Saturday, August 31, 2024

Bible Readings for August 31, 2024

Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today, our passages are Job 37:1–39:30; 2 Corinthians 4:13–5:10; Psalm 44:9-26; and Proverbs 22:13. The readings are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson.



Job 37-39:30 (The Message)


Job 37


    "Whenever this happens, my heart stops— I'm stunned, I can't catch my breath.
Listen to it! Listen to his thunder,
   the rolling, rumbling thunder of his voice.
He lets loose his lightnings from horizon to horizon,
   lighting up the earth from pole to pole.
In their wake, the thunder echoes his voice,
   powerful and majestic.
He lets out all the stops, he holds nothing back.
   No one can mistake that voice—
His word thundering so wondrously,
   his mighty acts staggering our understanding.
He orders the snow, 'Blanket the earth!'
   and the rain, 'Soak the whole countryside!'
No one can escape the weather—it's there.
   And no one can escape from God.
Wild animals take shelter,
   crawling into their dens,
When blizzards roar out of the north
   and freezing rain crusts the land.
It's God's breath that forms the ice,
   it's God's breath that turns lakes and rivers solid.
And yes, it's God who fills clouds with rainwater
   and hurls lightning from them every which way.
He puts them through their paces—first this way, then that—
   commands them to do what he says all over the world.
Whether for discipline or grace or extravagant love,
   he makes sure they make their mark.

A Terrible Beauty Streams from God

 14-18 "Job, are you listening? Have you noticed all this?
   Stop in your tracks! Take in God's miracle-wonders!
Do you have any idea how God does it all,
   how he makes bright lightning from dark storms,
How he piles up the cumulus clouds—
   all these miracle-wonders of a perfect Mind?
Why, you don't even know how to keep cool
   on a sweltering hot day,
So how could you even dream
   of making a dent in that hot-tin-roof sky?

 19-22 "If you're so smart, give us a lesson in how to address God.
   We're in the dark and can't figure it out.
Do you think I'm dumb enough to challenge God?
   Wouldn't that just be asking for trouble?
No one in his right mind stares straight at the sun
   on a clear and cloudless day.
As gold comes from the northern mountains,
   so a terrible beauty streams from God.

 23-24 "Mighty God! Far beyond our reach!
   Unsurpassable in power and justice!
   It's unthinkable that he'd treat anyone unfairly.
So bow to him in deep reverence, one and all!
   If you're wise, you'll most certainly worship him."

Job 38

God Confronts Job
Have You Gotten to the Bottom of Things?

 1 And now, finally, God answered Job from the eye of a violent storm. He said:  2-11 "Why do you confuse the issue?
   Why do you talk without knowing what you're talking about?
Pull yourself together, Job!
   Up on your feet! Stand tall!
I have some questions for you,
   and I want some straight answers.
Where were you when I created the earth?
   Tell me, since you know so much!
Who decided on its size? Certainly you'll know that!
   Who came up with the blueprints and measurements?
How was its foundation poured,
   and who set the cornerstone,
While the morning stars sang in chorus
   and all the angels shouted praise?
And who took charge of the ocean
   when it gushed forth like a baby from the womb?
That was me! I wrapped it in soft clouds,
   and tucked it in safely at night.
Then I made a playpen for it,
   a strong playpen so it couldn't run loose,
And said, 'Stay here, this is your place.
   Your wild tantrums are confined to this place.'

 12-15 "And have you ever ordered Morning, 'Get up!'
   told Dawn, 'Get to work!'
So you could seize Earth like a blanket
   and shake out the wicked like cockroaches?
As the sun brings everything to light,
   brings out all the colors and shapes,
The cover of darkness is snatched from the wicked—
   they're caught in the very act!

 16-18 "Have you ever gotten to the true bottom of things,
   explored the labyrinthine caves of deep ocean?
Do you know the first thing about death?
   Do you have one clue regarding death's dark mysteries?
And do you have any idea how large this earth is?
   Speak up if you have even the beginning of an answer.

 19-21 "Do you know where Light comes from
   and where Darkness lives
So you can take them by the hand
   and lead them home when they get lost?
Why, of course you know that.
   You've known them all your life,
   grown up in the same neighborhood with them!

 22-30 "Have you ever traveled to where snow is made,
   seen the vault where hail is stockpiled,
The arsenals of hail and snow that I keep in readiness
   for times of trouble and battle and war?
Can you find your way to where lightning is launched,
   or to the place from which the wind blows?
Who do you suppose carves canyons
   for the downpours of rain, and charts
   the route of thunderstorms
That bring water to unvisited fields,
   deserts no one ever lays eyes on,
Drenching the useless wastelands
   so they're carpeted with wildflowers and grass?
And who do you think is the father of rain and dew,
   the mother of ice and frost?
You don't for a minute imagine
   these marvels of weather just happen, do you?

