The Daily Lectionary for MONDAY, February 3, 2020

Psalm 37:1-17; Ruth 1:1-18; Philemon 1-25

The Daily Lectionary

MONDAY, February 3, 2020

(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)

Psalm 37:1-17

God will bless the righteous

1  Do not fret because of those who are evil
     or be envious of those who do wrong;
2  for like the grass they will soon wither,
     like green plants they will soon die away.

3  Trust in the Lord and do good;
     dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4  Take delight in the Lord,
     and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5  Commit your way to the Lord;
     trust in him and he will do this:
6  He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
     your vindication like the noonday sun.

7  Be still before the Lord
     and wait patiently for him;
   do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
     when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8  Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
     do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9  For those who are evil will be destroyed,
     but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
     though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land
     and enjoy peace and prosperity.

12 The wicked plot against the righteous
     and gnash their teeth at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
     for he knows their day is coming.

14 The wicked draw the sword
     and bend the bow
   to bring down the poor and needy,
     to slay those whose ways are upright.
15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
     and their bows will be broken.

16 Better the little that the righteous have
     than the wealth of many wicked;
17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,
     but the Lord upholds the righteous.

Ruth 1:1-18

Ruth one of the poor

1:1 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. 2 The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.

3 Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.

6 When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. 7 With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.

8 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. 9 May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.”

Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud 10 and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.”

11 But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? 12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— 13 would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!”

14 At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.

15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”

16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

Philemon 1-25

Concerning the slave Onesimus

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker— 2 also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home:

3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. 6 I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. 7 Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.

8 Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 9 yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— 10 that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

12 I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. 13 I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. 14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. 15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— 16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

17 So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. 20 I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

22 And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. 24 And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.

25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Optional parts of the readings are set off in [square brackets.]

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel lessons are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Daily Lectionary is a three-year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2020, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2019 was Year C. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
The Daily Lectionary for MONDAY, February 3, 2020
Psalm 37:1-17; Ruth 1:1-18; Philemon 1-25

The Daily Prayer for MONDAY, February 3, 2020

The Daily Prayer

MONDAY, February 3, 2020

Fourth-century bishop Gregory of Nyssa wrote, “God has imprinted the image of the good things of His own nature on creation. But sin, in spreading out over the divine likeness, has caused this good to disappear, covering it with shameful garments. But if by life rightly led, you wash away the mud that has been put on your heart, the Godlike beauty will again shine out in you.”

Lord, we are all capable of denying you. Please help us to invite the lost back into your fold with humility, knowing all the while that we would ourselves be lost but for your grace. Amen.

Verse of the Day for MONDAY, February 3, 2020

Psalm 59:16

But I will sing of your strength,
   in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
   my refuge in times of trouble.

Read all of Psalm 59

Listen to Psalm 59

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Four Chaplains Day

Four Chaplains Day

Today the church remembers The Dorchester Chaplains: Lieutenant George Fox, Lieutenant Alexander D. Goode, Lieutenant Clark V. Poling and Lieutenant John P. Washington, 1943.

February 3 is “Four Chaplains Day” in America by a unanimous act of Congress in 1988. Unfortunately, it is generally not taught to the children in the schools, observed by governmental bodies, nor reported on by media. Consequently, the truly inspiring story of the Four Chaplains, who they are and why there is a day honoring them is unknown by most Americans.

The Four Chaplains, also sometimes referred to as the "Immortal Chaplains" or the "Dorchester Chaplains", were four United States Army chaplains who gave their lives to save other civilian and military personnel as the troop ship S.S. Dorchester sank on February 3, 1943, during World War II. They helped other soldiers board lifeboats and gave up their own life jackets when the supply ran out. The chaplains joined arms, said prayers, and sang hymns as they went down with the ship.

The relatively new chaplains all held the rank of first lieutenant. They included Methodist minister the Reverend George L. Fox, Reform Rabbi Alexander D. Goode (Ph.D.), Roman Catholic priest Father John P. Washington, and Reformed Church in America minister the Reverend Clark V. Poling. Their backgrounds, personalities, and denominations were different, although Goode, Poling, and Washington had all served as leaders in the Boy Scouts of America. They met at the Army Chaplains School at Harvard University, where they prepared for assignments in the European theater, sailing onboard Dorchester to report to their new assignments.

