Author: Dave Dishman (Page 44 of 390)

The ash outside my window sprouted new leaves over the last couple of weeks. As the leaves enlarge, my view of dog walkers headed up the street to the park slowly disappears. Spring brings a fresh perspective on a tired view through an empty tree.

An ancient writer, thought to be David, wrote a few lines bringing a fresh perspective into a tired world:

For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.

David contrasts the idols of those nations surrounding him, pieces of wood and stone, to the Living God. The Lord created with a word the very materials craftsmen scrounged to form those idols. A ludicrous juxtaposition, this ridiculous difference between the Creator and the created. A vast gulf separates the two and David acknowledged the difference.

I enjoy the creation in the spring, when flowers pop and trees bud. David’s words remind me to especially enjoy the Creator of the creation, who is great and most worthy of praise.

Psalm 96 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Bob Chisholm

The Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University studies and promotes how people thrive. Major pathways highlighted by their work include family and friendship, religious community, meaningful work and forgiveness. I found it fascinating to read their conclusions, especially as they reinforce biblical views on flourishing.

Along with forgiveness and family, stories of friendship and meaningful work fill the Scriptures. In several places Paul mentions those traveling with him on his missionary journeys, including this list of colleagues alongside him in Greece:

Paul was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.

Never working alone, Paul surrounded himself with mature (or maturing) believers. This band included Timothy, a future pastor; Tychicus, the courier of Paul’s letters to various churches; and Aristarchus, who faced the mob alongside Paul in Ephesus.

Paul exemplified the value of running with good people. God designed our lives to be lived with others. I need them and they need me. A good church, a small group Bible study, or a prayer circle all buoy my walk with Jesus. But it gets better—commit to a community of like-minded believers and set out on a path to flourishing. I see that in my life and in the lives of many others.

The Harvard study confirms the value of counting Jesus followers as my friends. I’m surprised, but not surprised, by their findings. God laid out his plan for human flourishing long ago in the Scriptures. Current academic research simply adds an encouraging verification to his ancient ways.

Acts 20 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Small Group Network

Sometimes you move forward because there ain’t no going back. Famously Hernán Cortés, the Spanish conquistador, burned his ships so that his men would have to conquer the Aztec Empire or die. Not sure everyone initially agreed with the plan, but once the boats lit up they reached consensus.

A large number of men and women came to faith in Jesus during Paul’s stay in Ephesus. These new converts took stock of their lives and made dramatic changes: A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.

That sounds impressive, and when you do the math all those drachmas equate to roughly $15 million U.S. dollars today.

What moved these former practitioners of the dark arts to burn their highly valuable books? The fear of God and the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul’s powerful preaching coupled with extraordinary miracles swept the region. Due to the bonfire the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

Former priests of other gods and worshippers of devils publicly acknowledged their new found faith in Jesus, and in order not to return to old ways they burned their sources of temptation. A decision to follow Jesus brings a change in lifestyle, in priorities, and in where we place our trust.

There’s only enough room for Jesus on the throne of our lives, and if you need to burn some boats to clear space, then light the match.

Acts 19 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Jonny Caspari

Facing a powerful enemy Saul inquired of the Lord, but God failed to answer. So he turned to a spiritual medium, one who channeled the dead, despite multiple warnings from Scripture:

I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people (Leviticus 20:6).

Saul defied the teachings of God in an attempt to hear directly from God.

During his reign, Saul disobeyed God again and again. He ignored the warnings of Samuel the prophet, and he tried to kill David. He allowed the murder of innocent priests. Now he turned to a spiritist.

Saul remained stuck in adolescence his entire life. Self-centered and headstrong, he refused to listen to wise people in his life. Saul threw fits when he didn’t get his way and let his anger run. He wanted what he wanted when he wanted it, and let no one tell him any different.

Samuel’s spirit predicted disaster. The next day Saul, his sons, and large numbers of his army died in battle. A stunted figure led good men to their deaths.

We all move through our adolescent stages. Societies pour tons of resources into helping adolescents grow to maturity, and the same need exists for a life of faith. We cannot ignore the teachings of Scriptures and expect God to respond—that’s adolescent behavior.

Keep growing, it’s the only way forward.

1 Samuel 28 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen