Jeremiah 20 - 31: The roaring lion

- Boldness:  Jeremiah stood up to Pashur, the chief priest of the temple (Jer 20:1). For his boldness and courage, Jeremiah was thrown into the stocks, beaten, and publicly humiliated.
- Wingman:  "But God, a most fierce warrior, is at my side" (Jer 20:11). At a low point, this truth comforted Jeremiah. I'm going to hang onto this one too for when I next need it.
- Are you kidding me?  Pashur, the chief priest who publicly punished Jeremiah, came back to ask Jeremiah for help against Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Jeremiah couldn't help him; it was too late.
- Can't claim ignorance:  Israel could never say they hadn't been warned. Multiple prophets explained in detail the coming judgment. How could the people ignore this?
- Don't be a know-it-all:  "Don't pretend that you know all the answers yourselves and talk like you know it all" (Jer 28:37-38). Ouch.
- The Lion:  When angry, "God roars like a lion from high heaven" (Jer 25:30). At the SF Zoo, the lions are in a Lion House with marble floors, and when it's feeding time, their roars echo and resonate throughout the zoo. It's an incredible sound and makes your heart pound. There's a vibration in the air that's hard to describe.
- More boldness:  Jeremiah stood up to a false prophet named Hananiah (Jer 28) who was giving the people false hope. The people were not happy.
- Faithful:  God told his people, "I've never quit loving you and never will" (Jer 31:2-6).
- The Master Gardener:  Jer 31:27 says that God plants people and animals in their place & time like a farmer plants seeds.

Elena's verse of the day:  "I am everywhere--both near and far, in heaven and on earth. There are no secret places where you can hide from me" (Jeremiah 23:23-24)

Jeremiah 7 - 19: Rotten shorts & the shattered pot

Lots of judgment and emotion unleashed in these chapters!
- A strong caution against "performance religion." God defines this as religion "whose life is all outsdie but no insdie" (Jeremiah 9:25-26).
- Rotten shorts:  God created an interesting illustration with a pair of linen shorts. He ordered Jeremiah to get some linen shorts, wear them, then bury them under a rock. Much later, he told Jeremiah to go and get the shorts. Of course they were rotten from the exposure and no longer good for anything. God told Jeremiah that the people were rotten, just like the shorts (Jer 13).
- The burden of ministry:  Jeremiah got personally involved as he experienced God's feelings due to the closer relationship and job as a prophet. In Chap 13:15-17, Jeremiah weeps bitter tears over the people's stubborn arrogance. I've seen pastors do this over their people, too.
- No hiding:  God searches our hearts and examines our minds (Jer 17:9-10).
- Don't forget the Sabbath:  God reminds the people to keep the Sabbath holy and not go about our "self-important" business. It's important to God, so this principle should be important to us (Jer 17:24-26).
- The shattered pot:  God uses another visual illustration when he instructs Jeremiah to take a clay pot and shatter it in front of the people to show them the coming judgment, and how hard it will be to put the pot back together.

Elena's verse of the day:  "Lord All-Powerful, you always do what is right, and yo know every thought. So I trust you to help me..." (Jeremiah 11:20).

