Reading for July 20
2 Chronicles 1:1-3:17
Yay! 1 Chronicles is done! On to 2 Chronicles! Technically they were all one book and just split into two to make it easier to read! Yay!
The first half of this section recounts almost word for word a story from Kings. This story is when Solomon, who had recently become king, had a vision of God one night and God told Solomon that he could have anything he wanted. Solomon asked for wisdom and knowledge to guide and rule over his people, Israel. God was very pleased with Solomon's answer. And because he did not ask for riches or power, they were given to him anyway.
I like this story in some ways, and in others I don't. Obviously the writer of Chronicles liked it enough to repeat it word for word, and I'm sure this example of humility was used many times in the early Jewish culture when trying to show children the right way - and is probably still used today. The reason I don't like it is because it opens up a little deceit window in my head. Maybe for you too, and maybe it's subconscious, but my mind reads this and says, "hey you just have to pretend to be humble to get what you really want."
One day when I was in second grade, the teacher was giving out Jolly Ranchers to people who answered questions correctly. She gave me one, even though I didn't answer a question correctly. I said, "I didn't answer the question" and handed her the candy back. She made a big deal out of how honest I was and made a huge example in front of the class about honesty and values and stuff and I was totally embarrassed. BUT she gave me the Jolly Rancher back. And it was Blue Razzberry (spelled with z's because it was the 90s) and I was freaking pumped to eat it. But I realized that pretending to be honest could get you what you really want. If she really wanted me to learn a lesson of honesty, she should have taken the candy back.
Sometimes I wonder if I'm actually a good person, or if I've subconsciously realized that being a nice guy has it's benefits, and I'm really just a selfish jerk. I'm defintiely proud of my "nice guy" persona. I definitely love to hear "oh he's such a nice guy" in my most vain moments. But is it because I'm selfish, or because I'm actually nice. I often wonder.
Romans 6:1-23
Romans 6:23 is a very well known verse in Ye Olde Biblee.
23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.This whole section focuses on the divide between sin and righteousness. Paul says that we used to be slaves to sin, but now we should be slaves to obedience, which leads to righteousness. And it's a bit of a difficult thing to grasp, but I think I got a little piece of it. If you think back to Exodus, when the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt, to wander the desert for forty years, they thought it would be better to go back to Egypt and be slaves again than live in the desert eating stupid flat bread.Obviously they were wrong, and they weren't seeing the big picture.
In the same way, we who were once slaves to sin, are now free from that - and in the same way, every day we go back to Egypt - whatever your Egypt may be. Anger, drugs, porn, lying, stealing, whatever - we are unable to ever fully leave our former masters. But I think what Paul is saying here is that before Christ, the shackles were bolted tight - with no means of escaping from sin. After Christ, we hold the key and can turn around and leave it behind any time we please - but it's up to us to do it. And even though we keep going back to our own personal Egypt, there is no Pharaoh to keep us there anymore.
Psalm 16:1-11
I dig this
8 I have set the LORD always before me.Confidence in God is a really cool thing.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
Proverbs 19:20-21
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
and in the end you will be wise.
21 Many are the plans in a man's heart,
but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.
Verse 21 is awesome. Remember that the next time things don't go according to plan.
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