Jul 21
While tucked away on vacation, staring out at this waterfront view, a verse from the book of Isaiah started to bother me.
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you. Read more
The book of Matthew is filled with Jesus’ teachings and his interactions with people. If you have a red-letter Bible, most of Matthew is in red. The faster you move through the book, the more intensely you are drinking in Jesus’ actual teachings.
The first time I read through the entire book of Matthew, I did it over two days and at the end I experienced the most amazing sensation. I missed him. I missed Jesus. Toward the end of the book, when there is more narration and less Jesus-speaking, I got all uneasy, and then when he was gone, I felt a strange sadness. There would be no more red-letter words to read. Read more
Every time I read the first chapter of Matthew, I’m struck by how important it must be to trace the connections of the past to the present.
In the history recorded in the Old Testament, God commissions a young man named Joshua to take over leading the Israelite people after Moses’ death. Joshua must have been a little nervous, as God tells him to ‘be strong and courageous’ three times. And for good reason. These people he was going to lead did not have a history of being great followers. In chapter 1, verse 3 God says to Joshua:
I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you.’ Read more
Yesterday, I read Psalm 40. Verse 16 got all tangled up in my head.
“May all who search for you
be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation
repeatedly shout, “The Lord is great!”
Theme: Linen by The Theme Foundry
