The Daily Bible Readings for MONDAY, August 17, 2020

The Daily Bible Readings

MONDAY, August 17, 2020

Psalm 130; Genesis 43:1-34; Acts 15:1-21

The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Psalm 130

With you there is forgiveness

1 Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.

2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

3 If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.

7 Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Genesis 43:1-34

Benjamin joins Joseph’s brothers

43:1 And the famine was sore in the land.

2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.

3 And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:

5 But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

6 And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

7 And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?

8 And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.

9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:

10 For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.

11 And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:

12 And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight:

13 Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:

14 And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.

15 And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.

17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.

18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.

19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house,

20 And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

21 And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.

22 And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.

23 And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.

24 And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender.

25 And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.

26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.

27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?

28 And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.

29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.

30 And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.

31 And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

32 And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another.

34 And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of their's. And they drank, and were merry with him.

Acts 15:1-21

The believing Jews accept the Gentiles

15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.

4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.

5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

12 Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.

13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:

14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:

20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

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, King James Version (KJV).

The Daily Bible Readings are selected from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, 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 Bible Readings for MONDAY, August 17, 2020
Psalm 130; Genesis 43:1-34; Acts 15:1-21

The Daily Prayer for MONDAY, August 17, 2020

The Daily Prayer

MONDAY, August 17, 2020

Ignatius of Lyon said this in the second century: “Christianity is not a matter of persuasive words. It is a matter of true greatness as long as it is hated by the world.”

God of the living and the dead, let our lives sing your praise. Make us the fragrance of your love. Rise in us, and awaken us from our slumber that we might live in your light. Amen.

Verse of the Day for MONDAY, August 17, 2020

2 Corinthians 10:17-18

But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

Read all of 2 Corinthians 10

Listen to 2 Corinthians 10

The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV).

LHM Daily Devotions — Safe in the Midst of Trouble

Safe in the Midst of Trouble

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life; You stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand delivers me. The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of Your hand.

— Psalm 138:7-8

In some animated films, the main character must walk through a deep, frightening forest—at night, of course, and often in winter. The trunks of the trees are carved with fierce-looking faces and branches reach out with long, twiggy fingers in an attempt to grab the terrified traveler (who fortunately will escape the danger).

Like David the psalmist, we "walk in the midst of trouble," but we don't contend with imaginary, animated trees. Our troubles are real. Our journey may lead through illness, family troubles, the loss of a home or employment, financial worries or grief and loss. David faced the wrath of unnamed enemies, just as the terrifying enemies of fear and doubt, sin and death reach out for us. But the psalmist offers up his praise. God preserved his life, stretching out a strong right hand to deliver him from his foes. In the same way, God reaches down to preserve us in the midst of trouble. We can trust Him because His strong right hand has already delivered us from sin and death.

David confidently proclaims, "The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me." The apostle Paul assures us that the Lord fulfilled His purpose for Israel's shepherd-king, saying, "For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers" (Acts 13:36a). When God accomplished His purposes through David, Israel's great king fell asleep in death. David's greater Son, our Lord Jesus, came to fulfill the Father's purpose, to offer Himself as the sacrifice for the sins of the world. As the cross grew near, Jesus said, "Now is My soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come to this hour" (John 12:27).

We were "in the midst of trouble," trouble so deep that we could not escape by our own efforts. Yet "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8b). Jesus delivered us from sin, death, and the devil. Stretched out, His hands and feet nailed to the rough wood of the cross, Jesus suffered and died, enduring the penalty of death for our sins. He was raised from death on the first Easter morning, exalted to reign at God's right hand. Through Baptism, we are united with Jesus, buried and raised with Him. Each of us is, in Christ, a new creation, the work of God's hands, "created in Christ Jesus for good works" (Ephesians 2:10b).

With the psalmist, we praise the steadfast love of God that endures forever. We know that He will never forsake the work of His hands, those nailed-scarred hands that stretched out to save us. The animated movie character usually passes safely through the grasping branches of the scary forest to "live happily ever after." We have the promise of a better ending, an ending David knew: "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever" (Psalm 23:6).

Heavenly Father, walk with us through every earthly trouble and keep us safe in Your care, now and forever. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Carol Geisler

Reflection Questions:

1. When do you sense your life has its greatest purpose?

2. Have you experienced a time when God stretched out His hand against your enemies? When was that?

3. What are some fears you have? Does God help you in those?

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
When do you sense your life has its greatest purpose?

Standing Strong Through the Storm — SINGING TO THE LORD

SINGING TO THE LORD

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple…And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.

