Tag: bible

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Sweet wisdom: biblical honey

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Arwin Neil Baichoo on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Proverbs 24.

My son, eat honey, for it is good,
    and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste (Proverbs 24:13)

All of a sudden, in the middle of Solomon’s wisdom couplets, I find instructions on what to eat.

Honey has many health benefits. Some quick research reveals that honey soothes coughs, strengthens the immune system, and is good for your heart. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It wards off bacteria and viruses. It’s a natural sweetener that is also good for your gut. In can relieve allergy symptoms, too. God created bees so we’d have honey.

Notable bible figures ate honey. Samson ate honey from a beehive he found in the carcass of a lion. Saul’s son Jonathan was able to fight valiantly after eating some honey. John the Baptist survived in the wilderness across the Jordan eating honey with locusts.

Old Testament law prohibited eating badgers, crabs, owls, lizards, and many other creatures. The list of things we should eat is small: honey, bread and wine at the Lord’s Supper, and that’s all that comes to mind. (Feel free to add to my list.) There is much God permits his people to eat, but few things he commands. I don’t know if this counts, but Paul tells Timothy to drink some wine to settle his stomach.

I put honey in my tea. I really like Honey Nut Cheerios. Honey buns are pretty good. I don’t know if they still make Honeycomb cereal, but that’s really good, even if it’s laden with added sugar. I put a little honey in a salmon teriyaki glaze. So honey-wise, I think I’m doing okay. Everything else? It’s a good thing there’s grace.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Finding Sweet Sleep: Biblical Wisdom from Proverbs 3

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Shane on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Proverbs 3.

There is no shortage of advice on how to get a good night’s sleep. No screens an hour before bedtime. No eating or drinking a couple hours before. No caffeine after lunch. An evening workout. A warm bath. A good book. A cool room. A comfortable bed, pillow, and sheets.

Benedryl, melatonin, Ambien, Sominex, warm milk, almonds, high-carb snack.

Those are just the ones I’ve recently heard. I’m sure there are many more.

I came across this one in the bible:

If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
    when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet (Proverbs 3:23)

Sounds good. What is the secret to that sweet sleep?

It starts a few verses earlier, in the encouragement to find wisdom and understanding.

Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
    and the one who gets understanding (Proverbs 3:13).

The writer isn’t talking about any wisdom and understanding, but that which comes from trusting God, leaning on God, fearing God, honoring God, and following his ways.

My son, do not lose sight of these—
    keep sound wisdom and discretion,
and they will be life for your soul
    and adornment for your neck (Proverbs 3:21,22).

Then you will walk on your way securely,
    and your foot will not stumble.
If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
    when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet (Proverbs 3:23,24).

A life rooted and built up in Christ, a faith firmly established in him, full of gratitude is safe and secure. You can rest easy and sleep well because you know he’s taking care of you.

I think it’s interesting that sleep has a spiritual as well as a physical dimension. It’s as much about resting your soul as it is getting rest for your body. In the bible, a soul thirsts, hungers, gets weary and needs rest.

How nice to know that God arranges for that. He’s faithful, powerful, wise, and understanding. His steadfast love endures forever. You don’t have to worry. You can rest easy.

And you can get some sweet, sweet sleep.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Night school

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Shane on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Psalm 16.

This is my favorite psalm, so I could write lots of devotions on this, but this time I’ll focus on the words, “In the night my heart instructs me” (Psalm 16:7).

I recently read this insight: “Our spiritual life doesn’t go on hold when we sleep.” That makes sense. We breathe and our hearts beat. We move around a lot when while we sleep. Mentally, our brains sort out all the information we’ve taken in, sometimes causing us to dream.

What about our spiritual lives?

Maybe you’ve had this experience. You went to bed with a lot on your mind. You may have tossed and turned with thoughts about what you had to deal with the next day. But in the morning, things didn’t seem so bad. Life seemed manageable. The new day was filled with new possibilities.

Here are some awesome lessons to learn here:

  • Fill you heart with solid truth. Make sure it is infused with God’s Word. If your heart is going to be your instructor, make sure it went to a good school. Before you close your eyes, read God’s promises.
  • Just go to sleep. I believe one of the most faithful things a believer can do is go to sleep at night, trust God to take care of everything, and look forward to a new day in the morning.
  • When you wake up, take inventory of how you feel. Does the day ahead feel overwhelming or manageable? I usually experience the latter. God has indeed been faithful!
  • Did you dream? Write it down! Immediately. If I don’t, I forget it. Will it mean something? Who knows?

