365 Reflections

Deuteronomy 2:5–7 (ESV)   Do not contend with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession. 6 You shall purchase food from them with money, that you may eat, and you shall also buy water from them with money, that you may drink. 7 For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows your going through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing.” ’ Deuteronomy 2 gives us more clarity on the Edom episode of Numbers 20. The Israelites must pass through the Edomite territory in order to come to their Promised Land. In Numbers 20 they are met with anger and force regardless of the delegation Moses sends for terms of peace as they pass through their land with no intent to seize it. Edom will not let the old grudge between the ancient brothers die and so Israel must walk aroun...

Genesis 2:4–9 (ESV) These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. 5 When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, 6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— 7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. 8 And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2:18 (ESV) Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man sho...

Mark 8:14–17 (ESV) Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? The funny thing about this passage is that it falls on the heals of Jesus feeding 5000 men with a few loaves of bread.  How could Jesus possibly be concerned that the disciples didn't bring bread?  He's trying to teach them about what's really important, and they are worrying about having enough to eat. What's really important is to watch out for those who want to look important but really don't care about people.  The Pharisees demand a sign just after Jesus fed the multitudes.  They aren't getting...

Another chapter, the same story. Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said,  "I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way."    And the disciples said to him, "Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?" Matthew 15:32-33 Literally one chapter later, Jesus is again moved with compassion for the crowds who follow him and are hungry. Yet again the disciples are oblivious to what Jesus is able to do for them and through them.  However, instead of focusing on their lack of resources, they are focused on the setting.  "Where can we get enough bread in a DESOLATE place?" Sometimes that's how we are. Focused on the setting of our lives.  The desolate places.  I've been there.  Desolate in relationships, desolate in feeling God's presence, desolate in financial situations ...