Job 8-10 ; Proverbs 3:11-20 ; Matthew 19:16-30 "Resplendent Glory" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Colored Pencil on Paper In the past couple of days, we have seen Job’s troubles and sufferings, and we have met his three friends – Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. In chapter 3, Job spoke and “cursed the day of his birth” (3:1). Job entertained no thoughts of suicide, but like Elijah (1 Kings 19:4), Jonah (Jonah 4:8), and even Paul (Philippians 1:21-23) he wanted the Lord to

Job 4-7 ; Psalm 17:1-5 ; Matthew 19:1-15 "Flying Sparks" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Ink & Watercolor on Paper Yesterday, we introduced the book of Job with some thoughts about the truth of the universal system that God – in His wisdom and His economy – has determined for the operation of our world. We pointed out that trouble and suffering are products of bad decision making and its consequences that God allows but does not ordain. In God’s economy, the curse of t

Job 1-3 ; Psalm 16 ; Matthew 18:10-35 "Bare Tree, I" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Pen & Ink on Paper Today we begin to reflect upon the book of Job. Although the book of Job appears much later in the Old Testament, its contents and events occur within the same time frame of the first half of Genesis. Historically, Job lived about the same time as Abraham, so the book of Job should be read before Exodus. After we have read through the book of Job, we will come back t

Genesis 49-50 ; Psalm 15 ; Matthew 17:14–18:9 "Hope for Some Letters" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Pen & Ink Sketch on Paper Today, we come to the end of the book of Genesis. Back in chapter 25, we began to follow the life of Jacob through almost half of this first book of the Bible. As we come to Genesis 49-50, we see now that – although he has had his struggles like all men and women – Jacob is a biblical example of unshakable faith . His faith is pronounced with

Genesis 47:13–48:22 ; Proverbs 3:1-10 ; Matthew 16:21–17:13 "Primitive Ozark Farm" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Watercolor on Paper Now in Genesis 47-48, we see that Jacob is nearing the end of his life. He has lived close to Joseph in Egypt for “seventeen years” (verse 28), a significant period of time, considering that he [1] earlier “believed that Joseph was dead,” (cf., Genesis 42:38); that he [2] “refused to be comforted” (cf., Genesis 37:35); that he [3] neve

Genesis 45:1–47:12 ; Psalm 14 ; Matthew 16:1-20 "Eric's Glasses" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Pencil Sketch on Paper Today’s readings are replete with all the joys, hopes, and dreams of life itself. Here, in Genesis 45, God graciously gives us a foretaste of heaven – the redemption and recovery of that which we lost in Eden. At one time or another, the evil pride of Eden rears itself up in all of us. Here, in Genesis 45, Joseph – with great humility and weeping – ma

Genesis 43-44 ; Psalm 13 ; Matthew 15:10-39 "My Version of Vermeer's Milkmaid " © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Acrylic on Panel Today’s Scripture passages reveal the persistent and fundamental conflict between righteousness and evil ever since sin entered the universe. Jesus briefly addressed this conflict, as we have already seen in our earlier reading of Matthew 10, when He said that “a man will turn against his father and a daughter against her mother,” etc., (verses