Jeremiah 41
There’s just no getting around it—especially when you read a chapter like this. God allows awful stuff to happen in this world. He allows evil men and women to do evil things to innocent people for (apparently) no reason. He allows things to happen to His children that most of us think we would never allow our children to go through if we were in His shoes.
Or would we?
Jeremiah 4
In this chapter, God sends a clear invitation to Israel to repent from their idolatry and return to Him. He wants them to escape the impending invasion by the Babylonians, but it seems they want nothing to do with God and His plan to rescue them. At every turn, they continue to reject His protection.
Isaiah 49
There are so many ironies in the Christian life, and this is one of them: to be a slave to others in love is the highest expression of freedom. Yeah, that probably bears repeating: to be a slave to others in love is the highest expression of freedom. And in this chapter of Isaiah, that’s exactly what we learn about God—He is a slave to others in love.
Song of Solomon 8
For me, this chapter holds one of the most beautiful passages ever written about love: “Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like the very flame of the Lord. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, he would be utterly scorned.” (vs 6-7)
Song of Solomon 7
You are unique, special, one-of-a-kind. In the whole history of the human race, nobody has ever had your specific genetic makeup or your precise combination of gifts, talents, and abilities. You cannot be replaced, duplicated, or cloned. There is only one of you, and God made you beautiful.
Song of Solomon 6
Love is a mysterious and powerful thing. We have a hard time truly defining it, yet we all know it can be exhilarating or devastating. It can bruise and it can heal. It can affirm us in the deepest part of our heart, or it can confront us about the need to change. This last part is, to me, one of the great mysteries of love—how it has the ability to “mature” us into better people.
Song of Solomon 5
Unless you think love is all roses and sweet feelings, think again. One of the beauties of this book of the Bible is that it presents love in a truly realistic way—not as a fantasy, but as a real exchange between two people, incorporating highs and lows, thrills and frustrations. And, how does true love respond to this reality? More specifically, what is the response of true love when it is rebuffed? That is the subject of this chapter.
Song of Solomon 4
When I lived in England, one of my favorite places to visit was Sylvia’s Garden—an out-of-the-way place with old stone benches, blooming flowers and bushes, a man-made pool, and lots of serenity. There was not a more peaceful, calming place in all the world. I went there a lot to think and pray.
Song of Solomon 3
In this chapter, the maiden is having a dream that she can’t find her beloved. She jumps out of bed in the middle of the night and scours the city, looking everywhere for him. Finally, she finds him: “Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go.” (vs 4)
Song of Solomon 2
I can totally identify with the woman’s words in chapter 2: “As an apricot tree stands out in the forest, my lover stands above the young men in town. All I want is to sit in his shade, to taste and savor his delicious love. He took me home with him for a festive meal, but his eyes feasted on me! Oh! Give me something refreshing to eat—and quickly! Apricots, raisins—anything. I’m about to faint with love! His left hand cradles my head, and his right arm encircles my waist!” (vs 3-6)
Song of Solomon 1
If you were going to write the “song of all songs” to be published in the Bible, what would you write about? What subject would you choose for the song that would be greater than any other song? I don’t know about you, but I suspect most Christians would choose to write a song of praise and worship to God. Don’t you think that’s what God would want? A song that exalted Him?
Proverbs 27
A few months ago during a Bible study, a friend of mine said something that has been nagging at me ever since: We don’t often know what love is. He said that in the context of discussing how to be loving toward people, and he suggested that there might be many times when we wouldn’t immediately recognize what would be the “loving” course of action in a given situation.
Psalm 133
I have heard the first verse of this psalm many times in my life as a Christian: “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” As far as I can recollect, I have never actually heard the remainder of the psalm. How do I know that? Because I was somewhat taken aback by similes used to describe this unity—especially the first one. Unity is like precious oil running down an old man’s beard? Huh?
Psalm 122
I think it has to be one of the most universal things we believe about God—that He is a peacelover. At least, I don’t know many people who would race to characterize God as a warmonger. (Maybe you do!) Yet one of my favorite Jesus quotes is this one from Matthew 10:34—”Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”
