Scripture to read today:
Matthew 20; Matthew 21; Matthew 22
Scripture that spoke to me:
Matthew 20: 26b-28
Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Observation:
Really great people help others. They don’t take things for themselves, consuming all without producing. Great people produce things- goods, services, or just good feelings in others.
Application:
I had a lot of leadership training in college. Working for the awesome Dr. Tim (Lautzenheiser) I learned a lot about becoming a good leader. Good leaders are willing to do anything that they would ask someone following them to do. Good leaders are the first to arrive and the last to leave. Good leaders offer to take each other’s plates to the kitchen, to stay and help the host with the dishes, to offer themselves for the most mundane tasks. And in Jesus’ case, to give his own life so that other lives may be better.
Prayer:
Lord, help me remember what it is to be a good leader and help me lead others closer to You. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Matthew 14; Matthew 15; Matthew 16
Scripture that spoke to me:
Matthew 16:27
For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
Observation:
Jesus gets the good job- handing out rewards for those who have done well. This verse says that our actions do count- what we do matters. It isn’t just enough to believe, but we have to do well.
Application:
I know you can’t “earn” your way into heaven. But I believe you can earn your way out of heaven! There is something about trying, worshiping, giving, and leading that does gain favor with God. This is one of the biggest contradictions I see in faith- you don’t have to earn it- you can’t earn grace and forgiveness- but you do have to try to do the best you can. And you see that throughout Paul’s writings as he cautions the people not to go do what they want and then ask for forgiveness- over and over again!
Prayer:
Lord, show me the way to go. Let me live for you in all that I say and all that I do. And when I fail to do that, please forgive me. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Job 37; Job 38; 1 Corinthians 12
Scripture that spoke to me:
1 Corinthians 12:4-6
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
Observation:
God didn’t make us all alike. You can look around and see that. He didn’t give us the same abilities. He didn’t put us in the same situations, or give us the same parents, or put us in the same country. But he did create us, and He does work in us all.
Application:
This verse is speaking to me today because lately, I’ve been trying to do too much. I’m directing our community chorus Christmas concert which is in three weeks… I work…. I lead children’s worship…. I’m a mom…. I’m a daughter and granddaughter…. and aunt…. and these jobs fill my days. I need to remember that other people can do things, too- maybe better than I can- and learn to delegate some things to them. They may have better skills- a different view- than I do.
Prayer:
Lord, help me look to others as gifted by You. Let me see that together, we can all do Your work better. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Psalm 122; 1 Corinthians 9; 1 Corinthians 10; 1 Corinthians 11
Scripture that spoke to me:
1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Observation:
Eat for God- drink for God- do everything for the glory of God.
Application:
I say grace before most every meal. I am thankful to God for all that He has blessed me with. But I’ve never thought about eating to honor Him. Drinking for the glory of God. I’m usually eating and drinking for my pleasure, or nourishment, or contentment….. I wonder how things are if you eat for God’s glory? Drive a car for God’s glory (bet you’d drive a lot differently!)? Wash dishes for God’s glory? I’m going to hold this verse close this week and see what becomes of it.
Prayer:
Lord, I don’t know that I understand how to eat and drink for You. I know that we are supposed to worship You always, but I’ve never thought about the mundane things we do in our day- bathing, washing dishes, eating- help me do everything for You, Dear Lord. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Nehemiah 11; Nehemiah 12; Psalm 1; Acts 3
Scripture that spoke to me:
Nehemiah 12:31
I led the leaders of Judah to the top of the wall and organized two large choirs to give thanks. One of the choirs proceeded southward along the top of the wall to the Dung Gate.
Observation:
I’ve been reading about this wall that Nehemiah was building to fortify Jerusalem. In my mind, it has been somewhat of a primitive cinderblock wall. But here, I figured out that if they could walk along the top of it, it sure must have been more. So I went researching…. here is a picture from a Jerusalem newspaper of part of the wall that has been excavated:
Certainly, this was a much, much larger task that the one my mind has created while reading this!
Application:
This makes me even more cautious about reading the Bible. I picture places and events in my mind according to what I know today. I’m sure we all do. But to understand things more accurately means we need to do a little research into the times- if I had realized that this was a wall, I would have been way more impressed at the story of Joshua and the battle of Jericho, for instance. Not that this story isn’t impressive, but it surely was a larger wall than I had in mind.
Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for weighing stories from the Bible based on my knowledge of the world today. Thank you for letting me see that things aren’t always as I believe them to be- but are even more majestic than I imagined!
