Category: Daily Bible Reading Blog

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

Acts 11:1-18

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            Grace trumps everything.  One of the most scandalous truths of Christianity is that God graces common ordinary people who seem as dead as a bowling ball with the Holy Spirit and gives them life.  The Apostle Peter had to learn this with some difficulty, but he embraced the work of God among the non-Jewish Gentiles.  “The Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning” is Peter’s plain account and confession of the reality that God grants repentance that leads to life for all kinds of people no matter what their race, ethnicity, class, or background.  It is a wondrous and astounding spiritual truth that God’s gracious concern is not limited to a certain type of person.
 
            Along with Peter and the other believers so long ago, let us rejoice in the work of God that brings deliverance and transformation.  Grace is and ought to be the guiding factor in how we interact with people.  Losing sight of grace leads to being critical and defensive.  Embracing grace leads to the humility to see the image of God in people very different from ourselves.  Grace tears down barriers and causes us to do away with unnecessary distinctions between others.  Our appropriate response to such a grace is to glorify God for his marvelous and amazing work.  Let it be so.
            Gracious God, just as you saved people from ancient times and gifted them with your Holy Spirit, so today continue your mighty work of transformation in the hearts of people I share the good news of Jesus with.  Amen.

Psalm 27

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            The message of the Advent season is perfectly and succinctly encapsulated in the last verse of this real and raw psalm:  “Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!  Oh, how impatient we can be as people!  Not only do we anticipate the celebration of Christmas with the coming Christ child, but we long for deliverance, courage, help, strength, and, of course, patience.
 
            This verse is much needed to fortify us for hope.  Whatever it is that we desire to see realized – the return of a wayward son or daughter; revitalization and revival within the church; courage to face the high wall of adversity; protection and deliverance from mean-spirited people – whatever the situation we long for, patience is to be our breakfast every morning to help us through each day.
 
            Without the ability to wait upon the Lord we will lose our spiritual zeal and settle for a mediocre existence with tepid relationships.  But God desires much more than simply having a marriage in which two people only exist under the same roof; his will is for church to be much more than attendance and putting some money in the offering place once in a while; he sent his Son to bring reconciliation to the broken relationship with the person that only offers small talk and platitudes.  No, rather than lose heart we must be strengthened with patience that comes from daily hope.  Persevering in prayer and tediously laboring on obeying the revealed will of God is our work while we wait upon God.
            O God Almighty, from whom all blessings flow, I am weary and emotionally exhausted.  Lift me up.  Do not let the enemy triumph over me.  I patiently wait upon your deliverance and your blessing, through Jesus Christ my Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Hosea 6:1-6

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            My favorite word in all of Holy Scripture is the Hebrew word chesed.  It is such a rich word that no one English word can capture its depth.  So, chesedis translated in various ways across the English translations:  mercy, grace, steadfast love, covenant loyalty, kindness, and compassion are just a smattering of words used to try and grasp this wonderful idea that God shows chesed to people.
 
            It is no wonder, then, that since chesed so marks the character and activity of God that he very much desires his people to reflect this same stance toward others.  In this prophecy of Hosea, God is calling, even wooing his people back to himself.  God demonstrates chesed by not putting his people away, like a man divorcing his wife, but commits himself to loving the Israelites even when they are unlovely.  The response God is looking for is not simply going through the motions of outward worship.  Instead, God longs for his people to recommit themselves to proper fidelity.  “For I desire chesed, and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”
 
            Returning to God means not simply doing a few outward shows, like showing up for church at Christmas or putting some loose change in the Salvation Army bucket.  Coming back to God means accepting the chesed of the Lord through Jesus Christ and allowing that same character of God to rule and reign in our hearts so that love and commitment come flowing out in our words, actions, thoughts, and dispositions.
 
            Let us today receive the forgiveness of Jesus and devote ourselves to prayer and works of love that come from a heart profoundly touched by grace.  May the result be healing of that which has been broken, and reconciled relationships with others.
            O God of love, forgive me for my wandering away from you.  Bring me back again to the grace of Jesus my Savior so that my heart will be renewed and aflame with love for others.  In the Name of the Father, Son, and Spirit, the Great Three in One.  Amen.

Luke 21:34-38

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
            We are now in the first season of the year on the Christian Calendar – the time of Advent.  Advent literally means “anticipation” as we anticipate Christmas, the coming of Jesus the Messiah.  While we wait, we pray.  Jesus himself tells us to “watch yourselves… stay awake at all times, praying….” The reality of our lives is that there is no patience apart from prayer.  Show me an impatient person and I will show you a person who has little discipline for prayer.  But show me a patient person and I will show you a person given to prayer in all circumstances for all kinds of matters.
 
            This season of the year, despite all of its secular busyness and rush, is one of the most ideal times in the Christian Calendar to reconnect with a disciplined prayer life.  Many Christians throughout the world desire more of God than a once-a-day quiet time; they want their entire lives to be a continual offering of prayer and connection with Jesus the Messiah.  If one is not in the habit of punctuating each day with short designated times of prayer, perhaps beginning with taking the time in both the morning and evening to intentionally read Scripture, sing, and pray might be the place to start.  More outgoing persons may want to recruit others to participate with them.  However it is done, let this Advent season be the reconnecting with prayer that so many long for.
            O God, you know I desire to know Jesus better.  Please show more of yourself to me in this Advent season.  Help me to persevere in prayer as I anticipate your glorious coming.  Amen.