Saturday, January 15th
(see www.moravian.org/daily_texts/ for more info on Daily Texts I will be using each day)
Readings for Today:
• Psalm 10:1-11
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm10&version=NIV
• Genesis 16,17
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis16&version=NIV
• Matthew 6:5-18
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew6&version=NIV
Thoughts for the Day:
Psalm 10:1-4
1 Why, LORD, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
who are caught in the schemes he devises.
3 He boasts about the cravings of his heart;
he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
4 In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
The psalmist wonders why God stands far off when there is so much wickedness on the earth. He describes the man whose life is lived out incessantly trying to fulfill only their immediate wants/desires. This person is so filled with thoughts about themselves, that there is no room for God. While it seems as though this person is not accountable, one day he will be.
Genesis 17:1-8 The Covenant of Circumcision
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. 2 Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”
In chapter 16, Abram listens to his wife Sarai, who is still childless and calls his maidservant Hagar and to have a son through her, who will be named Ishmael. Instead of waiting for God to fulfill His covenant promise, Abram and Sarai take matters into their own hands. Sarai becomes bitter at Hagar and sends her away, but God still promises to bless her and Abram’s son, Ishmael. Ishmael will be blessed, and 12 sons will come from his offspring, but later there will be rivalry between the offspring of Ishmael and the promised Son, Issac. In the midst of Abram and Sarai’s distrust of the Covenant, we see God’s grace in taking care of Hagar and Ishmael.
Now in chapter 17, 13 years later, Abram and Sarai are still waiting for a son of their own. The LORD appears to Abram to renew the Covenant He had made with Abram in chapter 12 and 15. Importantly, the LORD tells Abram that this will be an everlasting covenant and nations and kings will come from Abram’s offspring. As God has made this covenant with Abram, for his part God asks Abram to circumcise everyone in his household including his servants. No small ask!
Abram trusts God even in his old age, and has his whole household circumcised (including himself at age 99) as a sign of this renewed covenant. He also takes a letter out of His Divine Name (YHWH) and gives one “H” to Abram to give him the name “Abraham” (which means Father of many nations) and to Sarai to make her name “Sarah” (which means mother of many nations and kings). Although Abram laughs at God’s promise of a Son and only wishes that Ishmael (now 13) would be taken care of, in obedience he does what God asks of him.
Giving to the Needy
Matthew 6:6-13 “6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
As Jesus continues to describe life in the kingdom, he teaches the disciples and the crowds about the value of spiritual disciplines like “prayer” and “fasting”. Disciplines are those things that help us to connect with God and live by His power in our lives. Importantly they are not to be used to bring attention to ourselves. In fact, Jesus says we should pray in secret so as to avoid bringing attention to ourselves in our practice of the disciplines.
Then, Jesus gives us a model for prayer, which is every bit as relevant today, as it was back then. The Lord’s Prayer is a simple, but powerful prayer. It begins with adoration of who God is. Then our prayer is that God’s kingdom would come on earth as it is in heaven. Surely God sends His kingdom in His way and timing, but He tells us to pray for it to come as well. Jesus also says we should ask for today’s “Daily Bread”. God wants us to come to him for our daily needs. There is a prayer of confession for our transgressions, or debts, and a commitment to forgive others as we have been forgiven. Finally, we ask the LORD not to lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (as translated plainly “evil”). Though we can expand on each of these petitions, that about covers it, doesn’t it!
So today’s readings start with the Psalmist who wonders why those who do evil get away with it. Then Abraham who is wondering just how God is going to give him a son at such an old age. And it concludes with a prayer asking for God’s kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven, and to give us just enough for today, trusting our tomorrows with the One who gives us today!
What do you need to pray for today? Ask God to provide for your daily bread and then expect His kingdom to come one day at a time!
Prayer for the Day: Thank you, Holy Spirit, for instilling in us passion and joy for the tasks of going and proclaiming. You've sent us because you love us and we go because we love you. Guide us in this mission today. Amen.
