My thoughts (Christen Peters):

I have to admit, I tend to not like ambiguous images of God. I want something that at least touches some point of reference in my world. I like God as a parent or a mother hen. I like the warm fuzzy I get from those images. I can even like rocks and fortresses and shields. After all, they are all protective images. I never got that feeling from the pillar of cloud/pillar of fire image of God. Here’s God traipsing these poor people around the wilderness for forty years. I’m not good with directions, but I’m thinking maybe forty years is a little extreme even for me.

But wait. Is it possible that there was more purpose to this walkabout than just getting out of Egypt?

The shortest distance between any two points is a straight line. The straight line in this case, though, would have been a death sentence to the Israelites. The straight line would have left no way of stopping the pursuit of the Egyptians and would have led the Israelites directly into Philistine territory. This ragtag bunch of former slaves was in no condition to fight a war with any army — much less the Philistines. God’s meandering path protectively keeps them from being pressed into a war they couldn’t possibly win.

There’s more to this, though, than just physical protection. It is during this time that the Israelites are tested and taught. They rebel, and are humbled. Through it all, God is there. God is always made manifest to them — a cloud of protection during the day, and a fire to light their way through the darkness of night.

Many times in my own life, I have cursed the broken road that I seemed to be following. I’m seeing it a little differently today. God truly has been with me the whole time, guiding the direction I must follow. I can’t claim that I’ve ever seen a pillar of light (department store grand openings aside). I can, though, look at my life and see God’s daily touch leading me from wars I’m not ready to fight, allowing me to be tempered by the fires of my own stoking, and providing me with protective, parental love at its absolute best.

Question for the day: Is my broken road just aimless wandering, or can I see God’s guidance and protection?

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to start, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

My thoughts on this passage (Tyler Connoley):

It’s hard for us to grasp what it meant for the biblical authors to talk about God as our King. Today, movie stars are faux royalty, and authentic royals try to gain credibility as movie stars. The President must contend with congressional oversight, and the Prime Minister rules at the whim of the voters. But it wasn’t so in biblical times.

The kings of the ancient near-east were more like what we now call dictators. Some of them, like Solomon, were benevolent. However, those, like Ahab, who were evil still had complete control. They could truthfully say, “The buck stops here.”

Think about the way Kim Jong Il rules North Korea. Nothing happens without his approval, and the entire society is set up to worship him. In such a situation, it would be easy to assume there was no one more powerful than this god-king. But the biblical authors tell us God is the King of kings. Beyond the dictators of this world, there is a Benevolent Dictator who laughs at the things they conspire to do.

For the subjects of a biblical king, particularly an evil ruler, this was a great message of hope: However powerful this dictator may seem, God is more powerful and will one day depose him. And the same is true of anyone who seems to have control over our lives — be it a king, a president, a boss, or a parent.

But what about those inanimate dictators that control us? Sometimes we find ourselves ruled not by people but by addictions or unhealthy thought patterns. In those situations, we can still turn to our Benevolent Dictator, and ask God to take full control. This is the experience of those in recovery. Once they acknowledge the dictatorial nature of their addiction and allow God to be Dictator instead, they find their addictions diminish in power and are eventually deposed.

Thought for the day: Who or what is dictating your decisions? Whatever your answer, God in heaven laughs at the impotence of this world’s dictators. Ask God for help.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to begin, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

My thoughts (Tammy Mills):

Our image of God has power in our lives.

How we see God impacts how we live and how we grow in relation to God.

Growing up, I imaged God as a big Bully. From what I heard and saw I pictured God as an old man just waiting for me to mess up so “He” could “get” me — punish me, smack me back in line.

As I grew up I intellectually began to acknowledge that God wasn’t a bully. I was even able to stand up and preach about a loving and forgiving God, but internally, my image of God as “Bully” was still there and still had a huge impact on how I grew my soul. Who wants to grow closer to a bully?!

I could tell others about God’s grace and love, but those were just words — in my heart I carried around my image of “Bully God”. It’s an image I really should have outgrown, but it continued to remain a powerful influence in my life, way too long, into adulthood!

The reading from Isaiah is a real reminder to me that there are many images of God. The first image of God you see is a powerful ruler. The second image you see is of God as a gentle shepherd. Today, I am going to try to picture God as both and remind my spirit that God is like both of these — and like so many other images we see in scripture.

Thought for the day: What are your childhood images of God? Are you still carrying them around? Are they helping you, or hurting you spiritually?

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to start, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

Today’s scripture: Psalm 7:7-11 (NRSV) (The Message)

As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me in this passage? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.

My thoughts on this passage (Jeff Miner):

Today’s scripture invites us to picture a vast group of people assembling, as God sits down on a high throne to judge. Many of us find this image of God — God as judge — unnerving. We know the evil we’ve done, and would rather not think about our moment of reckoning.

When I was a kid, one evening after dark our family decided to visit our neighbors, the Turners. They were elderly and delighted in my two sisters and me. So when Mom and Dad announced we were going to the Turners for a visit, we could hardly wait! As we left the front door of our house, Mel and I began to run ahead, with our little sister struggling to keep up. Mom called out, “Wait for Laurie!” But we just couldn’t stand to wait for her.

We ran ahead anyway. Through the darkness, Laurie tried to keep up. As she approached the Turner’s front porch, her little legs were going so fast, she tripped, and hit her forehead right on the corner of their concrete porch. She screamed bloody murder. Mel and I stood there in dread, knowing that once Laurie was taken care of, we would face our moment of judgment. We felt so ashamed.

