I recently and very accidentally discovered a way to read the Bible that is so powerful and so much fun.
I have been in a season of feeling called by God to seek out what He has next for me and our family, yet not receiving a great deal of clarity on what that is. And as I was reading in the Old Testament the other day, I happened to be reading the story of Abraham.
Genesis 12:1-4a says: The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed…
After a little more research, I realized that these promises didn’t come true until over 500 and 600 years later when Abraham wasn’t even alive!
And suddenly I was encouraged. I felt a sense of peace, knowing that God might not show me everything in front of me and that’s okay. He just asks that I take steps forward when He calls me to. Abraham didn’t see what God was going to do in his life and the life of his descendants, in fact he never saw it. But he was obedient and moved forward in faith when God called him to.
And that was exactly what I needed to hear.
After realizing this, I began thinking about all the incredible stories and people in the Bible. Granted they are powerful in any situation (you know, being the Word of God and all) but then I began thinking how I wonder if these accounts could offer even more insight, wisdom, power, truth, encouragement, and challenge when they are read by somebody going through a very similar situation.
I was in a season of sensing God to ask me to move forward by faith and not by sight, just like Abraham. And by reading his story, it spoke to me in a way that was so fresh and powerful, like God was speaking directly to me through Abraham.
So I started thinking about all the accounts in Scripture that could offer such power and hope when read by someone going through the same thing. The Bible is full of so much wisdom and sometimes the power of story is what speaks most powerfully. Just like Jesus telling parables, the way a story can speak to us can be more impactful than anything else, especially when the story is true!
So if you’re stuck on what to read in the Bible, try reading an account about someone in a similar season of life as you.
Uncertain future – Abraham
Pain – Job
In love – Song of Songs
Doubt – Psalm 77
Temped – Jesus in the desert
Passionate – Paul
And these are just a few examples. There are many, many more stories and people and moments that might be exactly where we find ourselves at a moment in time that God can use to speak directly to us.
There are so many great ways to experience God’s Word, this way just spoke to me in a moment that I needed it.
If it doesn’t work for you, I usually go with the flip-through-the-Bible-and-randomly-point-at-a-verse technique which is kinds of hit or miss (usually miss).
I was thinking about medicine the other day.
At the time, I had a cold and was consuming so much Advil Cold and Sinus, IBProfin, Nyquil, and a few other things I grabbed while walking through the medicine aisle at Target in a congested haze, I just started putting them in a bowl with milk in the morning. I’m calling it “Honey Nut Tripledose.”
But the truth about medicine is that it doesn’t really do anything. It doesn’t cure or change anything. All it does is cover up the symptoms.
I know there are some medicines (especially prescription ones) that do help cure things by adding or subtracting chemicals to the body, but the truth about medicines like Tylanol or DayQuil is that they’re simply designed to deal with the symptoms, not the virus.
They make a headache go away or unclog a nasal passage or settle an upset stomach, but the reality is that the source of what caused that is still in our body. The virus is still there, we just aren’t experiencing the effects of it.
Obviously, I’m not a doctor of medical expert, but the more I thought about the medicine I was taking, the more I realized that all I was doing was enabling myself to temporarily not feel bad.
And it was great! I loved being able to breath through my nose or swallow food without wincing or being able to look at mild lighting without my head pounding. But after 4-6 hours, I was right back where I started, needing to take a large pile of pills with my meal and then wait a while for them to kick in.
I heard a haunting song the other day that said:
Pick it up, pick it all up.
And start again.
You’ve got a second chance,
you could go home.
Escape it all.
It’s just irrelevant.
It’s just medicine.
You’ve got a warm heart,
you’ve got a beautiful brain.
But it’s disintegrating,
from all the medicine. – “Medicine” by Daughter
Sin can very easily become our medicine.
Alcohol, sex, drugs, gossip, porn, food, power, etc.
It can numb us, make us feel better, temporarily fix our problem, but the root is still there. Our symptoms are gone but the virus isn’t. We escape for a moment but the pain, fear, insecurity, stress, anger, etc. is still there. Waiting to hit us again once our ‘medicine’ wears off.
And unfortunately, too many times I’ve experienced an addiction to this medicine. Some kind of sin pattern that I return to again and again because it temporarily eases my discomfort.
