4:9 - Take care and watch yourselves closely.  Make them known to your children and your childrens children.  Repeats again in v15v31 - The Lord will neither abandon or destroy you32ff - What a powerful series of questions39 - Acknowledge today and take to heart that the Lord is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.  There is no other.   Luke's sermon on the mount/plain7:1-18 - Jesus living ou...  Read More

Recounting what happened in the Exodus.  Retelling so as to not forget3:22 - Do not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.  3:23 - You have only begun to show...your greatness and your might... wow Luke's version of the Beatitudes - how are they similar to Matthew?  Different?  Not the woes as wellLove your enemies?  Is this the hardest command from Jesus?Followed closely by Do...  Read More

These are once again said to be the words of MosesSo far recalling the history - likely a way to be sure that the story doesn't get forgotten Jesus sowing seed in new placesWhat are the old wineskins we are trying to keep reusing over and over?Stories of pushing against traditions - fasting, being w/ the unclean, Sabbath actions Psalm 66 - v 12 - Yet you have brought us to a spacious place.  A sat...  Read More

Easy to skim a lot of thisBut note 35:9-15 - An interesting act of compassion and working for just actions35:30 - No one shall be put to death on the testimony of a single witness "If you choose..." - humble but also direct.  Ok to approach God in this wayv26 - "We have seen strange things today."  lolWhy did Levi follow? Psalm 65 - Love love love this Psalm.  How even nature calls otu in praise. ...  Read More

Not a whole lot to say on this part   Like Mark, first things are acts of power over evil and illnessPeter's response is a common one when encountering the holy - I am unclean! Psalm 64 - I love how it describes how the heedless think they are "getting away with it" but God sees and God foils their plans Proverbs 11:22 - Same could be said of any other person...  Read More

Doesn't look too highly on the intelligence of women when talking about their vows.  Sigh31:18 - Keep all the young girls for yourselfs?  What??   Temptation / Purifiction / Preparation - feels like what some call a Vision Quest.  Self denial in order to create opportunities for visions and insightsNazareth - see my sermon from February Psalm 63 - Such a vivid description of a longing for God.  So...  Read More

Im personally grateful that we don't do offerings in the same way now as was then... It is easy to skip over this but there are some deep stories embedded within the names.   Psalm 62 - For God alone my soul waits in silence.  In God alone.  So beautiful.  Also a focus on the centrality of trust in God.   Proverbs 11:18-19 - Right living = good living?  Always true?  ...  Read More

- Do we accept the things of God as Moses did?  Should we? John - a turning to JEsus but also a deep prophetic sense.  Psalm 61 - Shelter of your wings - one of the many places w/ feminine imagery for God.   Proverbs 11:16-17 - verse 17 - being cruel does active harm!...  Read More

Countings and numberings - not much to say here oops - I talked about anna yesterdayLook at verses 40 and 52 - Strong, wise, in the favor of God Psalm 60 - For instruction - how was this a Psalm for instruction?  How to be humble when humbled?  How to pray when all seems to have failed / fallen apart? Proverbs 11:15 - Common sense wisdom here...  Read More

So we have the whole Balak/Balaam thing and then it is just dropped?  Why?Brutality of ancient days and the things that we do in the name of God then and now.  Sigh Lots of tradition here - the inn didn't necessarily mean a hotel-like place.  Likely more of a guesthouse type of thing in a home.  Also, not a stable but animals were often rbought into the home for safetyThe joy of the people on the ...  Read More

Why was God angry if Balaam was going as God told him to?Speak what God says not what others say Zechariah's song - I love the connections with these songs and the Balaam oracles.  Looking over the events of the day and proclaiming God's workingIntersting to compare and contrast Mary's song with Zechariah's Psalm 58 - What a contrast to 57.  Have I ever felt this angry and afraid?  Yes Proverbs 11...  Read More

Did God really desire the death of all the people?Balaam - God speaking to and through someone outside the community Mary's response to the angel doesn't seem to be fear like so many otherstories.  Responses seem more curious than challengingMary likely leaves with haste to protect herself from what could have happened in NazarethMary's song - Revolutionary and powerful message Psalm 57 - Love thi...  Read More