Yet in retrospect, I can see how important moments like that were to my growth and development. In the indignation of my parents, I saw how deeply they cared about the values of love and sacrifice. And in that fiery moment of judgment, a little bit more of the selfish part of me burned away, making room for more love to grow. Because of those moments of judgment, I became a better person. And through it all, Mom and Dad still loved me — beyond words. They just wanted me to become better, and to stop hurting others.

So it is with God, our Judge. Notice verse 11. My translation (NRSV) says, “God is a righteous judge. . . who has indignation every day.” If God looked down at what is happening in Darfur and was not indignant, what would that say about God? If God looked down at me hurting my sister because of my selfishness, but God didn’t feel deeply upset, what would that say about how much God did or didn’t love my sister and me? A God who loves much is, necessarily, a God who feels indignation.

But God’s indignation is purposeful. The purpose is described in verse 9, “Let the evil of the wicked come to an end.” God’s purpose for judging me is to help me move beyond evil and become a better person.

I like the way Brian McLaren envisions God’s judgment in his book, The Story We Find Ourselves In. There, he tells of a new Christian who is sick and near death; she’s beginning to contemplate what it will be like to be in God’s presence. A friend of hers says that part of the wonder of being in God’s presence is that we will be judged. She is startled. Who looks forward to being judged? This is her friends reply:

This is the journey we’re on. It is a journey of judgment. We are in the process of being refined, so we can grow and develop.

Thought for the day: Close your eyes and imagine yourself standing before God’s great throne. In that Awesome Presence, acknowledge some great shame from your past. As you re-live the pain of that memory, picture that deed and all its shame being burned up in God’s holy presence, so that you are now free of it forever. And now, where that shame once took root in your soul, there is room for goodness to grow. Thank God, for judgment!

Today, let’s join together in prayer for: Jennifer Barnes mother, who has had a stroke. Doctors don’t yet know if she will recover. Also remember Jennifer’s partner, Andrea Platt, and her father and siblings. Jennifer is a member of Jesus MCC and is vice moderator of our Board of Directors.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. Use the item above as a starting point, or consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

Today’s scripture: Psalm 23 (NKJV) (New Life Version)

As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me in this passage? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.

My thoughts on this passage (Kay Olry):

I don’t remember the first time I heard the 23rd Psalm, but I know it’s been one of my very favorite scriptures for a long time. I’m a product of Catholic grade schools, and if I had to guess, it was probably assigned as a memorization exercise at a young age. I do remember that it was always associated with death and funerals in my earlier years. Even now, I most often hear it at funerals.

There is something so comforting about hearing these words spoken. In a world gone wild, with skyscrapers, space stations, and mass communication where we’re connected everywhere and all the time, the thought of a Shepherd, green pastures, peace, and still waters is a welcome respite in the busyness of our lives.

Most of us have never met a shepherd. It’s a life and an existence that doesn’t exist much today. The scriptures have over a hundred references to shepherds, and Christ is described as the Good Shepherd. The ancient world would have immediately understood this image; King David, who wrote the Psalm, was “the Shepherd King”, because that was where he began. In his adulthood he was called to shepherd Israel, and to take care of God’s people.

Jesus told the parable of the Shepherd who, upon realizing that one sheep out of the hundred in his flock was missing, leaves the ninety-nine in order to find and rescue the one. I was that lost sheep. We all have been, at one time or another, and God pursues us — each of us individually — each one of us important to our Creator, who restores our soul, tells us to fear no evil, and comforts us. Our Shepherd feeds us, protects us, and shelters us from those who would do us harm. God is truly our Good Shepherd.

Thought for the day: How do you let God comfort and care for you?

Today, let’s join together in prayer for: The students who will be graduating from Discipleship 102 in the next couple of weeks. May God guide them as they begin (or continue) to use their spiritual gifts.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. Use the item above as a starting point, or consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

Today’s scripture: I Kings 19 (KJV) (NLT)

As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me in this passage? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.

My thoughts (David Squire):

Listen to the pathos in Elijah’s voice. He’s dead tired, and thinks he’s defeated. He’s been following God for so long, but it looks like he’s made no progress. The heathen rage, and are now bent on taking his life.

Ever felt like this? Ever tried, sincerely tried, to do what was right — to make a relationship work or to serve God the best you knew how, but it just utterly fell to pieces?

I think that’s where Elijah was. And when he most needed it, along comes a cool breeze that whispers Elijah’s name.

I wasn’t taught to think of God in this way. King, Creator, Lawgiver, Lord, even Rock are familiar to me. But God as a gentle wind? God who whispers to me? These are some advanced concepts I’ll need to ponder.

But think of the intimacy of God-who-whispers:

Secrets are whispered — important things, meant for your ears only.

Words of understanding are like gentle, cool breezes. “If you need to talk, I’m here.” or “We can work this out.” or “I understand.”

Our deepest emotions are whispered. Imagine God as your protector, gently, closely, whispering, “I love you.”

Do you long to hear any of those things from God? Then put away the worry, the fear and running. Quiet yourself — and just listen for a whisper.

Thought for the day: God, I want to hear You whisper to me.

Today, let’s join together in prayer for: The music ministry at Jesus MCC — including the choirs, accompanist Jason Saylor, and Minister of Worship Julie Benson.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. Use the item above as a starting point, or consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.