Isaiah 60 - Jeremiah 6: The bridegroom in mourning

Extravagant love:  God loves his people like a bridegroom with a new bride (Isaiah 62:1-5).
- The waiting thing again:  "Since before time began no one has ever imagined, No ear heard, no eye seen, a God like you who works for those who wait for him" (Isaiah 64:1-7).
- Isaiah is done, and on to Jeremiah (his nickname is The Weeping Prophet). Eugene Peterson writes that the prophet Jeremiah led a troubled life. These were "disruptive times," including the decades before the fall of Jerusalem, the Fall in 587 BC, and the subsequent exile in Babylon. "What happens when everything you believe in and live by is smashed to bits by circumstances?" That's the subject of Jeremiah. Peterson calls Jeremiah a "true, honest, and God-revealing companion for the worst of times."
- A picture is worth a thousand words:  God used visual images in chapter  1 to help communicate his message to Jeremiah (including a walking stick and a boiling pot).
- The bridegroom mourns:  The people traded God for cheap imitations. God felt like a bridegroom whose beloved bride walked out on him (Jeremiah 2:12-13).
- No more Ark:  The days of the Ark of the Covenant were over. "Jerusalem will be the new Ark," writes Jeremiah. Jerusalem will be "God's throne" (Jeremiah 3:17).
- God's Decree:  What does that mean? It appears over and over in this book. I checked a few sources. Here are the results: God's decree is "his purpose or determination in respect to future things." Another says God's decree is "his eternal purpose." A third says: God's decree is "the unfolding of circumstances and events that reveal God's will." Jeremiah was not just sharing God's thoughts or feelings or wishes, but what was going to happen. And God was gracious in sharing his feelings and explaining to the people why judgment was coming.

Elena's verse of the day:  I am God! I can be trusted. Your past troubles are gone; I no longer think of them...I alone am God who can be trusted" (Isaiah 65:16.

Isaiah 45 - 59: Black sheep & papooses

Isaiah is a loooonnnggg book! At this point, it seems to be veering away from pronouncements of judgment and instead there is a focus on Messianic prophecy and God's goodness.
- Not always obvious:  It's not always clear what God is doing. Sometimes we'll only understand years down the line. "You are a God who works behind the scenes" (Isaiah 45:15).
- Did you know you're a little papoose?  God said, through Isaiah, "I've been carrying you on my back from the day you were born" (Is. 46:3-4).
- Why was Israel chosen?  "I'm setting you up as a light for the nations so that my salvation becomes global" (Is 49:6). God's plan is for all people, not just the nation of Israel.
- A promise:  "The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard" (NKJV, Is 52:12).
- Love this:  God compared to a nursing mother in Is 49:15-16. A tender image.
- The man of sorrows: Chapter 53 is probably the most well known and powerful of the OT prophecies about the Messiah. In it, Jesus is called "The Servant."
- Black sheep:  Jesus loves sinners. "He took up the cause of all the black sheep" (Is. 53:12).
- Another promise:  "Salvation is just around the corner!" (Is 56)
- For all people:  "My house of worship will be known as a house of prayer for all people" (Is 56:6-8). Grace Cathedral in San Francisco is a beautiful Episcopal church and this verse in inscribed in the doorway.
- What matters to God? Is 58:6-9 spells it out.
- The armor of God:  This idea was not unique to the apostle Paul. Isaiah uses this image here, with Jesus donning the armor (Is 59:15-19). "He dressed in Righteousness, put it on like a suit of armor, with Salvation on his head like a helmet, put on Judgment like an overcoat, and threw a cloak of Passion across his shoulders."

Isaiah 30 - 44: Hovering eagle & shepherd with his lambs

More than anything else, Isaiah has impressed on me that God loves his people, and not only loves us, but longs for us.
- Wait, wait, wait:  "God takes the time to do everything right" (Isaiah 30:18). I've always heard that God's timing is best, and this verse helps to explain why. He waits and works and prepares so things are done right. The verse goes on to say that those who wait on him are "the lucky ones."
- Is anybody up there?  Sometimes we question God, especially when bad things are happening. Isaiah 31:1-3 calls him "a most wise God who knows what he's doing." Sometimes we need to be reminded that we don't always know why things are happening in a certain way or order or time frame, but God does. He knows what he's doing.
- Eagle hovering:  Love this image: "Like a huge eagle hovering in the sky, God-of-the-angel-Armies protects Jerusalem" (Is. 31:4-5). We are under his wings. He is hovering over us like a huge eagle. Love it!
- Big mistake:  King Hezekiah became boastful and proudly showed off all of his precious possession to the messengers for the king of Babylon. Big mistake. They later returned and plundered everything. Moral? Don't be a showoff.
- The shepherd:  Love the image of God gathering his lambs up in his arms (Is 40:9-11). What a gentle, tender image.
- Intelligent design:  God personally forms and makes each one of us (Is 43:5-7).

