Of Belayers and Cams

Psalm 94:18 “When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,” your love, O Lord, supported me” (NIV). Observation: This Psalm embodies a plea from Israel’s oppressed for deliverance and protection. There are taskmasters who take pleasure in wrongdoing; the appeal of the weak is...

Living Free

Numbers 35:25  “And the congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the blood avenger, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he fled; and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with holy...

His Deepest Longing

Exodus 17:2 “Moses replied, ‘Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?’”(NIV). Observation: The Hebrews had recently begun what would be a forty-year odyssey of desert wandering. Having satisfied their need for food, they then quarreled with...

Attentive to the Attendant

Esther 2:9, 12, 14 “Now the young lady pleased him and found favor with him. So he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and food, gave her seven choice maids from the king’s palace and transferred her and her maids to the best place in the harem. . . . Now when the...

The Wet Backside

Genesis 28:8-9 “Also Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac. So Esau went to Ishmael and took…the daughter of Ishmael…to be his wife in addition to the wives he had.” Observation: This odd passage about Esau is tucked into the midst of a...

Rumpled Faith

Genesis 18:14 “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Observation: Abraham was sitting in the door of his tent when three men appeared to him. Most agree that the three were the Lord Himself and two angels. Abraham begins by acting the good host, offering a meal while...