Today the Nazirite vow ends in the beautiful blessing of the Lord's peace, Psalm 89 holds God's promises to David alongside honest lament, and Paul is carried safely out of Jerusalem under heavy guard.
Numbers 6
📖 What are we reading?: The Nazirite vow, usually taken for 30 days but sometimes for life, with three rules: no alcohol, no cutting the hair, and no contact with dead bodies. The chapter ends with the now-famous Aaronic blessing.
✞ What does this passage say about God? He invites ordinary people to set themselves apart for Him, and He longs to bless His people, with His face shining on them and His peace resting on them.
🛐 How does this passage teach us to live? Many of you will recognise the blessing from benedictions that are said or sung at church today. Let's receive it today as a personal word, and carry the Lord's peace into every situation we face.
Looking for some extra info?
📝 A devotion reflecting on the words of peace in the priestly blessing.
♫ A lovely song based on these exact words.
➡️ The bigger picture: Numbers, named for the censuses of God's people, was written by Moses around 1400 BC, and tells of Israel's journey through the wilderness towards the Promised Land.
Psalm 89:19-52
📖 What are we reading?: God's blessings on David are vividly described, and it seems the Psalmist may have been looking ahead to David's descendant, Jesus Christ. Then the Psalmist laments that God doesn't seem to be holding up His end of the covenant, yet still ends with praise.
✞ What does this passage say about God? He keeps His promises. Verses 30-37 contain an amazing promise of His faithfulness, and Christ fulfilled His promise of an everlasting covenant.
🛐 How does this passage teach us to live? The end of this Psalm seems to forget verses 30-37, which have come true in an amazing way. When life makes God's promises feel far away, let's hold on to what He has already done, and keep praising like the writer does.
Looking for some extra info?
➡️ The bigger picture: The Psalms is a collection of 150 poems and songs, written by David and others, expressing the full range of human emotion in response to God and to life.
Acts 23:23-35
📖 What are we reading?: The Roman commander sends Paul under heavy guard to Caesarea, with a letter to Governor Felix, where Paul will be held in Herod's palace to await trial.
✞ What does this passage say about God? He is in control of every detail, and He even uses Roman soldiers and a Roman commander to carry out His plans for Paul.
🛐 How does this passage teach us to live? God had promised Paul in verse 11 that he would testify in Rome, and here He begins to make it happen. When God gives us a promise, we can trust Him to bring it about, even when the route looks strange.
Looking for some extra info?
➡️ The bigger picture: Luke's second book outlines the ministry of the early church - though it could just as well be called the Acts of the Holy Spirit, as He guides and grows Jesus' small movement into something that changes the world.
A Prayer for the Day
🙏 Lord, thank You that You bless us and give us Your peace, and that You keep every promise You make, just as You did for David and for Paul. Help us to trust You when the road looks strange, and to keep praising You through it all. Amen.
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