II Samuel 1:1 - 7:29

Nine: I thought it bad that David exposed himself. There was a lot of killing in this section and I thought it gross. I shouldn't be like all those killing: I should obey our ruler.

Twelve: It shows God is with David and helped him gain all of Israel. Joab sinned by killing Abner. It was good he finally brought the ark to Jerusalem where it belonged. Some of the stuff in these chapters was kind of weird but it shows how things were in the culture back then. God will help you conquer the wrong around you. 

Forty-seven: It's so hard for me to imagine being as humble and trusting as David is with Saul when he spares his life. 

I Samuel 23:7 - 24:22

Nine: It was very nice of David not to kill Saul when he had the chance. It shows that David was worthy to be kind. I should not go after my enemies even when I have the chance.

Twelve: David knew he was not supposed to kill Saul and the lesson is not to hurt your enemies when you have the chance.

Forty-seven: I have a hard time understanding why Saul knows David will be king and that David is not in rebellion against Saul and yet continues to pursue David. It makes me wonder if I have similar irrationalities in my life. 

I Samuel 16:1 - 18:16

Nine: Maybe the rock David threw was too high and went over the shield because Goliath was so tall his shield bearer couldn't block it that high. I'd like to be like David because he was very brave when he fought Goliath.

Twelve: This passage shows that God was with David. Even though Goliath was a lot bigger and stronger, David was able to defeat him with God's help. You shouldn't be like Saul and get jealous over other people's success.

Forty-seven: David is so sure and confident in this passage. Yet even his own brother treats him with disrespect, but David persists in his concern over why God's army is allowing itself to be placed in terror by this one man. 

I Samuel 8:1 - 10:27

Nine: It was good Saul held his temper with those guys who did not bring him presents. I should keep my temper.

Twelve: God chose Saul even though he was from the weakest of families. God would choses people from unusual situations to do His will. If God calls you, you should answer. 

Forty-seven: It's funny how I always think of Saul as the old Saul without God's spirit in him, but in the early chapters of his life we see him so different: filled with God's spirit, humble to the point of shyness. 

I Samuel 1:1 - 3:21

Nine: It is amazing God was able to speak to Samuel like that, but everything about the Lord is amazing. I should answer the Lord when He calls me.

Twelve: Eli's sons sinned greatly against the Lord. You need to listen to God when He tells you something. If you sin against God you will be punished.

Forty-seven: This story has such an amazing contrast in parenting between Hannah and Eli. The sad thing is knowing that Samuel will learn more from Eli than his mother when he becomes a father. 

Ruth

Nine: I think it was very good that the Lord blessed Ruth and Naomi. It was very good that Boaz married her. If not for them, Jesus might not have come.

Twelve: Ruth obeyed God and Naomi. Boaz helped her a lot and it was good that he finally decided to marry her.

Forty-seven: The book of Ruth is always a favorite of mine. The story and the people in it are intriguing and compelling. My youngest's remarks make it even more compelling to see God work in so much detail in the lives of these people. 

Judges 13:1 - 16:31

Nine: It was completely fair all those guys got killed because they had probably killed a lot of Israelites. Never trust women (except my dog) period. 

Twelve: Samson had his problems but God used him to kill lots of Philistines. You have to be able to control yourself. 

Forty-seven: It's easy to think, I'm not like Samson but the truth is I'm more like him than I should be. Further we're told that at least once his escapades were the Holy Spirit moving in him, something I don't think I can claim at those moments when I should be controlling myself better. 

Judges 6:1 - 7:25

Nine: Gideon was kind of a coward, but you don't need to be brave to be a hero. I can stand up for some one even if the other side seems stronger.

Twelve: It was wonderful what God did for Gideon, a guy who was not very strong. He was able to use 300 men to destroy the camp of Midian.

Forty-seven: I keep thinking about all the times in this story we see people who are afraid. Gideon shows fear at least twice and he loose 22,000 men to fear. Yet God didn't need any of that to overcome. He didn't even need the swords of Israel just some torches and horns. 

Judges 4:1 - 5:31

Nine: The Lord showed His power and His wrath on the enemy. He was right about a woman saving the entire day. Obey the Lord; He will deliver you.

Twelve: I thought Barak was cowardly because he didn't want to lead the people by himself. If he had, God would have delivered Sisera into his hand. It was cool that God completely destroyed the army. 

Forty-seven: Today I've gotten distracted by my youngest. Remember him, "smack down" boy from yesterday? Today, because he knows this story, he specifically asked to not hear the details of Sisera's death. It is rather a grisly scene.

However I can't help but notice Barak's unwillingness to lead the army and puzzle at it. Was he being cowardly? Lazy? Disobedient? Untrusting? I don't know. It does tell me that no matter what my first gut reaction is when I hear God's voice I should listen.  

Judges 2:6 - 3:6

Nine: These guys are going to get what's coming to them and the Philistines are going to come and smack them down. They shouldn't have disobeyed those judges.

Twelve: They should have obeyed God. Their parents did the wrong thing: they did not teach the children about God and what He did for them.

Forty-seven: As a parent I often wonder, am I really transmitting what I believe to my children? Are they taking it in an internalizing it as their own or are they simply my little parrots who will one day fly away. I take hope in my twelve year old's answer, but I do wonder how those who took the land could not teach their own children their story. Did they just get too busy? 

Twenty-Five Posts

We made it!

As I expected the typing into the computer part was where I got bogged down.

Reading God's word and talking about it, even taking notes isn't really that hard, but entering into my computer is another thing. 

