Each year, I listen to a daily audio Bible podcast—and complete the Bible in one year. This year marks my sixth year through the Bible.
Why don’t I stop?
Every year, I learn new aspects of the Bible because each year, I am in a different place in my life, and the Holy Spirit speaks to me where I am.
The Bible is always fresh! It is always alive!
It is the only book that has a Living Spirit within it.
Each year, when I get to Judges in the Old Testament, I say, “Oh boy!” because I know what is ahead.
Passover begins this evening.
It is one of the most significant Jewish Holidays, commemorating when the angels of God “passed over” the Hebrews as the firstborn children and animals of the Egyptians were killed—all because Pharoah would not set the Hebrews free as God commanded.
With this final plague on Egypt, Pharoah agreed to free the Hebrews so they might begin their journey to the promised land.
God instructed the Jews to commemorate the first Passover, when they had marked their houses with blood, alerting the angels to “pass over” their homes.
Christians draw parallels in their faith,
This week, I was listening to a minister on the radio who noted that in the days after His resurrection, Jesus did not appear to Pilate to tell him that he had been wrong in ordering His crucifixion.
Jesus did not appear to the Jewish leaders and chastise them for not believing and demanding His death.
He did not appear to the Roman soldiers who nailed Him on the cross.
Why?
Today, I was drinking in the beautiful hymns of Psalm Sunday. They are majestic, powerful, and inspirational!
Among my very favorites is All Glory, Laud and Honor. When I close my eyes and listen to the lyrics, I can feel all the emotions I imagine those present at Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. The hope. The joy. The expectation.
As Christians, we carry the hope, joy, and expectation at our Lord’s second coming. Feel this excitement. Play this song and sing along. It is a wonderful way to enter into the spirit of Holy Week.
What are some of your favorite Holy Week Hymns/ song?
Generally, when we are facing a new year, many of us set goals, listing out all we hope to accomplish in the year to come. But, surveys tell us that only between 8% and 9% of Americans realize the goals they set for the new year.
Why such a low rate of achievement?
Marcel Schwantes, in an article in Inc. magazine, details what the eight percent who successfully achieve their goals do on a regular basis that the other ninety-two percent don’t consistently do.
According to Schwantes, those who succeed:
I often wonder if the celebration of Christmas has become so massive because of the need those of us who live in the northern hemisphere have for light and hope during this dark and cold time of year. As days grow short—as we see the early days of a long winter that stretches before us—what better time for a celebration of joy?
The pandemic has certainly revealed idols for many of us. It also has revealed those things that are important and how perhaps we have not put enough focus on them—our faith, our relationship with God, community, family, friends.
This advent season, I plan to reflect on this. What idols are in my life? What stands between me and my relationship with God? What has prevented me from being a good neighbor? What has prevented me from being fully present in all of my relationships? What has stopped me from being the hands and feet of God? What has tarnished my reflection of Him?
