Week 5: God's Outstretched Arm

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:

• Sunday: Exodus 4:1-5:21, Matthew 18:1-20, Psalm 22:19-31, Proverbs 5:15-21
• Monday: Exodus 5:22-7:25, Matthew 18:21-19:12, Psalm 23:1-6, Proverbs 5:22-23
• Tuesday: Exodus 8:1-9:35, Matthew 19:13-30, Psalm 24:1-10, Proverbs 6:1-5
• Wednesday: Exodus 10:1-12:13, Matthew 20:1-28, Psalm 25:1-15, Proverbs 6:6-11
• Thursday: Exodus 12:14-13:16, Matthew 20:29-21:22, Psalm 25:16-22, Proverbs 6:12-15
• Friday: Exodus 13:17-15:18, Matthew 21:23-46, Psalm 26:1-12, Proverbs 6:16-19
• Saturday: Exodus 15:19-17:7, Matthew 22:1-33, Psalm 27:1-6, Proverbs 6:20-26

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of Exodus, Chapter 6:

Scripture: Exodus 6:6-7

6 "Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.

Observation:
At the end of Exodus Chapter 5, Moses got rather desperate. He had finally mustered enough courage to meet with Pharaoh, but his first encounter with him was even worse than he anticipated: Pharaoh shouts at Moses & Aaron (5:4), dismisses the request to let the Israelite people go, dismisses God, and increases the workload for the Israelite slaves. Now Pharaoh is angry, the leaders of the Israelites and the foremen are angry (5:21), yet the LORD still wants Moses to go back to Pharaoh to tell him to let his people go. We read about Moses' desperation in Chapter 5 verse 22 & 23:

22 Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? 23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all."

It is in this state of despair that God answers Moses in Chapter 6. He reassures Moses that the moment has now arrived that the LORD will show himself to Pharaoh. He will deliver his people and remember the promise He made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Moses will need to have faith now. I love verses 6 and 7, which is why I chose those as main verses for today's SOAP. God is a God who redeems. His outstretched arm enacts judgment on those who oppress his people, and brings deliverance to those who trust in Him.

Application:
These verses out of Exodus were written for God's people under the Old Covenant, but they apply to his people under the New Covenant as well. Slavery in Egypt can be seen as a picture of 'slavery to sin". If you replace 'the Egyptians' with 'sin', those verses in Exodus 6 read like this:

6 ... 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of sin. I will free you from being slaves to sin, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of sin.

See how these verses are relevant to us? God has redeemed us from the yoke of sin. We are his own people. We live in a time where these words have all come true. Read Jeremiah 31:33-34 for yourself, and see how these verses connect with these verses here in Exodus. God has given us a new heart, so that we can know him from the inside out. Jesus Christ has redeemed us from eternal death and has given us eternal life that we will spend with him and the Father, in the power of the Holy Spirit. At times we may feel like Moses: desperate. It is at those times especially that God reminds us that we are his people, and that his outstretched arm is there to save us.

Prayer:
Thank you, Lord, for redeeming us from slavery to sin. Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you have bought us with your own blood. We are no longer of our own, but we are your people. You have ransomed us, and we are yours. Help us to live our lives for you, that we may honor you in all we do. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Have a great week of reading through the scriptures.

In Christ,

Dick

Week 4: Different in all the Right Ways

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows: 

• Sunday: Genesis 41:17-42:17; Matthew 13:24-46; Psalm 18:1-15; Proverbs 4:1-6
• Monday: Genesis 42:18-43:34; Matthew 13:47-14:12; Psalm 18:16-36; Proverbs 4:7-10
• Tuesday: Genesis 44:1-45:28; Matthew 14:13-36; Psalm 18:37-50; Proverbs 4:11-13
• Wednesday: Genesis 46:1-47:31; Matthew 15:1-28; Psalm 19:1-14; Proverbs 4:14-19
• Thursday: Genesis 48:1-49:33; Matthew 15:29-16:12; Psalm 20:1-9; Proverbs 4:20-27
• Friday: Genesis 50:1 - Exodus 2:10; Matthew 16:13-17:9; Psalm 21:1-13; Proverbs 5:1-6
• Saturday: Exodus 2:11-3:22; Matthew 17:10-27; Psalm 22:1-18; Proverbs 5:7-14

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of Matthew: 

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-26
"Here is another story Jesus told: 'The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.'"