Elena's verse of the day:  "Please Lord be kind! We depend on you. Make us strong each morning...you are the foundation on which we stand today" (Isaiah 33:2,6)

Isaiah 13 - 29: Deadly ambition

 - Deadly ambition:  Isaiah offers a string of prophecies against evil nations, but Babylon is by far the worst, with the strongest prophecy against it. It's doomed, says chapter 13. The king of Babylon, who is censured here, is aligned with Lucifer/Satan, and sometimes this passage is read as being about Lucifer and his anti-God agenda.
- Satanic characteristics:

• Selfish ambition: "I'll climb to heaven"
• Thirst for power: "I'll set my throne over the stars of God"
• Defiance of God's authority: "I'll take over as king of the universe"
• Plan to take over God's job: "I'll run the assembly of angels"

- Results of this ungodly plan?  Oblivion, lack of honor or legacy, death, humiliation. "Flat on your face in the underworld mud, you, famous for flattening nations" (Isaiah 14:12).
- Current events:  An interesting note on Babylon today--it is associated with modern day Iraq. In fact, Saddam Hussein rebuilt a portion of the city of Babylon and held some festivals and ceremonies there.
- Peace:  I don't ever remember reading this before, but Isaiah 19 promises that on the Day of the Lord, that parts of Egypt and Assyria will turn to God and worship alongside Israel. God will love and accept them. Finally, long sought peace in the Middle East.

 
Elena's verse of the day:  "The Lord gives perfect peace to those whose faith is firm. So always trust the Lord because he is forever our mighty rock" (Isaiah 26:3-4).

Song of Solomon 5 - Isaiah 12: Romance & a secret garden

- This is romantic:  The Shulammite woman talking about her lover: "His words are kisses, his kisses words" (Song of Solomon 5:16).
- On to the prophets. Eugene Peterson notes that there were 16 writing prophets, and they have two main messages for Israel (and for us):

1. Accept judgment (it's from God, and it's for the best)
2. Open up to hope (a better Day is coming)

- Warning:  Peterson also warns us against accepting the ways of the world, because "it's assumptions, its values, its methods of going about its work--are never on the side of God. Never." The prophets are there to keep us straight.
- Outcasts:  The prophets were not popular, easygoing, or reasonable. They were not celebrities, they didn't fit into the dominant way of life, and they were not always easy to understand.
- A promise:  Someday God will assume "his full stature on the earth" (Isaiah 2).
- The secret garden:  Isaiah 5 describes Israel as God's private garden or vineyard that he tends carefully.
- A peek....inside God's throne room in Isaiah 6. This chapter always blows me away and fills me with awe, and some fear.
- Messianic prophecies:  In Isaiah 7, 9, and 11.
- Isaiah's wife...was a prophetess (chap 8). You go, Girl!
- Out of control fire:  The wicked were leading lives that raged like an out-of-control fire, turning "the people into consuming fires, consuming one another in their lusts" (Isaiah 9:18-21). What a horrendous image.
- I want that water!  On the Day of the Lord, "joyfully you'll pull up buckets of water from the wells of salvation" (Is 12:3-4). Love it!

Elena's verse of the day: "Love cannot be drowned by oceans or floods, it cannot be bought, no matter what is offered" (Song of Solomon 8:7)