And just like an addiction to medicine can wreak havoc on a person’s body and mind, an addiction to sin can wreak havoc on a person’s soul.
So instead of simply taking medicine, maybe we need to seek a cure. Or more accurately: The Curer.
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. – Peter
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” – Jesus
Going to the doctor takes a higher commitment (time, money, etc.), it might hurt a lot more, and we probably won’t get immediate results. But seeking to heal the root of our problem will benefit us significantly more in the long run than just taking more medicine.
So, if sin has become your medicine, seek the Lord for what the root of the issue is in order to heal that.
In the meantime, Advil Cold and Sinus works amazing for a cold.
Here it is again! Things from the Bible, as illustrated through 90’s songs (Alternative Rock edition):
“(Good Riddance) Time of Your Life” by Green Day – Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)
“Sabatoge” by the Beastie Boys – From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus. (Matthew 26:16)
“The World I Know” by Collective Soul – Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2)
“Basket Case” by Green Day – Has no one told you, my lord, about the time when Jezebel was trying to kill the Lord’s prophets? I hid 100 of them in two caves and supplied them with food and water. (1 Kings 18:13)
“Comedown” by Bush – When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 32:1) OR As he went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and hover at its entrance while the Lord spoke with Moses. (Exodus 33:9)
“Inside Out” by Eve 6 – Then the Lord said to him, “You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and wickedness! (Luke 11:39)
“Self Esteem” by The Offspring – Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. (Psalm 139:14)
“Zombie” by The Cranberries – Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!” (John 11:43-44)
“Tonight, Tonight” by Smashing Pumpkins – Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” (Matthew 26:34)
“Hey Man, Nice Shot” by Filter – As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground. (1 Samuel 17:48-49)
“Black Hole Sun” by Soundgarden – I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood. (Revelation 6:12)
“Everybody Hurts” by R.E.M – “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
“Hey Jealousy” by Gin Blossoms – A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones. (Proverbs 14:30)
“Alive” by Pearl Jam – “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (John 10:10)
“December” by Collective Soul – And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. (Luke 2:6-7)
“Run” by Collective Soul – Then the Lord gave special strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot all the way to the entrance of Jezreel. (1 Kings 18:46)
“Iris” by Goo Goo Dolls – After Jesus left the girl’s home, two blind men followed along behind him, shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” They went right into the house where he was staying, and Jesus asked them, “Do you believe I can make you see?” “Yes, Lord,” they told him, “we do.” Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.” 30 Then their eyes were opened, and they could see! Jesus sternly warned them, “Don’t tell anyone about this.” 31 But instead, they went out and spread his fame all over the region. (Matthew 9:27-31)
“Hand in My Pocket” by Alanis Morissette – Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out again, his hand was white as snow with a severe skin disease. “Now put your hand back into your cloak,” the Lord said. So Moses put his hand back in, and when he took it out again, it was as healthy as the rest of his body. (Exodus 4:6-7)
“Fake Plastic Trees” by Radiohead – But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” (Genesis 2:16-17)
“What’s My Age Again” by blink-182 – Methuselah lived 969 years, and then he died. (Genesis 5:27)
“Head Over Feet” by Alanis Morissette – You brought me up from the grave, O Lord. You kept me from falling into the pit of death. (Psalm 30:3)
“Intergalactic” by Beastie Boys – Then God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, days, and years. Let these lights in the sky shine down on the earth.” And that is what happened. God made two great lights—the larger one to govern the day, and the smaller one to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set these lights in the sky to light the earth, to govern the day and night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:14-18)
“First Date” by blink-182 – Kiss me and kiss me again, for your love is sweeter than wine. (Song of Solomon 1:2)
“Never There” by Cake – Has the Lord rejected me forever? Will he never again be kind to me? (Psalms 77:7)
“Sheep Go to Heaven” by Cake – All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. (Matthew 25:32-33)
“My Own Prison” by Creed – This letter is from Paul, a prisoner for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. I am writing to Philemon, our beloved co-worker… (Philemon 1:1)
“Stay Together for the Kids” by blink-182 – “For I hate divorce!” says the Lord, the God of Israel. “To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “So guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to your wife.” (Malachi 2:16)
“Father of Mine” by Everclear – At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. (Matthew 11:25) OR Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” (Matthew 26:42)
“I Will Buy You a New Life” by Everclear – So King Solomon became richer and wiser than any other king on earth. (1 Kings 10:23)
This post combines two of my greatest passions: The Bible and 90′s Music.
