Author: Dave Dishman (Page 21 of 390)

Outside my window stands a beautiful ash tree. Twenty-six years old, planted when we moved into the house, the ash survived harsh winters and dry summers. But today the tree faces a new threat—the Emerald Ash Borer. This invasive beetle (originally from Asia) decimates North American ash trees. I cannot see the beetles, but the arborist who inspected my tree tells me they’re present. The beetles lay eggs, and the voracious larva feed inside the bark. Less than 1% of infested trees survive.

My tree has a problem on the inside.

Isaiah spoke of problems of the heart in his missive to Israel and Jerusalem. He wrote of the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, born out of long disregard for the Lord. But Isaiah also carried hope, reminding us that the Lord will keep in perfect peace those whose hearts are steadfast, because they trust in you.

Like my tree, I have problems on the inside. Worries and temptations, pride and laziness eats away at my core. Larva birthed from this world, my own flesh and the devil burrow and feast.

Fortunately for my ash, a treatment exists to counteract the actions of the borer. A pair of arborists injected the base with a pesticide that spreads up the tree and kills the larva. The remedy lasts for two years, then will need to be repeated. A healthy tree requires vigilance.

As does a healthy inner life. Treatments exist to obstruct the borers of my soul. God’s Word, prayer, and time with fellow believers come to mind. I cannot always recognize the issues eating holes in my core, but I can counteract them by surrendering to the ways of the Lord.

Isaiah 26 & 30 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Annie Spratt

Messaging bombards us during this election season. U.S. presidential candidates compete for the ultimate prize—the most powerful office in this country and arguably the world. Every politician vows to bless us when they exercise power, but savvy voters know such talk rarely lives up to the hype.

Talk and power go together, among politicians and business leaders and preachers. But it’s surface level chatter, like dead leaves skittering across a sidewalk. Deeper power abides.

The Apostle Paul wrote to a community of believers struggling with concepts of authority. He said, the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

A pulsing force underlies all human life. Although I might speak of such power, I cannot talk my way into receiving it. Only by welcoming the kingdom of God, by following the precepts handed to us by the Lord, might kingdom power emerge.

We do not vote in a leader to hold this power. God bestows it on the deserving, who tend to be humble men and women living out kingdom principles day after day.

Powerful people indeed walk among us, they just don’t happen to be elected politicians or yacht-driving moguls. These disciples sink roots into the soil of the kingdom and become conduits of God’s power on this earth. Thank the Lord for such quietly influential souls, for they make our world a place worth living.

1 Corinthians 4 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Andraz Lazic

I recently read a surprising and encouraging report from a professor who referenced an influential talk he heard while a student on a summer mission in 1997. I served as the Bible teacher on that mission in Hungary and spoke numerous times, so it’s quite likely I gave that particular message (I really cannot remember). Regardless, myself and others cultivated the faith of this academic, a few of many who did so along the way.

When you think about your life of faith, who planted the seeds? Who watered the tender shoots? Who are those tending your garden today?

In a discussion with church members in Corinth, Paul reminded them that it really doesn’t matter who plants or waters, because God provides the growth:

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

Just like this professor, I received the seed of faith from someone before me and benefited from faithful watering. Of course, others worked before them, all the way back to Jesus our Lord. A cornucopia of growth extending back generations.

Enjoy those who plant and water in your life. Thank them of their hard work, then pass the favor on to others. Finally, always remember that God causes the growth, whether we hear about it in this life or not.

1 Corinthians 3 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Jonathan Kemper

My wife and I are in New York City watching our granddaughter while her parents get away for a few days. Wrangling an almost two-year old keeps us moving, but we are grateful for the time with this little girl.

Thankfully, parks and small playgrounds dot the city. The weather is beautiful, so kids fill the swings and climbing structures. We’re enjoying a nice tour of the local play areas.

Churches and synagogues also exist block after block. Some simply serve as historical sites, but others welcome congregants for worship in a variety of languages. Not everyone here is religious, of course. But many follow their faith and encourage their children to do so as well.

The combo of kids and churches reminds me of a line written in 1,000 BC by King David: Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord.

Three thousand years ago the Scriptures predicted generation after generation following the one true God. Parents teaching children, and grandparents encouraging grandchildren guarantees the endurance of the way. It’s tempting to believe genuine faith is fading, but reality looks different. We can believe the Bible when we read of future generations carrying the torch.

Who knows which children on the playgrounds of New York will someday lead churches or cross borders as missionaries? How many will love their neighbor and teach their children the lessons of the Bible? Let’s take David at his word, and rest assured that generations who follow us will also follow the Lord.

Psalm 22 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Michał Parzuchowski