Reading from Thursday, June 24

Today was my last day at my desk in my old job. Mon-Wed next week, I'm still officially in my current role, but I'll be in the city supporting training. It was kind of a weird day overall with a lot of drama going on with this insane project a few people are working on. I did have a great conversation at lunch with my friend, Pete though. Pete is an agnostic for lack of a better term, but we agree on a lot of social issues and things and our conversations are always very amicable and never argumentative. I love conversing with people of opposing viewpoints, especially on something so important as faith. I think hearing the objections to what you believe and then wrestling and attempting to justify those objections is what makes you a stronger person.

OK, and I'm stepping down from my soapbox. Bible time.

Reading for June 24
2 Kings 6:1-7:20
I must admit I had some trouble focusing while reading this, and ended up reading several paragraphs over again. I'm just not feelin it tonight, I guess. Anyway, this section really tries to emphasize the power Elisha carries, giving examples of multiple miracles he performs, from making an iron axe head float in water to predicting the date and means of someone's death. What I find really interesting about both Elijah and Elisha is that they were both highly respected among the officials in Israel, while Jesus endured the exact opposite.

Kings and people of importance would often go to these prophets to discern God's will or to ask God for assistance in a situation. The people in the same seats of power tried to kill Jesus a few thousand years later. So what was different? They both performed miracles. They both seemed to care about the welfare of others over punishment. They both had a direct connection to God and to God's will. I think what was different was God. Jesus came preaching God's message of peace and forgiveness, while the  Eli's propagated the violent nature of the people at the time. Jesus was hated by these officials because he had changed the rules, essentially everything that these "holy men" dedicated their lives to was now completely different - they also believed that Jesus' words were utter blasphemy. And what do we do to blasphemers in Israel? That's right. We kill them. Sure the Eli's had their dissenters, the more corrupt kings didn't like them because they told the truth about what God wanted, but they were still respected. Jesus was shamed even in his hometown.

Acts 15:36-16:15
This passage was preached about at ORB a few months ago. I'll try to give a brief synopsis. Paul and a few other disciples had been traveling from town to town preaching the word of God, but for a while, nothing was working out. Everywhere they were led was a dead end. God would tell them to go to another place, hundreds of miles away, they would get there and would again be dissapointed for lack of people to preach to, or being unable to get to the people that were there. Finally they come to Phillipi where they are assured they will be able to preach the good news. Now the expectation among them was to find holy men from the temple, or high ranking officials (again, men) to preach to and have these men share the news within their own community. When they arrive though, they find only a group of women and I think there is still a feeling of dissapointment. Nevertheless, they convert and baptize these women and consider it a great success.

I believe the lesson in this is to not give up when you believe God has a plan for your life. It's kind of  like the Leper who wanted to be healed by Elisha in some big ceremony with lightning and stuff, but was just told to wash himself in the river. In the same way, Paul and his disciples were hoping to convert thousands of men on their years-long journey, but only ended up preaching to a handful of women. Sometimes its the things that seem so unimportant to us that have the biggest impact.

You can listen to the sermon here - it's much better than how I just said it. Please listen to it, it''s awesome.

Psalm 142:1-7
A reminder to trust fully in God and not in man:

⁴ Look to my right and see;
       no one is concerned for me.
       I have no refuge;
       no one cares for my life.

 ⁵ I cry to you, O LORD;
       I say, "You are my refuge,
       my portion in the land of the living."

 Proverbs 17:24-25
 ²⁴ A discerning man keeps wisdom in view,
       but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
 ²⁵ A foolish son brings grief to his father
       and bitterness to the one who bore him.

Love. Each. Other.