Psalm 51 is a challenging psalm. There’s the historical context (it is likely a psalm written by David after Nathan exposed his adultery with Bathsheba and his murder of Uriah). Then there’s our context (i.e., most of us have not committed adultery and set a man up to be killed as David did). That beingContinue reading “If it’s not broken, God hasn’t fixed it!”
Author Archives: A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green
Praying Wisely
A couple in their sixties is walking along the beach when they spy an object hidden in the sand. They uncover it, knock the sand off, and identify it as an old, old lamp. Before they know it—POOF! —a genie appears to grant them three wishes. They would like to travel the world they tell him andContinue reading “Praying Wisely”
If Love Was a Truck
I drive a truck. Sometimes I even think about life in truck terms. I was working with 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 and trying to come up with a paraphrase of it and . . . well, you can see for yourself what happened. Hopefully, it will be useful to someone. Love has strong shock absorbersContinue reading “If Love Was a Truck”
Ten Lepers and Two Cookies
Our six-year-old grandson (Bryant) lives a few states away, but I get to talk with him and his brothers every Sunday night. Our conversations revolve around sports, bad jokes (“Why couldn’t the pirate recite the alphabet? He kept getting lost at sea”), food, and what they learned in Bible class that morning. We go otherContinue reading “Ten Lepers and Two Cookies”
Reverence & Rejoicing
David had become king of Judah and Israel—but this didn’t happen all at one time. He became king of Judah when Saul died (2 Samuel 2:4), and then king of Israel 7 1/2 years later (5:4-5). This reflected the instability that existed among the tribes of Israel. Ish-Bosheth, Saul’s son, had been king of IsraelContinue reading “Reverence & Rejoicing”
God Prepares a King
1 and 2 Samuel were originally a single book. However, when the Hebrew book Samuel was translated into Greek in the Septuagint, it took up too much space for a single scroll, so it became 1 and 2 Samuel. (The same is true for Kings and Chronicles). While Samuel and Saul occupy important roles, David is theContinue reading “God Prepares a King”
The Strength of the Insignificant
The book of Judges prepares us for the monarchy. In 17:6 and again in 21:25 we hear, “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.” Rather than there being a central human authority that united everyone and led them in the same direction, tribalism prevailed in Israel. We saw thisContinue reading “The Strength of the Insignificant”
Samson: Strong Man with a Weak Character
Samson is a messy character who meshes perfectly with the messy spirituality of the book of Judges. It’s easy to see the book of Judges as nothing more than Israel’s habitual inability to live right and God’s resulting chastisement. That’s certainly part of the story—but it’s not the only part. Why does God bother withContinue reading “Samson: Strong Man with a Weak Character”
Samson: The Fighter Still Remains
Samson’s failure to live a God-directed life ended up bringing a lot of pain into his life. His failure to respect his Nazarite commitment in reference to Delilah left him blinded and in shackles grinding grain in a Philistine prison. He had fallen a long way from the angel’s glorious announcement about his birth. ButContinue reading “Samson: The Fighter Still Remains”
A Mailbox, a Note, and a Good Neighbor
Our mailbox leads a rather solitary existence. It interacts with our mail carrier once a day, sees either Janice or me the same amount—and that’s it—except for the many vehicles that drive by. Only the vehicles don’t always drive by. One time during a rainstorm a car came off the road and ran over theContinue reading “A Mailbox, a Note, and a Good Neighbor”
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 