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Posts Tagged ‘patience’

Psalm 9: The Book of God’s Wonders

Posted in Comparing Scripture, Thanksgiving, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 11, 2024| Leave a Comment »


Psalm 9: The Book of God’s Wonders

Monday, March 11, 2024psalms9_2-31

The MESSAGE version of this psalm speaks to us in our core. Anyone who has been wronged, anyone who has suffered injustice of any kind, anyone who looks for refuge in the storm of life will smile as they read these verses.

I’m thanking you, God, from a full heart, I’m writing the book on your wonders. I’m whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy; I’m singing your song, High God.

What are the miracles of our relationship with God will we want to enter into the Book of God’s Wonders?

The day my enemies turned tail and ran, they stumbled on you and fell on their faces. You throw dirty players out of the game, wipe their names right off the roster. Enemies disappear from the sidelines, their reputation trashed, their names erased from the halls of fame.

We look for the patience to allow God’s plan to blossom and flourish.

God holds the high center, God sees and sets the world’s mess right. God’s a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you’re never sorry you knocked.

We pray for the hope we will need to remember God’s promise of safety, and we pray for the courage to knock at heaven’s door as Jesus tells us we must.

Sing your songs to Zion-dwelling God, tell God’s stories to everyone you meet: How God tracks down killers yet keeps an eye on us, registers every whimper and moan.

We pray for the fortitude to weather the storm, knowing that although the horizon is dark, God navigates our lives.

psalm-9_18Be kind to me, God; I’ve been kicked around long enough. Once you’ve pulled me back from the gates of death, I’ll write the book on Hallelujahs; on the corner of Main and First I’ll hold a street meeting; I’ll be the song leader; we’ll fill the air with salvation songs.

We pray for the courage to thank God in public and to share the stories we list in the Book of God’s Wonders.

They’re trapped, those godless, in the very snares they set, their feet all tangled in the net they spread. They have no excuse; the way God works is well-known. The cunning machinery made by the wicked has maimed their own hands.

We remember to intercede for those who would harm us.

The wicked bought a one-way ticket to hell. No longer will the poor be nameless—no more humiliation for the humble.

We ask for mercy for our enemies, and the grace to step away from the temptation to seek revenge.

Up, God! Aren’t you fed up with their empty strutting? Expose these grand pretensions! Shake them up, God! Show them how silly they look.

We ask God to steer us clear of all pretension. We ask that Christ lead us in the ways of the just. And we ask that the Holy Spirit abide in us forever, as we proclaim the wonders God has wrought for us.

When we use the scripture link and the drop-down menus to compare other translations of this Psalm, we discover that we have a great deal to record in The Book of God’s Wonders, and to share with all the world. 

Images from: https://wallpaper4god.com/en/background_psalm-92-3-sing-praises/ and https://www.pinterest.com/pin/980377412622968942/

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Sirach 2:1-6: Serving the Lord

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , on March 5, 2024| Leave a Comment »


Sirach 2:1-6: Serving the Lord

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Tintoretto: Christ Washing the Disciples’ Feet

We are small children, eager to please our doting parent. We put our trust in the Lord and expect that our lives will run smoothly. Struggles will be brief and bearable, we say to ourselves. This is easy if I am in God’s corner and God is in mine.

Jesus ben Sirach has words for us: My child, if you are going to serve the Lord, be prepared for times when you will be put to the test.

We are ready, we tell ourselves. We are eager to follow.

Be sincere and determined.

We will persevere. We will remain faithful.

Keep calm when trouble comes.

We will live in hope, actively waiting for God’s promise.

Stay with the Lord; never abandon God, and you will be prosperous at the end of your days. 

We wonder if God really understands our circumstances.

Accept whatever happens to you. Even if you suffer humiliation, be patient.

We wonder if we will endure even with the assurance of God’s love.

Gold is tested by fire, and human character is tested in the furnace of humiliation.

We struggle to live meekly as Jesus lives. We yearn for the justice we know God wants. We live in the hope that the Spirit will not abandon or deceive us.

Trust the Lord, and God will help you. Walk straight in God’s ways, and put your hope in God.

We continue to live in The Way Christ shows us. In patience and humility, in fidelity and hope, persevering and waiting in love.