— Psalm 27:4, 6

Brother Zhang, a young medical doctor and preacher in Zhejiang, China, refused to join the government Three-Self Patriotic Church. He was arrested and spent eighteen years in prison eating poor food, being beaten and drowning in the stench of cellmates. He shares this testimony:

“The eighteen years were a tremendous spiritual challenge, which brought great blessings I never before thought possible in my life. Prison officials ordered me to empty the camp night-soil pit, the prison’s cesspool. While I had little experience of physical labor, its hardship and suffering did not frighten me. Although most of the other prisoners dreaded night-soil pit duty as the most difficult task in prison, I accepted this assignment without complaint. The pit stored all the human excrement, both liquid and solid, from the entire camp. Once the pit was full, its human waste steeped until its foul contents were ripe enough to be used as fertilizer. Not only did I walk into this disease-ridden mess to remove it, but I had to breathe its stench as I scooped away each successive layer and dropped hundreds of shovel loads into collection buckets for others to carry to the fields.

“The night-soil pit’s pungent odors lingered with the digger at least three days, literally surrounding him with an almost maddening stench. All the guards and other prisoners avoided the night-soil pit digger to escape being overcome by the lingering odor. One reason I could enjoy working in the night-soil pit was the solitude. Surrounded only by foul air and human waste, I could sing music of praise to God as loudly as I wanted. And the guards were never close enough to protest this otherwise objectionable behavior!

“One of my favorite songs during those days was ‘In the Garden.’ My Chinese night-soil pit was hardly the garden that the composer of that hymn had in mind! But God delivered great happiness to me to be able to sing His praises in such earthly misery.”

RESPONSE: Today I will sing praises to God no matter how terrible my circumstances turn out to be.

PRAYER: Lord, may all Christian prisoners experience the joy of praising You in their trials this day.

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 — The Shulammite Woman

The Shulammite Woman

Her character: Hers is the only female voice that speaks directly and extensively to us in Scripture. Ruth's, Esther's, Hannah's, and Mary's voices, for instance, are all mediated through narration. The Shulammite woman boldly declares her longing and desire to be united to her lover in marriage.
Her sorrow: To have been separated from her beloved at times.
Her joy: To enjoy so passionate a love.
Key Scriptures: Song of Solomon 1-8

Her Story

She was young, beautiful, and desirable. He was handsome, strong, and agile, a shepherd or a king who lavished strange praise upon his beloved: He compared the Shulamite woman's hair to a flock of goats running down a mountain slope, her nose to the tower of Lebanon, and her teeth ("each with its twin"!) to sheep that have just bathed. We smile at such images. But we are fascinated by this beautifully written collection of love songs. And though we know it is not merely some ancient Valentine's Day card, we are not quite certain what to make of it.

Unlike any other book in the Bible, the Song of Solomon is full of erotic imagery. The Shulammite woman was as passionate as her lover, initiating contact with him, openly declaring her feelings. She yearned for kisses from his mouth, so in love that even his name smelled sweet to her. She wandered the city at night (or dreamt of wandering it) searching for him. She wished she could pass him off as her brother so that she could kiss him publicly without creating a scandal. Each declaration from her elicited a passionate response from her lover, who sang of her,

This thy stature is like to a palm tree,

and thy breasts to clusters of grapes.

I said, I will go up to the palm tree,

I will take hold of the boughs thereof:

now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine,

and the smell of thy nose like apples;

 And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved,

that goeth down sweetly,

causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak.

— Song of Solomon 7:7-9 —

Despite the ancient imagery, we get the message. The story of the Shulammite woman and her lover isn't properly a story, one with a clear narrative line, but a poetic expression of love in all its emotional ups and downs. The songs capture the desire, the anguish, the tension, and the ecstasy of love. But speakers and scenes shift so quickly that it can be difficult to understand. No wonder there have been so many different interpretations of the Song of Songs, more than any other book of the Hebrew Scriptures.

What makes this portion of Scripture even more enigmatic is that it never once mentions God. But if God has nothing to do with these love songs, how did this material ever make it into the canon of Scripture in the first place?

The Jews believed the book was not primarily about individual lovers but about God's love for his people Israel. Christians initially read it as a parable of Christ's love for the church and later as a parable of his love for the individual soul. Modern commentators tend to view it more literally, as an expression of the sacredness of married life, the fullest expression of love between a man and a woman. They praise its inclusion in the Bible because it celebrates marital love and the sexual expression of that love. Anyone inclined to believe the Bible teaches a negative view of sex should read this book of Scripture before drawing such a conclusion.

