Day 10
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Welcome to Day 10 of our Life Journal!
Click here for today’s reading: Genesis 25, 26; Psalms 6; Luke 10 (2012 Daily Bible Reading Plan)
Before you comment or read what I have posted, please read the following passages for yourself and complete your own S.O.A.P. exercise… How does this work?
S.O.A.P = Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
S cripture
Genesis 25, OK, so yesterday started with the depressing news that Sarah, wife of Abraham had died… Today’s reading starts in similar fashion with the death of Abraham (175) and the news that after Sarah’s death, he remarried and started another family, having SIX more kids in his 100’s. (And for the first time we read about his concubines!)
I notice I tend to think of most Bible history being in the “Middle East.” However, a great portion was in Africa (considered to be part of the Middle East.) Thought about this when reading that the descendants of Ishmael settled 25:18 “near the eastern border of Egypt” which would be eastern modern day Egypt and western Libya?
Isaac was 40 when he married Rebekah, and Jacob and Esau weren’t born for TWENTY years.
What a thoughtless decision Esau made, selling his birthright for a bowl of STEW! (Funny, Esau’s nickname was “Red.”)
Genesis 26, Wow, does this sound familiar?? “7 When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “The men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful.” Even to the point of Abimilek’s decree that everyone needed to leave Isaac’s wife alone. This just makes me shake my head in disbelief. Like father, like son? I wonder if this was a piece of fatherly advice that Abraham passed on to Isaac?
Funny distinction between “rich” and “very wealthy.” Note that water was a precious commodity… lots of arguments over wells. The Philistines are starting to become a nuisance…
Preview of Jacob taking Esau’s blessing… tomorrow.
Psalms 6, Boy, the psalmist has a heavy heart. The good news is that the Lord hears our weeping and our cries for mercy. “Accepts my prayer?” I wonder if that’s a given, or if that was in this case? Need to ponder that ? for a while.
In Luke 9 Jesus sent out the twelve… in Luke 10 Jesus broadens the scope a bit and sends out the 72. “20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Jesus kept things in proper perspective… Keep the main thing the main thing. Great that we can heal the sick and have power over demons, etc, but that’s NOT the main thing.
22 “No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Great verse that Jesus reveals the Father to us.
27 “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (37 and showing mercy…) All the Law and the Prophets rest on these passages. Love God. Love People. Not complicated.
The story of Mary and Martha has always been one that I have pointed to, in terms of the tension between working and waiting. Someone had to make dinner and clean up the mess. There is always work to be done. Finding the balance (although I really don’t like that word) between Mary, who sat at Jesus’ feet, and Martha who was “distracted.” I think THAT’S the real issue. What are my distractions? What keeps me from hearing from Jesus or waiting on him?
Waiting is not doing nothing. It is an active waiting that I want to do… Anticipating, learning, full of faith.
O bservation
Obviously I have made many observations along the way. My overall observation this morning is two-fold. First that I am wondering what I have passed on to my kids… The second is that as we are pressing into God’s presence as a church family. It takes work to wait on God.
A pplication
It takes a laser focus to not let anything and everything squeeze out our time with God. There is risk involved in pressing in to His presence… there is uncertainty and it can be uncomfortable at times… but the rewards are huge. I’m learning to wait. And waiting to learn. There is no doubt that we are called to serve, actively. “Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve…” Matthew 20:28. balanced with “This is the work of God… to believe on the one he has sent.” John 6:29
P rayer
Lord help me (and our church family) as we learn to wait on You. To have the hands of Martha and the heart of Mary.
Vineyard Life Journal 
Note to self – focus on Jesus like Mary did and don’t get caught up in all the daily busy-ness of life in this work.
“There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Edit – should read “busy-ness of life in this world.”
Gen 26:19-22-They dug wells three times. The third was called “freedom”. They gave the Lord credit for what had been done. Persistence pays off. Some times there are roadblocks and you have to keep digging. Starting over and over again. People get in the way. Stuff happens. Dig another one. Be persistent. You will find freedom in the end, with God’s help
Lord, help me to be persistent when I know I am on the right path. Help me not to give up, but to find strength in you. I will give you all of the glory when I finish the task.
Luke 10:2 “…Pray to the owner of the harvest that he will send out workers to gather in his harvest”.
Oh Lord, please send workers to share your love with people in Dayton, across the states and throughout the world. Help us to be selfless with our time and resources. You will provide what we need.
Luke 10: 5 “Whenever you go in to a house, first say “peace be with this house”.
Peace. He chose to tell them peace.
Lord, when I enter someone’s home, help me to remember to pray a prayer of peace for their home.
Luke 10:27-37
Christ
others
me
slow down
make eye contact
look for needs
ask the Holy Spirit for direction
Lord, help me to seek out those who need you. Holy Spirit give me an acute awareness of who needs prayer and how to pray for them. Lord, speak to me about how I can help others. Show me specifically how I can provide for people’s needs. Give me boldness. Give me your power. Take away my fears, Lord. I love you.
10 days into this and I’m still so loving it! I have read throught the Bible in a year before however,this is different to me. AIt;s like the words jump out at me and I can feel my Church family feeling the same way! Thank you , Scott for making the blog so much fun and interesting also…nothing boring about it! I’m excited to see where this is going to lead Vineyard. God bless!!
Love that we’re not just reading scripture but that we are also praying that scripture into our lives. Thanks Scott for facilitating this process and for creating such an interesting forum. Was especially moved by Luke 10:9-11. Need to remind myself I carry the kingdom of God everywhere I go today and the atmosphere changes when I enter a place because His kingdom comes with me. Encouraging.
20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
This would be me. “Dude, did you see the way that spirit flew out of that guy? It was awesome!”
But over time I’ve found that while celebrating accomplishments is gratifying in the moment, keeping perspective on the main objective provides a season of gratification. What good is it to remove an unclean spirit and leave it empty, prime space for another unclean spirit. Instead I need to go all the way and see about filling it with the Spirit that never needs refilling. And rejoice, because that Spirit is in me.
Really enjoy reading the posts each day, always good to see how the Word of God speaks to others, very helpful.
Gen. 25:1-11 – I had forgotten that Abraham had several children by his wife Keturah and his concubines. I have to admit that the allowance of multiple wives and concubines in Old Testament times puzzles me. Did God condone this, or merely tolerate it? Of all Abraham’s children, Isaac was the only one to receive the inheritance.
Gen. 25:27-34 – What was Esau thinking??? Trading his birthright for a bowl of stew??
Gen. 26:1-11 – What was Isaac thinking??? Did he learn nothing from his dad?
v. 12-17 God blessed Isaac with so much wealth that the Philistines became jealous and abusive, and Abimelech became afraid of his power.
Ps. 6 — A prayer of repentance and despair. Been there.
Luke 10:1-20 Jesus gave 72 disciples authority to heal the sick, cast out demons, and preach that the Kingdom of God was near.
v. 20: “But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” Don’t let having God’s power and authority get to your head. Instead, remain humble and rejoice in his grace and salvation. After all, it’s his power, not mine.
v. 21: “At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, ‘O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.'” People who think they are wise often reject God’s truth because they have intellectualized him away, and they criticize people who have faith as being uneducated.
v. 27: “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
God, help me to be humble, to rejoice in your grace, to never become so “educated” that I intellectualize you away, and to love you with all that is within me.