Ezekiel 18-19 Those who are acting in wicked ways will be punished for those actions; those who are acting in righteous ways will be rewarded for those actions, period.  It seems that the Israelites believed that the children would be punished for their parents’ sins…but God told them through Ezekiel that this was not good logic, and it was not the way he would judge.  In fact, if a wicked person repents and turns back to Him, he rejoices and forgets their wickedness!  And those who were righteous who stray and begin to be wicked are punished.  The overall theme … Continue reading Repentance and More Pain

2 Kings 18:9-19:37; Psalm 46/80/135 revive us, and we will call on your name. 19 Restore us, O LORD God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.” Revive and restore.  Doesn’t that sound refreshing?  As I write tonight I feel the anxiety bubbling up and rearing its ugly head, but I still have peace.  Is that weird?  I’ve been praying and asking others to pray that God will open doors for me and will guide me through the medical maze.  Last night I emailed my regular doctor to ask for advice on where I should … Continue reading Learning to be still

Isaiah 35-36 I wonder at the structure of the book of Isaiah.  We jumped from descriptions of heaven — the joy of the redeemed — to the taunts of the field commander for the King of Assyria. No doubt about it…those in Jerusalem were in dire straits.  Yet they trusted the Lord, and they trusted their king despite the fact that no other nation or god had been able to withstand the might of the Assyrians. I know what comes next in the story.  It was featured very dramatically in the children’s novel, The God King.  This book was a … Continue reading The dragon slayer

Isaiah 13-17 In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it— one from the house [a] of David— one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness. Over and over again, Isaiah prophesied about the coming of Jesus….about four hundred years into the future.  What might life have been like for those who did listen to Isaiah and follow the Lord?  They were expectant…yet they did not live to see the prophesy fulfilled. Today I am thinking about other prophesies that some of us don’t live to see fulfilled…or maybe we will. … Continue reading Holding on