Questions of Power This week I read the story of how the Philistines captured the ark of the covenant and suffered disastrous results. I will give a brief summary of the story.   The army of Israel went to battle against the Philistines and saw that they were in trouble, so they sent for the ark […]

Traditions of Kindness As I read the Book of Ruth this week, I was impressed with the overwhelming feeling of love and kindness displayed by the characters involved in the stories. Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz all demonstrated a complete lack of selfishness and an abundance of loyalty, not only to each other but to the

Will We Ever Learn? The Book of Judges covers an extended period of Israel’s history. The repeated transitions from prosperity to bondage seem almost unbelievable when it is covered in a few pages. However, when you consider the spans of time between these cycles it is not only believable, it is seemingly inevitable. That is

Choosing Sides This past week we read the Book of Joshua. Much of the subject matter covered the settlement of the land promised to Abraham and his posterity. Some of the occupation of the land came by war and bloodshed while other areas were made uninhabitable to the former inhabitants by plagues. In all cases,

For Our Good Always The Book of Deuteronomy contains the final episodes of Israel’s journey in the wilderness and gives instructions to establish themselves in their lands of promise. A significant portion of the counsel the Lord gives, is in remembrance of how they were delivered from bondage and the miracles of their day-to-day life

Sacred Places, Sacred Things The end of the Book of Exodus and several chapters in Leviticus and Numbers talk about the extraordinary efforts made to prepare the hearts and minds of the Children of Israel to be God’s covenant people. Wandering in the wilderness for 40 years before entering their promised land was necessary to

What A Mother Sees Today I am turning my focus from the Old Testament commentary. Although I have been thinking about the last part of the Book of Exodus and the building of the ancient tabernacle all week, I have been thinking more about the faithful and dedicated women who have shaped my life. It

The Problem With Conceptualizing God The Book of Exodus contains some of the most iconic stories of all time; the plagues of Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, manna from heaven, etc. One of the most puzzling, in my opinion, is the making of the golden calf. It is so odd that Aaron, Moses’

God, Commandments, and Society When the children of Israel left Egypt, they faced nearly impossible logistical and societal challenges. The wilderness became their home and survival their primary concern. The social structure they left in Egypt was gone. That structure was embedded in a life of bondage, and some complained that they would rather be

The Possibilities Are Endless Happy Easter!! Years ago, I remembered hearing the story of Roger Bannister. Many of you will know the story, but for those who don’t, Roger was the first person to run a mile in under four minutes. He set the record in May 1954, at a time of 3 minutes 59.4