Devotionals
The Praise of the Punished
A simple but challenging thought today. God tells Moses he will not be allowed to go to the promised Land because, like his brother, he “broke faith” (NIV) with God. Moses appealed his conviction, but God’s mind was made up. Moses would not be successful in his advocacy as he had been in the past.... Read More →
On Atheists and Foxholes
“Do you know the multiplication tables? Long division?” “I know of them…” This hilarious exchange took place on S08E02 of the Simpsons. Barts knowledge OF these mathematical principles is of no use when the time comes to actually employ them. Bart needs direct, useful knowledge of what these methods are, how to make use of... Read More →
This Isn’t For You
A phrase oft spoken in my house. My wife and I will be discussing something within ear-shot of our children, and not infrequently one or both of them will ask follow-up questions about the thing they have overheard. “Who did that, Dad?” or “Where did they go, Mom?” And most of the time our reply... Read More →
God, Revealed
He fills His hands with lightning bolts and hurls each at its target. This is a description Elihu offers of the God of Adam & Noah. At first it seems quaint a funny. It read more like a Greek mythological description of Zeus than one of the true living God. But the wider context is... Read More →
Light in the Darkness
Once again Job declares his innocence. And rattles off a list of offences for which he feels he cannot be found guilty. Perhaps some of these will convict you, as they have convicted me. While there is one I will bring focus to at the end, pause after each once to let the Spirit speak... Read More →
The Bravado of Youth
All of Job’s… er… friends… have finished with him and suddenly a new challengers emerges. Elihu — who has apparently been here the whole time — ceases his silence. Frustrated that none of the older men are able to show Job why he is wrong. As a young man I had so many strongly held (though... Read More →
The Physical and the Metaphysical
In Chapter 28 of his eponymous book, during a lengthy monologue Job expounds on all the incredible works of mankind. In plumbing the depths of the earth mining and exploring. Harvesting every precious metal the earth has to offer. Creating fine delicacies like crystal and glass and jewlery. In searching out the far recesses of... Read More →
What is Your Value to God?
“What pleasure would it give the Almighty if you were righteous? What would he gain if your ways were blameless?” (Job 22:3, NIV) The previous questions are part of Eliphaz’s third response to Job. A response in which Eliphaz goes on to tell the grieving Job that there is no limit to his sins, before... Read More →
Solutioneering
‘Blue Sky Solutioneering’ is a phrase I first heard from Merlin Mann on the Back To Work podcast. The idea was that you (singular or plural) would just pluck solutions to complex problems out of thin air and then worry about how to realize them later. This is a common male problem, though I wonder... Read More →
Why Do Good Things Happen to Bad People?
When people propose the oft-asked question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” there are several assumptions. That bad things exist (who decides what events go into each category), that there are good people (same question as before), and that the aforementioned ‘bad things’ should happen to the assumed ‘bad people’. We have this... Read More →
The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth
Do not be afraid. We hear God and his angels say this so often when they appear in the Biblical narrative that one wonders if perhaps it is the standard greeting in Heaven. But I think this phrase has another application. Job accuses his friends of lying in order to defend God. I think this... Read More →
On Mockery of God
During one monologue Job claims his innocence while insisting that God is far off and indifferent to the suffering of the righteous, or even enjoying it. In response his friend, Zophar, says — basically — “You want God to speak? Well, clearly He has!” He then goes on to say, quite forthrightly, that Job is... Read More →