Author: Dave Dishman (Page 371 of 459)

Paul prays in Ephesians 1 for the good members of the church in Ephesus. It’s a prayer repeated for centuries. Paul entreats God for hope, riches and power. Don’t we all want those? I know I do.

As I scan the horizon for hope, Paul prays I would see the hope God has for me.

When I’m enamored by stories of vast wealth, Paul prays I would understand the riches God has already given me.

While I’m sure I could work power in so many helpful ways, Paul prays I might allow the incomparable power of God to work through me.

I want what I want. Paul prays for what I need.

Thank you, Paul.

Week five of reading the Bible cover to cover.

Moses engages in a remarkable dialogue with the God at the beginning of Exodus. Moses complains about his assigned mission to Egypt, “no one will believe me or listen to my voice.” He’s afraid that people will think he’s crazy as he speaks for God.

The Lord replies, “What is that in your hand?” Moses holds a staff (a long stick). “Throw it on the ground,” the Lord instructs. The staff turns into a snake and Moses runs away in terror. Surely God rolled his eyes.

Moses didn’t need any special abilities or magic powers to free his people. God brought all that. God showed Moses that he could use anything, a stick, a bush filled with non-consuming fire, and even a frightened shepherd, to accomplish his purposes.

That’s encouraging.

Week five of reading the Bible cover to cover.

Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.

As a result, the lives of the Israelites turned into a hell of slavery and infanticide and death.

To be honest, I find myself more attracted to the tingling power of the king than to the suffering Israelites.

This new king either knew nothing of Egypt’s past history, or simply ignored it. This king embraced his power to force history, and God’s people, into the new day dawning, to pull the dark past into an enlightened future. Which he conveniently controlled.

How am I like the king? I’m like the king when I ignore the clear teachings of scripture to slip into the ever-swirling moral perspectives of our cultural moment. I’m like the king when I discount the words of the New and Old Testament writers regarding personal freedoms, sexuality, gender confusion, and moral actions. I’m like the king when I depreciate truth to avoid looking intolerant or outdated, to appear loving and open-minded, to embrace the modern and jettison the past.

Under the new kings of our age, and their updated views of of truth, await a future of slavery and infanticide and death.

Under the teachings of scripture await a narrow and confining future. But narrow is the way that leads to life.

I choose life.

Exodus 1 in Week five of reading the Bible cover to cover.

I’ve read lots of conjecture about Paul’s “thorn in the flesh,” a physical ailment God refused to remove (2 Corinthians 12). Paul never spelled it out, so no one is really sure what his problem might have been.

As we read Galatians 4, we discover a clue. Paul reminds the good people of Galatia that an illness first brought him to preach to them. Then he mentions that in their generous care for him, they would have “torn out your eyes and given them to me.” Was something wrong with Paul’s eyes?

At the end of Acts Paul gathers firewood and a viper latches on – he obviously didn’t see that coming. Paul closes his letter to Galatia using “large letters by my own hand!” Sounds like a dude with bad eyes.

Paul influenced the world by writing and preaching about Jesus. Paul traveled on foot, preached to hostile and friendly crowds, labored as a tentmaker, and wrote letter after letter. All with diseased eyes. Seems like he deserved a break.

Paul prayed fervently for that break, but relief never arrived. Instead, power walked through the door. Paul delighted in weakness – delighted – because in his weakness Christ’s power – power to change the world – surged through him.

Worth it.

Week four of reading the Bible cover to cover.