 31-33 "Can you catch the eye of the beautiful Pleiades sisters,
   or distract Orion from his hunt?
Can you get Venus to look your way,
   or get the Great Bear and her cubs to come out and play?
Do you know the first thing about the sky's constellations
   and how they affect things on Earth?

 34-35 "Can you get the attention of the clouds,
   and commission a shower of rain?
Can you take charge of the lightning bolts
   and have them report to you for orders? 

What Do You Have to Say for Yourself?

 36-38 "Who do you think gave weather-wisdom to the ibis,
   and storm-savvy to the rooster?
Does anyone know enough to number all the clouds
   or tip over the rain barrels of heaven
When the earth is cracked and dry,
   the ground baked hard as a brick?

 39-41 "Can you teach the lioness to stalk her prey
   and satisfy the appetite of her cubs
As they crouch in their den,
   waiting hungrily in their cave?
And who sets out food for the ravens
   when their young cry to God,
   fluttering about because they have no food?"

Job 39


    "Do you know the month when mountain goats give birth? Have you ever watched a doe bear her fawn?
Do you know how many months she is pregnant?
   Do you know the season of her delivery,
   when she crouches down and drops her offspring?
Her young ones flourish and are soon on their own;
   they leave and don't come back.

 5-8 "Who do you think set the wild donkey free,
   opened the corral gates and let him go?
I gave him the whole wilderness to roam in,
   the rolling plains and wide-open places.
He laughs at his city cousins, who are harnessed and harried.
   He's oblivious to the cries of teamsters.
He grazes freely through the hills,
   nibbling anything that's green.

 9-12 "Will the wild buffalo condescend to serve you,
   volunteer to spend the night in your barn?
Can you imagine hitching your plow to a buffalo
   and getting him to till your fields?
He's hugely strong, yes, but could you trust him,
   would you dare turn the job over to him?
You wouldn't for a minute depend on him, would you,
   to do what you said when you said it?

 13-18 "The ostrich flaps her wings futilely—
   all those beautiful feathers, but useless!
She lays her eggs on the hard ground,
   leaves them there in the dirt, exposed to the weather,
Not caring that they might get stepped on and cracked
   or trampled by some wild animal.
She's negligent with her young, as if they weren't even hers.
   She cares nothing about anything.
She wasn't created very smart, that's for sure,
   wasn't given her share of good sense.
But when she runs, oh, how she runs,
   laughing, leaving horse and rider in the dust.

 19-25 "Are you the one who gave the horse his prowess
   and adorned him with a shimmering mane?
Did you create him to prance proudly
   and strike terror with his royal snorts?
He paws the ground fiercely, eager and spirited,
   then charges into the fray.
He laughs at danger, fearless,
   doesn't shy away from the sword.
The banging and clanging
   of quiver and lance don't faze him.
He quivers with excitement, and at the trumpet blast
   races off at a gallop.
At the sound of the trumpet he neighs mightily,
   smelling the excitement of battle from a long way off,
   catching the rolling thunder of the war cries.

 26-30 "Was it through your know-how that the hawk learned to fly,
   soaring effortlessly on thermal updrafts?
Did you command the eagle's flight,
   and teach her to build her nest in the heights,
Perfectly at home on the high cliff face,
   invulnerable on pinnacle and crag?
From her perch she searches for prey,
   spies it at a great distance.
Her young gorge themselves on carrion;
   wherever there's a roadkill, you'll see her circling."



2 Corinthians 4:13-5:10 (The Message)


 13-15We're not keeping this quiet, not on your life. Just like the psalmist who wrote, "I believed it, so I said it," we say what we believe. And what we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up with you, alive. Every detail works to your advantage and to God's glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise!
 16-18So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever. 

2 Corinthians 5


 1-5For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not handmade—and we'll never have to relocate our "tents" again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move—and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what's coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we're tired of it! We've been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what's ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we'll never settle for less.  6-8That's why we live with such good cheer. You won't see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don't get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It's what we trust in but don't yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we'll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming.
 9-10But neither exile nor homecoming is the main thing. Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that's what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions. Sooner or later we'll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions. We will appear before Christ and take what's coming to us as a result of our actions, either good or bad.


Psalm 44:9-26 (The Message)


 9-12 But now you've walked off and left us,
      you've disgraced us and won't fight for us.
   You made us turn tail and run;
      those who hate us have cleaned us out.
   You delivered us as sheep to the butcher,
      you scattered us to the four winds.
   You sold your people at a discount—
      you made nothing on the sale.

