Tag Archive: bible reading


On Reading, Paul, and Johnny Weir

Filed Under: God, Random by timpaik — 2 Comments
January 6, 2011

I don’t think this whole public writing thing is working.  It makes me afraid to write things that I really want to write and read later someday…so I think I’m just going to write the chapters here.  Hopefully the reading will come out in the rest of my life and my writing anyway.  Meditating on the Law day and night, right?

Matthew 2, Genesis 2, Romans 2, 1 Thessalonians 2, Job 2

…

Random thoughts:

  • It’s really cool to see the connection between the OT and Jesus in Matthew.  I just forget sometimes.  Hopefully this Bible-reading plan will help me see more.
  • I think the biggest lesson I ever learned from Job is in Job 2.  Sometimes, the best thing to do when your buddy’s going through a hard time is to sit there and shut up.

…

A bigger thought that I should be afraid to write down publicly, but…well, I’ve talked to James about this before, so let me see what you guys think.

I know every word in the Bible’s inspired by God…but when I read it, I get the feeling that I’d like certain writers more than I would others.  I feel like I’d really like John.  I think I’d like Peter and the author of Hebrews.  I think I’d appreciate a straight talker like James. But then I get to Paul and…well…honestly, I don’t think I’d like Paul.

I know it’s messed up.  And I really like Romans, so it’s not like I’m anti-Paul.  I might as well be anti-New-Testament.  It’s just that sometimes, he talks in ways that I think might get under my skin sometimes.  And maybe that’s what he’s supposed to do.  But you know, sometimes, like in 1 Thessalonians 2, it seems like he spends a LOT of time defending his ministry.  I mean…the lady doth protest too much, you know?

Don’t get me wrong, I know it’s inspired, and I know Paul was attacked by a ton of false teachers, and I know he really was doing things wholeheartedly.  It’s just the way I feel, and I have to fix the way I think.

Anyway, had to get that off my chest.

…

So I was reading SI.com, and apparently Johnny Weir came out of the closet.  I didn’t know who that was, so I clicked on the link, and was like…”Oh yeah, that guy.”  Frankly, I would have been more surprised if he were straight.  He might be the least surprising gay since that dude from Will and Grace.

And this is coming from a guy with a terrible gaydar.  (Is gaydar an OK term to use?  I’m feeling kinda iffy about using the word, but not enough to avoid it.)  People tell me that they saw Ricky Martin coming a mile away.  I dunno, I totally missed it.  Or Lance Bass.  Or whoever else has come out in the last few years.  (I’d Google it, but I don’t want to have a whole bunch of searches for gay people in my browser history.)

So…yeah.  Johnny Weir is gay.

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-Tim

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Day 1

Filed Under: God, Journal, QTs by timpaik — 1 Comment
January 4, 2011

Don’t know if anyone will read this.  Really, this is for me, and I guess for anyone who might want to keep me accountable.

Matthew 1, Genesis 1, Romans 1, 1 Thessalonians 1, Job 1

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Matthew 1:

  • Hate to start this off by whining, but I’ve always had a tough time reading genealogies.  I feel like I’m reading the Peanuts’ Christmas special script.
  • I think the weirdest name in the genealogy of Jesus is Tamar, by far.  Of all of the sons of Judah, God chose for Jesus to come from Judah and Tamar’s kid.  I think that goes to show what God can make out of even the worst of situations.
  • Oh Will:  “Such a strange way to save the world.”  Props to Joseph for going along with something he definitely never could have planned for.

Genesis 1:

  • RUACH.
  • To be honest, I’ve had less “God-vs-science” talks than I probably ought to have had, considering my field of study.  But when I do, the six-day creation account is one of the most common topics to spring up.  It always comes up in a patronizing manner, something like, “You don’t really believe that the world was created in six days, do you?”  I know where I stand, but to be honest, there’s always a slightly squeamish feeling when I say that I do.  I’m not really sure why.  Thinking about it soberly right now…my answer is, “Yes, I do.  I already believe in an all-powerful, all-benevolent God who created everything.  If I’m ready to make that leap of faith, I don’t see how it’s all that much harder to believe He created it all in six days rather than fifteen billion years.”

Romans 1:

  • Huh.  Kinda cool how verses 2 and 3 (“which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was descended from David”) are confirmed in the chapter I just read in Matthew.  Maybe there is something to this reading plan.
  • Verse 5: “Obedience of faith.”  I think those (obedience and faith) are often linked…
  • Verse 9: Can’t remember the last time I prayed for people I’d never met, let alone prayed without ceasing…
  • I think I used to have this passage memorized when I was in Taiwan (Romans 1:16-32).  Oops.

1 Thessalonians 1:

  • I can’t remember the last time I read this chapter.  I’m definitely less familiar with this chapter than the other three up there.  I think it’s because I lose track of my Bible reading plan long before I get to this book.  It’s like when I was studying SAT words: my command of the English language is strongly slanted toward words that start with letters nearer to the beginning of the alphabet.
  • I guess this is easily seen, but I have a tough time relating to teachers/pastors/mentors.  I think this is partly due to the fact that I often learn things differently from other people, but mostly due to the fact that I’m too proud to learn from people.  So it’s hard for me to think of myself as an “imitator” of anybody (verse 6).

Job 1:

  • This isn’t fair for me to ask, since I haven’t had anybody close to me pass away yet.  But I always felt like Job’s kids had a rough deal.  Here they are, eating and drinking, then they all die largely because God is testing Job.  I mean…is that a fair thing for me to think?  I dunno.

-Tim

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