Pyrokinetimania

Pyrokinetimania: the uncontrollable urge to start fires with one's mind.

Genesis 43- 44

These chapters of Genesis tell the story of Joseph testing his brothers in Egypt. I have to admit, I really don't get the"spiritual" point of this story. I can understand why Joseph might feel the desire to get back at his brothers after having been sold into slavery and imprisoned for 14 years, but that doesn't have much of a "feel-good" moral to it (unless the moral is 'don't sell your brother into slavery', admittedly a good one).

I do, however, admire Judah's response when he pleads to take Benjamen's place. He speaks of his father's love for Benjamen and of how much it would hurt his father were Benjamen not to return, especially in the light of Joseph's disappearance. Judah was the same one who tried to save Joseph in the first place, and I think his love for Joseph is reflected in this act as well. I also like the final verse of chapter 44, "For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father.” Judah is sincerely motivated by a desire to protect others from harm.

None of this, however, explains why Joseph felt the need to test his brothers. Maybe it's an admission that he's only human. That after being so wronged, he needed proof that his brothers did not still hate him. Perhaps, Judah's display of love for Benjamin (and Jospeh by extension) was something he really needed to see before he trust his brothers again. Perhaps the take-away is that even Joseph, one of the most upright people in the old-testament, was still only human.

Ezekiel 36

Verse that stood out to me:

22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. 23 And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. 24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.

I need to keep in mind that God doesn't help us we deserve it. He does it because he is God and for the glory of his name.

Ezekiel 24:15-18

The word of the Lord came to me: 16 “Son of man, behold, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you at a stroke; yet you shall not mourn or weep, nor shall your tears run down. 17 Sigh, but not aloud; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban, and put your shoes on your feet; do not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.” 18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died. And on the next morning I did as I was commanded.

All I have to say is "ouch". Christians are supposed to be willing to lay everything down for God, but sometimes I don't think we realize just what that means. If god told me he was going to take away someone close to me, I can't imagine that I'd be willing or even able to preach his word the next day. Especially if it meant I had to deny my own inner suffering. I can't imagine what Ezekiel was thinking, but what a powerful sign it would have been to those who saw him after this happened.

Romans

One of the bedrock verses of my faith has always been Romans 1:18-20:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

It seems like the more I learn about creation, the more in awe of God's creative ability I am. Everything from the billions of stars in the sky to the intricate machinery inside of every living cell is a miracle that borders on the unbelievable.

Acts 31

The end of Acts actually really confused me the first time I read it. I wanted to know what happened to Paul but ended up reading through the rest of the letters in the New Testament without finding out. The last verses of Acts are just:

30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense, [11] and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

I wonder why Luke (inspired by the Holy Spirit) chose to end Acts this way. Maybe he wanted to reflect on the importance of Paul's life, rather than the fact of his death. Probably it's how Paul wanted to be remembered, preaching the gospel right up until the end.

Isiah 59

A stark reminder in verses 1-2 of Isiah 59:

59:1 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;
2 but your iniquities have made a separation
between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden his face from you
so that he does not hear.

So often we blame God for our problems, but the fact is that God is never too powerless to be able to do something about it. When we find ourselves in troubling times, it's either because God is testing us and wants to lead us through it, or we have turned our backs on God. If we want to see God's power in our life, first we must make sure we are within his will for our lives.