1.06.2010

Jan 6

Genesis 11-12
Psalm 6
Matthew 8

19 comments:

MoMar said...

Psalm 6
The Lord has heard my plea;
the Lord accepts my prayer.

This means everything to me when I am praying for the ones I love.

I am Bethany. said...

Psalm 6: David spent a lot of time running away from people trying to kill him. A lot of the psalms have this surrounding circumstance, so it's easy for me to think that I can't relate to David's words. I don't usually hide out in caves while kings and princes come after me with armies trying to kill me. I generally play too safe to have real enemies.
I think Satan would really like for me keep thinking that about the Psalms, because it tricks me into thinking I'm not living in a daily battle against the principalities of evil...My enemies are shame, guilt, pride, and dissapointment from mis-placed hope.
It's a stronger prayer for me to pray "Lord, let this anxiety retreat in sudden confusion! Shake the guilt to its depth and send it away from me! Rescue me because of your faithful love!"
So I'm trying to remember that "my struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12.

June said...

Psalm 6 surprised me at first. I wasn't that familiar with it, and I mostly remember hearing the Psalms that offer advice, so hearing such a strong and honest plea for help was unusual to me. After reading it I was impressed that in a moment of terror and dread David turns to God with such an open heart and such faith that he will be saved.

I see this as a reminder that in times of hardship we should turn to the Lord. I know that II tend to turn inward and think that I can figure it all out on my own, when all God wants is for us to ask for help and put our trust in him.

DP said...

"Lord, If you are willing you can make me clean."
"I am willing"

Melissa said...

"What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

molly june. said...

i loved matt 8, talking about people being healed just by believing. a leper's faith made him clean. a paralyzed servant healed because the centurion believed. peter's mother's fever left just by touching Jesus' hand.
"why are you afraid, you men of little faith?" he calms the sea. he casts out demons & still the city tells him to leave. wow! i want a faith like the leper..bold, desperate faith.

autumn said...

I especially loved that after Peters mother touches Jesus and she is healed she just stands and begins serving him. I want that kind of love, Jesus heals me and my heart daily and yet I just ask for more and more. I want to be healed and then stand to serve him. Also, I had to read Psalm 6 aloud- I need to remember that kind of transparency. June, I am like you and just turn inward thinking that I can do this on my own, but I can't. I need Him and His comfort and wisdom. This was an awesome reading day.

autumn said...

Also, I just wrote a little blog about how great I think the mom in-law in Matthew is, if anyone is interested :)

KillerB said...

Hmmm, I'm sort of stumped by the Genesis passage today. Specifically Genesis 12:10-20.

I understand that Abram had favor in the Lord, but it seems to me that he was wrong (and cowardly) when he told his wife to lie and say that she was his sister so that the Egyptians wouldn't kill him. How horrible that he pimped out his own wife to the Pharaoh!

I admit that I don't like Abram very much and frankly, I don't understand why God is rewarding him or protecting him. I read 2 versions of the text and it seems like Pharaoh was punished in spite of his ignorance of his crime and once he learned that Sarai was Abram's wife he righted the situation and gave Abram his wife back. (Poor Sarai!)

It's hard for me to understand what I'm supposed to learn from this section of scripture. Anyone have any insight?

Angie said...

I think King David knew the Lord as the Lover of his soul. I've asked God to reveal to me what it means when His word says that He is the lover of my soul. David was so raw and real and he is a great example of how I can be just as open. There is no safer place than in the arms of our Father.

It reminds me of 1 Peter 5:7 and I like the Amplified translation:

Casting the whole of your care all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.

Emery Jo said...

ooh beth, yes I am glad you asked. My thoughts are these:

Abram's life is a picture of the relationship between Israel (god's people) and God.

Abram LEFT the promised land due to a fear of starvation. God did not tell Abram to leave. He basically left because he didn't trust that God would provide for him and his family during the famine.

He did wrong by leaving the promised land, and of course he did wrong by not telling Pharaoh that Sarai was his wife.

His deceit caused others harm. Just like our does today. But God's promises never fail, and God still chose to honor the promise he made to Abram, even though he messed up big time.

Thank goodness He did, because Jesus came through the promised line of Abraham!

KillerB said...

Ooooh, THANK YOU, Emery! That does make a lot of sense to me. Thanks for helping me wrap my brain around that one :)

Liz said...

autumn: love your comments about the mother in law, that is exactly how I was feeling when reading that passage! You put it into words exactly how I couldn't!

Emery: Great explanation of the Abram thing, it was a very concise but thorough explanation!

I'm so excited by all the interaction on here already! It helps to have so many others reading/thinking/praying about the same thing and sharing with one another!

LauraS said...

I love in Matthew 6 when Jesus is suprised to find that people have such faith in him, that they can believe without seeing. This is something I struggle with, and I hope I can reach the point where I know the Lord is there for me without feeling like I have to search.

LauraS said...

and by Matthew 6 I meant Matthew 8.

autumn said...

I also love that Jesus shows surprise. That is just pretty sweet to see. I mean, I imagine him as this all ways all knowing higher than high man sometimes and this just puts in all into perspective. It is the same in Genesis, when he comes to ask Adam if he ate from the tree it isn't like he popped out of the heavens as soon as the fruit hits his lips the verses say that he was taking a walk in the afternoon and came upon Adam. It is just beautiful to be reminded of his humanity and love in such a tangible and available way. Gods love is available....that is a revelation for me!

Charlotte said...

Bouncing off of Autumn - I think it's amazing how often God gives us a chance to do/figure out things for ourselves. We aren't God puppets; Jesus could have proved once and for all he was God, but He didn't. He let people come to Him. God knew Adam's sin in the garden, but He still gave Adam the chance for repentance. God could just make knowledge appear in our heads, but instead, He gently guides us through, so it is more meaningful to us in the end. Everything He does, He does out of love!

Laura said...

Great comments!! Matthew today reminded me of Emery's post a few days ago about fear being a measure of our faith. When I am afraid of my storms, am I saying to God that I don't trust Him? Am I on the boat, crying and demanding answers from Jesus? Oh YE of little faith! I need to remember that even the winds and the waves obey Him.

Liz said...

LauraS and autumn, thanks for the comments about the Matthew reading today! Hadn't thought about that dimension of Jesus' surprise. I really appreciate how people are sharing their take on the verses, it helps me get so much more out of the readings!
Going back to re-read that passage and pray about it a bit more!
Thanks ladies!