The Dorchester had been a 5,649-ton civilian liner, 368 feet long with a 52-foot beam and a single funnel, originally built in 1926 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, for the Merchants and Miners Line, operating ships from Baltimore to Florida, carrying both freight and passengers. It was the third of four liners being built for the Line.

Designed for 314 civilian passengers and 90 crew, she was able to carry slightly more than 900 military passengers and crew.

Dorchester left New York on January 23, 1943, en route to Greenland, carrying the four chaplains and approximately 900 others, as part of a convoy of three ships (SG-19 convoy). Most of the military personnel were not told the ship's ultimate destination. The convoy was escorted by Coast Guard Cutters Tampa, Escanaba, and Comanche.

Early on the morning of February 3, 1943, the Dorchester was wallowing through icy seas off Greenland. Most of the 900 troops on board were asleep in their bunks. Suddenly a torpedo smashed into Dorchester’s flank. The troops milled in confusion on the decks.

In those dark moments of panic, the coolest men aboard were four U.S. Army Chaplains: First Lts. Clark V. Poling, Alexander D. Goode, John P. Washington, George L. Fox. The four chaplains led the men into boxes of life jackets, passed them out to the soldiers with boat-frill precision. When the boxes were empty, the four chaplains quietly slipped off their own precious life preservers, put them on four young GIs and told them to jump.

The Dorchester went down 25 minutes later in a rumble of steam. Some 600 men were lost, but the heroic chaplains had helped save over 200. The last anyone saw of them, they were standing on the slanting deck, their arms linked in prayer to the one God they all served.

Far away in North Africa, Dr. Daniel A. Poling, distinguished American clergyman, and father of Chaplain Clark Poling, was crouching in a foxhole when he learned of the heroic death of his son and his three fellow Chaplains. In his mind was born the idea of a shrine in the memory of this noble sacrifice; a shrine where people of all faiths could worship God in a spirit of unity without the need for uniformity.

In the heart of a great city, Philadelphia, PA, the Chapel opens its doors to people of all races and religious faiths. Every Sunday there is a service of worship. It is also a memorial to the Four Chaplains who went down on the S.S. Dorchester. It is an interfaith shrine; in it are three altars, one for each faith – Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant. Above the entrance burns an eternal light, which calls men to the unity these four chaplains so heroically demonstrated. Chiseled deep into the stone is this dedication:

Chapel of Four Chaplains

An Interfaith Shrine

Here is Sanctuary for Brotherhood

Let it never be violated

In 1988, February 3 was established by a unanimous act of Congress as an annual "Four Chaplains Day." Some state or city officials commemorate the day with official proclamations, sometimes including the order that flags fly at half-mast in memory of the fallen chaplains. In some cases, official proclamations establish observances at other times: for example, North Dakota legislation requests that the Governor issue an annual proclamation establishing the first Sunday in February as "Four Chaplains Sunday."

The day is also observed as a feast day on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.

Read the Wikipedia article here.

Holy God, you inspired the Dorchester chaplains to be models of steadfast sacrificial love in a tragic and terrifying time: Help us to follow their example, that their courageous ministry may inspire chaplains and all who serve, to recognize your presence in the midst of peril; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Today marks the 77th anniversary of the sinking of the U.S. Army Transport Dorchester and the selfless acts of four Army chaplains who were aboard.

Un dia a la Vez - Lunes 3 de febrero de 2020

Huye del negativismo

Panal de miel son las palabras amables: endulzan la vida y dan salud al cuerpo.

—Proverbios 16:24 (NVI)

¡Cuántas veces nos toca en la vida diaria convivir con personas negativas, personas que desde que abren su boca es para criticar a otros, para maldecir la vida que están viviendo! Se desaniman a cada momento y, como dicen por ahí, ¡no los calienta ni el sol!

Me refiero a las personas que van a una iglesia constantemente, que leen la Palabra y que se dicen llamar «cristianos». A estos más bien les digo «cristinos». ¿Sabes la repercusión que tiene para nuestra vida comportarnos de esa manera?

Sé que muchos de los que hoy leen este libro, o lo escuchan por la radio, se han sentido muy incómodos al tener a su alrededor personas así. Que en vez de atraerte a la iglesia para tener una vida espiritual, más bien te alejan y se convierten en piedra de tropiezo. Una piedra tan poderosa que alejan a los que le rodean y le impiden tener una vida con Jesús.

