Category: Rebecca Noord

  • LONGING FOR THE IDEAL

    Connect The TestamentsExodus 24:1-25:40; John 4:43-54; Song of Solomon 3:3-5 Pastors avoid or over-interpret it. We’re often confused by it. But the Song of Solomon is in our Bible. Although we might stumble over the imagery (comparing a woman to a mare would hardly go down well in the modern world), we can’t help but…

  • SPEAKING UP

    Connect The TestamentsExodus 21:1-23:33; John 4:27-42; Song of Solomon 3:1-2 Because we convince ourselves that people won’t accept our testimony about God’s work in our lives, we’re not usually ready to share it. We might prejudge their reactions or simply lack confidence. Soon, staying silent becomes a way of life. We become accustomed to the…

  • STUDENT OR SCHOLAR

    Connect The TestamentsExodus 14:1-15:27; John 3:1-21; Song of Solomon 2:4-7 Sometimes we approach God with curiosity, but not with a spirit of humility. We enjoy participating in religious discussions, but forging the link between interpretation and application is difficult for us. We have certain expectations of who He should be for us, but we don’t…

  • WHAT TYPE OF SAVIOR?

    Connect The TestamentsExodus 9:1-10:29; John 2:1-12; Song of Solomon 1:15-17 It’s tempting to operate life on our own terms and only call on God when we hit a crisis. If we’re not busy studying how God has worked in the past and relying on the work of the Spirit in our lives, we can easily…

  • DISCIPLINE

    Connect The TestamentsGenesis 49-50; Hebrews 12-13; Ecclesiastes 12:9-14 I was a stubborn child. When disciplined by my parents, I would sulk for hours afterward. I didn’t see discipline from my parents’ perspective—as something that would mold me into a mature, loving person. Hebrews 12 has a lesson for people like me with a history of…

  • A LITTLE FOLLY

    Connect The TestamentsGenesis 42:29-43:34; Hebrews 5:11-7:28; Ecclesiastes 10:10-20 Like dead flies in perfumer’s oil, the writer of Ecclesiastes aptly proclaims that a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. Sometimes fools are elevated to positions of power, while those who are fit for the position are given no influence. The Preacher says, “I have seen slaves…

  • UNDUE FAVOR

    Connect The TestamentsGenesis 38-39; Matthew 27:32-28:20; Ecclesiastes 9:7-10 Genesis 38 interrupts the climax of the Joseph narrative with another tale: Judah and Tamar. Switching protagonists is surprising enough, but the tale itself shocks us. We’re hardly given time to process the strange cultural practices of the ancient Near East, prostitution, deception, and the sudden death…

  • PRIDE IN DISGUISE

    Connect The Testaments Sometimes recognizing our sin for what it is can throw us into deep shame. In Matthew, we find that two of Jesus’ disciples experience this moment of remorse—Judas after he betrays Jesus, and Peter when he denies Jesus. From their responses, we learn what true repentance looks like. Judas is remorseful when…

  • BE VIGILANT

    Connect The TestamentsGenesis 35:16-36:43; Matthew 26:14-56; Ecclesiastes 8:10-17 Faith doesn’t always come to bear until we are faced with our own fallibility. When we “enter into temptation,” it often means we haven’t been vigilant—that we’ve stopped pursuing the God who has pursued us. In the aftermath of temptation, we recognize our spiritual laziness. We become…

  • WHILE YOU ARE WAITING

    Connect The TestamentsGenesis 32-33; Matthew 24:29-25:13; Ecclesiastes 7:22-29 Jesus’ instructions to His disciples about His return have inspired many to incorrectly predict His second coming. But if we read His parables, we find that they’re not so focused on the future. Jesus prepares His disciples for His absence, and for the end times, because He…