Category: 2023 Bible Reading

Quarreling with the Siblings

Old Testament Reading: Leviticus 13 & 14
Psalms Reading: Psalm 53
New Testament Reading: 1 Corinthians 6

Like most human beings I have encountered, I enjoy being right, and I like others to know when I am right.  Oftentimes, I would be willing to go the distance to ensure that others are aware of the fact that I am right.  This includes both people inside and outside of church.  If I shared a belief in the risen Christ with someone, that would not stop me from getting into a long argument… erm… I mean debate about who the greatest athlete of all time is.  Unfortunately, I am quite sure that I’m not the only one who has been there before.

Evidently, this was an issue with the church in Corinth as well, as they even took it to another level.  Christian brothers and sisters were hiring third parties to determine who was in the wrong and who wasn’t, as they were filing lawsuits against each other.  What sort of image were they giving of the church to outsiders?  This was humiliating for the church to have to hire a third party to settle a dispute between two people who were called to love one another.  Paul brings this issue to light and shames them for doing such a thing.

Although many of us have probably never filed an official lawsuit with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, how often do we quarrel with our brothers and sisters in Christ?  What sort of image are we giving of the church to outsiders when we quarrel with each other?  Often, when it comes to disagreements between two people, it is a matter of preference: Who’s the greatest athlete?  What color carpet is the best?  How loud should the music be?  Don’t let simple preferences like these cause a division among yourselves – there is no need for that.  On the other hand, we are called to judge our Christian brothers and sisters when it comes to an objective right or wrong, as Paul states in chapter 5 of 1 Corinthians.  However, more often than not, I have seen Christians quarreling over preferences rather than an objective right or wrong.  Don’t let that be you.

Therefore, I encourage you to not let a division of opinions get in the way of your relationship with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Don’t let these small differences of opinion snowball into quarreling amongst each other.  When we digress into these small differences of opinions, we lose sight of the big picture.  What is the big picture, you may ask?  Paul highlights this in verse 11, “And such were some of you.  But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God,” (1 Corinthians 6:11 ESV).  We were all sinners, but now we are a new creation.  We have been washed and forgiven of our sin, set apart from the world, and made right in the eyes of God.  

Let our life be a demonstration of the forgiveness, sanctification, and justification that we have received rather than divulging and arguing about our differences of opinion.  When this successfully takes place, we will give a much better picture of what church looks like to outsiders.

-Kyle McClain

Reflection Questions

  1. When has your desire to be right gotten you into trouble – or led you into disagreements that Paul would not approve of? What could you have done instead?
  2. How does 1 Corinthians 6:11 change your outlook on disputes and the “need” to be right?
  3. What do you learn about God in your reading of His Word today?
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Never Lost his Trust in God

Old Testament Reading: Leviticus 11 & 12
*Psalms Reading: Psalm 52
New Testament Reading: 1 Corinthians 5

For the Christian it is considered a “no brainer” that our trust is supposed to be found in God. But so often the stresses and worries of the world come against us, and we may forget that we serve a mighty God who cares deeply for us. 

Here in Psalm 52 we are shown a great contrast between David here and his enemy. David wrote this Psalm during the time when he was constantly on the run from Saul, who was chasing him down to kill him, out of jealousy. David lost many years of his life running from Saul but he never lost his trust in God. At this time David had amassed a group of strong men who were ready to fight for him, but Saul, having the armies of Israel behind him, had the greater strength. David had support from people who gave him food and supplies as he ran from place to place, but Saul had all the riches of Israel behind him. But the important thing is that David had God with him, and God had promised him the throne of Israel that Saul currently sat on. 

David was able to stay strong in his faith because he had seen God help him against overwhelming odds again and again, the most notable time was when he took on the nine foot tall giant, Goliath all on his own. There were actually two times during David’s years of running, that we are told about, where David had the chance to rely on his own strength to defeat Saul. Once was when Saul went to relieve himself in a cave, not knowing that David was hiding in the cave. The other time, the Bible says that God caused the entire army that was with Saul to go into a deep sleep and David was able to sneak right up next to Saul. Both times the man who was with David encouraged him to kill Saul and take the throne. But each time David refused, saying that he would not harm the Lord’s anointed. It would have been so easy for David to trust in his own strength in that moment, and no longer have to keep running for his life, but just like when David faced Goliath, David put his trust in God and not in himself. And because David did trust God, he never had to draw his sword against Saul or anyone in his family. In one single battle, Saul and all of his sons were taken out by the Philistines. God provided David the throne without David having to shed blood. David’s faith in what probably seemed like the hopeless situation of being relentlessly chased down by King Saul, paid off in the end. Years later after David had become king, he penned another Psalm, in which he said, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” I hope and pray each day to have the kind of faith and trust in God like David had, and I hope you do as well.

