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Today we read from an overlooked gem of the Old Testament – the book of Habakkuk. This short work takes the form of a dialogue between the prophet and God. Habakkuk is greatly distressed at the state of the world, and complains about it to God. The book opens with Habakkuk asking, “Lord, how long must […]

Today’s readings from Exodus and Hebrews relate the behaviors for atonement God established for the Israelites in earlier times to the later behavior of Jesus. God’s provisions for atonement from sin were experienced by the Israelites as a gracious gift. When the High Priest represented the people to God on the Day of Atonement, it […]

Today we begin the first of four days reading from one of the most famous Psalms. Psalm 51 has traditionally been attributed to King David, writing after his adultery with Bathsheba and murder of her husband Uriah. Whatever the circumstances of its composition may have been, it is clearly an outpouring of the depths of […]

On the seventh and final day of Lectionary reading from Psalm 107, think about God’s steadfast love as a part of the covenant with His people. And in my response to God’s faithfulness and loyalty, ask, “How faithful and loyal am I?” Today’s reading from Isaiah is a magnificent description of life under the rule […]

On the sixth day of reading from Psalm 107, think about God’s “loving-kindness.” The reading today from 1st Corinthians is a warning against several “obvious” sins.  With overt acts such as bowing to physical idols, self-centered complaining, or unwise sexual behavior, it is relatively easy to trace the consequences of those behaviors back to their source. […]

In this fifth day of reading from Psalm 107, meditate for a moment on how God’s love is relentless. The reading from Exodus describes the experience of the Israelites as they journeyed through the wilderness towards the land of promise. They go through a period of dryness, and then when water is found, it is […]

In this fourth day of reading from Psalm 107, meditate for a moment on God’s mercy. Today’s reading from Numbers recounts the problems encountered by the Israelites because of the all-too-human tendencies towards impatience and grumbling. We are creatures who are quick to notice a difference between things as they are, and things as we […]

In this third day of reading from Psalm 107, take a moment to reflect on God’s loyalty. The reading from Numbers describes the death of the High Priest Aaron. The assumption of the priestly function by Aaron’s son Eleazar is both an assurance of God’s continued provision, but also points to the need for the […]

“Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back, But quick-ey’d Love, observing me grow slack From my first entrance in, Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning, If I lack’d any thing.” (First stanza of Love by George Herbert) Stories are so important in shaping our lives. I have lived with a story all of […]

In this second day of reading from Psalm 107, take a moment to reflect on God’s steadfast love. Today’s reading from Daniel references the desolation of the temple in Jerusalem by the Syrian-Greek king Antiochus IV Epiphanes during his persecution of the Jews that led to the Maccabean Revolt. In apocalyptic language, the readers are […]

Today is our first of seven days reading a portion of Psalm 107. This is a song of praise and thanksgiving. Specifically, the Psalmist is grateful for deliverance from troubles. It is a testimony to the power of God to redeem those who are in even the most desperate of situations. As is often the […]

Today’s reading from Ezra underscores the importance to Israel of the temple. The destruction of the first temple in 587 BC was an absolute national disaster. This account in Ezra of events seven decades later at the return from exile ends with the note of joy of the people in being able to rededicate their […]

Today’s readings from Second Chronicles of King Hezekiah’s reforms show the importance of repentance and renewal. After many years of decline and unfaithfulness in Israel’s religious practices, the new king Hezekiah initiated a period of reform. The process of purification and rededication which the priests are instructed to perform represents the need for God’s people […]

Today’s readings center on the role of the Temple in both the Hebrew scriptures and the New Testament.  The passages from 1 Kings describe the construction of the Jerusalem Temple as a place of worship of God. Psalm 84 is a magnificent song of meditation on the joy of worship. The New Testament reading from […]

The readings for the third Sunday in this Lenten season contrast God’s patterns with human ones. The ten commandments given at Mount Sinai begin with an emphasis on recognizing that the one true God transcends our idolatrous conceptions of the Divine. Our failures in life can be primarily traced to this root sin of elevating […]