Observation:
Jesus later explained to his disciples that this parable of the weeds among the wheat depicts ungodly people living among godly people. What strikes me about this is that Jesus envisions the people of his Kingdom living in close proximity to those who are not members of the Kingdom. In other words, we are living in the period of Salvation History in which weeds and wheat, Christ-followers and non-Christ-followers, coexist in the same place.

Those of us who follow Jesus live in the world but we are not of the world. We shop at the same grocery stores, wear the many of the same clothes, enjoy some of the same music, and eat the same foods. But we are fundamentally different.

Application:
The struggle I face is discerning how best to be different. That is to say, I want to be different in the ways that God wants me to be different. I want to be different in all the ways that matter for the Kingdom of God. I want my differentness to have redeeming value for the sake of Jesus Christ and his work in the world.

There are appropriate ways to be different from non-Kingdom people and there are appropriate ways to be like non-Kingdom people. The Apostle John in 1 John 2:15 says, "Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you." But when he says that we are not supposed to love the world, he is not talking about everything in the world.

Elsewhere in Scripture, for example, the Apostle Paul points out that God richly gives us everything for our enjoyment (1 Timothy 6:17). God loves to see us enjoy the beauty of a sunrise, the sweetness of Honey-Crisp apples, the thrill of roller coaster rides, and the soothing warmth of a hot bath on a cold night. There are millions of pleasures that God created for us to experience...and to enjoy these blessings the way he intended is the highest form of gratitude.

God does not want us to be different from non-Kingdom people in our enjoyment of the many pleasures he created for us to experience. He wants us to be different in terms of our core cravings. Rather than being driven by the lust for money, (immoral) sex, and power (see 1 John 2:16), we are to seek after a relationship with God as our number-one priority.

Put simply, I want to make it my aim in life to be different in all the right ways.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, please help me be enough like non-Kingdom people to be a redeeming presence while at the same time being different enough to have something of value to offer them. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 3: God's Discipline

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows: 

• Sunday: Genesis 28:1-29:35; Matthew 9:18-38; Psalm 11:1-7; Proverbs 3:11-12
• Monday: Genesis 30:1-31:16; Matthew 10:1-23; Psalm 12:1-8; Proverbs 3:13-15
• Tuesday: Genesis 31:17-32:12; Matthew 10:24-11:6; Psalm 13:1-6; Proverbs 3:16-18
• Wednesday: Genesis 32:13-34:31; Matthew 11:7-30; Psalm 14:1-7; Proverbs 3:19-20
• Thursday: Genesis 35:1-36:43; Matthew 12:1-21; Psalm 15:1-5; Proverbs 3:21-26
• Friday: Genesis 37:1-38:30; Matthew 12:22-45; Psalm 16:1-11; Proverbs 3:27-32
• Saturday: Genesis 39:1-41:16; Matthew 12:46-13:23; Psalm 17:1-15; Proverbs 3:33-35

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of Proverbs:

Scripture: Proverbs 3:11, 12
"My child, don’t reject the Lord's discipline,
and don't be upset when he corrects you.
For the Lord corrects those he loves,
just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights."

Observation:
This is a scary passage! I find myself at once drawn to this; at once recoiling. I don't want to be disciplined. I want to live above reproach so that discipline is not necessary. Perhaps, however, even those who keep themselves unspotted from the world need God's discipline – maybe even more so than those whose bad choices turn out to be punishment enough!

After all, even Jesus, the author of our salvation, was "made perfect" through the things he suffered. "Even though Jesus was God's Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered' (Hebrews 5:8). The Father made "Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation" (Hebrews 2:10). If Jesus did not escape the Father's discipline, how can I think I will ever be exempt?

Application:
I want to be able to recognize the Father's discipline when it comes, so that I don't have to face the harsher punishments reserved for the hardheaded. I want to remain soft clay in the Father's hands so that when he attempts to form me, I won’t resist and crumble. I want the Father's discipline to be sweet medicine.

