A Blessing of the Word

Something I did not plan was the way the Scripture opened to certain passages in the last few days.  While I am not one of those who advocates opening the Scripture in a random manner to read whatever page shows up, this week reading the Word has sorta had that kind of feeling.  The first passage was I Chronicles 29:14 which sent me reading the sections of Scripture around the verse.  It is a story of torch passing as a very old David gathers an offering for the building of the Temple and then passes the collection as well as the Kingdom to Solomon.  Old worn out retired preachers like myself pray we have been faithful in passing the torch. 

The second was an Old Testament lectionary reading for this past Sunday which was Baptism of the Lord Sunday.  I had read Isaiah 55 many times over the years on this annual day of celebrating baptism, but this year it was like I had missed reading it for a life time.  About the time I was reading the Word, I heard a Catholic choir singing "Come to the Water" and as I put the Word and the hymn together, it was overwhelming.  The Choir certainly gave a new perspective and a new blessing to a very familiar passage of Scripture.   

The third Word which showed up via what I have come to see as the Spirit's work was from II Timothy.  It is that Word early in the first chapter which brings to mind how our own faith is connected to the faith of the generational family which has gone before us.  I am always amazed at the strong faith of my mother whose life was filled with times of hard difficulties I know about, but cannot really imagine.  But, she went through them and she planted in my sister and me a seed of faith that has grown into something that most likely resembles the prayers she prayed for us.  I am grateful for these Words this week.  Each has been a blessing from the Spirit.