Good Deeds Should be Done Privately

Today’s Reading:
• Matthew 6:1-24
• Psalm 7:1-17

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Matthew 6:1-24
This reading teaches very good lessons. It starts off by saying not to give publicly – do good deeds, pray, and fast, but it do it all privately. Each of these verses reinforces that if you do any of those things for the attention that you get from other people, then that will be all the reward you will receive. Do it instead for your heavenly reward. So it seems to me this passage isn’t saying that doing these things for recognition is a sin, but I don't think you'd get your full heavenly award and fulfillment if you do it for recognition.

Psalm 7:1-17
This was another very powerful psalm from David calling for protection and vengeance against his enemies. I like how David doesn’t just beg the Lord to save him. Instead he tells the Lord to punish him if he’s been wicked and prays for the Lord to take vengeance against those who are wicked. To sum up this reading, I just want to remark on how I love verse 14. This is the NLT version, so take that into account, but they did a great job with it regardless:

“The wicked conceive evil; they are pregnant with trouble and give birth to lies.”

Abram Circumcises His Household

Today’s Reading:
• Genesis 16:1-18:15
• Proverbs 2:1-5

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Genesis 16:1-18:15
I guess it’s a good thing that Abram didn’t divorce Sarai for being barren throughout their marriage. That aside, I can’t imagine handing a woman over to my husband to sleep with and bear a child. I would be afraid I’d hate the child because I’d be reminded of it every time I saw him. But that’s just what Sarai does. She hands her servant, Hagar, over to her own husband. Hagar becomes pregnant and begins to treat Sarai with contempt. My question is, how did Sarai treat Hagar? The bible tells so little of the story, but there had to be anger and resentment there when Hagar became pregnant, don’t you think? I feel sorry for everyone in that situation.

After Ishmel is born to Abram and Hagar, the Lord visited Abram again, this time to form a covenant. For this covenant to be fulfilled, Abram must take every male of his household, himself included, and circumcise them. That could hardly have been well received! I wonder how hard of a time Abram had when he rounded up everyone, explained to them what had to happen, and then physically had to do it. I can’t imagine!

Abram (100 years old) and Sarai (90 years old) are from this point forward known as Abraham and Sarah, and God tells them that they will have a son together. I know that people lived a lot longer back then, but 90 years old must have been far past their prime. I would imagine it’s like a 65 – 70 year old woman trying to bear a child. So I can see how they might both have been skeptical of the promise from the Lord. Regardless, they were told – twice – that it would happen. The reading ends with Sarah’s skeptical laughter.

Proverbs 2:1-5
These verses focus on seeking out wisdom. We’re told to find insight and understanding, to seek them as you would a hidden treasure. This will teach you to both fear the Lord and gain knowledge of him. I feel like that’s happening to me right now as I am undergoing this study – learning all these things has already given me new fear and appreciation for the Lord. At the same time, I am literally gaining knowledge of God. While it is a bit scary to truly examine my life against God’s standards, I am becoming better prepared to steer out a new path to follow.

Cutting the Sin from One's Body

Today’s Reading:
• Matthew 5:27-48
• Psalm 6:1-10

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Matthew 5:27-48

This chapter continues to be a hard one to swallow. It is better to cut off a sinful body part than for your entire body to burn in hell. Now that’s powerful stuff! Too powerful. I don’t know if I can ever live up these expectations. Or, if I can, it’s going to take a lifetime to master, so I sure hope I have a long life.

Then there are the verses on divorce (31:32) that says one is committing adultery by marrying a divorced woman. Does that make me an adulteress? After all, this is my second marriage.  Does my marriage count in the eyes of God?

In verse 38:42 we are taught about revenge, and turning the other cheek. Yup, I have a lot of work to do there, too! Finally, verse 43:48 stress about loving our enemies. It’s hard to remember sometimes that God loves everyone, especially those that are lost. It’s not our place to pass our own judgments. I try really hard at that one, although it’s very hard when anger grips you to keep that in mind, isn’t it?

