Blogging is turning out to be quite a challenge for me, especially since my schedule has been a little upside down with the New Year's holiday. (I actually look forward to things being back to normal again soon!)
There are many things I personally am hoping to get out reading the Bible in a year. Personal discipline has never been one of my strengths. So this is an excellent test for me. I also anticipate that making the time for blogging and the extra thinking it requires will be an ongoing challenge for me. But I've always enjoyed challenges! I don't know how many people will read this, but blogging is good accountability for me, which is especially important for those of us with no self-discipline! And I think I'm learning more about the Scripture passages we're reading because I actually have to process and reflect on what I'm reading. It's better for me than just reading the passages straight through. I hope you are learning as much as I am!
Now, let's get down to business. . .
Here's yesterday's question and answer:
Saturday, Jan. 3 After the animals were in the ark, how many days did they have to wait for rain?
Genesis 7:10 10 And after the seven days the floodwaters came on the earth.
And today's question:
Sunday, Jan. 4 To what does Psalm 1 compare to a tree planted by streams of water?
And today's reflection:
Dig Down Deep
Psalm 1:3 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.
The "Year of the Bible" (YOTB) logo we are using is a tree and this is one of the passages that inspired that idea. You have seen the big poster we made and the commitment card you signed and left at the church was a leaf. Our sermon tomorrow is all about trees and the role they play in the Bible. Trees will keep popping up as the year goes on--keep your eyes open!
This psalm exemplifies exactly what I hope is accomplished with this YOTB. I hope that all who participate become like a tree whose roots grow down deep into the Word of God. I hope that all who participate find themselves planted next to the living water, always close to the Source. I hope that all who participate bear good fruit in season because by our fruits we will be known. I hope that all who participate find themselves anchored in Christ so that when the storms come, we have something, or rather Someone, to hang on to. I hope that we all grow a little closer to God and to each other as we travel on this journey together. May you dig down deeper into God's Word this day and the other 361 in 2009!
I hope, if you are able, to see you in this morning! Come and celebrate our kickoff Sunday together!
Allison
Showing posts with label Kickoff Sunday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kickoff Sunday. Show all posts
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Saturday, January 3, 2009
This is the day that the Lord has made!
Here we are on day #3!
A good day to do some catching up or a good day to jump on into the Year of the Bible adventure. Either way, I'm glad you're here!
Did the Magi follow the same road home? (Matt 2)Why or why not?
Matthew 2:1-3 1 Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
Matthew 2:12 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Matthew 2:16 16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
And today's question:
Saturday, Jan. 3
After the animals were in the ark, how many days did they have to wait for rain? (Genesis 7)
And today's reflection:
Matthew 3:17 17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
The Sweetest Words
There's a terrible TV commercial that I feel like I've seen a million times. It's a little amplifier that looks like a bluetooth that you put in your ear. It shows people who are hard of hearing using it to listen to TV in bed without waking a spouse, listen to the preacher in church, and to eavesdrop on conversations from across the room. Strikingly, in the commercial, EVERY conversation someone overhears is a compliment. Not usually the kind of thing one hears while eavesdropping! Eavesdropping usually leads to hearing some not so flattering stuff about yourself or a friend.
While this commercial is terribly unrealistic (and just plain painful to watch!), it does illustrate the wonderful surprise of hearing people say something nice about you. Everybody loves a compliment, right? Some people like compliments so much that they constantly give them to themselves! That's called bragging.
But in our Scripture reading from Matthew 3, we read the words that must have been music to Jesus' ears. "This my Son, whom I love; with him I am well-pleased." In just these few words, God marks and claims Jesus. He identifies Jesus as belonging to him. He declares that with Jesus he is well pleased. That is what baptism is all about in the Presbyterian Church. At a baptism, we enter into a covenant with God. There are responsibilities and commitments that we make as part of OUR commitment to God. Participating in the "Year of the Bible" is one way to live out the vows made at baptism. And as we begin our "Year of the Bible" adventure together, what better way to start than to renew our baptisms during worship on Sunday's Year of the Bible kickoff? I hope you are able to join us at 11:00a on Sunday, Jan. 4!
Allison
A good day to do some catching up or a good day to jump on into the Year of the Bible adventure. Either way, I'm glad you're here!
The answer to yesterday's question:
Friday, Jan. 2Did the Magi follow the same road home? (Matt 2)Why or why not?
Matthew 2:1-3 1 Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
Matthew 2:12 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Matthew 2:16 16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
And today's question:
Saturday, Jan. 3
After the animals were in the ark, how many days did they have to wait for rain? (Genesis 7)
And today's reflection:
Matthew 3:17 17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
The Sweetest Words
There's a terrible TV commercial that I feel like I've seen a million times. It's a little amplifier that looks like a bluetooth that you put in your ear. It shows people who are hard of hearing using it to listen to TV in bed without waking a spouse, listen to the preacher in church, and to eavesdrop on conversations from across the room. Strikingly, in the commercial, EVERY conversation someone overhears is a compliment. Not usually the kind of thing one hears while eavesdropping! Eavesdropping usually leads to hearing some not so flattering stuff about yourself or a friend.
While this commercial is terribly unrealistic (and just plain painful to watch!), it does illustrate the wonderful surprise of hearing people say something nice about you. Everybody loves a compliment, right? Some people like compliments so much that they constantly give them to themselves! That's called bragging.
But in our Scripture reading from Matthew 3, we read the words that must have been music to Jesus' ears. "This my Son, whom I love; with him I am well-pleased." In just these few words, God marks and claims Jesus. He identifies Jesus as belonging to him. He declares that with Jesus he is well pleased. That is what baptism is all about in the Presbyterian Church. At a baptism, we enter into a covenant with God. There are responsibilities and commitments that we make as part of OUR commitment to God. Participating in the "Year of the Bible" is one way to live out the vows made at baptism. And as we begin our "Year of the Bible" adventure together, what better way to start than to renew our baptisms during worship on Sunday's Year of the Bible kickoff? I hope you are able to join us at 11:00a on Sunday, Jan. 4!
Allison
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