Joshua 5:31 - Joshua 6:27

Nine: It was amazing that the Lord used that sound to break down the walls of Jericho. God is truly amazing. It was very merciful of Rahab to hide those spies.

Twelve: It is amazing what God did by knocking down the walls of Jericho. It showed the other people around Jericho that Israel had power and had God on their side.

Forty-seven: For me its the interesting way that God works this story: The six days of one time around and then waiting, the last day with seven times around and the great shout at the end. God is not only immensely powerful but also immensely creative. 

Joshua 3:1 - 4:24

Nine: We've already seen the Lord's power demonstrated so I wasn't surprised by this story. A river isn't as big as a sea.

Twelve: It's amazing that God parted the river for them especially at flood stage. God can do amazing miracles and part the seas of our lives and give us opportunities to come closer to Him. It was amazing how quickly the people were in awe of Joshua after Moses' death.

Forty-seven: I always think about those stones in the middle of the Jordan River. Why put them there? No one was going to go there again, but there they are testifying to God's faithfulness and power. 

Joshua 1:1 - 18

Nine: Joshua is going to be a good leader. Joshua should be wise, trust the lord, be strong, take possession of the lands, brave, and not frightened of any who attack them.

Twelve: God tells Joshua to be brave, strong, wise, and a good leader to the people. Joshua tells the people to get ready to march. He asks the 2 1/2 tribes with land already to keep their promise and cross the Jordan with them.

Forty-seven: This must have been both an exciting and frightening moment. After their whole lives spent wandering in the desert waste-land to enter a new, fertile land of their own. How often do great opportunities come bound up with great perils? How often do we face those perils in God's hands and not our own?

Exodus 32:1 - 34:35

Nine: They disobeyed God and broke the first two commandments. The only reason God spared them was the Egyptians and others would believe He wasn't powerful. Toys, games, TV, and my dog pull me away from God.

Twelve: The people showed they could not be trusted because after only a short while they turned away from God. Moses saved them and convinced God not to destroy them. TV, books and my dog pull me away from God.

Forty-seven: I wonder just what it would take, how short a time before I would be pulled away from God. The truth is I probably do a little of it everyday. Just a little doubt or worry or grumpy thought and I'm no longer looking at God.

Exodus 19:1 - 20:1

Nine: We should obey these ten commandments. I have a hard time following false witness, coveting, and honoring my parents.

Twelve: God had grace for Israel and chose them for His people. They should listen to the ten commandments. I have the hardest time honoring my father and mother.

Forty-seven: As I get older I find that the ten commandments expand and expand in terms of living out a faithful Christian walk. While I struggle with that expansion I also find myself liking it that there is this ever moving goal or finish line to reach for. I will never get there, but I can continually follow my savior and not just stagnate. 

Exodus 13:17 - 14:31

Nine: I think it wasn't fair for the soldiers who got killed because they were just following orders. It shows again that God is all powerful. It may have been the just desserts for the solders. 

Twelve: I think my bother is wrong: I think God did this to save His people who were going to be killed by the Egyptians. The Egyptians deserved to be killed because everybody serves to die. God chose the Israelites through Abraham. The Egyptian soldiers could have repented and not obeyed.

Forty-seven: So which is right? It's funny but my younger son's lesson in church today was on how God was fair. It used the parable of The Good Samaritan. To be honest, that leaves me scratching my head some. My oldest strikes me as being correct, if God was instantly fair we'd all be dead. Instead He is also merciful, slow to anger, calls us the repent, and believe even if we do serve in Pharaoh's army. 

Exodus 12:1- 42

Nine: This is another sign to show how God is truthful because He said it would happen and it did. It also shows His power. Jesus made it an even bigger deal by dying on Passover.

Twelve: It shows that God has lots of power and He will help us to be delivered from our troubles. He finally showed Egypt He was all powerful, and it is wonderful that He formed the Passover which becomes more important later on with Jesus.

Forty-seven: Praise be the the Lamb who was slain! 

Exodus 6:28 - 11:10

Nine: It was extraordinary how God did all those plagues. I thought it wasn't fair to all those other people since God hardened Pharaoh's heart. Some of the plagues were Pharaoh's fault. But God is always fair so I can't say that. It wasn't fair to new born babies.

Twelve: I thought God was wonderful and showed His power to the Egyptians. I think God does things in the world today including controlling natural disasters.

Forty-seven: My youngest raised a hard question in his comments today. One I can give some thoughts on, but in the end I can't be satisfied because my mind doesn't comprehend what God's mind does. I'm like our nine month old puppy she knows we don't like her chewing stuff up, but she doesn't understand why. I can only trust in God. 

Exodus 3:1 - 4:17

Nine: The Lord is amazing; He could do all those signs with Moses. Never pick up a snake by its tail! Moses was whiny. God had every right to destroy him.

Twelve: Listen to God and obey Him. He will protect you and deliver you from your troubles.

Forty-seven: How often do I whine about much easier tasks than those Moses was given? How do I learn to respond first with obedience?

Exodus 1:1 - 2:25

Nine: This story shows God's power. He let's Pharaoh's daughter see the basket. The midwives got blessed and they deserved it. They did it for the right reason, but Moses did not act for the right reason.

Twelve: God was with Moses and his family. The midwives did the right thing even though they lied because they save the lives of the little babies. Moses killed someone; he could have told the Egyptian not to do it. He had power.

Forty-seven: The midwives inspire me. They are the small players going about their everyday lives. Yet, in the face of the mightiest man in their world, they did the right thing. How often do I bow before much less powerful forces: hastiness, convenience? How do I learn to live every moment for God?