Modern Translations

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 72: Today, I am grateful for "modern translations."

Imagine reading and learning from the Torah as a "modern person" in 33 A.D.? Think about how English has changed from the 1600's to 2026. Perhaps with the mass availability of the written word, it changes even faster. There are precious ancient texts that can be lost if we do not learn how to read them and preserve them. As our country turns 250, our founding documents are not as easy to read as they once were, but they are no less important.

Jewish children still prepare for their bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah with Hebrew lessons. They read from the Torah in their service and celebration. It is pretty special to see. Imagine reading it as their ancestors did a thousand years ago. In the USA, we are big on memorization through VBS or Wednesday night programs. When I led teens at church, we would choose a life verse at the beginning of the new school year. Some of those are still so dear to my heart and hearing what the teens chose each year.

I started my life learning from the Kings James Version of the Bible, but the New International Version changed my ability to read and understand God's word. Today, the NLT and ESV compete as my favorites, but my childhood memory verses are still in my head the way I learned them. One, in particular, I never truly understood until a modern translation (Romans 12:1 in KJV). As an adult is one that I treasure having written on my heart.

This was my lent verse for today:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. -Proverbs 3:5-6

It made me think of a more "modern" interpretation from King David to Paul. His letters to the Roman church often brought Old Testament passages to life and into clarity. Read Psalm 22 and 23. With the crucifixion and resurrection in the rearview mirror, how different they read. This passage has the same heartbeat as Proverbs 3:5-6.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.-Romans 8:28

I know some translations are better than others. I encourage looking at many when a passage is confusing then seeking out the original Hebrew and Greek (blueletterbible.org). It is like a treasure hunt for word lovers.

Have an amazing day.

Today, I am grateful for "modern translations."

Protection

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 71: Today, I am grateful for protection.

So many checked in yesterday to see if my family was fine. This video was shared by my niece from a storm chaser, filmed 11 miles from their home. It is where we go to shop when we "run to the store" or if we head into Kankakee for any purpose. I am posting this partially to remember it in years to come. Wow! Nature's fury!

Our family is all safe. Many on the Lindgren and Bess sides had hail damage, but all are safe.

My Lent 23 scripture is:

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. -1 John 4:9

The things of this earth are subject to the elements in nature and man's careless ways. I am truly grateful for the his hand of protection in the storms of life. So far, the Kankakee area has reported no deaths which has been shocking due to the storm's intensity. 

Today, I am grateful for protection.

Straight Paths

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 70: Today, I am grateful for straight paths.

A dear friend once pointed out that when scripture talks about the "straight path" we often think of it being limiting and restricting... or "no fun." The author of lies loves this one (he gets no capitals in his name). We buy into it. The straight path is not boring, it is the shortest distance between two places, unless the road has other dangers. The straight path cuts time off of the journey. 

The straight path is often more traveled. Company on the journey means we can encourage each other. We are stronger together. 

Lent Day 22: "So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong. " -Hebrews 12:12-13 NLT

This scripture is one I need to let "brew" a little more. He"brews" is good for that. 

Today, I am grateful for straight paths.

The Daily Things

 

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 69: Today, I am grateful for the daily things. 

There is a comfort and a familiarity in the ordinary, daily things that surround us. Life has extraordinary moments, but most of our days are filled with daily things. It is the daily things that make up and take up much of our time. It is where much of our life is lived. 

The Lent passage for Day 21 targets the importance of submission and obedience in the "not my will, but Thy will be done." Whatever the day may bring, there is a clear reminder to walk the walk daily. 

 "Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me." -Luke 9:23

For those devoted to exercise, it is not a once a week thing. It is 5-6 days a week with a couple days of rest. It is in the daily practice of something that it becomes familiar and an almost natural response. It becomes a way of living.

For those devoted to sports, reading, art, music, or anything else that sparks our passion, it is a daily pursuit that is done with joy. We find ways to fit it into our days. Jesus reminded us that it is our daily things that reflect if he is someone we like or love, or if he is truly Lord. 

Someone once said, "If he isn't Lord of everything, he isn't Lord at all." 

Today, I am grateful for the daily things.

 

Walk by Faith

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 68: Today, I am grateful we can walk by faith.  

We cannot see gravity, but we know it is real. We cannot see all of the germs on our hands that could make us sick, but we know that soap and water can help us avoid illness. We cannot see love, but we live in it every day. We cannot see the wind, but we know its power. 

We cannot see in the dark, but we can wander through familiar spaces without a light at night... until someone leaves an unknown obstacle in our path. That can be an unfriendly surprise. 

This is my scripture for day 20 of Lent:

"For we live by believing and not by seeing." -2 Corinthians 5:7

Our Heavenly Father delights in our trust. Jesus is "The Way"; he made a way for us to be redeemed, reconciled, and ready to for eternity. He is our hope and the Holy Spirit our comforter as we walk in faith. 

The world thinks faith is foolish, as the enemy puts up blinders. The enemy thrives on confusion. We can walk by faith, not by sight. He will lead us through the darkest days. We can walk in peace when our hope is certain of the things we do not see. 

Today, I am grateful we can walk by faith.  

Commitment

 Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 67: Today, I am grateful for commitment. 

The phrase "Commit your way to the Lord." is familiar, but what does that mean? We live in a world where commitments are often fractured and broken. Is commitment still valuable? Does it matter?

There are times it helps me to grab another translation for the sake of different eyes on a familiar piece of scripture. "The Message" has a way of bringing the scriptures to life in modern day language. I don't use it for deep study, but it is perfect for taking hard, timeless, or unclear language and wrapping it up in a ribbon for easy understanding and sharing. That happened today. 

Many of us know this passage in multiple translations. But what does "commit your way" look like in everyday living?

"Put God in charge of your work, then what you’ve planned will take place." -Proverbs 16:3 (MSG)

We are not to just simply ask him to bless our path and our journey. We are to invite him to be our tour guide from start to finish. Let him set the itinerary, the stopping points, the rest stops, and arrival time. It is okay to have ideas and make plans, but we must present them as an offering for daily living to find the depth of the joy He longs to bring to our ordinary days.

He is committed. Are we? 

Today, I am grateful for commitment. 

The Joy Response

Daily Gratitude- Year 14 - Day 66: Today, I am grateful for the joy response.

Joy is a response; joy is a choice.

Joy can be a surprise. There are unexpected moments in life when joy is instant or so deep it is hard to put into words. Holding your newborn baby is one of them. The miracle of it all is indescribable.  

There are other times, when joy arrives by invitation...by choice. When life gets hard, we can choose joy. When a situation feels hard and unrelentless, we can still choose joy. 

I spent some time praying on today's scripture. 

Lent Day 18 Scripture: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field." -Matthew 13:44 (NLT)

Once he found the treasure, it was his "one thing." He would do anything to obtain it. His other belongings became meaningless. He sold everything to obtain the one thing that was most precious. He held nothing back with no regrets. He understood the cost, but it was worth the price. He came face to face with the God who clearly commands, "You shall have no other gods before me." None... just One. 

The man did not miss the burden of the things he gave up for the one perfect prize. He had discovered one that was better than the rest. 

The parable attempts to explain the reciprocal and paradoxical truth that giving up everything unlocks abundant life in Christ. It is humbling to realize that our wandering, wayward souls are the very thing that the God of the universe deemed worthy of His greatest sacrifice. Enough so that He took on human skin for the rescue mission and the sin sacrifice. 

How can we not be joyful?

Today, I am grateful for the joy response.