Able to Save Completely

OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 19-21

POETRY: Song of Songs 1

NEW TESTAMENT: Hebrews 7

The whole point of the letter to the Hebrews, it seems, was to show them how much better Jesus and the New Covenant were than anyone, or anything, that God used or worked through to fulfill his plan of salvation in the past. I think the writer is doing this because the Hebrews needed to hear it. In chapters 5 and 6, they were just scolded because they had become poor listeners, in need of milk like infants, instead of solid food.

I have a hunch that meant that they had heard the gospel, took it to heart, maybe applied it for a time when they were still excited about it, then slumped back into their old ways over time. They didn’t train themselves in it to distinguish between good and evil for the sake of endurance. I think they were getting sluggish and therefore falling back into their old habits/ways of life, because it’s so much easier to continue what you are used to, especially if there’s persecution for doing it God’s way. For them, their old habits were those pertaining to the law of Moses.

It’s hard for me to be too harsh however, as we’ll soon read about what they had already endured for the gospel’s sake (e.g., having their homes taken away and enduring it with joy). If people like that were in need of some rebuke and encouragement, I can only imagine what I need.

To make the point (about Jesus being better) in chapter 7, the writer applies these “better” characteristics and principles of Melchizedek to Jesus and the New Covenant, to help explain why Jesus’s priesthood in the New Covenant is far superior to the Levitical priesthood under the Old Covenant.

The writer is quick to point out that Melchizedek’s name means something that can easily be applied to, and understood of, Jesus. Melchizedek means “King of Righteousness” and he’s the king over Salem (now Jerusalem). That makes him the righteous king over the land of peace. That can easily be applied to Jesus (but he’s better). Jesus is THE king of righteousness (always doing his father’s will). He is not only going to rule over the land of peace from his father David’s throne, in Jerusalem, he’ll rule the entire world from there in peace in the kingdom age.  

Oh, and the Levitical priests served Melchizedek, so Melchizedek’s priesthood is the better priesthood (and Jesus is a priest after his order, so he’s better yet). The Levitical priests paid Melchizedek a tithe because Levi was in the loins of his father Abraham when Abraham paid it (I’ve come to expect the writers of the New Testament to talk like this; we all should). The point is—the one after Melchizedek’s priesthood is far superior to the priests after the Levitical priesthood the infant acting Hebrews were following.

Like Melchizedek’s priesthood, Jesus’s priesthood was made by God (after his exaltation). He was chosen, or made perfect by God, because he fulfilled his role in his father’s plan of salvation through his suffering. That’s much better than obtaining the priesthood based on genealogy like the Levitical priesthood.

Better still, God swore an oath, that if another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek, his priesthood would never die. That oath is fulfilled in Jesus, by the power of an indestructible life. That means that he always lives to make intercession for those who come to God through him. He’s always available to save someone. That’s much better than being after the order of Aaron, where there’s continuous turnover as each predecessor dies. And they can’t save.  

It seems like the writer to the Hebrews had some pretty profound words to share with them to get them out of their sluggish state of life. Thankfully, we have a great high priest to help us out of our sluggish state of life too. He set up a system where brothers and sisters in the body exhort each other to do good works and discipline each other when we are falling short (by training each other to distinguish between good and evil). If you’ve become sluggish, consider how great a high priest you’ve got, and get going by following him. Train yourselves as a body, with Christ as your head, to distinguish between good and evil, and then do good.   

-Juliet Taylor

Reflection Questions

1. New Testament writers often apply characteristics of people or things from the Old Testament to the New to help in their apologetics. One of these examples is that of Melchizedek. Some have interpreted that Jesus is Melchizedek incarnate. It’s nonsense, but unfortunately, we’re reading someone else’s mail over 2,000 years after it was written. We’re going to lack in some understanding as they would have understood things 2,000 + years ago. What is something you notice in this chapter that needs a little more exploration in understanding?

2. Jesus’s priesthood was made perfect by God, the Levitical priesthood was not. Perfection for a priest came after the sinless man Jesus chose to suffer and die for us, always being faithful to God’s will. Levitical priests were made priests because of their genealogy. What do you think perfection means in this chapter?

3. Hebrews 7:25 says, “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” What do you think this means?

sglcalendar2024Download

What are you looking towards?

OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 16-18

POETRY: Psalm 106

NEW TESTAMENT: Hebrews 6

One of the most memorable sermon illustrations that I’ve heard is about someone who is driving a car. If their eyes are on the road, they can direct the car wherever they choose (as long as the road and traffic patterns allow). But, how often have we been driving and our eyes drift from the road to something else? Maybe it’s something on the side of the road or a passenger in the back asking a question. Maybe we need to grab something from our purse or check our phone (even though that’s illegal in most states). 

In a split second, we can go from being on the right path to being in a ditch on the side of the road. This is why the push against texting and driving is so strong. We may choose to ignore the facts, but in 2022 alone, over 3,000 people died just from texting while driving. This is because “Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.”

When you take your eyes off the road, you begin to veer off course. This can lead to destruction and harm. 

This is true literally when we are driving a car, but it is also spiritually true when we are thinking about our walk with God. The Bible often speaks of where our eyes are fixed to describe the spiritual health of our hearts. If our eyes are turned to God, we will be walking towards him. But, all too often, our eyes get focused on other things – jobs, pleasures, stresses, idols – and when this happens, we begin to veer off course. 

Isaiah 17:7-8 says, “In that day people will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel. They will not look to the altars, the work of their hands, and they will have no regard for the Asherah poles and the incense altars their fingers have made.”

At the time, Israel had their gaze fixed off-course. They had turned towards idols, with their Asherah poles and incense altars. That focus led their hearts away from God and ultimately ended in destruction. They were headed towards a spiritual crash. 

God spoke off a day in the future when the Israelites course would be righted. Instead of turning to their false gods, they would look to their creator God. They would be headed on the right and good path. 

When this happens, the ultimate destination is one that is filled with hope for the good things of God. Isaiah 16:4-5 describes, “The oppressor will come to an end, and destruction will cease; the aggressor will vanish from the land. In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness, a man will sit on it— one from the house of David – one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness.”

We know that this is our hope too. We have a glorious hope in the kingdom, when Jesus is seated on the throne. There will be justice, righteousness, love, and faithfulness. We wait for that day. We long for it. 

So where are your eyes fixed? Are they fixed on idols, pleasures, or cares of this world? Or are they turned towards your Maker? 

-Cayce Fletcher

Cayce Fletcher is a teacher-turned-SAHM mom of two. She blogs and podcasts at A More Beautiful Life Collective where she focuses on how you can create a life you love and cultivate your heart for God. Currently, she is working through a systematic theology series on her podcast. You can find her latest post on Bibliology here. 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. What are some of the things that lead to ‘distracted driving’ in your spiritual walk? How do your eyes get taken off of God? 
  2. Where are you currently looking now? Are you looking to God? Or somewhere else? 
  3. How does Jesus fulfill the prophecy in Isaiah 16:4-5? How does this fill you with hope for the future?
sglcalendar2024Download

What spiritual food are you eating?

OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 13-15

POETRY: Psalm 106

NEW TESTAMENT: Hebrews 5

Growing up, I was one of the youngest out of both my family and all my cousins. I changed my first diaper when I was in college when my oldest niece was born. To say I was inexperienced around kids is probably an understatement. Because of this, parenthood has also meant lots of research about what it to actually do. Sleep routines, bathtimes, mealtimes, and independent play. There’s a lot that you need to learn even if it seems like it would be common sense. 

As you read through the Bible, it can be easy to gloss over passages that reference parenthood when you are a teen and young adult. It’s not until you are a parenthood constantly trying to keep your two-year-old out of harm’s way that the significance of the passage “an infant will put its hand in a cobra’s den” really makes sense (Is. 11:8).

Today, we read a passage that also really only starts to show its true significance when you’ve been around children during their baby years. Every child is born helpless, needing constant love, care, and literal physical support. When they are born, they can only eat milk. In fact, if you tried to give your newborn an apple or even a banana they may very well choke. Their baby tummies may not be able to digest it, and they may end up having poor nutrition because they get more calories without the rich nutrients delivered by milk. 

You only start feeding solids after several months of development so that babies can grow bit by bit into the food that they eat. There’s lots of different (and conflicting) advice about the methods and timing for introducing solids, but to keep it simple if you’ve never been around young kids going through this transition, the move from milk to solids is momentous and requires thought and care. Some parents I’ve talked to have even put it off into the child’s seventh or eighth month because of the lifestyle change it requires. However, it is a very necessary step towards a mature adult. 

Today, we read in Hebrews 5:11-14, “We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” 

In our Christian walk, we want to strive for holiness and righteousness. We want to be mature in our faith. In James 1:4, we read that we want to be ‘mature and complete’ in our faith, not lacking anything. 