God’s up all night taking care of things. I can rest securely in him.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Are you kidding me?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Jonathon Burton: https://www.pexels.com

A “through the bible” devotion from Psalm 2.

There is always a clash of kingdoms going on in the world.

  • Abram faces an alliance of kings in Genesis 14.
  • Saul faces off against David.
  • David fights off a lot of Philistines.
  • Israel finds itself at odds with Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, and Rome.

The psalmist wonders why the nations rage and the kings of the earth set themselves against the Lord. None of this concerns God in the least. It’s one of the few places in the bible when the Lord chuckles and reminds everyone, “I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill” (Psalm 2:6).

Jesus said that nations would rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. That’s just the way this world is. Always has been. always will be.

He’s not worried. All authority on heaven and on earth has been given to him (Matthew 28:19). The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of the Lord (Revelation 11:15). Nothing happens outside of his control or permission. Everything is in good hands – his hands.

So we shouldn’t be worried, either. “Blessed are all who take refuge in him” (2:12).

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

The right path

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Lili Popper on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Psalm 1. Yes, we made it to the middle of the bible, the psalms. Lots of good stuff to come.

The contrast in Psalm 1 is clear: the way of sinners and the way of the righteous. Which would you choose?

The psalmist describes the blessed as those who avoid “the counsel of the wicked,” “the way of sinners,” and “the seat of scoffers.” And yet, those are the very things we choose over and above “the law of the Lord.”

Let me explain. We take advice from anyone out there on social media. We go along with the crowd even if we’re not sure we should. We scoff, mock, and speak derisively about anyone at the drop of a hat.

Guess which way we too often choose?

I don’t think we even realize how often we head down “the way of the wicked” (Psalm 1:6). I don’t think we realize what path we’re on until we’re a few miles down the road. And then when things aren’t working out so well, we wonder what went wrong.

So I guess the question is, how do I stay on the right path?

It’s the word. Delighting in it. Meditating on it. Drenched in it. Smothered in it. Infused. Smothered. Surrounded.

As many productivity gurus will tell you, it’s not habits or discipline, but the systems we have in place. A regular rhythm of devotion, prayer, and worship steers us a different direction than the influences around us. The Old Testament is filled with those worship rhythms, festivals, and feasts, leading God’s people down the path of life.

What systems do you have in place? What systems keep you on the right path?

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

How demanding are you?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Neal Smith on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Job 31.

After an exasperating conversation, in person or on the phone, someone might demand, “I want to talk to your supervisor.” If you’re not getting an answer, or no one wants to resolve your problem, you start going up the chain of command. “Let me talk to your manager!”

Job goes right to the top:

Oh, that I had one to hear me!
    (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!)
    Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary! (Job 31:35)

Job wants an answer. After 29 chapters of verbal jousting between Job and his friends, trying to figure out why Job has experienced terrible suffering, it’t time to appeal to the highest authority.

It’s a prayer of faith. Job knows who he’s talking to. He calls God “the Almighty.” But he also refers to God as his adversary. In the last few weeks, it seems like God is against him for some reason. He’s still Job’s God, but Job has reached the end of his rope. He demands an answer.

Job is bold. What right do we have to demand an answer from God? None whatsoever. I’ve heard many insist, “When I get to heaven, I’m going to have a few questions for the Lord!” How do you feel when someone is demanding and insists on an answer? Does the Heavenly Father roll his eyes when his children won’t stop asking, “Why?”

When Jesus was here on earth, standing trial, his accusers from the priests to the governor demanded answers. “Are you the Christ?” “Are you the king of the Jews?” When Jesus answered, they put him to death. They got their answer, but they weren’t happy with it. Such demands reveal unbelief rather than trust.

When we get demanding, like Job, we are being the ones the prophets described. Since God has revealed so much about himself in the creation and through his Word, we’re blind and deaf to so many questions he’s already answered. When we get demanding, it probably means we already know the answer. We just don’t like it.

God hears your demands. He loves you anyway.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Who cares? God cares.

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Maria Cortes on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Job 9.

In response to Bildad’s remark that he should seek out God and plead for mercy, Job asks, “How can a man be in the right before God?” (Job 9:2)

That’s a good question. How does anyone get right with God? Here’s a better question: does anyone even care?

I don’t think most people care. It’s not on their radar. God takes a back seat to pursuing the right relationships, opportunities, experiences, and things in life. He’s a benign deity who’s not part of life’s equation. We assume he’ll understand that we’ve done our best when it’s time to check out of this life and move on to the next. If there is one.

You know who cares? God cares. He doesn’t wait for us to get right with him. He’d be waiting a long time. He comes to straighten things out with us. He comes to show us that we’re never off his radar. He comes to show us that he cares.

How can you let someone know that God cares? You have to care. You have to care about someone else. God works through people to reach people. Sometimes it’s a prophet. Sometimes it’s fishermen (disciples). Sometimes it’s you.

You don’t have to get right with God. He’s already shown that you’re alright with him. He demonstrates his love by giving up his son Jesus for you.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Why is this happening to me?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by John Fornander on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Job 4 and 5.

After seven days of silence, Job and his friends spend lots of chapters trying to figure out why his life is in shambles.

The first friend to weigh in is Eliphaz. He has a simple explanation:

Who, being innocent, has ever perished?
    Where were the upright ever destroyed?
As I have observed, those who plow evil
    and those who sow trouble reap it. (Job 4:7,8)

Eliphaz, like a lot of people, believes in some kind of spiritual karma. If bad things are happening, you must have done something to deserve it. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. He goes on to say,

Blessed is the one whom God corrects;
    so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. (5:17)

While there is a kernel of truth in his words, we know there’s a whole lot more going on. Job hasn’t done anything to deserve so much loss in his life. In fact, his suffering at the hands of Satan was because he was extraordinarily faithful. Remember God’s evaluation of Job? “He is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8).

So what’s going on when you want to scream, “Why is this happening to me?”

  • Sometimes you know why. You screwed up. Plain and simple. You opened your mouth (again). You smoked for years and years. You lied. You ate the whole box of donuts (again). You built your home in a flood area. You didn’t floss.
  • Sometimes someone else screwed up. They backed into your car but never left a note. They lied to you (again). They stole your identity. They spilled red wine on your light gray carpet. They didn’t tell you that house you bought was in a flood area.
  • Sometimes stuff happens. Volcanos erupt. Cold weather freezes pipes. Viruses spread. Cancer cells multiply. Pregnant mothers miscarry. Rivers overflow their banks and flood communities. Bugs eat your garden vegetables.
  • Sometimes God kicks you out of paradise. Sometimes he sends plagues. Sometimes God raises up foreign armies for invasion. Sometimes his own son is executed.

It’s a broken world filled with broken people, so broken bones, broken hearts, and broken promises shouldn’t surprise us. Even if we do everything right.

When it’s a really good day, why not ask the same question? Why not wonder, “Why this happening to me?” Or, “What did I do to deserve this?” It wasn’t because you were exceptionally good. It’s because God is. Every good and perfect gift comes from him.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

So do you trust, really trust, him?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Dane Deaner on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Job 1 and 2.

In the opening chapters of Job, we know what’s going on. Job doesn’t have a clue.

We know that God appreciates Job’s faithfulness. We know that Satan has asserted that Job is faithful only because his life is good. God allows Satan to take everything from Job: animals, children, and his health.

What is Job’s response to all this? “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). Job says to his wife, “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” (2:10). Job only sees the hand of God in everything he has experienced, both the good and the bad.

What do you think of that? What do you think of Job’s assessment of God? How do you feel about a God who takes life away. What do you do with a God from whom we experience bad things?

In the Old Testament, God floods the earth, wiping out all life that isn’t safely on board the ark.

God lets his people get hungry and thirsty in the wilderness. Why? To get their attention. So he can show them that he provides what they need.

When King David calls for an unnecessary census, the consequences from God are a plague that kills thousands of people.

In Revelation, disastrous things happen when the wrath of God is unleashed on an unbelieving world.

Many will ask, “Why does God allow bad things to happen?” What about asking, “Why does God cause bad things to happen?”

It’s not an easy question to answer. And I doubt I’ll be able to answer it very well here. But I’ll share what I’ve learned and how I’ve worked through this. I’ve got a logical brain, so this works for me.

God is good, all-powerful, loving, and sovereign. If he allows something to happen, even if we think it’s bad, it’s for a good reason or purpose. Nothing happens outside of his control or his knowledge. Nothing surprises him or catches him off-guard.

Think about it. In hindsight, you learned a lot from and even benefitted from experiences you thought were terrible in the moment. You’ll never figure it out in that moment. Only later will you understand.

God sees the much bigger picture. And he cares. He knows how much it hurts, how unfair it is, and what it’s like to weep. He’s been here. He’s done that. That’s what Jesus did.

The bottom line is, “Do you trust him?” You have faith, but do you trust him? Do you trust him to bring you through a flood, or fire, or “the valley of the shadow of death” to a new, different, and better place?

For the next 36 chapters, Job and his friends will try to figure all this out. In the end, there is no other path than trusting God.