Return to Me

Today: Malachi 1-4

One year ago, I started this Bible reading blog to grow in my relationship with God, to be more disciplined in my commitment to know Him better. I wanted to challenge myself and really commit to "putting God first" before my pursuits of some other major life goals and desires. I haven't been disappointed.

As I read today's passage, I reflected on the journey of this past year. I can't say that it's been all sunshine and roses. In fact, it's been pretty rocky in a few areas. But one thing that's remained constant? God's overwhelming presence--and His love for me.

This excerpt stood out to me today (even though it was written to the people of Israel many years before I even took my first breath):

God said, "I love you."

You replied, "Really? How have you loved us?"

"Look at history"
(this is God's answer).

Love this reminder! It is always good to remember just how much God has been at work in my life--in good times and in bad. He has a history of loving me and helping me. Always.

In another part of today's passage, God addresses His people--who are (again!) disobeying Him. Check it out:

"I am God—yes, I Am.

I haven't changed.

And because I haven't changed,

you, the descendants of Jacob, haven't been destroyed.

You have a long history of ignoring my commands.

You haven't done a thing I've told you.

Return to me so I can return to you,"

says God-of-the-Angel-Armies.

There is something pretty amazing about a God whose love and faithfulness is constant and unchanging. If I've learned anything over the past year, it's this: God keeps His promises--He is always there. Sometimes, we just need to return to Him, accept the love He offers and commit to living according to His purpose. When we return to God, He returns to us so much more--love we don't deserve and life more abundant than we can even imagine. On to the next adventure...

Is anything too much?

Today: Zechariah 8-14

Lately when I've asked people how they're doing (particularly while at work), one common answer I've heard is: "Overwhelmed."

In the current economy, unemployed people who are overwhelmed at the prospects of job hunting. Parents re overwhelmed with toddlers throwing random tantrums, teens testing their boundaries and new high school grads needing help with their college tuition bills. And workers are overwhelmed by "doing more with less"--the mantra of companies low on resources in need of growth. It all sounds like too much!

In today's passage, God's people were overwhelmed. They were living in captivity, but working to return home to rebuild God's Temple and their city--talk about a major project! I love what God said to them here:

"Do the problems of returning and rebuilding
by just a few survivors
seem too much?
But is anything too much for me?
Not if I have my say."

It's reassuring to know that God is never overwhelmed--and He's on my side. I have faced days that are too much for me...and chances are, I'll probably face more. In the moments when I feel overwhelmed, I know it's time to trust God. He is always strong. And instead of being overwhelmed, He overcomes--and helps me to overcome life's obstacles, too.

Tomorrow: Malachi

Religion or relationship?

Today: Zechariah 1-7

Religion is sometimes a controversial topic. One definition?

A collection of practices, based on beliefs and teachings that are highly valued or sacred;
Any practice that someone or some group is seriously devoted to;
Any ongoing practice one engages in, in order to shape their character or improve traits of
their personality...

In this definition, religion is something you practice--it's something you do. This is how many people all over the world define it: they see religion as traditions and rituals they complete.

In today's passage, God's people asked Him about one of their religious practices--routine fasting. Check out God's response:

"When you held days of fasting every fifth and seventh month
all these seventy years,
were you doing it for me?
And when you held feasts, was that for me?
Hardly.
You're interested in religion,

I'm interested in people.

"There's nothing new to say on the subject...
God-of-the-Angel-Armies said then and says now:
"'Treat one another justly.
Love your neighbors.
Be compassionate with each other.
Don't take advantage of widows, orphans, visitors, and the poor.
Don't plot and scheme against one another—that's evil.'

God's response is interesting because it's actually about practices, too--but it's MORE about hearts, motivations and of course, people. Religion is about things you do, but a real relationship with God is about loving Him, loving people and living with a transformed heart, mind and spirit.

Tomorrow: Zechariah 8-14

Look at your life

Today: Haggai

Yesterday I was in close proximity to one of the most tragic events ever. I wasn't sure I should write about it, but I think it's too important NOT to write about.

In the middle of the morning, I noticed colleagues gathering around the windows of our office building. They described seeing a dead body on the street, surrounded by a pool of blood. A man's dead body was in front of a nearby parking garage.

Was he hit by a car?

No cars were nearby.

Was it a hit and run accident?

No.

We quickly learned that this man's death was not caused by either one of these tragedies. Apparently, the man jumped from a high level of the parking garage--on purpose.

I am not an expert. I don't know what it feels like to be in such a place of hopelessness. Personally, I couldn't even look out the windows. I did not want mental pictures of this tragedy imprinted on my mind.

I don't know anything about the deceased man, but as the scene unfolded and I watched the reactions of others, I couldn't help but wonder: What separates us from suicide?

That may sound like a strange question, but I think most people, at some point or another, feel that their lives are futile. They feel sad or stuck in a rut or lonely--but they don't jump. Why?

Today's passage shed some interesting light on this topic. Take a look at God's Word to His people here:

"Take a good, hard look at your life.
Think it over.
You have spent a lot of money,
but you haven't much to show for it.
You keep filling your plates,
but you never get filled up.
You keep drinking and drinking and drinking,
but you're always thirsty.
You put on layer after layer of clothes,
but you can't get warm.
And the people who work for you, what are they getting out of it?
Not much— a leaky, rusted-out bucket, that's what.

That's why God-of-the-Angel-Armies said:

"Take a good, hard look at your life.
Think it over."

Then God said: "Here's what I want you to do:
Climb into the hills and cut some timber.
Bring it down and rebuild the Temple.
Do it just for me.
Honor me.
You've had great ambitions for yourselves,
but nothing has come of it...