-Jonny Smith

Reflection Questions

  1. Is there a time you have trusted in God through a tough situation? What was the result?
  2. What do you sometimes put your trust in instead? How does that work? Why?
  3. What has God shown about Himself in your reading today?
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A Clean Heart

Old Testament Reading: Leviticus 9 & 10
*Psalms Reading: Psalm 51
New Testament Reading: 1 Corinthians 4


If there is one thing we can all do well, it is sin! We mess up and usually a lot, whether in thought, word, or action. We have all done something in our lives to fall short of God’s desires. David wrote Psalm 51 during a time in his life when he had messed up big time. Most of us probably can recall the story of David and Bathsheba, if not it can be found in 2 Samuel 11-12. At this time, David was completely broken, it was in his brokenness his heart revealed the words found in Psalm 51.

When I read this Psalm, I see three parts to it. The first is in verses 1-9. Here, David acknowledges that he has sinned, and he asks God to forgive him of his sins. The second part is verses 10-12. In these verses, David asks God to be changed from his sinful ways with the statement “create in me a clean heart.” The final section is verses 13-19. David proclaims what he is going to do because he has been forgiven. He says he will teach the ways of God, he will joyfully sing, and he will declare God’s praise. 

I think we can apply all three parts of this Psalm to our lives. When we sin and mess up against God, we need to be like David by confessing our sins, and asking for forgiveness. Right away in verse 1, David asks God to “Be gracious with me, O God, according to your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.” We then need to take action, recognizing that we need a changed heart and restoration. But it doesn’t stop there, we need to take the forgiveness given to us and live for God. When you are transparent with people they will see your changed life with God and will hopefully want that as well. Just as verse 13 says, “Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will be converted to you.” Follow David’s example, ask for forgiveness, ask to be changed, then show others how you have been changed. 

-Camden Bormes

Reflection Questions

  1. Have you experienced God’s forgiveness and the changing of your heart? If so, did you use the opportunity to declare His praises and show/teach others how you have been forgiven and changed? How?
  2. What does your heart need to be cleansed of today? What sins stand between you and God right now? Pray this Psalm to the Lord. What does it feel like to have your sins blotted out by God? What will your clean, changed heart look like? How will you share with others what God has done for you?
  3. What does God reveal about Himself in Psalm 51 and your reading today? What words would you use to describe Him? What will your response be?
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Let’s Get to Work

Old Testament Reading: Leviticus 7 & 8
Psalms Reading: Psalm 50
*New Testament Reading: 1 Corinthians 3

For the Corinthians and Greek culture in general, wisdom and knowledge were extremely important.  This is why Paul spends 1 Corinthians 1 emphasizing that it is through faith in Christ that we are saved, not through the wisdom they have worked towards their whole lives.  Then in 1 Corinthians 2 Paul says that wisdom is important for the Christian, but it is Godly wisdom that is very different from what they have learned, and it cannot be taught, but is given by the holy spirit.  Now in chapter 3 Paul is clearing up any last confusion in case they were not understanding up until now. He very clearly says that they need this Godly wisdom, but do not have it at all. They have been seeking an elevated status in their congregation because of their high learning and deep understandings.  Paul wants to set the record straight, living a Christian life is not about sitting in your plush study and writing treatises and books and musings, and becoming revered for your knowledge. It is about getting your hands dirty. He likens the Christians to farmers and builders who have work to do, and he is a worker right there with them.  This would have been a very shocking thing to the aristocratically minded members of the Corinthian Church who would have read this.

So let me be as clear as Paul was.  If you decide to follow Jesus and serve him, then you will be a servant.  Your life will not be a vacation, but a construction project. It will take work, but in the end you will hopefully do something valuable with your life and “the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.  If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.” 1 Corinthians 3:13-14.  That reward is everlasting life in God’s kingdom, and is worth so much more than a high position in society, or being revered for your earthly wisdom.

