My Random Biblical Journey

Bernie W. – I consider most books one dimentional. You read them and then move on to the next book. However, I consider “My Random Biblical Journey” three dimensional or a triple layered cake so to speak. Layer one is Rich’s perspective of how three randomly chosen biblical verses are tied together. Layer number two enables the reader to form their own opinion as to how those verses relate to each other. And layer number three allows the reader to apply Rich’s method to any three biblical verses at any time to see how they are related and apply to their own situation. It’s a ”delicious” three layered read for individuals, but also great for group discussions. #1 Nehemiah 11:1-2 World English Bible 11 The princes of the people lived in Jerusalem. The rest of the people also cast lots to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine parts in the other cities. 2 The people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem. My Take: This chapter of Nehemiah describes how Jerusalem repopulates after its reconstruction, even though not everyone wanted to relocate. Sometimes we do not want to move, but when we do, we can make the best of it or grumble about it. The choice is ours. Moving is not just a physical relocation. More often, it is a movement of our thinking, our living habits, or our worship. Could it be God calling us to get moving in a direction toward Him? Proverbs 23:4-5 World English Bible 4 Don’t weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint. 5 Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky. My Take: Proverbs have so much advice to offer its readers with saying after saying words to live by and words to help you change things in your life. When this chapter was opened, it seemed to be directed to these two verses. Reading them, they speak directly to us. During our lives we work very hard, not to get rich but to pay bills and to pay debts which can be extensive and maybe save a bit. But whatever we acquire can be lost very quickly. What do we do when we’re in that situation? We either throw in the towel and quit or we work even harder to make back what we lost and once we climb back up to square one, we start all over. It’s not too hard to have money if you start with money but if you don’t have money it takes a lot of work to get money and by working hard you get tired making money. That’s a lot of “money”. Then, once you have some money you want more money to buy the things you didn’t have enough money to buy before and when you want more money you must work harder to make that money, so you again get tired making money. Somewhere in those sentences is a pattern. The first sentence of verse four addresses this, 4 Don’t weary yourself to be rich. (The word “weary” could mean that you are finished physically and can’t work like you did before or it could mean that you died. Neither sounds good for the worker.) Then the second sentence gives you advice on how to avoid wearying out, In your wisdom, show restraint. The toughest question to answer after hearing all this advice is, “How do I know when to quit if I don’t know how much money is enough so I can quit.” That’s a good question but maybe this is a better one, “Why do I want so much when I have enough for what I need.”