Today’s thought “Watch yourselves very carefully” (April 21) Deuteronomy 4, Proverbs 31, John 15,16 Today we have a remarkable set of meaningful readings. In Deuteronomy Moses commences his final exhortation to his nation; in Proverbs, the final chapter is taken to be an exhortation from the mother of Solomon (Bathsheba), a message that at the… Read More Today’s thought “Watch yourselves very carefully” (April 21)
Today’s thought “The Land promised and fear of man” (April 18) Deuteronomy 1 Today we read the message Moses gave the people of Israel when they were in the desert east of the Jordan River, in the Jordan Valley near Suph, between Paran and the towns of Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab. In his farewell… Read More Today’s thought “The Land promised and fear of man” (April 18)
Today’s thought “They did as Jehovah God commanded Moses” (April 17) Numbers 36 Obedience Sometimes situations arise when we are vexed by a question and we don’t know what to do. Often the answer is found in the word of God. At other times our situation is not covered by what is in the Bible… Read More Today’s thought “They did as Jehovah God commanded Moses” (April 17)
Today’s thought “Shine where you are” (April 16) Numbers 35 The Levites were not given a piece of land within the boundaries of Israel as their inheritance. Instead the Levites were scattered throughout the land and were given various cities within the areas of the other tribes. This is what the children of Israel… Read More Today’s thought “Shine where you are” (April 16)
Today’s thought “Not … able to go beyond …” (April 7) All our chapters today are most meaningful and we could follow a dozen different lines of thought and draw resultant lessons. In Numbers we completed reading the drama of Balaam; he was a prophet, but not an Israelite. He had some contact with Yahweh… Read More Today’s thought “Not … able to go beyond …” (April 7)
Today’s thought “Unclean, unclean” (March 8) A person with leprosy in Bible times was expected to cry out “unclean, unclean” so that people would know not to touch him or her for fear of contagion and become infected. The word ‘Leprosy’ covers a multitude of skin infections, some serious, some not; and we read in… Read More Today’s thought “Unclean, unclean” (March 8)
Today’s thought “Cleansing of the leper under the Law” (March 7) Leviticus 14 is the chapter for today’s Bible reading. It is a chapter about the law concerning those who have infectious skin diseases, after they have been cleansed. In general terms leprosy is associated with sin. But notice that leprosy can be cleansed! Leprosy… Read More Today’s thought “Cleansing of the leper under the Law” (March 7)
Today’s thought “Period of uncleanness and offerings” (March 6) “1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman conceive seed, and bear a man-child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of the {1 } impurity of her sickness shall she be unclean.… Read More Today’s thought “Period of uncleanness and offerings” (March 1)
In today’s readings Psalm 103, 1 Cor 12-13 we read about the fear for God and the love of God and how we many not be ignorant about spiritual gifts. These days we also have a closer look at the sent one from God to whom we should look for eternal life. Our bible readings tell us… Read More Thinking about fear for the Loving God and an Invitation for 14 Nisan
Today’s thought “As it has been shown …” (February 16) In Exodus we are reading all the details of the construction of the tabernacle. This was to be the centre of worship for the Israelites for hundreds of years to come. All the detail of its construction and its measurements are given; this may seem… Read More Today’s thought “As it has been shown …” (February 16)
Today’s thought “God spoke all these words” (February 15) What is at first most surprising as I read the book of Exodus is the detail Moses is given of the way to construct the tabernacle. I note that, starting with chapter 20:1 “God spoke all these words” to Moses. Today in chapter 26 we have… Read More Today’s thought “God spoke all these words” (February 15)
Today’s thought “And they feared greatly” (February 6) Exodus 13 and 14 describe for us the dramatic deliverance of Israel from Egypt. Yet, as all the drama is unfolding so that “the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD” (14:4), the escaping people of God led by Moses were unable to see the hand… Read More Today’s thought “And they feared greatly” (February 6)
Today’s thought “A night of watching” (February 5) We read today of the climax of the ten plagues that came upon Egypt. Can you imagine yourself as an Israelite and the awe you would have felt! The early plagues affected us – but then a distinction is dramatically made – while there is “pitch darkness”… Read More Today’s thought “A night of watching” (February 5)
Today’s thought “Thus says the LORD …” (February 4) We thought about this for some time. How do we understand the references in today’s Exodus 10 to the Lord hardening Pharaoh’s heart (Exodus 10:1,10,27). Can God blame man for what God does – if that is the way to understand this? Notice how Moses conveys… Read More Today’s thought “Thus says the LORD …” (February 4)
Today’s thought “My name might be proclaimed” (February 1) Yesterday we saw how our readings in Romans also referred to Israel in Egypt and God’s continuing purpose with them. Paul told the Romans, “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in… Read More Today’s thought “My name might be proclaimed” (February 1)
Today’s thought “That my name might be proclaimed” (January 31) Exodus 3, Exodus 4, Psalms 56-57, Romans 9 Our readings today – in Exodus and Romans tie in together in their reference to the exaltation of Moses, now ready, in God’s sight, to serve him after forty years of preparation “in the land of Midian”.… Read More Today’s thought “That my name might be proclaimed” (January 31)
Today’s thought “God sent me before you” (January 27) Genesis 44 + 45, Psalm 49, Romans 1 + 2 Today we read of the drama of Joseph whom his brothers sold as a slave into Egypt; he revealed himself to his astonished brothers when they came again to Egypt to buy food because of the… Read More Today’s thought “God sent me before you” (January 27)
Today’s thought “The LORD caused all that he did to succeed” (January 24) There is a lot of ‘food for thought’ in today’s account in Genesis of the experience of young Joseph after he was sold as a slave into Egypt by his jealous brothers. We need to take careful note of the several references… Read More Today’s thought “The LORD caused all that he did to succeed” (January 24)
Today’s thought “Sun, moon and stars” (January 22) In both our Genesis and Matthew readings today we have reference to the sun, moon and stars – and in neither case are they to be understood in a literal sense. The context makes this evident. In Genesis Joseph has a dream and tells his parents and… Read More Today’s thought “Sun, moon and stars” (January 22)
Today’s thought Favouritism and prejudice (January 18) Genesis 31, Psalm 35, Matthew 20 One characteristic of human nature that God does not like, which was evident in our readings today in Genesis, is the effect of favouritism and its resulting unfairness and potential to create prejudice. We see God’s reaction to Jacob’s favouritism toward Rachel… Read More Today’s thought Favouritism and prejudice (January 18)
