God’s wisdom – Be Still…

1 Corinthians 1:18 – Power of the Cross

“The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)

If you’ve ever felt alone in this world wondering why nobody else “gets it,” this is a great memory verse of encouragement. As Christians, the message of the cross is key to everything we believe and hold dear. If it wasn’t for the cross, our faith would be meaningless. Thankfully, we aren’t the foolish ones.

Context: Just a handful of verses into the first chapter, Paul is already dealing with big issues with the Corinthians. This verse opens the section in my Bible version called “The Wisdom of God.” This verse not only speaks of God’s wisdom but serves as a wake-up call for those far from God. Paul is urging his brothers and sisters in Corinth to pay attention to God and respect his sovereignty. Continue reading “1 Corinthians 1:18 – Power of the Cross”

Job 11:1-20 – Zophar is Mean!

Read Job 11:1-20

Zophar is crude and rude, and I’m surprised Job didn’t send him packing. We want our friends to be truthful, but we hope our friends will try and sugar coat the hard stuff–just a bit. The hard stuff will still be difficult to deal with, such as hurt feelings, empty bank accounts, illness, death of loved ones, etc. There is a time for being blunt and a time to round off the edges, so to speak. Zophar missed that courtesy memo in his upbringing.

This so-called friend, Zophar, is impatient, too. He does not handle his friend’s delicate emotional state well. Some of the things Zophar says to Job are just downright hurtful. Especially when he uses the “what if” scenarios to seemingly “drive the knife in further” in terms of Job’s emotional state. Continue reading “Job 11:1-20 – Zophar is Mean!”

Ezekiel 17:1-24 – A Riddle from God

Read Ezekiel 17:1-24

This reading contains a riddle combined with a parable. Without reading the explanation, I imagined a totally different meaning. So let’s reflect on the riddle and explanation together. Most of us like a good puzzle, but we all should take heed to the LORD’s message.

The Sovereign LORD wanted Israel to understand what was happening and uses this creative approach. The manner in which plants and animals interact as if they are human is entertaining and attention grabbing to be sure. The parable describes the events between when King Jehoiachin was taken into exile (597 BC), and the year Zedekiah revolted against Babylon, trusting in Egypt’s promise of help (588 BC). Continue reading “Ezekiel 17:1-24 – A Riddle from God”