Mary – becoming flame

Song of Hope – Finale

I believe in God the Father
maker of heaven and earth
And in Jesus Christ, his only
his only son, our Lord;
Conceived by the awesome power
of the Holy Spirit
And born in a lowly stable
of the virgin Mary;
Suffered under Pontius Pilate
was crucified, dead, and buried;
He descended to the dead,
on the third day rose again.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at God’s right hand.
He will come to judge all nations,
his kingdom will have no end.

Jesus came
Jesus died
Jesus rose up from the grave
Jesus reigns in heav’n above
Angels bow before Him.
Bridge and final Chorus of Song of Hope by dw

The remaining bit of Song of Hope – if you missed the first three verses and choruses, they are in my previous posts.

If you want to hear the song, here it is:

Song of Hope – 1999 recording – Copyright dw

Grace and peace to you…

Begin well

The Bible isn’t a novel. It’s not meant to be read from beginning to end.

If you “start at the very beginning”, it probably isn’t “the very best place to start.”

The Bible does have a plot, a story that develops over thousands of years. But it’s really important to know the end of the story first. Knowing the end puts all the parts in perspective.

There is no bonus for being held in suspense about how the story ends.

Remember from last week: the whole point of the Bible is to lead us to Jesus, who described himself as “the beginning and the end.” As best we can, let’s make our reading begin and end with him.

The end of the Bible is Jesus. The whole story is about him. The beginning, the middle, the end – all about him…so we can know him.

So, to begin well let’s choose one of the four Gospels. I suggest starting with John or Mark.

Start with John to focus on who Jesus is. John had an especially close relationship with him and gives us a unique perspective. John adopted Jesus’ mother Mary into his home – I wonder how much his writing passes along Mary’s reflections.

Start with Mark if you prefer to focus on what Jesus did. They say that Mark’s gospel is likely to reflect Peter’s telling of events; Peter is a “get it done” kind of person.

Which ever one you pick, don’t rush. Give yourself time to pause, question, ponder.