The beginning of this excerpt points to the emptiness of lives without a sense of purpose, love or honor for God. It's about people whose lives are focused on themselves, stuff and temporary highs.

The ambitions that seem so great are actually empty--but when we honor God, our lives are enriched.

It's interesting that in this passage, God talks to His people about how He wants to be honored: by giving to His House.

He doesn't just say to the people, "Love me. Pray. Sing me some songs." (Though in other Scriptures, it's clear God does want our love and worship). Here, He asks His people to give of their wealth to rebuild His House. God knows that our money represents our time and talent--and that we spend money on what we value. Part of God's righteous anger was because His House was in ruins while the peoples' homes were overflowing with riches--it just wasn't right to Him.

God doesn't want us to live empty lives--He doesn't want anyone to live without hope because He IS hope! God created us to live abundant adventures. However, this kind of living happens when we stop living solely for ourselves, when we honor Him first, give and hope for a greater purpose.

Tomorrow: Zechariah 1-7

Soul empty

Today: Habakkuk-Zephaniah

"You know we should probably stop for gas..." my Mom said as she glanced at a gas tank on "E."

"Don't worry--I could get us to Seattle and back on this," Dad replied jokingly...about a zillion times throughout my childhood.

Thankfully, I don't even remember running out of gas in my parents' car. I don't even know why Dad was comfortable driving on empty (at least for a little while). My parents could always afford gas. Maybe it was just easier than taking time to fill up? Or maybe it was the thrill of living on the edge? I don't know.

My Dad's gas tank may have been sooo empty, but have you ever met someone who seemed soul empty?

Today's passage described such a person:

Look at that man,

bloated by self-importance—

full of himself

but soul-empty.

But the person in right standing before God

through loyal and steady believing

is fully alive, really alive.

What a contrast!

When we think we're the most important, we're empty. When we trust in God (instead of just trusting in ourselves or things), we're really alive.

It's important to note that people who are self-important may not be the people you and I would consider arrogant, stuck up or pompous. In this context, the verse is talking about people who are self-centered and selfish--characteristics that aren't always easy to spot because often, they are tied to motives.

Being totally self-reliant or self-important may sound good, but they lead to the soul emptiness that is truly sad, isolating and destructive.

It's better to be soul filled, leaning on God's strength, provision and leadership for your life.

Tomorrow: Haggai

Patient power

Today: Nahum


If you had all the power in the world, what would you do?


I would hope that I would think of some amazingly awesome things like curing cancer, healing all kinds of addiction, ending poverty and...the beauty pageant answer...bringing "world peace."


But my hunch is that I would also exude my new found power to take out my frustration on those people who embody some of my personal pet peeves or actual hatred. For example, I might instantly take away drivers' licenses from people who don't know how to merge on the freeway. I might instantly send people who confuse "your" and "you're" back to the first grade. And I would banish child molesters to Antarctica without food or water.

It is probably a good thing for everyone--especially bad drivers, poor spellers and child molesters--that I am not all-powerful (or working in law enforcement or education).

Thank God He's the one in control of this universe. I really like what this excerpt said about His character:

God is serious business.

He won't be trifled with.

He avenges his foes.

He stands up against his enemies, fierce and raging.

But God doesn't lose his temper.

He's powerful, but it's a patient power.

God doesn't give up on bad drivers. And as hard as it is for me to understand, He doesn't totally abandon child molesters. God is patient and forgiving. He gives us the power to choose repentance, but He is also just: we face consequences for our actions. The consequences may happen here on Earth or in Heaven, but eventually, we'll be accountable for our actions. God's patient power is part of His perfection.

Tomorrow: Habakkuk-Zephaniah

What God thinks, does, makes and wants

Today: Micah

Today's chapters followed a similar pattern: God talked to (and through) a prophet about His disappointment in His people. He prophesied hard times ahead as consequence for their disobedience. However, as I read Micah today, I saw God's hand at work through the ups and downs of Israel. Through everything (and even through these short chapters), the love of God and the hope He has for His people was crystal clear.

Let's review this segment where Micah talks about ungodly people's views of God's work with His people:

These blasphemers have no idea

what God is thinking and doing in this.

They don't know that this is the making of God's people,

that they are wheat being threshed, gold being refined.

On your feet, Daughter of Zion!

Be threshed of chaff,

be refined of dross.

I'm remaking you into a people invincible...

I love the hope in these sentences: While God's people are facing consequences for their disobedience, God is shaping them into something stronger. He used hard times in their history to build them up. When that kind of God-shaped transformation happens, most of us don't see it because it looks like a mess--it looks like a bunch of problems and challenges and disasters. But those things can refine us--as long as God's in it and we don't allow problems, challenges, and disasters to define and destroy us.

I also liked this excerpt about God's clear direction for His people. Just before these verses, the prophet describes God's relationship with Israel through history--how He led them out of slavery and blessed them with good leaders, like Moses, who led them to the Promised Land. Take a look:

But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do,

what God is looking for in men and women.

It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,

be compassionate and loyal in your love,

And don't take yourself too seriously—

take God seriously.

Isn't that good?

Often we fail because we try to do things our way, instead of God's way. We think we're strong and independent. We think we know the answers. We think we don't need Him--we think wrong.

God thinks beyond what we're able to comprehend. God does the unexpected. God makes miracles--transforming lives and situations that seem lost and hopeless.

Perhaps the most shocking idea in the Bible? God wants us.

God wants us to choose Him, love Him, trust Him and live the lives He's dreamed for us long before we were ever born.

Tomorrow: Nahum