Your fellow servant – Chris Mattison

(Posted here first in 2019)

Reflection Questions

  1. What is your favorite verse in today’s reading? Why?
  2. Is your work ready to be tested by fire? What might God be calling you to do as a part of His field or building?
  3. What can you learn about Almighty God in your reading today?
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Sin & Guilt

Old Testament Reading: Leviticus 5 & 6
Psalms Reading: Psalm 49
New Testament Reading: 1 Corinthians 2

We all love to read a good book full of rules. This is what makes Leviticus the perfect bedtime story. Just kidding, unless if you actually enjoy reading pages of laws… but the majority of us don’t. It can be easy to skip over a book like Leviticus without gathering any insightful information because of how long, repetitive, and honestly boring it can be. But this begs the question, why did God have Moses write it? And why do we need to read it? At first it may seem like God set all the rules in place to restrict us and make life hard. But, through the law, He offered a way for His people to draw closer to Him. The laws found in Leviticus regarding the different offerings are there for the purpose of revealing WHO God is. God is holy. And in order to be in His presence… we must be holy too.

The book of Exodus closes with Moses not being able to enter the tent of meeting, because “the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” Moses was not able to be in the presence of God because there was no system in place that made humans clean. The continual theme throughout Leviticus is that humans are unclean. And unfortunately, there are so many tiny things that can make us unclean and keep us from God. This is why the book of Leviticus is so important to the Israelites. It offered a way for the Israelites to enter into the presence of their God. This is a major development of God’s plan of having a personal relationship with us.

Chapters 4, 5 and 6 describe the occasions when sin offerings and guilt offerings were necessary. The difference between a sin offering and a guilt offering is that a sin offering is when the sin only affects yourself, and a guilt offering is when your sin affects others. Therefore, guilt offerings included a 20% reimbursement to the person who was wronged. God designed it this way so that relationships could be restored between the Israelites. The sin and guilt offerings demonstrated that the life is in the blood. Being able to see the blood being poured of the innocent sacrifice allowed the Israelites to understand the concept of a substitute for their sins.

Not only does Leviticus remind us of the holy attributes of God, but it ultimately shows the drastic differences between us and God by revealing all the sin that separates us. Even though we are no longer bound to the offerings and laws, the theme of Leviticus is just as important for us now as it was for the Israelites. God is holy and therefore we need to be holy in order to be in God’s presence.

-Makayla Railton

Reflection Questions

  1. What makes you unclean? What makes you clean? What do you do with your sin and guilt?
  2. What does it mean to you that God is holy? And that even in His holiness He still wants a relationship with you?
  3. What else can we learn about God and His attributes and His heart in our reading of His word today?
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Which are You?

Old Testament Reading: Leviticus 3 & 4
Psalms Reading: Psalm 48
New Testament Reading: 1 Corinthians 1

Let’s play a quick game together, shall we? I’m going to give you two separate lists to study, each with a dozen synonymic adjectives, and then ask you questions about them. 

List 1: idiotic, half-witted, brainless, imprudent, ill-advised, senseless, reckless, foolhardy, lunatic, absurd, unwise, nonsensical

List 2: sage, clever, informed, astute, sensible, prudent, judicious, discerning, insightful, perspicacious, sharp-witted, enlightened

Who is the first person to pop into your head when you see each respective list? 


Which list best describes you currently?

Which list would you rather have read about you at your funeral? 

The first set of words contains synonyms for the word “foolish”, and the second one lists synonyms for “wise”. The end of I Corinthians 1 is contrasting foolishness and wisdom as it relates to God vs. man, and how God empowers us to do His work. Paul writes beginning in verse 25 (ESV), “For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brothers; not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.'”

This verse causes me to bubble over with inspiration and gratitude every time I read it! I take great joy in reading accounts of the underdogs in the Bible whom God used to do great things, and in believing that He can do the same with me. Moses had a speech impediment, but God used him to speak with Pharoah and deliver the Isaelites from slavery. Rahab was a prostitute, but God designated her to save His spies and she was then in the lineage of Jesus. David was only a grungy, petite shepherd, but God used him to defeat Goliath. (David later served God as a great King of Israel, despite being a murderer and adulterer.) Gideon, who was the least important of his family (which was the weakest of his tribe), was hiding when an angel sent from God called him “Mighty Warrior”, but God led him to defeat the Midianite army with nothing but a miniscule army and God’s power. 

BUT GOD. 

BUT GOD. 

BUT GOD throughout history has called people to do great things through his power. Most of them were not already rich or famous or powerful, but when God gave them His power, He did mighty things through them! Even in the New Testament, we read in Acts 4:13 that people were amazed that Peter and John were “unschooled, ordinary men.” 

