The first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles are a little dry to say the least. Genealogy after genealogy carry little meaning for the modern reader. And yet, I can’t help but think, at some point, these words were life-giving to a portion of God’s family. The first couple of verses of chapter nine give us the context. This was written to those who had been carried off into exile and to those who eventually returned to Israel during the time of Cyrus the Great. For this audience, these genealogies are their connection to home, their connection to Israel’s history, their assurance that they have a part in the promises of God given to their ancestors. The exile has not permanently separated them from their past. They still have a place in the story of God’s people. Continue reading Day 29: All Scripture is Inspired…Not All of it is Inspiring

Naaman was a man who could get things done. A valiant soldier he had achieved great professional success. A man of solid reputation he knew the ins and outs of the social world. So even though he had admitted a need and taken the advice of a servant, he returned to doing what he did best – controlling his own destiny. He secured a letter of recommendation from his King that would help him navigate the delicate waters of international travel. He loaded up his horses and chariots with five times the silver that the King of Israel had once spent to purchase an entire city (see 1 Kings 16:24). As if that wasn’t enough to grease the wheels of any Israelite bureaucracy, he had 150 pounds of gold and ten large rolls of fine fabric to make sure this prophet would be persuaded to help Naaman out. Continue reading Day 27: Of Large Things and Small

Let’s be honest, all of us can think of some person in our lives that we consider a troubler. Someone whose very presence makes us uncomfortable. Now, there is a good chance that the reason this person causes us such great grief is due to some quality in the other person: they’re rude; they’re crude; they’ve got a bad attitude. In a word, it’s their fault they come across as a troubler. If we’re not careful, though, we can miss the fact that sometimes the trouble is not with the one who bothers us, but with us. Continue reading Day 26: Trouble or Truth?

Cover to Cover: 2 Samuel 11:10-21:13 Key Passage: 2 Samuel 12:1-23 Verse of the Day: 2 Samuel 12:13 Events in today’s reading: David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11) Nathan Confronts David (2 Samuel 12) Absalom Usurps his Father (2 Samuel 15) Absalom’s Death (2 Samuel 18) Verse that stood out: Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back into the city. If … Continue reading Day 23: Humility, Shrewdness, or both?