Proverb 30 - Ecclesiastes - Song of Solomon 4: Two simple instructions

- She's a hard act to follow:  The Proverbs 31 woman is amazing. One thing I noticed today is that she is not insecure or stressed or guilt-ridden, like so many women. She knows who she is, why she does what she does, and she exudes confidence and quiet self-assurance. "She senses the worth of her work" (Proverbs 31:31).
- Futility:  Eugene Peterson notes that the book of Ecclesiastes, probably written by Solomon, doesn't say much about God. Instead, the writer's task "is to expose our total incapacity to find the meaning and completion of our lives on our own." And this was from the man who was the wisest, smartest, and richest man in the world.
- Profound:  "We work to feed our appetites; meanwhile our souls go hungry" (Ecclesiastes 6:7).
- God's work compared to a pregnancy:  "Just as you'll never understand the mystery of life forming in a pregnant woman, so you'll never understand the mystery at work in all that God does" (Ecc. 11:5). Some things are not meant to be understood. God's work? That's one of them.
- Two simple instructions from the wisest man who ever lived:

1. Fear God
2. Do what he tells you

- For every woman reading this:  "You're beautiful from head to toe, my dear love, beautiful beyond compare, absolutely flawless" (Song of Solomon 4:6-7).

Elena's verse of the day:  "A very little food eaten in peace is better than twice as much earned from overwork and chasing the wind" (Eccl 4:6).

Proverbs 15 - 29: Silver hair an award?

- Simple but profound:  "A simple life in the Fear-of-God is better than a rich life with a ton of headaches" (Proverb 15:16).
- A word for the hotheaded:  "Hot tempers start fights; a calm, cool spirit keeps the peace" (Proverb 15:33).
- School of wisdom:  Notice the order! "First you learn humility, then you experience glory" (Proverb 15:33). And it all comes from the fear of God.
- How to be successful:  "Put God in charge of your work then what you've planned will take place" (Proverb 16:3).
- Silver strands:  I love this verse. Since chemo, I've had to contend with gray hair because I'm not supposed to color it for awhile. I think I'm starting to like it, and this verse helps. "Gray hair is a mark of distinction, the award for a God-loyal life" (Proveb 16:31). I've never thought of gray hair as an award. I like it.
- The power of words:  "Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit--you choose" (Proverb 18:21).

Elena's verse of the day:  "We humans make plans but the Lord has the final word. Share your plans with the Lord and you will succeed" (Proverb 16:1,3)

Psalm 144 - Proverb 14: Flourishing tree or dead stump?

- Encouragement:  "God gives a fresh start to those ready to quit" (Psalm 145:14).
- Shepherd of the stars:  "He counts the stars and assigns each a name" (Psalm 147:26).
- Do animals know there's a God?  Love this one: "let every living, breathing creature praise God!" (Psalm 150:6).
- I'm ready for wisdom.  Eugene Peterson writes that "wisdom is the art of living skillfully in whwatever actual conditions we find ourselves." Writers of the Proverbs include Solomon, Hezekiah, Agur (an Arab), and Lemuel (another non-Israelite). I love that God's love and wisdom were already reaching out beyond Israel. God's plan for his people includes the Gentiles, too, and that's so clear from early on.
- Want wisdom?  "Those who look for me find me" (Proverb 8:12-21).
- Tree or stump?  "A God-shaped life is a flourishing tree...a life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump" (Proverb 11:28).
- Teach me:  "Fools are headstrong and do what they life; wise people take advice" (Proverb 12:15).
- A last promise:  "The homes of good people hold together" (Proverb 12:7).

Psalm 113 - 143: A free and full life

- Giving back:  A psalmist wrote, "What can I give back to God for the blessings he's poured out on me?"

• "Lift high the cup of salvation--a toast to God"
• "I'll pray in the name of God"
• "I'll complete what I promised God I'd do"...AND
• "I'll do it together with his people" (Psalm 116:9-11)

- Small but mighty.  Loved Psalm 117. It was only 5 lines!
- "A free and full life" -- it only comes from living God's way, but I want it (Psalm 118:21-25).
- The race:  "I'll run the course you lay out for me if you'll just show me how" (Psalm 119:32)
- Workin' your fingers to the bone?  "God enjoys giving reset to those he loves" (Psalm 127:1-2)
- The blessing:  "Children are God's best gift" (Psalm 127:3). Thank you, God, for two of them.
- My goal:  "My life a prayer" (Psalm 130:3)
- You are precious:  We are God's "prized possession" (Psalm 135:4). The Psalmist describes Israel this way, but through Christ we are adopted into God's family and we can enjoy the promises he made to his beloved people of Israel.
- Remember this next time you pray:  "Angels listen as I sing my thanks" (Psalm 138:1-3).
- Why David was a man after God's heart:  "I only have eyes for you," David wrote to God (Psalm 141:8). Pure and simple, David was in love with God.