Once when I was very young, 3 or 4 years old, my sister, Colleen, and I rebelled against our Aunt Rosemary, who was watching us for the day. We were disrespectful and mischievous. At one point, we took the backyard hose, filled up the Radio Flyer wagon with water, stripped naked and took a bath. When Aunt Rosemary reported our behavior to Mom, we each took our turn over her lap to get a strong spanking on our rear ends. Mom didn't pull her slaps. They hurt! But I'll never forget what I did right afterwards: Even though I was sobbing, I wrapped my arms around her neck, kissed her on the cheek, and said, 'I love you Mommy!'

Prayer:
O Lord, I pray that I have a willing, submissive spirit when I encounter your discipline. I have no idea what forms your acts of correction will take going forward, but I pray that I can easily recognize them as expressions of your love, and that I will immediately turn to you and embrace you, saying, "I love you, Abba!" I pray in Jesus' name.  Amen!

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck 

Week 2: Light in a thick and dreadful darkness

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:

• Sunday: Genesis 13:5-15:21, Matthew 5:27-48, Psalm 6:1-10, Proverbs 1:29-33
• Monday: Genesis 16:1-18:15, Matthew 6:1-24, Psalm 7:1-17, Proverbs 2:1-5
• Tuesday: Genesis 18:16-19:38, Matthew 6:25-7:14, Psalm 8:1-9, Proverbs 2:6-15
• Wednesday: Genesis 20:1-22:24, Matthew 7:15-29, Psalm 9:1-12, Proverbs 2:16-22
• Thursday: Genesis 23:1-24:51, Matthew 8:1-17, Psalm 9:13-20, Proverbs 3:1-6
• Friday: Genesis 24:52-26:16, Matthew 8:18-34. Psalm 10:1-15, Proverbs 3:7-8
• Saturday: Genesis 26:17-27:46, Matthew 9:1-17, Psalm 10:16-18, Proverbs 3:9-10

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of Genesis, Chapter 15:

Scripture: Genesis 15:12-13

12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. 13 Then the LORD said to him, "Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there.

Observation:
Chapter 15 of Genesis is a famous chapter for more than one reason. First, verse 6 is quoted by the apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatians (Gal.3:6), where Paul talks about the promise that God made to Abraham based on Abraham's faith, not based on Abraham's good deeds. Then James quotes the same verse to prove that Abraham did not just possess faith, but also acted according to his faith!

Second, the end of Genesis 15 shows us a beautiful covenant ritual. It is too much to describe all the details here, but what I'd like to point out, is that -- similar to the New Covenant -- this covenant with Abraham is a one-side covenant that God upholds by himself. God was the one committing himself to this covenant, and Abraham only watched as God made this promise to him. The promise that God made was to give the land of Canaan to Abraham's descendants. Is it any wonder that after nearly 2000 years of dispersion, the people of Israel are back in their country again? This happened in 1948, and it shows that God is a God who keeps his promises.

The verses that caught my eye for today's SOAP though, are verses 12 and 13. Abraham fell into a deep sleep and was overcome by a thick and dreadful darkness. When I read that, for the first time I realized that it was God who brought that thick and dreadful darkness upon Abraham. The reason is given in verse 13, where God says Know for certain. The LORD wanted Abraham to know that his descendants would be oppressed for 400 years in a foreign country (Egypt). In effect, he gave Abraham a preview of the pain and suffering that his descendants would experience. Hence the 'thick and dreadful darkness' that came over Abraham.

Application:
Just recently, I experienced a time that felt like a 'thick and dreadful darkness'. It was a time where I had to wrestle with God to find answers. At times it felt like 'spiritual oppression' that I experienced -- and it might have been -- however, this passage made me realize that God most likely allowed this experience in my life. Sometimes God allows the darkness to come over our lives, so that we better understand the light that He brings. If you read last week's SOAP, you know that at the very end of times, there will be NO MORE darkness, but only light. God and the Lamb will be the light in the new Jerusalem.

