http://www.oneyearbibleblog.com/2017/01/january-11th-one-year-bible-readings.html
Genesis 24:52-26:16 ~ Matthew 8:18-34 ~ Psalm 10:1-15 ~ Proverbs 3:7-8
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~ // Mobile Site Link
~ Listen to today’s Scripture on One Year Bible Online Audio, ESVBible.org: OT, NT, Psalms, Proverbs or DailyAudioBible.com (podcast) ~
Old Testament – Rebekah and Isaac meet and marry in today’s readings! Below is Italian painter G.B. Castiglione’s oil painting titled “Meeting of Rebekah and Isaac” circa 1640:
Before the meeting & marriage – I love the very opening verse 52 in Genesis chapter 24 today: “At this reply, Abraham’s servant bowed to the ground and worshiped the LORD.” This just made me think – when was the last time that I actually bowed to the ground and worshiped the Lord? I have to confess it was a long time ago. This may sound strange, but one time I was listening to the David Crowder song “Deliver Me” and for some reason I literally fell to the ground, bowed, and worshiped God. It was an experience that’s hard to forget. But why is it so hard for me to get back down on the ground and worship God once again? When was the last time you bowed to the ground and worshiped the Lord?
Genesis chapter 25 has a lot going on in it today! We read about Keturah, the death of Abraham and the descendants of Ishmael. In verse 19 we begin reading about Jacob and Esau. Jacob we will read about for a large portion of the remainder of Genesis – there is actually not that many chapters we will read about Isaac. In verse 34 we read this about Jacob & Esau: “Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate and drank and went on about his business, indifferent to the fact that he had given up his birthright.” Below is Dutch Baroque Era painter Hendrik Martensz Sorgh’s beautiful “Interior with Jacob and Esau” painting from the year 1662 (the bright foreground almost takes away from the background with Esau swearing off his birthright):
In Genesis chapter 26 we can see where the old adage, “like father, like son” could have come from. Isaac like his father Abraham told foreigners that his wife was his sister. However, the artist Raffaello captured verse 8 from King Abimelech’s perspective in this painting from the year 1519 below: “But some time later, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looked out a window and saw Isaac fondling Rebekah.”
Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in Genesis chapter 25 titled “The Principle of Divine Election” is at this link and commentary on chapter 26 titled “Isaac Walks in His Father’s Steps” is at this link.
New Testament – Matthew’s readings in chapter 8 today are powerful in so many ways. The first section of our readings focuses on the costs of following Jesus. And I do think that we all probably realize that there are some costs associated with faith. However, there is also eternal reward, which outweighs all the temporary costs we might have to pay in this life. In some ways, I do ask myself this – are we really participating in a true faith if there are no costs associated with it? I have heard and read books and listened to speakers about how faith can bring us health & wealth & happiness. And I know there are many times when this is true (see our Proverbs reading today for a good truth to this) – but I do think these would be dangerous goals of faith in and of themselves – we could end up serving health, wealth and happiness as mini-gods of our own design if we’re not careful. We could find ourselves following our own plans rather than God’s Perfect Will for our lives.
Our faith must simply be about following Jesus and God’s Perfect Plan & Will for our lives and accepting the costs – and the benefits – that come along with this Walk. What are the costs in your life of following Jesus? Do you believe that suffering might be part of the package in this life of following Jesus? I do believe the costs are all worth it – no matter what they may be. Here’s a really really heavy question to put out here… but I think it is something that at some point we need to ask ourselves. I hope you don’t mind this blog bringing this question to you if you’ve never asked this of yourself before… <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/2.2.1/72x72/1f642.png" alt="