God is still active and working today. He wants us to strive for wisdom and seek Him. God wants to use you to do great things for Him! God is still using his people in big ways to impact their communities and the world. No matter your history, education level, age, job, or any other excuse you might share for why God can’t use you, remember… He loves to use imperfect people for His glory. 

-Rachel Cain

Reflection:

*What is your excuse for why God shouldn’t use you? Pray for Him to show you the way He sees you and give you His power. 

*What is God calling you to do that might be scary or out of your comfort zone? Pray about that situation and ask Him to fill you with His power! 

*What has God revealed about Himself today?

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The Awesome Lord Most High

Old Testament Reading: Leviticus 1 & 2
* Psalms Reading: Psalm 47
New Testament: 1st & 2nd Chronicles Introduction – see below

Psalm 47 is all about praising God and realizing His power. In my Bible (ESV), it is titled, “God is King over All the Earth”. When the sons of Korah wrote this psalm/song, perhaps they had just completed a great military victory, or maybe there was some other big event that called for a celebration! 

It’s easy to praise God when things are going well, right? Or… do we even remember to praise Him in the good times? A lot of us probably come before God most often when we need something. Sometimes we treat him like a cosmic genie or Santa Claus, asking for the things we want. Sometimes, we simply get busy and forget Him during the good times, but when we need His intervention, then we remember to pray. 

It is so important to remember (and I am speaking to myself here too!) to praise God regularly, and talk with Him often. No one likes having that “friend” who only calls when they need something; however, if we have a dear friend in need, we want to help them! God is our Father who cares greatly for us, and He wants a relationship with us. So instead of just asking Him for what we need, we should remember to praise Him regularly and get to know Him better by reading His Word and listening for His still, small voice to speak to our souls. 

-Rachel Cain

Reflections:

  1. Rewrite Psalm 47 into your own words, using actual examples from your own life. Sing or pray the psalm to your Heavenly Father! 
  2. What picture do you get of God from your reading today?

In preparation for beginning 1st Chronicles tomorrow in our New Testament reading, here is our…

Introduction to 1st & 2nd Chronicles

Paul wrote the books of 1 and 2 Corinthians to the church in Corinth which he had personally founded.  The city of Corinth was rich and sinful, and the church was struggling to resist the ungodly influences of the pagan society.  Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to the church in Corinth specifically to address division and sin in the church.

The most well-known chapter is 1 Corinthians 13, also known as the love chapter.  This is sandwiched between two other chapters focusing on spiritual gifts and their use in the church.

The other well-known chapter is 1 Corinthians 15, also known as the resurrection chapter.

In 2 Corinthians, Paul defended the fact that he was an apostle.  He emphasized the suffering he had endured for the gospel.  He explained that he had not visited the church in Corinth again because he didn’t want to have to come down hard on them publicly.  He was happy they had addressed the sin in the church.  He emphasized the need to financially help other believers, and pointed out that “God loves a cheerful giver”.

Paul warned in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.  Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you – unless, of course, you fail the test?”

I suspect that if Paul were to write to Christians today, he would write something very nearly like 1 & 2 Corinthians, so pay attention as you read it.

-Steve Mattison

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Be Still – Daddy’s Got You

Old Testament: Leviticus Introduction Below
*Psalms Reading: Psalm 46
New Testament Reading: Romans 16

I am a Daddy’s girl, through and through. As a child, you could usually find me hiking with my dad, reading books with him, snuggling up to him, or helping him with a building project. He was so strong, secure, safe. Now, as his terminal illness has progressed, I have much more of a parental role toward him than he does toward me, but I’ll still always consider myself a Daddy’s girl. 

Sometimes I like to sit back and just observe my daughters interacting with my husband too. They fawn over him! They want to attend all the Daddy-Daughter dances together. They draw him sweet pictures regularly. They beg him to scratch their backs to get them to sleep. When they are scared, they run to him for comfort and protection, knowing that he is strong and gentle.

Though in this flawed and sinful world many fathers don’t live up to God’s ideals, we all do have a Heavenly Father who wants to guide and protect us. 

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1, ESV)  I’ve always loved this verse. It has spoken to the depths of my soul during many tumultuous times in my life. Following these encouraging introductory verses, Psalm 46 proceeds to mention many catastrophic events – the earth gives way, mountains fall into the sea, waters roar, mountains tremble – and calls us to have no fear during these times. Verses 4 through 9 then remind us of the power and provision of our God. 

