Marching Forth!

I'm often amazed when I read familiar passages and the LORD helps me see them from a fresh perspective.  As one who cycles through familiar recipes for dinner or baking, my family grows accustomed to textures and flavours.  Many times over the years I have had comments--not that the food was good or bad--but that the flavour was different .  It has come to the point if I realise there is a difference than the usual offering, I will notify my family beforehand that I am aware of a difference because I did not have the usual ingredients on hand or made a substitution to spice things up. Having read through the Bible numerous times and studied it in depth, a familiarity can grow with passages in God's word, our daily bread.  Today was a day when a familiar passage hit me differently, similar to a unexpected twist of flavour in a favourite dish.  I read the chapter when God spoke with Abram in Genesis 15 and said, " Do not fear, Abram.  I am your shield, your ...

Back in school we used to write compare and contrast essays, and this approach was an effective technique to dig deeper into a subject.  This is also a viable technique to apply as we read the word of God, for it is easy to gloss over details as we carry on to the next verse or chapter without thinking things through.  While we need the assistance of the Holy Spirit to have understanding and fruitful application of God's word, the Bible remains the greatest literary work ever written.  We do well to ready slowly, thoughtfully and meditate on the words analytically.  With so much truth right on the surface, we also know God continues to reveal fresh insights that take more effort to gather and feed our souls with His wisdom. I was struck after reading of Abram's victory by the grace of God over the 4 northern kings with their armies that sacked Sodom and took his nephew Lot captive.  After Abram and his 318 trained servants passed through Salem (which would later...

This morning I read Genesis 12 , the passage of scripture where God spoke to Abram to leave his country and his father's house and to go to the land God would show him.  After Abram obeyed God and went to Canaan, God appeared to Abram and made a promise to give the land to his children.  Most people would be glad to see an inheritance of land that was coming to us, yet God did far greater in revealing Himself.  Abram recognised this and responded in worship. Genesis 12:7  reads, " Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." And there he built an altar to the LORD , who had appeared to him ."  In response to God's revelation of Himself, Abram's response was to build an altar to the LORD who appeared to him.  In ancient times people worshipped the sun, moon and stars and celebrated their appearance in the heavens, but God's revelation was vastly different:  He spoke with Abram, appeared to him, made promis...

It made the news this week when a star soccer player had a serious injury shortly after kickoff--in the game slated to be her last.  Megan Rapinoe quipped after the match, " I’m not a religious person or anything and if there was a god, like, this is proof that there isn’t .”  This statement gives me pause to consider what people who do not know God personally think of Him.  Based on her own logic, the fact she previously won world titles without suffering serious injury is proof there is a God.  I have observed people who do not credit God with existence often lash out at God in seasons of pain, frustration and disappointment rather than praising Him when all is well. The view shared by Rapinoe is one familiar to atheists, skeptics and even professing Christians:  that God's existence is primarily for our benefit, to please us.  Like a divine Santa Claus that rewards good little boys and girls or a genie we pray to for health, wealth and prosperity, God (...