Image from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_Washing_the_Disciples%27_Feet_(Tintoretto)

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Romans 5:1-8: Develop Patience

Posted in Comparing Scripture, tagged , , , , , on December 8, 2023| Leave a Comment »


Romans 5:1-8: Develop Patience

Friday, December 8, 2023

Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. (NSRV)

Avoiding sorrow, we forfeit an opportunity to grow in God’s love.

Rejecting obstacles, we lose our intimacy with Christ.

Refusing to see that goodness overcomes harm, we reject the healing touch of the Spirit.

Surviving through faith, we receive hope.

Living in Christ, we experience peace and grace.

Handing ourselves over to God’s offer of love, we grow in endurance.

Resting in grief, we blossom in grace to develop patience that carries us home.

When we use the scripture link and the drop-down menus, we come to see that adversity trains us in the development of patience, a patience that will serve us in our journey home. 

Image from: https://www.ukim.org/media-centre/latest-news-&-updates/the-importance-of-patience-in-islam/

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2 Peter 1:5-8: Oblivion

Posted in Comparing Scripture, tagged , , , , on October 9, 2023| Leave a Comment »


2 Peter 1:5-8: Oblivion

Monday, October 9, 2023path-into-fog

The Apostle Peter gives us advice we will want to explore when the path we cautiously tread leads us into oblivion.

So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given . . . we need to hear these words when we struggle to get through difficult days and endless nights.

Complementing your basic faith with good character . . . We need these verses when we have tried every suggestion, followed every lead, responded to every piece of advice.

Peter gives us specifics we may be looking past, increasing the chances that we discover The Word obscured by our state of oblivion.

Spiritual understanding . . . when we cannot comprehend our lives or the world around us, we lean back on the broad shoulders of Christ.

Alert discipline . . . when we seem to give in to every lure the world throws at us, we rely on the vigilance of the Spirit.

Passionate patience . . . when we have run out of steam and exhaust our resources, we trust the heart of Jesus.

Reverent wonder . . . when we have forgotten that this world offers nothing that lasts, we turn to the One who creates us.

Warm friendliness . . . when the world feels like a cold and lonely place, we turn to our brother Jesus.

And generous love . . . when we are disappointed or betrayed by those closest to us, we call on the Holy Spirit.

Each dimension fitting into and developing the others . . . when we allow Christ to pull the flying pieces of our days and the darkness of our nights into place, the fog rises and our way is suddenly clear.

With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can’t see what’s right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books. (THE MESSAGE)

path-into-lightWhen the chaos of bad news bends us down, Christ offers a way to rise. When the rumble of doubt threatens our carefully constructed peace, the Spirit offers a consoling heart that heals. When the realities of the world begin to pull us into oblivion, our loving God shows us the wisdom of discipline, patience, wonder, friendliness and love. Our generous God shows us the path that leads from nothingness to all.

When we spend time with other translations of these verses, the fog of oblivion fades as the light of Christ lights our path. Or enter the words 2 Peter into the blog search bar and explore more wisdom passed on to us by Peter. 

Images from: https://www.pinterest.com/thurn59/eerie-paths-in-to-the-fog/ and https://www.pinterest.com/peachiestuff/follow-the-light/

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Ephesians 6:14-20: A Prayer for Spiritual Warfare

Posted in Comparing Scripture, Prayer, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 13, 2023| Leave a Comment »


Ephesians 6:14-20: A Prayer for Spiritual Warfare

Wednesday, September 13, 202332643-15133-armor-of-god.1200w.tn

Patience and perseverance. These are the qualities we know will open us to God’s nourishing goodness as we wade into daily spiritual warfare. Prayer and thanksgiving. These are the actions we need take as we look to Paul’s words in his letter to the Ephesians.

Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. (THE MESSAGE)

When we compare another version of these verses, we open ourselves to the strength that only God can provide.

So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist, with righteousness as your breastplate, and as your shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace. At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One. And accept salvation as a helmet, and the word of God as the sword which the Spirit gives you. Do all this in prayer, asking for God’s help. Pray on every occasion, as the Spirit leads. For this reason keep alert and never give up; pray always for all God’s people. And pray also for me, that God will give me a message when I am ready to speak, so that I may speak boldly and make known the gospel’s secret. For the sake of this gospel I am an ambassador, though now I am in prison. Pray that I may be bold in speaking about the gospel as I should. (THE GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION)

And so we pray.

