Psalm 92

“For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done” (4). In awe of God’s creation, faithfulness, and mighty deeds, the psalmist made music and rejoiced. He declared that those who do not see and acknowledge God’s amazing works, those “who do not know”, end up living foolish and wicked lives (6-7). But when God is our Rock, our lives expand with purpose - all the way to the end (15).

“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree” (12). Celebrating God’s great deeds reminds us that we too, are part what he is creating and redeeming, so that we can “bear fruit” for him (14).

Psalm 91

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty” (1). This famous psalm invites us to a life defined by our relationship with the powerful, redemptive, loving Father. This life of deep peace and confidence in God’s care – resting in His shadow - is cultivated by the believer’s ongoing trust: “I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust’” (2,9). No matter what arrows and plagues surround us, we are ultimately secure in His hands.

“I will be with him in trouble” (15). Jesus is Immanuel, God with us. Through Christ, God is with us, and He is for us, in every situation.

Job 13-14

“Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face” (13:15). Job was angry, but instead of turning his back on God, he continued to hope for God to answer him. In contrast to his honesty, Job accused his friends of “speaking wickedly on God’s behalf” – speaking for God, as if they perfectly understood all God’s ways (13:7). Job admitted that he didn’t know much about life beyond death (ch 14), but he still longed to be “remembered” by the Creator (14:13).

“You will call and I will answer you” (14:15). Deep faith in God does not mean we have all the answers, but that we long for and respond to God’s presence.

Job 10-12

“To God belong wisdom and power” (10:13). Job and his devout friends agreed on the existence of a wise and powerful Creator (11:7-9), but they disagreed about how life worked. Job’s friends firmly believed that trouble was always a result of sin, and wealth and well-being were the products of righteousness (11:13-20). Job protested this view, arguing that he had become a miserable laughingstock although “righteous and blameless” (12:4), and he had no idea why God was tormenting him.

“You gave me life and showed me kindness ...” (10:12). Just as we trust God in good times, we cling to him – like Job – through suffering and unanswered questions. We may not understand it all, but He does.

Job 7-9

“What is mankind that you make so much of them, that you give them so much attention, that you examine them every morning and test them every moment?” (7:17). Job didn’t really want to be ignored by God, but his suffering made him feel that God was testing him without a clear objective. Struggling to find a ‘why’ in all his pain, Job longed for a “mediator” to make things right (9:33). He knew that the God who created the stars was the One with answers (9:9).

“When he passes me, I cannot see him” (9:11). We can’t always see or understand God’s ways, but He is good and trustworthy. “His wisdom is profound; his power is vast” (9:4).

II Corinthians 1

“For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ” (5). Just as Christ experienced the troubles of the world and relied on the Father for everything, Paul told the Corinthians that, united with Christ, we have the same privilege. When we too are “under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure” (8), we can reach out and receive the comfort of the Lord “who raises the dead” (9). And whatever we receive from the Lord, we can give to others (4).

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ” (20). He who raised Jesus from the dead will be faithful to us, too.

I Corinthians 16

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong” (13). Paul knew that the Corinthians needed abundant faith and courage to live out their faith well in the midst of temptations and troubles. They needed faith to believe that they could give generously without worry for themselves (1-4), and they needed courage for the work of sharing the gospel amid opposition (9). Paul encouraged them to apply the same courage and faith to the work of hospitality (15-18).

“Do everything in love” (14). Our world teaches us to be defensive and to guard what we have. But the Lord, who is our security and abundance, calls us to real freedom: a life of love and generosity.

Psalm 90

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us” (17). According to the psalmist, the only way for our work on earth to matter is to entrust it to the God of eternity. When we recognize our human frailty (3,10) and, at the same time, His power and holiness, we “gain a heart of wisdom” (12). Our short lives have eternal significance when we give everything to the One who “brought forth the whole world” (2).

“Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love” (14). Every morning, we can place our responsibilities in God’s hands, receiving His love and strength so that our brief moments count for eternity.

Job 5-6

“You will know that your tent is secure ...” (5:24). Eliphaz says many things that are true about God (5:18), yet his words are no help (6:21), because they ignore Job’s real situation. Job’s tent is not secure, and his children are not well, even though Job has been faithful and upright (ch 1). Job wants to know how long his suffering will last, and whether he will be able to endure it (6:8- 13). He wants to understand why he’s experiencing God’s “arrows” (6:4) instead of blessing.

Job’s well-meaning friends treat his questions as “wind” and try to correct him. Godly comfort, instead, is about passing along what we have received: God’s comfort in our own day of trouble (I Cor 1:3-5).

Job 3-4

“I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil” (3:26). In his anger and grief, Job does not curse God, but he does question the value of his own life. He can see nothing beyond his present suffering, so he wonders why he was born (3:11). His friend Eliphaz tries to cheer him up with questionable advice: he wants Job to put his confidence in his “blameless ways” (4:6), as if that guarantees everything will be fine. Job refuses easy answers and simply sits in his grief.