Recuerda que las palabras tienen poder y con ellas puedes bendecir o maldecir a una persona. Permitamos, pues, en este nuevo día, que lo que hablemos coincida con las cosas que hacemos. ¡Pidámosle a Dios ser reflejo de su luz y brillar sin contaminarnos con el negativismo!

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
¡Cuántas veces nos toca en la vida diaria convivir con personas negativas, personas que desde que abren su boca es para criticar a otros, para maldecir la vida que están viviendo!

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Monday, February 3, 2020

SATAN’S TACTIC OF GUILT

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

—1 John 1:9 (NIV)

Satan’s internal tactics against us fall into two broad categories: deceit and intimidation. He continually accuses us in our own hearts to bring feelings of guilt and failure into our lives. True guilt is that which comes from disobeying God. One reason that this approach is so effective in crushing the witness of a saint is that it is partially true. We all have failed the Lord. None of us has triumphed in power over every circumstance as we could and should have done. So when Satan accuses us, we know in our hearts that there is much truth in his accusations.

But God has provided us with a way to cleanse ourselves of this sin and the guilt that accompanies it. When we realize we have failed the Lord, we confess it and He forgives and cleanses us. Once we have confessed it, the sin is gone, and our feelings of guilt are relieved.

David’s experience shows us God’s method of dealing with sin: conviction, acknowledgment, confession, seeking forgiveness, receiving forgiveness, praise and joyful service (Psalm 51; Psalm 32:3, 4; II Samuel 12:1-13). Once sin is dealt with in this manner, true guilt will disappear.

The revolutionary army told a young Christian in Chad, Africa that he must submit to old animistic tribal rituals. They wanted to destroy Christianity and stimulate patriotism and loyalty by reviving the ancient pagan customs. The leaders of the churches of the area agreed together that Christians must refuse to participate in the animistic rituals.

When the young man refused and was beaten, he stood firm in his faith. But when the authorities stripped him naked and beat him in front of his mother, sisters, and other young ladies, his courage failed and he permitted them to perform the pagan rituals.

Then he felt terrible. He had failed the Lord. His guilt was heavy. Satan tried to convince him that the Lord could never again accept him. But he knew the scriptural promises of God, and he confessed his sin. The Lord forgave him and restored his joy.

He began to publicly witness to his neighbors and he was arrested. The authorities demanded that he denounce Christ or be buried alive. This time, his faith was strong and he refused to deny Christ. He was beaten and thrown into prison to await execution, but his faith grew stronger and the Lord delivered him. The oppressive government was overthrown and he was released.

RESPONSE: Today I will confess my sin and receive God’s forgiveness from the guilt so that Satan cannot use this tactic against me.

PRAYER: Pray that this simple and straight-forward process of relieving guilt through confession of sin will be the experience of every believer so Satan loses one more tactic today.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.

Women of the Bible - Monday, February 3, 2020

Rachel

Her name means: "Ewe"

Her character: Manipulated by her father, she had little say over her own life circumstances and relationships. But rather than dealing creatively with a difficult situation, Rachel behaved like a perpetual victim, responding to sin with yet more sin, making things worse by competing with her sister, and deceiving her father in return.
Her sorrow: That her longing for children ultimately led to her death in childbirth.
Her joy: That her husband cherished her and would do whatever was in his power to make her happy.
Key Scriptures: Genesis 29-35; Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:18

Her Story

Was it better to have love but no children or to be unloved and yet mother to a house full of sons? The question battered Rachel like a strong wind slamming the same door over and over.

Leah had just given birth to her fourth son, Judah. In her joy she had shouted, "I will praise the Lord!" Her firstborn, Reuben, meant "See, a Son"; Simeon, "One Who Hears"; and Levi, "Attached," as though Jacob could ever be attached to his plain wife! Rachel was sick to death of this habit her sister had of naming her sons in ways that emphasized Rachel's own barrenness.

Leah had become Jacob's wife through her father's treachery, but Rachel had captured his love from their first meeting at the well outside Haran. Every touch communicated his favor. Yet favor could not make children any more than wishing could make wealth. Rachel should have been his first, his only wife, just as Aunt Rebekah was Uncle Isaac's only wife.

Rachel's father, Laban, had promised her to his nephew, Jacob, provided he work for him for seven years. Seven years was a long time to wait for a wife, yet Jacob had thought it a good bargain. And that made Rachel love him all the more.

