Author: Dave Dishman (Page 27 of 390)

The word from God spoken through Amos sounds like a blessing to our modern ears—I gave you cleanness of teeth. But the phrase quickly turns toward justice—and lack of bread in all your places, yet you did not return to me.

The wealthy of Judah loved fine living. But their liberality came on the backs of the poor. Even famine failed to nip their panting, despite the catastrophe of wasted bodies and teeth falling from shriveled gums.

Failure to get what they wanted (food in this case), did not bring any recognition of a dismal relationship with God. Thus, even sterner judgements emerged down the road.

While you and I have plenty to eat, at times we feel like we’re missing something. Perhaps the Lord is withholding a desire in order to get our attention? Like the upper crust of Judah, I love fine living and easily focus on myself to the exclusion of others.

The Lord opens his hand to my delight, and closes his hand to turn my head. The lesson is to acknowledge this reality well before my teeth get cleaned.

Amos 4 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Wesley Tingey

At one point in his wanderings, Jesus came upon a man with a shriveled hand. The ever-present Pharisees were looking for a reason to charge Jesus with a religious crime, so they asked him a specific question intended to tie him down, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?

Jesus sat with a man desperately hoping for a miracle, yearning for a hand that would allow him to work and earn a living and stand up for himself. The Pharisees failed to see the man at all, but merely hoped to criminalize Jesus’s behavior.

Jesus answered, It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. Then ordered the man to stretch out his hand, which healed before their eyes. The Pharisees stomped off, while the man flexed his strong fresh hand.

Jesus replied expansively to a narrow question designed to force him into a corner. No matter what strictures were drawn around the Sabbath, it was always appropriate, indeed lawful, to do good on that day. Perhaps Jesus throwing the word lawful back on those who manipulated the law angered the Pharisees the most.

Jesus uncomplicates situations. It’s always lawful to do good. When I see some good that needs doing, then I ought to step in and help. It sounds too simple, but as we go through our day, let’s keep our eyes open and do some good.

Matthew 12 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Rémi Walle

On a recent hike in Spain my wife and I found ourselves on a narrow path with a steep drop to one side. Neither of us realized this section would be so precarious (although the name of this region should have clued us in—Costa da Morte—the Coast of Death). Beauty pulled my eyes upward, but I forced my attention back to the trail. We carefully picked our steps, leaning away from ledge and praying between breaths.

In desperate situations most everyone mouths a prayer. It’s said there are no atheists in foxholes, meaning the fear of imminent death sparks hope in an unconsidered God. Many of us pray when walking a ledge. We often find the Lord at the end of our wits.

The nation of Judah faced a desperate situation with an invading army rolling across the land. The king declared a fast and prayed in public. The people gathered with him—All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.

I love this picture of looking to the Lord. These weren’t perfect people—far from it. But in their time of need they gathered everyone, even the babies, and stood together asking God to intervene.

God responded and averted disaster. The coalition of invaders fell apart, turned upon each other and wiped themselves out. The people of Judah gathered again and remembered this line from the Psalms: Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

Even if you haven’t done so for awhile, it’s ok to approach our God—he’s patient through our wanderings. Because with no where else to turn, it’s time to turn to the Lord.

2 Chronicles 20 & Psalm 20 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo from our hike on the Costa da Morte (click on title to see the photo if you’re reading this on email).

This assurance from the Psalms remains one to hold close, to read when days get long, to memorize when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death:

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

The Lord remains close at our side, a fixed residency. The concept of omnipresence comes to mind, how God exists everywhere at the same time. Or you might say that the Lord can be constantly encountered anywhere in the universe by everyone in the universe all in the same instant.

No matter where I am, or what I’m facing, God is my refuge and strength—always.

That’s good news, a profoundly simple promise within our grasp.

Psalm 46 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Wilfried Santer