Tag: judges

Pondering for Monday, August 3, 2026

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 13: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 80; Evening, Psalm 77 ;

Judges 6:25 to 40; Acts 2:37 to 47; John 1:1 to 18:

“That night the Lord said to him, ‘Take your father’s bull, the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that belongs to your father, and cut down the sacred pole that is beside it; and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of the stronghold here, in proper order; then take the second bull, and offer it as a burnt-offering with the wood of the sacred pole that you shall cut down.’ So Gideon took ten of his servants, and did as the Lord had told him; but because he was too afraid of his family and the townspeople to do it by day, he did it by night. When the townspeople rose early in the morning, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the sacred pole beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar that had been built.”  (Judges 6: 25 – 28)

While all of the Daily Office Readings are wonderful, my pondering gravitated towards the lesson I read in Judges.  Gideon has been called by God to let go, let go of the beliefs of his parents to ponder anew what the Almighty is doing.  This is not new.  Abram too was called from his father’s house to a place that God would show him, (Genesis 12:1).  So, God calls us from darkness to light and to more light, and to further light.

I think this resonates with me so much because I too had to let go of old and false beliefs in order to behold the real truth about God.  My parents would have me believe in the human constructed system of racism even though they themselves were considered on the bottom rung of the racial divide.  It has taken time, but God has called me away from believing in such nonsense.

What I have also pondered about the Gideon story is that there is often the requirement to give up something in order to obtain something. And it may not be an action that we are bold enough to do openly.  Gideon did his deed at night so as to avoid notice.  I chose to give up any so-called black expectations people may have had of me in order to be who I really am, who God made me to be.

Racial discrimination is today’s altar of Baal and the un-sacred poles of some of our parents outdated superstitions.  We must remove them in order to make room for the real Truth: the Truth that is God. Stepping out of our expected behavior of darkness into the light of true belief territory is not easy, but it is very necessary.  And the Truth will make us free.

Today we remember Joanna, Mary & Salome, George Freeman Bragg, Jr., and W. E. B. Du Bois: and their information may be found at: Joanna, Mary & Sallome, George Freeman Bragg, and W. E. B. DuBois, respectively

Let us pray:

Holy God, holy and mighty, creator of all life, open our human eyes to see the equality of all people and all human likeness in You our Creator. Let us see in Jesus the level playing field where we are judged by our moral attitude and loving kindness as Jesus modeled for us, He who lives and reigns with You forever and ever. Amen.

Pondering for Thursday, July 30, 2026

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 12: Year 2

Morning, Psalm  71; Evening, Psalm  74; 

Judges 4: 4 – 23; Acts 1:15 – 26; Matthew  27: 55 – 66

“At that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites came up to her for judgment.”  (Judges 4: 4 –  5)

Women, in particular the strength of women, is often overlooked in the Bible.  Today, in our Daily Office Readings from the book of Judges we have two women who are revealed as very strong human beings.  Deborah the Prophet and Jael who I would bet was a builder of tents inasmuch as she could drive a tent peg with the best of men.

While the Bible says that Deborah sat under a tree named after her, I believe it was her presence that gave the tree the name after her time with us.  And all Israel came to her for judgment, for guidance and direction. They needed her presence so much that Barak, son of Abinoam, would not go to war unless she accompanied him. (verse 6). 

God has always included women in the carrying out of life and in the promise of salvation.  Men have too often overlooked this important fact. But this does not negate what God intends for all people in the fulfillment of what God is doing. This is true even in the conflict of war itself.

During a battle with Sisera, who was the cowardly leader opposing Barak and Deborah, he fled to the protection of Jael.  “But Jael wife of Heber took a tent-peg, and a hammer and went softly to him as he slept and drove the peg into his temple, until it went down into the ground—he was lying fast asleep from weariness—and he died.” (Judges 4: 21)

Some of this language never comes up in “polite” company or our Sunday Lectionary.  But it is among our ancient writings. It definitely shows God’s hand at work in women and that God’s wrath can also be made manifest in the leadership and courage of women.  We need to see, and be aware of God’s will being made manifest in all human beings.  This is the way God, has worked, is working, and always will work.

Today we remember William Wilberforce, Social Reformer, 1833 and his information may be found at: William Wilberforce

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

O God, open our minds and keep us mindful that your will, will be done through anyone you choose. Lead us Dear God by your Holy Spirit to those whom you have chosen to lead us, without regard of ethnicity, sex, or sexual orientation. Lead us to you through whomever you raise up to lead us. Amen.