Skip to main content

March 3 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 62

One of the things I hear people say when we read, for example, Deuteronomy is, "It's repeating itself."  "Didn't we already read/hear that before?"  The answer, of course, is, "You probably did."  

So, let me ask a couple of questions: 1) If it's repeated, doesn't that make it important?  2) If you're already read it before, shouldn't you remember some of it more accurately?

Happy reading!

DAILY READINGS

Deuteronomy 28-29 & Psalm 62

DAILY NOTES

Deuteronomy 28:1-14

  • If the people follow the commands of God, they are told they can expect blessings in return.  
  • These blessings will "overtake" the people.
Deuteronomy 28:15-68
  • If the people do not follow the commands of God, they can expect to be cursed in return.  Notice the imbalance of the amount of blessings verses the amount of curses.
    • The difference between the blessings and the curses is that these curses will pursue and overtake the people.
Deuteronomy 29:4
  • Read this verse with Verse 29
Deuteronomy 29:12
  • The people have been gathered for a reason.  God is prepared to make this covenant with them.  They are ready to become God's people and make God their God.  
Deuteronomy 29:15
  • Those who are not here today refers to future generations.
Psalm 62
  • I can't help but recall news headlines and television reports when I read this psalm.  Psalm 62 seems like a prayer of those people who were abused, neglected or otherwise hurt seeking justice against those who hurt them.  

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

I love the image of blessings overtaking the people.  Of course, curses can overtake the people, too.  Let's assume for now, though, that we seek to follow God's commands with all our heart, soul and strength.  Can you imagine what it looks like and feels like to be overtaken by your blessings?

Maybe we are overtaken with our blessings--we just don't realize it.

Stay blessed...john

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

March 31 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 90 David's family situation continues to spiral.  In today's reading, David's family is torn apart by rape.  As a consequence, David's son sets his eyes on his father's throne. DAILY READINGS 2 Samuel 13-15 & Psalm 90 DAILY NOTES 1 Samuel 13:1-14 Amnon was David's first born son (3:2).  That may shed light as to why David seems to deal with him so easily (Verse 21).  Although he does kind of the same thing later with Absalom. Tamar is Absalom's full sister, half sister to Amnon.  Amnon is lovesick with her.  He devises a plan, with the help of a friend, to have her enter his chamber (bedroom).   Since she was a virgin, she didn't go out and about.  She remained in her house, perhaps protected.   Tamar knows what will become of her if Amnon goes through with his wishes; she will be left aside, unable to marry (see Verse 20).  She seems willing to have become married to Amnon, but his lust clouds h...

June 18 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 169 DAILY READINGS Jeremiah 4-6 & Psalm 14 DAILY NOTES Jeremiah 4 Perhaps the people swore "As the Lord lives," but they did not do so in truth, justice or uprightness.  That's a sobering reminder that our words about God must match the way we live. Jeremiah (God) wants the people to move from an empty adherence to a covenant behavior (circumcision) to an attitude of praise before God.  In other words, empty religion is not appealing to God. God will ask the people to "wash" their heart "clean of wickedness" (Verse 14). Jeremiah feels as if God has deceived the people (Verse 10).  Maybe God didn't predict the peace Jeremiah was thinking of.  False prophets? Jeremiah 5 The same theme.  There were people who said, "As the Lord lives," because that was the religious thing to say.  But God says there is not one person who acts justly or seeks truth.  The people used the right words, but lived the wrong way.  #Pr...

January 27 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 27 We'll be reading about atonement today.  T oday's video helps make sense of that biblical theme. DAILY READINGS Exodus 30-31 & Psalm 27 DAILY NOTES Exodus 30:6 Everything has its place.   Exodus 30:10 Once a year would be Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). Exodus 12-15 The Lord's offering is required of everyone equally (of the appropriate age).  Strangely enough, there is a designation of rich and poor.  Everyone has just come from Egypt.  How has that distinction arisen?   Exodus 31:13 It's interesting to compare how the idea of sabbath here relates to previous mentions of it.   Exodus 31:18 Moses had written the words down.  Now, with merely his finger, God has provided the tablets for all to remember the covenant that has been made.   Psalm 27 Have you ever prayed and prayed and prayed for something?  The psalmist seems to know the feeling.  His final adm...