Musings from My Sun Porch

                 One of my Bible Study groups is currently studying the Gospel of John.   As I read through Chapter 4 this week, there was one verse that I kept reading over and over.   Verse 4 says, “Now he had to go through Samaria” (NIV84).   Jesus was traveling from Jerusalem in Judea, North to Galilee.   Samaria lies between Judea and Galilee. At first glance, it appears to be an insignificant statement.   If Samaria is between the place where he left and his destination, it seems clear that “he had to go through Samaria.”   It’s like traveling from Kentucky to Florida, you must go through Tennessee. However, the more I thought about it, the more puzzled I became.   It’s not as simple as we might think.   The Samaritan people lived in Samaria, and the Jews did not like the Samaritans, who were mixed-blooded—part Jew and part Gentile.   The hostility between the two groups was so grea...

               Recently, while on a weekend trip with friends, I walked out on the deck to view the scenery.   As I sat down at the table, I noticed two of the ugliest woolly worms I have ever seen traveling around the rim of the table.   They moved a few inches, then stopped, raised their head in the air, looked around, and then, started moving again.   They repeated that process over and over until they had gone completely around the table, and then, they kept going.   I went out again a few hours later, only to find that one of them was still at it.               I couldn’t help but laugh and wonder, “Does he think he is actually getting somewhere?  He is in for a rude awakening if he ever finds out that he’s been traveling in circles.”              Unfortunately, sometimes, that’s the way our...

                 As I read the Gospels, I can’t help but consider the various degrees of faith exhibited by those who encountered Jesus.   Their faith sometimes showed positive responses without question.   At other times, individuals questioned Jesus for more details before acting.   Then, there were some who questioned Him, but their responses were unclear.             In Matthew 4, we see Jesus call Peter and Andrew as His disciples.   He said, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” I love their response.   The Scripture says, “At once they left their nets and followed him” (Matthew 4: 19, 20 NIV84).   They didn’t hesitate.   They didn’t question.   My response would have been, “How do you fish for men?”   Not them.   They simply obeyed.   That is faith.         ...

                 The story of the prophet, Hosea, and his unfaithful wife, Gomer, is filled with adultery, shame, redemption, and betrayal.   It also provides a foreshadowing of the Church as the bride of Christ.   Perhaps, most importantly, it reminds us that we have a God who not only pursues us but also redeems us, despite our sins.             Hosea is sent by God to marry Gomer, who was probably already a prostitute.   Even after Hosea made a home for her, and she gave birth to three children, she was not satisfied.   Much like Israel who forsook God, she left Hosea and became a prostitute once again.   Her actions did not diminish Hosea’s love for her.   In the same way, Israel’s unfaithfulness never diminished God’s love for them.               God uses the marriage of Hosea and Gomer...

                 The author of the last chapter of Proverbs has provided a detailed description of “The Virtuous Woman,” also known as “The Wife of Noble Character” or the “Proverbs 31 Woman.”   We don’t know if he was describing a real live, breathing woman or his concept of what the ideal woman should be.   Either way, his description of her makes me tired just thinking about all her accomplishments. At first glance, it gives us the idea that the “virtuous” woman can and should do everything.   It reminds me of the old commercial jingle, “I bring home the bacon, fry it up in the pan…”, meaning, “I can do everything!”   That’s what so many of our young wives and mothers try to do.   They want a career, well-adjusted children, a great husband, and a beautiful home—all noble achievements.   Unfortunately, they often end up with one or two of those things but find themselves dissatisfied with life and themse...

                 If you read the history of Israel, you will quickly learn that David’s family was not the only dysfunctional one.   Many kings murdered their relatives, including brothers, to protect their right to the throne. Sin was always at the root of their dysfunctional lives.   They disobeyed or abandoned God altogether.   They made unwise and sinful marriage decisions.   Often their quest for greed and power overruled all forms of decency.               One such example is the family of Jehoram, King of Judah.   He married Athalia, daughter of Ahab, and that’s probably where his trouble began.   Her influence caused him to follow in Ahab’s footsteps (II Chronicles 21:6).   After killing all his brothers, he reigned for eight years and then “passed away to no one’s regret” (II Chronicles 21: 20).       ...

                 Hospitality has been defined as “ the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers” (Dictionary.com). Unfortunately, it is often neglected in our busy lives today. My Mom loved showing hospitality to friends and family.  Unfortunately, my Dad, being the introvert that he was, wasn’t as keen on it, so we probably didn’t have guests as often as Mom would have liked.  She did manage to invite small groups of friends and relatives in on a somewhat regular basis.  One of my earliest memories of her hospitality was when I was about 5 or 6.  We hosted a wedding shower for our church’s young minister and his bride-to-be.  That was probably one of the largest events that Mom hosted, and I was too young to know how that conversation went between her and Dad.  I know that she enjoyed every minute of it! In Biblical times, it was considered dishonorable to not o...

                 How many times do we miss out on God’s blessings because we aren’t ready to take a risk?   Stepping out in faith isn’t easy.   It may require us to take actions that seem totally contrary to common sense—they may even seem foolish at the time.   Just ask Noah who was asked to build a giant boat when it had never rained before.   Or ask Abram who was asked to go to a land God would show him.   To be fair, Noah was a righteous man, who “walked with God” (Genesis 6:9) and the Lord spoke directly to Abram (Genesis 12:1), so those relationships probably added to their courage.             What about the person who does not have a relationship with God?   Do you think they would have the courage to step out in faith like Noah or Abram?   One woman in Zarephath, a city in Northern Israel which at that time was controlled by Jezebel’s fat...