Psalm 6:1-10

More from David. This time he’s sick with grief and weeping about his enemies, begging for the Lord to return to him. What did he do? More questions, I guess, until I read the story of David for myself.

Conclusion

I’m really enjoying my readings, but I have to say parts of it are real hard to swallow. It forces me to become accountable for my life. No longer can I hide. I know that the readings will get easier, and as I read more I’ll understand more and learn more that will help me to turn my life around. I have truly started to change my life. There’s no turning back now!

The Riches of Abram Whose Descendants Will Number the Stars in the Sky

Today’s Reading:
• Genesis 13:5-15:21
• Proverbs 1:29-33

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Genesis 13:5-15:21
In this passage Abram gathered his 318 trained males and marched against the enemies that captured his nephew Lot. Abram was remarkably rich! Abram was like a king of sorts, or at least he acted like one; pulling his men together, marching on and defeating the enemy all by himself, when four kings combined couldn’t stop the invading force. I am quite impressed.

The rest of the passage told of the covenant, where God told Abram what was to come in the future – Abram will have a son (even though Sarai is barren) and his descendents will number the stars in the sky. God told him that his descendents will be enslaved for 400 years before returning to the promised land. God even told Abram how he was to die – in piece, at a ripe old age.

I wonder what it was like to receive promises straight from God himself, and how wonderful it must have felt. Or simply how glorious it was to know the Lord was always with you, because he spoke to you personally. Don’t get me wrong, I know the Lord is with me, but I still can’t help but long for the personal closeness and interaction Abram had with the Lord himself.

Proverbs 1:29-33
This proverb is a continuation of what I read yesterday. It reinforces that all those who mock wisdom will be “destroyed by their own complacency” (32). All of this is very true. No one likes to hear “I told you so,” but that’s essentially what this is. If someone tells you, and you don’t listen to their advice, you can expect no more than “I told you so” from them, can you?

Do Unto Others as You Would Have Them Do Unto You

Today’s Reading:

• Matthew 6:25-7:14
  
• Psalm 8:1-9

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Matthew 6:25-7:14
This passage began with a warning not to worry about having food, money and clothes, for the Lord will provide. I have mixed feelings about this. I feel that the Lord is providing for me already – I have a good job, and this job allows me to pay my bills, buy a house, save for college and retirement. I’m thinking of the future, but using the resources God gave me to fund it.

I know people, on the other hand, who will spend every dime he or she has, often before paying the bills. Then those people will cry that “God will provide.” But isn’t He already providing them with the means to live? If I squandered all the resources I’m given to provide for myself and my family, I wouldn’t expect God to bail me out later.  Now, if I had nothing, if something happened and I became broke, I would trust God to provide. But God is already providing me, isn’t he?

The second part of the reading contains the all-important verse 7:12:

 “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” 

 Isn’t that a fabulous verse, I mean really? How can you expect forgiveness from your sins if you don’t forgive others for theirs? And these passages say exactly that!

 “The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged (7:2).

 Now I’m awfully critical of people, and I know I need work there to avoid “judging” people. But I don’t judge people for their sins. Who am I to say what they did is right or wrong? Who are they to say the same of me? It is God’s job to judge our sins. And I do try -- truly -- to forgive those who wrong me. I know it does no good to hold a grudge. Sometimes it takes a while for me to let go, and it surely isn’t easy, but I do try my best.

My problem is I sometimes think back, and thinking about it causes angry emotions to arise. Even though I’ve long gotten over it, quit “punishing” the offending party for whatever it was, it can still cause me to be privately upset. I don’t know what to do about it. Am I truly forgiving the person then? How can I just make those emotions disappear? Do I just refuse to think about it, would that be good enough? Or must I feel peace in my heart when I think on the situation?  

Psalm 8:1-9
This psalm brings up a strong point: that we humans are but “mere mortals” (8:4), yet the Lord made us in his own image, and put us in charge of everything he created. Isn’t that an awesome, spectacular privilege?  I only hope that someday I can be worthy of the honor bestowed upon me as a human who has been put on this earth by God.