The writer of Hebrews was pretty critical of the letter’s recipients. Instead of calling them mature, they were called newborns in the faith who lived on milk, not solid food. What is the milk of the faith? 

The beginning of Hebrews 6 tells us: “Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.”

When we read the judgments in the books of prophecy of the Old Testament, we can often feel a little overwhelmed. But, we want to grow and become mature in faith. This only happens if we are consistent and diligent in our study of God’s word and live out the things that we read. We have to move beyond the basics and move towards solid food. This means dealing with difficult passages, theological concepts, and ethical questions. 

This solid food will help us to become wise. It will help us to have discernment as we deal with an increasingly difficult, complex, and uncertain cultural moment. It will help us to be able to distinguish good from evil and choose the right paths for our lives. 

-Cayce Fletcher

Cayce Fletcher is a teacher-turned-SAHM mom of two. She blogs and podcasts at A More Beautiful Life Collective where she focuses on how you can create a life you love and cultivate your heart for God. Currently, she is working through a systematic theology series on her podcast. You can find her latest post on Bibliology here. 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. Read through the list of teachings that is the milk of the Christian faith. Does this list surprise you? Would you add anything to this list? 
  2. Do you think you are currently needing spiritual milk or solid food? 
  3. What steps can you take to grow and mature in your faith? 
sglcalendar2024Download

Feasting on a Dish of Hope

OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 10-12

POETRY: Psalm 106

NEW TESTAMENT: Hebrews 4

A skill that I picked up from my teaching days was the complement sandwich. Whenever you needed to email a parent or correct a student, you nestled your criticism between two things that were good. It was a way of taking ‘a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down.’ There have been studies that it takes 5 positive interactions to overcome 1 negative interaction. From marriage to parenting to work relationships, we have to fight to notice the good so that we don’t become too negative with our words. 

Interestingly, as I read through the first few chapters of Isaiah, I noticed that God does the same thing with his prophecies. The people of Israel and Judah were told in no uncertain terms that they needed to repent and turn back to God, or they would face destruction. As we’ve read, this is a pretty bleak picture. 

Isaiah 10:16-18 says, “The Light of Israel will become a fire, their Holy One a flame; in a single day it will burn and consume his thorns and his briers. The splendor of his forests and fertile fields, it will completely destroyed, as when a sick person wastes away. And the remaining trees of his forests will be so few that a child could write them down.”

When we read this, it’s easy to think of God just as the vengeful and wrathful God that sometimes culture depicts him as. And, it’s true that God is a just God; this destruction happened in the past and will happen again in the last days. 

But, to just describe God in this way misses the full picture of who he is. With all of our readings this week, we haven’t been left with destruction. In the midst of these prophecies, there is always hope. God may not give his criticisms in a compliment sandwich, but he does serve up a solid dish of hope. 

Right after God describes the destruction coming in Isaiah 10:18, he then describes how a remnant will be left that will be led by the shoot from the stump of Jesse (Is. 11). We then have this beautiful picture of what the coming kingdom looks like. 

Some of the descriptions of the kingdom that we get: 

  • A king who is righteous, faithful, and good
  • Characterized by peace and nonviolence, not just between the nations but also between predator and prey
  • An Earth that is full of the knowledge of the Lord 
  • Nations that have left between jealousy and strife and are full of brotherly love towards each other 

As we read through Isaiah, we should feel convicted to look deeply at our lives and be sure that we are living them righteously. But, we should also be reminded of the ever-lasting faithfulness and love of our Father. Yes, God is a holy, just God, but he also is a loving God who has good things in store for us. 

With each picture of hope, we are moved to praise just like Isaiah. We say along with him, “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation” (Is. 12:2-3).

-Cayce Fletcher

Cayce Fletcher is a teacher-turned-SAHM mom of two. She blogs and podcasts at A More Beautiful Life Collective where she focuses on how you can create a life you love and cultivate your heart for God. Currently, she is working through a systematic theology series on her podcast. You can find her latest post on Bibliology here. 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. A common theme throughout Isaiah is the tendency of the people to oppress the poor, widow, and fatherless. James 1:27 says that pure religion is to take care of these people. Describe God’s heart for those who are oppressed. How are you serving them in your life? 
  2. Do you view God as a wrathful judge or a loving Father (or a little of both)? How do you think the world views God? What is the correct view of God? 
  3. How do the prophecies of the kingdom that we read in Isaiah move you to praise? 
sglcalendar2024Download

A Sign to the Nations

OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 8-9

POETRY: Psalm 106

NEW TESTAMENT: Hebrews 3

If you’ve ever gone on a road trip, you know the dance that you start whenever mealtime approaches. If you haven’t packed a lunch to bring with you, you turn to the passengers and start asking if they’re hungry. Then, you begin to think about what type of fast food you’re in the mood for. Finally, you start to look at the signs on the road for what you could actually it. 

