Each year, I listen to a daily audio Bible podcast—and complete the Bible in one year. This year marks my sixth year through the Bible.
Why don’t I stop?
Every year, I learn new aspects of the Bible because each year, I am in a different place in my life, and the Holy Spirit speaks to me where I am.
The Bible is always fresh! It is always alive!
It is the only book that has a Living Spirit within it.
Each year, when I get to Judges in the Old Testament, I say, “Oh boy!” because I know what is ahead.
Passover begins this evening.
It is one of the most significant Jewish Holidays, commemorating when the angels of God “passed over” the Hebrews as the firstborn children and animals of the Egyptians were killed—all because Pharoah would not set the Hebrews free as God commanded.
With this final plague on Egypt, Pharoah agreed to free the Hebrews so they might begin their journey to the promised land.
God instructed the Jews to commemorate the first Passover, when they had marked their houses with blood, alerting the angels to “pass over” their homes.
Christians draw parallels in their faith,
This week, I was listening to a minister on the radio who noted that in the days after His resurrection, Jesus did not appear to Pilate to tell him that he had been wrong in ordering His crucifixion.
Jesus did not appear to the Jewish leaders and chastise them for not believing and demanding His death.
He did not appear to the Roman soldiers who nailed Him on the cross.
Why?
Today, I was drinking in the beautiful hymns of Psalm Sunday. They are majestic, powerful, and inspirational!
Among my very favorites is All Glory, Laud and Honor. When I close my eyes and listen to the lyrics, I can feel all the emotions I imagine those present at Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. The hope. The joy. The expectation.
As Christians, we carry the hope, joy, and expectation at our Lord’s second coming. Feel this excitement. Play this song and sing along. It is a wonderful way to enter into the spirit of Holy Week.
What are some of your favorite Holy Week Hymns/ song?
I was browsing through some of the Christian blogs I enjoy reading, when I came across the latest blog on Dashhouse.org, entitled, “The Psalm 1 Life.”
So, immediately, I turned to Psalm 1 to refresh myself on what it said. Here is Psalm 1 from the ESV:
My husband and I have an ongoing debate.
He firmly believes that a church without an organ—preferably a pipe organ—is like a Broadway show without the music. He feels something is missing. And, the drums and guitars don’t make up for this loss. In fact, in his eyes, they only point out what is missing.
While I don’t share his need for a pipe organ, I do believe that there are hymns that all Christians should know. It is part of our heritage. It is a uniting force.
One of the most amazing parts of the Easter story, for me, is the fact that at any point on the road to the cross, Jesus could have said “no”. Just one word, and the pain, abuse, shame, and death would not have occurred. But, he did not stop the ending from happening. He surrendered His will to the Father.
Lent is one of my favorite seasons of the church.
It is the quiet season, the reflective season. Lent parallels the time of year perfectly in this hemisphere, where, in many places, nature is dormant and all life is driven inward.
Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and lasts for 40-days. It is marked by reflection, fasting, repentance. It concludes in the celebration of the most holy day, Easter.
The forty days of Lent are meant to remind us of the number of days Christ…