When we meet circumstances that overwhelm us, we remember that our fidelity to The Word and our readiness to share God’s promise and hope are the strongest armor we might employ. Resilient God, lend us your strength.

When we stumble over obstacles that threaten our peace and security, we remember that our joy in The Word and our delight in Jesus’ story are the enduring armor we might put on. Confident God, lend us your hope.

When we falter with doubt and anxiety crushes us, we remember that our prayers always rise directly to you. Authentic God, lend us your love.

In Jesus’ name we wait patiently in you. In the Spirit’s power we persist always in you. In God’s name we give thanks always for you. Amen.

Image from: http://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/spiritual-warfare-lesson-1-understanding-the-battle-11554631.html

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Sirach 51: 13-30: Pursuit of Wisdom – Part III

Posted in Comparing Scripture, tagged , , , , , , on September 9, 2023| Leave a Comment »


Sirach 51: 13-30: Pursuit of Wisdom – Part III

Saturday, September 9, 2023path-of-wisdom

Come aside to me, you untutored,
    and take up lodging in the house of instruction;

How long will you deprive yourself of wisdom’s food,
    how long endure such bitter thirst?

We remember the verses from Proverbs 9: Wisdom has set up her house and prepared her banquet.

I open my mouth and speak of her:
    gain wisdom for yourselves at no cost.

Take her yoke upon your neck;
    that your mind may receive her teaching.

Wisdom has sent her handmaidens to invite all who long for her consolation. (Proverbs 9)

For she is close to those who seek her,
    and the one who is in earnest finds her.

See for yourselves! I have labored only a little,
    but have found much.

Acquire but a little instruction,
    and you will win silver and gold through her.

Wisdom asks that we abandon our foolishness; she invites us to choose her path. (Proverbs 9)

May your soul rejoice in God’s mercy;
    do not be ashamed to give him praise.
Work at your tasks in due season,
    and in his own time God will give you your reward.

Wisdom knows that patience and openness to God bring us insight, understanding, strength and peace. Let us be faithful to the gift of God’s wisdom. Let us share in the hope of God’s Wisdom. And let us rest in the love and joy of Wisdom’s care.

Tomorrow, a prayer for Lady Wisdom.

When we use the scripture link and drop-down menus to explore Proverbs 9, we hear Wisdom’s invitation to join her. For a reflection on Wisdom’s Path, click on the image above or visit: https://heartofashepherd.com/2014/12/01/proverbs-132-33-a-mans-destination-is-determined-by-the-path-he-chooses/ 

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Baruch 3 and 4: A Prayer for Mercy

Posted in Favorite, Prayer, Web site included, tagged , , , , on June 2, 2023| Leave a Comment »


Baruch 3 and 4: A Prayer for Mercy

Friday, June 2, 2023012015wisdom_tim

An Exhortation on the Law of Wisdom

Baruch, born into a noble family, served the prophet Jeremiah as disciple and secretary. Along with Lamentations, and Jeremiah’s prophecy which Baruch penned, we have a unique treasure. These three Books taken together remind us of our special nature as loved creations of God, they give us a foundation of wisdom that we might use to navigate our own sacred story, and they propel us into a future of hope and mercy. Links to notes below* fill in any gaps we may have with this long yet interesting tale, and today we look at it to reflect on what we have learned about ourselves, our traditions, and our shared sacred history.

Why do we lapse into behavior we have sworn to eliminate from our lives? Jeremiah, through Baruch, suggests that we lack wisdom. But where do we find it?

For Baruch and Jeremiah wisdom lies in the Mosaic Law. For us as people of the New Testament the old law has been superseded and fulfilled by the new law, Jesus. And the new law of the Gospels is about love in the form of service to God in advocacy for those on the margin.

In chapter 4 Baruch writes that the Jewish people have been sold to the Gentiles for their lapse, for turning away from Yahweh to the pagan gods. He continues in this chapter with a classic description of Wisdom: Patience and Hope for Deliverance. We gain wisdom, Baruch tells us, by patiently yet actively hoping, expecting the Holy One to appear. And the Living God does appear before us every day.

Today we pray. Merciful God, you give us so many opportunities to soften our hard hearts and turn them toward you. You constantly open little gates for us to enter your Way. You visit your wisdom and patience and peace and love and mercy upon us. Grant that we may see you, grant that we may hear you, grant that we may feel you in our lives. Bring us the healing which we so desire in order that we may truly serve you and find union with you. We ask this through Christ your son, in union with the Holy Spirit. Amen.

