Skip to main content

April 29 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 119

We are taking 6 days to read Psalm 119.  Yes, it has that many verses!  If you want to know how to read the Bible, take in all the words of Psalm 119.  It's not about reading for reading's sake.  It's about pursuing the heart of God.

Today's Bible Project video talks about the way Jesus announced and spreads the news of God's kingdom.


DAILY READINGS

Isaiah 42-44 & Psalm 119:1-32

DAILY NOTES

Isaiah 42
  • A servant of God is announced.  This chosen one of God will have God's spirit and bring justice to the world.  
    • This is one of several "servant songs" written in Isaiah.
  • His arrival is a part of God's redemption plan.
  • A hymn of praise springs forth as a result.  
  • God's redemption comes even though Israel has been disobedient.
Isaiah 43
  • God promises that the people who have been scattered will return.
    • What about those taken by Assyria?
  • This new thing of God will take the place of the suffering and punishment the people have endured.  
  • According the Verse 21, this is done so that the people may praise God again.
Isaiah 44
  • The people will take delight in being called God's people.  I would hope so!
  • Of course, there will be some whose dependence on idols will keep them from knowing this freedom of God.  According verses 18-19, those people don't even realize how silly they are being by creating worshiped idols from the same tree they cook and get heat from.
Psalm 119
  • We're going to be talking about lot about God's precepts and following those commandments.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

Have you wondered why we keep hearing many of the same things?

In Isaiah, we've heard again and again that God is our Creator.  God has done much for us.  We've heard about the futility of idols.  Repeatedly, we've heard about idols.  We've heard many times about how we turned from God.

We've also heard, and will hear much more, about the promise of our future.

You know why we repeat things.  One, so we don't forget.  But also because sometimes people aren't paying attention the first time.  And, of course, some things are that important they should be repeated.

Since these themes will continue to be repeated, my suggestion is that we take time to consider what they mean to our faith today.  Yes, they mean something for our faith today!

Stay blessed...john
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

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...
Post a Comment
Read more