At times our “way is hidden” (3:23); like Job, we cannot see anything good ahead. Yet we can cling to the God who made the universe, trusting that His power and love will not fail.

Job 1-2

“Does Job fear God for nothing?” (1:9). The question “Satan” or “the Accuser” puts to God strikes at the heart of God’s relationship with humans. Job is considered righteous and devout, and he is blessed with wealth and children. If God takes away the hedge of protection around him, will he still honor God, or instead curse Him? (1:10-11). Does Job serve God only in hope of a reward, or because God is worthy?

“Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (2:10). Job’s response reveals that his relationship with God is about more than personal blessing. God calls us to real fellowship with Him, so that when trouble comes, we run toward Him, not away.

I Corinthians 15

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures ...” (3). In an ancient world filled with spiritualities, Paul wanted the Corinthians to understand that the gospel was not another mystical experience, but the good news of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As the “new Adam”, Jesus united himself with us and walked our path all the way to death, and he will take us with him into resurrection life (20-23; 45-49).

“He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (56). We can trust that the same Jesus who forgives us and dwells within us will lead us beyond death, to our eternal home.

I Corinthians 14

“But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort” (3). Following the way of love shapes how we gather as God’s people. While affirming the role of tongues with interpretation when the church gathers (26-28), Paul wanted the Corinthians to seek the gifts of the Spirit to help one another, not simply to “seem spiritual”. “Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church” (12).

“When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation ...” (26). Through the Spirit’s gifts, God uses each of us “so that the church may be built up” (26).

I Corinthians 13

“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face” (12). Love, Paul explains, is inseparable from humility. Love “is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking” (4-5). Love includes remembering that we see and know imperfectly, so we do not always have to be right. Our identity is not in our own spirituality, knowledge, or expertise (1-3), but in belonging to God’s family.

“I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (12). Secure in the fact that we are fully known and loved by God, we can risk loving one another.

Psalm 89

“I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established yourbfaithfulness in heaven itself” (2). This psalm held firmly to God’s covenant faithfulness, which was demonstrated in the promise to make David’s line endure “forever”. God’s faithfulness is evident in the way He rules the universe, including over all creatures, seen and unseen (5-13). The psalmist, seeing the suffering of God’s people and temporary ruins instead of victory (38-49), held fast to God as the One who keeps His promises.

We can stake our lives on God’s love and faithfulness (14). All His promises are “yes” in Jesus Christ (II Cor 1:20), who rescued us and is bringing about good purposes in us.

Psalm 88

“You have taken from me friend and neighbor— darkness is my closest friend” (18). The psalmist was very familiar with the experience of being isolated, overwhelmed by troubles, and so low as to be near death (3-5). He knew what it was like to feel trapped by complex, overlapping crises – like a pit he could not escape (6-9). Yet in this pit, he still cried out to the God who had been faithful in the past (13).

“LORD, you are the God who saves me; day and night I cry out to you” (1). Nothing we experience is too dark or complicated for the Lord. When we pray, he is faithful to reach down into the pit and deliver us.

Esther 8-10

“They rested and made it a day of feasting and joy” (9:18). In a surprising plot twist, the day when the Jews of Persia were supposed to be annihilated turned into a day of celebrating God’s deliverance. In other turnovers, Mordecai received the honor Haman desired for himself (ch 6), and Haman was hung on the pole he had set up for Mordecai (7:10). Esther’s story symbolizes God’s great reversal: instead of the terrible consequences of sin, through Christ, we receive abundant life.

“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves” (1:13). Because Jesus has already triumphed over our worst enemy, we can trust him for every battle.

Esther 4-7

Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me ... (4:16). The conflict between Mordecai and Haman erupted into a decree for the “annihilation” of the Jews, and Mordecai urged Esther to approach the king. Esther agreed, but only after she and all the Jews were spiritually prepared (4:17). In contrast, both the king and Haman responded to personal challenges with wild anger: the king was “furious and burned with anger” (1:12), and Haman was “enraged” (3:5), “filled with rage” (5:9).

“Grant me my life ... spare my people” (7:3). Our own anger and rage produce nothing good (James 1:20), but when we courageously hope in the Lord, He never fails us.

Esther 1-3

“Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem ...” (2:8). Esther, like Queen Vashti before her, had few rights; she was forced to leave her home and join the royal harem. Vashti’s refusal to be paraded before hundreds of drunken men cost her the position of queen (1:10-12). Esther’s position was even worse, as a secret Jew (2:10), and Mordecai worried about her (2:11). Yet, her vulnerability was no barrier to being used powerfully by God.

“He set a royal crown on her head” (2:17). The world’s designation of people as ‘weak’ or ‘strong’ means nothing to God. He can work in and through anyone who offers their life to Him.

I Corinthians 12

“For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (13). Paul addressed the differences in the church that arose from cultural backgrounds (Jew and Gentile) and giftings (4). Although challenging, Paul argued that these differences were God-ordained; the Body needed each one to be whole (15). Everyone who truly acknowledged Jesus as Lord was a member of the family (3).

“There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work” (6). When we can see God at work in people unlike ourselves, Christ is honored among us.