Thursday, January 26th
www.moravian.org/daily_texts/
Readings for Today:
Psalm 17:8-15
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm17&version=NIV
Genesis 27-19
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis27&version=NIV
Matthew 10:1-16
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew10&version=NIV
Psalm 17:8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings
9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.
10 They close up their callous hearts,
and their mouths speak with arrogance.
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,
with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion hungry for prey,
like a fierce lion crouching in cover.
13 Rise up, LORD, confront them, bring them down;
with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
14 By your hand save me from such people, LORD,
from those of this world whose reward is in this life.
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
may their children gorge themselves on it,
and may there be leftovers for their little ones.
15 As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.
We often say of our kids, “They are the apple of our eye”, meaning they are our pride and joy. The psalmist reminds us this morning that we are the apple of God’s eye, and that in the shadow of His wings we find protection and provision. Though this will not prevent bad things from happening to us, we can know that one day we will see God and be like Him. As we live in the shadow of His wings, each trouble this life brings us brings us more and more closer to His likeness and a longing to be home with Him.
Genesis 27
1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called for Esau his older son and said to him, “My son.” “Here I am,” he answered. 2 Isaac said, “I am now an old man and don’t know the day of my death. 3 Now then, get your equipment—your quiver and bow—and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me. 4 Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die.”5 Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau, 7 ‘Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the LORD before I die.’ 8 Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you: 9 Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it. 10 Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies.”
We often forget that the origin of Jacob receiving his blessing from His father and that it was based in both his and his mother’s deception. Rebekah, who tried to manage the process and take the place of God, manipulates the situation, which will cause enmity between Jacob and Esau (whose people became the Edomites) the rest of their lives, and on into subsequent generations. Jacob’s name means “deceiver”, or literally “heal grabber”. It had already been pronounced by God, in keeping the Covenant promise, that the elder would serve the younger, but Rebekah and Jacob did not trust God’s promises and it caused a lot of problems.
Matthew 10
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
1 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
Matthew 10 starts a big change in the ministry of Jesus. Up to this point, he has principally been about three things: teaching in the synagogue, preaching to the crowds the good news about the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. In Matthew 9:35, as he looked out at the crowds he realized that they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Now he calls his 12 disciples out of the world to do exactly what he has been doing. Importantly he gives them the power and authority to carry it out. Notice he tells them to go first to the lost sheep of Israel. Later, he will personally commission Paul to be the apostle to the Gentiles (non-Jews). As a disciple of Jesus, do you feel his authority and power? How does it make you feel to think about doing the things Jesus and his disciples did?
God of all riches, there are many things that distract us by their glitter-enticing things and treasures that promise much. We desire to serve only you. We give you our hearts, our lives, our wealth. Amen.
Readings for Today:
Psalm 17:8-15
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm17&version=NIV
Genesis 27-19
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis27&version=NIV
Matthew 10:1-16
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew10&version=NIV
Psalm 17:8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings
9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.
10 They close up their callous hearts,
and their mouths speak with arrogance.
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,
with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion hungry for prey,
like a fierce lion crouching in cover.
13 Rise up, LORD, confront them, bring them down;
with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
14 By your hand save me from such people, LORD,
from those of this world whose reward is in this life.
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
may their children gorge themselves on it,
and may there be leftovers for their little ones.
15 As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.
We often say of our kids, “They are the apple of our eye”, meaning they are our pride and joy. The psalmist reminds us this morning that we are the apple of God’s eye, and that in the shadow of His wings we find protection and provision. Though this will not prevent bad things from happening to us, we can know that one day we will see God and be like Him. As we live in the shadow of His wings, each trouble this life brings us brings us more and more closer to His likeness and a longing to be home with Him.
Genesis 27
1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called for Esau his older son and said to him, “My son.” “Here I am,” he answered. 2 Isaac said, “I am now an old man and don’t know the day of my death. 3 Now then, get your equipment—your quiver and bow—and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me. 4 Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die.”5 Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau, 7 ‘Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the LORD before I die.’ 8 Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you: 9 Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it. 10 Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies.”
We often forget that the origin of Jacob receiving his blessing from His father and that it was based in both his and his mother’s deception. Rebekah, who tried to manage the process and take the place of God, manipulates the situation, which will cause enmity between Jacob and Esau (whose people became the Edomites) the rest of their lives, and on into subsequent generations. Jacob’s name means “deceiver”, or literally “heal grabber”. It had already been pronounced by God, in keeping the Covenant promise, that the elder would serve the younger, but Rebekah and Jacob did not trust God’s promises and it caused a lot of problems.
Matthew 10
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
1 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
Matthew 10 starts a big change in the ministry of Jesus. Up to this point, he has principally been about three things: teaching in the synagogue, preaching to the crowds the good news about the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. In Matthew 9:35, as he looked out at the crowds he realized that they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Now he calls his 12 disciples out of the world to do exactly what he has been doing. Importantly he gives them the power and authority to carry it out. Notice he tells them to go first to the lost sheep of Israel. Later, he will personally commission Paul to be the apostle to the Gentiles (non-Jews). As a disciple of Jesus, do you feel his authority and power? How does it make you feel to think about doing the things Jesus and his disciples did?
God of all riches, there are many things that distract us by their glitter-enticing things and treasures that promise much. We desire to serve only you. We give you our hearts, our lives, our wealth. Amen.
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