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Three key events in today’s reading, but Nabal and Abigail is definitiely my favorite.

Today I see a different side of David.

A few reflections on each of the Psalms.   Since we are reading chronologically these Psalms mostly likely were penned by David while he was on the run from Saul.  

Sometimes when I read I try to summarize the one key thought that is being represented by the text.   It isn’t always possible to do, based on the size of the passage, etc.   Today, here’s what I would say the key thought is…

The innocent are betrayed and pursued by the very person who is supposed to be trustworthy and honorable.   What happens to a nation when the leaders become so corrupt that they plot to kill the innocent?

Why does the David and Goliath account have it’s own special blog entry?    Inquiring minds want to know…

I don’t blame you for being horrified at the thought of killing women, children, babies and animals.   But even more unthinkable that that, is what Saul did next.

Have you ever known someone who seemed to sabotage their own success?  Saul was a capable king, but he had a blind spot…or a weakness.   How much different would the story be if he could have addressed that?

We have touched on the period of the Judges, and we move into the time of the Kings.   Brace yourself.  There are few moments to be proud of.

Samuel, Israel’s last Judge.  This account is both humorous and sad at the same time.   And don’t forget frustrating….how can we be so dense?

We begin 1 Samuel, but we are still in the time of the Judges.   Eli was a judge in Israel, and a priest at the temple, and Samuel is next in line to become a judge.

As Naomi left Moab she told her daughters in law “God has raised His fist against me” and I’m sure it felt like that, but it wasn’t the whole story.   Have you ever felt like God had “raised his fist” against you?   If so,  read on…

Shortly after my wife and I were married, she decided that I wasn’t what she expected, and called her dad.   That’s where my story diverges from this one…

Once again I have learned something new.   I thought that the conquest of Canaan was over by the period of the Judges.   I was wrong.   Write that down somewhere….

Samson had a riddle for his groomsmen, and I have one for you.  Okay, it’s more of a question…

A couple of these Judges barely get a mention, even though they ruled for 8-10 years.  About the only thing we know of them is that they liked to have children.    Maybe that’s all they were good at.

When we talk about Gideon we think of his victory in battle, but much like Generals of today they have a political life after the battle.   Judge for yourself what sort of peacetime leader Gideon was.

I won’t be posting any more devotional reflections.   I have decided to stop reading the Bible.

What!?  My jaw just hit the ground.  I have to confess, I did not know that.

Sometimes stories are often told in layers, jumping forward and backward, and keeping three or four story lines going at once.   This is one of those times.

The end of an era is both sad and exciting.  It’s sad when beloved leaders pass away, and it’s exciting to think of what fresh new things could happen with new leaders.   Which one do you think Israel feels at this point?

Not all the parcels of land were equal in size or importance.   Dan received a great lot…smallish but it had ocean frontage…why did they leave it?

I’m sure with a little digging we could find something beneath the surface, but there is one thing laying right on top that catches my eye.

Okay, let’s be honest.  Very few people run down to the Courthouse and spend their time reading deed descriptions…so this might be a little dry.  But if all Scripture is “God breathed and useful…” then there must be something here to learn, right?

What to say about these passages?  Incredible, amazing, unbelievable, frightening.  This is “I can’t look away” reading.

Tucked away within the main story line are a few details that may interest you.

If you’ve been reading along with me, then you will begin to notice how much easier the reading will become.   That’s because we are into a story.

Moses sings!  When God wanted the people to remember something, He made it into a song.  And,  Ho Ho!!  I just learned something new!

Talk about a cliff hanger!  Moses receives a song from the Lord, but we don’t hear what it is until tomorrow.   If there was ever a day to read ahead….

There are 14 verses that describe the blessings that God is going to pour out on the people if they obey.  14 verses of extravagant blessing.  Take a guess at how many verses describe the punishments for disobedience…

Some of these guidelines seem arcane, but let’s see if a pattern appears when we summarize them.  What’s the bigger picture?

To be honest, I wasn’t sure as I was reading this what I would blog about.    There are some obscure things that I could poke fun at, or some serious things that could be addressed.   I decided against both.