“Be still and know that I am God.” This verse I have both underlined in my Bible and written in the margins so I will be sure to notice it as I read. It is a good reminder that when all the chaotic events occur (both the ones mentioned in this Psalm as well as any others that happen in my own life), I am still called to find shelter in His stillness and remember that God is on the throne and He is in control. I don’t know about you, but “be still” is a tough command for me to follow; I like to always keep my hands and mind busy. My mind, actually, does not often settle down at all; anxiety has been my constant (uninvited) companion for as long as I can remember. However, when I purposefully choose to be still, basking in the presence of God, I can feel His peace wash over me like a spring rain. It takes a lot of effort, as I am not naturally driven to “be still”, but I’ve never been disappointed following a quiet moment with God; to the contrary, I find a renewed sense of purpose and strength when I remember – rather, KNOW within the depths of my soul! – that He is God.

“‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth!’ The LORD of hosts with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” God is our protector, our fortress… our Daddy who loves us so much! 

-Rachel Cain

Reflections:

1. Pray this Psalm today. Think about it intently as you say each word. 

2. Choose a time this week that you can “be still and know that He is God” – bask in his presence for a while as you praise and pray. 

3. What in your reading today helps you KNOW that He is God? What are His qualities?

In our Old Testament reading, yesterday we finished reading Exodus, tomorrow we will begin Leviticus – here today is our

Introduction to Leviticus

Leviticus is the third book in the Old Testament, and the middle book in the Torah.  Moses wrote Leviticus, which is mostly a record of God dictating His rules to Moses – while the Israelites were camped in front of Mount Sinai.

The recurring theme in Leviticus is, “Be holy, because I [God] am holy”.  Leviticus 20:26 sums up the whole book pretty well, “You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.”

God had rescued the Israelites from slavery to belong to God.  They had served the Egyptians, and now they must serve God.  And in order to do that, they needed to know what God required.

As you read, you’ll be struck repeatedly by the fact that God is holy, and people aren’t.  God gave all these rules because He wanted His people to be holy, and if they followed all these rules, they would be holy.  The story of Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10 is a stark reminder that misdirected zeal for God can result in death. 

You will see that reconciliation is possible for those who break God’s laws in ignorance, but only punishment awaits those who defiantly break God’s laws.

You will recognize that some rules were fulfilled in Jesus.  For example, Leviticus 23 describes the “Feasts of the Lord”, which have fulfillment in Jesus.  For example, Jesus fulfilled the 4 Spring feasts on the exact calendar day of the feast.  I suspect the 3 fall feasts will be ultimately fulfilled exactly when Jesus returns.

  • Passover – Jesus *was* the Passover lamb, and was killed on the date of Passover
  • Unleavened Bread – Just as yeast was to be removed from houses, Jesus removed sin to his grave on this date.
  • Firstfruits – Jesus was raised from the dead on the date of the feast of firstfruits.
  • Feast of Weeks (or Pentecost) – The Holy Spirit was poured out on the believers on this date in Acts 2.
  • Feast of Trumpets – I believe this will be the date the last trumpet sounds
  • Day of Atonement – I suspect this may be the date of the Great White Throne Judgement
  • Feast of Tabernacles – I suspect this may be the date of God’s dwelling with men.

Ultimately, I suspect what you’ll recognize is that God is holy, and no matter how hard we try, we just can’t follow all His rules to be holy.  You’ll acknowledge that we couldn’t please God on our own. And will appreciate all the more that God sent his one and only Son to reconcile us to Himself.

-Steve Mattison

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A Guiding Presence

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 38, 39 & 40
Psalms Reading: Psalm 45
New Testament Reading: Romans 15

Last year, my kids and I studied history from Creation through Greek civilization in our homeschool, covering the entire Old Testament alongside simultaneously-occurring secular world history. This study included details about the Mosaic Tabernacle, God’s temporary dwelling place in the wilderness before His people reached their Promised Land. As a visual and kinesthetic learner, I love to bring our lessons to life in a tangible way, so you can imagine how excited I was to discover that a traveling life-size interactive Tabernacle replica would be near our stomping grounds last summer! 

The sun scorched down over the Tabernacle when we arrived, which I humored was very fitting since the real Tabernacle was built while the Israelites wandered in the desert. (However, keeping four young children calm in the heat was a bit of a challenge, and I had to make a pilgrimage from the Holy of Holies to the nearest well – I mean, my van – to get water to satisfy my parched children… but I digress). While we had already learned a lot about the Tabernacle before, it was fascinating to see it all with our own eyes and learn all about the symbolism of the Tabernacle to the Messiah and the coming Kingdom. 