Growing up, we always gravitated towards the Holy Grail of Southern Fast Food, Chick-fil-A. If we were on a road trip, we would probably eat there. We even had the Chick-fil-A locations memorized on the way to Atlanta or the beach. We knew the easiest ones to get to and how far it was to get to them and would plan our departure time to arrive at said Chick-fil-A around lunch. 

For road trips a little further out or off the beaten path – especially for those desolate places where Chick-fil-A has not reached yet – the dinnertime dance grew a little more tedious. On one particularly long trip, we passed through one of those places that said ‘50 miles to your next gas station.’ I remember watching the signs on the road, my stomach starting to growl as I waited in anticipation for the next place to eat to appear. 

Even in the age of GPS and Google Maps, we have a tendency to rely on signs to direct us to the next location. Signs move us along. They tell us where to go to order food, where to drive our cars, and where to place our paperwork. As a teacher, one of the key pedagogical points we were taught was to make sure that we had appropriate signage in our classrooms so that kids were never lost or confused about what to do or where to go. 

Isaiah’s calling required him to be a sign as well. Isaiah 8:18 says, “Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the Lord Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.” Even the name of his son, “Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz” which means ‘quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil’, was a sign to the Israelites. Isaiah 8:4 tells us, “For before the boy knows how to say ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.” 

Imagine the fear that Isaiah must have felt as he looked into an uncertain future where kingdoms were failing and being taken over by pagan lands. He looks at his child and thinks about their tumultuous existence in a land that is about to be ravaged by war. 

This is why in Isaiah 8:12-17 we see God comforting Isaiah with ‘a strong hand.’ God tells us Isaiah that the only thing he should fear is God himself. Isaiah resolves, “I will wait for the Lord. I will trust in him.” 

God’s chosen people were often called to be a sign to the surrounding nations. Israel was supposed to be a light to the world. When they failed, Jesus came into the world and was also the light (Is. 9:2). Now, we are taking up the mantle to be a ‘city on a hill, a light to the world.’ 

Our lives are our testimony that shows Christ to the world. We are not called today to name our sons and daughters interesting, long names to speak of future peril. But, we are called to be a sign to the surrounding nations to tell them of God’s faithfulness, his plan, and his redemption. 

How is your life pointing others towards Christ?

-Cayce Fletcher

Cayce Fletcher is a teacher-turned-SAHM mom of two. She blogs and podcasts at A More Beautiful Life Collective where she focuses on how you can create a life you love and cultivate your heart for God. Currently, she is working through a systematic theology series on her podcast. You can find her latest post on Bibliology here. 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. How is your life pointing others towards Christ? What kind of ‘sign and symbol’ is your life to others? 
  2. The beginning of Isaiah 9 is an important prophecy that is read often during Christmastime. Who is this prophecy about? What has already been fulfilled in this prophecy, and what will be fulfilled in the future? 
  3. Hebrews 3:12-15 speaks to the temptation to fall away from the truths that we have received. How can you better encourage one another to stay faithful in the midst of trials and persecutions? 
sglcalendar2024Download

Walk Worthy

OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 6-7

POETRY: Psalm 106

NEW TESTAMENT: Hebrews 2

Have you ever been the bearer of bad news? Or had to confront someone for a wrong that they did – either to you or to someone else? 

It never feels good to deal with confrontation, though some of us handle it better than others. Your hands may get clammy, your stomach may be tied up in knots, and your heart may be racing. The worst is when you’ve said what you’ve wanted to say, but instead of the other person accepting it, they try to respond with a retort or an argument telling you why you’re wrong. 

At that point, what do you do? Turn your tail and run? Forget about it? Give up on the conversation? 

Isaiah had his fair share of confrontations over the years he spent prophesying to Judah. Already we’ve read some pretty harsh words that he had for the people. Today, we got a glimpse of the Lord’s calling of Isaiah. 