But as the wedding day approached, Laban hatched a scheme to trick seven more years of labor out of Jacob. Rachel's day of happiness dissolved the moment Laban instructed her older sister, Leah, to disguise herself in Rachel's wedding garments.

After dark, he led Leah, veiled, to Jacob's tent, and the two slept together as man and wife. As the first light crept across the tent floor, Jacob reached again for Rachel only to find Leah at his side. Laban's treachery stung him. It was beyond belief. Even so, despite the recriminations and the tears, the marriage could not be undone.

But Rachel felt undone, her blessing seized by stealth. Laban's convoluted plan, however, was still unfolding. He struck another bargain, giving Rachel to Jacob the very next week in exchange for seven more years of labor. So now the two sisters lived uneasily together, Leah's sons a grating reminder that Rachel, the second wife, was cheated still.

"Give me children, or I'll die," Rachel screamed at Jacob one day—as though he could take the place of God and open her womb. So she gave him Bilhah, her maid, who conceived and bore her two sons. When Napthali, the second son, was born, Rachel proclaimed to anyone who would listen, "I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won." But the wrestling match between Rachel and Leah was far from over.

Rachel's bitterness again eased when she herself gave birth to a son, naming him Joseph, meaning "May He Add"—a prophetic prayer that God would add yet another child to her line.

Then one day God spoke to Jacob, telling him to return to the land of Isaac, his father. More than twenty years earlier, Jacob had wrestled the blessing from Esau and then had fled his murderous wrath. Had the long years paid him back twofold? Had Laban's treachery and the wrestling match between Rachel and Leah reminded him of his own struggles with his brother? Would God—and Esau—call it even? Only the Lord could protect him in this matter with his brother.

As Jacob gathered his flocks, his servants, and his children, preparing to leave, Rachel stole her father's household gods, small idols thought to ensure prosperity. After ten days on the road, Laban overtook them in the hill country of Gilead, accusing his son-in-law of theft. Unaware of Rachel's deceit, Jacob invited Laban to search the camp, promising to put to death anyone discovered with the idols.

Having learned a trick or two from her crafty father, Rachel tucked the idols into a saddle and then sat on it. When Laban entered her tent, she greeted him with a woman's ruse, saying, "Don't be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I'm having my period." Her trick worked, much as Jacob's had when he deceived his own father, and Laban finally gave up the search. Later, Jacob made sure that all the old idols were purged from his household.

As they made their way across the desert, Jacob faced his brother Esau, and the two reconciled. But tragedy soon overtook them as Rachel struggled to give birth to a second son, the answer to her many prayers. Ironically, the woman who once said she would die unless she had children was now dying because of a child. Rachel's last words, "He is Ben-Oni, the son of my trouble," capture her anguish at the birth of this son.

But Jacob gathered the infant in his arms and with a father's tenderness renamed him Benjamin, "Son of My Right Hand."

Like her husband, the beautiful Rachel had been both a schemer and the victim of schemes. Tricked by her own father, she viewed her children as weapons in the struggle with her sister. As so often happens, the lessons of treachery and competition were passed from generation to generation. Rachel's own son, Joseph, would suffer grievously as a result, being sold into slavery by his half brothers, Leah's sons.

Yet God would remain faithful. Through a remarkable set of twists and turns, Rachel's Joseph would one day rule Egypt, providing a refuge for his father and brothers in the midst of famine. Step by step, in ways impossible to foresee, God's plan was unfolding—a plan to heal divisions, put an end to striving, and restore hope. Using people with mixed motives and confused desires (the only kind of people there are), he was revealing his grace and mercy, never once forsaking his promise.

Her Promise

Genesis 30:22 says, "God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and enabled her to conceive." God remembered Rachel, but he had never really forgotten her. When the Bible uses the word remember, it doesn't mean that God forgets and then suddenly recalls—as if the all-knowing, all-powerful God of the universe suddenly hits his forehead with the heel of his hand and says, "Oops! I forgot all about Rachel. I'd better do something quickly!"

No, when the Bible says God remembers something, it expresses God's love and compassion for his people. It reminds us of God's promise never to abandon us or leave us without support or relief. He will never forsake us. He will never forget us. He will always remember us.

This devotional is drawn from Women of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Women in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Jean Syswerda. Used with permission.
Manipulated by her father, she had little say over her own life circumstances and relationships.

