Category: CONNECT THE TESTAMENTS

  • PATIENTLY WAITING

    Connect The TestamentsLeviticus 20:1-22:33; John 9:35-41; SONG OF SOLOMON 8:1-5 Delayed gratification is a foreign concept to our natural instincts. Our culture doesn’t encourage patience or contentment; we would prefer to have our desires met the moment they arise. The woman in Song of Solomon tells us that she is delighted in her beloved. She…

  • THE FEAR

    Connect The TestamentsLeviticus 17:1-19:37; John 9:13-34; Song of Solomon 7:10-13 We often don’t realize that we’re guilty of fearing others. At the time, it can feel definite and look legitimate. Fearing others can also take the form of a meticulous house, staying late at the office, or passing anxious, sleepless nights. When we hold someone…

  • THE DAY OF ATONEMENT

    Connect The TestamentsLeviticus 15-16; John 9:1-12; Song of Solomon 7:5-9 When it comes to the cost of sin, the average person probably thinks in terms of “What can I get away with?” rather than “What does this cost me and other people emotionally?” These calculations aren’t made in terms of life and death, but that…

  • FREEDOM

    Connect The TestamentsLeviticus 14; John 8:31-59; Song of Solomon 7:1-4 “Even though I know it’s wrong, I sometimes think, ‘If I hadn’t accepted Christ, I would have so much more freedom.’ And then I venture down that road and realize just how terrible it is. It takes me to a very dark place.” This deep,…

  • GRACE AMONG THE GRAPHIC

    Connect The TestamentsLeviticus 9-11; John 7:53-8:11; Song of Solomon 6:6-10 “Then he slaughtered the burnt offering, and Aaron’s sons brought the blood to him, and he sprinkled it on the altar all around; and they brought the burnt offering to him by its pieces, as well as the head, and he burned them on the…

  • DANGER IN THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE

    Connect the TestamentsLeviticus 7:1-8:36; John 7:45-52; Song of Solomon 6:1-5 Leadership is like a bright spotlight; when the heat intensifies, it’s difficult to conceal the areas where we fail. But that’s where true character is revealed. The Pharisees didn’t fare well with the pressure of authority. We can see why Jesus had such compassion for…

  • ANCIENT WORDS, FUTURE HOPE

    Connect The TestamentsLeviticus 4:1-6:30; John 7:14-44; Song of Solomon 5:13-16 Atonement is appealing because we all have relationships we wish we could reconcile. The 12-step program involves forgiving and forging renewed relationships when possible. But the story with God is different. There’s an acute awareness that we can’t fix things with our Creator; we need…

  • DWELLING IN THE WILDERNESS

    Connect The TestamentsLeviticus 1-3; John 7:1-13; Song of Solomon 6:1-5 The book of Leviticus can feel distant, abstract, and even absurd. Its opening chapters discuss odd offerings made at the tent of meeting, where God met His people when they were wandering in the wilderness after the exodus. Yet, the book signals an appreciation for…

  • FINDING SUSTAINMENT

    Connect The TestamentsExodus 39:1-40:38; John 6:52-71; SONG OF SOLOMON 5:5-9 Following Jesus isn’t like developing a crisis-aversion system. So often, it’s tempting to treat our faith in this way—relying on Him when things get tough or when others expect us to do so. But He wants us to rely on Him continually. After Jesus miraculously…

  • WIT, WORDPLAY AND EUPHEMISM

    Connect The TestamentsExodus 37-38; John 6:25-51; Song of Solomon 5:1-4 The Bible is a passionate book. It’s about a God who is impassioned for His people and who ultimately sends His Son to die for them so that they can be saved from themselves. And it also portrays the passion seen in romantic love. Song…