Some people you should know: 

  • Isaiah: Prophet to Judah for 40 years, who may have also been a priest. 
  • King Uzziah (also called Azariah): A good king of Judah who was prideful in his final years. After attempting to offer incense in the temple, he got leprosy and died in disgrace.
  • King Jotham: The son of Uzziah. Another good king who led battles and won with the help of God. However, during his reign, the people acted corruptly. 
  • King Ahaz: The son of Jotham. A wicked king of Judah. He destroyed the temple bit by bit and acted sacrilegiously. 

After King Uzziah died, Isaiah saw a vision of the Lord while he was working in the temple. God calls him to go and tell the people this message in Isaiah 6:9-10: “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ 10 Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Talk about a message of confrontation! Isaiah has the response that most of us would have: “But, how long do I need to keep saying this?” To which, God responds, ‘Until destruction is brought upon Judah.’

Isaiah had a hard mission. Not only did he have to communicate a difficult message, but he was also often called to a difficult lifestyle (at one point he had to walk around naked and barefoot as a sign to the people). He had to bear the weight of the message of destruction that he was called to. Still, Isaiah walked ready and willing to the calling that he had received. 

We also have been commanded to live on mission. Ephesians 4:1 says, “​​I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” Our calling may not have not been through visions of grandeur like Isaiah, but we have been called to Christ for a purpose. 

Sometimes, living on mission will require us to get a little uncomfortable. We may have to live differently than those around us. We may have to speak about the truth that we have received. We may also have to fight against temptations and stumbling blocks that appear in our paths. 

Our goal should be to walk worthy. What does a worthy life look like? It is a life that is committed. A life that is holy and set apart. A life that is bold and confident. A life that recognizes the great gift we have been given. 

The next time you face some confrontation because of your faith just remember, God is with you. We can stand firm in the calling that we have received. 

-Cayce Fletcher

Cayce Fletcher is a teacher-turned-SAHM mom of two. She blogs and podcasts at A More Beautiful Life Collective where she focuses on how you can create a life you love and cultivate your heart for God. Currently, she is working through a systematic theology series on her podcast. You can find her latest post on Bibliology here. 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. How is God described in Isaiah 6? This is one of the most descriptive pictures of him sitting on his throne. How does this picture change the way you view God? 
  2. How would you describe your calling? What is your purpose or mission? 
  3. How would you describe ‘walking in a manner worthy of the calling you received?’ Do you walk worthy now? What might you need to change about your life to make it more worthy? 
sglcalendar2024Download

What should we do in this backward world? 

OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 3-5

POETRY: Psalm 106

NEW TESTAMENT: Hebrews 1

How many of you feel like we are living in a backward world today? What we think should be happening doesn’t happen. We see injustices abound. Regardless of your political party or worldview, there is something clearly not right about our current world, something broken. 

Think in your mind of one instance that shows this backwardness, this brokenness. It may have to do with the upcoming presidential election, health scares, social problems, or wars and rumors of wars. But, the thing in your mind is indicative to you that the world isn’t as it should be. And, it’s a reason why we wait for the kingdom when everything that is wrong will be made right. 

Isaiah is doing something similar in this section of his prophecy. Isaiah 3 details several instances where someone who should be paying honor to someone more deserving instead is receiving honor. This happens in three different ways: 

  • Isaiah 3:4-5 – “I will make mere youths their officials; children will rule over them. The young will rise up against the old”
  • Isaiah 3:6 – “The nobody against the honored.”
  • Isaiah 3:12 – “ Women rule over them.”

Now, before these verses start to offend anyone, let’s just think about what they are saying (and be sure to read the full chapter for context). In this time of destruction, there is a genuine lack of leadership. It gets so bad that anyone with a cloak is being grabbed and made the leader of the people (an honor to which that cloak-wearing brother says ‘No thanks’). 

As the people bicker and fight with one another and inept leaders try to make something out of the ‘heap of ruins,’ God sits on his throne. The true sovereign leader of the people still reigns, and the destruction is coming because he is issuing judgments from his throne.  

He says in Isaiah 5:20, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”

God makes proclamations against the people who oppress his people, those who harm the poor, and the proud. After his judgments are passed, he gives a hopeful picture of the ‘branch that will be beautiful and glorious’ that will be left for those who are still faithful to him. The sins are washed away and fortunes are restored. Israel is brought back to life. 