Elena's verse of the day:  "You are my God. Show me what you want me to do, and let your gentle Spirit lead me in the right path" (Psalm 143:10).

Halfway there

Tomorrow we are half done! It's all downhill from here, my friends. See you at the bottom!!!!

Psalm 89 - 112: Mud people & Mountain biking

Reading through the Psalms this quickly is like a mountain bike ride. We sweated through the hard hill climb over the rocks and ditches in the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles. Now we're on the downhill portion--it's exhilarating and like going to some crazy turbo-filled multi-day worship service. Loving it!
- Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day:  Have you ever had a day like this? Psalm 102 has this title in the Message version: "A Prayer of One Whose Life is falling to Pieces, and Who Lets God Know Just How Bad It Is."
- Mud people:  God as a parent:  "As parents feel for their children, God feels for those who fear him. He knows us inside and out, keep in mind that we're made of mud" (Psalm 103:6-18). I don't know if you've ever read anything by Tosca Lee, but she's a historical novelist and her books are amazing. Her novel Demon: A Memoir, is the story of Clayton, "an editor who has just been hired to author a memoir for Lucian, a demon with an extraordinary story to share. The fallen angel chronicles a life of heavenly bliss and rebellion, human creation and salvation, and God's relentless pursuit of mankind" (from the Amazon.com description). Lucian calls humans "mud people." Her book came to mind when I read this passage in Psalm 103 today. (Note: She has another great book about Eve called Havah, and she's at work on a book about Judas. Can't wait for that one!)
- The secret to a good life:  "The Good Life begins in the fear of God" (Psalm 111).

Elena's verse of the day:  "With all my heart I praise the Lord, and with all I am I praise his holy name! I will never forget how kind he has been" (Psalm 103:1-2).

Psalms 66 - 88: Cloud-Rider and Granite Fortress

- Talking trees:  The Psalms portray the earth as actively worshipping God, along with all of Creation, including animals and trees. "You heavens, praise him, praise him, earth; Also ocean and all things that swim in it" (Psalm 69:34). Passages like this remind me of Narnia, CS Lewis' imaginary land where the animals talked and the forests were alive. Perhaps this is what God intended before the Fall?
- Freedom:  "He opens a place in his heart for the down-and-out, he restore the wretched of the earth. He frees them from tyranny and torture--when they bleed, he bleeds" (Psalm 72:9-14).
- God-images:  Not all of the Psalms are by David, but I am finding that the most powerful and unique God-images are David's. Here are some more of his creative and poetic names/metaphors for God (in The Message version):

• Cloud-Rider
• Father of Orphans
• Champion of Widows
• Sky-Rider
• A Guest Room Where I Can Retreat
• My Vast, Granite Fortress
• My Bedrock
• Holy One of Israel
• My Home

Elena's verse of the day:  "We will always praise your glorious name. Let your glory be seen everywhere on earth. Amen and amen" (Psalm 72:19).

