Bible Readings

Isaiah 43:1-7; Psalm 29; 

Acts 8:14-17;  Luke 3:15-17. 21-22

THE PRAISE OF THE LORD – Psalm 29:1-2

It is important to note here that those being directly called on to praise God are heavenly beings, angels, if you will.

David is calling on the angels to praise God.  But they already do!  Why would David call on them to do what is already being done? James Montgomery Boice answered that question: “It is because he feels that his praise and the praise of other mere human beings in not adequate. David is overwhelmed with the majesty of God revealed in the storm that he has witnessed and is now going to describe. He feels that he needs help to praise God properly. To praise God adequately the entire created order must join in, and even then sufficient praise would be lacking.” James Montgomery Boice, Psalms Vol 1, Grand Rapids Michigan, Baker Books, 1994

http://www.sermonseeds.org/poetry/Psalms%201-30/Psalm%2029.htm

Jesus and the Bible

What do we do with the Bible?

Extract from Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditation “Jesus and the Bible”
Sunday, January 6, 2019
Centre for Action and Contemplation: Meditations@cac.org

For all its inspiration, for all the lives it has changed, the Bible is undeniably problematic. Put in the hands of egocentric, unloving, or power-hungry people or those who have never learned how to read spiritually inspired literature, it is almost always a disaster. History has demonstrated this, century after century, so this is not an unwarranted, disrespectful, or biased conclusion. The burning of heretics, the Crusades, slavery, apartheid, homophobia, and the genocide and oppression of native peoples were all justified through the selective use of Scripture quotes.

So, what are we supposed to do with the Bible?...

The Bible is an anthology of many books. It is a record of people’s experience of God’s self-revelation. It is an account of our very human experience of the divine intrusion into history. The book did not fall from heaven in a pretty package. It was written by people trying to listen to God. I believe that the Spirit was guiding the listening and writing process. We must also know that humans always see “through a glass darkly . . .  and all knowledge is imperfect” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Prayer and patience surrounding such human words will keep us humble and searching for the true Living Word, the person of Jesus, which is how the Spirit best teaches (1 Corinthians 2:10,13)…

When history finally gets to the Risen Jesus, there is nothing to be afraid of in God. Jesus’ very breath is identified with forgiveness and the divine Shalom (see John 20:20-23). If the Risen Jesus is the full and trustworthy unveiling of the nature of God, then we live in a safe and love-filled universe. It is not that God has changed, or that the Hebrew God is a different God than the God of Jesus; it is that we are growing up as we move through the text and deepen our experience. Stay with the Bible and with your inner life with God and your capacity for God will increase.