Scripture to read today:
Nehemiah 7; Nehemiah 8; Acts 1
Scripture that spoke to me:
Acts 1:11
“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”
Observation:
Have you ever let go of a helium balloon and watched it rise until you couldn’t see it? There’s always that final glimpse of it, after you thought you’d lost it, when you see it again. I can just imagine the disciples standing there, looking up, hungry for that one final glimpse. But there’s also that time that you have to decide that you’ve seen it for the last time, look down, and go on. This is the time that the disciples must have dreaded- going on with life without their Messiah with them there physically.
Application:
How do you go on after you have lost something important? There is that time that you have to decide to stop longing for what is gone and move on. There is still work to be done. But we are comforted that Jesus hasn’t really left us- He is with us always! We can call on him, talk to him, listen for him, and learn from his teachings every day. We can long for the time that we will see him face to face, but he is not gone- he is right here!
Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank you for living in our lives every day, giving us wonderful things that remind us of your presence. Forgive us for looking up when we should be looking forward, ready to go on and do your work. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Ezra 7; Ezra 8; Luke 20
Scripture that spoke to me:
Ezra 7:28b
So I was encouraged, as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me; and I gathered leading men of Israel to go up with me.
Observation:
Ezra has been sent by God (and with the king’s blessing) to Jerusalem to take silver and gold as gifts to the temple; inquire of the people there; and supply the temple with servants. Going with the blessing of both God and the king makes Ezra’s job better.
Application:
If the hand of God is upon you, then you will be blessed in all you do in the name of the Lord. Life may not seem easier, but doors open that may have stayed closed otherwise. It’s like God lines things up that, if you’re in tune with him and paying attention, will make things fall in line.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for caring about my life, for making the things You ask me to do easier to do; for blessing me with more than I deserve. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Ezra 4; Psalm 113; Psalm 127; Luke 9
Scripture that spoke to me:
Ezra 4:2-4
So they approached Zerubbabel and the other leaders and said, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God just as you do. We have sacrificed to him ever since King Esarhaddon of Assyria brought us here.” But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other leaders of Israel replied, “You may have no part in this work. We alone will build the Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, just as King Cyrus of Persia commanded us.” Then the local residents tried to discourage and frighten the people of Judah to keep them from their work.
Observation:
The Jews are working on rebuilding the tabernacle in Jerusalem. They are singleminded about their work and will not allow those who were not exiles to help in their work. This causes division among the people living there and makes the work nearly impossible to complete.
Application:
We divide ourselves more ways than we need to. Not just by religion (Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist…) but even among Christians, we have Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal…. We divide by race, by income, by the region we live in, by which ball team we like… I believe God wants us to include people, not exclude people. We need a coming together, not a tearing apart. We need to learn to work together in acceptance of each other and in acceptance of our differences, not in division.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, help us to work together. Help us to learn to listen to each other, and accept that there are different viewpoints. We don’t have to be alike, but we need to learn to love. Help us, please. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Isaiah 63; Isaiah 64; Psalm 107; John 2
Scripture that spoke to me:
Isaiah 64:8
Yet, O LORD, you are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
Observation:
There are many scriptures that speak of the Creator- and how the creation is not as important as the One who created it. But this one takes it further- we are His creation, but we are also being shaped every day by the Creator. He didn’t make us and put us on a shelf- He continues to work on us every day.
Application:
That means that there is always a chance to do better! I’m glad of that. Today is a new day, and maybe God will smooth down that rough spot I’m having a tough time with. Right now I’m not having fun trying to stay with my exercise routine. It’s hot, I’m busy… I have lots of excuses… but today is another chance to do better. I’m sure there are other rough spots that need attention, too. Fortunately, the Creator is still at work in me!
Prayer:
Lord, continue to mold and shape me into the person You would have me be. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Isaiah 50; Isaiah 51; Isaiah 52; Psalm 92; 2 Peter 1
Scripture that spoke to me:
Psalm 92:12-14
But the godly will flourish like palm trees
and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.
For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house.
They flourish in the courts of our God.
Even in old age they will still produce fruit;
they will remain vital and green.
Observation:
Following the Lord means that you have eternal life, transplanted into the Lord’s own house. You bear fruit even into old age, and are a vital part of life in the kingdom.
Application:
This made me think of my 92 year old grandmother. She has been dead for 17 years now, but was such a dear person and had such a strong, sweet faith. Even into her 90’s, she was still able to shine the light of Jesus and help others along the way. I wonder now about my 87 year old grandma with Altzheimers- what her role in life still is? She mostly eats and sleeps. Maybe she touches the life of a nurse, or there is something that her family gets from going to see her. I know that God has a plan for all of our lives- all our life, so I’m sure there is a good reason that she is still here (although she isn’t all “there” anymore.)
Prayer:
Lord, take my life and use it to the fullest, until the very end. Amen.
