June 11 Bible Reading

Matthew 26
Jesus truly did sacrifice Himself for our sake.  He easily could have fought off the soldiers who took Him, because He had a heavenly army at His disposal.  How He labored over the thought of bearing our sin; the text doesn’t make it seem a light task.  Yet, Christ did take it, and die, so that sin might be abolished.

Job 22&23
Job again turns his eyes to God.  He trusts that God is still in control, and knows that God will use this to refine Job.  He has a righteous perspective, one that is looking upward.  We too should trust that God is purifying us when we go through trials.  This knowledge will allow us to gain something from our sorrow and not simply wallow in it.

Exodus 3&4
Moses needed to trust that God had chose him and equipped him.  We can often at least know that God has chosen us for a specific task, but we often lack the trust that He has given us what we need to accomplish it.  God would have provided the words for Moses to say, but he did not have faith and confidence in God, so God had to enlist Aaron’s help as well.  We must trust that if God asks us to do something, He will enable us to accomplish it.

Jeremiah 10-12
After reading this passage, idol worship seem absurd!  Why would man worship something that he made, that can’t do anything of its own accord, and that has to be carried around?  The creators are not to worship the creation, the creation, us, is designed to worship the creator, God.  This simply makes sense.

2Corinthians 2
Paul, although wronged, extended forgiveness.  He then encouraged others to do the same.  We spend far too much time focusing on what has offended us, when we should instead be actively forgiving one another.  Of course we will be wronged, and of course we will wrong others; we are fallen creatures after all.  We must live in this reality and be willing to forgive.

1Samuel 28-31
It might not have seemed obvious how Saul’s line would not continue and David would become king.  It is important to remember that God will always do what He promises.  Although the plan was not apparent, God brought about His will for the people of Israel.  When it doesn’t seem to make sense how God will do what He has promised, we must trust that He is the mover of mountains and will make His plan become reality.