When you ask your stingy friend to pitch in for an expensive meal and then realize it’s like getting water from a rock, you understand your dilemma. That dude ain’t coughing up no money.

Which is one reason why I love the story where God actually provided water from a rock. The Lord told Moses, speak to the rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. Although Moses went about it all wrong, water still gushed. A literal river—enough to satisfy a million or more thirsty people and goats and cattle.

This month my wife and I will join several professors and fellow Cru staff for a spring break outreach in Italy. The professors will speak at various universities, engaging with students invited by local ministries. We hope to help Italian students and profs consider Jesus in fresh ways and follow him fully.

But our efforts are just like getting water from a rock unless the Lord chooses to work. None of us can force another to come to faith. The decision is too personal and too huge, between God and each one of us. In Italy, as elsewhere, we only whack at stone until God intervenes.

We can, however, pray for others to experience Jesus, looking toward the one who made both the water and the rock. Lord, take our feeble efforts and pour out living water to the thirsty souls you place in our path.

Numbers 20 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Ethan Dow

Paul encouraged members of the church in Colossae to cloth yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. If that wasn’t hard enough, he added another layer. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

I don’t easily forgive others. My natural inclination is to hold on to an issue, rub it raw until it bleeds. I see and hear the airing of grievances all around me, the demanding of rights. But very little forgiveness.

Paul tells me to forgive as the Lord forgave me. Not a conditional forgiveness, or a forgiveness dependent on another’s action. Forgive with nothing in return. In describing the Lord’s forgiveness in the past I’ve used words like unsparing, lavish, and total. The phrase, as far as the east is from the west, always encourages me.

I’m to forgive in the same way?

That’s how the book reads. Only through leaning on the Holy Spirit living within me may I even come close. Paul’s admonition makes it clear that such deep and powerful forgiveness is possible, if I will trust the Lord to turn me away from myself.

Here’s a radical thought—maybe practicing forgiveness in this manner is the cure for so much of what ails us?

Colossians 3 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Christopher Stites

I wonder if you remember any of these men from the Bible? Each possessed strong leadership qualities and due to their reputation, each was specifically chosen for an important mission:

Shammua, Shaphat, Igal, Palti, Gaddiel, Gaddi, Ammiel, Sethur, Nahbi, and Geuel.

Any ring a bell? If so, be impressed with yourself. Likely only their other two companions spark your memory—Joshua and Caleb.

These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore the land.

Twelve promising young leaders, sent out by a hopeful nation eager to enter lands promised by God. In their exploration they discovered the countryside indeed dripped with milk and honey. But powerful peoples lived there, and somewhere along the trail a virus of fear infected on spy after another.

These men returned home and spread their virus to friends and family. Lack of trust in the God at their backs turned so much promise into so much calamity.

Two of the spies resisted—Joshua and Caleb. Overrun by the panic of the mob, they stood by Moses as the promise evaporated. Only forty years later did they enter lands they experienced as young men.

I find it interesting that I don’t know anyone named for the first ten spies, as folks don’t name children after cowards. But I know several men named Joshua or Caleb. Strong names for a son, and a proud legacy to carry through life.

Numbers 13 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Philippe AWOUTERS

Do you remember where you came from? I don’t mean your hometown or your family of origin. I’m referring to Paul’s words to the faithful brothers and sisters in Colossae as they think back on the Lord’s hand in their lives:

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.

In case his point lacked clarity, Paul continued a few lines later:

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.

I often forget from whence I came. Before the work of Christ, alienation and darkness epitomized my life. Perhaps I failed to realize the situation of my soul, but my ignorance doesn’t change reality. We exist in a world of two kingdoms—a dominion of darkness and a kingdom of the Son.

The Son is the image of the invisible God; the firstborn of all creation; due to his blood shed on the cross we may enjoy peace with God; through his death we present holy before God, without blemish and free from accusation.

Entry into the kingdom of the Son is not guaranteed. One needs to hold fast to the good news of Jesus, embrace his sacrifice and ways. Refuse to move back into our former homes.

This news of a boundary presents a problem. It’s popular today to believe that most every belief is ok, since God doesn’t judge anyone who’s not a Hitler-type person. Porous borders allow freedom from religious strictures while enjoying all that God offers. Those claiming exclusivity about Jesus need to lighten up.

Unfortunately, God fails to lighten up. The Scriptures present an binary choice, one each living person makes during their time on this earth. The dominion of darkness or the kingdom of the Son.

Choose wisely.

Colossians 1 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Daniel Diesenreither