Psalms 36 - 65: Earth-Tamer and Ocean-Pourer

The Psalms cover the gamut of human emotion, from joy and happiness to fear, death, and despair. Part of the message of the Psalms is that we can be honest with God and tell him everything we think and feel. Nothing is off limits!
- A hiding place:  "God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him" (Psalm 46:1).
- Don't neglect to share your story:  "Tell the next generation detail by detail the story of God" (Psalm 48:12-14).
- Sorry, Donald Trump:  "Don't be impressed by those who get rich and pile up fame and fortune--They can't take it with them; fame and fortune all get left behind" (Psalm 49:16-19).
- You hear me when I cry:  "Ever tear entered in your ledger" (Psalm 56:8)
- First love:  "God the one and only--I'll wait as long as he says. Everything I need comes from him" (Psalm 62:1-2).
- David comes up with poetic names for God:

• Earth-Tamer
• Ocean-Pourer
• Mount-Maker
• Hill-Dresser
• Muzzler of Sea Storm and Wave Crash

Elena's verse of the day:  "Trust God, my friends, and always tell him each of your concerns. God is our place of safety" (Psalm 62:8).

Psalm 7 - 35: Better than red, ripe strawberries

Like a cool and calm oasis in the middle of a dry and deadly desert, the Psalms are so refreshing and energizing. While the saga of King David's life in 2 Samuel and 1 Kings revealed many of his shortcomings (he was guilty of adultery, murder, and negligent parenting), the Psalms reveal a man who was unabashedly in love with God.
- Hope for the hopeless:  "I dare to believe that the luckless will get luck someday in you. You won't let them down: orphans won't be orphans forever" (Psalm 10:14).
- More:  "God takes the side of victims" (Psalm 14:5-6).
- Love song:  "My choice is you, God, first and only. And now I find I'm your choice" (Psalm 16:5-6).
- Rewrites allowed:  "God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes" (Psalm 18:24).
- The road:  "What a God! His road stretches straight and smooth. Every God-direction is road-tested. Everyone who runs toward him makes it" (Psalm 18:30). This is a great question for each day: Am I running toward God? Or away from him?
- Mouthwatering:  "God's Word is better than red, ripe strawberries" (Psalm 19:10). I had a few sweet Trader Joe's strawberries for breakfast. They were delicious. And so was God's Word.
- David's relationship to God he summed up like this:  "God-friendship" (Psalm 25:14).
- About to burst:  "I'm about to burst with song; I can't keep quiet about you. God, my God, I can't thank you enough" (Psalm 30:12).
- True religion:  "I hate all this silly religion, but you, God, I trust" (Psalm 31:6).


Elena's verse of the day:  "What the Lord has planned will stand forever. His thoughts never change" (Psalm 33:11).

Job 28 - Psalm 6: You chew on Scripture day & night

When God finally answers Job, his words are stunning--strong, powerful, beautiful. The imagery of the horse, the leviathan (a huge sea creature that belches fire), the stockpiles of hail and snow, the boundaries set for the seas, the herds of stars--wow, just wow. Stunning.
- Shut up and listen:  Job responded in two ways, first by deciding to shut up and listen (Job 40:3-5), and next by acknowledging God's sovereignty and his own weakness and limitations (Job 42:1-6). I have a lot to learn from Job about listening to God. I do think God honored Job's honesty and his questions by giving Job an audience and by responding personally.
- Job taking a stand:  When God restored Job's health, family, and possessions (two-fold), I noticed that the passage notes that Job treated his daughters (named Dove, Cinnamon, and Darkeyes) the same as his sons and gave them the same inheritance (Job 42:12-15). In a time where women were treated as property, this godly man took a stand and showed that men and women are equally valuable in God's eyes. Love this.
On to the Psalms!
- Love songs:  Like a fresh breeze come the Psalms. After eons of battles, sin, evil, and judgment come love songs and poetry written to God. Last night Jim Sweetman mentioned that the book of Psalms encompasses over 1000 years. Here are a couple of passages from the Psalms that stood out to me today:

• "You thrill to God's Word, you chew on Scripture day and night. You're a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month, never dropping a leaf, always in blossom" (Psalm 1:2-3).
• "But you, God, shield me on all sides; You ground my feet, You lift my head high" (Psalm 3:3-4).

Elena's verse of the day:  "I heard about your from others; now I have seen you with my own eyes" (Job 42:5).

