Rumination Journal

One of the Pharisees, a man named Simon, invited Jesus to dine with him at his home. And He reclined at table with other guests. Now, there was a woman in that town who had made a lifetime of bad choices. But she learned that Jesus was dining at Simon's house. So, she went there with an alabaster jar of perfume. Moving to the table, she stood behind Jesus, at His feet, weeping. She wet His feet with her tears and wiped His feet with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume. When the host saw this, he thought, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching Him, what kind of woman she is, and the things she has done." Jesus said, "Simon, I have something to say." Simon replied, "Say it, teacher." "Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed five hundred silver pieces, and the other owed fifty. Neither of them could pay their debt, so the moneylender forgave both debts. Now, which of the two would...

God spoke to the prophet Jeremiah. He said, "Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message."  So, Jeremiah went there and saw the potter working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay became flawed in his hands. So, he formed it into another pot, shaping it as it seemed best to him.  Then God said to Jeremiah, "Israel, I am like the potter. You are clay in my hand. At any time I can uproot a nation, tear it down and destroy it. But if that nation I warned turns from evil, then I will relent from the disaster I had planned. And If I establish a nation, and it does evil and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I intended for it." Like Israel and the other nations of the world, our lives are clay in God's hands. God wants to shape us into something He can use. And even if we resist God and we mess up His work, God can start again. And with His love and care, and our willingness, He can make us into something be...

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. This will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones. --Proverbs 3:5‭-‬8 -

“Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying. No one should seek his own good, but the good of others. --1 Corinthians 10:23‭-‬24 -

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. --Romans 15:13 -

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. --Philippians 4:6‭-‬7 -

Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.” --John 4:13‭-‬14 -

Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always consigned to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. --2 Corinthians 4:7‭-‬12 -

Because of the loving devotion of the Lord we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! --Lamentations 3:22‭-‬23 -

With what shall I come before the Lord when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? Would the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? --Micah 6:6‭-‬8 -

Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to the family of faith. --Galatians 6:9‭-‬10 -

Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. --Galatians 6:2 -

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. --Galatians 5:22‭-‬23 -

Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. --Romans 14:13 -

Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without complaining. As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another. If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God. If anyone serves, he should serve with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. --1 Peter 4:8‭-‬11 -

Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you harmony with one another in Christ Jesus, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring glory to God. --Romans 15:5‭-‬7 -

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to test and prove what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. --Philippians 1:9‭-‬11 -