We often look to our earthly leaders to make this current world right. We know that there is brokenness in the world, so we are quick to grab anyone who seems like a remotely good fit for a leader and put them in power. Meanwhile, there are plenty of power-hungry leaders around, who pass laws and oppress people. Who perpetuates injustice. People who should not be in charge and yet they are. 

What should we do in this backward world? 

Well, we can rest in the truth that the true leader of the world is not one that we elect or put in charge. The true leader of the world is God. He is reigning now, and he will also put everything that is wrong to right in the future age when the kingdom is brought to Earth. 

So the next time you feel afraid or lost, you can trust in God. He is the one who is really in charge, and he is the perfect leader.

-Cayce Fletcher

Cayce Fletcher is a teacher-turned-SAHM mom of two. She blogs and podcasts at A More Beautiful Life Collective where she focuses on how you can create a life you love and cultivate your heart for God. Currently, she is working through a systematic theology series on her podcast. You can find her latest post on Bibliology here. 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. What is the significance of the child being the leader? Do you think the child is the leader of our current society? 
  2. What is the danger of being haughty or prideful? Why would this be something God would punish? 
  3. Reread Isaiah 5:20. How have you seen people call evil good and good evil? How can you guard against doing this yourself?
sglcalendar2024Download

Remembering Your Testimony

OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 1-2

POETRY: Psalm 106

NEW TESTAMENT: Philemon 1

I absolutely love to read. When I get a night alone – which doesn’t happen often with two littles running around, my favorite way to spend it is reading snuggled up on my couch under a blanket with a nice cup of coffee by my side. As an English major, I had to read pretty voraciously in college and that habit didn’t stop when I graduated. 

Though I love a good mystery novel and there is no better book for the beach than a sappy chick-lit romance, I also love to learn about the history of things. Currently, I’m on a Classical Education kick. I’m reading everything that I can get my hands on about what classical education is. Before that, I read about the history of the doctrine of the Trinity, homesteading, and Irish history. It’s really just whatever hits my fancy at the moment (which is probably why I have a pile of unfinished books towering by my bedside). 

As I read about all of these topics, the authors do similar things. Before they ever jump to any conclusions, they always begin with the history of a topic. Starting wherever it makes sense, they detail step-by-step why something is the way it is based on how it was formed over the slow marching of years. 

As a writer myself, I can sense why someone feels the need to do this. You don’t really understand something unless you know and understand its past. 

Reading through Psalm 106, we get a clear picture of Israel’s story. It begins with how Israel was rescued out of Egypt and brought through the wilderness. They faced their fair share of trials, but still, some Israelites remained faithful and made the right decisions. 

After entering Canaan, the Israelites ‘mingled with the nations and adopted their customs’ (Ps. 106:35). God had commanded them to be a set-apart people, but they refused to follow his instructions. The ending of Psalm 106 describes how the Israelites were exiled to the nations (whether during David’s wandering as he fled from Saul as some commentators think or during the Babylonian captivity). The author pleads with God to save them. 

Knowing Israel’s history helps us to make sense of the context of Isaiah 1-2. God had shown his everlasting faithfulness to Israel, making them into a mighty nation. Still, the people chose something else. They always followed after idols and rejected God in the process.

Isaiah 1 describes this bleak picture: “7 Your country is desolate, your cities burned with fire; your fields are being stripped by foreigners right before you, laid waste as when overthrown by strangers. 8 Daughter Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a cucumber field, like a city under siege. 9 Unless the Lord Almighty had left us some survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.”

The Israelites always had a choice about how they were going to live. They could follow God, or they could follow their sinful hearts. When they rejected God, they ended up destroying their lives. 

We have the same choice today. We can choose to follow God or choose to follow the world. I believe the best way to remind ourselves that following God is the best option is to look at God’s past episodes of faithfulness in our lives. We tell the story of his ‘mighty acts’ (Ps. 106:1), and in doing so, we remind ourselves why God is just so good. 

What has God done in your past that helps inspire you to faithfulness to him today? Write your own Psalm of praise, and recommit to your love, praise, and loyalty to God today.  