LHM Daily Devotions - February 3, 2020 - Temples, Tents, and Doors

"Temples, Tents, and Doors"

Feb. 3, 2020

For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in You!

—Psalm 84:10-12 (ESV)

Our psalm is a song of the sons of Korah who, in addition to their choral duties, were "keepers of the thresholds of the tent" of meeting, ancient Israel's sacred tabernacle (see 1 Chronicles 9:19). That was their inherited task, one in which the faithful sons were happy to serve. It was better to be a doorkeeper in the holy place where God met His people than to "dwell in the tents of wickedness."

The door-keeping duties continued after the great stone temple was built in Jerusalem. It was the place where sacrifices were offered and where God met His people. Then, at the appointed time, God sent His Son into the world, Jesus the Messiah, who said of Himself, "I tell you, something greater than the temple is here" (Matthew 12:6). Jesus is the Word who was and is God, the Word who "became flesh and dwelt among us" (see John 1:1, 14). The phrase "dwelt among us" can also be translated as "tented among us." In Jesus, God pitched His tent in the world. He came to meet us, not in a tent of fabric or a temple of stone, not in a cloud of glory or pillar of fire, but in Person: in the flesh.

Greater than the temple, Jesus, our High Priest and the Lamb of God, offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. By His death and resurrection, He opened for us "the new and living way" into the presence of God, through the temple curtain—the door—of His own flesh (see Hebrews 10:20). Redeemed and forgiven, we happily come together for worship, joining Korah's sons to sing, "A day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere." We would rather be there than anywhere else! In God's house, the Savior who once tented among us comes to meet us in His Word and in His body and blood in His Holy Supper. Something greater than the temple is here!

On a day yet to come, our Lord Jesus will return in glory as King and Judge. All who trust in Him will be bodily raised from death, as He was raised. God will create a new heaven and a new earth and "the dwelling place of God" will be with His people as He pitches His tent among us for all eternity (see Revelation 21:3). He will be our sun and shield and temple. "No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly," sang the sons of Korah, a song reflected in a later promise: "He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32)

THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You are our sun and shield and the door to eternal life. Accept our grateful praise, now and for all eternity. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

1. Do you feel like you have a particular job title in God's service?
2. "No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly." What does that mean to you?
3. Do you think much about Jesus returning to judge the earth? Is that a day you look forward to?

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Do you feel like you have a particular job title in God's service?

CPTLN devocional del 03 de febrero de 2020 - Templos, tiendas y puertas

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Templos, tiendas y puertas

03 de Febrero de 2020

Es mejor pasar un día en tus atrios que vivir mil días fuera de ellos. ¡Prefiero estar a la puerta de tu templo, oh Dios, que vivir en las mansiones de la maldad! Tú, Dios y Señor, eres sol y escudo; tú, Señor, otorgas bondad y gloria a los que siguen el camino recto, y no les niegas ningún bien. Señor de los ejércitos, ¡cuán dichoso es el que en ti confía!

—Salmo 84:10-12 (RVC)

Este salmo es una canción de los hijos de Coré quienes, además de sus deberes corales, eran "guardianes de los umbrales de la tienda" de reunión, el tabernáculo sagrado del antiguo Israel (ver 1 Crónicas 9:19). Esa era su tarea heredada y estaban felices de servir allí. Era mejor ser un guardián en el lugar sagrado donde Dios se encontraba con su pueblo que "vivir en las mansiones de la maldad".

Esas tareas continuaron después de que se construyó el gran templo de piedra en Jerusalén, donde se ofrecían sacrificios y donde Dios se encontraba con su pueblo. Pero, a la hora señalada, Dios envió a su Hijo al mundo, Jesús el Mesías, quien dijo de sí mismo: "Pues yo les digo que aquí está uno mayor que el templo" (Mateo 12:6). Jesús es la Palabra que fue y es Dios, la Palabra que "se hizo carne y habitó entre nosotros" (ver Juan 1:1, 14). La frase "habitó entre nosotros" también se puede traducir como 'armó su tienda entre nosotros'. En Jesús, Dios lanzó su tienda en el mundo. Él vino a recibirnos, no en una tienda de tela o en un templo de piedra, no en una nube de gloria o columna de fuego, sino en una Persona, en la carne.