But who wrote these eloquent love songs? Some say various poets, while others say they were written by Solomon in praise of one of his many wives. Yet others have suggested they were written by a woman. Whatever the case, most admit that the poetry of the Song of Solomon can be understood in more than one way. The story of the Shulammite, mysterious as it is, touches our longing to love and be loved.

Her Promise

God doesn't promise the Song of Solomon kind of erotic, intimate, earthly love to everyone. He blesses many marriages with it, but it is not something everyone enjoys. However, he does promise to love his people with the same depth of love described here. That includes you. You are his treasured one, his beloved, and he delights in you just as these lovers delight in each other.

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.
She was young, beautiful, and desirable. He was handsome, strong, and agile.

John Piper Devotional — What It Means to Bless the Lord

What It Means to Bless the Lord

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

— Psalm 103:1

The psalm begins and ends with the psalmist preaching to his soul to bless the Lord—and preaching to the angels and the hosts of heaven and the works of God’s hands. The psalm is overwhelmingly focused on blessing the Lord. What does it mean to bless the Lord? It means to speak well of his greatness and goodness.

What David is doing in the first and last verses of this psalm, when he says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul,” is saying that speaking about God’s goodness and greatness must come from the soul.

Blessing God with the mouth without the soul would be hypocrisy. Jesus said, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8). David knows that danger, and he is preaching to himself that it not happen.

Come, soul, look at the greatness and goodness of God. Join my mouth, and let us bless the Lord with our whole being.

Un dia a la Vez — Regalos de nuestro Dios

Regalos de nuestro Dios

Los ojos del Señor están sobre los justos, y sus oídos, atentos a sus oraciones.

— Salmo 34:15

Para los que me conocen, saben que muy a menudo utilizo este lema: «Déjate sorprender. Dios nos consiente. Dios nos da regalos porque nos ama. Está interesado en vernos felices».

Todos los días lo compruebo en mi vida. No se trata de que Dios lo haga por capricho, sino porque es el único que conoce en realidad tus gustos, tus deseos, tu corazón. Como Padre, desea nuestro bienestar. Es tan especial que nos deja boquiabiertos, con detalles que quizá solo habías soñado tú.

Hace tan solo unos meses, Él me volvió a sorprender y me dio un regalo tan hermoso que ha sido inspiración para este libro que hoy disfruto contigo.

Me dio el privilegio de unirme a un viaje misionero al Perú para visitar exactamente un área llamada Callao y llevar muchas cosas que hacen falta allí, pero sobre todo poder ver y palpar la necesidad de un pueblo. No hay nada más gratificante que lo que predicamos o aprendemos lo pongamos por obra.

No te desanimes, Él no te dejará sin sueños que cumplir. Todo será en su momento. El primer regalo ya lo tenemos y es la vida eterna.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
«Déjate sorprender. Dios nos consiente. Dios nos da regalos porque nos ama. Está interesado en vernos felices».

Devocional CPTLN del 17 de agosto de 2020 — Seguridad en la angustia

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Seguridad en la angustia

Aunque yo ande en medio de la angustia, tú me vivificarás; extenderás tu mano contra la ira de mis enemigos, y tu diestra me salvará. El Señor cumplirá su propósito en mí; eterna, oh Señor, es tu misericordia; no abandones las obras de tus manos.

— Salmo 138:7-8

En algunas películas animadas, el personaje principal camina a través de un bosque aterrador por la noche, por supuesto, y a menudo en invierno. Los troncos de los árboles están tallados con caras de aspecto feroz y las ramas se extienden como dedos largos que intentan agarrar al viajero aterrorizado (que afortunadamente escapará del peligro).

Al igual que el salmista David, nosotros también "andamos en medio de la angustia", pero no luchamos con árboles imaginarios y animados. Nuestros problemas son reales. Nuestro viaje puede incluir enfermedades, problemas familiares, la pérdida del hogar o empleo, preocupaciones financieras o dolor y pérdida. David enfrentó la ira de enemigos sin nombre, de la misma forma en que los terroríficos enemigos como el miedo, la duda, el pecado y la muerte nos alcanzan. Aun así, el salmista ofrece su alabanza. Dios preservó su vida, extendiendo su fuerte mano derecha para liberarlo de sus enemigos. Del mismo modo, Dios se acerca para preservarnos en medio de los problemas. Podemos confiar en Él porque su fuerte mano derecha ya nos ha librado del pecado y la muerte.