Why isn't the Bible in chronological order?

I started wondering why the books of the Bible are not in chronological order (ordered according to the date of the events in each book took place) when I realized that the events of Esther took place before Ezra and Nehemiah. Why didn't the compilers of the canon put the book of Esther first? I found this answer on a website called Got Questions.org.

The books of the Bible are primarily divided by the type of literature. For example, Genesis through Esther are primarily historical, Job through Song of Solomon are poetry, Isaiah through Malachi are prophecy. Similarly, Matthew through Acts are historical, Romans through Jude are letters to churches or individuals, Revelation is prophecy. Within the type of literature, the books of the Bible are in basic chronological order. For example, Isaiah's prophecies occurred before Jeremiah's prophesies.

It can be confusing. That is why chronological Bibles can come in so handy. A chronological Bible actually puts the content of the Bible in chronological order. As an example, Isaiah ministered during the times of the kings. So, a chronological Bible puts Isaiah’s prophecies in the appropriate place in the books of 1 and 2 Kings. A chronological Bible also takes the four Gospels and attempts to put all of the events in order.

(from http://www.gotquestions.org/chronological-Bible.html)

Job 6 - 27: Is it okay to question God?

Out of order:  Job was a wealthy desert sheikh who lived during the times of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (Not sure why the book of Job appears in this spot, when chronologically it belongs further back. Same with Esther--which belongs before Ezra & Nehemiah chronologically. I'll see if I can find an answer to this.)

Testing, testing:  Job underwent two divine tests: 1) His possessions, wealth, and children were taken away from him. 2) His health was destroyed. Everyone pretty much abandoned him, even his own servants who found him disgusting (he had weeping boils from head to toe). However, several friends came to visit. At first they seem sympathetic, but before long they accuse him of everything under the sun and even begin to mock him.
Questioning God:  Job decides to lay everything out on the table before God (Job 7). He makes several requests of God and begins to ask him questions (Job 14). I can relate to Job. Can you? Do you ever wonder these things or make these requests to God? Job was honest, painfully honest.

• Lay off the afflictions...they are too much for me.
• Address me directly. I need answers! 
• What are my sins (that you would punish me so)?
• If we humans die, will we live again? Will there be a Resurrection? 
• Why do the wicked prosper? Why do good people suffer? (Job 21)

Elena's verse of the day:  "You, the source of my life, showered me with kindness and watched over me. You have not explained all of your mysteries" (Job 10:12-13).

Nehemiah 12 - Esther - Job 5: Queen of Persia

- Righteous reforms:  Nehemiah seemed to have an amazing knack for leadership and administration. He instituted all sorts of reforms in Israel after he finished rebuilding the wall and the temple, including reforms in worship, sacrifices, Sabbath practices, tithes, and more. He was organized and a great record keeper, and as a leader he seemed to inspire loyalty and a spirit of teamwork among the Israelites and the Levites, including Ezra the scholar.
- Queen of Persia:  The book of Esther is my favorite book in the Bible. The way the story plays out, the timing and the details, reveal a God who works in the large and the small events of history (aka Providence). One interesting historical note:  The events of Esther took place a few decades before the events of Ezra and Nehemiah, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
- It's cool to be a Jew:  Esther tells the story of evil Haman and his plot to exterminate the entire Israelite race. His plan to destroy the Jews backfired in so many ways, including one I never noticed before--it became cool to be a Jew. "Many non-Jews became Jews--not it was dangerous not to be a Jew" (Esther 8:15-17). When Mordecai, Esther's cousin, was honored and promoted to second in command of Persia, there was great celebration and laughter. In a breathtaking turn of events, Mordecai was given Haman's position, estate, and wealth. Mordecai was brilliant and wise, Scripture says.
- Esther's heroism still celebrated today:  The Jews still celebrate Purim in honor of the events of Esther.It's called the Feast of Esther or the Festival of Lots.Purim this year was held Feb 28 - March 1. I decided to do some research--here's how Purim is currently celebrated, according to a website called "BeingJewish.com":