This will be interesting for anybody who:
- Was born between 1975 and 1990
- Loves 90’s music
- Is a pastor
- Reads stuff on internet blogs
- Teaches about the Bible
- Has exhausted every other option for an illustration
- Is Elliot Day
- Likes anything that you enjoy
- Is me
- All of the above
Here it is: Things from the Bible, as illustrated through 90’s songs (One-Hit-Wonders edition):
“Everything in its Right Place” by Radiohead – Shalom
May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace. (Numbers 6:26)
“Sex & Candy” by Marcy Playground – For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil. But in the end she is as bitter as poison, as dangerous as a double-edged sword. (Proverbs 5:3-4)
“Bittersweet Symphony” by The Verve – What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. (Isaiah 5:20)
“Unbelievable” by EMF – You used the lovely things I gave you to make shrines for idols, where you played the prostitute. Unbelievable! How could such a thing ever happen? (Ezekiel 16:16)
“What is Love” by Haddaway – Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
“You Get What You Give” by The New Radicals – Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. (Luke 6:38)
“One of Us” by Joan Osborne – ‘Nough said. Or: Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. (Hebrews 2:14-15)
“Closing Time” by Semisonic - He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people. (Revelation 22:20-21)
“Jump Around” by House of Pain – …you will jump up from your ambush and take possession of the town, for the Lord your God will give it to you. (Joshua 8:7) OR Frogs will jump on you, your people, and all your officials. (Exodus 8:4) Ishmael and his ten men suddenly jumped up, drew their swords, and killed Gedaliah, whom the king of Babylon had appointed governor. (Jeremiah 41:2) OR When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. (Luke 1:44) So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” And the man jumped up and went home! (Matthew 9:6-7)
“Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus – My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration! (Psalm 42:4)
“Whoomp There It Is” by Tag Team – God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. (Acts 2:32)
“Torn” by Natalie Imbruglia – Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. (Mark 10:21-22)
“Nothing Compares 2 U” by Sinead O’Connor – Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God. (John 6:67-69)
“Thong Song” by Sisqo – …probably not usable.
“Good” by Better Than Ezra – How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! (Psalm 116:5)
“The Way” by Fastball – Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
“Blue” by Eiffel 65 – There they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there seemed to be a surface of brilliant blue lapis lazuli, as clear as the sky itself. (Exodus 24:10)
“Sandstorm” by Darude – I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. (Genesis 22:17)
“She’s So High” by Tal Bachman – How beautiful you are, my darling, how beautiful! (Song of Solomon 1:15)
“My Own Worst Enemy” by Lit – I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. (Romans 7:15-20)
“Sunny Came Home” by Shawn Colvin – So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. (Luke 15:20)
“Macarena” by Los Del Mar – And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. (Acts 2:4)
“If You Could Only See” by Tonic – “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!” (Mark 10:51)
“I’ll Be There For You” by The Rembrandts – And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself. (1 Samuel 18:3)
“No Rain” by Blind Melon – At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. (2 Chronicles 7:13) OR A person who promises a gift but doesn’t give it is like clouds and wind that bring no rain. (Proverbs 25:14)
“Jump Jive An’ Wail” – The Brian Setzer Orchestra – And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. (2 Samuel 6:14)
“Breakfast At Tiffany’s” by Deep Blue Something – “Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. (John 21:12)
“I Love You Always Forever” by Donna Lewis – Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34) OR Your unfailing love will last forever. Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens. (Psalm 89:2)
“Kiss Me” by Six Pence None the Richer – Kiss me and kiss me again, for your love is sweeter than wine. (Song of Solomon 1:2)
I wonder what it’s like for God to watch us be in pain.
I remember hearing Donald Miller once talk about a very dark season in his life. He talked about sitting in a hotel lobby during this season and he said he remembered thinking that up until that point, he never really understood why anyone would want to commit suicide. And while he made it clear he did not want to kill himself, he said: “But in that moment, I got it.”
