Eyewitnesses and Servants of the Word: The Gospel of Luke
In the opening verses, Luke states his purpose for writing a compilation of events surrounding Jesus’ ministry to Theophilus: so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.
How did he complete this task?
He carefully investigated every detail from eyewitnesses and servants of the word of God (Luke 1:1-4).
I cannot tell you how much I appreciate those words.
I love a good story, and I love to hear it told by someone who saw, heard, and felt every part of it themselves. Would you not agree that it only gets better when the storyteller is passionate about the details they actually witnessed? That’s why I don’t want to provide my own commentary on any part of this Gospel (which happens to be my favorite one).
The Unexpected King: Jesus in the Book of Mark
THE SHAPING OF EXPECTATIONS
This past week has not gone according to plan. Every evening, I think about what’s on the schedule for the following day – what needs to be accomplished, the to-dos waiting to be checked off the list. Most of my days as a homeschool mom are pretty predictable. There may be a few sidetracks here and there, but our rhythm stays the same.
But this week? It seemed like every day veered off course, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t steer the ship back on track. All of it made me think about our expectations – the ones we place on our days and routines, our plans, our children, even the future. We hold onto these things, hoping that everything will turn out a certain way. But if we’re honest, how often do we ever get it right? Maybe occasionally, but for the most part, God’s plan for our lives far exceeds our expectations – whether in a single day or across the span of a lifetime.
Jesus in the Book of Malachi: God’s Final Words Before the Silence
Imagine you were leaving on a journey and knew you would be away from your loved ones for a long time, without communication. In your absence, wouldn’t you choose your final words with deep intention? I’m certain you would make sure they carried weight - full of meaning, care, and clarity. In the same way (and while He never truly left His people), God fell silent for 400 years after the message He delivered through the prophecy in Malachi. What is spoken in this book should be read in that light. These final prophetic words mattered. He wanted His people to hear them.
Jesus in the Book of Habakkuk: A Sure Redemption
The book of Habakkuk is a conversation between the priest/prophet Habakkuk and God, based on a vision given to him. Unlike many of the other prophets, Habakkuk does not directly address the people. Instead, he records his raw dialogue with God during a time of national turmoil.
This powerful exchange between God and His prophet took place in the Old Testament between the fall of Israel and the fall of Judah, most likely just before the Babylonian invasions of Judah (beginning in 605 B.C.).
Habakkuk is one of the least-known prophets in Scripture. In fact, he is only mentioned in this book, in two verses:
● Habakkuk 1:1: “The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.”
● Habakkuk 3:1: “A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.”
Yeshua as King in Nahum: Refuge in the Midst of Wrath
Since I was a child, I’ve struggled with lying. It started as a way to protect myself from shame, but over the years, it became a pattern that was hard to shake. By God’s grace, I’ve learned to confess, repent, and walk toward truth. But even now, I see how easily I can slip back into old habits. (I mean, I am a flawed person and still make mistakes!)
That’s why when I read Nahum, I see myself mirrored in Nineveh. They had once repented in Jonah’s day, but by Nahum’s time, they had drifted back into corruption. The lesson? We can’t coast on yesterday’s repentance.
Beholding Yeshua in Ezra–Nehemiah
A journey through bricks, brokenness, and the longing for a true King
Three months before our third child was born, I flipped through my Bible, trying to decide which book to read next. We had experienced quite the rollercoaster over the last three years, as my husband had transitioned from full-time ministry to corporate America. We had no idea where God was leading us next.
My husband, Michael, sat across from me as the pages of the book of Ezra fell open. “Hey babe, when was the last time you read through Ezra?”
King Yeshua: Son of Man in Daniel
As a child and teenager, I often scratched my head whenever I read a story in which Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of Man. I mean, wasn’t Jesus God’s Son? Why would He call Himself a Son of Man? It wasn’t to clarify His humanity but something much deeper.
In fact, of all the books in the Old Testament, by using this seemingly innocent “nickname” for Himself, Jesus was explicitly pointing to EXACTLY who He was and is whenever He used it. Beyond the famous lion’s den and fiery furnace narratives, did you know that we can undoubtedly behold King Yeshua—Jesus—in the pages of Daniel? The people around Jesus at the time would have immediately understood what He was doing.
Daniel is often perceived as a book filled with inspiring tales of faithfulness and courage. The connection between Daniel’s "Son of Man" and Jesus’ self-identification is particularly intriguing.
Yeshua in the Writings: Esther
I’ve always been fascinated by the Book of Esther. It’s a story that feels like it could have been written for today—full of political intrigue, unexpected reversals, and a heroine who has to decide whether to risk everything for the sake of her people. What I love most about it, though, is how Yeshua is hidden in its pages. Just like God's name is never mentioned, yet His presence is unmistakable. Yeshua is there, woven into the very fabric of the story.
The Ecclesiastic King
Inside a little blue-gray bungalow on Alexander Street in Clay Center, Nebraska, around 1986 or so, Ann read her daughter the story of King Solomon in 1 Kings 3:1-15 when he asked God for wisdom. She read, starting in verse 5, while her daughter sat in her pajamas, holding her favorite stuffed polar bear.
“In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.”
Solomon’s Prayer
6 Then Solomon said, “You have shown great faithfulness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in truth, righteousness, and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for him this great faithfulness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it isthis day. 7
King Yeshua in Lamentations
Her words caught me completely off guard. I had absolutely no words for the sorrow that immediately flooded my heart. And at the end of the call, I asked if I could pray with her. Instead, I wept. I could barely form the words to pray for my dear sister in Christ, even when I knew that Jesus has her. Even though I know, I will see her again someday, whether healing finds her in this life or in the one to come. My head knows these things. But my heart takes a bit to reconcile it all. Perhaps “a bit” is too short. Overcoming hardship, sorrow, trauma, and unjustifiable pain sometimes take years, even a lifetime.
But my head immediately went to Jesus and his response to Lazarus’ death (John 11). He knew what was happening with his friend, yet He chose to prolong his current trip and wait to head to Bethany. HE knew that Lazarus had passed. His head knew it…. But His heart? His heart wept when he was confronted with the actual reality of His own grief.
King Yeshua in Proverbs: Wisdom Incarnate
Many have long regarded the book of Proverbs as a collection of wisdom for daily life. At its heart, it declares that “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). But Proverbs is more than just a guide for moral living—it is a book that reveals the nature of Jesus, our true King, the embodiment of wisdom itself.
For years, I avoided the book of Proverbs. Who knows what to do with phrases like, “To rescue you from the strange woman, From the foreign woman who flatters with her words…”? Not me! It helped to put the Proverbs into perspective from King Solomon’s viewpoint of a father trying to encourage and lead his son into a life of wisdom. But it wasn’t until years later, while doing a Bible study on Proverbs via the Bible app, that I finally understood the true depth of the book.