the power to heal her daughter. Here’s an insightful picture of prayer, of going to Jesus for what only he can provide, a lesson for us when we talk to the Lord.

But mostly I think of how happy and relieved and joyful this mother felt. How she chattered about Jesus and her daughter. How the neighbors stared in awe mingled with a tinge of fear. I wonder how her daughter turned out when she grew up? How did they take the news of the death of Jesus? How overwhelmed was the mother upon hearing of the resurrection?

One thing for sure, this mother spoke of Jesus to her daughter, her family, her neighbors, and maybe even her daughter’s daughters, right up to the day when finally she left for a seat at his table.

Mark 7 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Storiès