MarillaAnne Blog Entry

A Thursday Thirteen and Sleeping with Bread Meme Mush-up
02/24/07

I didn't get to do a Sleeping with Bread post last Monday and I'm running late to stay within the Thursday 13 window. So, what with creative desperation being the mother of mush-up's, here we go.

Thirteen Observations from Attempting to Read the Bible in 90 Days.

Blessings

1) Ruth's devotion to her mother-in-law -- moreover the kind of lady Naomi had to be in order for both of her daughter-in-law's to resist leaving her -- but Ruth was the more determined of the two.

But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." (Ruth 1:16)

2) Boaz's care for Ruth. People tend to read the book of Ruth and only see Ruth's devotion to Naomi. But I'm telling you ... The next time you read Ruth notice that that Boaz was one gentleman who knew how to make a lady feel cared for and protected. Many first dates don't go as well as their first meeting. I do not think the idea suddenly leapt into his heart to marry Ruth because she came to him and presented the idea. Nope his actions the very next morning indicate to me that he had been pondering his options.

3) Hannah's prayer for a child. She did not say "O Lord, I'm wonderful with so much to give to a child. Please let me create a child in my own image to play with and shape and enjoy." Instead she simply proclaimed her misery, asked for a blessing, and promised the Lord what was already His -- since the first son was to be consecrated to God. (Exodus 13:2). Hanna did go much further, though, by sending Samuel to live and work with the priest Eli.

"O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head."

Before Hanna went to pray though there was a shift in her actions. Hannah redirected her emotional energy. She stopped pouring it out before her rival and instead poured it out before God.

4)Extra blessings for Hanna. Have you ever noticed ... have you ever asked for the opportunity to be blessed in such a way as to be able to make a sacrifice -- for God &/or another person? Isn't it amazing what happens when we get that blessing and we get to make that sacrifice? Well, yeah, it feels great to get to help someone ... but ... do you notice that God seems to enjoy throwing in some extra blessings on a pretty regular basis?

Samuel was ministering before the LORD -- a boy wearing a linen ephod. Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, "May the LORD give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the LORD." Then they would go home. And the LORD was gracious to Hannah; she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD. (I Samuel 2:18-21)

5) Samuel learning to listen to God and proof that parents (and others raising children) do not have to be perfect all of the time ... IF they can teach their children to listen when God speaks. ((I Samuel 3:9)

6) David's declaration to Goliath. There are times ya gotta know when to show up for the fight ... and you need to know when it's not really going to be your victory.

"You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, ... for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands." ((I Samuel 17:45-47)

7) David's diligent seeking of God's will. Over and over David consulted with God about whether or not to go into battle.

8) An unexpected Psalm in the midst of Samuel. 2 Samuel 22 (I thought they were only in Psalms)

9) The fact that even though Moses and David messed it up big time, their sins do not keep them from the presence of God ... as soon as they repent, God continues to show up in their lives ... carrying them through the consequences of their sins ... and ... then welcomes them into eternity and posterity with blessings. I'll have to share more of this with you later.

Disconcerting

10) That even though Samuel had been serving with Eli, Eli hadn't taught Samuel about listening for God.

Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD : The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. (I Samuel 3:7)

How can this be? How could Samuel serve through all the rituals and not know? And, yet, how many of us do the same thing?

11) Even though Samuel watched Eli lose blessings and gain curses because of his son's behavior, Samuel's sons behaved in the same way -- to the point that the people even sited their dishonest ways as a reason for a king.

It surprises me but this sort of failure with the kids seems to be the norm rather than the exception. Very disconcerting.

12) It seems David eventually stopped consulting God about every battle. I wasn't paying strict attention to this when I read it through ... but ... it seems that David handed the warring over to Joab ... along with some dirty work 2 Samuel 11. I don't remember exactly how the story ends ... I just finished the psalm in 2 Samuel 22 ... but I suspect betrayal lurking in the heart of Joab -- if not of David, himself, then some sort of trouble with Solomon. We will see.