-Cayce Fletcher

Cayce Fletcher is a teacher-turned-SAHM mom of two. She blogs and podcasts at A More Beautiful Life Collective where she focuses on how you can create a life you love and cultivate your heart for God. Currently, she is working through a systematic theology series on her podcast. You can find her latest post on Bibliology here. 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. Read through Psalm 106 today and count the different historical stories referenced throughout the psalm. If you have the time, find the reference for each of the stories, and write those references down beside the Psalm in your Bible. 
  2. Take some time today to answer the last question in this post. What is your testimony of God’s faithfulness in your life? Writing it down can clarify it in your mind.
  3. Isaiah 1:16-17 are popular verses for good reason. The people of Judah had begun to go through the motions of sacrifices and traditions, but their hearts were far from God. Read through these verses, and journal about how you can learn to ‘stop doing wrong and learn to do’ the right that God loves. 
sglcalendar2024Download

Remind the People

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 31-32

Poetry: Psalm 105

New Testament: Titus 3

Life is so busy and complicated that I have to create lots of reminders for myself.  Fortunately, my phone and computer and watch all have features where I can set reminders for myself.  “Doctors appointment Tuesday at 3:00.  Take the garbage to the dump on the way to work in the morning.  Stop by the store after work and pick up some milk and bread.” I can even set reminders months or years in advance.  I can set alarms to remind me that in 2 hours I have a meeting.  In 1 hour I have a meeting.  In 15 minutes I have a meeting.  The Meeting is now starting.  Maybe I’m too busy or maybe I’m getting old, but I find myself more and more needing reminders.

Do you ever need reminders?  Little kids need to be reminded to brush their teeth, make their bed, do their homework.  What do you need reminders for?

The Apostle Paul thought reminders were important for Christians.  I guess he understood how easy it can be to forget what’s important when we are busy living life and doing  what’s necessary or urgent.  Do Christians ever forget important things about God, about Jesus, about how we are supposed to live?  Yep, we sure do.

In Titus 3 Paul tells Titus to remind the believers of some important things.

“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.” -Titus 3:1-2

Those reminders were important in the first century when Christianity was brand new and people were still learning the basics, but it’s been 2000 years.  We’ve certainly got being a Christian all figured out by now, don’t we?  Do we really need to be reminded to obey people in authority?  Do we need to be reminded to always be ready to do good?  Don’t all Christians always do what is good?   Certainly we never  slander or falsely accuse someone of wrong doing.  I’m always peaceable and considerate and gentle toward everyone, aren’t you? (My tongue is in my cheek- that means I’m kidding).

To tell the truth, I still need to be reminded of all of those things.  Just because I’ve been reading the Bible for over 50 years doesn’t mean I always remember to do good.  I still need to be reminded to be considerate and gentle, and so do you.  That’s why Christianity was never designed to be lived in isolation, but in community.  We need each other.  There’s a passage in Hebrews (a different book from today’s reading,  but important) Hebrews 10:24-25 says that Christians shouldn’t get out of the habit of meeting together, because we need to encourage (I think Hebrews says “spur one another on”, like a rider spurs on a horse) each other.  

Following Jesus is hard some times.  Being obedient to God is hard some times.  Remembering to do good and be gentle is hard sometimes.  I need help, I need encouragement to keep on doing what is right.  I need you, and you need me, we need each other.

I’ve read the Bible many times in my life and I need to keep on reading it to help me remember all the important things I need to remember.  Today’s readings in Isaiah 63-64 and Titus 3 remind us both about God’s wrath and about God’s mercy.  God has both.  God hates sin, he hates it when his children are brutal to each other.  He hates it when his children fight and argue.  He hates sin because he loves us and he knows that sin hurts us.  We hurt each other when we sin.  No parent likes to see their children hurt each other.  We learned that from our Father, God.

So keep reading your Bible and keep coming to Church and meeting with other believers so that you can remind them and they can remind you to keep on following Jesus.

“Hey Siri  set a reminder for 7 a.m. tomorrow:  be considerate and gentle to everyone.”

“Alexa, remind me to get up for Church Sunday at 8:00.”

-Jeff Fletcher

(Originally posted here on October 4, 2021 – when we were reading Titus and Isaiah together. This year, we get to start Isaiah tomorrow.)

Reflection Questions

  1. What do you need reminders for?
  2. Look at the list of things Paul told Titus to remind the people to do. For each one ask yourself why is this important and how well am I doing this? If you were to choose one to focus on reminding yourself to do for the next 14 days, which one needs your most attention right now?
  3. What is your attitude toward those who give you reminders?
  4. How can you encourage others to do what is right?
sglcalendar2024Download

He Made Them All

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 29 & 30

Poetry: Psalm 104

New Testament: Titus 2

Our family loves camping and traveling and finding new places to hike or kayak through God’s beautiful world. The variety of his creation is truly amazing! Desert, forest, plains, mountain, ocean. We love them all and the chance to explore a new little corner of His world we haven’t seen yet. And, along the way, trying to capture a photo to remind us of the beauty and creativity we had the privilege to see.