He didn’t have any desire to kill himself, but for the first time, he understood why somebody might want to.
I really love my daughter. She’s only 16 months old but she is such a delight and my heart experiences a level of love for her I never knew I was capable of. The draw I have to love her, encourage her, and protect her is overwhelming.
But sometimes, the intensity of my desire to protect her causes me to suddenly begin imagining outrageous situations of danger.
And I find this influencing my behavior.
When Eva begins to move towards the top of the stairs, I jump up out of my chair to ensure the baby gate is closed, despite vividly remembering shutting in 30 seconds before.
I get out of bed and walk through the house at 3am to make sure the doors I locked and double checked at 2am are still locked.
I back out of the driveway at a record breakingly slow speed while checking all 4 mirrors in my car 16 times a second.
I give Eva a bath while crouched on my toes like an athlete waiting to bolt in a sprint to catch her from going below the water’s surface if she slips.
I drop, throw, and step on five-hundred-dollar electronics the moment she starts crying from the other room or on the other side of the couch when I can’t see her.
I react and spill entire cups of water as I bolt to pick her up when she hits her head or pinches her finger.
All this because I have an extremely intense desire to protect her. And while bumping her head or slipping in the bath tub is intense enough, even worse are the mind games that begin to plague me.
My mind begins to spiral down an irrational path of absurd situations involving all the ways that Eva could potentially get hurt. I begin recalling news stories about freak accidents that resulted in young children and babies being hurt or killed. I start to imagine someone breaking into our house, or a wreckless driver smashing into our car, or Eva falling and landing in some funky way that does irreparable damage. And much worse.
My protective nature for Eva can often times turn into a very fearful, irrational, overprotective thing that then controls my thoughts and actions.
And in the midst of battling these thoughts, I remember thinking this thought: “I have never wanted to be an overprotective parent…but I get it now.”
For the first time, I had an understanding of why some parents end up totally overprotecting and sheltering their children. Why it’s so hard for some parents to let their kids out of their sight or home or emotional connection. The desire to protect someone you care so much about can lead to wanting to protect them in any and every way possible.
And for the first time in my life, it all made sense to me.
And yet I don’t want to be like this with Eva! I want her to make her own journey, to explore, adventure, discover, make mistakes, try new things, gain confidence, grow her independence, become her own person! I love watching her do that! And I can’t wait to learn that balance of holding her hand when needed and letting her try it on her own when needed.
But at the same time, there might be times when she will need to get hurt.
I don’t mean I want her to get hurt but the reality is, sometimes her getting hurt might be the best, or dare I say only way for her to learn/grow/live/become who God has made her to be
She might get her heart broken.
She might make the wrong choice.
She might touch the stove.
She might come home crying.
She might be betrayed.
She might fail.
She might fall.
And it will kill me. I will rush to her side and hold her and dry her tears and speak encouraging things to her. Every time.
But the reality is that she will get hurt.
And while that will be difficult for me to watch, I also know that it is a good thing.
As C.S. Lewis once said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, and screams to us in our pain.”
Because as imperfect as a father I am and will be, God is not. He is a perfect Father. And He, again and again, allows His children to be hurt. Not because He wants it to happen necessarily, not because He likes it, not because He can’t stop it, but I think it’s because He knows it is serving a higher purpose.
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. – Romans 5:3-4
Our sufferings produce hope. My hurt produces hope. Eva’s pain will produce hope.
God knows this, and as illogical as it might seem, I know it too.
When I pray for Eva every night as I hold her tightly to my chest and her eye lids get heavy, I don’t ever pray that she won’t get hurt. Because I know that won’t happen. And also because I want her to become who God made her to be, which probably means she’ll get hurt.
So instead, I pray that God would be with her and that she would know Him and love Him.
Then I lay her down in her crib and walk downstairs.
Most of the time I don’t want to let her go, but as I’ve heard from many parents before, the process of raising a child is caring for them when they’re totally dependent…and then learning to let go of them.
And if it’s as difficult for me as I anticipate, I know it’s gotta be that much more difficult for God.
But I also know this: whenever we are hurt or in pain, God is right there. Not to take our pain away, but to be with us while we go through it. Jesus never said life would be easy or painless, He just promised that He would never leave us alone.
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