The Word of God is powerful. It has the ability to calm you down, cheer you up, give you hope, and stir your faith up!

Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,Healthy, free, the world before me,The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune.

It is clear that human agents have been at work through the entire traditioning process. They witness to the will, purpose, and presence of YHWH, who remains inscrutably hidden in and through the text and yet who discloses YHWH's own holy self through that same text.

One compelling alternative to land theology is the recognition that Judaism consists most elementally in interpretation of and obedience to the Torah in its requirements of justice and holiness.

1. The first partner in the meeting is the text.

In practice, I suggest that it is the liturgy that is to enact the settled coherence of church faith, and the sermon that provides the "alien" witness of the text, which rubs against the liturgic coherence.118 There can, in my judgment, be no final resolution of the tension between the systemizing task of theology and the disruptive work of biblical interpretation. It is the ongoing interaction between the two that is the work of interpretation.

[Beatrice] who shall be a light between truth and intellect.

How powerful, how beautiful is the praise that erupts from a life that has gone through the fire and comes out with a truthful, courageous new understanding of the faithfulness of God himself. That kind of faithfulness must be fed by the Word of God, not just as casual reading, but where we bring our inner pursuits in line with Scripture; not just a source of comfort, but the priority of your heart.

Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. Psalm 119:37, NIV

Father, I fix my mind on you today. I won't allow the petty distractions of the world to rob me of the power of your Word that sustains and keeps me in all situations.

Disappointments, a jaded outlook on life—right through to willful sin and pride—are all devastating to our spiritual life. Let's let the warning of the hardhearted remind us to stay open to anything and everything God has to say to us. We do this by staying in His Word, by welcoming His presence as we worship Him, by serving others, and by simply taking the time to listen as He speaks.

My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. Psalm 119:28, NIV