The Park Forum

Each year, we read the New Testament and Psalms. In odd years, we read the histories, and in even years, we read the prophets. We read in a semi-chronological order but without breaking books into parts. This sustainably paced reading plan is designed to leave time for reflection and to build deep familiarity and devotion to the scriptures and what they teach.

We look forward to restarting our “Even Year” plan soon. Won’t you consider inviting someone to join you? Or maybe you’d like to become one of our donors who support this work?

If you would like to join our donors by starting a monthly gift or giving a one-time gift, time is running out to have your gift credited to the 2025 tax year. Checks dated in 2025 and with a postmark in 2025 will be counted towards this year.

Give now via this link: Giving Link
Learn more about giving on our website: https://theparkforum.org/support/ 
Mail any checks to the following address:
The Park Forum
PO Box 185082
Fort Worth, TX 76181

Links for today’s readings:

Dec 30   Read: 2 Chronicles 35 Listen: (5:25) Read:  Psalms 148 Listen: (1:28)

Scripture Focus: 2 Chronicles 35.20-25

20 After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Necho king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah marched out to meet him in battle. 21 But Necho sent messengers to him, saying, “What quarrel is there, king of Judah, between you and me? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or he will destroy you.” 22 Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Necho had said at God’s command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo. 23 Archers shot King Josiah, and he told his officers, “Take me away; I am badly wounded.” 24 So they took him out of his chariot, put him in his other chariot and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his ancestors, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him. 25 Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah, and to this day all the male and female singers commemorate Josiah in the laments. These became a tradition in Israel and are written in the Laments.

Reflection: The Hero Who Died A Villain’s Death

By John Tillman

Grimm’s Fairy Tales, published in 1812 were grim. These tales were known for heroes and villains but also for harsh moral lessons and brutal, violent endings for the foolish and the wicked.

Walt Disney adapted many Grimm stories to the screen, beginning with Snow White in 1937, significantly changing their tone. He removed gruesome, vindictive endings for villains and some consequences of the heroes’ actions. Some say he softened the stories, but he also drew good and evil more sharply in focus, creating simpler, black and white, good versus evil archetypes.

Josiah’s reign must have seemed like a fairy tale contrasted with his father’s and grandfather’s. The wicked kings have passed! A righteous one ascends! Happily ever after, right? Not exactly.

After doing much good, Josiah goes against God’s warning and dies exactly like villainous king Ahab of Israel. (1 Kings 22.34-35; 2 Chronicles 18.33-34)  Despite being the hero of the moment, Josiah has a villain’s death because of his own sin.

So is it true that “all kings are evil” or all political, business, or spiritual leaders are corrupt? No. Too many people flatten out moral differences to defend themselves from making hard choices. “Well, it doesn’t really matter, does it? All politicians lie.” This type of false equivalelency sees little difference between Manasseh and Josiah or between Khrushchev and Kennedy.

That doesn’t mean choices are easy. We don’t live in a black and white world where good and evil are easy to separate. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn reminds us the line separating good and evil runs not between countries, political parties, or groups, but through each individual heart. (The Gulag Archipelago)

Our world is no fairy tale and neither is Christ’s kingdom. In a fairytale kingdom, no noble king would die foolishly, no noble peasant would live in want, and no noble deed would go unrewarded. Instead, Jesus, the ultimate noble king, lived as a peasant in want, performed the noblest of deeds, yet died the most ignoble death. Jesus is the sinless hero who died a villain’s death and he did so for us. He takes our ending and we take his.

Our choices matter, they are not simple, they have present and future consequences, and we will be judged for them. However, our destiny depends not on our deeds but on dedicating our lives to Jesus. Every choice that truly matters starts with the first choice to follow Jesus. Make that choice today and every day.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons

Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. — Psalm 85.9

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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Read The Bible With Us

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Links for today’s readings:

Dec 29  Read:  2 Chronicles 34 Listen: (6:23) Read: Psalms 146-147 Listen: (3:09)

Scripture Focus: 2 Chronicles 34.14-21

14 While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been given through Moses. 15 Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan. 16 Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: “Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them. 17 They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers.” 18 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. 19 When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes. 20 He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: 21 “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that is poured out on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.”

We look forward to another year of joy and peace together in the scriptures with all our readers, thanks to our donors in 2025.

If you would like to join our donors by starting a monthly gift or giving a one-time gift, time is running out to have your gift credited to the 2025 tax year. Checks dated in 2025 and with a postmark in 2025 will be counted towards this year.

Give now via this link: Giving Link
Learn more about giving on our website: https://theparkforum.org/support/ 
Mail any checks to the following address:
The Park Forum
PO Box 185082
Fort Worth, TX 76181

Reflection: What Scripture Reveals

By John Tillman

Truth neglected is often forgotten. Truth forgotten remains true.

Do you remember your times tables? How many digits of pi (𝜋) do you have memorized? How many United States presidents can you name? Can you recite a Shakespearean speech, or a Walt Whitman poem? How many phone numbers do you remember?

From the 1960s through the 1990s, “rote memorization” fell out of favor. Educators emphasized critical thinking and problem solving over retaining facts. Memorization was not abandoned. Facts are the building blocks of critical thinking and problem solving but memorization was de-emphasized. However, the pendulum may swing back. Memorization is making a comeback in some educational areas. 

Memorization is an Ai-proof assignment. You can’t have an Ai assistant recite the Gettysburg Address for you. And when great speeches, poems, or sections of the Constitution are memorized, more than rote words are learned. The thinking and logic sinks in.

Memorization fades without reinforcement. However, truths forgotten remain true. Six times seven remains forty-two even if we forget and Hamlet’s speech beginning, “To be or not to be,” in Act 3, Scene 1 remains a profound reflection on death, suffering, and injustice regardless of our inability to recite it from memory. (Hamlet Act 3, Scene 1)

The generations before Josiah neglected, then forgot the scripture. That didn’t stop scripture from being true or his covenant with the people from being binding. God showed mercy based on the people’s response to discovering what was forgotten. Are you discovering things in scripture? How are you responding?

Scripture doesn’t have to be lost for generations for us to discover new things every day. Like Josiah, let discoveries in scripture spur you to action. Discoveries will be sometimes joyous and sometimes convicting. Respond appropriately and experience the mercy of God.

There’s no Ai tool that can hide God’s word in your heart for you. Memorization alone cannot do it either. Scripture requires meditation, reflection, and response. When the Holy Spirit guides us into all truth, it isn’t just facts or laws. (John 16.13) Truth is embodied with wisdom, application, and action. (1 John 2.3-6) This is what it means to hide God’s word in your heart.

Scripture contains commands and claims but is not primarily facts to be known or rules to enforce. Scripture’s purpose is revealing the nature of God in Jesus and conforming us to that image through the Holy Spirit.

Read, reflect, and respond to scripture to embody Jesus to those around you.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Morning Psalm

I love you, O Lord my strength, O Lord my stronghold, my crag, and my haven.

My God, my rock in whom I put my trust, my shield, the horn of my salvation and my refuge; you are worthy of praise.

As for God, his ways are perfect; the words of the Lord are tried in the fire; he is a shield to all who trust in him.

For who is God, but the Lord? Who is the Rock, except our God? — Psalm 18.1-2, 31-32

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Consider Supporting Our Work

Time is running out to get 2025 tax benefits for supporting our work as a one-time or monthly donor. Support ad-free content that brings biblical devotionals to inboxes across the world.

Read The Bible With Us

It’s a great time to join our Bible reading plan. Immerse in the Bible with us at a sustainable, two-year pace.

https://mailchi.mp/theparkforum/m-f-daily-email-devotional