David Was a Christian Hedonist

Today’s Bible reading* includes Psalm 63 which was written when David was in the desert of Judah. As he was in a dry and weary land, he was reminded of how he was more thirsty for God than for water. (Psalm 63:1) He realized that God satisfies more than the best of foods. (Psalm 63:5)…

Is the Bible for or Against Slavery?

Today’s Bible reading* includes a clear case for the Bible being against slavery. It has bothered me for a long time that the Bible accepts the reality of slavery in its historical context and doesn’t seem to condemn slavery or advocate for abolition. And then I read today’s readings. Deuteronomy 22:1-3 commands returning to a…

Abraham Offers His Only Son — His “Only” Son?

Abraham offers his only son in today’s Bible reading*. Yes, you read that correctly: “his only son”. But didn’t Abraham have a son by Sarah’s servant Hagar? Yes, he did. Ishmael was born fourteen years before Isaac. So why does Moses refer to Isaac as Abraham’s “only” son? Elsewhere we’re told that Isaac was Abraham’s…

Healing AND Curing

With today’s Bible reading, we conclude our reading through the book of Acts. The book ends rather abruptly, almost as if Chapter 29 has been lost. But of course, that didn’t happen. Some have suggested that Dr. Luke didn’t finish the book and that we are living today in Acts 29. One very important thing I…