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for periods of darkness that you allow to happen in our lives. I pray for those who experience a darkness this very moment, that you will give them the assurance that you are there in the midst of it all. Shine your light in their lives and in our lives. In Jesus name, the Light of the world.

Have a great week!

In Christ,

Dick

Week 1: Pure Offerings and a Closed Temple

This week, 2012 will draw to a close. If you've diligently stuck with the reading plan: Congratulations on finishing the Bible in One Year! We hope you enjoyed the weekly blog posts as well as enjoy the satisfaction that comes from reading through the entire Bible. Not many people have done that, and you are blessed you have had the opportunity and willpower to do it. If you've got side-tracked and didn't finish the Bible in one year... No worries! You can finish where you left off last year, or take a fresh start this week.

In 2013 we will continue the reading plan we did last year, with one section from the Old Testament, one from the New Testament, one Psalm, and one section from Proverbs. This provides a nice balance of different scripture readings each day.

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows (2 more days to close out this year):

• Sunday: Malachi 1:1-2:17, Revelation 21:1-27, Psalm 149:1-9, Proverbs 31:10-24
• Monday: Malachi 3:1-4:6, Revelation 22:1-21, Psalm 150:1-6, Proverbs 31:25-31
• Tuesday: Genesis 1:1-2:25, Matthew 1:1-2:12, Psalm 1:1-6, Proverbs 1:1-6
• Wednesday: Genesis 3:1-4:26, Matthew 2:13-3:6, Psalm 2:1-12, Proverbs 1:7-9
• Thursday: Genesis 5:1-7:24, Matthew 3:7-4:11, Psalm 3:1-8, Proverbs 1:10-1
• Friday: Genesis 8:1-10:32, Matthew 4:12-25, Psalm 4:1-8, Proverbs 1:20-23
• Saturday: Genesis 11:1-13:4, Matthew 5:1-26, Psalm 5:1-12, Proverbs 1:24-28

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from a passage from Malachi, the last book in the Old Testament, as well as from Revelation, the last book in the New Testament:

Scripture:
Malachi 1:

10 "Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you," says the LORD Almighty, "and I will accept no offering from your hands. 11 My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations," says the LORD Almighty.

Revelation 21:

22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.

Observation:
In the opening chapter of Malachi, the LORD is very upset with his children, the people of Israel. They call him 'father' and 'master', but they don't honor him like a son would honor his father, or a servant would honor his master (verse 6). The priests offer mediocre sacrifices (v. 7 & 8), but they pretend to do the right thing. That is what makes God really upset, and why he shows his righteous anger in verse 10. He tells his children that it is better to shut the temple doors (like closing the church), than to pretend everything is going well.

Then, in the next verse, God is looking into the future, beyond the current situation. He sees a multitude of nations honoring his name, and bringing pure offerings in every place. In a sense, he's looking to the time after Jesus came to earth, and the good news of Jesus Christ was broadcast all over the earth, bringing multitudes of people into fellowship with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It's a time of reconciliation between God and his people. This includes the time we live in as well.

Application:
Even though God's name is honored all over the earth in our times, and Jesus showed us the way of reconciliation, when I take an honest look at my life and the life of the church, there is a lot that God could be upset about as well. And perhaps he is at times. I'm upset with myself at times, when I know I'm not honoring my Heavenly Father and bring him mediocre sacrifices. There's a lot that can be improved, and that's why there's also the book of Revelation. In Revelation 21, we see the final final picture of reconciliation.

In these verses, we see that the temple is closed for good. Actually... there no longer is any temple, because God himself and the Lamb (=Jesus) are its temple! There is no need for sunlight or moonlight, as the glory of the Father and the Son provide the light. But just like Malachi 1:11, we do see the nations bringing their splendor and pure offerings to the LORD. Worship will continue, but no longer in an imperfect way. All our worship will be pure and holy, and honoring of the One who is worthy of all glory, honor, and power.

As we embark on a new year, more than ever, I do want to make an effort to bring pure worship to Him who saved my life from eternal death and who gave me life everlasting.

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we worship and adore you. Thank you for another year that you have given us. A year full of blessings, but also full of pain and struggles. You hold it all in your hand, and we look toward you to guide us in the new year. We look forward to your second coming, Lord Jesus, when all things will be made new, and even our worship will take on a new purity. Help us and guide us we pray. In your name. Amen.

I hope you will continue to read the Bible on a daily basis. There is no better thing than to daily sit at the feet of our Lord and let Him teach us.

Have a blessed week and a blessed New Year.

Dick

24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy-- 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. [Jude 24,25]

Week 52: "By My Spirit"

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:

• Sunday: Zechariah 4:1-5:11; Revelation 14:1-20; Psalm 142:1-7; Proverbs 30:21-23
• Monday: Zechariah 6:1-7:14; Revelation 15:1-8; Psalm 143:1-12; Proverbs 30:24-28
• Tuesday: Zechariah 8:1-23; Revelation 16:1-21; Psalm 144:1-15; Proverbs 30:29-31
• Wednesday: Zechariah 9:1-17; Revelation 17:1-18; Psalm 145:1-21; Proverbs 30:32
• Thursday: Zechariah 10:1-11:17; Revelation 18:1-24; Psalm 146:1-10; Proverbs 30:33
• Friday: Zechariah 12:1-13:9; Revelation 19:1-21; Psalm 147:1-20; Proverbs 31:1-7
• Saturday: Zechariah 14:1-21; Revelation 20:1-15; Psalm 148:1-14; Proverbs 31:8-9

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of Zechariah: 

Scripture: Zechariah 4:6
"Then he said to me, 'This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies.'"

Observation:
In the context of this passage, the Lord is assuring Zechariah that he will fulfill his promise to rebuild the Temple. But this was not to be accomplished by human ingenuity or effort; it would be accomplished by God's Spirit.

This is one of the most oft-quoted Old Testament verses because of the underlying principle: namely, the principle that God accomplishes everything he promises through his Spirit; not by human wit or strength. This universal truth brings a lot of comfort! It relieves us of the burden of fulfilling God's will in our lives and in the world by means of our own strength or will power.

God uses us to be sure, but he accomplishes his purposes with us, not because of us. In other words, to the extent that we are willing and able, God lets us participate with him in the realization of his divine purposes in the world. He uses us to the fullest extent possible, but his ultimate will is not thwarted if and when we fail. In fact, God sometimes uses our failures to accomplish his will!

Application:
The practical implications of this passage are profound. When we internalize the truth of this passage, we can, with the Psalmist, be still and know (experientially) that God is God (see Psalm 46:10).

I came across a sermon recently whose title captures perfectly the point I'm trying to make: "The Gospel Depends on a God Who does not Depend on You."

Some preach a very toxic gospel, which says, in essence, that God's purposes in the world, including the salvation of people's souls, depend on us...and that when we drop the ball or miss the mark, God's will goes unrealized. But God's word strikes a very careful balance between the existence of human "free will" and God's "sovereign will." In God's economy, both types of "will" fully exist without impinging on each other. How precisely this is the case is a matter of a much longer theological discussion.

For now, suffice it to say that the Christmas story is nothing less than the Gospel – the "Good News" of fulfilled promise in which God accomplishes for us what we could not accomplish for ourselves so that from here on out we would depend not on our own effort or ability but on the finished work of Christ. Because of him, and in light of our imperfect-yet-willing selves, we are the glad and happy recipients of the greatest gift known to humankind: the gift of everlasting life!

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
"How unsearchable his judgments,
"and his paths beyond tracing out!" (Romans 11:33)

Prayer:
O Lord, thank you for accomplishing for us what we could never have accomplished for ourselves. Amid all the glitter and clutter of this "holiday," which for many is anything but the "Holy Day" it deserves to be, please awaken us by your Spirit and enable us to feast on the truth of your Incarnation: "God is born; God is born indeed!" Amen.

