Above image: Amos the Prophet, 8th century B. C. (woodcut by Gustave Dore, 1832-1883) *********************** Amos was a farmer, called on by God to be a preacher to Israel, during the time of King Jeroboam. This was a very good time for Israel in many ways. The economy was good, the military was strong, […]
1139) This Too Shall Pass (a) Read More »
(…continued) In John 6:5 the situation is not as desperate. The people are hungry, but they are not in the desert. They could walk back to their homes for dinner. But here too, a miracle is provided, and 5,000 people are fed with five small barley loaves and two fish. However, Jesus was
1116) Bread From Heaven (b) Read More »
I can recall only once that I have been without food. Like everyone else I have fasted in preparation for tests at the doctor. I have been ill and have not felt much like eating for a day or two. And I have cut back on food when I would have liked to
1115) Bread From Heaven (a) Read More »
Above: King David Playing the Harp, 1611, Gerrit van Honthorst —————— David was Israel’s greatest king. The nation reached the heights of its power under David’s son Solomon. But Solomon also sowed the seeds of the nation’s destruction, and within a generation after Solomon died it had been divided and devastated by civil
1091) David (part one of two) Read More »
(…continued) It would have been easy, of course, for God to explain this all to Job, but God chooses not to do that– not for Job, and not for us, either. There is nothing in the Bible to suggest that God is always making such deals with Satan and that is what leads
1016) The Test (3/3) Read More »
Above: Job Rebuked by His Friends, watercolor by William Blake (1757-1827) (…continued) Job, however, has a very different view of the situation. While agreeing that it is indeed God’s business to punish evil and reward goodness, Job is quite convinced that God is making a big mistake in his case. Job certainly admits to not
1015) The Test (2/3) Read More »
Above painting: Job, 1880, by Leon Bonnat (1833-1922) Job was a good man, and as the story told in the Old Testament book of Job begins, it would seem that his goodness was well rewarded. He was not only a good man, but he was a wealthy man; ‘the greatest man in the
1014) The Test (1/3) Read More »
Author unknown The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farmhouse had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric drill quit, and now his ancient pickup truck refused to start. While I drove him home,
1002) The Trouble Tree Read More »
By Lutheran pastor David G. Johnson, The Road Once Traveled, 1991, pages 6-8 My father, the Rev. Clarence Johnson, served Oldham Lutheran Church for 13 years, and so came to know the people in his congregation well, including Roy Hemmel, fortunately. Roy was a member of dad’s church and farmed a few miles
PSALM 121:1 — I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. 3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The
915) I’ll Get By With a Little Help From My Friends? Read More »