 13-16 You made people on the street,
      urchins, poke fun and call us names.
   You made us a joke among the godless,
      a cheap joke among the rabble.
   Every day I'm up against it,
      my nose rubbed in my shame—
   Gossip and ridicule fill the air,
      people out to get me crowd the street.

 17-19 All this came down on us,
      and we've done nothing to deserve it.
   We never betrayed your Covenant: our hearts
      were never false, our feet never left your path.
   Do we deserve torture in a den of jackals?
      or lockup in a black hole?

 20-22 If we had forgotten to pray to our God
      or made fools of ourselves with store-bought gods,
   Wouldn't God have figured this out?
      We can't hide things from him.
   No, you decided to make us martyrs,
      lambs assigned for sacrifice each day.

 23-26 Get up, God! Are you going to sleep all day?
      Wake up! Don't you care what happens to us?
   Why do you bury your face in the pillow?
      Why pretend things are just fine with us?
   And here we are—flat on our faces in the dirt,
      held down with a boot on our necks.
   Get up and come to our rescue.
      If you love us so much, Help us!



Proverbs 22:13 (The Message)


 13 The loafer says, "There's a lion on the loose!
   If I go out I'll be eaten alive!"


Thought for the Day

“Bow down and worship the LORD our Creator! The LORD is our God, and we are his people, the sheep he takes care of in his own pasture. Listen to God's voice today!” (Psalm 95:6-7 - Contemporary English Version) Our worship of God must involve praise and thanks. You see, our appreciation of his universe must lead us to offer praise. And our gratitude for his love and grace must lead us to give thanks.

Quote for the Day

Russian-born American songwriter of Tin Pan Alley, L. Wolfe Gilbert wrote, "Those who find beauty in all of nature will find themselves at one with the secrets of life itself."



Joke for Today

When your girlfriend comes home in a white suit, covered in bee stings and smelling like honey...

You know she's a keeper!

A Prayer Request

As Christians, we can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Below is the need that we're laying before God today.

That people reflect the love and mercy of God in their daily lives.

Friday, August 30, 2024

Fall Seminars at Princeton Seminary: Augustine & Ecotheology

FALL 2024
Princeton Seminar Series
Ecotheology & Augustine Studies

This is a paid advertisement that helps fund the ministry of the Outlook.

This fall, the Princeton Seminar Series invites you on a transformative journey of intellectual and faithful exploration guided by distinguished scholars. Designed for spiritual seekers, church leaders, and humanities enthusiasts alike, these seminars offer a unique combination of theological depth and ethical engagement. Our first seminar explores Augustine’s City of God in the context of today’s world, and our second seminar delves into ecotheology to understand how we can responsibly steward our planet.

Thinking Politically with Augustine

Faithful Political Engagement in Difficult Times

In this pivotal election year, explore Augustine's (354 - 430 C.E.) perspectives on citizenship, political humility, and the Christian journey as a pilgrimage. Dr. Heather C. Ohaneson, a passionate advocate of the Great Books tradition, leads this seminar, diving into City of God, Augustine's sermons, and contemporary scholarship. This series offers a unique lens to understand political engagement through historical and theological insights.

Seminar Highlights:

  • Develop familiarity with Augustine: Explore the historical and theological aspects of Augustine’s political thought, focusing on his lesser-known sermons.

  • Deepen articulation: Understand the "two cities" schema foundational to City of God.

  • Refine a faithful framework: Approach modern political challenges with insights drawn from Augustine's thought, including contemporary interpretations by scholars like Eric Gregory.

Program Details:

  • Duration: Mondays, Sept. 16 - Oct. 7 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. ET

  • Format: Virtual Live Sessions

  • Cost: $399 for four sessions

DIVE INTO AUGUSTINE
Christ, Creation, and the Church:
Explorations in Ecotheology

Humanity's Relationship to Other-than-Human Creatures

Explore the intersections of Christology, creation, and ecclesiology in today's ecological crises with Dr. Samuel Davidson. This seminar bridges contemporary science and the church's mission, focusing on how the Christian understanding of God’s incarnation impacts our ecological responsibilities. Engage with key ecotheological thinkers and consider the church’s role in addressing ecological challenges.

Seminar Highlights:

  • Understand and articulate ecotheology and its relevance to ministry.

  • Examine the relationship between science and faith.

  • Assess how churches can engage in ecological system restoration.

  • Develop systematic theological thinking in relation to Christology and creation.

Program Details:

  • Dates: Tuesdays, October 1, 8, 15, 22 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. ET

  • Format: Virtual Live Sessions

  • Cost: $399 for four sessions

EXPLORE ECOTHEOLOGY
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