sure not daily....

I thought a lot about Samson...  still think he is a big jerk that shouldn't be on Sunday school leaflets or children's Bible Story books.  But God's grace explains a lot.  I also thought about the lesson that might be learned by parents through this account.  Perhaps if Samson's parents had not indulged his every whim he would have lived a different life.  Either way God in His wisdom picked Samson and used him.  We really cannot out sin God's grace. 

I am reading a book that Kate needs to read for her leadership group at Martin Luther Chapel at Michigan State.  It is called "Out of the Salt Shaker"  it is about evangelism and I am really enjoying it.  Evangelism is something I struggle with as I am often not sure how to balance respecting people and their beliefs and sharing mine.  I also think most of the evangelism tactics are not just ineffective, but rude and judgemental.  I don't want to be like that.  This book starts out addressing that same concern.  I'm excited about reading this book and seeing what I have to learn.  The author spends a lot of time talking about Jesus and his life and his example.  To that end I am going to concentrate my thoughts as I continue my reading journey on Christ and his example as best I can.  Here is today's reading from John and my thoughts about it:

John 6

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

 ¹After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is  the Sea of Tiberias. ²And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.(Rock star status...) ³Jesus went up on  the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. ⁴Now  the Passover, the  feast of the Jews, was at hand. ⁵ Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?"(Sometimes it is a good strategy to ask a question that you know the answer to.) ⁶He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. ⁷  Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." ⁸One of his disciples,  Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ⁹"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?"(Sharing what you have is place to start. Jesus does the multiplying and the meeting of needs)  ¹⁰Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. ¹¹Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks,(be thankful for what you have, before you have more) he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. ¹²And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost."(don't waste, even when you have an abundance of things) ¹³So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. ¹⁴When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, "This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!"
 ¹⁵ Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. ( a time to regroup and refocus may be in order when you are misunderstood)

Jesus Walks on Water

 ¹⁶When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, ¹⁷got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. ¹⁸The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. ¹⁹When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. ²⁰ But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." ²¹Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

claification

When I reread my last post I thought it sounded a bit like I was saying that Samson killing those 30 men was God's will.... NOOOOOO Samson treating his parents with disrespect, eating unclean food, touching a dead animal carcus, killing people..... All those things were not God's will, they were Samsons will.  God does not want us to sin, He wants us to follow Him.  However, His ultimate will of using Samson to save Israel from the Philistines is accomplished in spite of Samson's sinfulness. 

Today's Proverb

Each day I read a snipit from a Proverb.... usually just a verse or two.  They are so often "zingers" .  Today is like that again:  Proverbs 14:15-16  Only simpletons believe everything they're told! The prudent carefully consider their steps.  The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence.

OT reading is from Judges in Chapter 13 &14, it begins the account of Samson.  I found myself scratching my head on this one quite a bit.  So much sinfulness but it is preceeded by words that indicate God was at work in it.  Both when Samson is being a selfish jerk and demanding his parents get the pretty girl for him.  "I want to marry her.  Get her for me."  (For real???  I don't think this kind of talk would motivate me to do anything my kid was asking!)  And again when the Lord increased Samson's strength.  "The spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him.  He went down to the town of , killed thirty men, took their belongings, and gave their clothing to the men who had solved his riddle."  Things that make me say hmmm.  I do not believe that God causes us to sin, but rather that He is able to work His purposes in spite of our sinful choices.  Samson is not a picture of an obedient child of God, but rather a selfish, greedy, sinful picture.  In spite of this God worked His purposes.   It is to our benefit to work in Concert with the Lord, following His commandments, but the truth is His Will shall be done one way or another.

May 10

Woo hoo, a post two days in a row!  And I even have some thoughts about today's reading.  It's interesting because it happens to be the same text I studied and though about a lot last week as I prepared for my Children's message, as well as for Sunday school.

 Here are my thoughts and pondering from Luke 24:13-32  the text takes place following the resurrection.  ¹³ Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles^[a] from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; ¹⁶ but they were kept from recognizing him.
 ¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
   They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
   ¹⁹ “What things?” he asked.
   “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
 ²⁵ He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
 ²⁸ As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. ²⁹ But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
 ³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. ³² They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

So, for the bright yellow first:  I've always wondered about why Jesus wasn't recognized.  I mean clearly it states that God PREVENTED them from recognizing Him, so it certainly is not that they were dull and dim witted.  But still, why?  Then this week I had an ah ha moment as I thought and prayed about it preparing for children's message.  My mom taught me so many things.  Truly, the woman I am today is because of her.  From moral issues to how to cook, everything important that I know I credit her.  And then in March of last year I watched her die.  It was a horrible thing to witness, such a beautiful strong woman be diminished that way.  I understand why death is referred in scripture as "curse"  because it was ugly and difficult and horrible.  In like manner, the disciples watched Jesus die on the cross.  They saw it with their own eyes.  So here's the thing:  I realized that if my amazing mother walked into the room, she would not be able to teach me a thing!  I would be so many things, amazed, confused, excited.  But what I would not be is in a position to learn something!  Perhaps the same would be true of the disciples, and Jesus had more teaching to do!

Next thought, neon green:  When Jesus asks a question, it's for our benefit not his.  He already knows the answer.

Light blue:  I just dig that he was kind of "pretending"....

Pink:  Wouldn't it be cool if as followers of Christ we could figure out how to have people want to hear more of what we have to say about scripture rather than being "Whew, we're home, let that dude keep walking"  I wonder what it is about Jesus style that accomplished that.  I pray that He will grant such an ability to me.

Orange:  This made me think of the chorus of a pop song that is played on the radio now.  "I gotta feeling. woo hoo"   So often we get a feeling about something.  Call it Conscience,  intuition, instinct,.....the Holy Spirit perhaps.  I think that still small voice we hear within ourselves is often the voice of God directing us.  We would do well to practice heeding rather than ignoring that "feeling".

And that is it for my pondering today!

May 9th

I'm a little bit behind again, but mostly the problem with posting has been that I've been without my computer for the last month or so. At first I had been noting things I wanted to blog about or mention, but then I felt so overwhelmed with all the catching up that I didn't write because I didn't have time to take care of it all.  Finally today I decided to just never mind about what I missed and start again. Ironically, nothing much grabbed my attention from the readings today....