Week 2 Monday
From the scattered nations of Babel to a depressed psalmist finding hope, to the voice of John the Baptist crying in the wilderness - today's readings remind us that God is always at work, even when it doesn't look like it.
Genesis 10-11
📖 What are we reading? The "table of nations" traces the descendants of Noah's sons, and then the Tower of Babel explains how the nations were scattered across the earth.
✞ What does this passage say about God? God will not allow human pride to go unchecked. The Tower of Babel is a sobering reminder that He resists those who seek to make a name for themselves rather than honour His.
🛐 How does this passage teach us to live? The genealogies may seem boring - but they had enormous importance in Jewish history, and they remind us that God is at work through ordinary human family lines. The Tower of Babel should cause us to examine our own tendency to build monuments to ourselves instead of honouring God in all we do.
Looking for some extra info?
➡️ The bigger picture: Genesis, meaning "beginnings", was written by Moses around 1400 BC, and covers the story of creation, the fall, and the origins of God's chosen people, Israel.
Psalm 6
📖 What are we reading? David is in the depths of despair - physically weak, emotionally exhausted, and crying out to God for mercy. But the final three verses take a dramatic turn, as his prayer lifts him back up.
✞ What does this passage say about God? God hears the cries of His people. Even in David's darkest moment, he is confident that "the Lord has heard my weeping." He is a God who does not ignore our suffering.
🛐 How does this passage teach us to live? This psalm is a powerful reminder that Christians can struggle with deep depression - and that is nothing to be ashamed of. The answer is to keep bringing it to God in honest prayer. Notice the shift that happens in those final verses: prayer is not a sign of weakness, it is the way through.
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.
📝 A devotional by Luke on praying like David, with trust.
Luke 3:1-22
📖 What are we reading? John the Baptist bursts onto the scene, calling people to repentance and baptism. He preaches a radical message to the crowds, the tax collectors, and the soldiers - and then baptises Jesus, at which moment the Holy Spirit descends and the Father speaks.
✞ What does this passage say about God? Jesus' baptism is a breathtaking moment - all three persons of the Trinity are present at once. The Father speaks, the Spirit descends, and the Son is publicly commissioned for His mission. God is deeply invested in what is about to unfold.
🛐 How does this passage teach us to live? John's words are worth a close look - he had something specific and practical to say to every group that came to him. His message of "produce fruit in keeping with repentance" is as relevant today as it was then. Ask yourself what fruit your own repentance is producing.
Looking for some extra info?
➡️ The bigger picture: Luke's Gospel was written by Luke, a Greek physician and companion of Paul, around AD 60-62. It is the most detailed account of Jesus' life, and is especially attentive to the poor, to women, and to outcasts.
🎤 A sermon by Luke on John the Baptist.
A Prayer for the Day
🙏 Lord, may we resist the temptation to build monuments to ourselves, and instead give You the glory in all we do. In our dark moments, remind us that You hear our weeping. And may we, like those who came to John, produce fruit that shows our repentance is real. Amen.
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