Readings for Today:
• Psalm 10:1-11
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm10&version=NIV
• Genesis 16,17
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis16&version=NIV
• Matthew 6:5-18
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew6&version=NIV
Thoughts for the Day:
Psalm 10:1-4
1 Why, LORD, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
who are caught in the schemes he devises.
3 He boasts about the cravings of his heart;
he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
4 In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
The psalmist wonders why God stands far off when there is so much wickedness on the earth. He describes the man whose life is lived out incessantly trying to fulfill only their immediate wants/desires. This person is so filled with thoughts about themselves, that there is no room for God. While it seems as though this person is not accountable, one day he will be.
Genesis 17:1-8 The Covenant of Circumcision
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. 2 Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”
In chapter 16, Abram listens to his wife Sarai, who is still childless and calls his maidservant Hagar and to have a son through her, who will be named Ishmael. Instead of waiting for God to fulfill His covenant promise, Abram and Sarai take matters into their own hands. Sarai becomes bitter at Hagar and sends her away, but God still promises to bless her and Abram’s son, Ishmael. Ishmael will be blessed, and 12 sons will come from his offspring, but later there will be rivalry between the offspring of Ishmael and the promised Son, Issac. In the midst of Abram and Sarai’s distrust of the Covenant, we see God’s grace in taking care of Hagar and Ishmael.
Now in chapter 17, 13 years later, Abram and Sarai are still waiting for a son of their own. The LORD appears to Abram to renew the Covenant He had made with Abram in chapter 12 and 15. Importantly, the LORD tells Abram that this will be an everlasting covenant and nations and kings will come from Abram’s offspring. As God has made this covenant with Abram, for his part God asks Abram to circumcise everyone in his household including his servants. No small ask!
Abram trusts God even in his old age, and has his whole household circumcised (including himself at age 99) as a sign of this renewed covenant. He also takes a letter out of His Divine Name (YHWH) and gives one “H” to Abram to give him the name “Abraham” (which means Father of many nations) and to Sarai to make her name “Sarah” (which means mother of many nations and kings). Although Abram laughs at God’s promise of a Son and only wishes that Ishmael (now 13) would be taken care of, in obedience he does what God asks of him.
Giving to the Needy
Matthew 6:6-13 “6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
As Jesus continues to describe life in the kingdom, he teaches the disciples and the crowds about the value of spiritual disciplines like “prayer” and “fasting”. Disciplines are those things that help us to connect with God and live by His power in our lives. Importantly they are not to be used to bring attention to ourselves. In fact, Jesus says we should pray in secret so as to avoid bringing attention to ourselves in our practice of the disciplines.
Then, Jesus gives us a model for prayer, which is every bit as relevant today, as it was back then. The Lord’s Prayer is a simple, but powerful prayer. It begins with adoration of who God is. Then our prayer is that God’s kingdom would come on earth as it is in heaven. Surely God sends His kingdom in His way and timing, but He tells us to pray for it to come as well. Jesus also says we should ask for today’s “Daily Bread”. God wants us to come to him for our daily needs. There is a prayer of confession for our transgressions, or debts, and a commitment to forgive others as we have been forgiven. Finally, we ask the LORD not to lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (as translated plainly “evil”). Though we can expand on each of these petitions, that about covers it, doesn’t it!
So today’s readings start with the Psalmist who wonders why those who do evil get away with it. Then Abraham who is wondering just how God is going to give him a son at such an old age. And it concludes with a prayer asking for God’s kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven, and to give us just enough for today, trusting our tomorrows with the One who gives us today!
What do you need to pray for today? Ask God to provide for your daily bread and then expect His kingdom to come one day at a time!
Prayer for the Day: Thank you, Holy Spirit, for instilling in us passion and joy for the tasks of going and proclaiming. You've sent us because you love us and we go because we love you. Guide us in this mission today. Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment