Tag: Deuteronomy
The reality of God was never something I’ve really questioned. Sure, I’ve doubted the nature of God, the person of God, and my relationship to this God. In the end, the deciding question for me was whether this divine being would have any implications for my life. Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the…
Following a recent entry about being a loving husband, my trail of thoughts led me to the matter of fatherhood. In a similar train of thoughts, I’m challenged by the task, should God bless my wife and I with a child. The role of a father, esepcially in our society today, is an extremely important one. The role model of a male figure, not only in a young girl’s life, but particularly, in a young boy’s life is critical to their upbringing. I won’t begin to delve into the social conundrums that are connected, but there is more than enough…
Cover to Cover Reading: Deuteronomy 32:48-34:12 Focus: Deuteronomy 34:1-12 The Buddhist have Siddhārtha Gautama (that is, Buddha), the Muslim have Muhammad, the Christians have Jesus and the Jews have Moses. If you say anything against Buddha, Buddhist think you’ll just be reincarnated a bug; if you say anything bad about Muhammed, Muslims will have your head; if you say anything bad about Jesus, the Christians are too concerned about their own internal disputes that they won’t pay you much attention (I should know) and the Jews…may the wrath of the Lord God Almighty be upon your head should you say…
Cover to Cover Reading: Deuteronomy 30:1-32:47 Focus: Deuteronomy 30:11-20 The society we live in finds itself dissatisfied with rules, structures, and anything else really that limits their “freedom”. Human nature has never been satisfied with any of these settings and have always sought to break out from them so that they might break new ground and find a new experience of life which they could not have under the old, restricted “regime”. And yet, the cycle continues as these new experiences find themselves subjected to the need for order, structure and form…seriously, after millennia past we still haven’t learnt.
Cover to Cover Reading: Deuteronomy 28:1-29:29 Focus: Deuteronomy 28:1-6, 15-19 When it comes to the issue of reward and penalty in life, they are polar opposites. For a job well done, there is one reward, for a job not done well, the penalty is often the opposite of the reward. For example, a child that cleans their room may be rewarded with extra helping of desserts at dinner. If the child does not clean their room, dessert is withheld altogether (and they still have to clean their room)! Employment is much the same, though the consequences are far worse.
