November 15

Ezekiel 31:1-32:32; Hebrews 12:14-29; Psalm 113:1-114:8; Proverbs 27:18-20

Several disparate portions of our reading today caught my eye, a little out of each section.  They don't really have a cohesive theme, so I'll just write four little mini-posts.

In our Old Testament reading, the beauty of the tree (a metaphor for Assyria) is so, well, beautiful.  Strong and almost elegant in its description, nurturing and proud.  "Beautiful" or "beauty" are used four times in seven verses, and words such as "majestic" and "abundant" emphasize this beauty.  Also clear in the description is the unique place occupied by this tree.  It has no rival, no match for its beauty; it is "the envy of all the trees of Eden in the garden of God" (Ez. 31:8-9).  I've been interested in God's awareness of and love for beauty for several years now, and this passage makes me want to study it more.

The initial verses in our Hebrews reading jumped out because of their call to a righteous life.  The writer exhorts us to "make every effort to live in peace with all men" (Heb. 12:14), a high and holy call if there is one, a call that is necessary because such harmony will make sure that "no one misses the grace of God" because of bitterness and trouble (see vs. 15).  To think that I could miss the grace of God because I continue to live in tension and resentment and bitterness toward others is awful and sad; to think that I could cause others to miss the grace of God is even worse.

I've mentioned before about the theme of reversal that we see throughout Scripture.  God delights in overthrowing the status quo, in upending the normal course of events.  We see this theme in Psalm 113.  Notice that the poor and needy are lifted up to the level of princes; notice that the barren woman's barrenness is overturned, making her the happy mother of children (see vs. 7-9).  I'm grateful for the reversal-making of our God; it constantly reminds me that change, redemption, HOPE are possible because God is in the business of turning ashes into beauty.

I was surprised that a "man's heart reflects the man" (Pr. 27:19).  It seems backward to me.  It seems more likely that the man would reflect the heart, that the inward motivations and desires would be demonstrated by the actions of the outward person. I agree that the heart is the most essential representation of the whole person, but I was more expecting the idea that "out of the overflow of the heart" (Lk. 6:45) comes action.  I'll need to think about this more.

- Sarah Marsh

How did God speak to you in Scripture today? Click here to share your reflections on God's word or read past posts. We'd love to hear from you.