In Exodus chapter 40, we see that the Tabernacle, after several chapters of minute details describing its construction, was finally erected, “and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle… throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out… for the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was upon it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.” (Exodus 40:34-38, ESV). 

The Tabernacle provided a way for God to live among His people again and guide them through the desert. I do wish that God’s direction was as clear to me as his presence in a cloud pillar leading me through this confusing life (wouldn’t that be nice?), but there is no longer a need for a Tabernacle like in those days, because Jesus is now our mediator and our Shepherd, and the Bible is our map and GPS. Because of Jesus, we have a direct line to God anytime, anywhere through prayer. Our ultimate hope is that someday, we will live together in the Kingdom with God, where there will not even need to be a sun because God will provide all the light we need! 

Our Psalm reading ties into this well. Check out verse 6: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of righteousness; you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.” God is on the throne! Hallelujah! 

And I’ll leave you with this from our Romans passage (verse 13), as you journey through this life relying on God’s direction: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Our hope is through Jesus in God the Father, who is preparing a Kingdom for us that will be permanent (not temporary like the Tabernacle), a place where we can one day dwell with Him. Go in that hope! 

-Rachel Cain

Reflection:

  1. Do some research about the symbolism of the Tabernacle to Jesus and the Kingdom. What speaks to your heart? 
  2. How is your prayer life, your connection with God? What could make it better? (Consider downloading a prayer app that pops up your prayer requests onto your phone throughout the day if, like me, having an uninterrupted prayer time is challenging). 
  3. What do you learn about God in our Bible reading today?
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Love Letters

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 35, 36 & 37
Psalm Reading: Psalm 44
New Testament Reading: Romans 14

Happy Valentine’s Day! 

Have you ever received a mushy love letter that resulted in a permanent smile pasted on your face? My late father-in-law Rex Cain shared stories about writing love letters to his girlfriend Grace (who later became his wife) when he was states away at Oregon Bible College in the 1950s. He would save his pennies for postage stamps and brief long-distance phone calls while he anxiously awaited her letters via snail mail. 

Communication has changed a lot since then. Now we can reach people almost anytime, anywhere, as they probably carry their cell phones everywhere they go. We can video chat instantly with people from all over the world and send written correspondence lickety-split via email and text. (Call me old fashioned, but even though I am very grateful for the technological advancements that have allowed us so much more contact with each other, nothing can quite replace a handwritten letter or card from someone you love.)

I’ve heard it said that the Bible is God’s love letter to us. I also envision that many of the Psalms are the writer’s love letters to God. Psalm 44 begins as a love letter style – it might have even been put to music. The author writes about God’s faithfulness to His people in the past and renews their devotion to God. “For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me… In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah.” (Psalm 44:6, 8 ESV)

Then in verse nine, this love letter turns a bit sour as the writer wonders aloud why God seems to have abandoned them. Something bad has happened to Israel, perhaps some battles that didn’t end well, even “though we have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant. Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from your way…” (vs 17,18). Israel is still faithfully serving God, but things are not going well for them. 

Here, the writer is poetically penning the collective thoughts and doubts of God’s chosen people, speaking directly to God. They need help and answers! Perhaps sometimes we are afraid to tell God what we really think, but He already knows. He created us with emotions and feelings, and I think He wants us to share those with Him. But notice how this psalm ends. It doesn’t conclude by harping on God and turning away from Him. Rather, in verse 26 we observe an optimistic plea as the author remembers how God has always been faithful in the past, and believes that He will yet again show up to help His people: “Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!”

Even in your times of doubting, don’t forget to remember God’s faithfulness. The Bible is packed with true tales of God’s provision, and if you think back hard enough into your own life, I bet you will recognize many times when God came through in your darkest moments as well. 

-Rachel Cain

Reflections: 

Pen your own psalm. In this season of life, would your psalm be mostly praise and triumph, or more lamenting and questioning? Be sure to remember His faithfulness in your life as you close out the psalm. 

Do you journal? It can be a great way to remember God’s faithfulness in your life. It doesn’t have to be elaborate; you can even do a quick bullet journal style. Journaling is a concrete way to look back to see God’s provision in your life. Jump in this week and give it a try! 

Which  part of this psalm speaks most to your heart today? 

What does God want you to know about Him?

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