Sunday, July 06, 2008
Mark 5:1-20
Actis 15:1-12
Psalms 146, 147, 111, 112, 113
2 Samuel 20
Monday, July 07, 2008
Mark 5:21-43
Actis 15:13-21
Psalms 1,2,3,4,7
2 Samuel 21
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Mark 6:1-6a
Actis 15:22-35
Psalms, 5,6,10,11
2 Samuel 22
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Mark 6:6b-13
Acts 16 1-15
Psalms 119:1-24, 12,13,14
2 Samuel 23
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Mark 6:14-29
Acts 16:16-24
Psalms 18:1-20, 18:21-50
2 Samuel 24
Friday, July 11, 2008
Mark 6:30-44
Acts 16:25-40
Psalms 16,17,22
1 Kings 1
Saturday, July 12, 2008
John 19:25-27
Acts 17:1-9
Psalms 20,21,110,116,117
1 Kings 2
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2 comments:
Ok, I have to admit I fell a little behind on the readings while I was on vacation last week and I'm still struggling to catch up, but I spent some time reading 2 Samuel today, and I have a few thoughts:
1. How violent!! I have heard stories about David for as long as I can remember and am still amazed by intensity of cyclical violence. I can't even think of what to call it- uncivilized, archaic? But how can David be a "man after God's heart" when his whole family life is like something from a soap opera? I think what amazes me is that he kills his "tens of thousands" in battle, but it is only after he has inpregnated a married woman and had her husband killed that it says that God was displeased with him. Did he really have God's blessing on the violence that came before? And who can be surprised by the immorality and violence among his sons, when they grew up watching their father kill? Is there ever a reason to kill for good? I suppose that's a never ending philosophical question, but how can David's God be the same as that of Jesus, who says to turn the other cheek?
2. We read David's psalm of repentance in church today, his plea for mercy after being convicted of sin. And I started wondering today during the invitation song- can it really be true that sweet Mary is the only one in that building in need of ridding herself of- what was it- "uppity ways" or something like that. David did not deny or hide his shame. Even his daughter Tamar, after she was raped, did not try to hide her shame. She announced it publicly. So how is it that in a whole building full of Godly people, only one sweet lady can admit that she needs to be humbled? Why are invitation songs not the most exciting and action-packed time of the service? I admit that I am as guilty as the next guy of hiding my own weaknesses. I wonder how we get past that.
3. How amazing that God can use a history of such failings! I mean, it's almost comical the way that one man gets to the top, only to be stabbed in the back by someone else who will somehow get screwed in another way. And yet it is this story that leads us to the story of Jesus himself.
As I dropped off some friends from church today, I was saddened by seeing the cycle of poverty-economic, spiritual and intellectual- that is evident in their lives and the world around them. And I wonder how they will ever rise above that cycle. How encouraging to know that God is able to use that- to make it a part of his story. And how humbling to know that I have very little to do with that! I serve a God that is able to take darkness and turn it to light. What a might God I serve!!
Good stuff, Fousto. And it seems like relationships like the one you're fostering with Patrice are what God usually uses to break cycles and bring transformation.
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