Have a blessed Christmas!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 51: Bethlehem's Hope

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows: 

• Sunday: Micah 5:1-7:20; Revelation 7:1-17; Psalm 135:1-21; Proverbs 30:5-6
• Monday: Nahum 1:1-3:19; Revelation 8:1-13; Psalm 136:1-26; Proverbs 30:7-9
• Tuesday: Habakkuk 1:1-3:19; Revelation 9:1-21; Psalm 137:1-9; Proverbs 30:10
• Wednesday: Zephaniah 1:1-3:20; Revelation 10:1-11; Psalm 138:1-8; Proverbs 30:11-14
• Thursday: Haggai 1:1-2:23; Revelation 11:1-19; Psalm 139:1-24; Proverbs 30:15-16
• Friday: Zechariah 1:1-21; Revelation 12:1-17; Psalm 140:1-13; Proverbs 30:17
• Saturday: Zechariah 2:1-3:10; Revelation 13:1-18; Psalm 141:1-10; Proverbs 30:18-20

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of Micah:

Scripture: Micah 5:2-5
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
are only a small village among all the people of Judah.
Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you,
one whose origins are from the distant past.
The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies
until the woman in labor gives birth.
Then at last his fellow countrymen
will return from exile to their own land.
And he will stand to lead his flock with the Lord's strength,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
Then his people will live there undisturbed,
for he will be highly honored around the world.
And he will be the source of peace.

Observation:
People today equate the word "prophecy" with "prediction." So they are surprised to learn that only about 2 percent of all biblical prophecy is predictive. Most prophecy is proclamatory, which means that it is the proclamation of God's timely message to a situation that is happening at the time. God called prophets mainly to preach to the people in their own day. In fact, that's what Micah was doing. Most of the time in his book, when Micah talked about future events, he was speaking about the judgment that would befall Israel if the people did not repent. His message was about turning to God in repentance right away.

What we see in Micah 5:2-5 is a rare phenomenon in biblical prophecy. This passage is an instance of pure prediction. Verse 2 calls to mind the old Christmas hymn, O Little Town of Bethlehem.

Bethlehem was God's chosen place for the Savior's birth.

In Hebrew the word Bethlehem means literally "house of bread." It was a small city and one of the oldest in Israel. It is first mentioned in Genesis 48:7 as the place where Rachel died. Ruth lived there. It was also King David's home at one point...and Joseph was a descendant of David, which is why he had to go there to register for the census that Augustus Caesar decreed.

But why did God choose Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah? Why not Jerusalem, the most famous city in Israel? We can't say for sure. What we can know, however, is that more than 800 years before Jesus' birth, God predicted through the prophet Micah that the Savior of the world would be born there.

Application:
When one thinks of the circumstances that led to Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, and that his specific birthplace was predicted so long before it happened, one cannot help but be blown away.

It makes us realize that God is in charge of this world in ways that go far beyond our powers of perception. It makes us realize that if God can take the self-serving impulses of a power-hungry Roman emperor and use them for (or at least incorporate them into) his divine plan to bring the King of kings and Lord of lords into the world in a certain place, he can also lead us through the dark and uncertain days brought on by the senseless acts of violence in Clackamas, Oregon, and Newtown, Connecticut.

What Micah's predictive prophecy about Jesus' birth proves, among other things, is that God is in control, even when we are caught off guard by the unthinkable things human beings sometimes do.

The senseless and brutal murders of these people were not part of some "bigger plan" for God to be glorified through incomprehensible suffering. If the story of Jesus' standing at the graveside of his dear friend, Lazarus, proves anything at all about God's feeling towards death, it is that he comes to us in our grief and joins us in our mourning, even though in the end he will vanquish death and wipe every tear from our eyes (Revelation 7:17).

The prediction of Jesus' coming into the world proves that God is not caught off guard by human caprice and malice. And the fact of Jesus’ coming proves that there is life after death and therefore joy and consolation after such incalculable loss. But in the present, there is God with us, Immanuel, sharing in this journey of pain and entering fully into our grief.

Prayer:
O Lord, the One who Is and Was and Is to Come, the Great I Am, we lean into your embrace in this strange and paradoxical period of loss and unrealized hope, knowing that because of your Incarnation Love, we are not alone with our pain. Please be our ever-present Strength in this season of anguish and grief. Tarry with us now in this pain and lead us in the Way Everlasting. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

May this last week of Advent bring you hope and peace.

Faithfully, Chuck