Tuesday, August 20, 2013

The Bible Challenge: Day 232

The scriptures read are Isaiah 43-45, Psalm 39 and 2 Timothy 3.

Isaiah 43. God assures his people of his love. He has redeemed them and they will return from exile.

He is the only God. All the rest are knockoffs. But that didn't stop his people for taking him for granted.

Isaiah 44. God will pour water onto the parched desert and his Spirit onto his parched people.

Isaiah abandons the prose for a while to write a few satirical paragraphs about idolmakers. They cut down a tree and half of it goes for firewood to cook one's food and heat ones feet. The other half is used to make a wooden god. And nobody gets how stupid that is. They've got it wrong. God makes and shapes us, not vice versa. God is the one in control.

Isaiah 45. God chooses Cyrus the Persian to accomplish the changes he wants to see. God is really in charge. He created everything and is working behind the scenes to save his people.

Psalm 39. Nice acoustic version to be found here.

2 Timothy 3. Paul paints a vivid picture of society gone to hell. He warns Timothy of con men who prey on needy women in the name of religion.

Love verses 16 & 17 in Peterson's The Message: "Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another--showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God;s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us." Or as Shepherd Book says to River in Firefly, "You don't fix the Bible...You don't fix faith, River. It fixes you."

No comments:

Post a Comment