Category: Bible (Page 79 of 396)

I’ve walked the Mall in Washington D.C. a couple of times. My favorite memorial is dedicated to those who fought in the Korean War. Stainless-steel statues depict a squad on patrol, the battle clad troops scanning for the enemy. One of my visits occurred during a foggy evening. I was strolling along when the figures emerged silently from the mist, startling me. I stood there for a long time, quietly reflecting.

Paul exhorted members of the church in Corinth, new followers of Jesus, to remain ever vigilant in their faith: Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.

Corinth was a wild city, a place of international trade, loads of money and the worship of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty, pleasure and procreation. Workers from Aphrodite’s temple flooded the streets, offering sex for contributions. Not exactly Mayberry RFD.

Among the Corinthians Paul underscored the need for vigilance, courage and strength. A successful Christian life in such a society required sober reflection and a stiff backbone. A soft heart was also essential. Do everything in love reveals the secret needed for pagan neighbors to turn away from hollow pursuits toward hope found only in Jesus.

Today’s society tempts with promises of sex, money, pleasures and promotions only a click away. My physical and virtual neighbors need to understand the love of Jesus, even as I display vigilance, courage and strength, as depicted by the creators of the Korean War memorial.

Tough-skinned and soft-hearted. That’s the way of the disciple of Jesus.

1 Corinthians 16 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Rafik Wahba

Barbarians roam the pages of scripture, murdering, raping and carrying women off into slavery. Others sacrificed children to demonic gods. Brutality emerges as a theme in the Bible.

Even when David served as king, he faced palace intrigues and scorn from his enemies: They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.

Not that we’re any better. Those of a barbarian nature reside with us today. A thug launched a brutal war in Ukraine, and savage men regularly kidnap young women to violate in Central Africa.

But what of those in more enlightened realms? Angry folk roam the internet, turning civil discourse into vicious diatribes. More subtly, greedy traders overwhelm the gates with promises of pleasure or fulfillment found by purchasing the latest style, or changing yourself to fit a new mold.

At our core we all carry seeds of the barbarian.

Thankfully, an escape route exists. David prayed, As for me, afflicted and in pain—may your salvation, God, protect me. We can form David’s words into an especially pertinent prayer today:

Lord, barbarians surround us, attack us and sadly motivate us. May your salvation protect our souls in this world filled with affliction and pain.

Psalm 69 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Hasan Almasi

I find in the Scriptures touching reminders of my position in this world. Promises like these give me hope: I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth…covered you with the shadow of my hand.

God is speaking to his people, pointing to joyful days ahead. He tells them not to fear mortal enemies who dry up like grass, but remember their Maker, who stretches out the heavens and who lays the foundations of the earth.

It’s an astounding proposition. The Creator of all we see—tiny creatures swimming under microscopes and galaxies dancing through telescopes—actually pays attention to you and me. Both fabulous and unnerving, the Bible assures us this is true.

My problems, while still challenging and worthy of attention, look different when I evaluate them from under the shadow of our good Lord’s hand.

Isaiah 51 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by eberhard 🖐 grossgasteiger

I sat in the tiny living room, crowded with expectant followers of Jesus. They started to quietly sing, Am pacea ca un fluviu, Am pacea ca un fluviu…

I literally felt their faith roll through my body. The room where I sat was in Romania, the year 1983. I was a college student on a summer mission. Communist ideologues ruled and religion was forbidden. Yet a group of young believers gathered in defiance and sang a familiar hymn:

I’ve got peace like a river
I’ve got peace like a river
I’ve got peace like a river in my soul…

The government forced one married couple in the room to work on opposite ends of the country due to their faith. They rarely saw each other, but here they sat with their brothers and sisters. Others faced fines and job discrimination. Arrests loomed for outspoken Christians. The Bible was banned. And still they sang about hearts brimming with peace.

The phrase originates in Isaiah. The Lord says, If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea.

My Romanian friends paid more attention to the words of God than to the dictates of a corrupt government. Which is good for me to remember when tumultuous politics threaten the peace.

By paying attention to the Lord and his commands, dikes crumble before an ever-flowing tranquility, a freedom from the angst of this world. I will never forget that evening. In the midst of intense pressure this cohort enjoyed a sense of peace originating from the hand of God. The same river flows for me if I’m willing to turn to the Lord and receive it.

Isaiah 48 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Jack Anstey