Category: Daily Bible Reading Blog

A blog following the daily readings from the Revised Common Lectionary.

Jeremiah 29:1-14

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            Jeremiah 29:11 is a familiar verse to many Christians for whom their life assurance and confidence is built:  “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”  Yet, less well known is the command of verse 7 which frames and gives the meaning to the assurance:  “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”
 
            The ancient Jews had experienced the heart-wrenching experience of having the Babylonians come and destroy Jerusalem and carry them into exile to Babylon.  They grieved and they lamented, and rightly so.  But there came a time for the Jews to cease their disappointment and despondency and turn their inward focus to the outward focus of prayer for their captors.
 
            It is human nature to fold our arms and be sullen when things do not go our way.  Put yourselves in the shoes (or sandals) of the Jews.  They lost their home and their lives were completely turned upside-down.  Perhaps you can relate to them.  Maybe there are times when you feel like you are in exile, far from where you want to be.  God is calling us all as his people to be concerned for the communities where we live and work, and to pray for their welfare, even if they have caused us harm.  When we do this, we participate with Jesus in loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us.  Our welfare is inextricably bound up with the community around us.
            Gracious God, you have called me to a ministry of prayer.  Give me a heart of concern for my community and my nation.  I pray for them, that they might prosper in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and come to faith in him.  Amen.

Psalm 35:1-10

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            The psalms are the church’s prayer book.  Many of the psalms are laments and many of them are worshipful and full of praise.  But then there are the imprecatory (pronounced im-PRECK-a-tory)psalms.  To imprecate means to invoke evil upon someone; it is to pronounce a curse.  The reason for the imprecatory psalm is that it is not any person’s place to engage in revenge or retaliation.  Instead, for people who are genuinely caught in the crosshairs of evil and have sinful persons dogging them, prayer is their most effective recourse.
 
            “Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me….  Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life!”  David was a man whose prayers and life were aligned together.  He did not raise his hand to do away with Saul, who was trying to kill him.  Although David had at least two solid opportunities to kill Saul and be done with the guy seeking his life, he did not do it; he was not about to take matters into his own hands.  Instead, David understood that it was God’s business to mete out wrath and punishment.
 
            We need not be shy about being real with God, even with praying imprecatory prayers.  There really are people in this world, maybe even in your own life, that actually have an evil agenda against you.  Our job is not personal revenge, but to entrust ourselves to the God who fights for the poor, the oppressed, and the needy against the arrogant and the powerful.  Let your prayers reflect your life.
            Mighty God, let those who speak and act against me contend with you.  Let your arrows pierce their hearts so that the needy will not be crushed, but will flourish and thrive under your divine care, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Deuteronomy 12:28-32

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            The old phrase “curiosity kills the cat” certainly applies to the ancient Israelites concerning the pagan nations that surrounded them.  The book of Deuteronomy is a re-statement of the law for a new generation of God’s people poised to enter the Promised Land.  The previous generation had experienced a failure of faith and perished over the course of a forty year sojourn in the desert.  But now their children were ready to enter the land and receive the promises of God.
             The Lord knew that the people would be curious, in all the bad sense of that word.  These verses are a clear warning to keep away from the practices of the nations that God was about to dispossess from the land.  Sitting here now thousands of years removed from the Old Testament, we know the end of the story.  The Israelites, although having a remnant of people faithful and devoted to God’s law, as a whole allowed their curiosity to get the best of them and did not follow the Lord.
             Before becoming a Christian thirty-five years ago I did not live according to God’s commands.  Because of that reality in my life, I have always found it “curious” that there are believers who wonder if they are missing out on something, having always been in the church.  They may even adopt some cultural practices, like offering their children on the altar of wealth or sports, serving the idols of security or getting ahead.  We must all have the wisdom to identify the healthy practices of our culture consistent with God’s Word, and the unhealthy curiosity to pursue endeavors uncritically without making sound godly decisions.  
             Ever-present God, you have given me your Word to know and live by.  Strengthen my knowledge of you and my faith so that I will serve you faithfully today and always through Jesus Christ my Lord.  Amen.

Psalm 111

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            The combination of a microwave society and the constant need to be entertained has resulted in a profound lack of wisdom in our culture.  Whether it is politics or theology, at work or at home, everywhere we gravitate toward finding quick solutions given to us in engaging ways.  But biblical wisdom operates a different way.  It is must grow slowly and mature over an extended period of time.  It all begins with a basic reverence of God.  “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding.  To him belongs eternal praise.”
 
            Taking the time and the focus to marinade our lives in the praise and adoration of God, even when we do not feel like it, is necessary to living wisely.  Foolishness is in direct proportion to a lack of reverence and awe of God.  Conversely, the attention and recognition of God in glorifying him begins a slow process of lifetime learning that inevitably leads to the humility of wisdom.  Wisdom in the Bible is the ability to live well and flourish as a person by applying God’s revelation to the real concrete situations of life.  That cannot be done apart from praise to the LORD.
 
            In what ways can you praise God today?  What situations are you facing that need biblical wisdom?  Are you following the revealed commands of God in Scripture?  Will you be patient to allow God to help you with your troubles?  Where is Jesus influencing your daily decisions? 
            All wise God, I praise your holy name.  Teach me your ways so that I will know how to live wisely in all kinds of situations to the glory of Jesus Christ.  Amen.