13) Letting things stand as a mystery ... like ... why did the men marry so many wives (what were they thinking!?) ... and why did Samuel say "God doesn't change his mind" when He did in fact change His mind several times regarding, oh, say, starting the whole project over with just Moses. And all this constant warring -- at annihilation level. This list doesn't even begin to touch the mystery list ... most especially the list of items under the heading of "people, teachers, preachers say ... but the Bible says ..."

But I can't handle the geography being a mystery. I've got to locate some maps that have these old places labeled!

The Sleeping with Bread meme is propagated by Mary of Life, the Universe and Everything. It gives us a chance to pause and consider God's blessings and a chance to evaluate what is giving us pause or grief.

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Comment

(4)

Last comment made by Mary-LUE ~ 02/26/07

Sleeping with Bread

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Comments

Review Blog Post

Christine 02/24/07

I love your mush-up this week. I have been contemplating doing a Sleeping with Bread entry - and I love doing Thursday Thirteen - and I do think both of these do go together. The Ruth, Naomi, Boaz story is one of my favourite one in the bible. I truly enjoy reading your posts. Thank you.

PS - I'm all about books this week on my TT post.

~ Hi Christine. I'm glad you enjoyed reading!

I think I prefer to do Sleeping with Bread by itself because I felt kind of overwhelmed by this. It made for a long post that's for sure.

I've also really come to appreciate taking the time to examine both what is good and difficult in my life. It's been deepening my appreciation and my awareness. It's helped me to make decisions about continuing the Read the Bible in 90 days challenge and how I will continue. ... So, I'm really looking forward to applying it to other areas and projects in my life. (Thanks to Mary!)

Besides I had to give up sharing 13 photos or 13 of my favorite things on the web ... so I will be doing them separately in the future! ;~)

I look forward to reading your post. ~pam

Chickadee 02/25/07

#4 got me thinking. Have I willingly made a sacrifice for someone else, or asked God to help me make a sacrifice on behalf of someone else? Right off the top of my head I cannot think of an example. Would I be able to make a sacrifice for someone else? I don't know...I hope so. :)

Thanks for visiting!

~ Goodness Girl!! Anyone who can Survive Eagle Days most certainly knows how to make sacrifices for others!
hugs!
~pam

Kathy 02/26/07

Thanks for stopping by to visit my blog. I really like your TT. I do know how the story ends (David & others). My husband is a pastor and one of his sermons is on the number of Psalms tied in with other Scripture. You'd probably like that message! There's a lot of them!

I also enjoy reading the Book of Ruth; it is a wonderful love story. And a great metaphor for our Kinsman Redeemer: Jesus Christ!

~ Hey Kathy, nice to see you here. Yes, the amount of scripture tied to the Psalms is actually quite amazing from all angles: the what had passed before David, what passed during David's time, what David prophesied for Israel, and what he prophesied for end times. I was just surprised to find a Psalm out running loose in another book of the Bible ... specifically 2 Samuel.

I've finished reading David and Solomon. I could remember their stories in general but I could not remember how Joab's story unraveled between the two. And, yep, I was right to suspect it ... he did make a power play ... but it didn't end well for him.

You're right about the metaphor between Boaz and Christ ... I haven't heard it talked about though in years and years ... well since I was under Dr. Criswell's teaching. I think you put a finger on one of the reasons it distresses me that Boaz's role is so minimized these days.

Anyway ... Loved your company, see you again soon. ~pam

Mary-LUE 02/26/07

Well, I finally made time to sit down and read this. Really, Pam, it was a great way to make up for lost time, combining TT and SWB. Your SWB post detailing your journey through the Bible have been most amazing. I don't know if I could distill all that reading down into manageable bits the way you do.

And I'm so happy that SWB is bringing something to your life. It has definitely been a blessing in mine.

~ Distilled? Really? I'm glad it feels that way to you. To me they always feel bulky and chunk like. Mostly, I just sit down and try to listen to what's still left in my heart after my memory has already let go of so much of it. Reading the Bible in large chunks has taught me to keep my eyes on the larger themes. It is a good exercise but after this I'm looking forward to a slower paced read through.

Thanks for creating Sleeping with Bread! ~pam