Siendo más grande que el templo, Jesús, nuestro Sumo Sacerdote y el Cordero de Dios, se ofreció a sí mismo como el sacrificio perfecto por los pecados del mundo. Mediante su muerte y resurrección nos abrió "el camino nuevo y vivo" a la presencia de Dios, a través de la cortina del templo, la puerta, de su propia carne (ver Hebreos 10:20). Redimidos y perdonados, nos reunimos felices para adorar, uniéndonos a los hijos de Coré para cantar: "Es mejor pasar un día en tus atrios que vivir mil días fuera de ellos". ¡Preferiríamos estar allí que en cualquier otro lugar! En la casa de Dios, el Salvador que una vez armó su tienda de campaña entre nosotros viene a nuestro encuentro en su Palabra y en su cuerpo y sangre. ¡Algo más grande que el templo está aquí!

En un día por venir, nuestro Señor Jesús regresará en gloria como Rey y Juez. Todos los que confían en Él serán resucitados corporalmente de la muerte, así como Él resucitó. Dios creará un cielo nuevo y una tierra nueva, y "la morada de Dios" estará con su pueblo mientras él coloca su tienda entre nosotros por toda la eternidad (ver Apocalipsis 21:3). Él será nuestro sol, escudo y templo. "No es bueno que retenga a los que caminan rectamente", cantaron los hijos de Coré, una canción reflejada en una promesa posterior: "El que no escatimó ni a su propio Hijo, sino que lo entregó por todos nosotros, ¿cómo no nos dará también con él todas las cosas?" (Romanos 8:32).

ORACIÓN: Señor Jesús, eres nuestro sol y escudo y la puerta a la vida eterna. Acepta nuestra alabanza ahora y por toda la eternidad. Amén.

Dra. Carol Geisler

Para reflexionar:

1. ¿Sientes que tienes asignada una tarea en particular en servicio a Dios?
2. "Tú, Señor, otorgas bondad y gloria a los que siguen el camino recto, y no les niegas ningún bien." ¿Qué significa eso para tu vida?

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Sientes que tienes asignada una tarea en particular en servicio a Dios?

Notre Pain Quotidien - Un feu appelé saint

Un feu appelé saint

Lisez : Luc 3.15-18
La Bible en un an : Exode 31 – 33 ; Matthieu 22.1-22

Lui, il vous baptisera du Saint-Esprit et de feu. —Luc 3.16

Après plusieurs années de sécheresse, les feux de forêt du sud de la Californie ont amené certains résidents à y voir des actes de Dieu. Lorsque des sources médiatiques ont commencé à les qualifier de saint feu, cela a renforcé cette impression déconcertante. Beaucoup de gens connaissant mal la région n’ont pas compris qu’elles faisaient ainsi allusion à la région du Holy Jim Canyon (le canyon de saint-Jim). Mais qui était-il donc ? Selon l’histoire locale, c’était un apiculteur du xix^e siècle si irréligieux et acariâtre que ses voisins lui avaient donné ce surnom ironique.

La référence que Jean-Baptiste a faite au baptême « du Saint-Esprit et de feu » s’accompagne aussi de sa propre histoire et explication (LU 3.16). En y repensant, il faisait probablement allusion au genre de Messie et de feu purificateur que le prophète Michée a évoqués (3.1-3 ; 4.1). Ce n’est toutefois qu’après que l’Esprit de Dieu est descendu comme le vent et le feu sur les disciples de Jésus que les paroles de Malachie et de Jean-Baptiste ont pris tout leur sens (AC 2.1-4).

Le feu que Jean-Baptiste a prédit n’était pas celui que l’on attendait. En tant que véritable acte de Dieu, il s’est accompagné d’audace pour proclamer un autre genre de Messie et de sainte flamme. Par l’Esprit de Jésus, il a exposé et consumé nos futiles efforts humains – tout en faisant place au fruit du Saint-Esprit (voir GA 5.22,23). Voilà les actes de Dieu que le Seigneur voudrait accomplir en nous.

Dieu nous appelle à rechercher la sainteté.

par Mart DeHaan

© 2020 Ministères NPQ
Après plusieurs années de sécheresse, les feux de forêt du sud de la Californie ont amené certains résidents à y voir des actes de Dieu. Lorsque des sources médiatiques ont commencé à les qualifier de saint feu, cela a renforcé cette impression déconcertante.