If there is no time to spend with these two chapters today, focus on 4:22-23: I have put my hope for your deliverance in the Eternal One, and joy has come to me from the Holy One because of the mercy that will swiftly reach you from your eternal Savior. With mourning and lament I sent you away, but God will give you back to me with gladness and joy forever.

*For notes on BARUCH, visit: http://www.usccb.org/bible/baruch/0

*For notes on LAMENTATIONS: http://www.usccb.org/bible/lamentations/0

*For JEREMIAH: http://www.usccb.org/bible/jeremiah/0

Adapted from a favorite written on May 25, 2007.

Image from: https://www.dreamstime.com/open-book-metal-vintage-key-open-book-metal-vintage-key-wooden-background-image112145728

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Acts 5:17-42: Obeying God

Posted in Comparing Scripture, Video Link, tagged , , , , , , , on April 20, 2023| Leave a Comment »


Acts 5:17-42: Obeying God

Thursday, April 20, 2023obeygodnotman

And the Apostles said in reply: We must obey God rather than men . . .

Do we see Jesus’ Apostles as only the twelve who followed him? Do we believe that Jesus’ followers were men alone? Can we stretch beyond any narrowness to believe that we number among Jesus’ Apostles today? Are we willing to stand during difficult times to say . . . we must obey God rather than men . . .?

When we read these verses in their varying translations, how do they speak to us of Jesus’ remarkable gift of resurrection? What do they reveal to us about God’s generous promises? And why do they call us – or perhaps not call us – to become one with the Spirit that wants to heal a troubled world? When we use the scripture link to explore this story of the Apostles who carry out miracles in Jesus’ name well after his death, we find new life and new energy to carry out the Gospel in all we say and do. When we allow God’s goodness to settle into our bones, we find new courage and new patience to smile in the face of adversity.

A video presentation of Acts 5:17-42 may be of interest. While we may not be in accord with all the speaker tells us, we are invited to reflect on this story of the importance of obeying God. Click on the image above or go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MiSr5yx9nA

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Acts 6 & 7: God’s Yardstick – Stephen

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , on January 30, 2023| Leave a Comment »


Acts 6 & 7: God’s Yardstick – Stephen

God’s Grace and Energy

Paolo Uccello: Stoning of St Stephen

Monday, January 30, 2023

We may or may not know the story of Stephen, the martyr stoned for acting with and speaking about the healing power of Christ. Once the full impact of this story settles on us, we might hope that the Spirit not inspire us. We might wish to shed the power of God’s wisdom rather than ask that it dwell within. It is likely that the trials are not as severe as Stephen’s; yet gossip in the home or workplace can break the spirit just as stones break bones. Severe illness, economic and natural disasters, slander, bullying and fear can bring an end to life. Stephen’s reaction to his enemies gives us a measuring stick for our own actions.

If we look only quickly at these chapters, we might at first believe that the lives of all true Christians must come to a frightening end. When we look more closely to find clues in the details, we uncover what it means to live a life brimming with God’s grace and energy. No matter our persecution, no matter the place or time of our trial, Stephen’s yardstick serves as a stark measure of God’s love in our lives.

6:7: The Word of God prospered. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased dramatically. Not least, a great many priests submitted themselves to the faith.

When we experience God’s presence, we can expect envy and anger from others. Like Stephen, we must persist in gentleness and honesty.

6:8: Stephen, brimming with God’s grace and energy, was doing wonderful things among the people, unmistakable signs that God was among them. 

When we witness God’s presence, we can expect dishonesty and deceit from others. Like Stephen, we must persist in courage and hope.

6:11: In secret [Stephen’s enemies] bribed men to lie [against him].

When we live in God’s presence, we can expect fear and anger from others. Like Stephen, we must persist in patience and love.

When we meet obstacles brought on by avarice, resentment and rage, we might consider the power we find in gentleness, honesty, patience, courage, hope and love. These traits will appear weak to the foolish, but in reality they are manifestations of God’s grace and energy, God’s enduring and healing love.

If we do not have time to spend with Chapters 6 and 7 of Acts, we might focus on Acts 6:8-10 and 7:54-59.

Tomorrow, the Gospel writers.

Image from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Paolo_Uccello_-_Stoning_of_St_Stephen_-_WGA23196.jpg

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