Psalm 104 is a beautiful poem of creation. I would love to make a photo book or photo wall with pictures from our family hikes and travels depicting each verse and phrase.

“he stretches out the heavens like a tent” (vs 2) – expansive blue sky from horizon to horizon

“He makes the clouds his chariot” (vs 3) – white and multi-shades of gray amazing textured rolling clouds with shafts of sunlight shining through with the brilliant blue sky behind

“He makes springs pour water into the ravines” – hot springs bubbling from the ground and flowing down the mountain side

You get the idea. There would be photos of waterfalls, lightening, mountaintops, ocean waves on the shore, rainstorms, the moon, plants and animals, sunrises, sea creatures, and people. Each one accompanied with God’s text.

I recently taught a unit on creation to the adorable children in children’s church. And it was so much fun spending a week (or often more) on each aspect of God’s amazing creation. We brought in shells and rocks and leaves and bird feathers to touch and play with. We matched plant photos to foods we eat and counted plant products in ingredient labels. (Do you know how many plants are in a box of Cheerios or mac’n cheese?) We classified plants and animals and brought in a bird expert. We watched videos and explored books on clouds and planets and sea creatures and the animal kingdom and the incredible human body. And all the things that we take for granted everyday.

Not only is God’s world a beautiful world – but so incredibly functional, too! He thought of EVERYTHING! The more I learn of science and the human body in particular, the more I am amazed at His creation.

I have never made anything nearly as intricate or useful as the smallest, tiniest, most simplistic, most ‘insignificant’ part of God’s creation. But, I do like to create quilts – little scraps of colored fabric (which came from a cotton plant) sewn together in patterns to make a cozy cover to bring comfort and warmth. I can’t imagine how I would feel if I were to meet someone who explained that those quilts just came to be one day – that it grew from nothing and became strings that wove themselves together and the fabrics cut themselves into the perfect shapes and even stitches magically formed just as they were needed to piece the top together and the materials used to create the final layered project appeared at just the right time and space and lined up just so to automatically go through the final steps to create my quilt. Foolishness. It is foolishness that leaves out the thought, intention, desire, creativity, vision, purpose and ability of me, the quilt creator. Or, equally painful – maybe they would give all the credit for the making of the quilt to another.

It makes sense that the Creator of the Heavens and Earth wants us to enjoy and admire His creation – and give Him all the credit He so much deserves. But, what happens when people don’t? What happens when they take away the glory that belongs to God and call it chance instead or give it to another? What happens when they refuse to listen to God’s words – His first recorded words being – “Let there be light”? What happens when they attribute God’s creation to another? We see in the book of Jeremiah. “These wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them, will be like this belt—completely useless!” Jeremiah goes on in today’s reading to describe the drought, famine and sword that will be used in judgment of those who have stubbornly turned from God. Jeremiah 14 ends with God telling Jeremiah to speak to the people, telling them to acknowledge their guilt and wickedness and sins against Him and ask God to remember His covenant. The final verse of chapter 14 says,

“Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain?
    Do the skies themselves send down showers?
No, it is you, Lord our God.
    Therefore our hope is in you,
    for you are the one who does all this.” (vs 22 NIV)

Not only did Our Great God create this world for us – He made a covenant with us – He has power still today – and He holds out a blessed hope for those who acknowledge and worship Him for all He has done, is doing and will do.

Thank you God for your incredible Creation – help me see and appreciate each amazing part!

Thank you God for the rains today – help me see you at work today!

Thank you God for the hope you set before those who believe and worship you alone – a New Heavens and Earth that will be beyond all we can ever dream or imagine!

You are our hope – for you are the one who does all this!

-Marcia Railton

(taken from a devotion originally posted here on Oct 12, 2021)

Reflection Questions

  1. What do you love most about God’s creation? What do you often take for granted in His creation? In your opinion what are some of the most useful things He created? What are some of the most creative things He created?
  2. What have you created? Has anyone ever disregarded your creation or the part you played in its creation? What are the biggest problems with the theory of evolution?
  3. Looking at the final verses of Psalm 104 (verses 31-35), what response to all that God has done does the psalmist have – and also ask for? What response does he expect, ask or look for from God? What response do you have to God’s creation?
sglcalendar2024Download