• The night of Purim we read the Book of Esther in the synagogue immediately after the nighttime prayers. Each time the name of Haman (the bad guy) is mentioned, we make noises, stomp, yell, that sort of thing. We call this practice Klopping Haman -- "Hitting Haman." It is done to remember the commandment of "You shall blot out the name of Amalek." (Haman was an Amalekite, and that was his real motive for hating Jews. It was an "inherited" racism.)
• Afterwards, we go home and eat a festive meal. The custom today is to visit one's Rabbis or anyone who has taught you Judaism lessons. In many places people (often students in a yeshivah) put on plays, usually funny plays, but not always. In general, the theme is fun and happiness. A lot of singing and dancing goes on, but it is forbidden to act wild or dangerous. This happiness is a requirement by Law, except for people who are, G-d forbid, in mourning.
• The next morning, after the morning prayers, we read the Book of Esther again, doing the same thing at the evil Haman's name. Afterwards, we eat a festive breakfast meal, and begin the day's other observances. The day's obligatory services constitute a number of things, including the giving of charity to at least two poor people. This is called Matanos lo'evyonim. It is a requirement and an obligation, and one of the Commandments we are required to fulfill on the day of Purim.
• The Law, however, is that we should give to anyone who asks, and we pray that G-d do likewise to us, to give us whatever we ask just for asking. It is known that Purim is the best day for raising charity, because everyone gives what they can and often more.
• Also among the day's obligatory services is the requirement to give at least one friend two food items that are already prepared and are ready to be eaten. This is called Shalach Manos (though to be grammatically correct it should be called Mishlo'ach Manos, but few people bother with grammar these days, so never mind).
• You can read about these in the Megillah, the Book of Esther, Chapter 9, verse 22: "...as the days on which the Jews gained relief from their enemies, and the month which had been transformed for them from one of sorrow to gladness, and from mourning to festivity. They were to observe them as days of feasting and gladness, and for sending delicacies to one another, and gifts to poor people."
• We celebrate by having joy and happiness. That's why we make plays, that's why we spend the day in never-ending singing and dancing, going around giving our friends and relatives baskets of goodies and sweets, dressing in costumes, cracking jokes, getting tipsy, giving charity, things like that.
• The primary Festive Purim Meal is eaten in the late afternoon on Purim, after Minchah (the afternoon prayer). One must eat bread (washing as Jewish Law dictates), at least one cooked food, and drink at least one cup of wine. We call this the Purim Seudah.
• The drinking of wine is significant, because many of the events of Purim happened through wine. Ahasueraus got drunk and killed Vashti, paving the way for Esther to be made queen. Esther gave wine to King Ahasueraus and lowered his defenses, which resulted in his killing Haman. Thus the Megillah tells us that we should celebrate by "feasting." The Hebrew words for "feasting" means bread, cooked food, and drinking wine. The Talmud therefore tells us to drink on Purim "more wine than we usually do."
• During this meal, it is customary to begin the study of the Laws of Passover, which is just one month away.
• The day before Purim, the Fast of Esther, we do not eat from morning until after hearing the Megillah at night, because of the fast that Esther ordained.
• At the afternoon service before Purim it is customary to give three coins (preferably silver, and preferably coins with the number ½ on them) to charity in memory of the three "half-shekels" given to the Temple. In many synagogues the coins are provided as loans. We donate one-and-a-half dollars to the synagogue, to purchase the coins. We then pick up the silver coins so that we can take possession of them, and then donate them back to the synagogue. This is called Mach'tzis Hashekel, The "Half-Shekel."
• It is correct not to engage in business or go to work on Purim, if this is possible.
• Before and during Purim we wish each other "ah fraylechin Purim" -- a joyful Purim.

Elena's verse of the day:  "Remember the time when our sorrow was turned to joy and celebration took the place of crying...." (Esther 9:22).