Comments on August 31st One Year Bible Readings TypePad 2010-08-30T03:43:28Z One Year Bible,2003: Ramona commented on 'August 31st One Year Bible Readings',2003:6a00d8341c5ebf53ef0133f36e9c98970b 2010-08-31T05:02:05Z 2010-08-31T05:02:05Z Ramona Job 37-39:30 I love the 7th verse (38) in the King James or Amplified Bible, “Gird up your loins now... <p></p> <p>Job 37-39:30</p> <p>I love the 7th verse (38) in the King James or Amplified Bible, “Gird up your loins now like a man; I will demand of you, and you answer Me” (AMP). God is serious and he means business. It’s like God is saying to Job, straighten up and fly right, take responsibility for yourself and stop gripping and complaining. The created can’t tell the Creator anything, especially since the Creator didn’t put “anything” on Job, though he allowed it.</p> <p>When God first comes in to speak to Job He does not address anything Job’s friends have said nor does He address Elihu. This speaks personally to me letting me know that my primary concern is to answer God not man. Men can hold me accountable for what I believe, say and do, but whom I will really answer to is God.</p> <p>God’s address to Job also shows that each and every created thing has a purpose and is uniquely designed to carry out that purpose despite our not having an understanding what it’s purpose is. Our lack of understanding does not void its purpose. If I fail to discover my purpose or reject that purpose that doesn’t change God’s purpose for me. I can use a screwdriver to drive in nails by banging the nail with the screwdriver. The nail my go in eventually, but that does not negate the usefulness of the tools ability to turn screws if I fail to use it properly.</p> <p>Charles Dickens’s tale of the “Prince and the Pauper,” shows a great example of the Pauper using the Seal of England outside of its purpose, a tool to crack nuts. Its’ improper use did not negate the power of the Seal.<br /> II Corinthians 4:13-5:10<br /> This passage is one of my very favorites. When I first came across this passage I realized that who I am was more then my body, my flesh. Who I was as a person was who I was in spirit. I am a sprit, I have a soul and I live in a body.</p> <p>1 For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down--when we die and leave these bodies--we will have a home in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long for the day when we will put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 3 For we will not be spirits without bodies, but we will put on new heavenly bodies.</p> <p>The power of this verse hit me by happenstance. Someone I really liked at work had died and I was asked if I would read a scripture at his memorial service. I didn’t know what to read and suddenly this passage fell open. Now I do not subscribe to the I-have-a-problem-open-the-bible-and-whatever-page-it-falls-open-to-that’s-the-answear society, but these verses spoke to me mightily. I wanted to be able to speak something, read something that would leave people with hope, and I found it.</p> <p>Psalm 44:9-26<br /> I repeat from yesterday, this Psalm is an encapsulation of Job’s lament.</p> <p>23 Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep?<br /> Get up! Do not reject us forever.</p> <p>24 Why do you look the other way?<br /> Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression?</p> <p>25 We collapse in the dust,<br /> lying face down in the dirt.</p> <p>26 Rise up! Come and help us!<br /> Save us because of your unfailing love.</p> <p>Proverbs 22:13</p> <p>Mike I feel you in your comments about this particular verse. Reading this verse this morning while on the train going to work I jotted down this little note:</p> <p>Is this speaking about a something other than true fear? Or is fear somehow rooted in laziness. In the Parable of the Talents, the man who buried his talent said he was afraid, the Master said he was lazy, as well as wicked. (Matthew 25:24-26)</p> <p>The writer of the Book of First John states, There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.<br /> (1 John 4:18 KJV). So what is fear and what is its relationship to laziness? Is there really a relationship between fear and laziness, or are we calling laziness fear to make it more palatable? Hmm, a quandary.</p> <p>Grace and peace,<br /> Ramona<br /> </p>