David proclama con confianza: "El Señor cumplirá su propósito en mí". El apóstol Pablo nos asegura que el Señor cumplió su propósito en el rey pastor de Israel, diciendo: "Porque David, después de haber servido el propósito de Dios en su propia generación, durmió, y fue sepultado con sus padres," (Hechos 13:36a). Cuando Dios logró sus propósitos a través de David, el gran rey de Israel se durmió en la muerte. El descendiente de David, nuestro Señor Jesús, vino a cumplir el propósito del Padre ofreciéndose a sí mismo como sacrificio por los pecados del mundo. Cuando la cruz se acercaba, Jesús dijo: "Ahora mi alma se ha angustiado; y ¿qué diré: «Padre, sálvame de esta hora»? Pero para esto he llegado a esta hora" (Juan 12:27).

Estábamos "en medio de la angustia", angustia tan profunda que no podíamos escapar por nuestros propios esfuerzos. Sin embargo, "cuando aún éramos pecadores, Cristo murió por nosotros" (Romanos 5:8b). Jesús nos libró del pecado, la muerte y el diablo. Estirado, con las manos y los pies clavados en el áspero madero de la cruz, Jesús sufrió y murió soportando la pena de muerte por nuestros pecados. Fue resucitado de la muerte en la primera mañana de Pascua, exaltado para reinar a la diestra de Dios. A través del bautismo estamos unidos con Jesús, enterrados y resucitados con él. Cada uno de nosotros es, en Cristo, una nueva creación, obra de las manos de Dios, "creada en Cristo Jesús para buenas obras" (Efesios 2:10b).

Con el salmista alabamos el amor constante de Dios que perdura para siempre. Sabemos que Él nunca abandonará la obra de sus manos, esas manos con cicatrices que se estiraron para salvarnos. El personaje de la película animada generalmente pasa de manera segura a través del bosque aterrador para "vivir feliz para siempre". Nosotros tenemos la promesa de un final mejor, un final que David ya sabía: "Ciertamente el bien y la misericordia me seguirán todos los días de mi vida, y en la casa del Señor moraré por largos días" (Salmo 23:6).

ORACIÓN: Padre celestial, acompáñanos en nuestras angustias y mantennos a salvo bajo tu cuidado, ahora y siempre. Amén.

Dra. Carol Geisler

Para reflexionar:

* ¿Cuándo sientes que tu vida tiene propósito?

* ¿Qué miedos tienes? ¿Cómo te ayuda Dios con ellos?

© Copyright 2020 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Cuándo sientes que tu vida tiene propósito?

Notre Pain Quotidien - Raffiné par le feu

Raffiné par le feu

Lisez : 1 Pierre 1.6-9
La Bible en un an : Psaumes 100 – 102 ; 1 Corinthiens 1

[Celles-ci] servent à éprouver la valeur de votre foi.

— 1 Pierre 1. 7 ; Bible du Semeur

L’or de vingt-quatre carats est proche de l’or pur, renfermant de rares impuretés. Toutefois, ce degré de pureté est difficile à atteindre. Les raffineurs se servent le plus souvent de l’une de deux méthodes de purification. Le procédé Miller en constitue la plus rapide et la moins coûteuse, mais l’or qui en résulte n’est pur qu’à 99,95 %. Le procédé Wohlwill exige un peu plus de temps et coûte un peu plus, mais l’or qui en résulte est pur à 99,99 %.

Dans les temps bibliques, les raffineurs utilisaient le feu pour purifier l’or. Le feu amenait les impuretés à la surface, ce qui en facilitait le retrait. Dans sa première lettre aux croyants en Jésus partout en Asie Mineure (l’actuelle Turquie), l’apôtre Pierre a employé le processus de raffinement de l’or comme métaphore pour illustrer l’œuvre des épreuves dans la vie d’un croyant. Pierre en a lui-même fait l’expérience, mais en expliquant que la foi soumise à la persécution est « plus précieuse que l’or périssable » (1 PI 1.7).

Peut-être vous sentez-vous dans le feu du raffineur – à ressentir la chaleur des revers, de la maladie ou d’autres défis. Il reste que Dieu choisit souvent l’épreuve pour purifier l’or de notre foi. Il se peut que dans nos souffrances nous suppliions Dieu de vite mettre fin au processus, mais il sait ce qui est le mieux pour nous, même lorsque cela nous est douloureux. Restons branchés sur le Sauveur, à rechercher sa consolation et sa paix.

Dieu le Père, aide-moi à voir comment mes épreuves purifient l’or de mon cœur.

Dieu permet des épreuves pour nous aider à grandir dans notre relation avec lui.

par Linda Washington

© 2020 Ministères NPQ
L’or de vingt-quatre carats est proche de l’or pur, renfermant de rares impuretés. Toutefois, ce degré de pureté est difficile à atteindre.