Author: Dave Dishman (Page 362 of 475)

Paul weighed his options, neither of which looked good. Return to Jerusalem, where the religious officials hoped to kill him, or ask for a trial before the leading court in the empire. Paul invoked his privilege as a Roman citizen and appealed to Caesar.

This set Paul on the road to Rome, where he hoped to go anyway. Ironically, Paul died at the hands of the caesar Nero, but only after preaching the gospel in that great city.

If I appealed to the highest authority today, where might I go? In the United States, the Supreme Court stands at the top of our judicial system. The International Criminal Court at the The Hague, Netherlands, hears cases involving genocide and crimes against humanity. Every nation offers some sort of supreme authority, be it a set of courts, or an enlightened individual, or a powerful despot.

As I think of Paul and his decision, I sit amazed and humbled, knowing that the supreme authority in the universe pauses, available to hear my appeal.

Thanks to Jesus, our great High Priest, we may approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we my receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16).

Way better than Caesar.

Acts 25 in week twenty of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by iam_os

After Paul survived a mob in Jerusalem, the authorities sent him for judgement to the governor, a man named Felix. The wheels of justice turned slowly in ancient Palestine, and Felix held Paul in prison for two years.

Something about Paul intrigued Felix. Although the text describes his mixed motives (he hoped to gain a bribe from Paul), Felix seemed truly interested in Paul’s message.

As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgement to come, Felix was afraid and said, That’s enough for now! When I find it convenient, I will send for you.

The topics Paul raised gnawed at Felix. Despite his reputation for cruelty, or maybe because of it, Felix brought Paul back again and again for conversations about God.

Nothing stuck, apparently. After his replacement as governor, Felix moved to Rome, where he lived until his death from tuberculosis. No record of any conversion or movement toward the Lord. He died lost as a goose.

Felix spent as much time with Paul as most anyone. The Holy Spirit prodded his heart, raising fears about his life and eternal state. Felix drew close, peered over the edge, then fled. Too much at stake – reputation, riches, power.

Perhaps you know a Felix, someone who expresses an interest in living the Christian faith, but never quite commits. They dabble with the prophet in their basement.

Let’s pray our friends soon understand that the things they cling to in this world are no match for what comes next.

Acts 24 in week 20 of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Macu ic

In a spirit of great rejoicing, David danced before the ark of God as a pair of oxen moved the ark to Jerusalem. Along the way, the oxen stumbled and one of the minders, Uzzah, reached out to steady the load. God struck him down instantly for his apparently irreverent act.

David reacted first in anger, followed quickly by fear. The Lord showed up in an unexpected, uncontrolled way.

Not that David hadn’t been warned. God gave specific instructions on how to transport the ark (see Numbers 4:15). Not on a cart pulled by oxen, but carried by Kohathite Levites, with pointed directions never to touch the ark lest they die.

David ignored these ancient instructions, failing to take the law of the Lord seriously. Uzzah bore the wrath for his lapse in leadership.

I wonder if David missed a bigger lesson in this tragic incident? The Lord’s holiness soars beyond our understanding. David knew that better than most anyone, ever. What if God’s punishment of Uzzah was part of his bigger plan for David? What if the Lord wanted David to remember his holiness as David served as king?

What if David remembered Uzzah’s lesson throughout his reign? What if he turned away from Bathsheba as she bathed on a nearby roof? What if David never ordered the death of her husband? What if the nation avoided the civil war that grew out of these crimes? What if the death of one man spared the deaths of many?

What if?

I’m only guessing at the mind of God, and I’m not good at it. But I don’t have to guess at the holiness of God. That’s obvious.

1 Samuel 6 in week twenty of reading the Bible cover to cover

Carrying the Ark of the Covenant: gilded bas-relief at Auch Cathedral, France

Deep comfort and encouragement spring from David’s words in Psalm 27. The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold in my life – of whom shall I be afraid?

After returning to their home base in a town called Ziklag, David and his small army of men found their homes burned to the ground and their women and children stolen.

David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.

Remarkably, in the midst of such a crisis, David looked to the Lord. David wrote this psalm not in the safety of a cathedral, but in the ruins of a burned-out village. David turned to the Lord for strength, then turned his mount toward the raiders who carried off his family.

David’s words spring from loss, pain, frustration and hope – which is why they carry such power.

I turn to Psalm 27 often during times of grief and loss. After the sudden death of my father years ago, I memorized verses 13 & 14, and they’ve percolated through my heart and mind many times since:

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

I Samuel 30 & Psalm 27 in week nineteen of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Simon Berger